Selective Backup Power Paths in Surgery Assistance Equipment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Surgery assistance devices face challenges in downsizing their backup batteries while ensuring continuous operation during power failures, as existing solutions require increased battery capacity to maintain functionality.

Innovation Solution

A surgery assistance device with a power supply unit, a backup power supply unit, and a manual switch that allows the backup power supply voltage to be selectively supplied only to electromagnetic brakes and other essential load units during power failures, reducing overall power consumption and battery size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the battery capacity is increased to maintain continuous operation during power failures, then the reliability is improved, but the device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous operation during power failureVSAvoidbattery size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the power supply system into two distinct paths: a first power supply voltage path that supplies power to all load units during normal operation, and a second power supply voltage path that supplies power only to specific critical load units during power failures. This segmentation allows the backup battery to support only essential functions, reducing the required battery capacity while maintaining reliability for critical operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by providing different power supply configurations to different parts of the system. The second power supply voltage path is specifically designed to supply power only to selected load units (such as electromagnetic brakes) during power failures, rather than uniformly supporting all loads. This localized approach allows the battery to be sized appropriately for critical functions only.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Duration of action of moving object

If the battery capacity is increased to extend operational time during emergencies, then the duration of action is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational time during emergencyVSAvoidpower supply system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power supply system is divided into two independent voltage paths with distinct functions. The first path handles normal operation for all loads, while the second path provides emergency power for critical loads only. This segmentation simplifies the overall system design by clearly defining the battery's role and reducing the complexity of power management compared to a single unified system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the emergency power supply function from the main power supply system by creating a separate second voltage path. This extracted path is dedicated solely to providing backup power for critical load units during power failures, simplifying the overall system architecture by separating normal operation from emergency response functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Enables continuous operation during emergencies by limiting power supply to critical components, facilitating the downsizing of the backup battery and extending operational time without the need for large battery capacity.

Implementation Method 1

one or a plurality of electromagnetic brakes may be included as the load unit(s) to be supplied with the power supply voltage of the backup power supply unit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic force: Lorentz Force

Data Source

PatentEP4159151B1Surgery assistance device
Publication Date: 2024.05.22 RIVERFIELD INC
  • EP4159151B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4159151B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4159151B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A suitable power backup configuration is constructed by a small battery in a surgery assistance device. For this purpose, the surgery assistance device includes a power supply unit configured to output a predetermined power supply voltage by using an external power supply, a backup power supply unit configured to output a predetermined power supply voltage by using a battery, a first power supply voltage path configured to supply the power supply voltage of the power supply unit to a plurality of load units, a manual switch, and a second power supply voltage path configured to be capable of supplying the power supply voltage of the backup power supply unit to some of the load units among the plurality of load units when the manual switch is operated.