Infusion Pump Expiry Code Detection for Disposable Article Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical infusion systems lack effective monitoring and enforcement of the shelf life and maximum usage time of disposable articles like infusion tubes, leading to potential risks of sterility loss and inaccurate delivery due to material fatigue, which can be unintentionally disregarded.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a machine-readable code, such as a color code on disposable articles like infusion tubes, that contains an expiry time, combined with a sensor and controller in the infusion pump to determine and enforce the shelf life and maximum usage time, ensuring only valid articles are used and preventing unauthorized use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If disposable articles are used beyond their shelf life or maximum retention time, then productivity is improved by avoiding interruptions, but reliability deteriorates due to sterility loss and material fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by encoding expiry information (shelf life and maximum retention time) on the disposable article before use, and the controller proactively monitors this information to predict when the article will expire, allowing advance warning and prevention of expired use
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes feedback loops where the controller continuously monitors the current time against the encoded expiry information, and provides feedback through warnings and blockages when the article approaches or exceeds its valid period, ensuring reliability is maintained
2Reliability
If expiry monitoring and enforcement systems are implemented, then reliability is improved by ensuring only valid articles are used, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and controllers
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable article itself carries the expiry information encoded on it, making the system self-servicing in terms of information provision. The article provides its own expiry data without requiring external tracking systems, reducing the burden on the infusion device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual expiry checking with automated optical or magnetic sensing systems that automatically read the encoded information, substituting mechanical/manual processes with automated sensing and control to improve reliability while managing complexity
3Reliability
If maximum retention time is enforced to prevent material fatigue, then reliability is improved, but loss of time occurs due to article replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of the retention time from the moment the article is inserted, continuously tracking usage duration against the maximum retention time encoded on the article, and provides advance warning before the limit is reached, allowing planned replacement rather than emergency intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The controller preemptively blocks further use of the article when the maximum retention time is reached, preventing the harmful effect of material fatigue and sterility loss before they can occur, ensuring reliability is maintained
Data Source
AI summary
A medical infusion system includes a disposable article and an infusion pump. The disposable article can be inserted into or connected to the infusion pump. The disposable article can be an infusion tube or a syringe. The infusion pump can be a peristaltic pump or a syringe pump. The disposable article contains a machine-readable code or is connected to an accessory carrying a machine-readable code. The machine-readable code contains or represents an expiry period, in particular a retention period, a shelf life, or an expiry date, of the disposable article. The infusion pump has a sensor for detecting the machine-readable code. A pump controller determines the expiry time of the disposable article based on the machine-readable code.