Battery Pack Attached to External Cable for Handheld Medical Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hand-held medical devices, such as electrosurgical devices, face challenges with bulky battery packs that add weight and compromise sterility due to their location within the device's housing, requiring a solution that reduces weight and maintains a sterile environment while allowing connection to external systems.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack attached to an external cable that supplies power to the device, reducing the weight of the device's housing and keeping the battery pack remote from the device, thus preventing contamination, while also enabling connection to functional systems like generators or irrigation systems using the same cable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the battery pack is located within the device's housing, then the device structure is simplified, but the device weight increases and portability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two separate components: a hand-held device and an external battery pack. The battery pack is detached from the device housing and connected via a cable, allowing the device to be lightweight and portable while the battery pack provides power independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack is extracted from the device housing and positioned externally. This removes the heavy battery component from the hand-held device, significantly reducing its weight and improving portability while maintaining functional integration through cable connection.
2Weight of moving object
If the battery pack is located outside the device housing, then the device weight is reduced, but the battery pack may compromise the sterile environment
Solution Approach 1:
A cable serves as an intermediary connection between the hand-held device and the external battery pack. This allows the battery pack to remain outside the sterile field while maintaining electrical connection, preventing contamination of the sterile environment.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the battery pack is remote from the device, then sterility is maintained, but additional mechanisms are required which increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The external cable connection serves multiple functions: it transmits electrical power from the battery pack to the device, provides a sterile barrier by keeping the battery pack outside the sterile field, and enables communication between the device and external systems. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate mechanisms.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a separate cable is added for power transmission, then the battery pack can be remote, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external cable is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: power transmission, data communication, and maintaining sterile separation. This consolidates what could be multiple separate connections into a single multi-functional interface, reducing overall system complexity.
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
This configuration reduces the weight of the device, maintains a sterile environment by keeping the battery pack away from the operating area, and simplifies connections by using a single cable for both power transmission and system integration, enhancing user safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a battery pack attached to a cable supplying energy to a device
Data Source
AI summary
An article comprising: (i) a handheld device including (a) a housing, (b) a powered element within the housing; (ii) a battery pack, wherein the handheld device is connected by an external cable to a functional system, wherein the battery pack is attached to the external cable, and wherein the battery pack supplies power to the powered element.