BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure is generally related to slush makers. More particularly, the present invention relates to saline slush makers for medical applications.
2. Related Art.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Saline ice is conventionally used in the medical industry for operations like cooling tissues and organs during surgery or to prevent cell degradation of the tissues and organs following their removal. While blocks or chunks of frozen medical grade saline solution can be used to cool tissues and organs, the blocks are hard, bulky and can lead to damage of the tissues and organs being cooled. Thus, saline ice is preferably formed into a lighter and softer slush state and applied to tissues and organs in this slush state to fully encompass and cool the tissues and organs without damaging them. However, once formed, saline slush is difficult to store prior to the medical operation without it becoming too liquidus or solid. Thus, slush makers have been developed to produce saline slush in real time, near or within the surgical room to address these storage problems.
One such slush maker, illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,389,653, includes a reservoir attached to an electronic cooling unit where liquid saline solution is stored therein and slowly cooled past the freezing point until slush begins to develop. However, this and other prior art slush makers are large and complicated machines that require a power source, are not portable, and also require a certain amount of lead time to develop sufficient slush when needed. For example, the prior art slush makers cannot effectively create enough saline slush during emergency situations in which saline slush is required immediately. In addition, these prior art slush makers cannot be used where power is unavailable, such as in rural areas or areas subjected to environmental disasters. Even if power is available, prior art slush makers are expensive and thus require sufficient initial investment capital which may preclude and limit their purchase and use. Because these prior art slush makers are large, expensive, and complicated, transporting them on a temporary basis for rent is also not economically feasible. As a result, there are numerous time and spatial limitations to having saline slush available via these prior art slush makers. Accordingly, there exists a need to continue to develop and advance the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention provides a sterilized slush making assembly for use in a medical environment. The slush making assembly is autoclaved between uses and includes a housing having a cutting portion that extends between a first end and an open end and an ice receiving portion that extends from an ice input end to the cutting portion for receiving saline ice and guiding it to the cutting portion. A tumbler is rotatably disposed in the cutting portion and defines an ice cavity and a plurality of slots circumferentially spaced from one another. Each of the plurality of slots includes a raised cutting edge for shaving blocks of saline ice and the saline ice shavings fall through the slots into the ice cavity. A guide plate extends into the ice cavity for guiding shaved ice accumulated with the ice cavity towards and out of the open end. The ice input end of the ice receiving portion has a lid pivotal between an open position that uncovers the ice input end of the ice receiving portion to expose the raised cutting edges and a closed position that closes the ice input end and isolates the raised cutting edges. The slush making assembly further includes a safety mechanism that is moveable between a free position allowing rotation of the tumbler when the ice input end is covered by the lid and a safety position preventing rotation of the tumbler when the ice input end is open and the raised cutting edges are exposed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The inventive concepts associated with the present disclosure will be more readily understood by reference to the following description in combination with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sterilized slush making assembly in an assembled condition;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the sterilized slush making assembly illustrating a safety mechanism disposed in a free position;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the sterilized slush making assembly illustrating the safety mechanism disposed in a safety position;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line “AA” in FIG. 3 illustrating a guide plate housed within the sterilized slush making assembly;
FIG. 5A is an end view of a tumbler illustrating a plurality of raised cutting edges extending radially outwardly from a tubular body;
FIG. 5B is a magnified view of a portion of FIG. 5A illustrating a first set of raised cutting edges, a second set of raised cutting edges, and a third set of raised cutting edges each extending radially outwardly at different radial heights;
FIG. 6 is a exploded view of the sterilized slush making assembly in a disassembled condition; and
FIG. 7 is a chart illustrating a method of operating the sterilized slush making assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ENABLING EMBODIMENT
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. In general, the subject embodiments are directed to a sterilized slush making assembly and method of same. However, the example embodiments are only provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a sterilized slush making assembly 20 in accordance with the subject disclosure is intended for shaving blocks of saline ice in a sterile environment such as a surgical operating room. This shaved saline ice creates a slush known to be utilized in various surgical applications like targeted tissue cooling. However, it should be appreciated that the present invention can also be used in other targeted medical cooling applications.
