Soft Fuse Power Distribution for Medical Device Reliability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current power distribution systems for medical facilities are location-specific and inflexible, making them difficult to adapt to varying power requirements of complex medical devices, leading to inefficiencies and potential equipment downtime due to power quality issues and the need for manual intervention during power outages.
Innovation Solution
A programmable and configurable power distribution apparatus using soft fuses and a distributed architecture that monitors and controls electrical power signals to ensure high-quality power delivery, prevent equipment damage, and automatically manage power distribution during outages, allowing for flexible adaptation to specific medical device needs without requiring manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional circuit breakers are used in power distribution systems, then equipment is protected from power surges, but equipment downtime occurs due to tripping and manual intervention is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs automatic detection and isolation mechanisms that identify power quality issues and isolate affected circuits without requiring manual intervention. The power distribution system automatically monitors parameters such as voltage, current, and frequency, and when anomalies are detected, it automatically switches alternative power paths or isolates problematic circuits, enabling the system to serve itself and maintain continuous operation.
2Reliability
If power distribution systems are designed to comply with local power characteristics, then power quality is ensured for specific locations, but the systems cannot be easily adapted to other locations
Solution Approach 1:
The power distribution system incorporates dynamic reconfiguration capabilities that allow it to adapt its topology and parameters based on the specific power characteristics of the connected medical devices and local power grid conditions. The system can dynamically switch between different power distribution configurations, adjust voltage and frequency parameters, and reconfigure power paths to optimize performance for different locations and device requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables modification of key power distribution parameters such as voltage levels, current capacity, and frequency characteristics to match the specific requirements of different medical devices and locations. By allowing parameter changes rather than fixed design specifications, the system maintains power quality while becoming adaptable to various installation environments and device power requirements.
3Reliability
If dedicated power distribution systems are designed for each location, then power requirements are met, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent describes a power distribution system with a standardized modular architecture that can serve multiple functions and configurations through software control and reconfiguration. The same physical infrastructure can be programmed to different power distribution schemes, accommodate various medical device types, and adapt to different location requirements without requiring custom hardware designs for each installation, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining compliance with specific power requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an electrical power distribution apparatus (100) connectible to one or more loads (119). The electrical power distribution apparatus (100) comprises inter alia one or more taps (112) for supplying the loads (119) with electrical power. On top of circuit breakers (108) to switch off the power supply in order to protect the loads against damage, there is also arranged a second layer of soft fuse switches (110) which are arranged to switch on or off the power supply at the taps (112) to control distribution of the power. The soft fuses (110) operate in dependence on and in response to commands issued from a controller (105) which in turn operates and issues those commands in response to and independence on the voltages and amperages monitored at those taps (112) by way of a monitoring module (111). Switching on/off occurs at amperage and voltages lower than the critical threshold values to which the circuit breakers (108) respond to.