Infant warmer radiant heater head

• US 5,841,944 A
• Filed: 07/11/1996
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
• Original Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Limited
• Inventors: Keeley, David James, Hutchinson, Christopher Peter, Templer, Richard Geoffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUAN PHUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/680,241
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 392/422, 392/423, 392/424, 392/425, 392/426, 392/427, 392/428, 392/429, 392/430, 392/431, 392/418, 362/296, 362/294
• US Class Current: 392/418
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/002 height-adjustable patient support
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/032 Heaters specially adapted for heating by radiation heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0085 for medical applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/42 non-flexible

Abstract

An infrared radiant heater for use in an infant warmer open care bed. The heater includes a curved reflector within a similarly shaped housing. Between the reflector and casing is at least one baffle made of a heat insulating material. The baffle divides the inside of the housing into a number of separate insulating air gaps. In order to ensure that heat is not conducted through the head, spacers protrude from the housing to support the baffles at their required positions maintaining heat insulating air gaps between the heater head components.

Claims

1. A radiant heater comprising:

curved reflector means having an inner reflecting surface, an outer surface and an open side,

an outer casing means provided adjacent said outer surface of said curved reflector means, there being an enclosed space containing stagnant gases formed between said outer casing means and said curved reflector means, said outer casing means having an internal surface facing said curved reflector means,

radiant energy source means positioned adjacent to said inner reflecting surface,

insulating means located in said enclosed space formed between said outer casing means and said curved reflector means, said insulating means being offset from said curved reflector means, dividing said enclosed space into a number of insulating pocket regions which each substantially enclose some of said stagnant gases.

2. A radiant heater as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of projecting spacing means are provided on said internal surface of said outer casing means which extend into said enclosed space, said projecting spacing means extending from said internal surface of said outer casing means and providing support for said insulating means to ensure that said offset between said insulating means and said curved reflector means is maintained to provide a high thermal resistance path to energy radiated by said radiant energy source means which does not travel through said open side of said curved reflector means.

3. A radiant heater as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which said insulating means comprise at least two baffles, a first baffle provided between said reflector and said outer casing means, and a second baffle provided between said first baffle and said reflector.

4. A radiant heater as claimed in claim 3 where said first baffle is provided with a number of holes therein spaced at predetermined positions aligned with said plurality of projecting spacing means and said projecting spacing means each comprise a two part spacing protrusion, a first part of each said projecting spacing means extending from said internal surface of said outer casing means and providing at least one first support surface for said first baffle to abut and a second part of said projecting spacing means extending beyond said first support surface, said second part of said projecting spacing means adapted to protrude through said holes provided in said first baffle and providing at least one second support surface to abut said second baffle means.

5. An infant warmer comprising:

base means,

support column means having a lower end mounted on said base means,

infant support means connected to said support column at a predetermined distance from said lower end, and

a radiant heater comprising;

curved reflector means having an inner reflecting surface, an outer surface and an open side, an outer casing means provided adjacent said outer surface of said curved reflector means, there being an enclosed space containing stagnant gases formed between said outer casing means and said curved reflector means, said outer casing means having an internal surface facing said curved reflector means, radiant energy source means positioned adjacent to said inner reflecting surface, insulating means located in said enclosed space formed between said outer casing means and said curved reflector means, said insulating means being offset from said curved reflector means, dividing said enclosed space into a number of insulating pocket regions which each substantially enclose some of said stagnant gases, said radiant heater being connected to said support column at a distance from said lower end greater than said predetermined distance with said open side directed towards said infant support means.

6. An infant warmer as claimed in claim 5 wherein a plurality of projecting spacing means are provided on said internal surface of said outer casing means which extend into said enclosed space, said projecting spacing means extending from said internal surface of said outer casing means and providing support for said insulating means to ensure that said offset between said insulating means and said curved reflector means is maintained to provide a high thermal resistance path to energy radiated by said radiant energy source means which does not travel through said open side of said curved reflector means.

7. An infant warmer as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 in which said insulating means comprise at least one baffle, a first of said at least one baffle provided between said reflector and said outer casing means, and a second baffle provided between said first baffle and said reflector.

8. An infant warmer as claimed in claim 7 where said first baffle is provided with a number of holes therein spaced at predetermined positions aligned with said plurality of projecting spacing means and said projecting spacing means each comprise a two part spacing protrusion, a first part of each said projecting spacing means extending from said internal surface of said outer casing means and providing at least one first support surface for said first baffle to abut and a second part of said projecting spacing means extending beyond said first support surface, said second part of said projecting spacing means adapted to protrude through said holes provided in said first baffle providing at least one second support surface to abut said second baffle means.