Electric heating pad

Inventors

Augustine, Scott D. • Arnold, Randall C. • Augustine, Ryan S. • Deibel, Rudolf A. • Entenman, Scott A. • Augustine, Garrett J. • Augustine, Brent M.

Assignees

Augustine Temperature Management LLC

Abstract

An electric heating pad for warming a patient. The electric heating pad may be a heated underbody support, heated mattress or heated mattress overlay. An embodiment of the heating pad includes a flexible sheet-like heating element including an upper edge, a lower edge, and at least two side edges. The heating pad may also include a shell covering the heating element and comprising at least two sheets of flexible material (e.g., two sheets may be one sheet folded over to form at least two sheets). The two sheets of flexible material may be coupled together about the edges of the heating element by a weld. The material of the two sheets may include urethane. In some embodiments, a catalyst to accelerate hydrogen peroxide decomposition is coated on or impregnated into an element within the shell, or on the interior surface of the shell.

Core Innovation

The invention provides an electric heating pad for warming a patient that includes a heated underbody support, heated mattress, or heated mattress overlay having a flexible sheet-like heating element and a shell covering the heating element. The heating element has four edges that define a perimeter, and the shell includes at least two sheets of flexible material that cover the heating element, with the sheets coupled by a weld at the four edges such that the weld surrounds the perimeter.

At least a portion of the heating pad is flexible to substantially conform to curves of the patient. The shell includes a first sheet configured to be in contact with the patient during warming and a second sheet configured to be spaced apart from the patient during warming, with a layer of thermally insulating polymeric foam positioned between the heating element and the second sheet and a thin layer of thermally insulating material positioned between the heating element and the patient-contacting surface of the shell.

The heating element produces a substantially uniform watt density output across its surface area due to generally uniform electrical resistance per unit area when powered. A temperature sensor is coupled to the heating element at a first location defining a first temperature zone in conductive contact with the patient during warming, and a temperature controller maintains the first temperature of the first zone lower than a second temperature of a second temperature zone not in conductive contact with the patient during warming.

In additional embodiments, the invention includes a catalyst to accelerate hydrogen peroxide decomposition, coated on or impregnated into an element within the shell or on the interior surface of the shell. Exposure to hydrogen peroxide vapor causes the catalyst to break down at least some hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, reducing hydrogen peroxide corrosion of electrical components.

Claims Coverage

The provided material identifies three independent claims. Across them, the coverage includes a welded flexible-sheet heating element in a multi-sheet shell with insulating foam and thin insulating material, substantially uniform watt density heating with patient-contact-based temperature zoning, and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst within or on the shell interior surface.

Overall, the independent claims focus on a conformable, welded flexible-sheet heating element housed in a multi-sheet shell with thermally insulating foam and thin insulating material, optionally providing uniform watt density heating with temperature control that differentiates patient-contact and non-contact regions, and optionally including a catalyst to accelerate hydrogen peroxide decomposition within or on the shell interior.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications