Flexible Heating Blanket for Surgical Patient Warming

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heating methods for patients undergoing anesthesia, such as forced-air warming, are cumbersome, expensive, and pose risks of burns due to high temperatures and pressure injuries, while traditional electric blankets are not flexible enough to effectively warm patients without obstructing surgical fields or causing thermal damage.

Innovation Solution

A flexible heating blanket with a waterproof shell and conductive heating elements that can be secured to a patient's head and arms, allowing the chest and abdomen to remain exposed, providing even heat distribution while minimizing the risk of burns and pressure injuries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If forced-air warming is used to prevent hypothermia, then patient warming effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient body temperatureVSAvoidheater/blower system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the complex mechanical forced-air system (heater/blower) with a simpler electrical heating system embedded in a flexible blanket. The electrical heating elements directly warm the patient through conduction and radiation, eliminating the need for air circulation machinery while achieving effective temperature control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the essential warming function from the complex forced-air system, isolating the heating capability into simple electrical elements embedded in the blanket fabric. This removes unnecessary components (blower, air channels, control systems) while retaining the core therapeutic effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Temperature

If forced-air warming is used, then patient warming effectiveness is improved, but noise and surgical field contamination occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient body temperatureVSAvoidnoise and contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the air-blowing mechanical system with electrical heating elements that generate heat directly through resistive heating. This eliminates noise from blowers and prevents contamination by removing the air circulation pathway that could carry particles into the surgical field.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If electric heating blankets are used to warm patients, then device simplicity is improved, but risk of thermal injury increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating blanket simplicityVSAvoidthermal injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a flexible blanket shell with embedded heating elements that conform to the patient's body contours. This thin, flexible design distributes heat over a large surface area, preventing localized overheating and reducing the risk of thermal injury while maintaining simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates temperature sensors and control systems that monitor different zones of the blanket, allowing differential temperature control across various body regions. This ensures safe temperature distribution, preventing thermal injury while maintaining heating effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Ease of manufacture

If traditional blankets are used for patient warming, then ease of manufacture is improved, but adaptability to surgical positioning decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblanket manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcompatibility with surgical positioning

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible, form-fitting blanket design that adapts to various patient positions and body shapes. The thin, pliable material can be easily positioned around exposed body areas (head, neck, shoulders, arms) while maintaining thermal contact, providing versatility for different surgical procedures without complicating manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The flexible heating blanket effectively warms a large surface area of the upper body, maintaining patient safety by controlling temperature and preventing thermal damage, while allowing for unobstructed surgical access and easy patient monitoring.

Implementation Method 1

a heating blanket that includes a flexible heating element assembly

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

making excellent contact for conductive heat transfer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

The shell includes a water-resistant material layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobic barrier: Hydrophobe

Data Source

PatentUS8062343B2Heating blanket

Publication Date: 2011.11.22 AUGUSTINE TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT LLC

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a heating blanket that can be secured to the head and at least one arm of a patient while leaving the patient's chest and abdomen remain substantially exposed. The head and arms tend to be excellent heat exchange surfaces. These surfaces can also be relatively large for heating purposes. Thus, many embodiments are able to warm patients effectively while leaving the chest and abdomen exposed and unobstructed, thereby providing enhanced access for caregivers in surgery and/or observation.