Patent Application
20230111382
The present disclosure generally relates to neonatal care systems, and more specifically to a side panel latch assembly for securing a side panel that forms part of an enclosure of the neonatal incubator.
Some neonates are not physiologically well enough developed to be able to survive without special medical attention. A frequently used medical aid for such infants is the incubator. The primary objective of the incubator is to provide an environment which will maintain the neonate at a minimum metabolic state thereby permitting as rapid physiological development as possible. Neonatal incubators create a microenvironment that is thermally neutral where a neonate can develop. These incubators typically include a humidifier and a heater and associated control system that controls the humidity and temperature in the neonatal microenvironment. The humidifier comprises a device that evaporates an evaporant, such as distilled water, to increase relative humidity of air within the neonatal microenvironment. The humidifier is typically controllable such that the amount of water, or water vapor, added to the microenvironment is adjustable in order to control the humidity to a desired value. The heater may be, for example, an air heater controllable to maintain the microenvironment area to a certain temperature. Radiant warmers may be used instead of incubators for some neonates where less environmental control is required. In still other embodiments, hybrid incubator/radiant warming systems may be utilized, various embodiments of which are well known in the art.
Since the microenvironment is accurately controlled in a neonatal care system, the care system includes an enclosure that is sealed as best possible to help maintain the controlled microenvironment. Such enclosure will typically include four sidewalls or side panels and a top hood that surround an infant support platform. Typically, one or more of the side panels can be moved to an access position in which the side panel is folded down to provide complete access to the open interior of the enclosure to allow a caregiver to have access to the infant and equipment within the enclosure. Each side panel includes one or more latch assemblies that securely hold the side panel in the raised position.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
A neonatal incubator system for use with an infant includes an enclosure that creates a chamber that is designed to receive the infant. The enclosure is formed from a plurality of side panels where at least one of the side panels is movable between an upright closed position and a retracted open position. At least one side panel latch assembly is position to engage the movable side panel when the side panel is in the closed position to securely retain the side panel in the closed position. The side panel latch assembly can be moved away from the latched position to allow the side panel to rotate from the upright closed position to the retracted open position.
The side panel latch assembly includes a latch receptacle that includes both a first catch and a second catch. The first and second catches are spaced from either other on the latch receptacle. The side panel latch assembly further includes a latch base mounted to the movable side panel and a latch lever that is movably mounted to the latch base. In one exemplary embodiment, one or more bias springs are positioned between the latch base and the latch lever to bias the latch lever into an upper, latched position.
The latch lever of the side panel latch assembly includes a primary latch member and a secondary latch member that are both located on the latch lever. The latch lever is configured such that the primary latch member engages the first catch on the latch receptacle and the secondary latch member engages the second catch of the latch receptacle. The latch lever and the latch receptacle are configured such that the latch lever is movable relative to the latch base between an extended latching position and a retracted release position. The primary latch member is disengaged from the first catch and the secondary latch member is disengaged from the second catch when the latch lever is in the retracted release position such that the side panel can be moved to the open position by depressing only the single latch lever.
The primary latch member and the secondary latch member are spaced from each other such that the primary latch member engages the first catch and the secondary latch member is spaced from the second catch when the movable side panel is in the completely closed upright position and the latch assembly is in the latched position. The spacing between the primary and secondary latch members allows the secondary latch member to engage the second catch and the primary latch member to be spaced from the first catch when the movable side panel is positioned in an intermediate position between the closed position and the open position. Since the primary latch and the secondary latch are on the single latch lever, the latch lever can be released from the retracted release position to allow the secondary latch member to engage the second catch to hold the movable side panel in the intermediate position. In an exemplary embodiment, the intermediate position is a position when the side panel has rotated less than 12 degrees from the closed position.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a side panel latch assembly for use with a neonatal incubator system including an enclosure that creates a chamber around an infant. The enclosure includes a series of side panels where at least one of the side panels is movable between an upright closed position and a retracted open position. The side panel latch assembly includes a latch receptacle that is mounted to one of the side panels and includes a first catch and a second catch. A latch base is mounted to the movable side panel and receives a movable latch lever. The latch lever includes both a primary latch member and a secondary latch member spaced from the primary latch member. When the latch assembly is in the latch position, the primary latch member engages the first catch and the secondary latch member is spaced from the second catch to secure the movable side panel in the closed position. To move the side panel toward the open position, the latch lever is depressed against a bias force and the latch lever moves relative to the latch base. This movement moves the primary and secondary latch members below the first and second catches to allow pivoting movement of the side panel.
