Method and apparatus for controlling temperature of infused liquids

• US 20040170409A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patented Medical Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Patented Medical Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Faries, Durward I. Jr., Heymann, Bruce R., Hendrix, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 392/470
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0095 with a temperature indicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1483 using flexible bags externally pressurised by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags

Abstract

A system for controlling the temperature of intravenous fluids according to the present invention includes a heating cabinet and a power supply cabinet. The heating cabinet includes a housing, a flexible cover and a heating plate with a generally curved configuration to uniformly heat a solution container. The cover wraps around the fluid container to secure the solution container against the heating cabinet. The heating cabinet further includes a heating controller to maintain the solution at a desired temperature. The power supply cabinet provides power to the heating cabinet and includes a display for indicating a solution temperature. A secondary power supply may be provided in the heating cabinet to facilitate heating controller operation when the heating cabinet is disengaged from the power supply cabinet. The system further monitors and provides reports of fluid temperature history.

Claims

1. A system for controlling temperature of medical solutions comprising:

a power supply unit for attachment to a support structure;

a heating unit to receive and heat a medical solution, wherein said heating unit is portable and removably coupled to said power supply unit and includes;

a housing;

a heating plate recessed within said housing to heat said medical solution; and

a cover to wrap around at least a portion of a container containing said medical solution to secure said container against said heating plate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating unit further includes a power indicator to indicate when power is received from said power supply unit.

3. The system of claim 1 further including an input device to facilitate entry of a desired temperature for said medical solution.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a controller to control heating of said medical solution.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said heating unit further includes:

at least one heating pad disposed proximate said heating plate to apply heat to at least a portion of said heating plate;

a heating pad controller to control said at least one heating pad to apply heat to said heating plate; and

a threshold temperature sensor coupled to said controller to measure temperature of said heating plate;

wherein said controller disables said heating pad controller in response to said threshold temperature sensor measuring a heating plate temperature exceeding a threshold temperature.

6. The system of claim 4, further including:

a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of said medical solution, wherein said temperature sensor is coupled to said controller.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said controller includes:

a collection module to collect information including the time and temperature of said medical solution.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said controller further includes:

a report module to generate a report including a history of medical solution temperature.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said controller further includes:

a communication module to transmit at least one of said collected information and said report to a remote device.

10. The system of claim 8 further including a display to display at least one of said medical solution temperature, said time and said report.

11. The system of claim 8 further including a printing device to print said report.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating plate includes a generally curved configuration to conform to said container to provide heat to a plurality of container surfaces.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating unit further includes a secondary power source to facilitate operation of said heating unit when said heating unit is disconnected from said power supply unit.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said cover includes at least one of a substantially transparent plastic material and a flexible material.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said cover includes a heating element to heat said container.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said cover includes an inflatable device to apply pressure to said container to produce a desired medical solution flow rate.

17. The system of claim 1 further including:

a power cord to couple said power supply and heating units; and

a power outlet cord to couple said power supply unit to a power source;

wherein at least one of said power supply unit and said heating unit includes a cord retractor mechanism to retract and store at least one of said power cord and said power outlet cord.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said heating unit further includes a securing member to secure said heating unit to said support structure.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said securing member includes a rotation member to rotate said heating unit relative to said support structure to a desired orientation.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said rotation member includes a swivel mechanism.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said rotation member includes a ratcheting mechanism.

48. The system of claim 6, wherein said controller controls heating of said medical solution in accordance with said measured medical solution temperature.

22. A method of controlling temperature of medical solutions comprising:

(a) receiving a medical solution within a heating unit, wherein said heating unit is portable and removably coupled to a power supply unit secured to a support structure;

(b) securing a container containing said medical solution within said heating unit via a cover that wraps around at least a portion of said container; and

(c) heating said medical solution via a heating plate recessed within a heating unit housing, wherein said container is secured against said heating plate by said cover.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) indicating when power is received by said heating unit from said power supply unit via a power indicator.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) facilitating entry of a desired temperature for said medical solution via an input device.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.1) applying heat to at least a portion of said heating plate via at least one heating pad disposed proximate said heating plate;

(c.2) measuring temperature of said heating plate; and

(c.3) disabling said heating pad in response to a measured heating plate temperature exceeding a threshold temperature.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.1) measuring a temperature of said medical solution.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.2) collecting information including the time and temperature of said medical solution.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.3) generating a report including a history of medical solution temperature.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.4) transmitting at least one of said collected information and said report to a remote device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.4) displaying at least one of said medical solution temperature, said time and said report on a display.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.4) printing said report via a printer.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.1) heating said medical solution via said heating plate with a generally curved configuration to conform to said container to provide heat to a plurality of container surfaces.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.1) facilitating operation of said heating unit via a secondary power source when said heating unit is disconnected from said power supply unit.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein said cover includes a heating element, and step (c) further includes:

(c.1) heating said medical solution via said heating plate and said heating element.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein said cover includes an inflatable device, and step (c) further includes:

(c.1) applying pressure to said container via said inflatable device to produce a desired medical solution flow rate.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein said heating and power supply units are associated with at least one cord to couple said power supply and heating units and to couple said power supply unit to a power source, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) retracting and storing at least one of said coupling cord and said power cord via a cord retractor mechanism disposed within at least one of said power supply unit and said heating unit.

37. The method of claim 22, wherein said heating unit further includes a securing member to secure said heating unit to said support structure, and wherein said securing member includes a rotating member to rotate said heating unit relative to said support structure and step (b) further includes:

(b.1) rotating said heating unit relative to said support structure to a desired orientation via said rotating member.

49. The method of claim 26, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.2) controlling heating of said medical solution in accordance with said measured medical solution temperature.

38. A system for controlling temperature of medical solutions comprising:

a housing;

a heating plate recessed within said housing to heat said medical solution;

a cover to wrap around at least a portion of a container containing said medical solution to secure said container against said heating plate;

a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of said medical solution; and

a controller to control heating of said medical solution, wherein said controller is coupled to said temperature sensor and includes;

a collection module to collect information including the time and temperature of said medical solution.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said controller further includes:

a report module to generate a report including a history of medical solution temperature.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein said controller further includes:

a communication module to transmit at least one of said collected information and said report to a remote device.

41. The system of claim 38 further including a display to display at least one of said medical solution temperature, said time and said report.

42. The system of claim 38 further including a printing device to print said report.

43. A method of controlling temperature of medical solutions comprising:

(a) receiving a medical solution within a heating unit;

(b) securing a container containing said medical solution within said heating unit via a cover that wraps around at least a portion of said container; and

(c) heating said medical solution via a heating plate recessed within a heating unit housing, wherein said container is secured against said heating plate by said cover and step (c) further includes;

(c.1) measuring a temperature of said medical solution; and

(c.2) collecting information including the time and temperature of said medical solution.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.3) generating a report including a history of medical solution temperature.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.4) transmitting at least one of said collected information and said report to a remote device.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.4) displaying at least one of said medical solution temperature, said time and said report on a display.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.4) printing said report via a printer.