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Infant thermal support device
| Details |
Inventors: Donnelly, Michael M.; Buchholz, III, Francis Joseph; Jacobsen, Brent C.;
Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc. (Batesville, IN)
Primary Examiner: Lacyk; John P.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Barnes & Thornburg
An infant thermal support device which provides convective heat transfer similar to an incubator yet which allows for unlimited care provider access to the infant without compromising the infant's thermal environment. The device has an infant support with head and foot ends and lateral sides, and provides a heated curtain of air traveling over an infant on the support to maintain the temperature of the infant at an appropriate level. Vertically oriented curtains of air travel upwardly from the lateral edges and at least one end of the support. The device provides warmth to the infant on the support by virtue of the heated air curtain, and the vertically oriented air curtains reduced perturbations of the heated air curtain caused by physical disturbances adjacent to the device such that a canopy enclosing the device is not required. The device further comprises a raisable and lowerable canopy and infrared heater, such that the device can function as either an infant radiant warmer, an incubator or both. Sensors mounted on the device sense disturbances around the device and the position of the canopy and vary the speeds of the heated air curtain and perturbation reducing curtains accordingly. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION It has therefore been an objective of the present invention to improve upon prior art incubators by providing an incubator which will maintain the appropriate temperature of a premature infant via convective heat transfer yet which will also increase caregiver access to the infant.
It has been another objective of the present invention to combine the advantages of each of the prior art types of incubators and radiant warmers into a single infant warming device, which combination exploits the advantages of each of these two types of prior art devices but as well avoids the inherent disadvantages in them when employed singly.
In accordance with the objectives of the present invention and a preferred embodiment thereof, the present invention comprises, in its broadest form, an infant thermal support device providing convective heat transfer to the infant similar to an incubator, yet which allows for unlimited care provider access to an infant, and without compromising the infant's thermal environment.
The invention provides an infant support having head and foot ends and lateral sides, with the support providing a heated curtain of air traveling over an infant on the support to maintain the temperature of the infant's skin at an appropriate level.
The support provides curtains of air traveling upwardly from the lateral sides and at least one of the ends of the support.
The warming device provides warmth to the infant on the support by virtue of the heated air curtain, and the upwardly oriented air curtains reduce perturbations of the heated air curtain caused by physical disturbances adjacent the device such that the device does not require a canopy enclosing the device to maintain the infant warm.
Thus, the device provides unlimited caregiver access to an infant supported on the support, while maintaining the appropriate temperature of the infant by a convective mode of heat transfer.
The device in its preferred form provides three infant thermal environment controlling air curtains, and at least three air curtains protecting the three thermal environment air curtains from perturbations due to physical disturbances adjacent to the device
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