Temperature controlled cabinet system and method for heating items to desired temperatures

• US 6,384,380 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medical Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Medical Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Faries, Durward I. Jr., Blankenship, Calvin, Heymann, Bruce R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US09/684,863
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 219/385, 219/394, 219/395, 219/405, 219/399, 219/428, 222/146.5, 312/236, 660/411.4, 660/291
• US Class Current: 219/385
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/001 Trolleys for transport of medicaments, food, linen, nursing supplies carts specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis A61B50/13; hand carts B62B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/16 Holders for containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags

Abstract

A temperature control system includes a cabinet or system housing having a plurality of heating compartments for containing intravenous solution bags or other medical items. Each heating compartment is independently heat controlled via a controller, and includes a heating assembly including a heater, a U-shaped heating plate, a temperature sensor and a cut-out switch for disabling the heater when a threshold temperature is exceeded. The desired or set point temperature for each heating compartment may be independently entered to the controller via an input device. The heating plate has a generally U-shaped configuration with a thermally conductive bottom wall and thermally conductive side walls extending therefrom. The heater is typically affixed to the underside of the bottom wall, wherein, upon heating of the bottom wall, heat is conducted through the side walls to provide an even distribution of heat to medical items placed within the heating compartment. Each heating compartment may further include a collapsible rack structure allowing a user to selectively partition each heating compartment based upon the specific types of medical items to be heated.

Claims

1. A temperature control system for heating medical items to desired temperatures comprising:

a system housing;

a heating compartment disposed within said housing to receive at least one medical item;

a heating assembly disposed within said heating compartment to heat said compartment and said at least one medical item contained in that compartment, wherein said heating assembly includes;

a heating plate to receive said at least one medical item thereon and to distribute heat within said compartment and to said at least one medical item;

a heater affixed and applying heat to said heating plate; and

a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of said heating plate; and

a controller to facilitate entry of a desired temperature and to control a thermal output of said heater to heat at least one medical item to said entered desired temperature based on said temperature measured by said temperature sensor;

wherein said heating plate includes a medical item support platform to support at least one medical item within said heating compartment and a plurality of secondary conducting walls and said heater is attached to and covers selected portions of said medical item support platform to directly apply heat to said medical item support platform; and

wherein said secondary conducting walls are attached to said medical item support platform at locations outside said selected portions and receive said applied heat through conduction from said medical item support platform, and wherein said medical item support platform and said secondary conducting walls distribute heat in a substantially uniform manner to said at least one medical item disposed between said secondary conducting walls.

2. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein said heating plate has a generally U-shaped configuration with said medical item support platform including a thermally conductive bottom wall and said secondary conducting walls including two thermally conductive side walls extending from said bottom wall, and wherein said heater is affixed to said bottom wall.

3. The temperature control system of claim 2, wherein said heater is affixed to an underside of said bottom wall.

4. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein said heating plate includes a protective panel covering at least a portion of said heater to prevent contact between a user and said heater.

5. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein said heating compartment includes a compartment bottom wall configured to receive said heating assembly, and said heating assembly includes a plurality of legs affixed to the underside of said heating plate to elevate and support said heating plate above said compartment bottom wall.

6. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein said heating assembly includes a temperature sensitive switch in communication with said heater, wherein said switch is configured to disable said heater upon measurement of a heater plate temperature in excess of a threshold temperature.

7. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein said controller enables said heater to heat said heating plate in response to said temperature measured by said temperature sensor being below said entered desired temperature and disables said heater in response to said temperature measured by said temperature sensor being at or exceeding said entered desired temperature.

8. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein said controller facilitates entry of said desired temperature via a user input device communicating with said controller.

9. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a plurality of heating compartments each having a corresponding heating assembly, and wherein said controller facilitates entry of a plurality of desired temperatures each associated with a corresponding heating compartment, wherein said controller independently controls said heating assemblies to heat said compartments to their corresponding desired temperatures.

10. The temperature control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a selectively configurable rack structure to partition said compartment into at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one medical item, wherein said rack structure facilitates even heat distribution within said compartment and to said at least one medical item placed therein.

11. The temperature control system of claim 10, wherein said rack structure includes at least one support affixed to a first wall of said heating compartment and a plurality of platform members attached to a second wall of said heating compartment and configured to selectively extend toward said at least one support to form said at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one medical item.

