Integrated Interface Seals for EMI, Heat, and Water Protection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical devices face challenges in assembly and maintenance due to the distributed nature of seals, gaskets, and connecting materials, which are required to provide protection from various external conditions.

Innovation Solution

The development of multi-function interface seals that integrate multiple protection functions into a single component, reducing the number of parts and critical interfaces needed. These seals include recesses for multiple sealing members that provide protection from external sources such as heat, electromagnetic interference, water, and debris.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple separate seals, gaskets, and connecting materials are distributed at different locations to provide protection from various external conditions, then the device meets regulatory and industry standards for protection, but the assembly and maintenance of the device becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection from external conditionsVSAvoidassembly and maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate seals, gaskets, and connecting materials into a single integrated multi-function interface seal assembly. This seal includes multiple sealing members (e.g., first seal, second seal, third seal) that are integrated together to provide protection against multiple external conditions (thermal, electrical, mechanical, environmental) simultaneously, thereby maintaining reliability while simplifying assembly and maintenance operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The multi-function interface seal is designed to perform multiple protective functions within a single component. The seal assembly includes different sealing members configured to protect against different external sources (heat, electrical interference, mechanical factors, environmental conditions), making the single seal universal in addressing multiple protection requirements that previously needed separate components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple separate seals, gaskets, and connecting materials are used to meet protection specifications, then the required protection levels are achieved, but the number of parts and critical interfaces increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection specificationsVSAvoidnumber of parts and interfaces
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges multiple separate protective components (seals, gaskets, connecting materials) into a single multi-function interface seal assembly. This integration reduces the total number of parts and critical interfaces while maintaining all necessary protection specifications through the coordinated function of multiple sealing members within the unified assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The multi-function interface seal serves as a universal component that addresses multiple protection specifications simultaneously. By incorporating different sealing members (first seal for thermal protection, second seal for electrical protection, third seal for mechanical protection), the single assembly fulfills multiple protective requirements that previously demanded separate components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4567306A1Multi-function interface seals
Publication Date: 2025.06.11 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP4567306A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4567306A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4567306A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided herein are multi-function interface seals and devices or components incorporating one or more of such multi-function interface seals. In embodiments, each multi-function interface seal (100) can be formed by a first component (120) having a first surface (122) comprising a multi-function interface (124), and a second component (130) having a second surface (132) comprising a complementary interface (134). When the first and second components are assembled together, the multi-function interface (124) and the complementary interface (134) form one or more openings wherein at least a first and second sealing member can be disposed in order to provide a measure of protection from one or more external factors, such as heat, EMI (electronic magnetic interference), water, dirt, and/or the like.