PATIENT CARE DEVICE WITH RETRACTABLE HEATER ELEMENT

Abstract

An infant care device and, more particularly, an apparatus for providing the combined functions of an infant incubator and a radiant infant warmer and which includes a radiant heater assembly contained within a housing and mechanisms and methods to quickly reduce the heating from the radiant heater assembly when the infant care device is quickly converted from an open infant radiant warming device to an enclosed incubator.

Claims

1. An infant care apparatus that can convert from an open radiant warmer configuration to an enclosed incubator configuration comprising: a mattress on a base support; clear sidewalls with an open top surrounding said mattress; a vertical member extending upwardly from said surface; a canopy containing a radiant heater assembly mounted to said vertical member and being movable along said vertical member between an upper open radiant heater position above said surface and an lower incubator position in which the canopy is positioned on the top of the clear sidewalls, forming a closed incubator; said radiant heater assembly comprising a radiant heater element extending through an opening in a radiant heater reflector that directs heat downward toward the surface on which an infant is positioned, and a radiant heater deflector surrounding a lower end of the radiant heater element for deflecting heat from the radiant heater onto the radiant heater reflector and down toward the mattress; wherein when in an open radiant heater configuration said radiant heater element extends through an opening in the radiant heater reflector, in order to effectively radiate heat downward toward the surface on which the infant is positioned; and wherein in an incubator configuration said radiant heater assembly comprising a radiant heater element extending through an opening in a radiant heater reflector is retracted through the opening in the radiant heater reflector to remove the radiant heater element from the closed incubator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] There are disclosed in the drawings and detailed description to follow various embodiments of the solution proposed herein. It should be understood, however, that the specific embodiments given in the drawings and entailed description do not limit the disclosure. On the contrary, they provide the foundation for discerning the alternative forms, equivalents, and modifications that will be encompassed in the scope of the eventual claims.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a view of an infant care center in its radiant warming mode that can include the inventive concept described in this disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 2 is an alternate view of an infant care center in its enclosed (incubator) mode that can include the inventive concept described in this disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 3 is an alternate embodiment of an inventive concept that can be used in the infant care center.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a second configuration of the alternate embodiment of FIG. 3.

[0021] FIG. 5 is another alternate embodiment of an inventive concept that can be used in the infant care center.

[0022] FIG. 6 is a second configuration of the alternate embodiment of FIG. 5.

[0023] FIG. 7 is another alternate embodiment of an inventive concept that can be used in the infant care center.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Examining FIG. 1, shown generally as the numeral 100, can describe the concept. In this illustration the infant care device is functioning as an open radiant warmer. A mattress 110 lies on a base support and is surrounded usually by clear sidewalls 120 of a type of transparent plastic. Situated overhead is a canopy 130 supported by a collapsible support 140. The canopy supports a radiant heater assembly that includes a radiant element 170 attached to an upper end piece 160 that extends slightly into a curved reflector 150. Radiant heater element 170 extends downward into a deflector element 190 that serves to deflect radiant heat from the lower end of heater element 170 back to the reflector 150 and back down toward mattress 110.

[0025] While operating in the radiantly heated open bed configuration the heater element often operates at a very high temperature in order to provide sufficient radiant heat to the mattress. When transitioning from open bed configuration to enclosed bed configuration (to be shown) it is important to complete the transition in a short period of time (10-15 seconds) to minimize the time between stable warming conditions.

[0026] Unfortunately, this time is not sufficient to cool down the radiant heater element. If nothing were done with the hot radiant heater the infant would be exposed to very high temperatures and possible overheating when the canopy closes.

[0027] One solution to this problem as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,539 is to use a door or doors that close and enclose the radiant heater (heat element, reflector, and deflector) separating it from the infant's compartment.

[0028] This disclosure provides better solutions to the problem. The solutions proposed solve the problem by different embodiments that act to remove the exposed radiant heater element from the infant's compartment. There are a number of ways to accomplish this. In a preferred method the heating element is withdrawn from the compartment.