12. A temperature control system for heating medical items to desired temperatures comprising:

a system housing;

a plurality of heating compartments disposed within said housing to receive at least one medical item;

a plurality of heating assemblies each disposed within a corresponding heating compartment to heat that compartment and said at least one medical item contained in that compartment, wherein each said heating assembly includes;

a heating plate including a medical item support platform to receive and support at least one medical item thereon and to distribute heat within that compartment and to said at least one medical item contained therein;

a heater affixed and applying heat to said heating plate; and

a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of said heating plate; and

a controller to facilitate entry of desired temperatures for said heating compartments and to independently control a thermal output of each said heater to heat said at least one medical item contained within a corresponding compartment to said entered desired temperature associated with that compartment based on said temperature measured by a corresponding temperature sensor;

wherein said controller controls said heating assemblies to heat at least two of said compartments to different desired temperatures.

13. A temperature control system for heating items to desired temperatures comprising:

a system housing;

a heating compartment disposed within said housing to receive at least one item;

a heating assembly disposed within said heating compartment to heat said compartment and said at least one item contained in that compartment, wherein said heating assembly includes;

a heating plate to distribute heat within said compartment and to said at least one item;

a heater applying heat to said heating plate; and

a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of said heating plate;

a controller to facilitate entry of a desired temperature and to control a thermal output of said heater to heat said at least one item to said entered desired temperature based on said temperature measured by said temperature sensor; and

a selectively configurable rack structure to partition said compartment into at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one item.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said rack structure facilitates even heat distribution within said compartment and to said at least one item placed therein.

15. The temperature control system of claim 13, wherein said rack structure includes at least one support affixed to a first wall of said heating compartment and a plurality of platform members attached to a second wall of said heating compartment and configured to selectively extend toward said at least one support to form said at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one item.

16. The temperature control system of claim 13, wherein said system housing includes a plurality of heating compartments and each compartment includes a corresponding rack structure.

17. In a temperature control system having a system housing, a heating compartment disposed within the housing, a heating assembly disposed within the heating compartment and including a heating plate, a heater and a temperature sensor, and a controller for controlling the heating assembly, wherein said heating plate includes a first wall and a plurality of secondary conducting walls, a method of heating medical items to desired temperatures comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at least one medical item on said heating plate within said compartment;

(b) facilitating entry of a desired temperature for said compartment via said controller;

(c) applying heat directly to said first wall of said heating plate via said heater attached to and covering selected portions of said first wall;

(d) conducting said applied heat from said first wall via said secondary walls to distribute heat in a substantially uniform manner to said at least one medical item disposed between said secondary walls, wherein said secondary conducting walls are attached to said first wall at locations outside said selected portions;

(e) measuring a temperature of said heating plate via said temperature sensor; and

(f) controlling a thermal output of said heater via said controller to heat said at least one medical item to said entered desired temperature based on said temperature measured by said temperature sensor.

18. The method claim 17, wherein said heating plate has a generally U-shaped configuration with said first wall including a thermally conductive bottom wall and said secondary walls including two thermally conductive side walls extending from said bottom wall and said heater is affixed to said bottom wall, and wherein step (d) further includes:

(d.1) conducting said applied heat from said bottom wall via said side walls to distribute heat in a substantially uniform manner to said at least one medical item disposed between said side walls.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said heating plate includes a protective panel covering at least a portion of said heater, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) preventing contact between a user and said heater via said protective panel.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said heating compartment includes a compartment bottom wall configured to receive said heating assembly, and said heating assembly includes a plurality of legs affixed to the underside of said heating plate, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) elevating and supporting said heating plate above said compartment bottom wall via said legs.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said heating assembly includes a temperature sensitive switch in communication with said heater, and step (f) further includes:

(f.1) disabling said heater via said switch upon measurement of a heater plate temperature in excess of a threshold temperature.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein step (f) includes:

(f.1) enabling said heater to heat said heating plate in response to said temperature measured by said temperature sensor being below said entered desired temperature; and

(f.2) disabling said heater in response to said temperature measured by said temperature sensor being at or exceeding said entered desired temperature.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein step (b) further includes:

(b.1) facilitating entry of said desired temperature via a user input device communicating with said controller.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein said system includes a plurality of heating compartments each having a corresponding heating assembly, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) receiving at least one medical item on said heating plates within said compartments;

step (b) further includes;

(b.1) facilitating entry of a plurality of desired temperatures each associated with a corresponding heating compartment;

step (c) further includes;

(c.1) applying heat directly to said first walls of said heating plates via said corresponding heaters attached to and covering selected portions of said first walls;

step (d) further includes;

(d.1) conducting said applied heat from said first walls of said heating plates via corresponding secondary walls to distribute heat in a substantially uniform manner to said at least one medical item disposed within said compartments between said secondary walls of said heating plates, wherein said secondary conducting walls of said heating plates are attached to corresponding first walls at locations outside said selected portions;

step (e) further includes;

(e) measuring a temperature of each said heating plate via a corresponding temperature sensor; and

step (f) further includes;

(f.1) independently controlling each said heating assembly via said controller to heat an associated compartment to a corresponding desired temperature based on a temperature measured by a corresponding temperature sensor.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein said system further includes a selectively configurable rack structure, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) partitioning said compartment via said rack structure into at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one medical item; and

step (d) further includes;

(d.1) facilitating even heat distribution within said compartment and to said at least one medical item placed therein via said rack structure.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said rack structure includes at least one support affixed to a first wall of said heating compartment and a plurality of platform members attached to a second wall of said heating compartment, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) selectively extending said platform members toward said at least one support to form said at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one medical item.

