Infant care device including predictive failure side panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12295890-B2
Application number	US-202017134755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2020
Priority date	Dec 28, 2020
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

An infant care device that can include a failure indicating feature in one or more of the side panels to discourage improper use of the side panels to move the infant care device. When a side panels is used to move the infant care device and a force greater than a pre-determined maximum is applied to the side panel, the failure indicting feature indicates such improper use. The failure indicating feature is designed to provide an indication at a level of force that is less than the level of force that would damage the hinge and latch assembly holding the side panel. The failure indicating feature can provide a physical indication or a visual indication when a force greater than a predetermined maximum is applied to the side panel.

First claim

We claim:

1. An infant care device for use with an infant, comprising:
a support platform;
a mattress positioned on the support platform to support the infant; and
a plurality of side panels positioned to surround the mattress to define an infant receiving area, each of the side panels including a failure indicating feature monolithically formed with the side panel, wherein the failure indicating feature indicates a potential failure upon a force being applied to the side panel above a pre-determined maximum.

2. The infant care device of claim 1 wherein each of the side panels extends above the mattress and the failure indicating feature is a recessed notch formed in the side panel.

3. The infant care device of claim 2 wherein the notch is located in the side panel above the height of the mattress.

4. The infant care device of claim 3 wherein the side panel is designed to fracture along the notch upon the force above the pre-determined maximum being applied to the side panel.

5. The infant care device of claim 1 wherein each of the side panels includes at least one panel weakening element that will modify the visual appearance of the side panel upon the force above the pre-determined maximum being applied to the side panel.

6. The infant care device of claim 5 wherein the panel weakening element is a series of holes formed in the side panel near a side edge of each side panel such that the side panel will fracture at the series of holes.

7. The infant care device of claim 1 wherein the side panels are formed from a ductile polymer that changes color upon the force being applied to the side panel above the pre-determined maximum.

8. The infant care device of 7 wherein the ductile polymer is transparent and becomes opaque upon the force being applied to the side panel above the pre-determined maximum.

9. A system for preventing misuse in an infant care device including a support platform and a mattress positioned on the support platform to support the infant, the system comprising:
a plurality of transparent side panels positioned to surround the mattress to define an infant receiving area; and
a failure indicating feature monolithically formed with each of the side panels, wherein the failure indicating feature indicates a potential failure upon a force being applied to the side panel above a pre-determined maximum.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein each of the side panels extends above the mattress and the failure indicating feature is a notch formed in the side panel.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the notch is located above the height of the mattress.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the transparent side panels are formed from a ductile polymer that changes color from transparent to opaque upon a force being applied to the side panel above a pre-determined amount.

Assignees

• Ge Prec Healthcare Llc

Inventors

• Kavoori Sethumadhavan Nagapriya
• Quadros Vernon Clive

Classifications

• G01N2203/0066

  Propagation of crack · CPC title

• G01N2203/0064

  Initiation of crack · CPC title

• A61G11/002

  height-adjustable patient support · CPC title

• A61G11/001

  with height-adjustable elements · CPC title

• G01L1/2206

  Special supports with preselected places to mount the resistance strain gauges; Mounting of supports · CPC title