Transparent film radiant heat source for incubators having hook retaining means

• US 5,285,519 A
• Filed: 03/06/1992
• Issued: 02/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Draeger Medical Systems Incorporated (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Air Shields Inc (Draegerwerk AG & Co KGaA)
• Inventors: Bagnell, Joseph P., Barsky, Barry E., Wenstrup, Jan F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reynolds, Bruce A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jeffery, John A.
• Application Number:
  US07/847,926
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 392/435, 392/438, 392/439, 392/407, 219/203, 219/543, 219/411, 219/405, 600/22, 237/3, 237/14, 236/2, 236/3, 119/37, 338/308, 338/309
• US Class Current: 392/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00902 transparent or translucent
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0088 Radiating heat
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/032 Heaters specially adapted for heating by radiation heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/26 heating conductor mounted on insulating base for transparent areas H05B3/84, H05B3/86

Abstract

A radiant heater in the form of an overlay for an incubator hood. The heater has an optically transparent, radiotransparent and phototherapy transparent electrically conductive coating, preferably indium tin oxide, and includes appropriate retaining hook structure for retaining the heater on an incubator hood.

Claims

1. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood comprising:

an inclined section;

a horizontal section;

at least one of said inclined and said horizontal sections including;

(a) a first rigid, transparent sheet,

(b) a second rigid, transparent sheet,

(c) a film of transparent, plastic material having a transparent, electrically conductive coating on a surface thereof, said film disposed between said first and said second rigid, transparent sheets, and

(d) a set of conductor units electrically and mechanically connected to said transparent, electrically conductive coating with each of said conductor units having a free end adapted for connection to an electrical power source;

means for holding said inclined an horizontal sections in a fixed relationship to one another; and

retaining means adapted for engagement with an incubator hood on which said overlay is placed for restricting relative movement between said overlay and said incubator hood.

2. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said first and said second rigid, transparent sheets are spaced apart to form an air gap,

(b) said first rigid, transparent sheet is adapted for positioning adjacent said incubator hood, and

(c) said film of transparent, plastic material is on said first rigid, transparent sheet.

3. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 2 wherein both of said inclined and said horizontal sections include:

(a) said first rigid, transparent sheet,

(b) said second rigid, transparent sheet,

(c) said film of transparent, plastic material,

(d) said set of conductor units, and

(e) a frame for spacing apart said first and said second rigid transparent sheets and with which said first and said second rigid, transparent sheets form a multi-sheet assembly.

4. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 3 wherein said holding means include a plurality of longitudinal ribs which receive said frames of said inclined and said horizontal sections.

5. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 2 further including:

(a) a vertical section, and

(b) means for holding said vertical and said horizontal sections in a fixed relationship to one another,

said vertical, said inclined and said horizontal sections adapted for positioning adjacent a vertical surface, an inclined surface and a horizontal surface, respectively, of said incubator hood.

6. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 2 wherein said retaining means include a hook member adapted to engage an opening in said incubator hood.

7. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 6 wherein said hook member is fixed to said horizontal section and is adapted to engage an opening in a horizontal surface of said incubator hood.

8. An incubator comprising:

a base;

a hood mounted on said base; and

a radiant heat source overlay resting on said hood and having;

(a) an inclined section,

(b) a horizontal section, at least one of said inclined and said horizontal sections including;

(1) a first rigid, transparent sheet,

(2) a second rigid, transparent sheet,

(3) a film of transparent, plastic material having a transparent, electrically conductive coating on a surface thereof, said film disposed between said first and said second rigid, transparent sheets, and

(4) a set of conductor units electrically and mechanically connected to said transparent, electrically conductive coating with each of said conductor units having a free end adapted for connection to an electrical power source,

(c) means for holding said inclined and said horizontal sections in a fixed relationship to one another, and

(d) retaining means adapted for engagement with an incubator hood on which said overlay is placed for restricting relative movement between said overlay and said incubator hood.

9. An incubator according to claim 8 wherein:

(a) said first and said second rigid, transparent sheets are spaced apart to form an air gap,

(b) said first rigid, transparent sheet is positioned adjacent said incubator hood, and

(c) said film of transparent, plastic material is on said first rigid, transparent sheet.

10. An incubator according to claim 9 wherein said retaining means include a hook member engaging an opening in said incubator hood.

