Medical Device Plug Insert for Repairing Embedded Circuit Failures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing powered medical devices, such as electrosurgical instruments, have limited useful life and require repair or refurbishment, but the encapsulation of electronic components within the plug prevents access for repair without damaging the plug.

Innovation Solution

A supplemental circuit board is provided that can be inserted into the plug, allowing for the replacement of damaged components like fuses and memory devices without destroying the plug's integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If electronic components are encapsulated within the plug, then device reliability is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice reliabilityVSAvoidease of repair

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The plug is divided into a housing and a removable circuit board assembly. The circuit board with electronic components (fuse, memory device, resistor) can be separately removed and replaced without damaging the plug housing, enabling easy repair while maintaining the protective encapsulation during normal use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit board is extracted as a removable component from the plug housing. This allows the electronic components to be accessed, replaced, or refurbished by simply removing the circuit board from the plug, eliminating the need to destroy the plug to access internal components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the plug structure is made intact and sealed, then device protection is improved, but ease of operation for maintenance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice protectionVSAvoidease of operation for maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The plug transitions from a static sealed structure to a dynamic structure with a removable circuit board. The circuit board can be inserted and removed from the plug housing, providing easy access for maintenance while maintaining protection during normal operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit board is nested within the plug housing during normal operation, providing protection. During maintenance, the circuit board can be extracted from the housing, allowing access to electronic components without damaging the plug structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12220115B2Repair or refurbishment of limited use medical devices

Publication Date: 2025.02.11 MEDLINE INDUSTRIES

AI summary

A powered medical device includes electronic components on a circuit board embedded within the body of a plug for connecting the device with a control apparatus. The medical device may be repaired or refurbished without the need to access the embedded circuit board through the use of a supplemental circuit board installed into the open end of the plug adjacent the plug pins. The supplemental circuit board may include a variety of electronic components, including fuses or non-volatile memory.