Humidifier for infant warming apparatus
AssigneeDatex-Ohmeda, Inc.
InventorChristopher A. Dykes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A humidifier for use with an infant incubator is disclosed that has a housing and a reservoir. The reservoir is pivotally affixed to the housing so that it can be tilted from its upright position where it actively provides the heated water vapor to the incubator and a tilted position where water can be added to the reservoir. A heater extends into the reservoir to heat a localized volume of water. The reservoir is also removable from the housing but is constrained in its movement generally along the axis of the heater so as to prevent damage to the heater if the reservoir is immediately tilted during its removal or reinstallation.
Claims21
A humidifier for an infant incubator, said humidifier comprising a housing and a reservoir pivotally affixed to said housing, a heater extending from said housing into said reservoir to heat water contained within said reservoir to create water vapor, said reservoir being movable between an upright position where the humidifier is operational to provide water vapor to the infant incubator and a tilted position where said reservoir is tilted from said upright position to allow the adding of water to said reservoir.
A humidifier for an infant incubator, said humidifier comprising a housing and a reservoir removably affixed to said housing, a heater extending from said housing downwardly into said reservoir to heat water contained within said reservoir to create water vapor to introduce water vapor into said incubator, said heater having a main longitudinal axis, means to constrain said reservoir to movement generally parallel to said main longitudinal axis of said heater to remove said reservoir from said housing and to replace said reservoir to said housing.
An incubator for containing an infant, said incubator having an infant compartment and a humidifier adapted to generate heated water vapor for injecting the heated water vapor into said infant compartment, said humidifier further comprising a housing and a reservoir pivotally affixed to said housing, a heater extending from said housing into said reservoir to heat water contained within said reservoir, means to inject the water vapor from said reservoir into said infant compartment, said reservoir being movable between an upright position where the humidifier is operational to provide water vapor to the infant incubator and a tilted position where said reservoir is tilted from said upright position to allow the adding of water to said reservoir.
An incubator for containing an infant, said incubator having an infant compartment and a humidifier adapted to generate heated water vapor for injecting the heated water vapor into said infant compartment, said humidifier further comprising a housing and a reservoir containing water affixed to said housing, a heater extending from said housing into said reservoir to heat water contained within said reservoir, said heater comprising a container extending into said reservoir to be submerged in the water contained within said reservoir to allow water to enter said container, and a electric heater within said container, said electric heater adapted to heat the water confined within said container to form water vapor and means to inject the water vapor from said container into said infant compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.