Dynamic Valve Control for Medical Flow Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical treatment machines, particularly those used in dialysis, have inflexible valve control systems that make it difficult to implement new methods and increase wear on valve components, as they require fixed flow paths and valve states, limiting flexibility and ease of integration of new processes.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling valves in medical treatment machines that allows each process to claim and manage a group of valves independently, enabling flexible allocation and release of resources based on availability and priority, ensuring safety and efficient use of resources without requiring all valves to be closed for safety reasons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed flow paths are predetermined in the control system, then safety is ensured through predefined connections, but flexibility to implement new methods is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static predetermined flow paths to dynamic flow path determination. The control system now allows processes to query and determine flow paths at runtime based on current valve states and process requirements, enabling flexibility while maintaining safety through monitored connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary checks of valve states and connection validity before allowing flow path changes. The control system monitors and validates connections proactively, ensuring safety constraints are met before processes can utilize new flow paths.
2Reliability
If all valves are closed for safety reasons during method changes, then system safety is maintained, but valve wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of closing all valves (excessive action), the system closes only the specific valves necessary for safety during method changes. The control system intelligently determines which valves need to be closed based on the specific method being implemented, minimizing unnecessary valve operations and wear.
3Device complexity
If fixed valve states are required for each process, then control simplicity is maintained, but resource utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system transitions from fixed predetermined valve states to dynamic valve state determination. Processes can query the control system to determine appropriate valve states based on current system conditions and process requirements, improving resource utilization while maintaining controlled complexity through centralized management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where processes query the control system about valve states and connections. The control system responds with information about current valve configurations and validates proposed flow paths, enabling efficient resource utilization through informed decision-making.
4Reliability
If comprehensive monitoring of all valve connections is implemented, then safety is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system implements monitoring and validation of valve connections through feedback mechanisms. The system actively checks and monitors connections between flow path elements, providing safety assurance through systematic validation without requiring complex manual monitoring of all possible connections.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for the control of valves for flow path control, in particular in a medical treatment machine, having a plurality of processes for the manufacture of flow paths by control of a group of valves, with each process claiming a group of valves suitable for its carrying out for itself so that other processes cannot change the switching state of these valves and with each process itself making a decision on the release of the valves claimed by it. In addition, a method is provided for monitoring the then current and/or scheduled state of a plurality of valves in the flow path control, determining the connections resulting from the switching state of the valves, and comparing the resulting connections with a predetermined number of non-permitted connections.