Thermotherapy device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821172-B2
Application number	US-201314384231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2013
Priority date	Mar 27, 2012
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A thermotherapy device for treatment of neonates has a bordered lying surface ( 5 ) for receiving a neonate, a vertical support column ( 8 ) arranged adjacent to the head end of the lying surface ( 5 ) and radiant heaters ( 3, 4 ), supported by the column, directed at the lying surface ( 5 ). A control unit controls the heating output of each of the radiant heaters ( 3, 4 ). At least one first radiant heater ( 4 ) is directed at a head end half of the lying surface ( 5 ). At least one second radiant heater ( 3 ) is directed at the other half of the lying surface. The control unit ( 9 ) adjusts the heating output of the first radiant heater and the second radiant heater in such that, with the lying surface ( 5 ) arranged horizontally, the heating output of the second radiant heater ( 3 ) is greater by a predefined factor than that of the first radiant heater ( 4 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A thermotherapy device for treating newborns, the thermotherapy device comprising:
a bordered reclining surface for accommodating a newborn;
a vertical support column arranged adjacent to a head end of the reclining surface;
a sensor that detects a degree of obligue position of the reclining surface;
a plurality of heating radiators, directed at the bordered reclining surface, fixed to the vertical support column; and
a control unit, which is set up to control the heat outputs of the plurality of heating radiators based at least on an angular position of the reclining surface detected by the sensor, wherein the plurality of heating radiators comprise at least one first heating radiator directed at the half of the reclining surface located at the head end of the reclining surface and at least one second heating radiator directed at the half of the reclining surface located at the foot end, and the control unit is further set up to adjust the heat outputs of the first heating radiator and of the second heating radiator such that with the reclining surface positioned horizontally, the heat output of the second heating radiator is greater by a preset factor than that of the first heating radiator.

2. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the preset factor is selected to be such that the variation of an intensity of the heat radiation over the reclining surface is minimized.

3. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the first heating radiator is adapted to focus the heat radiation onto the reclining surface such that the power density increases from the foot end to the head end and such that the second heating radiator is adapted to focus the heat radiation to the reclining surface such that the power density increases from the head end to the foot end, so that the variation of the added power densities of the first and second heating radiators over the reclining surface is minimized.

4. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sensors is one of a plurality of sensors to sense an oblique position of the reclining surface, wherein the control unit detects an oblique position of the reclining surface relative to a horizontal plane by means of the sensors and adapts the ratio of the heat output of the first heating radiator to the heat output of the second heating radiator in a preset function on the angle of the oblique position such that the variation of the intensity of the heat radiation over the reclining surface is minimized.

5. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising lifting means acting on the reclining surface wherein the control unit is set up to make the reclining surface upwardly displaceable relative to side walls surrounding the reclining surface by actuating the lifting means in order to achieve better access to the infant thereby, and to make it again downwardly displaceable.

6. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the sensors comprises one or more sensors for detecting a vertical adjustment of the reclining surface wherein the control unit is set up, further, to detect the vertical adjustment of the reclining surface by means of the one or more sensors and to adapt the heat output of the first heating radiator and of the second heating radiator in a preset function of the vertical adjustment such that a previously set intensity distribution of the heat output remains essentially unchanged over the reclining surface.

7. A thermotherapy device for treating newborns, the thermotherapy device comprising:
a reclining surface for accommodating a newborn;
a wall structure bordering the reclining surface;
a support column arranged adjacent to a head end of the reclining surface;
a first heating radiator directed at a head end half of the reclining surface, the first heating radiator being supported by the support column;
a second heating radiator directed at a foot end half of the reclining surface, the second heating radiator being supported by the support column;
a sensor that detects a degree of oblique position of the reclining surface;
a control unit configured to control a heat output of the first heating radiator and to control a heat output of the second heating radiator based at least partially on the detected degree of oblique position of the reclining surface detected by the sensor and such that with the reclining surface positioned horizontally, the heat output of the second heating radiator is greater by a preset factor than that of the first heating radiator.

8. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the preset factor minimizes a variation of an intensity of heat radiation over the reclining surface.

9. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 8 , wherein:
the first heating radiator is configured to direct the heat radiation onto the reclining surface such that a first heating radiator heat radiation power density increases from a foot end toward a head end; and
the second heating radiator is configured to direct the heat radiation to the reclining surface such that a second heating radiator power density increases from the head end to the foot end such that a variation of a combined heat radiation power density of the first heating radiator and the second heating radiator, over the reclining surface, is minimized.

10. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the sensor is part of a sensor arrangement sensing an angular position of the reclining surface, wherein:
the control unit is configured to detect the angular position deviation from horizontal based on a sensing by the a sensor arrangement; and
the control unit is configured to control a heat output of the first heating radiator and to control a heat output of the second heating radiator to set a ratio of the heat output of the first heating radiator to the heat output of the second heating radiator that is a preset function of the angular position deviation from horizontal such that a variation of an intensity of heat radiation over the reclining surface is minimized.

11. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 7 , further comprising a height adjusting structure acting on the reclining surface, wherein the control unit controls the height adjusting structure for displacing the reclining surface relative to the wall structure to change access to the infant.

12. A thermotherapy device in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the sensor is part of a sensor arrangement for sensing a vertical adjustment of the reclining surface wherein the control unit is configured to detect a vertical adjustment of the reclining surface based on the sensing by the sensor arrangement and to adapt the heat output of the first heating radiator and of the second heating radiator in a preset function of the vertical adjustment such that a previously set intensity distribution of the heat output remains essentially unchanged over the reclining surface.

13. A thermotherapy device for treating newborns, the thermotherapy device comprising:
a reclining surface for accommodating a newborn;
a wall structure bordering the reclining surface;
a support column arranged adjacent to a head end of the reclining surface;
a first heating radiator directed at a head end half of the reclining surface, the first heating radiator being supported by the support column at a first heating radiator distance from the head end half of the reclining surface;
a second heating radiator directed at a foot end half of the reclining surface, the second heating radiator being supported by the support column at a second heating radia

Assignees

• Dräger Medical GmbH
• Draegerwerk Ag & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Koch Jochim
• Tröllsch Arne

Classifications

• A61N2005/0639

  with additional sources directed at, e.g. the face or the feet · CPC title

• A61G2203/30

  characterised by sensor means · CPC title

• A61G11/008

  tiltable about a horizontal axis, e.g. oscillating · CPC title

• A61G11/002

  height-adjustable patient support · CPC title

• A61G11/00

  Baby-incubators; Couveuses · CPC title