Magnetic Smart Connector With Strain-Triggered Disconnection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical connectors are prone to disconnection due to excessive strain or force, posing risks such as bleeding, medication disconnection, and interruption of patient monitoring, without mechanisms to prevent harmful disconnections.

Innovation Solution

A smart medical connector system with magnetic connectivity interfaces, strain sensors, and a ferromagnetic driver that automatically disconnects under harmful strain conditions, providing notifications and allowing manual disconnection when necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If basic connectors are used for connecting patient to medical product, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of protection against harmful disconnections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection safetyVSAvoidconnector structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A magnetic connector component is introduced as an intermediary between the patient connection and medical product. This magnetic intermediary provides both mechanical attachment and magnetic retention forces, creating a layered connection system that enhances reliability without requiring complete redesign of the entire connector assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces purely mechanical connector designs with a hybrid system incorporating magnetic fields. The magnetic attraction force supplements mechanical engagement, providing automatic retention and reduction of disconnection risk without adding complex mechanical locking mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If magnetic connectivity interface with strain sensors is implemented, then reliability improves through automatic disconnection protection, but device complexity increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic disconnection protectionVSAvoidmagnetic connectivity interface

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The strain sensor system enables the connector to automatically monitor its own connection status and autonomously trigger disconnection when harmful forces are detected. This self-monitoring and self-protecting capability eliminates the need for external monitoring systems or manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Strain sensors provide real-time feedback on connection forces to the control system. When the feedback indicates forces exceeding safe thresholds, the system automatically initiates disconnection, creating a closed-loop safety mechanism that continuously monitors and responds to connection conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If ferromagnetic driver is used for controlled disconnection, then ease of operation improves for manual disconnection, but device complexity increases due to additional control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanual disconnectionVSAvoidferromagnetic driver

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical manipulation for disconnection with magnetic field control. The ferromagnetic driver responds to magnetic actuation signals, enabling controlled disconnection through magnetic field modulation rather than mechanical force application, which simplifies the user interaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

Prevents harmful disconnections, ensuring patient safety by maintaining connections under normal strain and automatically disconnecting under excessive force, while allowing controlled disconnection for patient transfer or emergencies.

Implementation Method 1

the magnetic connectivity interface activates a magnetic connectivity between the metallic module(s) and the ferromagnet(s) for interfacing the medical conduit channel and the patient conduit channel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic connectivity: Magnetism

Implementation Method 2

a magnetic connectivity manager includes a power supply, a ferromagnetic driver and one or more strain sensors collectively adjoined to one of the medical base or the patient base

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStrain sensing:

Data Source

PatentEP4084853B1Smart connector for connecting patient to medical product

Publication Date: 2025.10.29 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 2A~2C

AI summary

Various smart medical connection embodiments of the present disclosure encompass a magnetic connectivity manager energizing ferromagnet(s) in response to a powering on the magnetic connectivity manager and a sensing of a connection strain on a medical base (21) and/or a patient base (31) of the device, whereby a magnetic connectivity interface (22, 32) activates a magnetic connectivity between metallic module(s) and the ferromagnet(s) for interfacing the conduit channels of the bases. The various smart medical connection embodiments of the present disclosure further encompass the magnetic connectivity manager deenergizing the ferromagnet(s) in response to a powering down of the magnetic connectivity manager and/or a sensing of a disconnection strain on the base(s), whereby the magnetic connectivity interface (22, 32) deactivates the magnetic connectivity between the metallic module(s) and the ferromagnet(s) for interfacing the conduit channels of the bases.