Power supply interface system for a breathing assistance system

• US 20080083644A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Janbakhsh, Mahmoud, Van Kerkwyk, Mark Jacobus, Chokshi, Himanshu J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,902,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/703
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power supply interface system for a medical device may include a battery compartment and a battery interlocking system. The battery compartment may define at least a first battery area and a second battery area, the first battery area configured to receive a first battery and the second battery area configured to receive a second battery. The battery interlocking system may include a first interlock mechanism including a first locking portion and a first selector. The first locking portion may be configured to move between a locking position and a non-locking position, the locking position substantially preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area, and the non-locking position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area. The first selector may be configured to move the first locking portion from the locking position to the non-locking position in response to the second battery being received in the second battery area.

Claims

1. A power supply interface system for a medical device, the power supply interface system comprising:

a battery compartment defining at least a first battery area and a second battery area, the first battery area configured to receive a first battery and the second battery area configured to receive a second battery; and

a battery interlocking system associated with the battery compartment, the battery interlocking system including a first interlock mechanism including;

a first locking portion configured to move between a locking position and a non-locking position, the locking position substantially preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area, and the non-locking position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area; and

a first selector configured to move the first locking portion from the locking position to the non-locking position in response to the second battery being received in the second battery area.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the battery interlocking system further includes a second interlock mechanism including:

a second locking portion configured to move between a locking position and a non-locking position, the locking position substantially preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area, and the non-locking position allowing removal of the second battery from the second battery area; and

a second selector configured to move the second locking portion from the locking position to the non-locking position in response to a first battery being received in the first battery area.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first interlock mechanism comprises a bracket.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first interlock mechanism further includes a flexible portion configured to flex between an undeformed position and a deformed position to move the first locking portion between the locking position and the non-locking position.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a battery restraining system including a first restraining device configured to be manually moved between a restraining position and a non-restraining position, the restraining position substantially preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area, and the non-restraining position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein:

the first battery may be removed from the first battery area if both (a) the first restraining device is in the non-restraining position and (b) the first locking portion is in the non-locking position; and

the first battery may not be removed from the first battery area if either (a) the first restraining device is in the restraining position or (b) the first locking portion is in the locking position.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein the first restraining device includes:

a restraining latch configured to move between a restraining position and a non-restraining position, the restraining position substantially preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area, and the non-restraining position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area; and

a manual interface configured to be actuated by a user to move the restraining latch between the restraining position and the non-restraining position.

8. A system according to claim 5, wherein the battery restraining system further includes a second restraining device configured to be manually moved between a restraining position and non-restraining position, the restraining position substantially preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area, and the non-restraining position not preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area.

9. A system according to claim 5, wherein:

the battery restraining system is located generally at a first side of the battery compartment,

the battery interlocking system is located generally at a second side of the battery compartment generally opposite the first side of the battery compartment.

10. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a battery ejection system including a first ejection device operable to at least partially eject the first battery from the first battery area.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the battery ejection system further includes a second ejection device operable to at least partially eject the second battery from the second battery area.

12. A system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a first battery interface configured to interface with the first battery to allow the battery to supply power to one or more devices; and

wherein the battery ejection system is operable to decouple the first battery from the first battery interface.

13. A power supply interface system for a medical device, the power supply interface system comprising:

a battery compartment defining at least a first battery area and a second battery area, the first battery area configured to receive a first battery and the second battery area configured to receive a second battery; and

a battery interlocking system associated with the battery compartment, the battery interlocking system including a first interlock mechanism and a second interlock mechanism;

wherein the first interlock mechanism is configured to be moved between a locking position and a non-locking position in response to the second battery being received in the second battery area, the locking position substantially preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area, and the non-locking position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area; and

wherein the second interlock mechanism is configured to move between a locking position and a non-locking position in response to the first battery being received in the first battery area, the locking position substantially preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area, and the non-locking position allowing removal of the second battery from the second battery area.

14. A method for managing the removal of batteries from a power supply interface system, the method comprising:

receiving a first battery in a first battery area of a battery compartment, the first battery restrained in the first battery area at least by a first interlock mechanism including;

a first locking portion configured to move between a locking position and a non-locking position, the locking position substantially preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area, and the non-locking position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area; and

a first selector configured to move the first locking portion from the locking position to the non-locking position; and

receiving a second battery in a second battery area of the battery compartment, wherein receiving the second battery in the second battery area actuates the first selector to move the first locking portion from the locking position preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area to the non-locking position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising removing the second battery from the second battery area, wherein removing the second battery from the second battery area actuates the first selector to move the first locking portion from the non-locking position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area to the locking position preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein actuating the first selector comprises flexing an interlock between an undeformed position and a deformed position to move the first locking portion between the locking position and the non-locking position.

17. A method according to claim 14, further comprising moving a restraining device configured between a restraining position substantially preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area to a non-restraining position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area;

wherein the first battery may be removed from the first battery area if both (a) the restraining device is in the non-restraining position and (b) the first locking portion is in the non-locking position; and

wherein the first battery may not be removed from the first battery area if either (a) the restraining device is in the restraining position or (b) the first locking portion is in the locking position.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

the second battery is restrained in the second battery area at least by a second interlock mechanism including;

a second locking portion configured to move between a locking position and a non-locking position, the locking position substantially preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area, and the non-locking position not preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area; and

a second selector configured to move the second locking portion from the locking position to the non-locking position; and

the method further comprises removing the first battery from the first battery area, wherein removing the first battery from the first battery area actuates the second selector to move the second locking portion from the non-locking position not preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area to the locking position preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein:

the second battery is restrained in the second battery area at least by a second interlock mechanism including;

a second locking portion configured to move between a locking position and a non-locking position, the locking position substantially preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area, and the non-locking position not preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area; and

a second selector configured to move the second locking portion from the locking position to the non-locking position; and

the method further comprises moving a restraining device configured between a restraining position substantially preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area to a non-restraining position not preventing removal of the second battery from the second battery area;

wherein the second battery may be removed from the second battery area if both (a) the restraining device is in the non-restraining position and (b) the second locking portion is in the non-locking position; and

wherein the second battery may not be removed from the second battery area if either (a) the restraining device is in the restraining position or (b) the second locking portion is in the locking position.

20. A power supply interface system for a medical device, the power supply interface system comprising:

battery housing means for at least partially housing a first battery and a second battery, the battery housing means defining a first battery area and a second battery area, the first battery area configured to receive the first battery and the second battery area configured to receive the second battery; and

battery interlocking means for preventing both the first and second batteries from being removed from the first and second battery areas, the battery interlocking means including;

locking means configured to move between a locking position and a non-locking position, the locking position substantially preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area, and the non-locking position not preventing removal of the first battery from the first battery area; and

selector means configured to move the locking means from the locking position to the non-locking position in response to the second battery being received in the second battery area.