Device and method for tempering the flow of liquids in medical devices
Inventors
Lutz, Andreas • Schoenborn, Karl-Heinz Guenter
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11167078-B2
Publication Date
2021-11-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus for flow tempering medical irrigation fluids and to a method carried out with the aid of this apparatus.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an apparatus for flow tempering medical irrigation fluids. The apparatus includes a heat exchanger body with at least one inlet and one outlet and respective hose connections, and the heat exchanger body forms a closed cavity by its heat exchanger body walls. At least one heat exchanger body wall allows good heat transfer, and the heat exchanger body includes a heat-transfer arrangement matched to a planar tempering element integrated in a housing with an opening.
A central feature is that the heat exchanger body comprises two flow paths. One flow path has no thermal contact to the tempering element due to shaping of the bottom of the heat exchanger body, and the heat exchanger body walls, at least locally, are reversibly deformable so that, depending on the deformation, the flow paths are controllable to specifically add untempered irrigation fluid through the flow path having no thermal contact to the tempering element.
In an operating position, the heat exchanger body wall has contact with good heat transfer to the planar tempering element so that the medical irrigation fluid is tempered during passage. The disclosure further describes embodiments supporting tempering control during irregular flow, including reversible or deformable heat-exchanger walls conceptually acting as a valve-like routing mechanism, and optional sensing and integration features such as monitoring temperature and measuring flow, to support maintaining outlet temperature while routing fluid into a heated path or directly into a bypass path.
Claims Coverage
The document contains two independent claims, apparatus and method, each centered on the same core inventive structure: a heat exchanger body with a closed cavity and hose connections; a planar tempering element integrated in a housing; and two controllable flow paths including one non-thermally contacted path enabled by reversibly deformable walls.
Two flow paths with a non-thermal-contact bypass enabled by reversibly deformable walls
The heat exchanger body comprises two flow paths, wherein one flow path has no thermal contact to the tempering element by shaping of the bottom of the heat exchanger body, and the heat exchanger body walls, at least locally, are reversibly deformable so that, depending on the deformation, the flow paths are controllable to specifically add untempered irrigation fluid through the flow path having no thermal contact to the tempering element.
Planar tempering element matched to the heat exchanger body with operating-position good heat-transfer contact
A planar tempering element matching the heat exchanger body is integrated in a housing having an opening, such that in the operating position the heat exchanger body wall has contact with a good heat transfer to the planar tempering element, so that the medical irrigation fluid is tempered during the passage.
Heat exchanger body with closed cavity and hose connections for medical irrigation fluids
A heat exchanger body having at least one inlet and one outlet with a respective hose connection, wherein the heat exchanger body forms, by its heat exchanger body walls, a closed cavity, and wherein at least one heat exchanger body wall allows a good heat transfer.
Both independent claims cover flow tempering of medical irrigation fluids using a heat exchanger body forming a closed cavity with inlet and outlet hose connections, a planar tempering element integrated in a housing for good heat-transfer contact, and controllable two-path flow including a non-thermally contacted path specifically adding untempered irrigation fluid via reversibly deformable heat exchanger walls.
Stated Advantages
Enables precise control by adding untempered irrigation fluid through a flow path having no thermal contact to the tempering element.
Maintains outlet temperature during irregular flow by specifically routing fluid into a non-thermally contacted path or into a thermally contacted path.
Enables integration with existing pump systems and can operate in a gravity supply mode.
Heats only the consumed fluid in the disclosed configuration with a heated main path and a bypass path.
Applicability to arthroscopy cooling is described.
Documented Applications
Flow tempering medical irrigation fluids for arthroscopy cooling.
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