Incubator with differently tempered zones

• US 5,944,651 A
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Drager Medizintechnik GmbH
• Original Assignee: Drager Medizintechnik GmbH
• Inventors: Koch, Jochim
• Primary Examiner(s): GILBERT, SAMUEL G
• Application Number:
  US09/100,908
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 600/21-22, 128/202.12, 128/205.26
• US Class Current: 600/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature

Abstract

An incubator with air supply, in which air feed ducts, through which a gas flow heated by a tempering device is introduced ascendingly into the interior space of the incubator, are present on the longitudinal sides of a lying surface. Different temperature zones can be set along the lying surface with the gas flow divided into at least one first gas flow and a second gas flow. Air feed ducts extending along the lying surface (2) are provided as first air feed ducts (11) with a first tempering device (6) and as second air feed ducts (13) with a second tempering device (7). The first air feed ducts (11) and the second air feed ducts (13) are arranged, extending over predetermined sections of the lying surface (2), along the lying surface.

Claims

1. An incubator, comprising:

a lying surface;

a first tempering device;

first air feed ducts for a first gas flow associated with said first tempering device;

a second tempering device;

second air feed ducts for a second gas flow associated with said second tempering device, said first air feed ducts and said second air feed ducts being at longitudinal sides of said lying surface and said first air feed ducts and said second air feed ducts being arranged extending along said lying surface over predetermined sections of said lying surface, wherein said tempering devices are designed as tempering devices adjustable to different temperatures.

2. The incubator in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first air feed ducts extend in a section from a head end to a middle of said lying surface, and said second feed ducts extend in a section beginning approximately from said middle of said lying surface to a foot end.

3. The incubator in accordance with claim 1, wherein Peltier elements are provided as said tempering devices.

4. The incubator in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a first temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the air being discharged from said first air fed ducts, said first temperature sensor being provided downstream of said air feed ducts; and

a second temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the air being discharged from said second air feed ducts, said second temperature sensor being provided downstream of said second air feed ducts.

5. The incubator in accordance with claim 4, wherein said temperature sensors are positionable on a body of an infant lying on said lying surface.

6. The incubator in accordance with claim 4, further comprising:

a first temperature control circuit connected with said first temperature sensor acting as an actual value transducer with a first temperature controller acting as a final control element of said first tempering device; and

a second temperature control circuit connected to said second temperature sensor acting as an actual value transducer and with a second temperature controller acting as a final control element of said second tempering device.

7. A process for tempering the interior space of an incubator, the process comprising the steps of;

providing air feed ducts, through which a tempered gas flow is introduced ascendingly into the interior space of the incubator on both sides of a lying surface, the feed ducts being present on longitudinal sides of the lying surface;

dividing the gas flow into at least one first gas flow and a second gas flow;

individually tempering said first gas flow and said second gas flow with tempering devices associated with the gas flow; and

providing the gas flows extending over predetermined longitudinal sections of the lying surface and allowing the gas flows to enter the incubator interior space.

8. The process in accordance with claim 7, wherein the section associated with said first gas flow extend from a head end to a middle of said lying surface, and the section associated with said second gas flow comprises an area from said middle of said lying surface to a foot end.