Disclosed is an apparatus for processing a hypodermic needle, comprising: a containment cylinder (17) for receiving the needle; a first electrode (16) for contacting the needle near a first end; a second electrode (20) for contacting the needle at its sharp end; a control system, operable to cause a current to flow in the needle between said first and second electrodes, whereby said current causes the needle to soften and wherein the second electrode is arranged to move within the containment cylinder and to provide a compressive force to the needle, wherein the containment cylinder is arranged to be heated by a heater in the form of a heater coil (not shown) surrounding the containment cylinder during the processing.

Induction heating from an induction coil (108) is used to separate a metal medical sharp (144) from its holder (142) by applying a high-frequency oscillating magnetic field that excites eddy currents and resistance heating in the sharp. The heated metal sharp melts the adhesive or plastic securing the sharp to its holder. The use of induction heating is advantageous in that it does not require direct contact between the electrical circuit and the sharp or its holder. The heating can also act to sterilize the sharp and thereby render it less hazardous at the same time that it separates the sharp from its holder. The induction coil can have a stepped or conical shape to concentrate the RF energy at the interface between the metal sharp and its holder.

The present invention provides for an improved method of determining a water out condition in a humidified gases supply apparatus. The method includes a two step process including a primary determination of a water out condition and a secondary determination of a water out condition. This primary determination is made during observation of the normal operation of the apparatus. During the secondary determination the method takes temporary control over the humidifying part of the apparatus. The secondary determination confirms or contradicts the primary determination.

The disclosure is and includes at least an apparatus, system and method for a flexible heater sensor suitable for association with a fluid bag. The apparatus, system and method may include a conformable substrate on a ply of the fluid bag opposite a printed flexible heater; and a matched function ink set, printed onto at least one substantially planar face of the substrate. The matched function ink set forms: at least one conductive layer capable of receiving current flow from at least one power source; and at least one dielectric layer capable of at least partially insulating and at least partially limiting conductivity of the at least one conductive layer; wherein the matched ink set is matched to preclude detrimental interactions between the printed inks of each of the at least one conductive and dielectric layers, and to preclude detrimental interactions with the conformable substrate; and wherein the at least one conductive layer and the at least one dielectric layer comprise a sensing circuit that senses at least the temperature of fluid within the fluid bag.

The present invention relates to a system (100) for controlling a temperature, the system (100) comprising: a temperature sensor module (10), which is configured to measure a temperature value; a microcontroller module (20), which is coupled to the temperature sensor module (10) and which is configured to generate AC heating pulse signals by separate sequential code steps based on the measured temperature value; a coupling module (30) which is coupled to the microcontroller module (20) and which is configured to transform the generated AC heating pulse signals into transformed AC heating pulse signals using a transfer function which is substantially zero for DC signal components; and a heating module (40) which is coupled to the coupling module (30) and which is configured to generate heat according to the transformed AC heating pulse signals.

An apparatus includes a substrate, a first heating element, and a second heating element. The substrate includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion that is between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion is characterized by a first thermal conductivity, the second portion is characterized by a second thermal conductivity, and the third portion is characterized by a third thermal conductivity. The third thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity and the second thermal conductivity. The first heating element is coupled to the first portion of the substrate, and is configured to produce a first thermal output. The second heating element is coupled to the second portion of the substrate, and configured to produce a second thermal output. The second thermal output is different from the first thermal output.

A chemical liquid thermostat control device is provided, and has a chemical tank for accommodating a chemical liquid, PTC resistor patterns for heating and maintaining the chemical liquid in a constant temperature, a current limit circuit for controlling the PTC resistor patterns to heat or to stop heating according to a real-time resistance value of each of the PTC resistor patterns, so as to maintain the chemical liquid at the constant temperature. The PTC resistor patterns are uniformly spaced in the chemical tank and immersed in the chemical liquid. Each of the PTC resistor patterns is connected with the current limit circuit through a wire. A heating power of a heating device can be real-time adjusted for intelligently heating. Thus, it is safer and a fire risk can be prevented. The life time of the PTC resistor patterns is more than a decade, and doesn't need be replaced frequently.

A medical device includes a heating element and at least one multifunctional wire coupled to the heating element. The multifunctional wire provides current for both heating the heating element and for determining the temperature of the medical device as a thermocouple. The heating element is further coupled to one or more additional wires for completing both a heating circuit and a thermocouple circuit in combination with the multifunctional wire. In one form, the multifunctional wire and a thermocouple return wire is coupled to a first end of the heating element and heating return wire is coupled to a second end of the heating element. In another form, a first multifunctional wire is coupled to the first end of the heating element, and a second multifunctional wire is coupled to the second end of the heating element.

The present technology discloses a cost-effective, single use bag or container for storing biological substances that incorporates on its inner wall an electronic device that is configured to measure physiological and/or physical parameters of the enclosed biological substances, such as source history, identification, demographics, time stamping, temperature, pH, conductivity, glucose, O.sub.2, CO.sub.2 levels etc. The electronic device of the disclosed bag comprises a sensor configured to measure physiological and/or physical parameters of the biological substances enclosed within the bag, and a radio-frequency (RF) device communicably coupled to the sensor and configured to: (a) acquire from the sensor data associated with the measured parameters, (b) store the acquired sensor data in nonvolatile memory, and (c) communicate the stored data wirelessly to a RF reader.

Devices and methods are described for preparing, managing, and/or administering metered doses of substances for vaporized administration. In some embodiments, dose cartridges comprising at least one botanical substance include a heating element integrated into the cartridge in close contact with the botanical substance. In some embodiments, cartridge-mounted doses are stored in a magazine, optionally in carousel form, before use. Transport of a cartridge from a magazine to an electrically operated vaporizing chamber which activates the heating element is provided by a mechanical pickup means.