Sealed Battery Capacity Tracking for Emergency Power Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery-powered electrical devices, particularly medical devices like laryngoscopes, face risks of power supply failure due to unpredictable battery depletion and exposure to liquids, leading to potential device failure during use, especially in emergency procedures.
Innovation Solution
An electrical device with a memory system that tracks and updates the remaining battery capacity, ensuring a high confidence level in power availability by using disposable batteries sealed within the device, and a sealing layer to prevent liquid penetration, along with an override feature for emergency use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If disposable batteries are used in battery compartments, then the device can be used without power cable limitations, but the batteries may be depleted and power supply may fail during use
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by tracking battery usage capacity before actual depletion occurs. The usage recording device continuously monitors and records the capacity consumed, allowing the system to predict remaining battery life and warn users before power failure, thus preventing the harmful effect of unexpected power loss during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by providing continuous information about battery status. The memory stores usage data and the display device shows remaining capacity to the user, creating a closed-loop feedback system that informs users of battery status in real-time, enabling them to take preventive action before power failure occurs.
2Reliability
If battery usage is tracked to predict power failure, then power supply reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the battery monitoring function into distinct modular components: a usage recording device for data collection, a memory unit for data storage, and a display device for information presentation. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, making the overall system easier to implement and maintain while achieving reliable battery status tracking.
3Reliability
If the device is sealed against liquid penetration, then reliability in liquid environments improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs sealing layers in the form of flexible membranes or thin film coatings that conform to the device structure. These sealing layers provide effective liquid protection while being simpler to manufacture than rigid sealed enclosures, as they can be applied as coatings or integrated into existing device components without requiring complete redesign of the housing structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical device includes a memory storing a value indicative the remaining available rated capacity of one or more batteries. The stored value is changed in use to reflect reducing capacity. The initial stored value is chosen so that there is a very high (e.g. >99.9%) confidence that the one or more batteries will provide at least the capacity indicated by the initial stored value. This reduces the chance of failure during emergency procedures. The one or more batteries may be integral to the electrical device. An override facility is provided.