INFANT WARMER

• US 20120078034A1
• Filed: 09/24/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Falk, Steven Mitchell, Ten Eyck, Lawrence Guy
• Granted Patent: US 8,585,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/009 with hand insertion windows, e.g. in the walls
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/00 Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00

Abstract

An infant warmer includes an infant enclosure defining an infant compartment, and a heating system pneumatically coupled with the infant compartment. The heating system includes a heater configured to selectively transfer heat to the infant compartment, and a thermal storage device configured to store heat from the heater and to selectively transfer said stored heat to the infant compartment. The infant warmer also includes a controller operatively connected to the heating system. The controller is configured to regulate the transfer of heat from the thermal storage device such that a target temperature is maintained within the infant compartment.

Claims

1. An infant warmer comprising:

an infant enclosure defining an infant compartment;

a heating system pneumatically coupled with the infant compartment, said heating system comprising;

a heater configured to selectively transfer heat to the infant compartment; and

a thermal storage device configured to store heat from the heater and to selectively transfer said stored heat to the infant compartment; and

a controller operatively connected to the heating system, said controller configured to regulate the transfer of heat from the thermal storage device such that a target temperature is maintained within the infant compartment.

2. The infant warmer of claim 1, wherein said heating system further comprises a fan operatively disposed between the thermal storage device and the infant enclosure, said fan configured to facilitate the transfer of heat from the thermal storage device to the infant compartment.

3. The infant warmer of claim 2, wherein said controller is configured to control the speed of the fan to regulate the transfer of heat from the thermal storage device.

4. The infant warmer of claim 1, wherein said heating system further comprises an insulated housing at least partially enclosing the thermal storage device, said insulated housing comprising an insulated door.

5. The infant warmer of claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to control the position of the insulated door to regulate the transfer of heat from the thermal storage device.

6. The infant warmer of claim 1, wherein the infant enclosure comprises a first thermal sensor adapted to measure the temperature within the infant compartment.

7. The infant warmer of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the transfer of heat from the thermal storage device at least partially based on feedback from the first thermal sensor.

8. The infant warmer of claim 1, wherein the heating system further comprises a second thermal sensor adapted to measure the temperature of the thermal storage device.

9. The infant warmer of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the transfer of heat from the thermal storage device at least partially based on feedback from the second thermal sensor.

10. An infant warmer comprising:

an infant enclosure defining an infant compartment;

a heating system pneumatically coupled with the infant compartment, said heating system comprising;

a heater configured to selectively transfer heat to the infant compartment;

a thermal storage device configured to store heat from the heater and to selectively transfer said stored heat to the infant compartment;

a fan configured to facilitate the transfer of heat from the thermal storage device to the infant compartment; and

an insulated housing at least partially enclosing the thermal storage device, said insulated housing comprising an insulated door; and

a controller operatively connected to the heating system, said controller configured to regulate the speed of the fan and/or the position of the insulated door to control the transfer of heat from the thermal storage device such that a target temperature is maintained within the infant compartment.

11. The infant warmer of claim 10, wherein the infant enclosure comprises a first thermal sensor adapted to measure the temperature within the infant compartment.

12. The infant warmer of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the speed of the fan and/or the position of the insulated door at least partially based on feedback from the first thermal sensor.

13. The infant warmer of claim 10, wherein the heating system further comprises a second thermal sensor adapted to measure the temperature of the thermal storage device.

14. The infant warmer of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the speed of the fan and/or the position of the insulated door at least partially based on feedback from the second thermal sensor.

15. The infant warmer of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the speed of the fan and/or the position of the insulated door at least partially based on a material characteristic of the thermal storage device.