Intravenous fluid warming cassette with stiffening member and integral handle

• US 20020193739A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Arizant Healthcare Inc. (3M Company)
• Inventors: Augustine, Scott D., Maharaj, Gary R., Leland, Keith J., Woodwick-Sides, Teryl L., Entenman, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,010,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/113
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0085 Devices for generating hot or cold treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/16 Holders for containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/42 Heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6579 Circulating fluid in heat exchange relationship

Abstract

A fluid warming cassette with a stiffening frame structure and an integral handle is provided to support a parenteral fluid container. The fluid container is desirably thin to minimize heat exchange inefficiencies. The frame structure permits the thin fluid container to be inserted into the narrow space between fixed position warming plates of a warming unit. The frame structure has a quadrilateral shape with sides and ends. The fluid container is attached, at its periphery to the sides and ends of the frame structure, within the quadrilateral shape. Part of the frame structure is formed into a handle to assist in both the insertion and removal of the cassette from a warming unit.

Claims

1. In an intravenous fluid warming system, a warming cassette for parenteral fluids comprising:

a frame structure having a quadrilateral shape; and

a flexible fluid container with a periphery, the fluid container received in the quadrilateral shape and joined along its periphery to the frame structure.

2. The warming cassette of claim 1 in which the frame structure is rigid within a plane.

3. The warming cassette of claim 2 in which the frame structure includes at least a first side, a second side parallel to the first side, and at least a proximal end transverse to and connecting the first and second sides.

4. The warming cassette of claim 3 in which the fluid container includes a fluid pathway.

5. The warming cassette of claim 3 in which the plane includes a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and in which the first and second sides are oriented in the first direction and the proximal end is oriented in the second direction.

6. The warming cassette of claim 5 in which the frame structure further includes a distal end parallel to the proximal end.

7. The warming cassette of claim 6, in which the fluid container is bonded to the first and second sides.

8. The warming cassette of claim 6, in which the fluid container is bonded to the proximal and distal ends.

9. The warming cassette of claim 8 in which the fluid container is further bonded to the first and second sides.

10. The warming cassette of claim 9 in which the proximal end includes a handle portion.

11. The warming cassette of claim 10 in which the fluid container is planar and oriented in the plane.

12. The warming cassette of claim 11 in which the fluid container includes a fluid pathway and at least one port in communication with the fluid pathway.

13. The warming cassette of claim 12, in which the fluid container further includes a second port in communication with the fluid pathway, a first tube attached to the first port, and a second tube attached to the second port.

14. The warming cassette of claim 10 further comprising:

a bubble trap attached to the handle portion for support, the bubble trap having an input connected to the second port, and an output to supply fluid, the bubble trap having a gas exhaust port.

15. The warming cassette of claim 10 in which the handle portion includes a label surface.

16. The warming cassette of claim 10 in which the frame structure includes a key mechanism.

17. The warming cassette of claim 16 in which the key mechanism includes a first land on the first side and a second land on the second side.

18. The warming cassette of claim 10 wherein the frame structure includes an insertion stop on the handle portion.

19. The warming cassette of claim 1 in which said frame structure is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide (Nylon®

, DuPont), polyethylene glycol terephthalate (Mylar®

, DuPont), and ionomer resins (Surlyn®

, DuPont).

20. The warming cassette of claim 19 in which said frame structure is formed by die cutting.

21. The warming cassette of claim 19 in which said frame structure is formed by injection molding.

22. The warming cassette of claim 19 in which said frame structure is formed by thermo-processes.

23. The warming cassette of claim 1 in which said fluid container is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, and other polymeric materials.

24. In a parenteral fluid warming system, a cassette heat exchanger comprising:

a fluid container including a fluid channel, and two fluid ports, each fluid port in fluid communication with said fluid channel; and

a frame structure having a quadrilateral shape;

the fluid container attached to the frame structure within the quadrilateral shape for support thereby.

25. A method of operating a parenteral fluid warming system that includes a warming unit having parallel heating plates with alignment grooves and a fluid warming cassette with a frame structure having a distal end, a proximal handle, alignment lands, and a stop mechanism near the proximal handle, the warming cassette further including fluid container with a fluid pathway, in which the fluid container is joined to the frame structure, the method including:

grasping the proximal handle;

orienting the lands with the grooves;

inserting the distal end between the heating plates; and

sliding the warming cassette between the heating plates until the stop mechanism engages the warming unit.