Infant thermal support device

• US 6,270,452 B1
• Filed: 10/18/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Draeger Medical Systems Incorporated (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Donnelly, Michael M., Buchholz, Francis Joseph III, Jacobsen, Brent C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/419,527
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 600/21-22, 128/736
• US Class Current: 600/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00119 alarm; indicating an abnormal situation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/401 using air flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/006 of gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0088 Radiating heat
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/003 height-adjustable heater
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/005 with movable walls, e.g. for accessing the inside, removable walls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/50 for radiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/012 raising or lowering of the whole mattress frame A61G7/005, A61G7/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 9/00 Use of air currents for screening, e.g. air curtains
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 27/02 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

An infant thermal support device which provides convective heat transfer similar to an incubator yet which allows for unlimited care provider access to the infant without compromising the infant'"'"'s thermal environment. The device has an infant support with head and foot ends and lateral sides, and provides a heated curtain of air traveling over an infant on the support to maintain the temperature of the infant at an appropriate level. Vertically oriented curtains of air travel upwardly from the lateral edges and at least one end of the support. The device provides warmth to the infant on the support by virtue of the heated air curtain, and the vertically oriented air curtains reduced perturbations of the heated air curtain caused by physical disturbances adjacent to the device such that a canopy enclosing the device is not required. The device further comprises a raisable and lowerable canopy and infrared heater, such that the device can function as either an infant radiant warmer, an incubator or both. Sensors mounted on the device sense disturbances around the device and the position of the canopy and vary the speeds of the heated air curtain and perturbation reducing curtains accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for controlling fluid flow movement within a space in which an infant resides consisting essentially of the steps of:

providing a support surface for the infant;

providing a source of pressurized fluid which exits through a plurality of elongated narrow slots to create at least one narrow curtain of fluid originating adjacent to the support surface and substantially enclosing the space in which the infant resides on the surface to control fluid movement within the space;

providing a fluid flow return opening connected to said source; and

providing fluid circuitry to withdraw the fluid from the at least one curtain of fluid away from the support surface and into the fluid flow return opening.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one curtain of fluid substantially enclosing the space in which the infant resides comprises providing a curtain of humidified fluid substantially enclosing the space in which the infant resides.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of radiantly heating the space in which the infant resides to warm the infant through said at least one curtain of heated fluid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one curtain of fluid substantially enclosing the space comprises providing at least one curtain of heated fluid substantially enclosing the space.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a canopy for further isolating the space in which the infant resides.

6. A method for controlling the air space in which an infant resides in an incubator independently from the canopy covering the infant comprising the steps of:

providing a support surface within the incubator upon which the infant rests;

providing a canopy cooperable with the support surface substantially to enclose the infant and movable away from the support surface to expose the infant for caregiver services; and

providing a curtain of fluid over the infant and independent of the canopy to control the space in which the infant resides.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing a curtain of fluid over the infant and independent of the canopy comprises providing a curtain of humidified fluid over the infant and independent of the canopy.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of radiantly heating the space in which the infant resides.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing a curtain of fluid over the infant and independent of the canopy comprises providing a curtain of heated fluid over the infant and independent of the canopy.

10. A method for controlling fluid movement within a space in which an infant resides, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a support surface for carrying the infant, the support surface having a perimeter,

providing first and second curtains of fluid, each curtain of fluid originating adjacent to the perimeter of the surface,

providing a fluid return system formed to include a return opening, and

removing the fluid from the curtains of fluid through the return opening.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the return opening is spaced apart from the perimeter of the support surface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the return opening is positioned to lie above the support surface.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the perimeter of the support surface is generally rectangular and is defined by first and second longitudinally spaced apart ends, first and second transversely spaced apart sides extending between the ends, and wherein the first curtain of fluid originates adjacent to the first side and the second curtain of fluid originates adjacent to the second side.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the return opening is positioned to lie adjacent to the first end.