Infusion Pump Tube Clamp Detection Using Multi-Wavelength Reflection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical infusion systems require high technical effort to verify and identify the correct hose clamp, which is crucial for ensuring compatibility with the infusion pump, due to the complexity of irradiating and capturing light reflections from the hose clamp.

Innovation Solution

A medical transfer system with a hose clamp designed to be irradiated simultaneously with different principal wavelengths, using a spectrally sensitive photodetector to separate and identify the reflected light signals simultaneously, allowing for efficient detection of the hose clamp's color and type without sequential processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If sequential irradiation and detection methods are used to identify the hose clamp color, then measurement precision can be maintained, but device complexity and technical effort increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehose clamp color identification accuracyVSAvoidequipment-related effort for light irradiation and detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple wavelength light sources (red, green, blue LEDs) into a single illumination unit that can simultaneously or sequentially emit different wavelengths. The detector arrangement also combines multiple photodetectors into one integrated detection system, reducing the overall complexity of the optical identification system while maintaining the capability to identify hose clamp colors through reflected light analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Measurement precision

If sequential detection of different wavelengths is performed, then measurement precision is maintained, but productivity and detection speed decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection speed of hose clamp type
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic action by sequentially activating different wavelength LED sources (red, green, blue) in a time-multiplexed manner. Each LED emits its specific wavelength in alternating cycles, allowing the detector to measure reflected light intensity for each wavelength separately. This periodic activation enables precise color identification through comparative analysis while maintaining relatively fast detection speeds, as the sequential measurement cycles occur rapidly enough for practical medical pump operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

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 system reduces the equipment-related effort required for hose clamp identification, enabling accurate and efficient recognition of the transfer system with less technical complexity.

Implementation Method 1

a light source (34) of the pump with a beam (34e) having a spectrum with different principal wavelengths or principal frequencies to subsequently receive the light (34r) reflected or reflected at the hose clamp (18) by a detector arrangement (38) of the pump

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP4710964A1Medical transfer system for a medical pump, terminal module for a medical pump, medical pump and method for detecting a medical transfer system
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 B BRAUN MELSUNGEN AG
  • EP4710964A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4710964A1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP4710964A1 patent drawingFigure 7~8

AI summary

A medical transfer system (14, 18) for use with a medical pump (1) is disclosed, comprising at least: a tube (14) designed and configured to be inserted section by section into a tube receptacle (12) or pump section of the pump (1) to transfer a fluid from a reservoir to a patient, and a tube clamp (18) provided on the tube (14) with a predetermined color and/or optical marking, wherein the tube clamp (18) is designed and configured to be inserted at least section by section into the pump (1) and to be irradiated by a light source (34) of the pump (1) with a light beam (34e) in/with principal wavelengths (42a, 42b, 42c, 42d) in order to receive the light (34r) reflected or reflected at the tube clamp (18) from a photodetector arrangement (38) of the pump (1) and to convert it into individual signals (46a, 46b, 46c, 46d) of the principal wavelengths to separate.Also disclosed are a medical clamping module, a medical pump, and a method for detecting a medical transfer system in a medical pump.