Shut-off timer for a heating blanket
AssigneeAugustine Biomedical + Design, LLC
InventorsRudolf A. Deibel, Scott A. Entenman, Keith J. Leland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blanket for warming patients during surgery and other medical procedures. The blanket includes one or more temperature sensors and a shut-off timer to prevent prolonged exposure of excessive heat to a patient. Embodiments of the present invention provide a safety feature that cuts power to a heating blanket after a certain period of time has elapsed, irrespective of the feedback provided by a temperature sensor concerning the blanket temperature. That period of time is longer than it takes for the blanket to reach its threshold temperature but shorter than it takes to cause thermal burn injury.
Claims28
An electric warming blanket for warming patients during surgery and other medical procedures, comprising:
- a heating element assembly;
- a power source coupled to the heating element assembly, the power source adapted to supply power to the heating element assembly;
- a controller adapted to control the supply of power from the power source;
- a temperature sensor assembly adapted to monitor the temperature of the heating element assembly and provide the heating element assembly temperature to the controller, the controller being adapted to compare the heating element assembly temperature to a threshold temperature;
- and
- a timer operatively coupled to the controller, the controller being adapted to determine from the timer whether a time limit has elapsed, the time limit being less than a thermal burn injury time, the controller being further adapted to reduce the supply of power to the heating element assembly when the time limit has elapsed before the heating element assembly temperature meets or exceeds the threshold temperature.
An electric warming blanket, comprising:
- a heating element assembly;
- a power source coupled to the heating element assembly, the power source adapted to supply power to the heating element assembly;
- a controller adapted to control the supply of power from the power source;
- a temperature sensor assembly adapted to measure a temperature of the heating element assembly and provide the temperature to the controller, the power source being adapted to supply power to the heating element assembly until the controller determines from the temperature sensor assembly that a threshold temperature is reached;
- and
- a timer operatively coupled to the controller, the controller being adapted to determine from the timer whether a time limit has elapsed, the controller being further adapted to (a) shut off the supply of power to the heating element assembly when the time limit has elapsed and (b) reset the timer when the heating element assembly temperature meets or exceeds the threshold temperature.
An electric warming blanket for warming patients during surgery and other medical procedures, comprising:
- a heating element assembly;
- a power source coupled to the heating element assembly, the power source adapted to supply power to the heating element assembly;
- a controller adapted to control the supply of power from the power source;
- means for monitoring the temperature of the heating element assembly, the controller being adapted to compare the heating element assembly temperature to a threshold temperature;
- and
- a timer operatively coupled to the controller, the controller being adapted to determine from the timer whether a time limit has elapsed, the time limit being less than a thermal burn injury time, the controller being further adapted to (a) reduce the supply of power to the heating element assembly when the time limit has elapsed and (b) reset the timer when the heating element assembly temperature meets or exceeds the threshold temperature.
A method of controlling the temperature of an electric warming blanket, the blanket for warming patients during surgery and other medical procedures, the method comprising:
- supplying power to a heating element assembly;
- measuring a temperature of the heating element assembly;
- determining whether the measured temperature reaches a threshold;
- interrupting the supply of power after the measured temperature reaches the threshold;
- timing the period of time of the supply of power;
- and
- interrupting the supply of power when the period of time reaches a time limit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.