Incubator with a noise muffling mechanism and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016199241-A1
Application number	US-201414915671-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 2, 2014
Priority date	Sep 2, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A noise-attenuating neonate incubator (NANI) comprising sound attenuating module (SAM) configured to decrease the ratio, (AmpRatt_i), of the sound's amplitude at a time, t_i, to a reference amplitude, to a critical amplitude ratio value of said sound measured over a predetermined time, At, (AmpR QVΔt ) or less. The SAM comprises passive noise attenuating, active noise attenuating or both. A method for sound attenuating a neonate incubator, characterized by: (a) obtaining a noise-attenuating neonate incubator (NANI) comprising sound attenuating module (SAM) configured to decrease AmpRatt_i to AmpR QVΔt or less; (b) accommodating said neonate in said NANI; and, (c) attenuating said noise by said at least one SAM, thereby changing the sound signature.

First claim

1 . A noise-attenuating neonate incubator (NANI) comprising sound attenuating module (SAM) configured to decrease the sound amplitude ratio at time, t i , (AmpRat ti ) to a critical amplitude ratio value of the sound measured over a predetermined time, Δt, (AmpR QVΔt ) or less, wherein said sound attenuating module (SAM) comprises:
a. at least one sound sensor in communication with a computer readable medium (CRM), configured for continuously sampling said sound amplitude ratio at time t i (AmpRat ti ) within said incubator;
b. at least one CRM for storing said critical amplitude ratio value of said sound measured over a predetermined time, Δt, (AmpR QVΔt ) and, said sound amplitude ratio at time, t i (AmpRat ti ); and,
c. at least one sound attenuator in communication with said CRM for decreasing said sound amplitude ratio at time, t i ;
wherein a plurality of said sound sensors providing feedback signals at time t i to said CRM (AmpRat ti ); said CRM configured to instruct said sound attenuator, if AmpRat ti >AmpR QVΔt , to operate such that AmpRat ti <AmpR QVΔt ;
further wherein said SAM, said incubator, or both are made of MRI safe materials.

2 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is further in communication with a selected from a group consisting of: at least one indicator, at least one user interface, at least one alarm system, at least one CPU, and any combination thereof.

3 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said CRM is configured to control said sound attenuator according to one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of: parameters received by means of said at least one sensor, parameters inputted through a user interface, parameters received from neonate medical equipment, and any combination thereof.

4 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said sound attenuator comprises an active sound masking system, configured to emit at least one acoustical sound signal, by means of at least one acoustical sound-speaker.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said sound attenuator comprises a reactive acoustical device, configured to cancel or reduce said noise by means of a destructive interference generated by a selected from a group consisting of: at least one transducer, at least one speaker, and any combination thereof.

7 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said SAM is configured to differentiate at least one predefined sound from background noise, and attenuate a selected from a group consisting of: said background noise, said at least one predefined noise, and any combination thereof.

8 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said CRM is configured to store at least one sound characteristic selected from a group consisting of: sound levels, tone, overtone composition, reverberations, sound frequency, sound wavelength, sound wave amplitude, sound wave speed, sound wave direction, sound wave energy, sound wave phase, sound wave shape, sound wave envelope, sound timbre, and any combination thereof.

9 . (canceled)

10 . (canceled)

11 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said SAM is configured to attenuate said noise by a selected from a group consisting of: reduce sound levels, reduce sound reflections, reduce sound reverberation, create sound diffusion, mask sound, cancel sound, change the sound signature, and any combination thereof.

12 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said SAM is configured to change at least one sound characteristic selected from a group consisting of: sound levels, tone, overtone composition, reverberations, sound frequency, sound wavelength, sound wave amplitude, sound wave speed, sound wave direction, sound wave energy, sound wave phase, sound wave shape, sound wave envelope, sound timbre, and any combination thereof, thereby generating a different sound signature.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said SAM comprises at least one means selected from a group consisting of: active sound attenuating means, passive sound attenuating means, hybrid sound attenuating means, and any combination thereof.

15 . The NANI of claim 14 , wherein said at least one passive sound attenuating means is selected from a group consisting of: at least one sound absorptive material, at least one resonator, at least one sound shield, at least one bass trap, at least one sound baffle, at least one diffuser, at least one insulation padding, at least one sound reflector, at least one sound muffler (SM), and any combination thereof.

16 . The NANI of claim 15 , wherein said SAM comprises at least one sound muffler (SM) comprising at least one cylindered conduit, having at least one length (l) and at least one width (w); said cylinder comprising at least one air inlet, and at least one air outlet; further wherein said SM is configured such as that sound exiting at least one air outlet is of a different sound signature than sound entering at least one air inlet.

17 . The NANI of claim 16 , wherein said SM comprises at least a first cylinder, and at least a second cylinder, connected therebetween, said connection comprises at least one opening configured to permit a fluid communication therebetween.

18 . The NANI of claim 16 , wherein said at least one cylinder width (w) is selected from a group consisting of: width (w) is equal along said length (l), is differential along said length (l) or any combination thereof.

19 . The NANI of claim 16 , wherein said SM comprises a plurality of n cylinders, having said length (l) 1- . . . n and said width (w) 1- . . . n of said each cylinder, are selected from a group consisting of: (l) 1 =(l) n , (l) 1 >(l) n , (l) 1 <(l) n , (l) 1 ≠(l) n , (w) 1 =(w) n , (w) 1 >(w) n , (w) 1 <(w) n , (w) 1 ≠(w) n , and any combination thereof.

20 - 23 . (canceled)

24 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said SAM comprises at least one sound reflector configured to direct said noise to a selected from a group consisting of: at least one absorptive surface, at least one sound diffuser, at least one sound baffle, at least one reflective surface, at least one resonator, at least one sound shield, a location directed away from said neonate, and any combination thereof.

25 - 29 . (canceled)

30 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said incubator further comprises at least one conduit having at least one SAM configured to muffle the sound passing through said conduit.

31 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . The NANI of claim 1 , wherein said NANI is at least temporarily accommodated in a cart comprising a mobile base, interconnected to said incubator by at least one support pillar.

36 . The NANI of claim 35 , wherein said cart further comprises at least one SAM.

37 . The NANI of claim 36 , wherein said SAM is connected to a selected from a group consisting of said incubator, said cart base, said pillar, and any combination thereof.

38 - 42 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Aspect Imaging Ltd

Inventors

• Rapoport Uri

Classifications

• G10K2210/3223

  Materials, e.g. special compositions or gases · CPC title

• G10K11/162

  Selection of materials · CPC title

• A61G2203/46

  for temperature · CPC title

• A61F7/0053 Primary

  Cabins, rooms, chairs or units for treatment with a hot or cold circulating fluid · CPC title

• A61M2016/0027

  pressure meter · CPC title