Modular Medical Pump Subassembly for Independent Coil Potting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical pump assembly processes lack efficient seal integrity testing and potting of electromagnetic coils, leading to increased development cycle times, manufacturing costs, and potential defects.

Innovation Solution

The medical pump subassembly includes a magnetic cup with a recess and protrusion, an electromagnetic coil within the recess, a weld ring, a barrier plate, and a seal to separate the interior from the external surface, allowing for standalone testing and potting of the coil before assembly, facilitating faster and more reliable assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the medical pump assembly process is performed as a single integrated assembly, then the assembly process is simple, but the development cycle time is long and seal integrity cannot be tested independently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevelopment cycle timeVSAvoidassembly process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The medical pump assembly is divided into separate testable subassemblies (pump subassembly, reservoir subassembly, catheter subassembly) that can be independently assembled, tested for seal integrity, and validated before integration into the complete implantable medical device. This segmentation enables parallel development and testing activities, reducing overall development cycle time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Seal integrity testing is performed as a preliminary action on individual subassemblies before they are integrated into the complete device. The pump subassembly includes a test port that allows seal integrity testing to be conducted in advance, enabling defects to be identified and corrected before final assembly, thereby reducing rework and extending development cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If seal integrity testing is performed after complete assembly, then the testing process is simple, but manufacturing costs and defect rates increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal integrityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is segmented into multiple testable interfaces (pump-subassembly seals, reservoir-subassembly seals, catheter-subassembly seals) that can be independently tested. Each subassembly includes dedicated seal elements and test ports that enable localized seal integrity testing without requiring disassembly of the complete device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Seal integrity testing is performed as a preliminary action on each subassembly before integration. The pump subassembly includes a test port that enables seal integrity testing to be conducted in advance, allowing defects to be identified and corrected before final assembly, thereby reducing rework and manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the electromagnetic coil is potted after assembly, then the assembly process is simple, but the assembly time is extended

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly speedVSAvoidpotting process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electromagnetic coil is potted as a preliminary action within the pump subassembly before integration into the complete device. The pump subassembly includes a dedicated recess and potting cavity that enable the coil to be potted in advance, allowing the potting process to be completed before final assembly steps, thereby reducing overall assembly time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The potting process is segmented into subassembly-level potting (coil within pump subassembly) and final assembly-level integration. This segmentation allows the coil to be potted in a controlled environment within the pump subassembly, and the completed subassembly can then be integrated into the complete device without requiring additional potting steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 enables fully functional pump subassemblies to be built and tested independently, reducing development cycle time, manufacturing costs, and piece part costs, while ensuring high weld yields and hermetic seals.

Implementation Method 1

an electromagnetic coil within the recess and circumscribing the protrusion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic actuation: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

a magnetic pole attached to the piston. The magnetic pole is adjacent to an external surface of the barrier plate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic attraction: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentUS8632496B2Modular medical pump assembly

Publication Date: 2014.01.21 MEDTRONIC INC

AI summary

A medical pump subassembly comprises a magnetic cup forming a recess. The magnetic cup includes a protrusion within the recess. The cup forms a central aperture through the protrusion. The medical pump subassembly further comprises an electromagnetic coil within the recess and circumscribing the protrusion, a weld ring surrounding the recess, a barrier plate covering the recess, and a seal between the weld ring and the barrier plate to fluidically separate an interior of the cup from an external surface of the barrier plate.