Medical Pump Stroke Calibration via Measured Volume Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical pumps with fixed stroke lengths face variability in fluid delivery volume, leading to inconsistent therapeutic outcomes across identical pumps, necessitating calibration to ensure precise dosage and treatment efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A method involving measuring the volume of fluid delivered per pump stroke for each medical pump, storing these measurements, and generating customized therapy control programs to account for individual pump variability, along with a medical pump assembly featuring a magnetic cup, electromagnetic coil, piston, and one-way valve to ensure consistent stroke length and fluid delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fixed stroke length is used in medical pumps, then manufacturing precision and consistency are improved, but variability in fluid delivery volume occurs leading to inconsistent therapeutic outcomes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by measuring the actual fluid delivery volume for each pump and using this measured parameter to generate a customized therapy control program. This compensates for variations in fluid delivery while maintaining the fixed stroke length design, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and delivery reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by measuring the actual volume of fluid delivered per pump stroke and using this measurement to adjust the therapy control program. This closed-loop approach ensures that each pump delivers the correct therapeutic dose despite manufacturing variations, maintaining reliability while preserving manufacturing simplicity.
2Measurement precision
If individual calibration of each pump is performed, then treatment efficacy and dosage precision are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by having the system automatically measure and store the fluid delivery characteristics of each pump during manufacturing, then automatically generate customized therapy control programs without requiring manual intervention or complex calibration procedures. This simplifies the overall process while maintaining high dosage accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by performing the fluid delivery measurement and program generation during the manufacturing process itself, before the pump is deployed. This advance calibration eliminates the need for complex post-manufacturing calibration procedures and reduces overall system complexity while ensuring precise dosage delivery.
3Device complexity
If standardized therapy control programs are used for all pumps, then device complexity is reduced, but treatment efficacy decreases due to pump-to-pump variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by customizing the therapy control program parameters for each pump based on its measured fluid delivery characteristics. This allows each pump to operate with optimized parameters tailored to its specific performance, improving therapeutic outcome consistency without requiring complex manual calibration procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using the measured fluid delivery data from each pump to automatically generate customized therapy control programs. This feedback-driven customization ensures that each pump delivers accurate dosages while maintaining relatively simple control program generation, balancing reliability with device complexity.
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
This approach allows for precise calibration and consistent delivery of therapeutic fluids, reducing development time, manufacturing costs, and improving treatment efficacy by accounting for pump-to-pump variability, ensuring optimal patient therapy.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic coil within the recess and circumscribing the protrusion
Implementation Method 2
a one-way valve that controls fluid flow within the central aperture
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprises measuring a volume of fluid delivered per pump stroke for each of a plurality of substantially identical medical pumps. The substantially identical medical pumps each have a fixed stroke length. The method further comprises: storing indications of the measured volumes on one or more data storage mediums; and for each of the plurality of substantially identical medical pumps, generating a separate therapy control program based on the indication of the measured volume associated with that one of the plurality of substantially identical medical pumps.