Thermal fluid device with remote temperature indicator

• US 20070268955A1
• Filed: 05/17/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gaymar Industries Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gaymar Industries Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelner, William J., Rustay, William, Pohl, Hermann K.
• Application Number:
  US11/436,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20070268955A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/121
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0001 Body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0054 with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0055 of gas, e.g. hot air or steam
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0096 with a thermometer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a fluid medium delivery system that measures a patient'"'"'s temperature, and at least transmits that measurement to an infrared emitter. That emitter transmits an infrared signal corresponding to the measurement of the patient'"'"'s temperature to a receiver. The receiver converts that infrared signal into a digital and/or analog signal that is transmitted to a device that records, and/or illustrates the measurement so medical practitioners can monitor the temperature without having to look at and/or for the fluid medium delivery system.

Claims

1. A device for delivering a desired medium at certain temperature ranges for temperature management of a mammal, comprising:

an inlet source receives the desired medium and directs the desired medium to a temperature-control device;

a bio-feedback device measures the mammal'"'"'s actual temperature, and transmits the measurement to the temperature-control device and an infrared emitting circuit;

depending on the measurement, the temperature-control device alters the temperature of the desired medium; and

an outlet source directs the desired medium to manage the temperature of the mammal;

the infrared emitting circuit transmits an infrared signal corresponding to the measurement to an infrared receiver circuit and signal converter;

the infrared receiver circuit and signal converter transmits the measurement, in analog or digital format, to a monitor to display and/or record the measurement so medical practitioners can monitor the measurement without looking at the device for delivering a desired medium at certain temperature;

wherein the mammal is to have its temperature set to a predetermined-desired temperature which is entered into the temperature-control device;

wherein when the actual temperature is above the predetermined-desired temperature, the temperature-control device alters the temperature of the desired medium to a predetermined differential from the actual temperature; and

wherein when the actual temperature is below the predetermined-desired temperature, the temperature-control device alters the temperature of the desired medium to a pre-set differential from the actual temperature.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the desired medium is water.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the desired medium is air.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the predetermined differential ranges from 0.1 to 35 degrees Celsius below the actual temperature.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the predetermined differential ranges from 5 to 15 degrees Celsius below the actual temperature.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the pre-set differential ranges from 0.1 to 35 degrees Celsius above the actual temperature, so long as the temperature-control device does not alter the temperature of the desired medium above a predetermined-maximum temperature.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the predetermined-maximum temperature is 0.1 to 10 degrees Celsius above a predetermined-healthy temperature of the mammal.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the predetermined-maximum temperature is about 5 degrees Celsius above a predetermined-healthy temperature of the mammal.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the pre-set differential ranges from 5 to 15 degrees Celsius above the actual temperature.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the temperature-control device is a heat transfer unit with a temperature-measurement instrument.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the outlet source directs the desired medium into a blanket.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the blanket has a plurality of channels.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein the blanket has a plurality of apertures directing the desired medium in the direction of the mammal.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the outlet source directs the desired medium under a blanket.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the outlet source directs the desired medium to a mattress.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the outlet source directs the desired medium to a mattress pad.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the temperature-control device can alter the temperature of the desired medium at a predetermined rate.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the predetermined-desired temperature is selected from the group consisting of a temperature below the mammal'"'"'s normal temperature, the mammal'"'"'s normal temperature, and a temperature above the mammal'"'"'s normal temperature.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the infrared emitting circuit transmits and the infrared receiver circuit and signal converter are adjacent to each other.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the infrared emitting circuit transmits and the infrared receiver circuit and signal converter are a predetermined distance from each other and that predetermined distance is not adjacent to each other and not beyond the transmission distance of the infrared signal.