Basin for use in liquid warming device

• US 7,459,657 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C Change Surgical LLC
• Original Assignee: C Change Surgical LLC
• Inventors: Kammer, Patrick, Rackers, Kevin Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US11/209,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20060091128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 219/385
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0018 Electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1909 whose output amplitude can only take two discrete values
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/20 with sensing elements having variation of electric or magnetic properties with change of temperature G05D23/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/22 the sensing element being a thermocouple

Abstract

A liquid warming device for heating sterile fluids in a removable basin is described with emphasis on the properties of the basin interaction with the liquid warming device and with a drape that works with the basin to maintain a sterile field above the drape and the top of the basin. The interactions between a temperature sensor and a temperature well integrated in the removable basin are disclosed. Also disclosed are various desirable aspects for a control system for a liquid warming device are provided.

Claims

1. A basin for insertion and use in a liquid warming device, the basin comprising a bottom with an inside surface and an outside surface and a set of at least one side wall so as to form a basin with an interior volume for holding fluids, the bottom having a hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin, the hollow protrusion adapted for receiving the distal end of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device, whereby engagement of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device by placing the hollow protrusion over the distal end of the temperature sensor can place the distal end of the temperature sensor in proximity to a fluid placed in the interior volume of the basin wherein the hollow protrusion comprises a well for receiving at least a portion of a temperature sensor and a zone adjacent to the well is adapted to interact with a limit switch actuator so that placement of the basin over the temperature sensor and placing the outside surface of the bottom of the basin in substantial contact with a heat transfer surface on the liquid warming device moves a limit switch actuator downward to close a limit switch.

2. The basin of claim 1 wherein the zone adjacent to the well is a cavity encircling the well such that the top of the limit switch actuator extends above a least a portion of the bottom of the basin when the outside surface of the bottom of the basin is in substantial contact with the heat transfer surface on the liquid warming device.

3. The basin of claim 1 wherein the zone adjacent to the well comprises at least one projection extending downward from the bottom of the basin such that the top of the limit switch actuator is pushed below a top surface of the heat transfer surface when the outside surface of the bottom of the basin is in substantial contact with the heat transfer surface on the liquid warming device.

4. The basin of claim 1 where the basin is provided with a radio frequency identification tag provides an output which can be checked by the liquid warming device to confirm that an inserted basin is approved for use in that liquid warming device.

5. A basin for insertion and use in a liquid warming device, the basin comprising a bottom with an inside surface and an outside surface and a set of at least one side wall so as to form a basin with an interior volume for holding fluids, the bottom having a hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin, the hollow protrusion adapted for receiving the distal end of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device, whereby engagement of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device by placing the hollow protrusion over the distal end of the temperature sensor can place the distal end of the temperature sensor in proximity to a fluid placed in the interior volume of the basin wherein the hollow protrusion has at least one wing that is not intended to receive the distal end of the temperature sensor but serves to allow at least one other surface of the hollow protrusion to flex in order to accommodate the insertion of the distal end of the temperature sensor and the wing provides a channel for venting of the hollow protrusion as the distal end of the temperature sensor is placed in the hollow protrusion.

6. The basin of claim 5 where the basin provides an output which can be checked by the liquid warming device to confirm that an inserted basin is approved for use in that liquid warming device.

7. A basin for insertion and use in a liquid warming device, the basin comprising a bottom with an inside surface and an outside surface and a set of at least one side wall so as to form a basin with an interior volume for holding fluids, the bottom having a hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin, the hollow protrusion adapted for receiving the distal end of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device, whereby engagement of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device by placing the hollow protrusion over the distal end of the temperature sensor can place the distal end of the temperature sensor in proximity to a fluid placed in the interior volume of the basin wherein a portion of the hollow protrusion to receive the distal portion of the temperature sensor is a polygon which can flex to receive a cylindrical portion of the temperature sensor while the corners of the polygon serve to vent the hollow protrusion.

8. A basin for insertion and use in a liquid warming device, the basin comprising a bottom with an inside surface and an outside surface and a set of at least one side wall so as to form a basin with an interior volume for holding fluids, the bottom having a hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin, the hollow protrusion adapted for receiving the distal end of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device, whereby engagement of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device by placing the hollow protrusion over the distal end of the temperature sensor can place the distal end of the temperature sensor in proximity to a fluid placed in the interior volume of the basin wherein the integrated hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin is an alignment channel extending from the one of the at least one side wall downward to the bottom of the basin such that the basin can be aligned in the liquid warming device by placing the basin over a corresponding alignment ridge that includes the temperature sensor.

