Abstract: An incubator for use in caring for an infant having an infant platform underlying the infant and a plurality of sides extending upwardly from the infant platform and having a cover to form therein an infant compartment surrounding the infant in a controlled environment. A convective heating system is located in a heating and air moving compartment located beneath the infant and which serves to force heated air into the infant compartment to heat the infant and to withdraw return air from the infant compartment for re-circulation. The heated air is forced into the infant compartment through openings formed in the infant platform along both of the longitudinal sides of the generally rectangular infant compartment and then through double walls to emerge generally at the top of the infant compartment. The return air leaves the infant compartment through opening formed in the infant platform along both of the ends of the infant platform.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus that has a canopy that can be moved vertically with respect to an infant platform on which the infant is positioned. The canopy contains a radiant heater that can be moved from a lower position enclosing the infant in an infant compartment to an upper position where the infant compartment is open and the radiant heater provides radiant energy to warm the infant. When the canopy is in its lower position there is a convective heating system that provides a forced flow of heated air to the infant compartment to heat the infant. The convective heating system includes a heater, a fan and various ducting and passageways in the infant platform that conduct the heated air to the infant compartment and receive air from that compartment for re-circulation.

Abstract: An infant warming apparatus that functions both as an infant incubator as well as an infant warmer. The apparatus has a heater that moves vertically with respect to an infant support during the change in function between an infant incubator and infant warmer. A powered motive system, such as an electric motor, powers the movement of the heater between its upper and its lower positions. The heater also has a door or doors that are open when the heater is in it upper position so that the heater can direct energy toward the infant to warm the infant when acting as an infant warmer. When closed, the doors isolate the heater to prevent the inadvertent touching of the heater by the infant or attending personnel. A safety interlock system is provided that prevents the heater from being activated unless it is in its upper position and the door or doors are fully open.

Abstract: A heated humidifier for an infant incubator wherein the water in the water reservoir is heated by an active heater located above the surface of the water and a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the active heater and which extends downwardly to a point beneath the water surface to heat the water. In the preferred embodiment, the heat exchanger is an extruded member in the shape of an I-beam to transfer the heat from an electric heater above the surface of the water to heat the volume of water in the reservoir to create water vapor.

Abstract: A heated humidifier for an infant incubator wherein the water in the water reservoir is heated by an active heater located above the surface of the water and a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the active heater and which extends downwardly to a point beneath the water surface to heat the water. In the preferred embodiment, the heat exchanger is an extruded member in the shape of an I-beam to transfer the heat from an electric heater above the surface of the water to heat the volume of water in the reservoir to create water vapor.

Abstract: A heated humidifier for an infant incubator wherein the flow of air through the humidifier that picks up water vapor from the surface of the water is controlled in response to the temperature of the heater used to heat the water. In the preferred embodiment, the heater is an active heater located above the surface of the water and includes an extruded heat exchanger that depends downwardly from the heater to below the level of the water. A thermal actuator is located in good heat transfer association with the extruded heat exchanger at a point above the surface of the water and that thermal actuator controls the position of a valve in the outlet of the humidifier.