Process and system for regulating the air temperature in an incubator

A system for regulating the air temperature in an incubator, the system comprising:

• an incubator which accommodates a patient, the incubator being openable and closable and having at least a portion transparent to heat radiation;
• a heat radiation source, the portion of the incubator transparent to heat radiation being exposed to radiation of the heat radiation source;
• an air temperature sensor in the incubator;
• and
• an evaluating and control unit for evaluating air temperature signals representing an actual air temperature value TI received from the air temperature sensor, comparing the actual value TI with an internally preset set point value TS, forming a difference TS−TI from the two values and generating a manipulated variable from the difference TS−TI for controlling the heat radiation source and controlling a radiation dose delivered by the heat radiation source by increasing the radiation dose of the heat radiation source if TS−TI>0 and decreasing the radiation dose of the heat radiation source if TS−TI<0, the radiation dose of the heat radiation source is reduced until TS−TI=0 is reached.

A process for regulating air temperature in an incubator, the process comprising the steps of:

• providing a cover movable on the incubator to open and close the incubator, said cover being transparent to heat radiation;
• providing a heat radiation source spaced from the incubator and said cover, said heat radiation source directing heat into the incubator;
• measuring actual air temperature in the incubator;
• providing a desired air temperature as a set point;
• comparing said actual air temperature and said desired air temperature;
• determining if said actual air temperature is higher than said desired air temperature if said actual air temperature is lower than said desired air temperature;
• decreasing radiation from said heat radiation source to the incubator if said actual air temperature is higher than said desired air temperature, said decreasing being performed independently of the incubator being opened or closed;
• increasing radiation from said heat radiation source to the incubator if said actual air temperature is lower than said desired air temperature, said increasing being performed independently of the incubator being opened or closed.