Bag for heating liquids and means for heating the bag

• US 7,289,724 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stihler Electronic GmbH (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wwt Technischer Geraetebau GmbH
• Inventors: Theilacker, Matthias, Theilacker-Beck, Wolfgang, Fürnrohr, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, THOR S
• Application Number:
  US11/138,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20060000829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 392/470
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/0281 Apparatus for treatment of blood or blood constituents prior to transfusion, e.g. washing, filtering or thawing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/369 Temperature treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags

Abstract

The invention proposes a liquid heating bag 1, in particular, a blood heating bag and a bag heating means 30 for heating liquids, e.g. cooled blood, which flow through the liquid heating bag 1, to a temperature suitable for transfusion. The liquid heating bag 1 has a flow volume 3 formed by at least two flexible plastic foils which are connected to each other at four delimiting edges 5, 6, 7, 8, wherein the flow volume 3 has a flat, substantially trapezoidal basic shape which is delimited by the delimiting edges 5, 6, 7, 8. An inlet line opening 12 and an outlet line opening 14 are disposed on a first delimiting edge 5, and an insertion tab 15 is disposed on a second delimiting edge 6 opposite to the first delimiting edge 5. The liquid heating bag 1 has a liquid flow guiding seam 20 which is formed by connecting the plastic foils in the region of the flow volume 3. The insertion tab 15 is formed as part of the plastic foils, which projects past the second delimiting edge 6.

Claims

1. A liquid heating bag comprising:

at least two flexible plastic foils connected to each other at edges to form a flat, substantially trapezoidal flow volume between the edges;

an inlet line opening and an outlet line opening disposed at a first edge and in fluid communication with the flow volume;

a liquid flow guiding seam formed by a connection between the plastic foils and disposed within the flow volume;

an insertion tab, formed as part of the plastic foils, disposed on a second edge opposite the first edge and projecting past the second edge; and

wherein third and fourth edges of the bag are longer than the first and second edges and the guiding seam extends from the first edge and is generally parallel to the third edge to divide the flow volume into upper and lower sections, the upper and lower sections being in fluid communication with one another proximate the second edge, the inlet line opening being in fluid communication with the upper section and the outlet line opening being in fluid communication with the lower section.

2. The liquid heating bag according to claim 1 wherein the edges and guiding seam are formed by welding the plastic foils together.

3. The liquid heating bag according to claim 1 wherein the first edge and the third edge form an acute angle with one another, the guiding seam and the first edge form an acute angle with one another and the inlet line and outlet line openings are disposed at respective tips of the acute angles.

4. A liquid heating bag comprising:

at least two flexible plastic foils connected to each other at edges to form a flat, substantially trapezoidal flow volume between the edges;

an inlet line opening and an outlet line opening disposed at a first edge and in fluid communication with the flow volume;

a liquid flow guiding seam formed by a connection between the plastic foils and disposed within the flow volume;

an insertion tab, formed as part of the plastic foils, disposed on a second edge opposite the first edge and projecting past the second edge;

two substantially rectangular heat exchange plates disposed opposing one another with a gap therebetween suitable for receiving the liquid heating bag;

mounting means fastened to each of the plates along a long edge thereof for supporting the plates with the gap being open along an opposite long edge and opposing short edge of the plastic, said mounting means being resilient in order that a pressure change in the liquid heating bag disposed within the gap changes a gap width, a pressure increase widening the gap width and a pressure reduction reducing the gap width; and

wherein third and fourth edges of the bag are longer than the first and second edges and the guiding seam extends from the first edge and is generally parallel to the third edge to divide the flow volume into upper and lower sections, the upper and lower section being in fluid communication with one another proximate the second edge, the inlet line opening being in fluid communication proximate the second edge, the inlet line opening being in fluid communication with the upper section and the outlet line opening being in fluid communication with the lower section.

5. The liquid heating bag according to claim 4 wherein the edges and guiding seam are formed by welding the plastic foils together.

6. The liquid heating bag according to claim 4 wherein the first edge and the third edge form an acute angle with one another, the guiding seam and the first edge form an acute angle with one another and the inlet line and outlet line opening are disposed at respective tips of the acute angles.

7. The bag heater apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the gap width is variable between one and three millimeters.

8. The bag heater apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of the heat exchanges plates include grooves therein for guiding and holding inlet and outlet lines connected to the bag.