If the side panel is only moved to an intermediate position, the secondary latch member will contact and engage the second catch while the primary latch member is spaced away from the first catch. In this manner, the secondary latch member of the latch assembly holds the side panel in the intermediate position to prevent movement of the side panel to the retracted open position.
Various other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.
The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the disclosure. In the drawings:
The drawings illustrate specific aspects of the described components, systems and methods for providing a neonatal incubator system. Together with the following description, the drawings demonstrate and explain the principles of the structures, methods, and principles described herein. In the drawings, the thickness and size of components may be exaggerated or otherwise modified for clarity. Well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the described components, systems and methods.
The inventors have recognized a problem with current incubator systems for neonatal care, which is that many incubator systems have one or more movable side panels that can be propped up in such a way that it seems that the side panels are latched when they are not. Having a side panel to an incubator in an upright, but unlatched position presents a risk that the side panel could be inadvertently opened and put a neonate at risk. For example, the neonate could fall out of the incubator if the side panel is accidentally opened, or the neonate may be insufficiently protected from impacts or from outside environmental conditions. While some incubator systems include indicators on latches to indicate when the latch is in a locked or unlocked position, such indicators are often missed by caregivers who may inadvertently allow a side panel to remain unlatched while thinking and behaving as if the side panel is latched and thus securely closed.
Accordingly, the inventors have developed the current system that prevents a side panel, or door, of an incubator enclosure from remaining in what appears to be a closed or near-closed position without the side wall panel being latched. The disclosed neonatal incubator system includes a primary latch and a secondary latch as part of a latching assembly included between the side panels of the enclosure. The two separate primary and secondary latches are moveable together through a single action by the user and can be selectively positioned to ensure that the side panel remains in a latched condition when the side panel is partially open but not open far enough to cause the side panel to fall to the fully open position due to gravity. In various embodiments, the latching assembly may prevent the movable side panel from staying in a near-closed, or intermediate position between fully open and fully closed, without the side panel being latched by a secondary latch.
In the above description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. The different systems and method steps described herein may be used alone or in combination with other systems and methods. It is to be expected that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
The depicted incubator system 1 includes a base 2 that supports a platform 16 configured for receiving and supporting a neonate. In the depicted embodiment, the base 2 includes a horizontal section comprising a pair of u-shaped horizontal members joined together and providing support for a vertical base member extending upward toward the platform 16. The base 2 may include wheels to provide for ready movement of the incubator system 1. A platform 16 is supported on the vertical base member, which may be a standard platform for supporting a neonate, such as configured to receive a removable mattress or other sleep surface.
The incubator system 1 includes an enclosure 10 defining a chamber 14 creating a microenvironment for housing an infant. The enclosure 10 may be, for example, a transparent housing extending above the platform 16. The enclosure 10 creates and defines a chamber 14 providing a microenvironment, which is an area around the infant where temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors can be controlled.
The enclosure 10 includes multiple side walls 11a-11d and a top portion 12. For example, the side walls 11a-11d and/or the top portion 12 of the enclosure 10 may be made of a transparent plastic or acrylic material, as is standard in the relevant art. In various embodiments, the top portion 12 may be integrated with the side walls 11a-11d. In other embodiments, the top portion 12 may be separable from the side walls 11a-11d of the enclosure 10, as shown in
The enclosure 10 includes one or more movable side panels 18 on a side wall 11a-11d of the enclosure 10. The movable side panel 18 is openable to place an infant on the platform 16 and closable to secure the infant within the chamber 14. The movable side panel 18 may be only part of a side wall 11a-11d of the enclosure 10, or may comprise the entirety of the side wall 11a, 11c as shown in the depicted embodiments.
