Body-Fluid Analyte Sensor With High-Resistance Safety Conductors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices for detecting analytes in body fluids face safety risks due to potential high electric currents flowing into the body when electronics fail, necessitating redundant components that increase cost and size.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates electrodes with higher resistance conductors to limit current flow, eliminating the need for redundant components by ensuring the conductors' resistance is greater than the electrodes', thus preventing unsafe currents and reducing overall size and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant electronic components are added to compensate for potential failures, then user safety is improved, but device size and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the safety function from redundant electronic components and transfers it to the conductor itself by designing the conductor with inherently high electrical resistance. This eliminates the need for separate protective components while maintaining safety, thereby reducing device size and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductor serves dual functions: it connects the electrodes to the electronics unit and simultaneously provides safety protection through its high electrical resistance. The conductor's own property (high resistance) protects the user without requiring external protective components, embodying the self-service principle.
2Reliability
If redundant electronic components are added to compensate for potential failures, then user safety is improved, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for separate protective electronic components by integrating the safety function into the conductor's electrical properties. This simplification reduces component count and assembly steps, leading to lower production costs while maintaining safety standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical resistance parameter of the conductor to be higher than that of the electrodes, thereby transforming the conductor into a safety mechanism. This parameter change eliminates the need for additional protective components, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Reliability
If the electrical resistance of conductors is increased to limit current flow, then user safety is improved, but electrical conductivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different electrical resistance characteristics to different parts of the electrical path: the electrodes have low resistance for effective analyte detection, while the conductors have high resistance for safety. This localized differentiation of electrical properties allows the system to achieve both detection efficiency and user safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent strategically changes the electrical resistance parameter along the electrical path, making the conductor's resistance higher than the electrode's resistance. This parameter optimization ensures that under normal operation, sufficient current flows through the low-resistance electrodes for detection, while the high-resistance conductors limit current to safe levels.
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 design mitigates the risk of unsafe electric currents while minimizing production costs and device size by using higher resistance conductors to control current flow, eliminating the need for redundant components.
Implementation Method 1
the electrical resistance of the first electric conductor and the electrical resistance of the second electric conductor is higher than the electrical resistance of the first electrode and the electrical resistance of the second electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device for detecting an analyte in a body fluid has a base body for reversibly attaching the medical device to a patient's body and has an insertable analyte sensor with first and second electrodes. An electronics unit is connected to the sensor. The first and second electrodes each have a first free end and a second end, the second ends being electrically connected to respective electric conductors connecting the respective electrodes to the electronics unit. The first electrode extending from the second end and the second electrode extending from the second end are at least partially in electric contact with the body tissue of a patient during use of the medical device. The electrical resistance of the first electric conductor and the electrical resistance of the second electric conductor is higher than the electrical resistance of the first electrode and the electrical resistance of the second electrode.