Blood Pump Controller Venting and Safe Connector Activation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mechanical circulatory support systems, particularly ventricular assist devices (VADs), face challenges in ensuring the ruggedization and reliability of their controllers to prevent water ingress, electrical shocks, and battery degassing, which are critical for long-term implantable blood pump operation in patients with heart failure.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a partially sealed housing with integrated energy storage components and circuitry that detects connector status, deactivating contacts when not mated, and utilizing parallel battery packs to tolerate single fault failures, ensuring waterproofing without hermetic sealing and allowing degassing, while integrating batteries within the controller to enhance robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the housing is hermetically sealed to prevent water ingress, then water protection is improved, but the energy storage component cannot degas properly
Solution Approach 1:
The housing employs different sealing characteristics in different regions: a water-tight seal to prevent water ingress, while incorporating a dedicated degas port that allows gas escape. This localized differentiation of sealing properties resolves the contradiction between preventing water entry and enabling gas venting.
Solution Approach 2:
A degas port serves as an intermediary component that selectively permits gas molecules to pass through while blocking water ingress. This intermediary structure mediates between the conflicting requirements of water protection and degassing capability.
2Ease of operation
If the contacts remain continuously active for easy operation, then operational convenience is improved, but the risk of electrical shock and corrosion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification of connector insertion status before activating the contacts. The processor detects whether the connector is properly inserted and only then enables contact functionality, preventing premature or unsafe electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors connector status and provides feedback control to the contact activation state. When the connector is detected as inserted, contacts are activated; when removed, contacts are deactivated, creating a closed-loop safety mechanism.
3Device complexity
If a single battery pack is used to reduce device complexity, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the reliability under single fault conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple independent battery packs (first and second battery packs) that can operate independently. This segmentation allows the system to maintain functionality even when one pack fails, improving fault tolerance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates redundant battery packs as a preemptive measure against future failures. By having backup energy storage capacity available before failure occurs, the system cushions against the impact of single-fault events and maintains continuous operation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An implantable blood pump system is disclosed herein. The implantable blood pump system includes an implantable blood pump and a controller coupled to the blood pump. The controller includes a partially sealed housing defining an internal volume. The controller includes an energy storage component contained within the internal volume and a processor. The processor can generate one or several signals affecting operation of the implantable blood pump. The controller includes a connector receptacle including a plurality of contacts selectively coupled via a circuitry to the energy storage component. The circuitry can electrically couple the plurality of contacts to the energy storage component when a connector insert is received within the connector receptacle and deactivate the plurality of contacts from the energy storage component when the connector insert is not within the connector receptacle.