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US 5,073,167 AGranted
In-line microwave warming apparatus
AssigneeM/A-Com, Inc.
InventorsKenneth L. Carr, Richard S. Grabowy, Steven D. Schwaitzberg
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AssigneeM/A-Com, Inc.
InventorsKenneth L. Carr, Richard S. Grabowy, Steven D. Schwaitzberg
Estimating the term…
A microwave apparatus for warming of a liquid such as blood or IV fluids in which the warming occurs in-line by means of a microwave heating cavity having a source of microwave energy coupled thereto. A support element in the form of a bobbin forms an assembly with an IV tube wound about the bobbin. This tubing-bobbin assembly is inserted into the microwave heating cavity. A non-invasive, non-perturbing microwave temperature monitor is provided coupled to the microwave heating cavity for monitoring the temperature of liquid flowing in the IV tube. Controls are provided including a desired operating temperature selector for combining signals representative of, not only cavity temperature, but also inlet and outlet temperatures to control the power level of microwave energy delivered to the heating cavity.
Microwave apparatus for the warming of a liquid flowing in a liquid conduit, said apparatus comprising:
A device for detecting the temperature of a fluid flowing in a conduit, which conduit is transparent to microwave energy comprising:
Microwave apparatus for warming of a liquid flowing in a liquid conduit, said apparatus comprising a microwave energy sauce, having an output signal:
A method of warming a liquid flowing in a liquid conduit by means of a microwave heating cavity having microwave energy coupled thereto from a microwave transmitter, said method comprising the steps of, providing at least a part of the heating cavity that can be opened and closed, providing a support assembly including a length of said liquid conduit, disposing said support assembly in said cavity, closing said cavity, applying controlled microwave energy to said cavity to cause liquid warming as the liquid flows through the cavity, monitoring the liquid temperature at the cavity and at at least one of the input and output thereto, selecting a desired liquid temperature and controlling the energy coupled to said cavity in response to the selected liquid temperature and the monitored temperature to maintain a desired liquid temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.