Warmer for temperature conditioning wet dressings and other articles

An electrical warming device comprising:

• an insulated combined storage and heating container;
• a thin metallic plate positioned within said insulated storage and heating container and capable of supporting at least two elements to be warmed, said elements being placed in a stacked arrangement on said thin metallic plate;
• a means for dispensing a bottom one of said elements adjacent to said thin metallic plate;
• a first thermal sensor mounted to said thin metallic plate for contact with said bottom one of said elements, said first thermal sensor being thermally isolated from said thin metallic plate for monitoring the temperature of said bottom element placed on said thin metallic plate;
• a second thermal sensor mounted to said thin metallic plate and positioned for directly monitoring the temperature of said thin metallic plate;
• heating means for increasing the temperature of said thin metallic plate for increasing the temperature of said bottom element to a predetermined level;
• control means connected to said heating means and to said first and second thermal sensors and being responsive to signals received from said first and second thermal sensors for automatically reducing and maintaining the temperature of said thin metallic plate upon the temperature of said bottom element reaching a selected temperature, such that said thin metallic plate and said bottom element are maintained at a substantially constant temperature, and for automatically disengaging said heating means when a selected maximum temperature for said thin metallic plate is exceeded.

An electrical warming device comprising:

• an insulated container;
• a non-self-supporting metallic plate positioned within said insulated container for supporting at least two elements to be warmed in a stacked arrangement on said metallic plate;
• heating means positioned beneath said metallic plate for converting electric current into heat for warming said metallic plate;
• a means for dispensing a bottom one of said elements in said stacked arrangement adjacent to said plate;
• a circuit board structurally connected beneath said metallic plate for stiffening said metallic plate;
• a first thermal sensor mounted to said metallic plate in thermal isolation therefrom in contact with said bottom element for monitoring the temperature of said bottom element on said metallic plate;
• a second thermal sensor mounted to said metallic plate for directly monitoring the temperature of said metallic plate;
• control means carried on said circuit board connected to said first and second thermal sensors and to said heating means for automatically reducing and maintaining the temperature of said metallic plate upon the temperature of said bottom element reaching a selected temperature in response to a signal from said first sensor, such that said metallic plate and said bottom element are maintained at a substantially constant temperature and for automatically disengaging said heating means when a selected maximum temperature for said metallic plate is exceeded in response to a signal from said second sensor.

In a wet dressing warmer having a metal plate, an apparatus for controlling the temperature of said metal plate and a wet dressing pack laid directly on top of said metal plate, said apparatus comprising:

• an electric heating pad connected to a power source, said heating pad affixed to the underside of said metal plate;
• a first thermal sensor mounted to and protruding from said metal plate and thermally isolated therefrom for direct contact with said wet dressing pack;
• a second thermal sensor mounted to and directly abutting said metal plate for measuring the temperature of said metal plate;
• control means connected to said heating pad and responsive to said first and second thermal sensors for increasing the temperature of said metal plate for increasing the temperature of said wet dressing pack to a selected level;
• and
• control means connected to said heating pad and responsive to said first and second thermal sensors for reducing and maintaining the temperature of said metal plate for maintaining the temperatures of said metal plate and said wet dressing packs at a same selected level.