Infusion Fluid Warming Method, Infusion Fluid Warming Apparatus, and Infusion Fluid Warming Bag

• US 20080039815A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genshirou Ogawa
• Original Assignee: Genshirou Ogawa
• Inventors: Ogawa, Genshirou
• Granted Patent: US 7,715,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/408
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/364 by chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media

Abstract

An infusion fluid warming apparatus for warming an infusion fluid to a predetermined temperature prior to supply of the infusion fluid into a living body through an infusion fluid tube. The apparatus includes: (a) a tube holding device detachably holding the infusion tube; and (b) a heat accumulator member generating a latent heat in phase change thereof from liquid phase to solid phase. The heat accumulator member is disposed in the tube holding device, so as to warm the infusion fluid passing through the infusion fluid tube that is held by the tube holding device, by the latent heat generated in the phase change from the liquid phase to the solid phase. Also, disclosed is an infusion fluid warming method.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. An infusion fluid warming method of warming an infusion fluid to a predetermined temperature prior to supply of the infusion fluid into a living body, the method comprising:

disposing a heat accumulator member in the vicinity of the infusion fluid, said heat accumulator member generating a latent heat in phase change thereof from liquid phase to solid phase; and

warming the infusion fluid by the latent heat generated by using the latent heat generated by said heat accumulator member in the phase change from the liquid phase to the solid phase.

14. An infusion fluid warming apparatus for warming an infusion fluid to a predetermined temperature prior to supply of the infusion fluid into a living body through an infusion fluid tube, said apparatus comprising:

a tube holding device detachably holding the infusion fluid tube; and

a heat accumulator member generating a latent heat in phase change thereof from liquid phase to solid phase, said heat accumulator member being disposed in said tube holding device, so as to warm the infusion fluid passing through the infusion fluid tube that is held by said tube holding device, by the latent heat generated in the phase change from the liquid phase to the solid phase.

15. The infusion fluid warming apparatus according to claim 14, where said heat accumulator member includes one of paraffin-based heat accumulating material, salt-hydrate-based heat accumulating material and clathrate-hydrate-based heat accumulating material.

16. The infusion fluid warming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said heat accumulator member includes a heat accumulating material which is held in the liquid phase even at a temperature lower than a melting point of said heat accumulating material and which is changed from the liquid phase to the solid phase in response to stimulus applied to said heat accumulating material.

17. The infusion fluid warming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said heat accumulator member includes, in addition to said heat accumulating material, a trigger member operable to initiate the phase change of said heat accumulating material from the liquid phase to the solid phase, and a flexible accommodating bag fluid-tightly accommodating said heat accumulating material and said trigger member.

18. The infusion fluid warming apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein said tube holding device has a tube holding member holding the infusion fluid tube in a curved shape,

and wherein said accommodating bag is detachably held in contact with said tube holding member.

19. The infusion fluid warming apparatus according to claim 18,

wherein said accommodating bag is provided by a flexible sheet,

and wherein said accommodating bag has a heat conducting fin including an end portion connected to a contact portion of said flexible sheet that is in contact with said tube holding member, and another end portion separated from said contact portion of said flexible sheet.

20. The infusion fluid warming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said tube holding device has an electric heater operable to heat said heat accumulator member so as to cause the phase change of said heat accumulator member from the solid phase to the liquid phase.

21. An infusion fluid warming bag which is to be disposed in the vicinity of an infusion fluid, for warming the infusion fluid to a predetermined temperature prior to supply of the infusion fluid into a living body, said infusion fluid warming bag comprising:

a bag-shaped main body; and

a heat accumulating material which is accommodated in said bag-shaped main body and which generates a latent heat in phase change thereof from liquid phase to solid phase.

22. The infusion fluid warming bag according to claim 21, wherein said bag-shaped main body has an outer bag provided by a flexible sheet,

and wherein said bag-shaped main body further has a heat conducting member including a portion held in contact with a warming surface of said flexible sheet that is to be opposed to the infusion fluid and another portion separated from said warming surface of said flexible sheet.

23. The infusion fluid warming bag according to claim 22, wherein said heat conducting member is provided by a plurality of heat conducting fins each including an end portion connected to said warming surface of said flexible sheet and another end portion separated from the warming surface of the flexible sheet.

24. The infusion fluid warming bag according to claim 22, wherein said flexible sheet is a composite sheet including metal and resin layers that are superposed on each other.