Analyte Sensor Electrode Short-Circuit Protection for Patient Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing analyte sensors, particularly those used in continuous glucose monitoring systems, lack sufficient safety measures against malfunction, often requiring bulky and complex components to prevent harm to patients, which complicates manufacturing and increases size and cost.
Innovation Solution
An analyte sensor design with electrodes partially housed within an enclosure, featuring a protection unit that short-circuits the internal electrode portions when a voltage threshold is exceeded, ensuring safety by preventing harmful currents from reaching the patient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional safety measures are implemented in analyte sensors, then patient safety is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the safety protection function with the existing electrode structure by integrating a protection unit that short-circuits the electrodes within the enclosure. This merging approach eliminates the need for separate, redundant safety components while maintaining patient safety through automatic short-circuiting when voltage thresholds are exceeded.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection unit is configured to automatically short-circuit the electrodes when a voltage threshold is exceeded, without requiring external control or additional safety mechanisms. This self-service approach enables the device to protect itself and the patient autonomously, reducing complexity while ensuring reliability.
2Reliability
If redundant safety components are added to prevent harmful currents, then patient safety is improved, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The safety protection functionality is merged into the existing electrode structure and enclosure design. The protection unit utilizes the same physical space and structural elements already present in the device, eliminating the need for additional safety components that would increase weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection unit serves multiple functions: it acts as both a structural component within the electrode assembly and a safety mechanism for preventing harmful currents. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated safety components, thereby reducing overall device weight.
3Reliability
If redundant safety components are added to prevent harmful currents, then patient safety is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protection unit is integrated into the existing electrode and enclosure structure, allowing it to be manufactured using the same processes and assembly lines. This merging eliminates the need for separate manufacturing steps and quality control procedures for dedicated safety components, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
4Reliability
If traditional safety measures are implemented, then patient safety is improved, but the number of components and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protection unit is combined with the existing electrode structure and enclosure, eliminating the need for separate safety components. This integration reduces the total number of components while maintaining comprehensive safety protection through automatic short-circuiting functionality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides a safer, more compact, and cost-effective analyte sensor by eliminating the need for redundant safety components, reducing size and weight, and enhancing reliability while maintaining patient safety.
Implementation Method 1
the protection unit is configured to short / short-circuit the electrodes / the two electrodes in case a voltage signal from / originating from / occurring in the sensor circuit and applied to the electrodes exceeds a predetermined voltage threshold
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an analyte sensor (100) for use in medical devices for measuring analyte data, in particular for measuring glucose data, comprising: a power source (102) for providing electrical power to the analyte sensor (100), an enclosure (101) of the analyte sensor, a sensor circuit (103) powered by said power source and comprising two electrodes (105, 106), wherein said electrodes (105, 106) each have a first portion (105a, 106a) that lies inside the enclosure (101) and a second portion (105b, 105b) that lies outside of the enclosure (101), at least one protection unit (107), wherein said protection unit (107) is electrically coupled to the first portion (105a, 106a) of each of the two electrodes (105, 106) that is located inside the enclosure (101), and wherein said at least one protection unit (107) is configured to short-circuit the two electrodes (105, 106) in case a voltage signal from the sensor circuit (103) applied to the electrodes (105, 106) exceeds a predetermined voltage threshold. The invention further relates to a method (300) for operating an analyte sensor.