Warming device with varied permeability
View Patent ↗A warming device includes a clinical garment having an inside surface supporting a convective apparatus with separately-inflatable sections, each adapted to enable a particular mode of warming. Each section has a surface or region with a permeability that varies from the permeability of a surface or region in another section.
1. A warming device, comprising:
a clinical garment with an inside surface; and
a convective apparatus supported on the inside surface;
the convective apparatus including a first section adapted to provide comfort warming by convection through a first permeable surface and a second section adapted to provide therapeutic warming by convection through a second permeable surface;
the first permeable surface including a first region with a first permeability; and
the second permeable surface including a second region with a second permeability greater than the first permeability;
wherein the first and second sections are separately inflatable.
2. The warming device of claim 1 , wherein the first section includes:
a transverse part;
a plurality of elongate parts extending from and in fluid communication with the transverse part; and
at least one inlet port.
3. The warming device of claim 2 , wherein the second section includes:
a transverse part;
a plurality of elongate parts extending from and in fluid communication with the transverse part; and
at least one inlet port.
4. The warming device of claim 3 wherein the elongate parts of the first section are interleaved with the elongate parts of the second section.
5. The warming device of claim 3 , wherein the first section has the shape of a “U”.
6. The warming device of claim 5 , wherein the second section has the shape of a comb.
7. The warming device of claim 1 , further including at least one inlet port in each of the first and second sections.
8. The warming device of claim 7 , further including an aperture in the clinical garment to an inlet port of the first section.
9. The warming device of claim 8 , further including a portion of at least one sleeve of the clinical garment separable from a corresponding portion of the sleeve to provide access to an inlet port of the second section.
10. A warming device, comprising:
a clinical garment with an inside surface; and
a convective apparatus supported on the inside surface;
the convective apparatus including dual sections to provide comfort warming by convection through a surface having a first mean permeability and therapeutic warming by convection through a surface having a second mean permeability higher than the first mean permeability;
wherein the dual sections are separately inflatable.
11. The warming device of claim 10 , wherein a first section includes:
a transverse part;
a plurality of elongate parts extending from and in fluid communication with the transverse part; and
at least one inlet port.
12. The warming device of claim 11 , wherein a second section includes:
a transverse part;
a plurality of elongate parts extending from and in fluid communication with the transverse part; and
at least one inlet port.
13. The warming device of claim 12 , wherein elongate parts of the first section are interleaved with elongate parts of the second section.
14. The warming device of claim 10 , further including at least one inlet port in each of the sections.
15. The warming device of claim 14 , further including an aperture in the clinical garment to an inlet port of the first section.
16. The warming device of claim 15 , further including a portion of at least one sleeve of the clinical garment separable from a corresponding portion of the sleeve to provide access to an inlet port of the second section.
17. A warming device, comprising:
a clinical garment with an inside surface; and
a convective apparatus supported on the inside surface;
the convective apparatus including two separately inflatable sections; and
the convective apparatus including a permeable member shared by the sections for emitting air;
the permeable member having at least one region of low permeability in a first section and at least one region of high permeability in the second section.
18. The warming device of claim 17 , wherein each permeable member faces the interior of the clinical garment.
19. The warming device of claim 18 , wherein the first section includes:
a transverse part;
a plurality of elongate parts extending from and in fluid communication with the transverse part; and
at least one inlet port.
20. The warming device of claim 19 , wherein the second section includes:
a transverse part;
a plurality of elongate parts extending from and in fluid communication with the transverse part and interleaved with elongate parts of the first section; and
at least one inlet port.
21. The warming device of claim 18 , wherein the first section has a shape that partially encloses the at least one region of high permeability.
22. A method for warming a person perioperatively using a warming device constituted of a clinical garment and a dual-section convective apparatus supported on an inside surface of the clinical garment, comprising:
dressing a person with the clinical garment preoperatively;
coupling a first section of the convective apparatus to a first source of warmed pressurized air;
convectively warming the person for comfort by way of a surface of the first section having a first permeability
decoupling the first section from the first source;
coupling a second section of the convective apparatus to a second source of warmed pressurized air; and
convectively warming the person for therapy by way of a surface of the second section having a second permeability higher than the first permeability.