Sterilizable Battery Pack With Sealed Contact Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs for medical instruments, such as endoscopes, face challenges in sterilization as they can be damaged by autoclaving and risk short-circuiting due to exposure to sterilizing fluids, complicating the sterilization process and increasing contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design with a housing that keeps battery contacts isolated from sterilizing fluids by using a resiliently maintained second grouping of contacts that only engage when the pack is in place, preventing direct contact with the sterilizing fluid and minimizing the risk of short-circuiting during sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If batteries are sterilized by positioning them in an autoclave, then sterilization is achieved, but battery life and recharging capacity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into separate compartments: a first compartment containing the batteries isolated from sterilizing fluids, and a second compartment exposed to sterilizing fluids. This segmentation allows the batteries to be sterilized indirectly while protecting them from direct contact with harmful sterilizing agents, thus maintaining battery life while achieving sterilization effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid barrier or membrane acts as an intermediary between the batteries and sterilizing fluids. This intermediary allows heat transfer for sterilization while preventing direct contact between the sterilizing fluids and the battery contacts, thereby achieving sterilization without damaging the batteries.
2Reliability
If batteries are sterilized by positioning them in an autoclave, then sterilization is achieved, but battery contacts are exposed to sterilizing fluid resulting in shorting out and destruction of the battery
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is segmented into a first compartment for batteries (protected from sterilizing fluids) and a second compartment (exposed to sterilizing fluids). This physical separation prevents sterilizing fluids from contacting battery contacts, eliminating the risk of shorting out while maintaining sterilization effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid barrier or membrane serves as an intermediary that allows heat penetration for sterilization but blocks sterilizing fluids from reaching the battery contacts, thus preventing shorting out while achieving sterilization.
3Reliability
If various equipment is added to sequentially discharge, sterilize, and recharge batteries, then sterilization is achieved, but overall equipment complexity and processing steps significantly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sterilization function is merged with the battery pack housing itself. The housing is designed to allow sterilizing fluids to penetrate and sterilize the exterior surfaces while a fluid barrier protects the internal battery compartment. This eliminates the need for separate discharge, sterilize, and recharge equipment, significantly reducing overall equipment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack is designed to be self-sterilizable through its housing structure that allows sterilizing fluids to access external surfaces while protecting internal components. This self-service capability eliminates the need for complex external equipment to perform sequential discharge, sterilization, and recharging operations.
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 solution allows for safe and effective sterilization of the battery pack without damaging it, reducing the risk of short-circuiting and simplifying the sterilization process by ensuring the battery contacts are not exposed to sterilizing fluids, thus maintaining the battery's life and recharging capacity.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient element, such as a spring, for resiliently urging the second contacts into the retracted position
Implementation Method 2
a sealing member for sealingly closing the first compartment to prevent penetration of sterilizing fluids therein
Implementation Method 3
The contacts of the second grouping are sealingly engaged with but penetrate through the outer end wall
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack for a sterilizable instrument, such as a medical endoscope. The battery pack includes batteries removably positioned within an enclosure which mounts a first grouping of electrical contacts engaged with the battery contacts. The enclosure includes an outer end wall which sealingly encloses the first grouping of contacts. The outer end wall mounts a second grouping of electrical contacts which are normally resiliently maintained in a first position spaced from the contacts of the first grouping. The contacts of the second grouping sealingly penetrate through the outer end wall. When the battery pack is engaged on the instrument, the contacts of the second grouping engage third contacts on the instrument, causing the contacts of the second grouping to move into a second position where they directly engage contacts of the first grouping to provide electrical power to the instrument. When the battery pack is removed from the instrument, the contacts of the second grouping are resiliently returned to the first position, whereupon the batteries can be sterilized.