In a preferred embodiment, the slush making assembly 20 requires manual operation to rotate a tumbler 22 for shaving the blocks of saline ice and thus does not require access to electrical power. The entire slush making assembly 20 can also be assembled and disassembled without the use of tools to allow the slush making assembly 20 to be autoclaved between uses as dictated by local and national medical regulations. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, the slush making assembly 20 includes a housing 24 having a cutting portion 26 and an ice receiving portion 28. The cutting portion 26 extends along a first axis A between a first end 30 and an open end 32 and the ice receiving portion 28 extends upwardly from the cutting portion 26 towards an ice input end 34 along a second axis B that intersects the first axis A. As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the ice input end 34 is open and designed for placement of saline ice blocks 48 therein. The ice receiving portion 28 preferably has a tubular shape with a cross-sectional diameter between 3.5 to 5 inches to accommodate conventional saline ice blocks. However, it should be appreciated that the shape could be any number of shapes and the size could vary without departing from the scope of the subject invention. As best illustrated in FIG. 1, in a preferred arrangement, the second axis B is disposed traversly to the first axis A so that the cutting portion 26 and the ice receiving portion 28 define a T-fitting connection 36. However, the second axis B could also be disposed at an angle less than 90° so that the cutting portion 26 and the ice receiving portion 28 define a wye fitting connection.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5, the tumbler 22 is rotatably and removably disposed in the cutting portion 26 of the housing 24 for rotation about the first axis A. The tumbler 22 has a tubular body 38 that extends between an open tumbler end 40 disposed adjacent to the open end 32 of the cutting portion 26 and a closed tumbler end 42 disposed adjacent to the first end 30 of the cutting portion 26 in the assembled condition of the slush making assembly 20. The tubular body 38 includes an outer wall 41 and an inner wall 43 bounding a shaved ice cavity 45. The tubular body 38 defines a plurality of slots 44 extending parallel to the first axis A between the tumbler ends 40, 42 and circumferentially spaced from one another, preferably every 45° or less around the tubular body 38. Each of the plurality of slots 44 extend between the walls 41, 43 to establish communication with the ice cavity 45. As best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, each slot 44 also includes a raised cutting edge 46 extending radially outwardly from the outer wall 41 of the tubular body 38 and disposed at a cutting angle (preferably less than 45°) relative to the tubular body 38 for cutting contact with the saline ice blocks 48 in the ice receiving portion 28.
A pair of tumbler bearings 50 are fit over respective tumbler ends 40, 42 of the tubular body 38 and each disposed in abutting relationship with the cutting portion 26 adjacent to respective tumbler ends 40, 42 to allow for rotation of the tumbler 22 relative to the housing 24. Preferably, each of these tumbler bearings 50 comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) for limiting abrasion of the tumbler bearings 50 during rotation of the tumbler 22 in the housing 24. An insert 52 is disposed in the closed tumbler end 42 of the tubular body 38 to close the closed tumbler end 42 and contain saline ice shavings. The insert 52 includes a friction outer portion 54 and an inner portion 56 defining an engagement aperture 58. The friction outer portion 54 preferably comprises PTFE and defines a recess for nesting the inner portion 56. The inner portion 56 can be press fit into the recess of the inner portion 56 or retained with connections 59 parallel or perpendicular to the first axis A when the tumbler 22 is in the housing 24.
An actuator 60 is interconnected to the tumbler 22 to establish rotation of the tumbler 22 relative to the cutting portion 26. The actuator 60 is releasably connected to the insert 52 by extending into and mating with the engagement aperture 58. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, in one embodiment the actuator 60 includes a manual hand wheel assembly 62 to allow for manual rotation of the tumbler 22. In this arrangement, the hand wheel assembly 62 includes a wheel 64 and a shaft 66 that extends centrally from the wheel 64 through the first end 30 of the housing 24 and attaches to and mates with the engagement aperture 58 of the insert 52 disposed in the closed tumbler end 42 to establish the releasable attachment. The shaft 66 can either be integral with or be releasably attached to the wheel assembly 62. As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a handle 70 extends from the wheel 64 and includes a central portion 72 that is threadingly engaged with the wheel 64 and an exterior shell portion 74 that can rotate relative to the central portion 72 to allow a user to spin the wheel 64 with a churning type motion. In another embodiment, the shaft 66′ is not associated with a hand wheel assembly 62 but is free to enter the chuck of a power tool such as a drill 79 actuatable by a user to provide powered rotation of the tumbler 22. The drill 79 could be autoclavable, like a Stryker model, or it could be a conventional hand tool. If the drill 79 is conventional, then a surgical drill cover 81 with an integrated chuck will be used. The surgical drill cover 81 is typically autoclavable and seals over the drill 79 during operation. When actuated, the shaft 66 and the tumbler 22 are in conjoint rotation and the saline ice in the ice receiving portion 28 is shaved by the raised cutting edges 46, falling through slots 44 into the ice cavity 45 where it is contained and within the rotating tumbler 22.
