Heater for physiological solutions effective at both low and high flow rates
First Claim
1. A method for heating a solution and maintaining the temperature of said solution comprising supplying said solution to the first heat exchange portion of a heat exchange apparatus having first and second heat exchange portions for heating said solution to a desired temperature and at a first rate of heating, supplying said solution to said second heat exchange portion for maintaining said solution at said desired temperature, providing one of said first and second heat exchange portions with a warming fluid for thermal contact with said solution to be heated, providing the other of said first and second heat exchange portions with said warming fluid that has passed at least partially through said one of said first and second heat exchange portions for thermal contact with said solution to be heated and returning said warming fluid from said other heat exchange portion to said one of said heat exchange portions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A heater for physiological solutions that is effective at low and high flow rates includes first and second heat exchangers that have different fluid heating characteristics. The first heat exchanger is capable of heating solutions at high flow rates, while the second heat exchanger is designed to heat the solutions at low flow rates. A warming fluid is circulated through the heat exchangers, and a manifold is provided to control the flow of the warming fluid that is directed to the two heat exchangers. The solution to be warmed is directed to both heat exchangers such that a warmed solution is provided irrespective of the flow rates.
49 Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A method for heating a solution and maintaining the temperature of said solution comprising supplying said solution to the first heat exchange portion of a heat exchange apparatus having first and second heat exchange portions for heating said solution to a desired temperature and at a first rate of heating, supplying said solution to said second heat exchange portion for maintaining said solution at said desired temperature, providing one of said first and second heat exchange portions with a warming fluid for thermal contact with said solution to be heated, providing the other of said first and second heat exchange portions with said warming fluid that has passed at least partially through said one of said first and second heat exchange portions for thermal contact with said solution to be heated and returning said warming fluid from said other heat exchange portion to said one of said heat exchange portions.
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4. A heat exchange apparatus comprising a first heat exchanger having an inner tube for carrying a first fluid and an outer tube for carrying a second fluid in thermal contact with said first fluid and means for directing at least a portion of said first fluid into a flow channel of a second heat exchanger and for returning said portion of said first fluid from said flow channel to said inner tube.
- 9. A heat exchange apparatus comprising a first heat exchange portion and a second heat exchange portion, wherein said first heat exchange portion comprises first means for carrying a warming fluid and first means for carrying a solution to be warmed in thermal contact with said warming fluid and said second heat exchange portion comprises second means for carrying said warming fluid and second means for carrying a solution to be warmed in thermal contact with said warming fluid, and said heat exchange apparatus further comprises means for directing said solution to be warmed from first means for carrying a solution to be warmed to said second means for carrying a solution to be warmed and means for diverting at least a portion of said warming fluid from said first means for carrying a warming fluid to said second means for carrying a warming fluid and for returning said portion of said warming fluid to said first means for carrying a warming fluid.
Specification