[0001] The present invention relates to a medical heat exchanger used for
controlling the temperature of a circulating liquid such as cardioplegic solution and
blood in surgery under cardiac arrest.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Conventionally, when performing surgery on the heart or large blood
vessels, a method has been adopted to facilitate the procedure by stopping the beating
of the heart. In such a surgery by means of cardioplegia, a drug solution such as a
potassium solution is administered to stop the heart. However, since stopping the
heart by the drug solution may damage the cardiac muscle, cooling the cardiac muscle
for protecting the cardiac muscle has also been conventionally performed.
[0003] Meanwhile, as a means for cooling the cardiac muscle, for example, it
is generally performed to cool the cardiac muscle by lowering the temperature of the
circulating liquid such as blood and a drug solution (for example, cardioplegic
solution) and sending the fluid into the coronary artery of the heart.
[0004] In this case, the temperature of the circulating liquid is controlled
(cooled) by a heat exchanger connected to the coronary artery of the heart or the like.
The heat exchanger includes, for example, like a medical heat exchanger (1) described
in Japanese Patent No. JP-B-3742711 (Patent Document 1), a heat exchange body (3)
that controls the temperature of the circulating liquid by heat exchange between the
circulating liquid and the heat exchange medium. Besides, a bubble trapping filter
member (16) is provided in a biological circulation liquid flow chamber (13) into
which the temperature-controlled circulating liquid flows. Then, the circulating
liquid that has passed through the bubble trapping filter member is sent into the
somatic lumen (blood vessel) of the patient, so that the cardiac muscle is configured to
30 be cooled by the circulating liquid.
[0005] However, in the medical heat exchanger of Patent Document 1, there is
a possibility that the air in the biological circulation liquid flow chamber may remain
without being sufficiently discharged to the outside from a bubble removing port (41).
That is, even if the air bubbles retained in the biological circulation liquid flow
35 chamber by the bubble trapping filter member move upward due to buoyancy, they are
not guided to the bubble removal port (41) but may be caught and remain in a
pressure monitoring port (44), a temperature monitoring port (45), a port (57), or the
like. Moreover, in Patent Document 1, the bubble trapping filter member is attached
to a liquid flow chamber forming member (17), and by the liquid flow chamber
- 3 -
forming member (17) being attached to a housing (2), the bubble trapping filter
member is provided at a predetermined position. However, in such a filter
attachment structure via a separate member (the liquid flow chamber forming
member), a step or the like is likely to be formed between the separate member and
5 the housing, so that the air bubbles are likely to remain in the step or the like.
BACKGROUND ART DOCUMENT
PATENT DOCUMENT
[0006] Patent Document 1: JP-B-3742711
10 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEM THE INVENTION ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE
[0007] The present invention has been developed in view of the
above-described matters as the background, and it is an object of the present invention
to provide a heat exchanger with a novel structure which is able to efficiently remove
15 air bubbles in a circulating liquid.
MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM
[0008] The above and/or optional objects of this invention may be attained
according to at least one of the following preferred embodiments of the invention.
The following preferred embodiments and/or elements employed in each preferred
20 embodiment of the invention may be adopted at any possible optional combinations.
[0009] That is, a first preferred embodiment of the present invention provides
a heat exchanger including a heat exchange part that controls a temperature of a
circulating liquid, characterized in that: a post-temperature control liquid chamber into
which the circulating liquid whose temperature has been controlled in the heat
25 exchange part flows is provided; a filter that removes air in the circulating liquid is
disposed in the post-temperature control liquid chamber; a deaeration port is provided
in a wall of the post-temperature control liquid chamber; and the filter inclines toward
the deaeration port.
[0010] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
30 preferred embodiment, the filter that allows the passage of the circulating liquid and
restricts the passage of the air mixed with the circulating liquid inclines toward the
opening of the deaeration port. With this configuration, the air filtered out by the
filter is guided to the deaeration port by floating along the filter. By so doing, the air
is easily discharged from the deaeration port to the outside without remaining in the
35 post-temperature control liquid chamber, thereby efficiently removing the air mixed
with the circulating liquid.