27. In a temperature control system having a system housing, a plurality of heating compartments disposed within said housing, a plurality of heating assemblies each disposed within a corresponding heating compartment and including a heating plate, a heater and a temperature sensor, and a controller for controlling said heating assemblies, a method of heating medical items to desired temperatures comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at least one medical item on said heating plates within said compartments;

(b) facilitating entry of a plurality of desired temperatures each associated with a corresponding compartment via said controller;

(c) applying heat to said heating plates via a corresponding heater;

(d) measuring a temperature of each said heating plate via a corresponding temperature sensor; and

(e) independently controlling a thermal output of each said heater via said controller to heat said at least one medical item contained within a corresponding compartment to said entered desired temperature associated with that compartment based on said temperature measured by a corresponding temperature sensor, wherein said heating assemblies are controlled to heat at least two of said compartments to different desired temperatures.

28. In a temperature control system having a system housing, a heating compartment disposed within the housing, a heating assembly disposed within the heating compartment and including a heating plate, a heater and a temperature sensor, and a controller for controlling the heating assembly, a method of heating medical items to desired temperatures comprising the steps of:

(a) partitioning said compartment into at least one receptacle via a selectively configurable rack structure to receive at least one item within said compartment;

(b) facilitating entry of a desired temperature for said compartment via said controller;

(c) applying heat to said heating plate via said heater;

(d) measuring a temperature of said heating plate via said temperature sensor; and

(e) controlling a thermal output of said heater via said controller to heat said at least one item to said entered desired temperature based on said temperature measured by said temperature sensor.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein step (c) further includes:

(c.1) facilitating even heat distribution within said compartment and to said at least one item placed therein via said rack structure.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said rack structure includes at least one support affixed to a first wall of said heating compartment and a plurality of platform members attached to a second wall of said heating compartment, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) selectively extending said platform members toward said at least one support to form said at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one item.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein said system housing includes a plurality of heating compartments with each compartment including a corresponding heating assembly and rack structure, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) partitioning each said compartment into at least one receptacle via a corresponding rack structure to receive at least one item within that compartment;

step (b) further includes;

(b.1) facilitating entry of a plurality of desired temperatures each associated with a corresponding compartment via said controller;

step (c) further includes;

(c.1) applying heat to each said heating plate via a corresponding heater;

step (d) further includes;

(d.1) measuring a temperature of each said heating plate via a corresponding temperature sensor; and

step (e) further includes;

(e.1) independently controlling a thermal output of each said heater via said controller to heat said at least one item contained within a corresponding compartment to said entered desired temperature associated with that compartment based on said temperature measured by a corresponding temperature sensor.

32. A temperature control system for heating items to desired temperatures comprising:

a system housing;

a plurality of heating compartments disposed within said housing each for receiving at least one item;

a plurality of heating assemblies each disposed within a corresponding heating compartment to heat that compartment and said at least one item contained therein; and

a controller to facilitate entry of a desired temperature for each heating compartment and to independently control a thermal output of each said heating assembly to heat said at least one item contained within a corresponding compartment to said entered desired temperature associated with that compartment;

wherein said controller controls said heating assemblies to heat at least two of said compartments to different desired temperatures.

33. In a temperature control system including a system housing, a plurality of heating compartments each disposed within said housing to receive at least one item, a plurality of heating assemblies each disposed within a corresponding heating compartment, and a controller for controlling said heating assemblies, a method of heating items to desired temperatures comprising the steps of:

(a) facilitating entry of a desired temperature for each heating compartment via said controller; and

(b) independently controlling a thermal output of each said heating assembly, via said controller, to heat said at least one item contained within a corresponding heating compartment to said entered desired temperature associated with that heating compartment, wherein said heating assemblies are controlled to heat at least two of said heating compartments to different desired temperatures.

34. A temperature control system for heating medical items to desired temperatures comprising:

a system housing;

a heating compartment disposed within said housing to receive at least one medical item;

a heating assembly disposed within said compartment to heat said compartment and said at least one medical item contained in said compartment, wherein said heating assembly includes;

a heating plate to receive said at least one medical item thereon and to distribute heat within said compartment and to said at least one medical item;

a heater affixed and applying heat to said heating plate; and

a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of said heating plate; and

a controller to facilitate entry of a desired temperature and to control a thermal output of said heater to heat at least one medical item to said entered desired temperature based on said temperature measured by said temperature sensor;

wherein said heating plate includes at least one primary conducting wall and a plurality of secondary conducting walls, at least one of said at least one primary conducting wall and said secondary conducting walls includes a medical item support platform to support at least one medical item within said heating compartment, and said heater is attached to and covers a selected portion of said at least one primary conducting wall to directly apply heat to said selected portions; and

wherein at least one of said secondary conducting walls is coupled to said at least one primary conducting wall at a location separate from said selected portion and receives said applied heat through conduction from said at least one primary conducting wall.

35. The temperature control system of claim 34, wherein said heating plate has a generally U-shaped configuration with a bottom conducting wall and side conducting walls extending from said bottom conducting wall, and said medical item support platform is disposed at said bottom conducting wall.

36. The temperature control system of claim 34, wherein said controller enables said heater to heat said heating plate in response to said temperature measured by said temperature sensor being below said entered desired temperature and disables said heater in response to said temperature measured by said temperature sensor being at or exceeding said entered desired temperature.

37. The temperature control system of claim 34, wherein said system includes a plurality of heating compartments each having a corresponding heating assembly, and wherein said controller facilitates entry of a plurality of desired temperatures each associated with a corresponding heating compartment, wherein said controller independently controls said heating assemblies to heat said compartments to their corresponding desired temperatures.

38. The temperature control system of claim 34, further comprising:

a selectively configurable rack structure to partition said compartment into at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one medical item, wherein said rack structure facilitates even heat distribution within said compartment and to said at least one medical item placed therein.

39. In a temperature control system having a system housing, a heating compartment disposed within the housing, a heating assembly disposed within the heating compartment and including a heating plate, a heater and a temperature sensor, and a controller for controlling the heating assembly, wherein said heating plate includes at least one primary conducting wall and a plurality of secondary conducting walls, a method of heating medical items to desired temperatures comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at least one medical item on said heating plate within said compartment;

(b) facilitating entry of a desired temperature for said compartment via said controller;

(c) applying heat directly to said at least one primary conducting wall of said heating plate via said heater attached to and covering a selected portion of said at least one primary conducting wall;

(d) conducting said applied heat from said at least one primary conducting wall to at least one secondary conducting wall coupled to said at least one primary conducting wall at a location separate from said selected portion to distribute heat in a substantially uniform manner to said at least one medical item disposed on said heating plate;

(e) measuring a temperature of said heating plate via said temperature sensor; and

(f) controlling a thermal output of said heater via said controller to heat said at least one medical item to said entered desired temperature based on said temperature measured by said temperature sensor.

40. The method claim 39, wherein said heating plate has a generally U-shaped configuration with a bottom conducting wall and side conducting walls extending from said bottom conducting wall, and said at least one primary conducting wall includes at least one of said bottom conducting and side conducting walls, and wherein step (d) further includes:

(d.1) conducting said applied heat from at least one of said bottom and side conducting walls via at least another of said bottom and side conducting walls to distribute heat in a substantially uniform manner to said at least one medical item disposed on said heating plate.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein step (f) includes:

(f.1) enabling said heater to heat said heating plate in response to said temperature measured by said temperature sensor being below said entered desired temperature; and

(f.2) disabling said heater in response to said temperature measured by said temperature sensor being at or exceeding said entered desired temperature.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein said system includes a plurality of heating compartments each having a corresponding heating assembly, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) receiving at least one medical item on said heating plates within said compartments;

step (b) further includes;

(b.1) facilitating entry of a plurality of desired temperatures each associated with a corresponding heating compartment;

step (c) further includes;

(c.1) applying heat directly to said at least one primary conducting wall of each of said heating plates via said corresponding heaters attached to and covering said selected portions of each of said at least one primary conducting wall;

step (d) further includes;

(d.1) conducting said applied heat from said at least one primary conducting wall of each of said heating plates to a corresponding at least one secondary conducting wall coupled to said at least one primary conducting wall at a location separate from a corresponding selected portion of said at least one primary conducting wall to distribute heat in a substantially uniform manner to said at least one medical item disposed on said heating plate;

step (e) further includes;

(e.1) measuring a temperature of each said heating plate via a corresponding temperature sensor; and

step (f) further includes;

(f.1) independently controlling each said heating assembly via said controller to heat an associated compartment to a corresponding desired temperature based on a temperature measured by a corresponding temperature sensor.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein said system further includes a selectively configurable rack structure, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) partitioning said compartment via said rack structure into at least one receptacle for receiving said at least one medical item; and

step (d) further includes;

(d.1) facilitating even heat distribution within said compartment and to said at least one medical item placed therein via said rack structure.