9. A basin for insertion and use in a liquid warming device, the basin comprising a bottom with an inside surface and an outside surface and a set of at least one side wall so as to form a basin with an interior volume for holding fluids, the bottom having a hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin, the hollow protrusion adapted for receiving the distal end of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device, whereby engagement of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device by placing the hollow protrusion over the distal end of the temperature sensor can place the distal end of the temperature sensor in proximity to a fluid placed in the interior volume of the basin further comprising an alignment channel extending from the one of the at least one side wall downward to the bottom of the basin such that the basin can be aligned in the liquid warming device by placing the basin over a corresponding alignment ridge such that use of the alignment ridge and alignment channel helps position the hollow protrusion over the distal end of the temperature sensor, the distal end of the temperature sensor located below the basin and away from the set of at least one side wall.

10. The basin of claim 9 where the basin provides an output which can be checked by the liquid warming device to confirm that an inserted basin is approved for use in that liquid warming device.

11. A basin for insertion and use in a liquid warming device, the basin comprising a bottom with an inside surface and an outside surface and a set of at least one side wall so as to form a basin with an interior volume for holding fluids, the bottom having a hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin, the hollow protrusion adapted for receiving the distal end of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device, whereby engagement of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device by placing the hollow protrusion over the distal end of the temperature sensor can place the distal end of the temperature sensor in proximity to a fluid placed in the interior volume of the basin further comprising an alignment line, wherein placement of the alignment line in a specific orientation with respect to alignment indicia on the liquid warming device aligns the hollow protrusion with the distal end of the temperature sensor of the liquid warming device.

12. The basin of claim 11 where the basin provides an output which can be checked by the liquid warming device to confirm that an inserted basin is approved for use in that liquid warming device.

13. A basin with an alignment channel and a sterile drape, the basin comprised of:

an upper surface of a basin bottom;

a lower surface of the basin bottom; and

a set of at least one side wall to form;

a container for holding fluid formed above the upper surface of the basin bottom and within the perimeter formed by the at least one side wall; and

an outside of the basin;

the basin having a sterile drape encircling the basin so that the basin and sterile drape can be placed in a cavity in a top of a fluid warming device to separate at least a portion of the top of the fluid warming device from a sterile field without placing any portion of the sterile drape between the lower surface of the basin bottom and a heat transfer surface of the fluid warming device in the cavity in the top of the fluid warming device;

the basin having an alignment channel comprised of a channel extending inward from the outside of the basin including at least one side wall and the basin bottom

such that the alignment channel fits over an alignment ridge in the cavity of the liquid warming device to assist in aligning the basin in a preferred orientation with respect to other components in the liquid warming device,

the interaction between the basin and sterile drape adapted so that the sterile drape does not come between the alignment channel of the basin and the alignment ridge of the liquid warming device.

14. A basin for insertion and use in a liquid warming device, the basin comprising a bottom with an inside surface and an outside surface and a set of at least one side wall so as to form a basin with an interior volume for holding fluids, the bottom having a hollow protrusion extending into the interior volume of the basin, the hollow protrusion adapted for receiving the distal end of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device, whereby engagement of a temperature sensor associated with a liquid warming device by placing the hollow protrusion over the distal end of the temperature sensor can place the distal end of the temperature sensor in proximity to a fluid placed in the interior volume of the basin wherein the basin is primarily made of a first material and a distal portion of the hollow protrusion is made of a material with high thermal conductivity to enhance a transfer of thermal energy between the fluid in the interior volume of the basin and the distal end of the temperature sensor across the distal portion of the hollow protrusion and the basin is primarily made of plastic and the distal portion of the hollow protrusion is made of metal.

15. A basin comprised of:

an upper surface of a basin bottom;

a lower surface of the basin bottom; and

a set of at least one side wall to form a container above the upper surface of the basin bottom and within the perimeter formed by the at least one side wall for holding fluid, the basin having;

a sterile drape encircling the basin;

a deviation from fiat on the lower surface of the basin bottom, the deviation positioned to interact with a limit switch actuator that detects the presence of a particular type of basin through the interaction of the deviation with the limit switch actuator;

wherein the basin with the sterile drape can be placed in a cavity in a top of a fluid warming device to separate at least a portion of the top of the fluid warming device from a sterile field and the limit switch actuator can interact with the deviation to close the limit switch without the sterile drape getting between the limit switch actuator and the deviation and without placing any portion of the sterile drape between the lower surface of the basin bottom and a heat transfer surface of the fluid warming device in the cavity in the top of the fluid warming device.

16. The basin of claim 15 wherein the deviation from flat on the lower surface of the basin bottom includes an integrated well for receiving a distal end of a temperature sensor.

17. The basin of claim 15 where the basin provides an output which can be checked by the fluid warming device to confirm that an inserted basin is approved for use in that fluid warming device.