Integral conductive polymer resistance heated tubing
First Claim
1. Apparatus for heating fluid passing therethrough comprising an exposed flexible conduit comprising a wall made of a polymeric material for placing in contact with said fluid, a portion of said wall being transparent for allowing a presence of said fluid in said conduit to be viewed from outside said conduit and through said wall, the wall including an electrically conductive polymeric material portion capable of producing resistance heat by the passage of electric current;
- a first connector means for supplying fluid to a patient;
a second connector means for receiving said fluid from supply of physiological fluid.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible, integral polymer resistance heated conduit is provided that is particularly suitable for use with physiological fluids. The conduit is highly effective in uniformly heating a fluid and in maintaining the fluid at a uniform, predetermined temperature. The conduit is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, and is at least partially transparent or translucent, thereby allowing easy viewing of its contents.
162 Citations
29 Claims
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1. Apparatus for heating fluid passing therethrough comprising an exposed flexible conduit comprising a wall made of a polymeric material for placing in contact with said fluid, a portion of said wall being transparent for allowing a presence of said fluid in said conduit to be viewed from outside said conduit and through said wall, the wall including an electrically conductive polymeric material portion capable of producing resistance heat by the passage of electric current;
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a first connector means for supplying fluid to a patient; a second connector means for receiving said fluid from supply of physiological fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Apparatus for heating a physiological fluid supplied to a patient comprising:
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a flexible conduit for carrying said fluid and being in thermal contact with said fluid, at least a portion of a wall section of said conduit being transparent for allowing a presence of said fluid in said conduit to be viewed from outside said conduit and through said wall section, a portion of said conduit being made of an electrically conductive polymeric material capable of producing resistance heat by the passage of electric current, first means for connecting one end of said conduit to means for allowing said fluid to be infused into said patient, second means for connecting an opposite end of said conduit to a source of said fluid, and means for connecting said polymeric material to a source of said electric current. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A flexible conduit for carrying and heating a physiological fluid in a passageway to a patient comprising:
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a) a flexible conduit having a conduit wall comprising an exposed conduit outer surface and a passageway inner surface, said conduit wall forming said passageway for carrying said fluid; b) at least a portion of said conduit wall being transparent for allowing a presence of said fluid in said passageway to be viewed from outside said conduit and through said portion of the conduit wall; and c) at least a portion of said conduit being made of an electrically conductive polymeric material capable of producing resistance heat by the passage of electric current therethrough, passage of electric current through said polymeric material heating said fluid.
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28. Apparatus for heating fluid passing therethrough comprising an exposed flexible conduit comprising a wall made of a polymeric material fox placing in contact with said fluid, a portion of said wall being transparent for allowing a presence of said fluid in said conduit to be viewed from outside said conduit and through said wall, the wall including an electrically conductive polymeric material portion capable of producing resistance heat by the passage of electric current.
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29. Apparatus for heating fluid passing therethrough comprising an exposed flexible conduit comprising a wall made of a polymeric material for placing in contact with said fluid, a portion of said wall being transparent for allowing a presence of said fluid in said conduit to be viewed from outside said conduit and through said wall, the wall including an electrically conductive polymeric material portion capable of producing resistance heat by the passage of electric current, wherein said flexible conduit comprises said transparent portion as a first portion of said wall and a second portion as said electrically conductive polymeric material portion, said second portion dividing an interior of said flexible conduit into a plurality of passages.
Specification