In either arrangement of the actuator 60, a first annular projection 76 extends around the first end 30 of the cutting portion 26 and the shaft 66 extends through a cap 78 before entering the housing 24. A shaft bearing 68 is disposed within the engagement aperture 58 to allow rotation of the shaft 66 therein without abrasion. A first annular gasket 84, which is preferably made of silicon, can be placed between the first annular projection 76 and the cap 78. A first end clamp 80 extends around the first annular projection 76, the cap 78, and the gasket 84 and presses them together with a butterfly bolt and nut 82 to secure the shaft bearing 68 to the housing 24.
As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the slush making assembly 20 further includes a guide plate 86 for guiding the shaved ice (slush) which has accumulated in the rotating tumbler 22 towards and out of the open end 32 of the cutting portion 26. When in use, the guide plate 86 extends within the ice cavity 45 of the tubular body 38 of the tumbler 22 and is fixed relative to the cutting portion 26 of the housing 24 such that the tumbler 22 can rotate around the guide plate 86. The guide plate 86 includes an annular portion 88 disposed in a surrounding and abutting relationship with the open end 32 of the cutting portion 26 and a guide portion 90 extending from the annular portion 88 through the open end 32 and into the ice cavity 45 of the tumbler 22.
The guide portion 90 extends through the open tumbler end 40 past the slots 44 and terminates at a guide portion end 93 disposed adjacent to the closed tumbler end 42 to define a scrap edge 91 extending between the annular portion 88 and the guide portion end 93. The guide portion 90 serves to guide shaved ice that falls through the slots 44 of the tumbler 22 and into the ice cavity 45 through the open end 32 into a collection area 92. The scrape edge 91 of the guide portion 90 serves the purpose of removing any buildup of shaved ice on the inner wall 43 of the tubular body 38. Therefore, it is preferable that the scrape edge 91 of the guide portion 90 is spaced within 5 mm and even more preferably within 1 mm of the tubular body 38. The guide portion 90 works best when disposed along the left side of the tumbler 22 and cutting portion 26, i.e., such that the shaved saline ice enters the ice cavity 45 and engages the guide portion 90 in a clock wise direction after approximately 270° of rotation of the tumbler 22. In one arrangement, the guide portion 90 comprises a generally planar body and the scrape edge 91 extends linearly and is disposed in a spaced relationship to the inner wall 43 of the tubular body 38. In a preferred arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 2-5, the guide portion 90 includes a rotational twist extending between the guide portion end 93 to the annular portion 88 such that when installed in the ice cavity 45 of the tubular body 38, the scrape edge 91 of the guide portion 90 bends relative to inner wall 43. In other words, the scrape edge 91 and the guide portion 90 both have a slight helical shape. The guide portion 90 can be manufactured with the twist, or it may be able to be twisted by a user after purchase. While the guide portion 90 could twist with respect to the annular portion 88 in any direction, it is preferred that the twist is clockwise such that a section of the guide portion 90 adjacent to the annular portion 88 is angled slightly downwardly and axially forces the saline ice shavings towards and out of the open end 32.
As will be discussed in greater detail below, the cutting portion 26 further defines a second annular projection 94 extending radially from the open end 32. A second end clamp 96 is utilized to secure the annular portion 88 of the guide plate 86 to the second annular projection 94 with a butterfly bolt and nut 82. A second gasket 98 can be placed between the annular portion 88 of the guide plate 86 and the second annular projection 94. Like the first, the second gasket 98 is preferably made of silicon.
