Basin for use in liquid warming device

• US 20060091128A1
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C Change Surgical LLC
• Original Assignee: C Change Surgical LLC
• Inventors: Kammer, Patrick, Rackers, Kevin Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,459,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/385
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0018 Electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1909 whose output amplitude can only take two discrete values
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/20 with sensing elements having variation of electric or magnetic properties with change of temperature G05D23/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/22 the sensing element being a thermocouple

Abstract

A liquid warming device for heating sterile fluids in a removable basin is described with emphasis on the properties of the basin interaction with the liquid warming device and with a drape that works with the basin to maintain a sterile field above the drape and the top of the basin. The interactions between a temperature sensor and a temperature well integrated in the removable basin are disclosed. Also disclosed are various desirable aspects for a control system for a liquid warming device are provided.

Claims

1. A basin for use in a liquid warming device, the basin comprising a bottom surface and a set of at least one side wall so as to form a basin with an interior volume for holding fluids, the bottom surface having an integrated hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin adapted for receiving the distal end of a temperature sensor, whereby a temperature sensor placed into the hollow portion of the protrusion can measure the temperature of a fluid placed in the interior volume of the basin.

2. The basin of claim 1 wherein the hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin is made of the same material as the basin so that there is not an interface of dissimilar materials as such an interface could lead to leaking of the fluid to be contained in the basin.

3. The basin of claim 2 wherein the basin and the hollow protrusion are made of a plastic material that does not conduct heat as well as metal such that a basin placed on a conductive surface for the transfer of heat from a heater to the basin would not provide a highly conductive path through the wall of the basin and through the hollow protrusion from the conductive surface to the temperature sensor.

4. The basin of claim 1 wherein the integrated protrusion comprises a well for receiving at least a portion of a temperature sensor and a zone adjacent to the well adapted to interact with a limit switch actuator so that placement of the basin over the temperature sensor and placing the bottom of the basin in substantial contact with a heat transfer surface on the liquid warming device moves a limit switch actuator downward to close a limit switch.

5. The basin of claim 4 wherein the zone adjacent to the well is a cavity encircling the well such that the top of the limit switch actuator extends above a least a portion of the bottom of the basin when the bottom of the basin is in substantial contact with the heat transfer surface on the liquid warming device.

6. The basin of claim 4 wherein the zone adjacent to the well comprises at least one projection extending downward from the bottom of the basin such that the top of the limit switch actuator is pushed below a top surface of the heat transfer surface when the bottom of the basin is in substantial contact with the heat transfer surface on the liquid warming device.

7. The basin of claim 1 wherein the integrated hollow protrusion is adapted to receive the distal end of the temperature sensor while allowing the air previously contained in the hollow protrusion to vent out of the hollow protrusion.

8. The basin of claim 7 wherein the hollow protrusion has at least one wing that is not intended to receive the distal end of the temperature sensor but serves to allow at least one other surface of the hollow protrusion to flex in order to accommodate the insertion of the distal end of the temperature sensor and the wing provides a channel for venting of the hollow protrusion as the distal end of the temperature sensor is placed in the hollow protrusion.

9. The basin of claim 7 wherein a portion of the hollow protrusion to receive the distal portion of the temperature sensor is a polygon which can flex to receive a cylindrical portion of the temperature sensor while the corners of the polygon serve to vent the hollow protrusion.

10. The basin of claim 1 wherein the integrated hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin is an alignment channel extending from the one of the at least one side wall downward to the bottom of the basin such that the basin can be aligned in the liquid warming device by placing the basin over a corresponding alignment ridge that includes the temperature sensor.

11. The basin of claim 1 further comprising an alignment channel extending from the one of the at least one side wall downward to the bottom of the basin such that the basin can be aligned in the liquid warming device by placing the basin over a corresponding alignment ridge such that use of the alignment ridge and alignment channel helps position the hollow protrusion over the temperature sensor, the temperature sensor located below the basin and away from the set of at least one side wall.

12. The basin of claim 1 further comprising an alignment line, wherein placement of the alignment line in a specific orientation with respect to alignment indicia on the liquid warming device aligns the integrated hollow protrusion with the temperature sensor of the liquid warming device.

13. The basin of claim 1 where the basin is provided with a radio frequency identification tag which can be checked by the liquid warming device to confirm that the inserted basin is approved for use in that liquid warming device.

