Adjustable Kickstand and Fan Grate for Medical Programmer Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical device programmers lack ergonomic design and efficient cooling mechanisms, making them less user-friendly and prone to overheating during extended use, which can impact the accuracy and reliability of implantable medical device programming and data retrieval.
Innovation Solution
A medical device programmer with an adjustable kickstand for versatile positioning and a fan grate that allows airflow to cool electronic components, enhancing user interaction and device performance by maintaining optimal operating temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the programmer is designed with fixed positioning, then manufacturing is simpler, but ergonomics and user comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The kickstand is designed as an adjustable component that can be positioned at multiple angles and heights, transforming the programmer from a static device to one with dynamic positioning capabilities. This allows the display and control interface to be oriented according to user preference, significantly improving ergonomics during extended programming sessions.
Solution Approach 2:
The kickstand is implemented as a separate, modular component rather than an integrated fixed structure. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the stand angle and height without affecting the main housing, resolving the contradiction by adding ergonomic functionality while maintaining manufacturing simplicity for the core device.
2Temperature
If electronic components are densely packed, then device size is reduced, but cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling solution addresses the thermal management challenge by utilizing the vertical dimension through an extended kickstand structure that incorporates cooling elements. This allows heat dissipation pathways to extend beyond the main device footprint, improving cooling efficiency without significantly increasing the compactness of the electronic component housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The kickstand serves as an intermediary structure that facilitates heat transfer from internal electronic components to the external environment. By incorporating thermal conduction pathways through the stand structure, the design enables effective cooling while maintaining a compact overall device form factor.
3Reliability
If the kickstand blocks airflow, then structural support is improved, but cooling of electronic components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The kickstand incorporates a porous or lattice-like structure that provides both mechanical support and airflow pathways. This porous design allows cooling air to pass through the stand structure, preventing it from blocking airflow while maintaining sufficient structural strength to support the programmer at various angles during use.
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 ergonomic design and cooling features improve user comfort and device reliability, enabling more precise programming and data retrieval while reducing the risk of overheating and extending the device's lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling fan to cool electronic components of the programmer. The programmer housing includes a fan grate that allows airflow from the cooling fan to pass through the programmer housing
Data Source
AI summary
A programmer for an implantable medical device includes an adjustable kickstand. In one example, the kickstand is configured to combine with the base to support the programmer in an upright position when the kickstand is fully-collapsed to support the programmer in a reclined position when the kickstand is fully-extended. Further, the programmer housing may include a fan grate that allows airflow from a cooling fan to pass through the programmer housing. The fan grate is positioned behind the kickstand when the kickstand is in the fully-collapsed position. The kickstand includes an aperture adjacent the fan grate when the kickstand is in the fully-collapsed position, the aperture allowing airflow from the cooling fan to pass through the fan grate when the kickstand is in the fully-collapsed position.