In-line fluid heating apparatus with gradation of heat energy from inlet to outlet
First Claim
1. An apparatus for heating fluids comprising:
- a cassette means for transferring heat to fluids flowing therethrough, the cassette means comprising;
passageway means for defining a thin, planar, elongated, sinuous flow path having first and second sides and an inlet end and an outlet end, such that a thin sheet of fluid enters the inlet end, travels through the flow path, and exits the outlet end;
a first flexible, heat conductive membrane means supported by the passageway means on one of the first or second sides of the flow path, for providing heat transfer to one of the top and bottom sides of the flow path; and
a second flexible, heat conductive membrane means supported by the passageway means on the other of the first or second sides of the flow path for providing heat transfer to the other of the first and second sides of the flow path; and
heating means in contact with at least one of said first and second heat conductive membrane means for generating heat energy, said heating means comprising a heating element means for generating a gradation of heat energy such that more heat energy is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid at the inlet end of the sinuous flow path than is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid at the outlet end of the sinuous flow path, having a shape that is essentially a mirror image of the elongated sinuous flow path, and the heating element means being spaced from and in alignment with at least one of the first or second sides of the elongated flow path.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A disposable, in-line heating cassette and apparatus for raising the temperature of fluids. The cassette comprises a spacer defining a sinuous or serpentine flow pathway interposed between flexible foils and mounted on a frame. The frame comprises inlet and outlet tubes and related input and output ports which communicate with the serpentine path. Juxtaposed heating plates in direct contact with the cassette substantially contact the entire heating surface of the foils, providing a highly efficient thermal path from the heating plate to the foil, and then to the fluid. The heating blocks have several electrically conductive strips thereon for generating a gradation of heat energy such that more heat energy is available for transfer at the inlet end than the outlet end of the serpentine flow path. The strips are arranged on the heating plates immediately over and under the serpentine flow path and are divided into contiguous perpendicular sections, each section having a corresponding closest parallel section with a conductor separation distance therebetween.
-
Citations
61 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for heating fluids comprising:
-
a cassette means for transferring heat to fluids flowing therethrough, the cassette means comprising; passageway means for defining a thin, planar, elongated, sinuous flow path having first and second sides and an inlet end and an outlet end, such that a thin sheet of fluid enters the inlet end, travels through the flow path, and exits the outlet end; a first flexible, heat conductive membrane means supported by the passageway means on one of the first or second sides of the flow path, for providing heat transfer to one of the top and bottom sides of the flow path; and a second flexible, heat conductive membrane means supported by the passageway means on the other of the first or second sides of the flow path for providing heat transfer to the other of the first and second sides of the flow path; and heating means in contact with at least one of said first and second heat conductive membrane means for generating heat energy, said heating means comprising a heating element means for generating a gradation of heat energy such that more heat energy is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid at the inlet end of the sinuous flow path than is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid at the outlet end of the sinuous flow path, having a shape that is essentially a mirror image of the elongated sinuous flow path, and the heating element means being spaced from and in alignment with at least one of the first or second sides of the elongated flow path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An apparatus for heating parenteral fluids for intracorporeal delivery to a patient, comprising:
-
a cassette means for transferring heat to parenteral fluids flowing therethrough, the cassette means comprising; passageway means having top and bottom sides and defining a thin, planar elongated, sinuous flow path having top and bottom sides and an inlet end and an outlet end, such that a thin sheet of parenteral fluid enters the inlet end, travels through the flow path, and exits the outlet end; a first flexible, heat conductive membrane means supported on one of the top or bottom sides of the passageway means and providing heat transfer to one of the top and bottom sides of the flow path; and a second flexible, heat conductive membrane means supported on the other of the top or bottom sides of the passageway means, and providing heat transfer to the other of the top and bottom sides of the flow path, said passageway means holding the first and second conductive membranes means in spaced relation one from the other; and a heating means in contact with one of said first and second heat conductive membrane means for generating heat energy for transfer to the parenteral fluid in the elongated flow path, said heating means comprising; a first and a second heating element means for generating a gradation of heat energy such that more heat energy is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid at the inlet end of the sinuous flow path than is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid at the outlet end of the sinuous flow path, each heating element means having a shape that is essentially a mirror image of the elongated sinuous flow path, said first heating element means being disposed essentially both vertically offset from and in alignment with said top side of the elongated flow path, said second heating element means being disposed essentially both vertically offset from and in alignment with said bottom side of the elongated flow path. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. An apparatus for heating parenteral fluids for intracorporeal delivery to a patient, comprising:
-
a cassette means for transferring heat to parenteral fluids flowing therethrough, the cassette means comprising; passageway means having top and bottom sides and defining a thin, planar, elongated, sinuous flow path having top and bottom sides and an inlet end and an outlet end, such that a thin sheet of parenteral fluid enters the inlet end, travels through the flow path, and exits the outlet end; a first flexible, heat conductive membrane means supported on one of the top or bottom sides of the passageway means and providing heat transfer to one of the top and bottom sides of the flow path; and a second flexible, heat conductive membrane means supported on the other of the top or bottom sides of the passageway means, and providing heat transfer to the other of the top and bottom sides of the flow path, said passageway means holding the first and second conductive membrane means in spaced relation one from the other; and a heating means in contact with at least one of said first and second heat conductive membrane means for generating heat energy, said heating means comprising; a heating element means for generating a gradation of heat energy such that more heat energy is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid at the inlet end of the elongated flow path than is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid the outlet end of the elongated flow path, said heating means having a shape that is essentially mirror image of the elongated sinuous flow path, and the heating element means being disposed essentially both vertically offset from and in alignment with at least one of the top or bottom sides of the elongated flow path. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
-
-
59. An apparatus for heating parenteral fluids for intracorporeal delivery to a patient, comprising:
-
a cassette means for transferring heat to parenteral fluids flowing therethrough, the cassette means comprising; passageway means having top and bottom sides and defining a thin, planar sinuous flow path having top and bottom sides and an inlet end and an outlet end, such that a thin sheet of parenteral fluid enters the inlet end, travels through the flow path, and exits the outlet end; a first thin, flexible metallic foil conductive membrane means supported on one of the top or bottom sides of the passageway means and providing heat transfer to one of the top and bottom sides of the flow path; and a second thin, flexible metallic foil conductive membrane means supported on the other of the top or bottom sides of the passageway means, and providing heat transfer to the other of the top and bottom sides of the flow path, said passageway means holding the first and second thin, flexible metallic foil conductive membrane means in spaced relation one from the other; and heating means in contact with said first and second thin, flexible metallic foil conductive membrane means for generating heat energy, said heating means comprising; a first and a second heating element means for generating a gradation of heat energy such that more heat energy is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid at the inlet end of the serpentine flow path than is available for transfer to the parenteral fluid at the outlet end of the serpentine flow path, each of which has a shape that is essentially a mirror image of the serpentine flow path, said first heating element means being disposed essentially both vertically offset from and in alignment with said top side of the serpentine flow path, said second heating element means being disposed essentially both vertically offset from and in alignment with said bottom side of the serpentine flow path. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
-
Specification