Electric heating pads and mattresses
Inventors
Augustine, Scott D. • Augustine, Ryan S. • Augustine, Garrett J. • Augustine, Brent M. • Arnold, Randall C. • Beckman, John R.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11534334-B1
Publication Date
2022-12-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
An electric heating pad for warming a patient includes a heated underbody support or heated mattress. The heated underbody support or mattress includes a heater assembly having a flexible sheet-like heating element, conductive bus bars attached at or near side edges of the heating element, and fabric side edge extensions attached to heating element side edges. The heated underbody support or mattress also includes a layer of polymeric foam positioned under the heater assembly and a shell, including at least two sheets of flexible material, covering at least a portion of the heater assembly and the layer of polymeric foam. When the heater assembly is wrapped around the top surface of the layer of polymeric foam, side edges of the heating element extend partially down the two side walls of the layer of polymeric foam and the conductive bus bars lie adjacent those two side walls.
Core Innovation
An electric heating pad for warming a patient includes a heated underbody support or heated mattress with a heater assembly that comprises a flexible sheet-like heating element having a top surface, a bottom surface, an upper edge, a lower edge, and at least two side edges. Conductive bus bars are attached near the side edges of the flexible sheet-like heating element, and fabric side edge extensions are attached to the side edges and wrapped under and attached to the bottom surface of a polymeric foam layer to secure the heater assembly.
The heating pad includes a layer of polymeric foam positioned under the heater assembly, the foam having a top surface, a bottom surface, an upper wall, a lower wall, and at least two side walls. The heater assembly is wrapped around the top surface of the polymeric foam such that the at least two side edges of the flexible sheet-like heating element extend partially down the side walls and the conductive bus bars lie adjacent the side walls. A shell covering at least a portion of the heater assembly and the layer of polymeric foam is provided, the shell comprising at least two sheets of flexible material.
The document also addresses temperature control and safety-oriented power reduction using sensors. A temperature control sensor is attached to the flexible sheet-like heating element at a location configured to be in contact with a patient, and a pressure sensor located adjacent the temperature control sensor detects a weight of a patient. The pressure sensor is configured to reduce or turn off electrical power to the flexible sheet-like heating element when the weight of the patient has not been detected for a preset period of time. Additional aspects include polymeric oxygen barrier film covering at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface of the flexible sheet-like heating element, and reinforcement features around a perineal cutout and during bending at a surgical-table sitting position.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims cover an electric heating pad architecture with a flexible sheet-like heating element, conductive bus bars, a polymeric foam layer, and a multi-sheet flexible shell, together with sensor-based temperature control and pressure-based power reduction. Across the independent claims, the inventive features are centered on the heater assembly wrapping and securing geometry relative to the polymeric foam and shell, plus optional oxygen-barrier and reinforcement/sensing refinements.
Wrapped heater assembly with bus bars adjacent foam side walls
The heater assembly is wrapped around the top surface of the layer of polymeric foam such that the at least two side edges of the flexible sheet-like heating element and the conductive bus bars lie adjacent the at least two side walls of the layer of polymeric foam.
Fabric side edge extensions wrapped under and attached to foam bottom surface
The fabric side edge extensions are wrapped under and attached to the bottom surface of the layer of polymeric foam thereby securing the heater assembly to the layer of polymeric foam.
Heater assembly secured using multi-sheet flexible shell
A shell covering the heater assembly and the layer of polymeric foam is provided, the shell comprising at least two sheets of flexible material.
Temperature control sensor and adjacent pressure sensor for preset-time power reduction
A temperature control sensor is attached to the flexible sheet-like heating element at a location configured to be in contact with a patient laying on the electric heating pad, and a pressure sensor is located adjacent the temperature control sensor to detect a weight of a patient laying on the electric heating pad, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to reduce or turn off electrical power to the flexible sheet-like heating element when the weight of the patient has not been detected by the pressure sensor for a preset period of time.
Flexible sheet heating element wider than polymeric foam top surface
A width of the flexible sheet-like heating element is wider than a width of the top surface of the layer of polymeric foam, wherein the heater assembly is wrapped around the top surface of the layer of polymeric foam and the at least two side edges of the flexible sheet-like heating element extend partially down the at least two side walls of the layer of polymeric foam.
Perineal cutout reinforcement during Trendelenburg securement
The layer of polymeric foam includes a perineal cutout in the lower wall, and a fabric lower edge extension attached to the lower edge of the flexible sheet-like heating element is attached to the top surface, the lower wall and the bottom surface of the layer of polymeric foam at the perineal cutout and adjacent the perineal cutout to reinforce the perineal cutout against pressures applied during Trendelenburg securement.
Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage relates to an electric heating pad where a flexible sheet-like heating element with conductive bus bars is wrapped around and secured relative to a polymeric foam layer, with fabric side edge extensions wrapped under and attached to the foam bottom surface, and the assembly covered by a multi-sheet flexible shell. The independent claims further cover sensor-based power reduction using a temperature control sensor and an adjacent pressure sensor with preset-time behavior, with additional refinements including geometric width relationships and perineal cutout reinforcement for Trendelenburg securement.
Stated Advantages
Improved cleanability by avoiding punctures from stitching or rivets and enabling hermetic welding.
Enhanced conformability to patient contours to reduce pressure points and hammocking.
Improved bus bar protection by placing the bus bars adjacent or allowing controlled flex.
Safety via temperature sensing and power reduction/turn off based on patient weight detection for a preset period of time.
Oxidation resistance or protection of the heater by use of an oxygen-barrier polymeric film.
Documented Applications
Intra-operative patient warming using a heated underbody support or heated mattress.
Use with surgical table positioning including a sitting position where the heating pad bends.
Use with perineal cutout reinforcement against pressures applied during Trendelenburg securement.
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