Insufflation hose for use in laparoscopy with heating element, humidifying medium, and device for determining the moisture content
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11058831-B2
Publication Date
2021-07-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention relates to an insufflator comprising an insufflation hose with an integrated heating element and a humidifying medium for use in laparoscopy, wherein the heating wire is adapted to measure the resistance and permits a refill alarm.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an insufflation device for use in medical engineering, comprising an insufflator for gas supply and an insufflation hose. The insufflation hose includes in its interior a humidifying material, and the humidifying material is in contact with a heating element consisting of a wire that changes its resistance with varying temperature.
The insufflator includes a device for measuring the wire resistance, and a computing device determines a water content of the humidifying material from the measured change in resistance of the heating wire during a heating process. The determination uses a required time T100 for changing the wire resistance to its stationary final value after activation or deactivation of the heating current.
In a method aspect, water content of the humidifying material is measured while the humidifying material is provided in a hose passed by a gas. A heating wire is heated in an interval and the resistance of the heating wire is measured at least at two points of time during the interval, and from the determined resistances a change in resistance, a time of a change in resistance, or a time constant T100 or T63 is calculated.
Claims Coverage
The provided claim set includes two independent claims. Together, they define a resistance-measurement-based determination of the water content in a hose-integrated humidifying material, using a required time to a stationary resistance value (T100) and resistance-change-derived time/constants (T100, T63).
Insufflation device with hose-based humidifying material and resistance-measuring heating wire
An insufflation device for gas supply includes an insufflation hose with humidifying material inside, the humidifying material being in contact with a current-activatable heating element consisting of a wire that changes resistance with varying temperature, wherein the insufflator measures the wire resistance and a computing device determines a water content of the humidifying material from the measured change in resistance during a heating process, using a required time T100 for changing the wire resistance to its stationary final value after activation or deactivation of the heating current.
Method for measuring water content from heating-wire resistance change and time/constants
A method measures water content of a humidifying material provided in a hose passed by a gas by heating a heating wire in an interval, measuring the resistance at least at two points of time during the interval, calculating from the determined resistances a change in resistance, a time of a change in resistance, or a time constant (T100, T63), and determining the water content from the evaluation, wherein a required time for changing the wire resistance by a defined value after activation or deactivation of a heating current is used for determining the water content.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage is the use of a heating wire whose resistance change is measured during heating to determine the water content of humidifying material inside an insufflation hose, with determination based on a required time to reach a stationary resistance value (T100) and, in method form, resistance-change-derived time/constants including T63.
Stated Advantages
Determines water content from measured resistance change during heating using a required time T100, enabling a refill alarm without an additional moisture sensor [procedural detail omitted for safety].
Calculates time constants (T100, T63) and uses the determined water content for display and for an alarm to refill the humidifying material.
Documented Applications
Medical engineering insufflation, using an insufflator for gas supply with an insufflation hose passed by gas and containing a humidifying material.
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