Datex-ohmeda, Inc.

Harry E Belsinger, Jr

Steven Mitchell Falk

Michael H Mackin

Thomas C Jones

An incubator for use in caring for an infant having an infant platform underlying the infant and a plurality of sides extending upwardly from the infant platform and having a cover to form therein an infant compartment surrounding the infant in a controlled environment. A convective heating system is located in a heating and air moving compartment located beneath the infant and which serves to force heated air into the infant compartment to heat the infant and to withdraw return air from the infant compartment for re-circulation. The heated air is forced into the infant compartment through openings formed in the infant platform along both of the longitudinal sides of the generally rectangular infant compartment and then through double walls to emerge generally at the top of the infant compartment. The return air leaves the infant compartment through opening formed in the infant platform along both of the ends of the infant platform. Thus, the flow of air through the infant compartment is balanced and is uniformly distributed to enhance the creation of a uniform temperature profile within the infant compartment.

Infant care apparatus with uniform flow pattern

An infant care apparatus that has a canopy that can be moved vertically with respect to an infant platform on which the infant is positioned. The canopy contains a radiant heater that can be moved from a lower position enclosing the infant in an infant compartment to an upper position where the infant compartment is open and the radiant heater provides radiant energy to warm the infant. When the canopy is in its lower position there is a convective heating system that provides a forced flow of heated air to the infant compartment to heat the infant. The convective heating system includes a heater, a fan and various ducting and passageways in the infant platform that conduct the heated air to the infant compartment and receive air from that compartment for re-circulation. A control system is used to operate both the convective heating system and the radiant heater and is operable to activate the radiant heater and disable the convective heating system when the canopy is in its upper position and, conversely, to activate the convective heating system and disable the radiant heater when the canopy is in its lower position. In the preferred embodiment, when the convective heating system is disabled, the control system has a separate control of the heater and the fan of the convective heating system and can inactivate the convective heating system by shutting off the fan while retaining the heater energized at a relative low setting of heat output, thus the heater can keep the various ducting and passageway surfaces warm and improve the warm up time that the convective heating system takes to warm up the infant compartment with heated forced air when the canopy is returned to is lower position and the convective heating system again activated.

Infant warming apparatus

An infant warming apparatus that functions both as an infant incubator as well as an infant warmer. The apparatus has a heater that moves vertically with respect to an infant support during the change in function between an infant incubator and infant warmer. A powered motive system, such as an electric motor, powers the movement of the heater between its upper and its lower positions. The heater also has a door or doors that are open when the heater is in it upper position so that the heater can direct energy toward the infant to warm the infant when acting as an infant warmer. When closed, the doors isolate the heater to prevent the inadvertent touching of the heater by the infant or attending personnel. A safety interlock system is provided that prevents the heater from being activated unless it is in its upper position and the door or doors are fully open. In addition, the interlock system also monitors the downward movement of the heater and discontinues that downward movement if the heater reaches a predetermined position and the door or doors are still in the open position. As a further interlock safety feature, a sensor also senses when the heater has reached its lower position and stops further downward movement of the heater.

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Catonsville, MD, United States of America

Harry E Belsinger, Jr