# US 11,027,088 B2 · Neonatal incubator humidifier system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,088 B2 - Document ID: US11027088B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/240,359 - Filed: 2019-01-04 - Published: 2020-07-09 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-04 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Anirban Ghosh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027088B2 ## CPC - A61M 16/109: {the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent} - A61G 11/00: Baby-incubators; Couveuses - A61M 16/161: {with means for measuring the humidity} - A61M 16/183: {Filling systems} - F24F 6/025: {using electrical heating means (F24F6/105 takes precedence)} - A61G 2203/46: for temperature - A61M 16/162: {Water-reservoir filling system, e.g. automatic} - A61M 2205/3368: Temperature - A61M 2205/3379: Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates - A61M 2205/42: Reducing noise - A61M 2205/505: Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches - A61M 2205/581: by audible feedback - A61M 2205/80: voice-operated command - A61M 2240/00: Specially adapted for neonatal use - F24F 2006/008: {Air-humidifier with water reservoir} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) ## Abstract A humidifier system for humidifying a microenvironment in a neonatal incubator includes a reservoir configured to hold water to be evaporated for humidifying the microenvironment. A chamber divider defines a heating chamber within the reservoir, and a movable heating element is positioned at a surface level of the water inside the heating chamber so as to heat the water at the surface level inside the heating chamber. The heating element is configured such that it is moved downward within the heating chamber so as to maintain the heating element at the surface level of the water as an amount of water in the reservoir decreases. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A humidifier system for humidifying a microenvironment in a neonatal incubator, the humidifier system comprising: a reservoir configured to hold water to be evaporated for humidifying the microenvironment; a chamber divider defining a heating chamber within the reservoir; a movable heating element positioned at a surface level of the water inside the heating chamber so as to heat the water at surface level inside the heating chamber; wherein the heating element is moved downward within the heating chamber as an amount of water in the reservoir decreases so as to maintain the heating element at the surface level of the water; and wherein the heating element has a hole that accommodates a guide, and wherein the heating element slides down the guide as it moves downward within the heating chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The humidifier system of claim 1, wherein the heating element is configured and positioned such that only water near the surface level boils and water located in a lower portion of the heating chamber does not boil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The humidifier system of claim 1, wherein the heating element is puck-shaped, wherein a top side of the puck-shaped heating element is maintained above a water surface and bottom side of the puck-shaped heating element is maintained at or below the water surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The humidifier system of claim 3, wherein the heating chamber is cylindrical. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The humidifier system of claim 1, wherein the heating element is maintained at the surface level of the water by a tension spring exerting a spring force calibrated based on a weight of the heating element and a buoyancy force of the water on the heating element to maintain the heating element at the surface level as the amount of water in the reservoir decreases. ### Claim 6 A humidifier system for humidifying a microenvironment in a neonatal incubator, the humidifier system comprising: a reservoir configured to hold water to be evaporated for humidifying the microenvironment; a chamber divider defining a heating chamber within the reservoir; a movable heating element positioned at a surface level of the water inside the heating chamber so as to heat the water at surface level inside the heating chamber; wherein the heating element is moved downward within the heating chamber as an amount of water in the reservoir decreases so as to maintain the heating element at the surface level of the water; and wherein the heating element is maintained at the surface level of the water by a tension spring exerting a spring force calibrated based on a weight of the heating element and a buoyancy force of the water on the heating element to maintain the heating element at the surface level as the amount of water in the reservoir decreases. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The humidifier system of claim 1, wherein the heating element is configured to float on the water inside the heating chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The humidifier system of claim 7, wherein the heating element is a silicon puck, wherein a weight of the heating element is less than a buoyancy force of the water acting on the heating element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The humidifier system of claim 1, wherein the guide is a leadscrew with thread angles calibrated based on a weight of the heating element and a buoyancy force of the water on the heating element to maintain the heating element at the surface level as the amount of water in the reservoir decreases. ### Claim 10 A neonatal incubator comprising: a bed configured to support a neonate; a hood above the bed configured to encapsulate a microenvironment around the neonate; a humidifier system configured to control humidity of the microenvironment, the humidifier system having: a reservoir configured to hold water to be evaporated for humidifying the microenvironment; a heating chamber divider defining a heating chamber within the reservoir; a movable heating element positioned at a surface level of the water inside the heating chamber so as to heat the water at surface level inside the heating chamber; wherein the heating element is moved downward within the heating chamber as an amount of water in the reservoir decreases so as to maintain the heating element at the surface level of the water; and wherein the heating element has a hole that accommodates a guide, and wherein the heating element slides down the guide as it moves downward within the heating chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The neonatal incubator of claim 10, wherein the heating element is configured and positioned such that only water near the surface level boils and water located in a lower portion of the heating chamber does not boil. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The neonatal incubator of claim 10, wherein the heating element is puck-shaped, wherein a top side of the puck-shaped heating element is maintained above a water surface and bottom side of the puck-shaped heating element is maintained at or below the water surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The neonatal incubator of claim 12, wherein the heating chamber is cylindrical. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The neonatal incubator of claim 10, wherein the heating element is maintained at the surface level of the water by a tension spring exerting a spring force calibrated based on a weight of the heating element and a buoyancy force of the water on the heating element to maintain the heating element at the surface level as the amount of water in the reservoir decreases. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The neonatal incubator of claim 14, wherein the tension spring is configured to provide a constant spring force on the heating element across a range of surface levels from a maximum fill level to a minimum fill level. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The neonatal incubator of claim 10, wherein the heating element is configured to float on the water inside the heating chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The neonatal incubator of claim 16, wherein the heating element is a silicon puck, wherein a weight of the heating element is less than a buoyancy force of the water acting on the heating element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The neonatal incubator of claim 10, wherein the guide is a leadscrew with thread angles calibrated based on a weight of the heating element and a buoyancy force of the water on the heating element to maintain the heating element at the surface level as the amount of water in the reservoir decreases. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The humidifier system of claim 6, wherein the tension spring is configured to provide a constant spring force on the heating element across a range of surface levels from a maximum fill level to a minimum fill level.