Medical Instrument Interface With Electrically Isolated Contacts

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing electrical connections between medical instruments and drive units are prone to increased force requirements, difficulty in cleaning, and a high risk of electrical short circuits due to residual moisture, which can prevent the instruments from functioning properly.

Innovation Solution

A medical instrument interface with a connecting surface featuring electrically isolated contacts via recesses or elevations, allowing for easy connection and cleaning, and a counter surface with mirrored arrangements to prevent short circuits, along with a design that facilitates liquid drainage and uses resilient and rigid contacts with seals to ensure secure connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If contact pins are inserted between spring contacts to establish electrical connection, then electrical connection between drive unit and medical instrument is achieved, but expenditure of force increases and contact points become difficult to clean

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidconnection ease and cleaning ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical spring contact system with a planar connecting surface system. Instead of using spring contacts that require insertion force and are difficult to clean, the invention uses a planar connecting surface with electrical contacts that are electrically isolated by recesses or elevations. This substitution eliminates the mechanical complexity of spring contacts while maintaining reliable electrical connection and enabling easy cleaning of the planar surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a planar connecting surface that can be designed as a thin, flat interface between the drive unit and medical instrument. This planar structure allows for easy cleaning and sterilization while maintaining stable electrical connection. The planar surface with integrated electrical isolation features provides both connection reliability and ease of maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of manufacture

If multiple contacts are arranged on a connecting surface without electrical isolation, then manufacturing is simplified, but risk of electrical short circuit increases due to residual moisture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidelectrical short circuit risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating specific regions on the connecting surface with different electrical properties. Recesses or elevations are introduced at specific locations to provide electrical isolation between contacts. This local modification maintains the overall simplicity of the planar connecting surface while adding targeted electrical isolation features to prevent short circuits in moisture-prone environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the connecting surface by dividing it into electrically isolated zones using recesses or elevations. These structural features create distinct regions that prevent electrical current from flowing between adjacent contacts through moisture. The segmentation approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while effectively reducing short circuit risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If contact points have complex geometry for electrical isolation, then short circuit prevention is improved, but cleaning and sterilization become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshort circuit preventionVSAvoidcleaning and sterilization ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex three-dimensional electrical isolation structures with a planar surface system featuring recesses or elevations. This substitution maintains effective electrical isolation while creating a surface that is easy to clean and sterilize. The planar geometry with minimal protrusions allows for efficient removal of contaminants and blood residues during cleaning processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a thin planar connecting surface with integrated electrical isolation features. This thin-film approach provides effective electrical isolation through recesses or elevations while maintaining a smooth, cleanable surface. The planar design ensures that no complex geometries obstruct cleaning or sterilization processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP3118939B1Medical instrument and drive unit each having an interface for electrically connecting the drive unit with the medical instrument

Publication Date: 2020.02.12 KARL STORZ SE & CO KG

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AI summary

The invention relates to a medical instrument (1) comprising an interface for electrically connecting a drive unit with the medical instrument. The interface has a plurality of electrical contacts (111a, 111b, 111c, 113) that are arranged in a connecting surface. At least one of the contacts (113) in the connecting surface is electrically isolated from the remaining contacts (111a, 111b, 111c) by means of a recess (115) or an elevation.