In
One or more side panel latch assemblies 20 are also provided to engage the movable side panel 18 and maintain the movable side panel in a closed position to secure the infant within the chamber 14 of the incubator system 1. The side panel latch assemblies 20 may be any device or set of devices capable of securing the movable side panel 18 in a closed position, including withstanding at least a predefined amount of force that may push against the movable side panel 18, such as by the infant and/or by elements within the chamber 14 provided as part of the neonatal care (monitors, medical devices, blankets, etc.). Further details of the side panel latch assemblies 20 are set forth below.
As can be seen in
In the embodiment illustrated in
In accordance with the present disclosure, each of the side edges 36 of the side panel 18 can include a side panel latch assembly 20 that is used to initially secure the side panel 18 in the upright closed position while allowing a caregiver to operate the side panel latch assembly 20 to release the side panel and allow the side panel 18 to pivotally rotate to the retracted, open position. In the embodiment shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
The latch base 38 includes a main body 50 that includes a lower engagement tab 52 that has a curved outer edge and a flat engagement surface 53 designed to interact with a thumb or fingers of a caregiver. The pair of connectors 40 pass through a pair of access holes 54 that extend through the main body 50 in the manner discussed with reference to
After the bias springs 60 are inserted into the pair of spring barrels 56, the latch lever 48 can be positioned above the latch base 39 and moved downward such that the spring tube 62 surrounds and entraps the bias springs 60 within the spring barrels 56. The pair of bias springs 60 act to urge the latch lever 48 upward into the resting position as illustrated in
The main body 66 of the latch lever 48 includes an upper engagement tab 68 that includes a flat engagement surface 69 that has the general shape of the lower engagement tab 52. As illustrated in
Referring back to
As illustrated in
Referring first to
When the caregiver wants to open the movable side panel, the caregiver initially depresses the upper engagement tab 68 on the latch lever 48. This force compresses the bias springs and causes the latch lever 48, including both the primary latch member 76 and the secondary latch member 82, to move downward a distance sufficient such that both the primary latch member 76 and the secondary latch member 82 will pass beneath the first catch 86 and the second catch 90 during the pivoting movement of the side panel from the upright closed position to the retracted open position. Thus, when a caregiver wishes to open the side panel, the caregiver only needs to hold the single upper engagement tab 68 in contact with the lower engagement tab 52 and both the primary latch member 76 and the secondary latch member 82 move away from the first and second latches such that the entire side panel can be rotated to the retracted, open position.
As with the first embodiment of the latch receptacle 84 shown in
As discussed previously, the inventors have identified a problem associated with current side panel latch assemblies that allow the movable side panel to open an amount that allows the previously available latch assemblies to be disengaged while the amount of rotation of the movable side panel is not enough to cause the weight of the side panel to move the side panel from the generally upright closed position to the fully retracted, open position. The inventors have recognized that the movable side panel could be opened up to 10-12° without the weight of gravity causing the movable side panel to fall to the fully retracted, open position. In this intermediate position, a caregiver may believe that the side panel is properly latched since the side panel appears to be in the upright closed position. However, such unlatched state may result in inadvertent opening of the side panel. Therefore, the panel latch assembly 20 of the present disclosure has been developed to provide full latching of the movable side panel 18 in this intermediate position.
Referring now to
During use of the incubator, if the caregiver wishes to move the movable side panel 18 from the upright closed position to the retracted, open position, the caregiver need to depress the upper engagement tab 68 and hold the upper engagement tab 68 in the depressed position as the caregiver rotates the movable side panel 18. The caregiver must rotate the movable side panel 18 far enough until the secondary latch member 82 is moved past the second catch 106. Once this amount of rotation has occurred, the caregiver can release the upper engagement tab 68. Thus, the side panel latch assembly will be in a fully unlatched condition only after the side panel has rotated past the angle 112 shown in
Referring now to
Although the embodiments shown in the disclosure illustrate the latch receptacle mounted to a stationary side panel and the latch base and latch lever mounted to the movable side panel, it is contemplated that this orientation could be reversed. In such a configuration, the latch base and the latch lever would be mounted to a stationary side panel while the latch receptacle would be mounted to the movable side panel. In this alternate orientation, the latch lever and latch receptacle would interact with each other to hold the movable side panel in the upright closed position in a latched position. When the latch lever is depressed, the movement of the primary and secondary latch members would thus allow the rotation of the movable side panel to either the intermediate position or to the fully rotated, open position.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
