Method and Apparatus for Controlling Temperature of Medical Liquids
First Claim
1. A temperature sensing system for measuring temperature of a sterile medical fluid, the temperature sensing device comprising:
- a medical fluid line configured to couple to a medical fluid container housing a sterile medical fluid, the medical fluid line receiving the sterile medical fluid from the medical fluid container and directing the sterile medical fluid downstream toward a patient;
a thermal treatment device coupled to the medical fluid line, the thermal treatment device operable to thermally treat the sterile medical fluid as it flows downstream from the medical fluid container;
a temperature sensing device disposed along the medical fluid line at a position downstream from the thermal treatment device, the temperature sensing device comprising;
an inline conduit coupled to the medical fluid line, the inline conduit permitting the passage of fluid downstream to the patient, anda sensor housing mounted on the inline conduit, the sensor housing including a first temperature sensor to indicate a first measured temperature and a second temperature sensor to indicate a second measured temperature; and
a controller in communication with the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the controller operable to compare the first measured temperature to said second measured temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for controlling temperature of intravenous fluids includes a thermal treatment device and a temperature sensing device to measure a temperature of the fluid flowing through the sensor. The temperature sensing device may simultaneously collect two temperature measurements. For example, the sensing device may include sensors that measure the temperature of the fluid at two disparate locations along the medical fluid line. Additionally, the sensors may measure the temperature of the fluid within the medical fluid line, as well as the ambient temperature outside of the line. The thermal treatment device includes a conduit configured to have a nonlinear flow path through the device. The thermal treatment device thermally treats fluid within the conduit to a desired temperature or range.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A temperature sensing system for measuring temperature of a sterile medical fluid, the temperature sensing device comprising:
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a medical fluid line configured to couple to a medical fluid container housing a sterile medical fluid, the medical fluid line receiving the sterile medical fluid from the medical fluid container and directing the sterile medical fluid downstream toward a patient; a thermal treatment device coupled to the medical fluid line, the thermal treatment device operable to thermally treat the sterile medical fluid as it flows downstream from the medical fluid container; a temperature sensing device disposed along the medical fluid line at a position downstream from the thermal treatment device, the temperature sensing device comprising; an inline conduit coupled to the medical fluid line, the inline conduit permitting the passage of fluid downstream to the patient, and a sensor housing mounted on the inline conduit, the sensor housing including a first temperature sensor to indicate a first measured temperature and a second temperature sensor to indicate a second measured temperature; and a controller in communication with the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the controller operable to compare the first measured temperature to said second measured temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medical fluid, the thermal treatment system comprising:
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a medical fluid line configured to couple to a medical fluid container housing a sterile medical fluid, the medical fluid line receiving the sterile medical fluid from the medical fluid container and directing the sterile medical fluid downstream toward a patient; a thermal treatment device coupled to the medical fluid line, said thermal treatment device operable to thermally treat the sterile medical fluid as it flows downstream from the medical fluid container along the medical fluid line, the thermal treatment device comprising a tubular conduit in fluid communication with the medical fluid line, wherein the tubular conduit includes at least one curved section to define a non-linear flow path for the medical fluid passing through the thermal treatment device; a temperature sensing device disposed along the medical fluid line at a location downstream from the thermal treatment device, the temperature sensing device including a temperature sensor to indicate a measured temperature of the sterile medical fluid. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of measuring temperature of a sterile medical fluid flowing within a medical fluid line, the method comprising:
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directing a sterile medical fluid along a medical fluid line and through a thermal treatment device, the thermal treatment device operable to thermally treat the sterile medical fluid as it flows downstream from a medical fluid container and toward a patient; and directing said sterile medical fluid through a temperature sensing device, the temperature sensing device comprising; an inline conduit coupled to the medical fluid line, the inline conduit permitting the passage of the sterile medical fluid downstream to the patient, and a sensor housing mounted on said inline conduit, the sensor housing including a first temperature sensor to indicate a first measured temperature and a second temperature sensor to indicate a second measured temperature, and a controller in communication with the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, the controller being operable to compare the first measured temperature to the second measured temperature, wherein the temperature sensing device is positioned along the medical fluid line at a location downstream from the thermal treatment device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of thermally treating sterile medical fluid flowing within a medical fluid line, the method comprising:
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positioning a thermal treatment device along a medical fluid line, the medical fluid line being operable to direct sterile medical fluid from a medical fluid container to a patient, the thermal treatment device being operable to thermally treat the sterile medical fluid as it flows downstream from the medical fluid container along the medical fluid line, wherein the thermal treatment device comprises a tubular conduit in fluid communication with the medical fluid line, the tubular conduit including at least one curved section to define a non-linear flow path for the sterile medical fluid passing through the thermal treatment device; directing the sterile medical fluid through the tubular conduit of the thermal treatment device; and thermally treating the sterile medical fluid as the fluid flows through the tubular conduit. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification