Multi-zone Warming Blanket Bridge Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heating solutions for surgical patients, such as forced-air warming and electric blankets, face issues like high costs, noise, contamination risks, bulkiness, and the risk of heat and pressure injuries, while also limiting flexibility and access during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A multi-zone heating blanket design featuring interconnected body part portions with heating elements and a bridge that allows unblocked access, incorporating flexible heating assemblies, temperature sensors, and power controllers for precise temperature control, and using conductive fabrics with uniform watt density to ensure safe and effective patient warming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If forced-air warming is used to prevent hypothermia, then patient warming effectiveness is improved, but device bulkiness and surgical field obstruction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical forced-air warming system (blower, hoses, air circulation) with an electrical heating system embedded directly in the blanket. This substitution eliminates the bulky external equipment while maintaining effective patient warming through direct electrical heating elements distributed across the blanket surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating elements are nested within the blanket structure itself, with electrical heating wires or mats integrated into the fabric layers. This nesting approach consolidates the warming function into the blanket rather than requiring separate external warming devices, reducing overall system bulk.
2Volume of moving object
If electric heating elements are used in blankets, then device compactness is improved, but risk of heat and pressure injuries increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating blanket is divided into multiple independent heating zones with separate temperature control. Each zone can be independently adjusted or disconnected, allowing clinicians to eliminate heating from areas where the blanket might fold or contact the patient, thereby reducing injury risk while maintaining compact design.
Solution Approach 2:
The blanket incorporates temperature sensors that provide feedback to the control system, enabling automatic adjustment of heating elements to maintain safe temperature thresholds. This feedback mechanism prevents excessive heat generation that could cause patient injury while preserving the compact electric heating design.
3Area of stationary object
If a continuous blanket design is used for maximum coverage, then patient warming coverage is improved, but access to surgical sites is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The blanket is segmented into separate modular sections that can be independently positioned and connected. This allows the blanket to drape over the patient's body for maximum coverage while leaving gaps or openings at critical surgical sites, and enables easy reconfiguration during surgery without compromising either coverage or access.
Solution Approach 2:
The blanket incorporates flexible connections and adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow dynamic reconfiguration during surgical procedures. Sections can be moved, raised, or repositioned to provide unobstructed access to surgical sites while maintaining coverage of non-surgical areas, optimizing both warming effectiveness and surgical accessibility.
4Ease of operation
If heating elements are concentrated in specific zones, then surgical site accessibility is improved, but patient warming effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different zones of the blanket are designed with different heating characteristics - some areas have higher heating capacity for non-surgical regions, while surgical sites have reduced or adjustable heating. This local differentiation allows effective warming of the patient's body while maintaining clear access to surgical areas, optimizing both thermal effectiveness and surgical accessibility.
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 multi-zone heating blanket provides efficient and flexible patient warming without obstructing access, reduces the risk of heat injuries, and allows for precise temperature control, enhancing surgical procedures by maintaining patient comfort and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element or heating element assembly adapted for placement over a body part of the patient
Implementation Method 2
conductive fabrics with uniform watt density to ensure safe and effective patient warming
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-zone electric heating blanket. The blanket may be shaped to cover the outstretched arms or other body parts of a patient. The blanket includes first and second body part portions and a connecting bridge. The interconnection via the bridge leaves an open gap between the first and second body part portions for unblocked access to the patient. A power controller may supply power to heating elements in both body part portions based on a temperature sensor in one of the body part portions.