Infant incubator

• US 5,224,923 A
• Filed: 11/26/1991
• Issued: 07/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Manufacturing Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Moffett, Joseph J., Grosholz, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GILBERT, SAMUEL G
• Application Number:
  US07/799,711
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 606/21, 606/22
• US Class Current: 600/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1075 by influencing the temperature A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance

Abstract

An infant incubator having structure for humidifying filtered inlet air prior to the filtered inlet air being introduced into the air circulation path through which air is introduced into the incubator hood and recirculated upon leaving the incubator hood.

Claims

1. An infant incubator comprising:

a hood;

a base upon which said hood is mounted;

first air passage means extending between first and second openings into said hood for conducting air flow into said hood through said first opening and for conducting air flow leaving said hood through said second opening and to said first opening;

second air passage means opening to the atmosphere for receiving inlet air from the atmosphere;

means within said second air passage means for filtering inlet air;

means upstream from said first air passage means for selectively humidifying filtered inlet air and for selectively conducting humidified filtered inlet air or unhumidified filtered inlet air to said first air passage means;

and means within said first air passage means for drawing humidified filtered inlet air or unhumidified filtered inlet air into said first air passage means and for circulating air flow through said hood and said first air passage means.

2. An infant incubator according to claim 1 wherein said humidifying means include a humidifier, first valve means in said second air passage means for conducting filtered inlet air to said humidifier, and second valve means in said second air passage means for conducting humidified filtered inlet air from said humidifier to said first air passage means.

3. An infant incubator according to claim 1 wherein said humidifying means also selectively prevent unhumidified filtered inlet air from being conducted to said first air passage means upon selection.

4. An infant incubator comprising:

a hood;

a base upon which said hood is mounted;

first air passage means extending between first and second openings into said hood for conducting air flow into said hood through said first opening and for conducting air flow leaving said hood through said second opening and to said first opening;

means for supplying inlet air;

second air passage means for conducting inlet air to said first air passage means;

means within said second air passage means for filtering inlet air;

a humidifier;

means upstream from said first air passage means for selectively conducting filtered inlet air to said humidifier and for selectively conducting humidified filtered inlet air from said humidifier or unhumidified filtered inlet air to said first air passage means;

and means within said first air passage means for;

(a) drawing filtered inlet air into said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is not conducted to said humidifier;

(b) drawing humidified filtered inlet air into said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is conducted to said humidifier, and

(c) circulating air flow through said hood and said first air passage means.

5. An infant incubator according to claim 4 wherein said selective conducting means include first valve means in said second air passage means for conducting filtered inlet air to said humidifier and second valve means in said second air passage means for conducting humidified filtered inlet air from said humidifier to said first air passage means.

6. An infant incubator according to claim 5 wherein said humidifier includes means for controlling said first and said second valve means.

7. An infant incubator according to claim 4 wherein said selective conducting means also selectively prevent unhumidified filtered inlet air from being conducted to said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is selectively conducted to said humidifier.

8. An infant incubator comprising:

a hood;

a base upon which said hood is mounted;

first air passage means extending between first and second openings into said hood for conducting air flow into said hood through said first opening and for conducting air flow leaving said hood through said second opening and to said first opening;

means for supplying inlet air;

second air passage means for conducting inlet air to said first air passage means;

means within said second air passage means for filtering inlet air;

a humidifier having an inlet port coupling to said humidifier and an outlet port coupling from said humidifier;

first valve means in said second air passage means for selectively conducting filtered inlet air to said humidifier or passing filtered inlet air through said second air passage means in response to engagement of said first valve means by said inlet port coupling to said humidifier;

second valve means in said second air passage means for selectively conducting humidified filtered inlet air from said humidifier or filtered inlet air from said second air passage means to said first air passage means in response to engagement of said second valve means by said outlet port coupling to said humidifier;

and means within said first air passage means for;

(a) drawing filtered inlet air into said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is not conducted to said humidifier;

(b) drawing humidified filtered inlet air into said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is conducted to said humidifier, and

(c) circulating air flow through said hood and said first air passage means.

9. An infant incubator comprising:

a hood;

a base upon which said hood is mounted;

first air passage means extending between first and second openings into said hood for conducting air flow into said hood through said first opening and for conducting air flow leaving said hood through said second opening and to said first opening;

means for supplying inlet air;

second air passage means for conducting inlet air to said first air passage means and including;

(a) an air inlet line having spaced apart first and second openings in a wall thereof, and

(b) first and second sealing grommets fitted in said first and second openings, respectively;

means within said second air passage means for filtering inlet air;

a humidifier;

first valve means in said second air passage means for selectively conducting filtered inlet air to said humidifier, said first valve means including;

(a) a base fixed in position in said air inlet line,

(b) a cap movable transverse to said air inlet line, and

(c) a spring urging said cap of said first valve means against said first grommet to seal said first opening in said inlet line;

second valve means in said second air passage means for selectively conducting humidified filtered inlet air from said humidifier to said first air passage means, said second valve means including;

(a) a base fixed in position in said air inlet line and having an opening through which filtered inlet air flows,

(b) a cap movable transverse to said air inlet line,

(c) a spring urging said cap of said second valve means against said second grommet to seal said second opening in said air inlet line, and

(d) a sealing ring carried by said cap of said second valve means;

and means within said first air passage means for;

(a) drawing filtered inlet air into said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is not conducted to said humidifier;

(b) drawing humidified filtered inlet air into said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is conducted to said humidifier, and

(c) circulating air flow through said hood and said first air passage means.

10. An infant incubator according to claim 9 wherein said humidifier includes means for engaging said cap of said first valve means to control said first valve means and for engaging said cap of said second valve means to control said second valve means.

11. An infant incubator according to claim 9 wherein said humidifier includes:

(a) an inlet port coupling adapted to engage said cap of said first valve means to move said cap of said first valve means away from said first grommet against the action of said spring of said first valve means, and

(b) an outlet port coupling adapted to engage said cap of said second valve means to move said cap of said second valve means away from said second grommet against the action of said spring of said second valve means and to move said sealing ring of said second valve means to seal said opening in said base of said second valve means.

12. An infant incubator comprising:

a hood;

a base upon which said hood is mounted;

first air passage means extending between first and second openings into said hood for conducting air flow into said hood through said first opening and for conducting air flow leaving said hood through said second opening and to said first opening;

means for supplying inlet air;

second air passage means through which inlet air flows for conducting air flow to said first air passage means;

means within said second air passage means for filtering inlet air;

a humidifier selectively mounted to said base and having control means upstream from said first air passage means for selectively;

(a) diverting filtered inlet air from said second air passage means to said humidifier or passing filtered inlet air through said second air passage means to said first air passage means, and

(b) introducing humidified filtered inlet air to aid first air passage means;

and means within said first air passage means for;

(a) drawing filtered inlet air into said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is not diverted to said humidifier,

(b) drawing humidified filtered inlet air into said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is diverted to said humidifier, and

(c) circulating air flow through said hood and said first air passage means.

13. An infant incubator according to claim 12 further including valve means in said second air passage means engaged by said control means of said humidifier for:

(a) selectively blocking flow of filtered inlet air through said second air passage means and conducting filtered inlet air to said humidifier when said humidifier is mounted to said base, and

(b) introducing humidified filtered inlet air to said air passage means when said humidifier is mounted to said first base.

14. An infant incubator according to claim 12 wherein said control means of said humidifier also selectively prevent unhumidified filtered inlet air from being introduced to said first air passage means when filtered inlet air is selectively diverted from said second air passage means to said humidifier.