[0029] Moving on to FIG. 2, the infant care device is shown generally by the numeral 200. Collapsible support 140 has been lowered to bring canopy 130 down to enclose the mattress 110 and clear sidewall 120 combinations, creating an incubator. The radiant heater assembly (radiant heater element, deflector, and reflector), shown generally as the numeral 220 is rapidly moved closer to the infant mattress. As the canopy is lowered the radiant heater assembly configuration is quickly changed from the illustrated position 210 to the illustrated position 220, in which the radiant heater element is withdrawn from the compartment through an appropriately sized hole in the reflector and the deflector acts to seal the radiant heater assembly against the reflector, effectively removing the still hot radiant heater element from compartment. When withdrawn as described the hot element is isolated from the infant and the heat can be dissipated over time. There might be vents that allow heat to escape from the back of the reflector, possibly even a small blower. But in an alternate embodiment, as the canopy is transitioning from an open bed radiant heater to a closed bed incubator, a fan or natural convective venting (not shown) could be used to remove the residual heat from the radiant heater, but vent it into the infant compartment (see flow 230) to minimize the thermal ramp up time to a stable incubator environment.

[0030] An alternate embodiment can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this approach, as shown in FIG. 3, the radiant heater element 320 is deployed within the curve of the reflector element 310, thus radiating heat down toward the mattress when the infant cared device is in its infant warmer mode. But behind the radiant heater element a sheath 330 is stowed.

[0031] Moving on to FIG. 4, when the infant care device is moved into its incubator mode sheath 330 is mechanically moved through a hole in the reflector to completely cover the still hot radiant heater element, eliminating most of the radiant heat form the container immediately. Again, the heat from the radiant heater element can then dissipate over time. There might be vents that allow heat to escape from the back of the reflector, possibly even a small blower. And an alternate embodiment, as the canopy is transitioning from an open bed radiant heater to a closed bed incubator, a fan or natural convective venting (not shown) could be used to remove the residual heat from the radiant heater, but vent it into the infant compartment (see flow 230 in FIG. 2) to minimize the thermal ramp up time to a stable incubator environment

[0032] An alternate embodiment can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, shown generally as the number 500. In this embodiment the radiant heater element 510 is fixed in place and a movable reflector surface 520 is place initially slightly behind element 510. This is the infant warmer radiant heated mode.

[0033] Moving on to FIG. 6, as the infant warmer is converted to the incubator mode, the reflector 520 is quickly moved forward until the reflector effectively seals the radiant heater element 110 from exposing the mattress in the container. Again, the heat from the radiant heater element can then dissipate over time. There might be vents that allow heat to escape from the back of the reflector, possibly even a small blower. And an alternate embodiment, as the canopy is transitioning from an open bed radiant heater to a closed bed incubator, a fan or natural convective venting (not shown) could be used to remove the residual heat from the radiant heater, but vent it into the infant compartment (see flow 230 in FIG. 2) to minimize the thermal ramp up time to a stable incubator environment

[0034] A final concept is described in FIG. 7. Four positions are illustrated. In position 1 the heater element is placed in the optimum location within the reflector to focus the infrared rays on the bed most effectively when the canopy is opened and the radiant heater is at it's farthest from the mattress. Position 2 shows the heater still in the extended location within the reflector; however the area heated has been reduced greatly because the radiant heater is so near the mattress. Position 3 describes an embodiment where the heater has been moved up into the reflector, defocusing the radiant heater assembly (reflector, heater element and deflector). This is much like moving the bulb of a flashlight in and out of the reflector to change the area illuminated.

[0035] By defocusing the radiant heater in this manner it is possible to continue to heat with the radiant heater when the canopy is closed, but to do so with the radiant heater defocused and at a much lower power level.

[0036] And finally in Position 4 the heater element can be completely withdrawn to remove the heating element from the enclosure.

[0037] The disclosure presented describes multiple positions of both the heater element, in some embodiments a sheath, and the canopy that can enclose the mattress, creating in effect an incubator. These various movements can all be powered. One prototyped mechanism is a simple slider/crank mechanism using a serve or stepper motor. Another workable approach is the use of linear screw drives and limit switches. It should also be possible to power the heater or sheath movements off the canopy lift mechanism using cables, pulleys, and springs.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment all of these powered movements would be performed automatically, with the various movements programmed to execute when a user pushes a switch or button. It is also possible for a user to perform some of these functions manually, but not preferred.

[0039] In the final embodiment described—the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 in which the heater has been moved up into the reflector by degrees, effectively defocusing the radiant heater assembly (reflector, heater element and deflector), the defocusing could be automated using temperature feedback from the incubator to adjust the degree of defocusing automatically. Alternately the degree of defocusing could be done manually.

[0040] Although certain embodiments and their advantages have been described herein in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations could be made without departing from the coverage as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the potential applications of the disclosed techniques is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the processes, machines, manufactures, means, methods and steps described herein. As a person of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from this disclosure, other processes, machines, manufactures, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufactures, means, methods or steps.