Patent ID: 8624164

Claim:
An electric warming blanket for warming patients during surgery and other medical procedures, comprising: a heating element assembly; a power source coupled to the heating element assembly, the power source adapted to supply power to the heating element assembly; a controller adapted to control the supply of power from the power source; a temperature sensor assembly adapted to monitor the temperature of the heating element assembly; and a timer operatively coupled to the controller; wherein the controller includes a safety feature, which comprises: (a) a temperature sensor assembly input to receive heating element assembly temperature information from the temperature sensor assembly, and (b) a controller output to reduce the supply of power to the heating element assembly if the controller determines that a time limit has elapsed before the heating element assembly temperature information received from the temperature sensor assembly indicates that the temperature of the heating element assembly meets or exceeds the threshold temperature, the time limit being less than a thermal burn injury time, wherein the timer starts when the power to the heating element assembly is turned on.