Monolithic Battery Retention and Ejection Element for Power Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable medical devices, such as defibrillators, face delays and inefficiencies during battery replacement, with batteries often being difficult to access and prone to dislodgment, leading to power disruptions and maintenance issues.
Innovation Solution
A battery retention and ejection element, comprising a monolithic structure with a retention portion and an ejection portion, is positioned within the battery receptacle to securely hold and efficiently remove batteries, utilizing a bent portion to orient the ejection portion at an acute angle relative to the retention portion, allowing for both retention and ejection forces to be exerted on the battery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If batteries are contained within a locked compartment, then battery security is improved, but battery replacement difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery compartment is divided into a fixed portion and a movable tray portion. The tray can be independently accessed by releasing latches, allowing battery replacement without opening the entire locked compartment. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by providing secure containment while enabling easy battery access through partial compartment opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray is pre-configured with battery receptacles and electrical contacts before batteries are installed. The latching mechanism is pre-set to engage with the tray, so when the tray is pulled out, the latches automatically release. This preliminary arrangement allows rapid battery replacement without requiring manual manipulation of multiple security features during the replacement process.
2Ease of operation
If batteries are affixed to the exterior, then battery replacement ease is improved, but battery dislodgment risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery compartment is segmented into a fixed housing and a movable tray that holds the batteries. This separation allows batteries to be securely held within the tray during operation, while the entire tray can be easily removed for battery replacement. The segmentation thus provides both secure retention during use and easy access during maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray acts as an intermediary between the fixed compartment and the batteries. It provides a stable mounting surface for batteries with proper retention features, eliminating the risk of dislodgment. Simultaneously, the tray's ability to be easily removed serves as a mediator that simplifies battery replacement, combining security and ease of operation.
3Device complexity
If no battery retention mechanism is used, then device complexity is reduced, but battery movement and power disruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The retention features are merged into the tray structure itself rather than being separate components. The tray includes integrated electrical contacts, mechanical retention features, and structural elements that hold batteries in place. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and assembly steps, lowering overall device complexity while ensuring reliable battery retention to prevent movement and power disruptions.
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 solution reduces battery movement within the device, prevents power disruptions, and simplifies battery replacement, enhancing the operational reliability and maintenance of portable medical devices.
Implementation Method 1
A spring is positioned within the battery receptacle and configured to exert a retention force on the battery
Implementation Method 2
the spring configured to exert an ejection force on the battery to facilitate removal of the battery from the battery receptacle
Data Source
AI summary
Systems to retain a battery within, and to eject a battery from, a battery receptacle of a medical device, such as a portable defibrillator, are described. A battery receptacle of a medical device includes an element that is configured to engage an inserted battery to prevent, or reduce, movement of the battery within the receptacle and to assist with removing the battery from the receptacle. In an example, the element is a monolithic structure that includes a retention portion and an ejection portion. The retention portion is positioned at a side wall of the battery receptacle, and the ejection portion terminates in a free end positioned a distance from the side wall. When the battery is inserted into the battery receptacle, the retention portion exerts a retention force on a side surface of the battery, and the ejection portion exerts an ejection force on an end surface of the battery.