A lid 100 is pivotally attached to the ice input end 34 and pivotable between an open position 100A (as shown in FIG. 3) for allowing the saline ice to be inserted into the ice receiving portion 28 and a closed position 100B (as shown in FIG. 2) for covering the ice input end 34 and preventing the saline ice from exiting. A press mechanism 102 is slidingly connected to the lid 100 for forcing saline ice towards the cutting portion 26 and into engaged relationship with the tumbler 22 when the lid 100 is in the closed position. The press mechanism 102 includes a top disk 104 and a bottom disk 106 separated by a connector 108, with the bottom disk 106 being primarily the same shape as a cross section of the ice receiving portion 28 taken perpendicularly to the second axis B. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the bottom disk 106 engages the saline ice blocks 48 and the top disk 104 provides a surface for a user to pull and push the entire press mechanism 102 axially along the second axis B. In addition the lid 100 may include an axial support projection 110 for axially aligning the connector 108 with the lid 100 and lid bearing 112 for reducing friction during sliding movement of the connector 108.
The slush making assembly 20 can also include a safety mechanism 114 moveable between a free position 116 wherein the safety mechanism 114 is in a spaced relationship to the tumbler 22 to allow for free rotation of the tumbler 22 and a safety position 118 wherein the safety mechanism 114 is disposed in an engaged relationship with the tumbler 22 for preventing the tumbler 22 from rotating. In a preferred embodiment, the tumbler 22 defines a plurality of safety apertures 120 disposed circumferentially about the tubular body 38, and the safety mechanism 114 includes a pin 122 that extends through the cutting portion 26 but is disposed in a spaced relationship to the safety apertures 120 when in the free position 116. The safety mechanism 114 includes a spring or the like 130 which biases the pin 122 towards the safety apertures 120 such that when unencumbered, the pin 122 makes contact with the tumbler 22 and only allows rotation until the pin 122 is aligned with the safety aperture 120 and axially moves therein thus preventing rotation of the tumbler 22 in the safety position 118. The safety mechanism 114 further includes a tether 124 attached to and extending between the pin 122 and the lid 100. The tether 124 is attached directly to the lid 100 or a connection ring 126 on the lid 100 and is sized to be taut when the lid 100 is in the closed position, preventing the pin 122 from entering the safety aperture 120 and allowing free rotation of the tumbler 22 in the free position 116. Accordingly, in this arrangement, the tether 124 has a tether length L that is less than a distance extending between the ice input end 34 and the cutting portion 26, i.e., the length D of the ice receiving portion 28. Thus, when the lid 100 is closed the tension from the tether 124 pulls and retracts the pin 122 from engagement with the safety aperture 120. In the open position shown in FIG. 3, the lid 100 is pivoted away from the ice input end 34 releasing tension in the tether 124 and allowing the pin 122 to axially bias and move towards the safety apertures 120 in the safety position 118. Accordingly, a user cannot rotate the tumbler 22 once the pin 122 is lodged in the safety aperture 120 and thus the user is prevented from harming themselves when the lid 100 is open for placing saline ice blocks in the ice input end 34. The cutting portion 26 may include a pin guide 128 for axial alignment of the pin 122.
As best illustrated in FIG. 6, the slush making assembly 20 further includes a mounting portion 132 for mounting the slush making assembly 20 to a work surface 134 such as a table in or near a surgical operating room 136. In one embodiment, the mounting portion 132 includes a frame 138, a table clamp 140, and a housing clamp 142. The table clamp 140 and housing clamp 142 are separated by the frame 138 which includes a base 144 for abutment against the work surface 134 and a vertical support 146 which extends vertically upwardly. The table clamp 140 is integrated with the base 144 and includes at least one L-shaped member 148 and a threaded fastener 150 that releasably extends therethrough. The fastener 150 includes a knurled head for manual rotation of the fastener 150 through the base 144 and into the L-shaped member 148, bringing the L-shaped member 148 into contact with the underside of a work surface 134. A bracket 152 is disposed around the L-shaped member 148 to guide the L-shaped member 148 axially towards and away from the underside of the work surface 134. The L-shaped member 148 may include a lip 154 for work surfaces 134 with rounded edges. In an alternative embodiment, the L-shaped member 148 may be integral with the threaded portion as illustrated in FIG. 6. The housing clamp 142 includes a pair of opposing members 156 forming a space associated with the housing 24, such that the housing 24 can be placed on one opposing member 156 and the other opposing member 156 can be placed over the housing 24 until both opposing members 156 are in contact and secured together. In this preferred arrangement, the opposing members 156 combine to form a circular space and the housing 24 defines at least one circular cross-section corresponding thereto. Fasteners 150 with knurled heads can then be used to connect the opposing members 156 and secure them around the housing 24. Another fastener 150 with a knurled head can then be used to attach one of the opposing members 156 to the vertical support 146. One or more washers 158 may be used to distribute the load between parts of the frame 138. In addition, certain embodiment may utilize rotation stops 160 mounted to the base 144 for preventing rotational movement of the slush making assembly 20 during operation of the actuator 60.
