Systems, apparatus, and methods for warming fluid for intravenous infusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rapid infusers for intravenous fluid and blood product delivery are bulky, complex to set up, limited in pressure generation, and struggle with high flow rates through peripheral IVs, while also lacking efficient and portable fluid warming capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A portable fluid warmer system featuring a housing with a fluid channel, an elongated heating element disposed within the channel, and electrical connectors for power supply, allowing for efficient warming of fluids at high flow rates through peripheral IVs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional rapid infusers are used for high flow rate delivery, then fluid delivery speed is improved, but device complexity and portability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fluid warming function from the complex rapid infuser system and implements it as a separate, simple inline warmer. This allows the rapid infuser to maintain its high flow rate capability while the warmer provides temperature control, resolving the contradiction between delivery speed and device complexity by separating functions into independent components.
Solution Approach 2:
The inline fluid warmer is designed to be universally compatible with various IV catheters and fluid delivery systems. By creating a multi-functional device that can interface with different rapid infusers and standard IV setups, the patent enables high flow rate delivery across multiple system configurations without requiring complex integration for each specific application.
2Productivity
If traditional rapid infusers are used for high flow rate delivery, then fluid delivery speed is improved, but ease of operation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fluid delivery system into distinct functional modules: the rapid infuser for high flow rate delivery and the inline warmer for temperature control. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the warmer requiring minimal setup and connection to the infuser, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inline fluid warmer is designed to automatically regulate fluid temperature without requiring complex user intervention. The system self-adjusts heating parameters based on fluid flow rate and temperature sensors, reducing the operational burden on users while maintaining high flow rate delivery capabilities.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If fluid warming is added to rapid infusers, then patient comfort and safety are improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fluid warming function from the rapid infuser system and implements it as a separate inline warmer. This separation allows the warmer to provide temperature control for patient safety without adding complexity to the rapid infuser's high flow rate delivery mechanism, as the two functions operate in independent but coordinated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The inline fluid warmer acts as an intermediary component between the rapid infuser and the patient's IV line. It mediates the temperature of the fluid without interfering with the high flow rate delivery, providing a simple interface that adds warming capability while maintaining the existing rapid infusion infrastructure and minimizing overall system complexity.
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 system enables easy transportation, simple setup, continuous fluid flow at high rates, and efficient fluid warming, addressing the limitations of existing technologies while ensuring energy efficiency, consistency, and patient safety.
Implementation Method 1
energy can be provided from the power source to the elongated heating element via one of the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector to increase the temperature of the elongated heating element
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a system includes a housing, an elongated heating element, a first electrical connector, and a second electrical connector. The housing can define a fluid channel extending from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet. The elongated heating element can be disposed within the fluid channel. The first electrical connector can be electrically coupled to a first portion of the elongated heating element and the second electrical connector can be electrically coupled to a second portion of the elongated heating element. Energy can be provided from a power source to the elongated heating element via one of the first electrical connector or the second electrical connector to increase the temperature of the elongated heating element.