Implantable Pump Capacitor Charging Circuit for Valve Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implantable pump systems for delivering medications lack reliable control over metered doses, particularly in ensuring precise and dependable administration of compounds to specific anatomical sites within the body.
Innovation Solution
An implantable pump system with a programmable circuit that utilizes a capacitor charging circuit to operate valve driver circuits, allowing for controlled opening and closing of inlet and outlet valves to deliver fixed-volume doses of medication, with programmable timing and voltage optimization to ensure accurate delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a programmable pump system is used to deliver metered doses, then the precision of dosage control is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is divided into distinct functional modules: a programmable control unit for dosage precision, a valve assembly with inlet and outlet valves for flow control, and a fluid reservoir. This segmentation allows the complex programmable functions to be isolated in a dedicated control unit, improving dosage precision while containing the complexity within a modular architecture that simplifies overall system management and maintenance.
2Reliability
If valve operation is controlled by a circuit, then the reliability of metered dose delivery is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces mechanical valve control with an electronically controlled valve assembly. The programmable control unit sends electrical signals to actuate the inlet and outlet valves, providing precise and reliable timing for metered dose delivery. This substitution of mechanical control with electronic control improves reliability through programmable precision while the modular valve assembly design keeps the added complexity manageable and contained within specific components.
3Measurement precision
If simultaneous valve operation is prevented, then the accuracy of dosage measurement is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The programmable control unit implements a feedback control mechanism that monitors the operational state of the inlet and outlet valves. Before actuating a valve, the system checks whether the other valve is currently open, and if so, delays or prevents activation. This feedback loop ensures that only one valve operates at a time, maintaining accurate dosage measurement through proper fluid flow sequencing, while the automated nature of this control preserves ease of operation as the system manages the complexity internally without requiring manual intervention from the user.
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
The system provides reliable and precise metered doses of medication by preventing simultaneous valve operation and ensuring that the correct amount of medication is administered at the desired times, enhancing the dependability of implantable pump systems for chronic pain management.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitor charging circuit for supplying a voltage to the valve driver circuits
Data Source
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AI summary
An implantable pump for providing metered doses of a compound to an individual is described. The implantable pump includes a chamber for storing an individual dose of the compound, an inlet valve fluidly coupled to the chamber for controlling a flow of the compound into the chamber, and an outlet valve fluidly coupled to the chamber for controlling a flow of the compound out of the chamber and into the individual. The pump includes an inlet valve driver circuit operable for opening and closing the inlet valve, and an outlet valve driver circuit operable for opening and closing the outlet valve. A battery and a charging circuit that includes a capacitor are included in the implantable pump. The charging circuit is operatively coupled to the battery for charging of the capacitor. The charged capacitor is operable for supplying power to the valve driver circuits.