[0011] A second preferred embodiment of the present invention provides the
heat exchanger according to the first preferred embodiment, wherein the
post-temperature control liquid chamber comprises a pre-deaeration liquid chamber
- 4 -
and a post-deaeration liquid chamber on opposite sides of the filter, and the deaeration
port is provided in a wall of the pre-deaeration liquid chamber.
[0012] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
preferred embodiment, the deaeration port is provided on the wall of the
5 pre-deaeration liquid chamber. This configuration makes it possible to prevent air
bubbles from entering the body and efficiently remove the air mixed in the circulating
liquid, in comparison with the case where the deaeration port is provided on the
post-deaeration liquid chamber.
[0013] A third preferred embodiment of the present invention provides the
10 heat exchanger according to the first or second preferred embodiment, wherein the
filter comprises an insert constituent component that is insert-molded in a housing that
constitutes the wall of the post-temperature control liquid chamber.
[0014] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
preferred embodiment, by directly attaching the filter to the housing by insert molding,
15 a separate member for fixing the filter to the housing is obviated, thereby reducing the
number of parts and simplifying the structure.
[0015] Furthermore, in comparison with the case where the filter is attached to
the housing via a separate member, steps or irregularities are less likely to be formed
in the portion where the filter is attached, thereby minimizing the steps and
20 irregularities on the wall of the post-temperature control liquid chamber. As a result,
for example, after the priming is completed, the air is less likely to remain in the
post-temperature control liquid chamber, thereby efficiently removing the air mixed
with the circulating liquid.
[0016] A fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention provides the
25 heat exchanger according to any one of the first to third preferred embodiments,
wherein a temperature detection port for measuring a temperature in the
post-temperature control liquid chamber is provided in the wall of the
post-temperature control liquid chamber.
[0017] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
30 preferred embodiment, for example, in the case where the temperature detection port
itself protrudes into the post-temperature control liquid chamber, or in the case where
a temperature sensor or the like inserted into the temperature detection port protrudes
into the post-temperature control liquid chamber, the problem that air bubbles are
caught in the temperature detection port or the temperature sensor and remain is
35 unlikely to occur.
[0018] A fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention provides the heat
exchanger according to any one of the first to fourth preferred embodiments, wherein
at least a base portion of the deaeration port is transparent.
[0019] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
- 5 -
preferred embodiment, it is possible to visually observe the inside of the deaeration
port from the outside. For example, it is also possible to visually confirm the air
builds up in the deaeration port, and then to discharge the air to the outside by opening
the open-close valve of the deaeration port or the like.
5 [0020] A sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention provides the
heat exchanger according to any one of the first to fifth preferred embodiments,
wherein the filter has a flat shape.
[0021] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
preferred embodiment, the air bubbles are efficiently guided to the deaeration port
10 without being caught in the filter. Moreover, even if the filter has a flat shape, it is
possible to reliably obtain a sufficient filter area by providing the filter with an
inclination, thereby surely obtaining the required flow amount of the circulating liquid
while effectively removing the air.
[0022] A seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention provides the
15 heat exchanger according to any one of the first to sixth preferred embodiments,
wherein the filter is formed of a hydrophobic material.
[0023] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
preferred embodiment, the air bubbles readily move along the filter so as to be
efficiently guided to the deaeration port, thereby improving air discharge efficiency.
20 [0024] An eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention provides the
heat exchanger according to any one of the first to sixth preferred embodiments,
wherein the filter is formed of a hydrophilic material.
[0025] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
preferred embodiment, the circulating liquid can pass through the filter more easily.
25 [0026] A ninth preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a heat
exchanger including a heat exchange part that controls a temperature of a circulating
liquid, characterized in that: a post-temperature control liquid chamber into which the
circulating liquid whose temperature has been controlled in the heat exchange part
flows is provided; a filter that removes air in the circulating liquid is disposed in the
30 post-temperature control liquid chamber; the post-temperature control liquid chamber
comprises a pre-deaeration liquid chamber and a post-deaeration liquid chamber on
opposite sides of the filter; and the filter comprises an insert constituent component
that is insert-molded in a housing that constitutes the wall of the post-temperature
control liquid chamber.
35 [0027] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
preferred embodiment, by directly attaching the filter to the housing by insert molding,
a separate member for fixing the filter to the housing is obviated, thereby reducing the
number of parts and simplifying the structure.
