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  Cover system for heating unitUSPTO Application #: 20060011608Title: Cover system for heating unit Abstract: A cover system for a heater unit includes a tray and a cap formed around the mouth of the tray. The tray holds a liquid medium that may be heated to various temperatures. The cap and the tray are coupled to prevent the passage of air and water. As a result, the cover system shields a non-sterilized heater unit from a sterile field in an operating room, thereby preserving the integrity of the sterile field. (end of abstract) Agent: Shumaker & Sieffert, P. A. - St. Paul, MN, US Inventor: Timothy M. Lehman USPTO Applicaton #: 20060011608 - Class: 219432000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electric Heating, Heating Devices, Combined With Container, Enclosure, Or Support For Material To Be Heated, With Vessel And Stand, Vessel Separable From Stand The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060011608. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/409,457, filed Sep. 10, 2002, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The Invention relates to devices used in a sterilized environment. BACKGROUND [0003] In an operating room, everything is categorized as sterile or non-sterile. The sterile items, which include the surgeon's gloved hands and the instruments that come in contact with the patient, have been made free of microorganisms according to aseptic techniques. To reduce the risk of infection, operating room personnel act to preserve a "sterile field," i.e., the region in the operating room that is properly sterile. Operating room personnel are continually mindful of the sterile field, and conscientiously act to avoid contact between sterile and non-sterile items. By maintaining the integrity of the sterile field, the operating room personnel reduce the risk of transfer of microorganisms from non-sterile areas and items to the surgical wound. [0004] In some circumstances, such as operations involving resorbable implants, it may be expedient to use a heating unit in the operating room. Resorbable implants, such as resorbable thin bone plates, often need to be shaped prior to fixation into the body. The steps involved in shaping these resorbable implants typically include submersing the resorbable implants into a heated water bath whereby the implants become malleable. Once malleable, the implants may be shaped into a desirable configuration. [0005] The implants themselves are sterile, the water (or saline or other solution) in the bath is sterile, and the tray that holds the bath is sterile. The heating unit, however, typically includes electronic components and cannot be sterilized. SUMMARY [0006] The invention relates to a cover system that may be used to shield off a non-sterilized heater unit in a sterilized environment. The invention provides a cover system for a non-sterilized heater unit comprising a tray and a cap formed around a mouth of the tray. The tray holds a liquid medium that may be heated to various temperatures, and the cap is effective to prevent exposure of the non-sterilized heater unit to a sterilized environment. In one embodiment, the cover system is a single unit and is autoclavable, i.e., sterilizable in an autoclave. [0007] The cover system is sized to fit over a heater unit, and the contours of the cover system may depend upon the contours of the heater unit being covered. In some embodiments of the invention, the cap is transparent or translucent, allowing instrumentation on the heater unit to be visible even when the heating unit is covered. [0008] The cap and the tray may be coupled together by any of several techniques. They may, for example, be a single-piece construction, or they may be permanently joined by molding or another technique. The cap and the tray may also be coupled mechanically with a tight junction, and sealed with a sealant. With each of these techniques, the tray and the cap can be coupled to prevent the passage of air and water. A hermetic seal between the tray and the cap preserves the sterile field by physically separating a significant portion of the non-sterile heating unit from the sterile field. The hermetic seal further protects the heating unit in the event of spillage of water from the tray. [0009] The cover system optionally includes a sterile drape. Moreover, in some embodiments of the invention, the cap includes a lip that can support a sterile drape. In that case, the drape effectively expands the cover system, thereby providing an added measure of isolation of the heater unit from the sterile field. [0010] In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a cover system comprising a tray to hold a liquid to be heated by a heater unit. The tray includes a mouth. The cover system further includes a cap coupled to the tray, with the cap extending around the mouth of the tray and the cap being sized to cover at least a portion of the heater unit. The tray may be made of a material such as stainless steel, and the cap may be made of medical grade plastic. Several different materials may also be used to make up the cover system, however. The cover system may also include a drape, made of a material such as silicone. [0011] In another embodiment, the invention is directed to a cover system comprising a tray and a cap coupled to the tray. The tray includes a mouth. The cap extends around the mouth and is sized to cover at least a portion of a heater unit. In accordance with the invention, the tray and the cap are coupled to prevent the passage of air and water. [0012] In a further embodiment, the invention presents a system comprising a heater unit and a cover system sized to cover at least a portion of the heater unit. The cover system includes a tray and a cap coupled to the tray, and the tray and the cap are coupled to prevent the passage of air and water. [0013] The invention may provide one or more advantages. In particular, the cover system allows the tray to be brought in contact with the heating element of the heater unit. As a result, the heater unit can transfer adequate heat to the tray without compromising the sterile field. It is unnecessary to have an intervening sterile guard between the tray and the heating element. The hermetic seal or tight junction between the tray and the cap prevents the passage of air and water, thereby preserving the sterile field and protecting the heating unit from spills. [0014] The cover system may be easily sterilizable and reusable. The cover system can be easily placed over the heater unit and requires no complicated assembly. The addition of an optional drape can further isolate the heater unit from the sterile field. [0015] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0016] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a heater unit and a cover system. [0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a heater unit and a cover system similar to FIG. 1, but further comprising a lip and a drape attached to the lip. [0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing illustrating a cover system separated from a heater unit. [0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing illustrating the cover system and heater unit shown in FIG. 3, with the cover system in place over the heater unit. [0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective drawing illustrating the cover system and heater unit shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, with the cover system in place over the heater unit and a drape stretched above the cover system and heating unit. Continue reading... Full patent description for Cover system for heating unit Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Cover system for heating unit patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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