AA battery alternatives?

[train45]

Hello all,

I am a physician in the process of designing a new power handle for standard ophthalmoscopses (the instruments that are used to look at retinas). As I know little about batteries, I was hoping somebody in this forum might help me with some basic questions:

All current ohthalmoscopes use two AA batteries for their power supply. However, we are trying to design a very compact handle, and I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions as to how we could deliver the same power using a smaller battery (ies). I would be willing to trade lifespan of the battery, but the power output would have to be the same, or the light would be too dim.

For example, is there a way to use a single AA battery or even AAA battery (or two of these) to power the device? Or is such a think impossible?

Thanks so much

mw

 

[IRstuff]

2 AAA's will provide the same VOLTAGE, about 3 volts, which is what you need to drive the light. However, the battery life will be shortened. There are button batteries that either singly or in tandem can provide 3 volts, but the smaller the volume, the lower the expected lifetime, given a fixed consumption.

If you use LEDs for a light source, their power consumption could be lower, and smaller batteries mught have comparable life to your current system.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[itsmoked]

There are many ways to skin this cat.

Is the scope a throw-away? (A ridiculous wasteful trend that seems to be appearing in the medical industry.)

Are you trying to make the handle shorter in length or smaller in diameter?



Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[IRstuff]

You can see some other battery choices here:

http://www.duracell.com/en-US/series/electronic-batteries.jspx

You would need two 1.5-V batteries to get the 3 V that you probably need.

Just bear in mind that these batteries will last less than 1/10 of the time that a AAA battery would last, in general.

TTFN

FAQ731-376