Connector With Redundant Points For Implantable Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implantable medical devices face connection failures due to mechanical damage or contamination, which can lead to partial or complete device failure, especially in medical devices like EEG, ECG, or EMG devices, where frequent disconnection and reconnection are necessary for replacement or revision, and contamination from body fluids or cleaning agents can obscure connections.
Innovation Solution
A connector with redundant connection points is designed to ensure reliable connection and disconnection, where more connection points than necessary are provided, with primary and redundant points distributed across the surface to minimize contamination risks, and the distance between points is optimized to enhance reliability, with more points assigned to critical elements to prioritize their functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the connector is frequently disconnected and reconnected for replacement or revision, then the electronic circuit and sensor/actuation elements can be replaced or revised, but connection failures occur due to mechanical damage or contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing redundant connection points in advance before any contamination or damage occurs. These backup connection points are pre-positioned on the connector surface, ready to be used if primary connection points fail due to frequent disconnection and reconnection during surgical procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by distributing multiple connection points for each sensor or actuation element across the connector surface. This creates a buffer against contamination from body fluids, blood, or cleaning agents, ensuring that if some connection points become unusable, others remain functional to maintain reliable electrical connection.
2Reliability
If more connection points are provided than necessary, then redundancy is achieved to prevent connection failures, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the connector surface to serve multiple functions: it provides both primary and redundant connection points for electrical connections, and the distributed arrangement also serves as contamination protection. The same physical structure achieves both connection reliability and simplified design by integrating redundancy into the basic connector geometry rather than adding separate complex systems.
3Reliability
If connection points are distributed across the surface with optimized distance, then contamination risk is minimized, but the connector surface area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by distributing connection points non-uniformly across the connector surface, placing them at specific locations optimized for contamination resistance. Rather than uniform distribution, the design strategically positions connection points to maximize spacing from potential contamination sources while minimizing overall surface area usage, creating locally optimized connection zones.
Data Source
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AI summary
A connector (10, 30, 40) is provided for coupling an electronic circuit (11) of an electronic device to sensor and/or actuation elements (12) of the electronic device. The connector (10, 30, 40) comprises at least one connection surface (21) with i connection points (13), the i connection points (13) comprise j primary connection points (13) for coupling the electronic circuit (11) to j corresponding ones of the elements (12), and k redundant connection points (13) for redundantly coupling the electronic circuit (11) to at least one of the elements (12). The primary and the redundant connection points (13) for the at least one of the elements (12) are distributed over the connection surface (21).