14. The basin of claim 1 wherein the basin is primarily made of a first material and a distal portion of the hollow protrusion portion of the basin is made of a material with high thermal conductivity to enhance the transfer of thermal energy between the distal end of the temperature sensor and the fluid in the interior volume of the basin across the distal portion of the hollow protrusion.

15. The basin of claim 14 wherein the basin is primarily made of plastic and the distal portion of the hollow protrusion portion of the basin is made of metal.

16. A basin with a basin bottom comprised of an upper surface and a lower surface, and a set of at least one side wall to form a container above the upper surface of the basin bottom and within the perimeter formed by the at least one side wall for holding fluid, the basin having a sterile drape encircling the basin so that the basin and drape can be placed in a cavity in a fluid warming device to separate the top of the fluid warming device from a sterile field without placing any portion of the sterile drape between the lower surface of the basin bottom and a heat transfer surface of the fluid warming device in the bottom of the cavity in the fluid warming device.

20. The basin and drape of claim 16 wherein:

the lower surface of the basin bottom has an opening open below the basin and closed to the container above the basin bottom, the opening adapted to receive the distal end of a temperature sensor, such that the basin with drape can be placed in the cavity in the fluid warming device to separate the top of the fluid warming device from the sterile field and the distal end of the temperature sensor can be placed in the opening below the basin without the drape blocking access to the opening.

21. The basin and drape of claim 16 wherein:

a deviation from flat on the lower surface of the basin bottom interacts with a limit switch actuator that detects the presence of a particular type of basin through the interaction of the deviation with the limit switch actuator, such that the basin with drape can be placed in the cavity in the fluid warming device to separate the top of the fluid warming device from the sterile field and the limit switch actuator can interact with the deviation to close the limit switch without the drape getting between the limit switch actuator and the deviation.

22. The basin and drape of claim 16 further comprising:

an alignment channel in the basin comprised of a channel extending inward from the outside of the basin including at least one sidewall and the basin bottom such that the alignment channel fits over an alignment ridge in the cavity of the liquid warming device to assist in aligning the basin in a preferred orientation with respect to other components in the liquid warming device, the interaction between the basin and drape adapted so that the drape does not come between the alignment channel of the basin and the alignment ridge of the liquid warming device.

23. The basin and sterile drape of claim 16 wherein the drape is adapted to allow an indicator light on the liquid warming device to be viewed through the sterile drape.

24. The basin and sterile drape of claim 23 wherein the drape is predominantly formed from a first material with a first level of optical transparency and the drape has a view window of a second level of optical transparency, more transparent than the first level of optical transparency wherein the basin and sterile drape can be positioned over the liquid warming device such that the top of the liquid warming device is isolated from the sterile field and the view window is positioned over at least one visual indicator on the liquid warming device to facilitate viewing of the indicator while the liquid warming device is draped.

17. The basin and sterile drape of 16 wherein:

the basin further comprises a rim that extends out from the at least one side wall, the rim having a top face and an underside; and

the drape is attached to the underside of the rim of the basin such that when the basin with drape is placed in the cavity in the fluid warming device, a view from above the basin would not have any gap between the outer edge of the top face of the brim and the drape.

18. The basin and sterile drape of 16 wherein:

the basin further comprises a rim that extends out from the at least one side wall, the rim having a top face and an underside;

the drape attached around the outside of the basin to at least portions of the at least one sidewall such that the basin and drape can be lifted without the drape falling away from the basin and when the basin with drape is placed in the cavity in the fluid warming device, a view from above the basin would not have any gap between the outer edge of the top face of the brim and the drape.

19. The basin and sterile drape of 16 wherein:

the basin further comprises a rim that extends out from the at least one side wall, the rim having a top face and an underside;

the drape attached around the outside of the basin by an interference fit as a hole in a drape before integration with a basin is too small to receive the insertion of a basin from above the drape to the desired basin insertion depth without stretching the hole in the drape such that after insertion of a basin into a drape to stretch the hole in the drape such that the basin and drape can be lifted without the drape falling away from the basin when the basin with drape is lifted to be placed in the cavity in the fluid warming device; and

a view from above the basin would not have any gap between the outer edge of the top face of the brim and the drape.