AUTOMATICALLY PROGRAMMABLE SELF-REGULATING DISPOSABLE ELECTRIC IMMERSION HEATER APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEDICAL USE

摘要

An inexpensive, disposable electric immersion heater is prepared for medical applications using a support layer (9) and an encapsulating layer (35), both of biologically compatible materials, disposed about a generally serpentine heating element (13) that is formed of an electrically resistive material which exhibits a positive temperature coefficient of resistance. The heating element (13) is operated by a power controller which senses the resistance of the heating element (13) to control the level of power supplied thereto. The terminals (15, 17) of the heating element (13) are connected via conductors (21, 23) disposed along an elongated tub (11) to a connector (25) for detachable connection to a controller power source (12). The connector (25) may include a tab (69) that retains coded information, for example, a bar code or a series of holes for optical sensing, thereon of measured parameters of the heating element (13) which may be detected upon insertion of the connector (25) into the receptacle of the controlled power supply (12) to provide programming signals that automatically set the operating parameters within which the power controller of the power supply (12) operates the heating element (13).