11. An incubator according to claim 10 wherein said hook member is fixed to said horizontal section and engages an opening in a horizontal surface of said incubator hood.

12. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood comprising:

an inclined section;

a horizontal section;

at least one of said inclined and said horizontal sections including;

(a) a first rigid, transparent sheet,

(b) a second rigid, transparent sheet,

(c) a transparent, electrically conductive coating disposed between said first and said second rigid, transparent sheets, and

(d) a set of conductor units electrically and mechanically connected to said transparent, electrically conductive coating with each of said conductor units having a free end adapted for connection to an electrical power source;

means for holding said inclined and said horizontal sections in a fixed relationship to one another; and

retaining means adapted for engagement with an incubator hood on which said overlay is placed for restricting relative movement between said overlay and said incubator hood.

13. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 12 wherein:

(a) said first and said second rigid, transparent sheets are spaced apart to form an air gap,

(b) said first rigid, transparent sheet is adapted for positioning adjacent said incubator hood, and

(c) said transparent, electrically conductive coating is on said first rigid, transparent sheet.

14. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 13 wherein said retaining means include a hook member adapted to engage an opening in said incubator hood.

15. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 14 wherein said hook member is fixed to said horizontal section and is adapted to engage an opening in a horizontal surface of said incubator hood.

16. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood comprising:

a plurality of rigid, transparent sheet sections joined together into a shape adapted to rest on an incubator hood;

a transparent, electrically conductive coating covering selected surface areas of said rigid, transparent sheet sections and facing said incubator hood when said overlay rests on said incubator hood;

conductor means having a first end electrically and mechanically connected to said transparent, electrically conductive coating and a second end adapted for connection to an electrical power source for conducting electrical power to said transparent, electrically conductive coating; and

retaining means adapted for engagement with said incubator hood for restricting relative movement between said overlay and said incubator hood when said overlay rests on said incubator hood.

17. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 16 wherein:

(a) each of said rigid, transparent sheet sections includes upper and lower transparent sheets which are spaced apart to form an air gap,

(b) said lower rigid transparent sheet of each of said rigid, transparent sections is adapted for positioning adjacent said incubator hood, and

(c) and each of said lower transparent sheets has a transparent, electrically conductive coating.

18. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 17 wherein said retaining means include a hook member adapted to engage an opening in said incubator hood.

19. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 18 wherein one of said rigid transparent sheet sections is horizontal and said hook member is fixed to said horizontal section and is adapted to engage an opening in a horizontal surface of said incubator hood.

20. A radiant heat source overlay for an incubator hood according to claim 17 wherein each of said rigid, transparent sheet sections further includes a frame for spacing apart said upper and lower transparent sheets and with which said upper and lower transparent sheets form a multi-sheet assembly.

21. An incubator comprising:

a base;

a hood mounted on said base; and

a radiant heat source overlay resting on said hood and having;

(a) a rigid, transparent sheet,

(b) a transparent, electrically conductive coating positioned between said rigid, transparent sheet and said incubator hood with said transparent, electrically conductive coating facing said incubator hood,

(c) a layer of transparent, protective material to which said transparent, electrically conductive coating is attached, said layer of transparent, protective material positioned adjacent said incubator hood,

(d) a set of conductor units electrically and mechanically connected to said transparent, electrically conductive coating with each of said conductor units having a free end adapted for connection to an electrical power source, and

(e) retaining means adapted for engagement with an incubator hood on which said overlay is placed for restricting relative movement between said overlay and said incubator hood.

22. An incubator according to claim 21 further including a film of transparent, plastic material onto which said transparent, electrically conductive coating is coated with said transparent, electrically conductive coating between said film of transparent, plastic material and said layer of transparent, protective material.

23. An incubator according to claim 22 wherein said layer of transparent, protective material is a second rigid, transparent sheet.

24. An incubator according to claim 23 wherein said rigid, transparent sheets are spaced apart to form an air gap between said rigid, transparent sheets.

25. An incubator according to claim 24 wherein said retaining means include a hook member engaging an opening in said incubator hood.

26. An incubator according to claim 25 wherein said hook member is fixed to said second rigid, transparent sheet and engages an opening in a horizontal surface of said incubator hood.

27. An incubator according to claim 22 wherein said layer of transparent, protective material is silicon dioxide.