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US 6,063,020 AGranted
Heater door safety interlock for infant warming apparatus
AssigneeDatex-Ohmeda, Inc.
InventorsThomas C. Jones, Harry E. Belsinger, Jr., Steven M. Falk
Life of this patent
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AssigneeDatex-Ohmeda, Inc.
InventorsThomas C. Jones, Harry E. Belsinger, Jr., Steven M. Falk
Estimating the term…
An infant warming apparatus that functions both as an infant incubator as well as an infant warmer. The apparatus has a heater that moves vertically with respect to an infant support during the change in function between an infant incubator and infant warmer. A powered motive system, such as an electric motor, powers the movement of the heater between its upper and its lower positions. The heater also has a door or doors that are open when the heater is in it upper position so that the heater can direct energy toward the infant to warm the infant when acting as an infant warmer. When closed, the doors isolate the heater to prevent the inadvertent touching of the heater by the infant or attending personnel. A safety interlock system is provided that prevents the heater from being activated unless it is in its upper position and the door or doors are fully open. In addition, the interlock system also monitors the downward movement of the heater and discontinues that downward movement if the heater reaches a predetermined position and the door or doors are still in the open position. As a further interlock safety feature, a sensor also senses when the heater has reached its lower position and stops further downward movement of the heater.
An infant care apparatus, said apparatus having a surface on which an infant is positioned, a vertical member having mounted thereon a housing including a heater movable along said vertical member between a lower position near said surface and an upper position, said housing having at least one door movable between an open position wherein said heater is exposed and a closed position wherein said heater is confined within said housing, door actuator means operable to move said at least one door between said open and said closed positions, motive means to raise and lower said housing between said upper and lower positions, the improvement comprising a first sensor to sense said closed position of said at least one door, a second sensor adapted to sense the location of said housing at a predetermined position intermediate said upper and said lower positions, and a control means adapted to receive signals from said first and second sensors to control said motive means to terminate the further movement of said housing toward said lower position when said at least one door is not in said closed position.
An infant care apparatus, said apparatus comprising a base, an infant platform supported on said base and adapted to support an infant on said platform, a heater mounted above said platform, said heater being movable between a lower position where said heater is near said infant platform to an upper position, motive means adapted to move said heater from said upper position to said lower position, a controller for controlling the movement of said heater, said heater having at least one door movable between an open position and closed position wherein said heater is contained in a protective environment, a closed door sensor adapted to sense when said door is in said closed position and to provide a signal indicative of said closed position to said controller, a position sensor adapted to determine when said heater has reached a predetermined position in moving downwardly and to provide a signal indicative of said position, said controller adapted to terminate the downward movement of said heater upon receipt of said signal from said position sensor when said signal from said closed door sensor is not also received.
A method of providing safety in an infant apparatus, said method comprising:
An infant care apparatus, said apparatus comprising a base, an infant platform supported on said base and adapted to support an infant on said platform, a heater mounted above said platform, said heater being movable between a lower position where said heater is near said infant platform to an upper position, motive means adapted to move said heater from said lower position to said upper position, a controller for controlling the activation and deactivation of said heater, said heater having at least one door movable between an open position wherein said heater can direct infrared energy toward said infant platform and a closed position wherein said heater is contained in a protective environment, an open door sensor adapted to sense when said door is in said open position and to provide a signal indicative of said open position to said controller, a position sensor adapted to determine when said heater is in said upper position, said controller activating said heater when signals are sensed from said position sensor and said open door sensor.
A method of activating a radiant heater used with an infant care apparatus, said method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.