Neonatal blanket

• US 4,712,263 A
• Filed: 12/24/1986
• Issued: 12/15/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Catherine Pronzinski
• Original Assignee: Catherine Pronzinski
• Inventors: Pronzinski, Catherine
• Primary Examiner(s): Grosz, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US06/946,305
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 5/100, 5/508, 5/424, 5/414, 5/482, 312/284, 150/52 R, 220/4 B, 220/82 R, 128/1 B, 128/132 R
• US Class Current: 5/658
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/009 with hand insertion windows, e.g. in the walls

Abstract

The neonatal blanket of this invention provides a generally elongated hemispheroidal, self-supporting thermal barrier for use with neonatal infants on open radiant warmer beds or convection-warmed infant incubators. The blanket can be formed from a single sheet of flexible clear plastic vinyl of similar material, shaped to provide a concave central cavity of a size to generally accomodate a neonatal infant, and having a relatively narrow, flat edge portion that extends around the blanket'"'"'s perimeter. In use, the blanket is placed completely over the infant, so that its inner surface is close to but does not contact the infant'"'"'s skin, and the flat edge portion both helps to support the blanket and provide an effective and efficient seal with the bedding material below. Thus, the blanket captures a volume of dead air space around the infant, which helps to reduce convective air currents within the infant'"'"'s thermal microenvironment.

Claims

1. A blanket for a neonatal infant comprising:

a flexible, collapsible cover having a central cavity portion of a size to generally accomodate a neonatal infant, said central cavity having an inside surface; and

an edge portion for placement on a bedding surface, so that when said cover is placed over said infant, said edge rests upon said bedding surface, said central cavity inside surface does not contact said infant, and said cover forms a barrier to convective air currents said blanket being segmented into at least two portions, so that one portion can be removed from said bedding surface without the removal of the other.

2. The neonatal blanket of claim 1 wherein said cover is generally elongated hemispherical in shape.

3. The neonatal blanket of claim 1 wherein said edge forms a seal with said bedding surface.

4. The neonatal blanket of claim 1 wherein said cover is of a shape to be nestable within other blankets.

5. The neonatal blanket of claim 1 wherein said cover includes structurally reinforcing ridges.

6. The neonatal blanket of claim 1 wherein said blanket is segmented along a horizontal axis.

7. The neonatal blanket of claim 1 wherein said blanket is made of an optically transparent material.