Medical Pump Drive Contact Layout for Automatic Pump Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical pump systems lack advanced features for ensuring patient safety and treatment quality, particularly in terms of identifying and managing different pump types and their usage within a unified pump drive device.
Innovation Solution
A pump drive device with a compartmentalized contact set and logic unit that distinguishes between different contact patterns on inserted pumps, allowing for the identification of memory modules or identification contact carriers, enabling the assignment of functions and tracking of pump usage, and differentiating between original and third-party manufacturers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a contact set with at least four contacts arranged in a square is used to identify pump types, then the ability to distinguish between different pump types and manufacturers is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for a logic unit to evaluate contact patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The contact set with four contacts arranged in a square serves multiple functions: it identifies pump type, distinguishes between original and third-party manufacturers, and enables tracking of pump usage. This multi-functional approach allows a single structural element to address multiple identification needs without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump unit itself carries identification information through its contact pattern configuration. When inserted into the pump drive device, the contacts automatically establish electrical connections that reveal the pump type and manufacturer. The system uses the pump's own physical configuration to provide identification data without requiring external active components.
2Ease of operation
If contact surfaces on the pump are used to electrically connect contacts for identification, then the ease of operation is improved by automatic identification upon insertion, but the reliability may be affected by potential contact issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical identification methods (such as physical keys or shaped interfaces) with an electrical contact system. The four contacts arranged in a square create distinct electrical connection patterns that identify pump types, providing more granular and flexible identification while maintaining simple mechanical insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The logic unit continuously monitors the electrical connections between contacts to detect the pump type and configuration. This feedback mechanism ensures that the system correctly identifies the inserted pump unit and can respond appropriately, such as enabling or disabling certain functions based on the detected contact pattern.
Data Source
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AI summary
The concept according to the invention relates to a pump drive unit (15) and the associated pump (17), which has a seat (29) that can be used alternatively to accommodate a memory chip (31) or identification contact carriers (34, 39). The pump drive unit has at least four electrical contacts that can be brought into contact with the contact carrier (30) (either a memory chip (31) or an identification contact carrier (34, 39)) or its contact surfaces (32, 33, 36, 37, 42, 43). A logic unit (55) provided in the pump drive unit (15) can serve to distinguish whether a memory chip (31) or an identification contact carrier (34, 39) is arranged as the contact carrier (30). If it detects a memory chip (31), it enters into electrical communication with it. If, however, it detects a contact carrier (34, 39), it determines its type based on the orientation of its contact surfaces (32,33; 36,37; 42,43) and outputs a corresponding pump-type identifying signal.The concept according to the invention opens up a wide range of additional uses for pump systems that are generally known, with benefits for increasing patient safety and simplifying operation.