As further illustrated in FIG. 5, in a preferred arrangement, each of the raised cutting edges 46 extends at different angle relative to each adjacent raised cutting edge 46 to improve shaving of the saline ice blocks 48 and extend a working life of the tumbler 22. In all the following example arrangements, the raised cutting edges 46 include a first set of raised cutting edges 46′ has a first radial height H′, a second set of raised cutting edges 46″ has a second radial height H″ smaller than the first radial height H′, and a third set of raised cutting edges 46″ has a third radial height H″ that is smaller than the second radial height H″. For example, the first set of raised cutting edges 46′ is disposed outwardly at a first angle Θ′ and the second set of raised cutting edges 46″ each disposed adjacent to a respective one of the first set of raised cutting edges 46′ and extending at a second angle Θ″ that is less than the first angle, and the third set of raised cutting edges 46″ each disposed between a respective one of the first and second edges 46′, 46″ and extending at a third angle Θ′″ that is less the second. In a preferred arrangement the first angle is 40°, the second angle is 35°, and the third angle is 30° . By having the first raised cutting edges 46′ extending at the highest degree and being circumferentially separated by the second and third sets of raised cutting edges 46″, 46′ that extend at a lesser degree, the first of raised cutting edges 46′ shave the saline ice while the intervening raised cutting edges 46″, 46″ allow the saline ice block 42 to move closer to the tumbler 22 and the saline ice shavings to drop into the ice cavity 45 of the tubular body 38 through associated slots 44. When the first raised cutting edges 46′ get dull, the second raised cutting edges 46″ begin to shave the saline ice while the other two sets of raised cutting edges 46′, 46′ become intervening edges 46′, 46″. In an alternative arrangement, the first, second, and third sets of raised cutting edges 46′, 46″, 46″ extend at different lengths, with the first set of raised cutting edges 46′ extending a first length LL′, the second set of raised cutting edges 46″ extending a second length LL″ that is smaller than the first length LL′, and the third set of raised cutting edges 46′ extending a third length LL′″ smaller than the second length LL″. In yet another arrangement, the first, second, and third sets of raised cutting edges 46′, 46″, 46′″ extend at both sequentially decreasing lengths and angles.
In a preferred embodiment, the entire slush making assembly 20 is made of materials which can withstand repeated fluctuations in temperature and pressure from an autoclave 162, allowing the slush making assembly 20 to repeatedly be autoclaved. Aside from the silicone gaskets 84, 98, PTFE bearings 50, and friction outer portion 54 of insert 52, all the other components of the slush making assembly 20 are comprised of stainless steel allowing all of the components of the slush making assembly 20 to be autoclaved repeatedly without oxidation or decomposition of the material that would otherwise contribute to potential toxicity or unwanted contamination. In addition every component of the slush making assembly 20 is ROHS complaint.
