Insufflation Heating Wire Resistance Moisture Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laparoscopy insufflation systems face challenges in accurately determining the water content of humidifying media without introducing additional complexity, such as electrical connections and flow resistance, which can lead to inadequate gas moisture levels during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
An insufflation device with an insufflation hose containing a heating element, where the resistance of a temperature-dependent heating wire is measured to determine the water content of the humidifying medium, allowing for a refill alarm to be generated without additional sensors, using a method that evaluates the resistance behavior over time during heating and cooling phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a moisture sensor is used to detect the moisture of the gas in the gas channel, then the moisture content can be monitored, but the device complexity increases due to additional electrical connections and the flow resistance decreases the gas flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the moisture detection function from a separate moisture sensor and integrates it into the heating element itself. The heating wire's resistance change serves dual purposes: heating the humidifying material and indicating moisture content through resistance measurement. This eliminates the need for separate moisture sensing components and their associated electrical connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is given multiple functions: it heats the humidifying material to generate moisture and simultaneously serves as a moisture content sensor through its resistance characteristics. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by eliminating separate components while maintaining both heating and sensing capabilities.
2Reliability
If the humidifying medium is continuously monitored for water content, then refill timing can be determined, but additional sensors and complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element monitors its own performance by measuring its resistance, which changes based on the moisture content of the humidifying material. This self-diagnostic capability allows the system to determine when refill is needed without external sensors, maintaining reliability while avoiding additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses resistance measurement feedback from the heating element to monitor moisture content in real-time. This feedback mechanism enables continuous monitoring of humidifying medium conditions and triggers refill alerts based on resistance changes, ensuring reliable operation without additional sensing hardware.
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 solution enables precise and accurate measurement of the water content in the humidifying medium, eliminating the need for additional sensors and ensuring optimal gas moisture levels, thus improving the reliability of laparoscopic procedures by providing timely refill alerts.
Implementation Method 1
the heating element consisting of a wire, the wire changing its resistance with varying temperature
Implementation Method 2
the heating element being activatable by applying a current
Implementation Method 3
the humidifying material being in contact with a heating element
Implementation Method 4
Moistening serves for that drying of the inner abdominal surface is prevented
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a medical apparatus for use in laparoscopic surgery, that includes an insufflator supplying a gas; a heating and humidification system which includes a heating element and humidification material, the heating and humidification system receives the gas supplied by the insufflator and warms and humidifies the gas; and a computing device for measuring at two or more time periods a resistance value associated with a component of the heating and humidification system and based in part on the measured resistance values, determines a water content of the humidification material.