[0028] Furthermore, in comparison with the case where the filter is attached to
- 6 -
the housing via a separate member, steps or irregularities are less likely to be formed
in the portion where the filter is attached, thereby minimizing the steps and
irregularities on the wall of the post-temperature control liquid chamber. As a result,
for example, after the priming is completed, the air is less likely to remain in the
5 post-temperature control liquid chamber, thereby efficiently removing the air mixed
with the circulating liquid.
[0029] A tenth preferred embodiment of the present invention provides the
heat exchanger according to the ninth preferred embodiment, wherein the housing
includes a first liquid chamber wall member that constitutes a wall of the
10 pre-deaeration liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber wall member that
constitutes a wall of the post-deaeration liquid chamber, and the filter is attached to
the first liquid chamber wall member of the housing.
[0030] According to the heat exchanger structured following the present
preferred embodiment, by the first liquid chamber wall member being provided with
15 an opening for connection with the heat exchange part, for example, even if the filter
is insert-molded, the first liquid chamber wall member is readily removed after
molding, thereby facilitating manufacture of the housing including a filter

We claim:
1. A heat exchanger (10) including a heat exchange part (14) that controls a temperature of a
circulating liquid, characterized in that:
a post-temperature control liquid chamber (76) into which the circulating liquid
whose temperature has been controlled in the heat exchange part (14) flows is provided;
a filter (78) that removes air in the circulating liquid is disposed in the
post-temperature control liquid chamber (76);
a deaeration port (50) is provided in a wall of the post-temperature control liquid
chamber (76); and
the filter (78) inclines toward the deaeration port (50).
2. The heat exchanger (10) according to claim 1, wherein the post-temperature control liquid
chamber (76) comprises a pre-deaeration liquid chamber (80) and a post-deaeration liquid
chamber (82) on opposite sides of the filter (78), and the deaeration port (50) is provided in a
wall of the pre-deaeration liquid chamber (80).
3. The heat exchanger (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter (78) comprises an
insert constituent component that is insert-molded in a housing (12) that constitutes the wall
of the post-temperature control liquid chamber (76).
4. The heat exchanger (10) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein a temperature
detection port (60) for measuring a temperature in the post-temperature control liquid
chamber (76) is provided in the wall of the post-temperature control liquid chamber (76).
5. The heat exchanger (10) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein at least a base portion
of the deaeration port (50) is transparent.
6. The heat exchanger (10) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the filter (78) has a
flat shape.
7. The heat exchanger (10) according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the filter (78) is
formed of a hydrophobic material.
8. The heat exchanger (10) according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the filter (78) is
formed of a hydrophilic material.
9. A heat exchanger (10) including a heat exchange part (14) that controls a temperature of a
circulating liquid, characterized in that:
CLEAN COPY
23
a post-temperature control liquid chamber (76) into which the circulating liquid
whose temperature has been controlled in the heat exchange part (14) flows is provided;
a filter (78) that removes air in the circulating liquid is disposed in the
post-temperature control liquid chamber (76);
the post-temperature control liquid chamber (76) comprises a pre-deaeration liquid
chamber (80) and a post-deaeration liquid chamber (82) on opposite sides of the filter (78);
and
the filter (78) comprises an insert constituent component that is insert-molded in a
housing (12) that constitutes the wall of the post-temperature control liquid chamber (76).
10. The heat exchanger (10) according to claim 9, wherein the housing (12) includes a first
liquid chamber wall member (44) that constitutes a wall of the pre-deaeration liquid chamber
(80) and a second liquid chamber wall member (46) that constitutes a wall of the
post-deaeration liquid chamber (82), and the filter (78) is attached to the first liquid chamber
wall member (44) of the housing (12).
11. The heat exchanger (10) according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein
a bottom member (18) that includes a circulating liquid inlet port (30) communicating
with the heat exchange part (14) and introducing the circulating liquid into the heat exchange
part (14) is provided,
in the bottom member (18), a bifurcating protrusion (40) protruding toward the
circulating liquid inlet port (30) is provided at a portion that is in opposition to an opening of
the circulating liquid inlet port (30), and
guide ridges (42) extending in a circumferential direction of the bottom member (18)
are provided on opposite sides of the bifurcating protrusion (40) in the circumferential
direction of the bottom member (18).