Another important feature which is illustrated best in FIG. 6 is the ability to assemble and dissemble the slush making assembly 20 without the use of tools. As mentioned above, the fasteners 150 and other connectors have finger gripping surfaces and thus the interrelated parts can be slidingly adjoined along the axes A and B and then tightened with clamps 80, 96, fasteners 150, and the like without the use of screwdrivers, socket wrenches, or other hand tools. Specifically, the slush making assembly 20 can be connected from a disassembled state to an assembled state by first connecting the mounting portion 132 to the work surface 132. The mounting portion 132 is connected to the work surface 132 by setting the base 144 of the frame 138 on the work surface 132 and clamping it thereto with the L-shaped member 142 which is threadingly engaged with the frame 138 and tightened. Next, the rotation stops 160 can be releasably connected to the frame 138 to prevent sliding rotational movement during operation. Afterwards, one opposing member 156 is releasably attached to the vertical support 146 of the frame 138 and the housing 24 is placed on top of the opposing member 156. Another opposing member 156 is then placed over the housing 24 such that the pair of opposing members 156 come into contact and fixedly secure the housing 24 on the mounting portion 132. Tumbler bearings 50 are then placed over the tumbler ends 40, 42 and the tumbler 22 is slided into the open end 32. The lid 100 is then attached to the ice receiving portion 28 and the lid bearing 112 is pressed into the support projection 110. Next, the connector 108 is slid though the lid bearing 112 and the top disk 104 and a bottom disk 106 are threadingly attached to the connector 108. The pin 122 is then disposed in the pin guide 128 and the tether 124 is connected to the pin 122 and the lid 100. A first annular gasket 84 is attached to the first annular projection 76 of the first end 30 of the cutting portion 26 and a cap 78 is attached to the first annular gasket 84. A shaft bearing 68 is then disposed in the cap 78. A first clamp 80 then fixedly secures the first annular gasket 84 to the first annular projection 76 and the cap 78. Next the second gasket 98 is pressed against the second annular projection 94 of the open end 32 and the annular portion 88 of the guide plate 86 is pressed against the second gasket 98 so that the guide portion 90 extends into the tumbler 22. A second clamp 96 then fixedly secures the annular portion 88 to the second gasket 98 to the second annular projection 94. As a last step, the shaft 66 of the actuator 60 is disposed in the engagement aperture 58 of the insert 52 of the tumbler 22. Because the slush making assembly 20 does not require tools to assemble, there is ultimately less to autoclave and fewer required tools to keep track of during medical procedures. Further to the point, disassembly allows each part to be full exposed during autoclaving and allows for a more compact storage. After disassembly, the slush making assembly 20 does not contain any impermeable chambers that could be damaged as a result of the high pressure from the autoclave 162.
It should also be appreciated that the slush making assembly 20 provides a method of utilization as illustrated in FIG. 7. While the national and local medical regulations may differ, it is important that the method begins with obtaining an assembly that has been autoclaved 200. The parts of the slush making assembly 20 are then connected together without the use of tools, specifically by way of hand fasteners such as fasteners 150 with knurled heads (thumb screws) and butterfly bolt and nuts 82. Once assembled, method proceeds by mounting 210 the slush making assembly 20 on a work surface 134 such as a surgical table with the mounting portion 132. Next, the lid 100 is opened, and the safety mechanism 114 slides into the safety position 118—locking the tumbler 22 from rotation. Saline ice blocks 48 are then placed 220 in the ice input end 34 of the housing 24 and the lid 100 is placed in a closed position switching the safety mechanism 114 from the safety position 118 to a free position 116—allowing the tumbler 22 to freely rotate. It should be appreciated that saline ice is often referred herein as “blocks” but the frozen saline can be in any form so long as it fits within the ice receiving portion 28. Next, the ice is pressed downwardly into the ice receiving portion 28 and into contact with the tumbler 22 by way of a press mechanism 102. Once contact is made, the tumbler 22 is actuated 230 relative to the saline ice blocks 48 and the ice shavings fall into the ice cavity 45 through slots 44. This step of shaving the ice can include rotating a wheel assembly 62 by hand. The guide plate 86 then guides the shaved ice out of the ice cavity 45 and through the open end 32 where it is collected 240 in a collection area 92. Once enough shaved ice is accumulated for an intended medical application, the slush making assembly 20 can be prepared for autoclaving.
Preparation for autoclaving generally requires removing the slush making assembly 20 from the work surface 134 and placing it in the disassembled state 250 best shown in FIG. 6. Another additional step may require packaging the slush making assembly 20 for shipment to a facility 260 which specializes in autoclaving. Alternatively, the slush making assembly 20 can be brought to an autoclave 162 on site. The slush making assembly 20 is then autoclaved 270 and packaged such that contaminants cannot come into contact with the slush making assembly 20 until it is ready for use. Next, the slush making assembly 20 is delivered 290 to a medical environment. Last, the slush making assembly 20 is connected 290 in an assembled state for use. The autoclaving process exposes the slush making assembly 20 to a combination of high temperature steam and pressure. The slush making assembly 20 may also be covered in a variety of cleaning agents, such as saline chlorohexidine, before or after autoclaving. In addition there may be an additional step of covering the slush making assembly 20 with a surgical drape during operation if required by the sterilization standards of the given medical environment.
It should be appreciated that the foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration. In other words, the subject disclosure it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varies in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of disclosure.
Patent Application
20180180341
