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US 4,249,923 AGranted
Cardioplegic fluid refrigeration and delivery system
OwnerKim L. Waldainventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerKim L. Waldainventor
Estimating the term…
A refrigeration and delivery system for chilling a cardioplegic fluid contained in a receptacle, for maintaining the fluid at a predetermined temperature and for delivering the fluid to a patient as needed. The refrigeration and delivery system consists of a refrigerator cabinet having an evaporator disposed in an internal chilling compartment for supporting the fluid receptacle. The evaporator has a heat transfer surface in direct engagement with the receptacle to facilitate the conduction of heat from the fluid to the evaporator. The receptacle has inlet and outlet ports connected by recirculation tubing which provides a flow path to recirculate the fluid insuring that chilled fluid is contained in the recirculation tubing. A discharge tube is connected to the recirculation tubing and when opened allows the chilled cardioplegic fluid to be administered to the patient.
Apparatus for chilling and dispensing fluid stored in a receptacle unit having an inlet and an outlet and maintaining the fluid at a temperature of a predetermined value, said apparatus comprising a cabinet having an internal chilling compartment, chilling means disposed in said chilling compartment and having a heat transfer surface for absorbing ambient heat, said heat transfer surface and the outer surface of said receptacle unit corresponding at least partially in shape so that said receptacle unit can be disposed in said chilling compartment with said outer surface in direct engagement with said heat transfer surface to enable conduction of heat from said fluid to said chilling means, and dispensing means for discharging chilled fluid from said receptacle unit at a location outside of said chilling compartment, said dispensing means comprising a fluid passageway loop connected to said inlet and said outlet, a portion of said passageway loop being located outside of said chilling compartment, means for circulating said fluid from said outlet through said passageway loop and back to said receptacle unit through said inlet so that said portion of the passageway loop outside of said chilling compartment contains fluid having a temperature value substantially equal to said predetermined valve, and discharge means connected to said portion of said passageway loop selectively operable to discharge chilled fluid from said passageway loop.
Apparatus for delivering chilled intravenous fluid to a patient comprising a refrigerator cabinet having an internal chilling zone, chilling means disposed in said chilling zone and having a heat transfer surface for absorbing ambient heat, receptable means in which said fluid is contained and which has inlet and outlet ports, a fluid passageway loop connected to said inlet and outlet ports, a fluid passageway loop connected to said inlet and outlet ports, a portion of said passageway loop being located outside of said chilling zone, pump means for circulating said fluid from said receptacle means through said passageway loop and back to said receptacle means to insure that the fluid in said outside portion of said loop is chilled, a discharge conduit connected to said outside portion of said loop at a junction between said inlet and outlet ports, flow restrictor means in said passageway loop and on said discharge conduit operable in a discharge mode to close said passageway loop at a location downstream of said junction and to open said discharge conduit to enable delivery of said chilled fluid through said discharge conduit to the patient and operable in a recirculation mode to open said passageway loop and close said discharge conduit to enable recirculation of said fluid through said passageway loop and to said receptacle means.
Heat transfer apparatus for conducting heat to or away from a fluid containing receptacle formed of flexible wall portions, said heat transfer apparatus comprising a tubular sleeve member having open upper and lower ends and being formed of material having a high heat conductivity quality, means forming a reduced neck portion adjacent the lower end of said sleeve member for supporting said receptacle in an upright position, and means forming an opening in said sleeve member intersecting said upper and lower ends thereof, said opening being larger at said upper end of said sleeve than at said lower end to facilitate the insertion of said flexible receptacle into said sleeve member, said sleeve member having a heat transfer surface configured to surround at least partially and to engage directly said fluid containing receptacle thereby to facilitate the transfer of heat to or away from the fluid in the receptacle by conduction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.