Lithium polymer battery powered intravenous fluid warmer

• US 20070105010A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vital Signs Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Cassidy, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,741,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/103 : Fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 : Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 : The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 : Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 : using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A lithium polymer (LiPo) battery pack having LiPo battery cells is provided which includes battery protection circuitry, charging circuitry, cell balancing circuitry, and control and communication circuitry. The batteries can be charged while in use by an internal charger. Battery charging and discharging are accomplished in a controlled and protected manner to avoid overcharging and overdischarging conditions. The novel battery pack has built-in safeguards against dangerous LiPo battery conditions and is implemented in a small, portable unit which contains the battery cells, control and protection circuitry, internal charger and display gauge. The battery pack is useful for powering an intravenous fluid warmer or other medical or electrical devices and equipment.

Claims

1. For use with apparatus for warming an intravenous fluid to be administered to a living body, which includes a case through which an intravenous fluid line extends, a battery pack comprising:

a housing configured for attachment to the case, the housing including;

a plurality of lithium polymer cells;

a charger connected to the plurality of lithium polymer cells;

a heater attached to the case and a thermal fuse;

a fluid warmer microcontroller connected to the charger and the heater;

a spread spectrum oscillator connected to the fluid warmer microcontroller;

a battery condition indicator and controller connected to a fluid warmer cover closure signal and to the fluid warmer microcontroller;

a first order battery protection circuit connected to elements selected from the group consisting of;

the battery condition indicator and controller,

at least one sensor connected to at least one of the plurality of lithium polymer cells,

a cell balance circuit connected to the at least one of the plurality of lithium polymer cells, and

a battery disconnect switch;

a second order battery protection circuit connected to the at least one of the plurality of lithium polymer cells and the thermal fuse; and

a fluid warmer overtemperature protection attached to the case and connected to the thermal fuse.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the case includes a removable cartridge wherein a fluid is caused to flow through the removable cartridge.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a plurality of temperature sensors.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the plurality of temperature sensors is attached to the plurality of lithium polymer cells in a distributed manner.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a voltage sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a current sensor connected to the battery condition indicator and controller.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a stress sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the stress sensor includes a diode to pull a temperature sensor low.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a strain sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the strain sensor includes a diode to pull a temperature sensor low.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a power path controller logic to control an external power switch and a battery discharge switch.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a heater control switch between the fluid warmer microcontroller and the heater.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a battery condition indicator having a display.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a battery condition indicator having an annunciator.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the charger is coupled in an electrically isolated manner to the plurality of lithium polymer cells.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery condition indicator and controller has an electromagnetic interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the electromagnetic interface is an electrical interface.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the electromagnetic interface is an optical interface.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an electric current to warm the case conducts in a circuit separate from the charger.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a fire and/or explosion resistant enclosure containing the battery pack.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a fire and/or explosion resistant enclosure containing the plurality of lithium polymer cells.

22. Apparatus for indicating a condition of a cell of a battery, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of cells;

a charger connected to the plurality of cells;

a battery condition indicator and controller connected to a first order battery protection circuit;

the first order battery protection circuit connected to at least one sensor;

the at least one sensor connected to at least one of the plurality of cells and operative to sense a predetermined condition of the at least one of the plurality of cells; and

the first order battery protection circuit configured to disconnect the at least one of the plurality of cells under the predetermined condition sensed by the at least one sensor.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, the apparatus further including a second order battery protection circuit-connected to the at least one of the plurality of cells, and a thermal fuse.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first order battery protection circuit disconnects via a thermal fuse.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first order battery protection circuit disconnects via a battery disconnect switch.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least one sensor is a stress sensor.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the predetermined condition is a dimension of the at least one of the plurality of cells.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the predetermined condition is a pressure inside the at least one of the plurality of cells.

29. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least one of the plurality of cells is a lithium polymer cell.

30. A battery pack comprising:

a plurality of lithium polymer cells;

a charger connected to the plurality of lithium polymer cells;

a spread spectrum oscillator connected to the charger;

a battery condition indicator and controller connected to the charger;

a first order battery protection circuit connected to elements selected from the group consisting of;

the battery condition indicator and controller,

at least one sensor connected to at least one of the plurality of lithium polymer cells,

a cell balance circuit connected to the at least one of the plurality of lithium polymer cells, and

a battery disconnect switch; and

a second order battery protection circuit connected to the at least one of the plurality of lithium polymer cells and a thermal fuse.

31. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein the at least one sensor is a plurality of temperature sensors.

32. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein the plurality of temperature sensors is attached to the plurality of lithium polymer cells in a distributed manner.

33. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein the at least one sensor is a voltage sensor.

34. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein the at least one sensor is a current sensor connected to the battery condition indicator and controller.

35. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein the at least one sensor is a stress sensor.

36. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein the at least one sensor is a strain sensor.

37. The battery pack of claim 30 further including a battery condition indicator having a display.

38. The battery pack of claim 30 further including a battery condition indicator having an annunciator.

39. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein the charger is magnetically coupled to the plurality of lithium polymer cells.

40. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein the battery condition indicator and controller has an electromagnetic interface.

41. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein an electric current output from the battery pack conducts in a circuit separate from the charger.

42. The battery pack of claim 30 wherein the recited elements are contained in a housing.

43. The battery pack of claim 30 further including a fire and/or explosion resistant enclosure containing the battery pack.

44. The battery pack of claim 30 further including a fire and/or explosion resistant enclosure containing the plurality of lithium polymer cells.