Gel pad assembly using free rotatable fluid joints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433785-B2
Application number	US-202217678965-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2022
Priority date	Feb 23, 2021
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A medical pad for exchanging thermal energy between a targeted temperature management (TTM) fluid and a patient is disclosed. The pad can include a fluid containing layer and a fluid conduit attached therewith via rotatable joint where the joint is configured to facilitate rotation of the fluid conduit with respect to the pad. A method of manufacturing the pad can include coupling a first member of the rotatable joint to a fluid delivery line, coupling the second member to the fluid containing layer, and inserting the first member within an opening of the second member to facilitate a snap-fit retention mechanism between first member and the second member. A method of using the pad can include rotating the fluid delivery line relative to the thermal pad via the rotatable joint when initially applying the pad to the patient or when adjusting an orientation of the pad on the patient.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical pad for exchanging thermal energy between a targeted temperature management (TTM) fluid and a patient, the medical pad comprising:
a fluid containing layer having a top side and a bottom side, wherein:
the fluid containing layer is configured for containing the TTM fluid,
the fluid containing layer comprises a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and
the TTM fluid is circulatable within the fluid containing layer from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet; and

a fluid conduit attached to one of the fluid inlet or the fluid outlet via a rotatable joint, the rotatable joint configured to facilitate rotation of the fluid conduit with respect to the medical pad, wherein:
the rotatable joint comprises:
a first joint member attached to the fluid conduit, the first joint member comprising a first outside annular surface; and
a second joint member attached to the fluid containing layer, the second joint member comprising an opening including a first inside annular surface having a first diameter,

the first joint member is rotatable with respect to the second joint member, and
the first outside annular surface is disposed in sliding engagement with the first inside annular surface.

2. The medical pad according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable joint comprises a lumen extending through the rotatable joint, the lumen establishing fluid communication between the fluid conduit and the fluid containing layer.

3. The medical pad according to claim 1 , wherein the first joint member comprises an elbow configured to establish parallel orientation of a distal portion of the fluid conduit with respect to the medical pad.

4. The medical pad according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of one of the first joint member or the second joint member is disposed with an opening of another of the first joint member or the second joint member.

5. The medical pad according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable joint comprises a sealing member disposed between the first joint member and the second joint member, the sealing member configure to define a dynamic fluid seal between the first joint member and the second joint member.

6. The medical pad according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first joint member or the second joint member comprises an annular groove containing the sealing member, and wherein another of the first joint member or the second joint member comprises an annular sealing surface disposed in interfering contact with the sealing member.

7. The medical pad according to claim 5 , wherein during rotation of the first joint member with respect to the second joint member, an annular sealing surface is displaced with respect to the sealing member.

8. The medical pad according to claim 5 , wherein the rotatable joint includes a lubricant disposed between an annular sealing surface and the sealing member.

9. The medical pad according to claim 5 , wherein the sealing member is formed of a toroidal shape.

10. The medical pad according to claim 6 , wherein the sealing member is an O-ring.

11. The medical pad according to claim 5 , wherein the rotatable joint comprises more than one sealing member.

12. The medical pad according to claim 8 , wherein during assembly of the first joint member with the second joint member, the annular sealing surface is longitudinally displaced with respect to a sealing member.

13. The medical pad according to claim 1 , wherein the second joint member is attached to an outside surface of the fluid containing layer.

14. The medical pad according to claim 1 , wherein the first joint member is configured to couple to the second joint member via a snap-fit retention mechanism.

15. The medical pad according to claim 14 , wherein the snap-fit retention mechanism comprises at least one deflectable member.

16. The medical pad according to claim 15 , wherein the snap-fit retention mechanism comprises more than one deflectable member.

17. The medical pad according to claim 14 , wherein the snap-fit retention mechanism is disposed within an opening of the second joint member.

18. The medical pad according to claim 15 , wherein the first joint member comprises the at least one deflectable member of the snap-fit retention mechanism.

19. The medical pad according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one deflectable member is biased radially outward from a lumen.

20. The medical pad according to claim 1 , wherein:
the opening comprises a second inside annular surface having a second diameter,
the first joint member comprises a second outside annular surface, and
the second outside annular surface is disposed in sliding engagement with the second inside annular surface.

21. The medical pad according to claim 20 , wherein the first inside annular surface is disposed adjacent a top side of the second joint member, and wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter.

22. The medical pad according to claim 21 , wherein the opening comprises a recess extending upward from a bottom side of the second joint member, the recess defining a third diameter, and wherein the third diameter is greater than the second diameter.

23. The medical pad according to claim 19 , wherein when the first joint member is coupled with the second joint member, at least a portion of the at least one deflectable member is disposed within a recess.

24. The medical pad according to claim 1 , wherein the rotatable joint is configured to facilitate assembly of the first joint member with the second joint member via longitudinal displacement of the first joint member with respect to the second joint member.

25. The medical pad according to claim 24 , wherein the first joint member includes at least one deflectable member comprising an angled surface configured to engage a second annular surface during assembly of the first joint member with the second joint member, and wherein engagement of the angled surface causes the at least one deflectable member to deflect radially inward toward to the lumen.

26. The medical pad according to claim 1 , further comprising an insulation layer disposed on the top side of the fluid containing layer, and wherein the rotatable joint is disposed through an opening in the insulation layer.

27. The medical pad according to claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the second joint member is disposed between the insulation layer and the fluid containing layer.

28. The medical pad according to claim 1 , wherein the medical pad comprises a filter coupled to the fluid containing layer so that TTM fluid circulating through the fluid containing layer passes through the filter.

29. The medical pad according to claim 28 , wherein the filter comprises a porous wall disposed parallel to a continuous flow path through the filter.

Assignees

• Bard Inc C R

Inventors

• Xu Qihua
• Fallows Eric A
• Martin Adam T
• Jardine Nicholas J
• Walker Sean E

Classifications

• A61F2007/0219

  Gels · CPC title

• A61F2007/0054

  with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water · CPC title

• A61F2007/0244

  with layers · CPC title

• A61F7/02 Primary

  Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling · CPC title

• A61F2007/0249

  with a layer having low heat transfer capability · CPC title