Magnetic Light Guide Plug for Neonatal Therapy Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable light-beam therapeutic apparatuses for neonatal infants face safety issues due to protruding power source cords and optical fibers, which can cause the apparatus to fall or be damaged, and expose operators to harmful blue, green, or blue-green light when handled improperly.
Innovation Solution
A compact and portable light-beam therapeutic apparatus design featuring a light guide rod with a plug that securely connects to a socket via a permanent magnet, a sensor to ensure proper connection and turn on the light source only when plugged in, and a sliding shutter to prevent light leakage and automatic shut-off when the connection is broken.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the light guide rod and socket are fixedly and continuously coupled to prevent light leakage, then light safety is improved, but the apparatus becomes difficult to separate and portability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A permanent magnet is introduced as an intermediary force to hold the light guide rod and socket together. The magnetic attraction provides continuous coupling to prevent light leakage while allowing easy separation when needed, resolving the contradiction between safety and portability
Solution Approach 2:
The permanent magnet replaces traditional mechanical fastening systems (screws, clips, or adhesives) with a magnetic field-based coupling mechanism. This substitution enables both secure connection for light safety and easy separation for portability, as the magnetic force can be easily overcome by pulling apart
2Ease of operation
If protruding power source cords and optical fibers are used for portability, then ease of connection is improved, but safety is reduced due to risk of falling and light exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The problematic protruding cords and fibers are extracted/removed from the design. Instead, the apparatus uses integrated magnetic coupling between the light guide rod and socket, eliminating the need for external cords and fibers that could cause falling or light exposure hazards
Solution Approach 2:
The permanent magnet provides preliminary anti-action by continuously holding the light guide rod and socket together before any accidental pulling or disconnection can occur. This preventive magnetic coupling stops the potential harm of falling or light leakage before it can happen
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 design prevents accidental dropping of the apparatus and ensures operator safety by maintaining a secure connection and automatically turning off the light source when the plug is pulled, preventing exposure to harmful light and enhancing safety during use.
Implementation Method 1
the light-receiving plug is configured to be kept in a coupled state by an attracting action of a permanent magnet provided on a side of the connecting socket
Implementation Method 2
a light guide portion having a plurality of bundled optical fibers
Data Source
AI summary
A light-beam therapeutic apparatus for ensuring patient safety. The light-beam therapeutic apparatus includes an apparatus body portion having a light source; a light guide rod that guides light from the light source, a connecting socket, a cooling fan, an electronic component that performs control required for a therapy, and a control display panel that displays contents of the therapy; a therapeutic portion including a light guide portion including a plurality of bundled optical fibers, and a pad portion formed of the optical fibers spread out adjacently to one another into a flat-panel shape. The therapeutic portion is formed into a light-receiving plug that is insertable into a connecting socket of the apparatus body portion. The light-receiving plug is configured to be kept in a coupled state by an attracting action of a permanent magnet provided on a side of the connecting socket.