Infusion Pump Backup Power for Safe Infusion Resumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Infusion pumps face interruptions due to electrical failures, which can lead to improper reinitiation of fluid delivery, potentially harming patients, as they lack reliable backup power systems to maintain pump settings and time tracking during power outages.
Innovation Solution
An infusion pump system with a primary power source and a backup power source, such as a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery, that powers the clock and memory to maintain pump settings and time during power interruptions, ensuring safe suspension and resumption of fluid delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the infusion pump uses only a primary power source, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of the infusion delivery is compromised during power interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The backup power source is charged in advance during normal operation when the primary power source is available. This preliminary action ensures that when a power interruption occurs, the backup power source is already prepared and can immediately take over without interruption to the infusion delivery, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the power source parameter from primary to backup based on the operational state. When the primary power source fails, the controller automatically switches to the backup power source, maintaining continuous operation. This parameter change approach allows the system to achieve high reliability without permanently increasing device complexity, as the backup system only activates when needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the infusion pump lacks a backup power source, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the safety of the patient is compromised during power failures
Solution Approach 1:
The backup power source is charged in advance during normal operation, preparing the system beforehand for potential power failures. This preliminary charging action ensures patient safety during interruptions without requiring complex real-time power management, thus balancing manufacturing cost with safety requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup power source is designed as a cost-effective, replaceable component rather than a permanent, expensive system. When the backup battery is depleted or fails, it can be replaced with a new one, avoiding the need for expensive, long-lived power systems. This approach maintains patient safety while keeping manufacturing costs reasonable.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the infusion pump suspends the infusion during power interruption, then patient safety is improved, but the productivity of the infusion delivery is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The backup power source is charged in advance and automatically activates during power interruptions, allowing the infusion to continue without suspension. This preliminary preparation enables the system to maintain productivity while ensuring patient safety, as the backup power is already available when needed rather than requiring suspension and later resumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup power source ensures continuous operation of the infusion pump during primary power failures. By maintaining uninterrupted power supply to the pump, controller, and memory, the system preserves the continuity of the infusion delivery, thus improving productivity while keeping patients safe through consistent, controlled administration.
4Manufacturing precision
If the pump settings are not maintained during power outages, then the device complexity is reduced, but the precision of infusion delivery is compromised upon resumption
Solution Approach 1:
The memory component continuously stores pump settings, infusion parameters, and timing information during normal operation. When a power interruption occurs, this preliminary storage ensures that all critical data is preserved, allowing the infusion to resume with precise accuracy. The memory acts as a preliminary buffer that maintains precision without requiring complex real-time power management systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy of all pump settings and infusion parameters in the memory before power failure occurs. This copied data can be retained and recalled after power restoration, ensuring precise resumption of the infusion. The copying approach maintains manufacturing precision while avoiding the need for complex hardware redundancy, thus balancing precision requirements with device complexity constraints.
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
The system ensures continuous tracking of time and retention of pump settings during power outages, allowing for safe and precise resumption of fluid delivery upon power restoration, preventing patient harm from improper infusion restarts.
Implementation Method 1
a backup power source configured to provide power to the clock and the memory during an interruption in power from the primary power source
Data Source
AI summary
An infusion pump includes a controller that controls the pump's operating states including an initiation state and a current operating state for an infusion. The infusion pump has a clock that tracks the time of the current operating state of the infusion and a memory in communication with the controller and the clock that stores pump settings. The infusion pump includes a primary power source that provides power to the controller, clock, memory, and other pump components required for pumping during an infusion. The pump also includes a backup power source that provides power to the controller, clock, and memory during interruptions in power from the primary power source.