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Publication Number
US-11364351-B2
Publication Date
2022-06-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention relates in one aspect to an infusion fluid warmer which comprises a casing shell having an upper wall structure and a lower, opposing, wall structure. The casing shell encloses a fluid channel or passage extending through the casing shell in-between the upper and lower wall structures and fluid inlet and outlet ports coupled to opposite ends of the fluid channel or passage to allow a flow of infusion fluid through the casing shell. A housing shell is formed in a thermally conducting and electrically insulating material and a heating element is bonded to the housing shell and thermally coupled thereto. The fluid channel or passage extends through the housing shell or extends around the housing shell such that heat energy is transferred to the infusion fluid by direct physical contact with housing shell material.
Core Innovation
The disclosure describes an infusion fluid warmer that includes a casing shell with an upper wall structure and a lower wall structure, and a fluid channel disposed within and extending through the casing shell. Fluid inlet and outlet ports are coupled to opposite ends of the fluid channel to allow a flow of infusion fluid through the casing shell. Within the casing shell, a housing shell is disposed, where the housing shell comprises a plate shaped upper wall structure and an opposing plate shaped lower wall structure, and is formed of a thermally conducting and electrically insulating material.
An aluminum heat exchanger is thermally coupled to and sandwiched between the plate shaped upper wall structure and the opposing plate shaped lower wall structure. The fluid channel extends through the aluminum heat exchanger so that heat energy is transferred to the infusion fluid by direct physical contact with the aluminum heat exchanger. An electrical resistor bonded to and thermally coupled to the housing shell acts as a first heating element delivering heat to warm the infusion fluid in the fluid channel.
The electrical resistor additionally acts as a temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the infusion fluid in the fluid channel. A controller circuit is operatively coupled to the electrical resistor and is configured to control an amount of power delivered by the electrical resistor based on a desired or target temperature and a temperature of the infusion fluid as sensed by the electrical resistor. In a related configuration, the controller circuit adjusts instantaneous power dissipation in the first heating element in accordance with temperature data from the temperature sensor, and the casing shell forms at least a portion of the fluid channel.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims define an infusion fluid warmer architecture with an aluminum heat exchanger integrated into a fluid channel, a thermally conducting and electrically insulating housing shell, and a resistor-based heating element used as a temperature sensor. Across the independent claims, there are three main inventive feature groupings: structural integration of the casing shell, housing shell, and fluid channel through an aluminum heat exchanger; resistor-based heating and sensing functionality thermally coupled to the housing shell; and controller-based power control based on sensed infusion-fluid temperature, including instantaneous power dissipation in one claim.
Aluminum heat exchanger direct contact fluid-channel transfer
An aluminum heat exchanger thermally coupled to and sandwiched between the plate shaped upper wall structure and the opposing plate shaped lower wall structure, wherein the fluid channel extends through the aluminum heat exchanger such that heat energy is transferred to the infusion fluid by direct physical contact with the aluminum heat exchanger.
Thermally conducting electrically insulating plate-shaped housing shell
A housing shell comprising a plate shaped upper wall structure and an opposing plate shaped lower wall structure disposed within the casing shell, the housing shell formed of a thermally conducting and electrically insulating material.
Resistor bonded to housing shell as heating element
An electrical resistor bonded to and thermally coupled to the housing shell, wherein the electrical resistor acts as a first heating element delivering heat to warm the infusion fluid in the fluid channel.
Resistor-based temperature sensing of infusion fluid
The electrical resistor acts as a temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the infusion fluid in the fluid channel.
Controller power control based on target and sensed temperature
A controller circuit operatively coupled to the electrical resistor, configured to control an amount of power delivered by the electrical resistor based on a desired or target temperature of the infusion fluid and a temperature of the infusion fluid as sensed by the electrical resistor.
Instantaneous power dissipation control
A temperature sensor comprising the resistor of the first heating element, with a controller circuit operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and to the first heating element to control instantaneous power dissipation of the first heating element in accordance with a desired or target temperature of the infusion fluid based on temperature data from the temperature sensor.
Casing shell forms at least a portion of the fluid channel
The casing shell forms at least a portion of the fluid channel.
The independent claims are centered on an infusion fluid warmer where a fluid channel passes through an aluminum heat exchanger with heat transfer by direct physical contact, supported by a plate-shaped thermally conducting and electrically insulating housing shell. The electrical resistor is bonded to and thermally coupled to the housing shell to function as a heating element and as a temperature sensor for the infusion fluid, with a controller circuit adjusting power, including instantaneous power dissipation, based on a desired or target temperature and sensed temperature data. One independent claim further specifies that the casing shell forms at least a portion of the fluid channel.
Stated Advantages
Improves heat transfer to infusion fluid by transferring heat energy via direct physical contact with the aluminum heat exchanger.
Enables temperature sensing using the electrical resistor, which acts as a temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the infusion fluid.
Allows controlled warming by adjusting power delivered by the electrical resistor based on a desired or target temperature and a sensed temperature.
Supports instantaneous power dissipation control based on temperature data from the resistor-based temperature sensor.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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