Battery Pack Sleep Modes for Ready NPWT Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wound treatment technologies face challenges in efficiently managing wound healing processes, particularly in adjusting topical negative pressure (TNP) therapy prescriptions and ensuring effective therapy delivery.

Innovation Solution

The development of a negative pressure wound therapy device equipped with a user interface, main control circuitry, and a power source that includes rechargeable batteries with intelligent power management, allowing for efficient operation, shutdown, and reactivation based on user input and battery conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the power source remains continuously monitoring battery operational parameters, then the device is ready for immediate operation, but battery charge is depleted during storage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice readinessVSAvoidbattery charge consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The power source control circuitry dynamically transitions between operational and shutdown states based on device usage conditions. During active therapy delivery, the circuitry continuously monitors battery parameters to ensure reliable operation. During storage or inactivity, the circuitry enters shutdown mode to conserve battery charge, thus adapting the monitoring behavior to current operational needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the monitoring parameter state from continuous monitoring to minimal or no monitoring based on operational context. The power source control circuitry adjusts its monitoring frequency and intensity according to whether the device is actively delivering therapy or in storage, thereby optimizing the balance between reliability and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If the power source is turned off during storage, then battery charge is preserved, but the device cannot immediately resume operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery charge preservationVSAvoiddevice reactivation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The power source control circuitry performs preliminary checks and preparations even in shutdown mode. When a shutdown request is received, the circuitry enters a low-power state but maintains the capability to quickly detect wakeup requests or external charger connections, enabling rapid reactivation without full continuous monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the power source control circuitry continuously monitors battery operational parameters, then battery safety and performance are maintained, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery safetyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The power source control circuitry implements periodic monitoring of battery operational parameters instead of continuous monitoring. During active therapy delivery, monitoring occurs at regular intervals sufficient to ensure battery safety and performance. During storage or shutdown periods, monitoring frequency is reduced or suspended, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining battery safety when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS20250050007A1Smart battery pack with power saving modes for negative pressure wound therapy devices

Publication Date: 2025.02.13 T J SMITH & NEPHEW

AI summary

Disclosed is a wound therapy system incorporating an intelligent power management system. The intelligent power management system can include a power source controller and can extend the useful life of a battery pack while the wound therapy device is not in use. In some cases. the power source controller can transition the wound therapy device into a shelf mode to maintain a charge level of the battery pack during long-term storage of the device. Additionally, the power source controller can transition the battery pack into a sleep mode to preserve the charge level of the battery pack. Various power saving modes of the wound therapy device can be selected by a user or can be initialized automatically.