Abstract: A method is provided for affixing a wristlet to the side of an incubator. The side is a double walled side having an inner wall and an outer wall with a space between those walls. Both the outer and inner walls have handhole openings that are in alignment when the inner and outer walls are affixed together to allow a person to insert an arm through the openings. A flexible handhole is affixed within the opening in the outer wall and extending inwardly toward the incubator interior through the inner wall. That handhole has an annular flange that extends outwardly and a wristlet having an outer peripheral portion having an elastic member is affixed to the handhole by encircling the annular flange. The inner wall is removably affixed with respect to the outer wall and when affixed to the outer wall, the inner wall sandwiches the outer periphery of the wristlet between that inner wall and the annular flange.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the initial start up of a radiant heater used in an infant care apparatus. The system and method provides power to the radiant heater in excess of the 100% rated power of the heater for an initial period of time to cause a more rapid heating of the heater. The system utilizes an initial set power for the heater to determine the period of time that the heater is provided the excess power and discontinues that excess power after the determined period of time so tha the control of the heater is returned to a normal heating algorithm to thereafter provide the control of power to the heater. By use of the excess power upon initial start-up of the radiant heater, the heater more rapidly provides heat to an infant being cared for in the infant care apparatus.

Abstract: A humidifier for use with an infant incubator is disclosed that has a housing and a reservoir. The reservoir is pivotally affixed to the housing so that it can be tilted from its upright position where it actively provides the heated water vapor to the incubator and a tilted position where water can be added to the reservoir. A heater extends into the reservoir to heat a localized volume of water. The reservoir is also removable from the housing but is constrained in its movement generally along the axis of the heater so as to prevent damage to the heater if the reservoir is immediately tilted during its removal or reinstallation.

Abstract: A medical monitoring instrument such as a pulse oximeter uses vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes (VCSELs) to produce at least two high intensity, essentially monochromatic light beams. The VCSELs are located either in: (1) the probe itself, (2) the connector to the probe, or (3) the monitor box connected with an optical fiber to the probe.

Abstract: An infant care center or infant care warmer having as it source of heat, a radiant heater that includes a reflector in the shape of a quadratic surface of revolution consisting of a paraboloid, an ellipsoid or a hyperboloid. The shape allows the heater to be positioned at the head of the infant care apparatus and out of the way of the attending personnel and yet deliver sufficient heat to provide warmth to the infant. An infrared energy emitter is positioned at substantially the focal point of the geometric configuration of the reflector to provide radiant energy to be reflected toward an infant resting on a planar surface underneath the heater. While out of the way of the infant and the attending personnel, the radiant heater provides a generally uniform footprint of heat to the infant.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus is provided that has easily removable side doors. The doors have hinges with bores and pie shaped openings extending outwardly from the bores. A bar secures the doors to the infant care apparatus and that bar has a plurality of grooves that readily pass through the pie shaped openings. The diameter of the bar is such as to snugly fit within the bore and be held therein. The bar is movable with respect to the door hinges so that the bar can be moved from one position where the bar is fitted within the bores to sturdily affix the door to the infant apparatus and to another position where the grooves are aligned with the bores and where the door can be detached and reattached by sliding the grooves through the pie shaped openings. In the preferred embodiment, the bar is spring biased along its axis so that it can be moved in either direction along its axis to allow the door to be removed and reattached.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus that has a canopy that can be moved vertically with respect to an infant pedestal on which the infant is positioned. In the preferred embodiment, the canopy contain 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. The canopy is affixed to a movable frame member that is, in turn, movably mounted on a stationary frame member. A constant force spring or springs are used to interconnect between the stationary frame member and the movable frame member and the springs are designed so as to achieve a counterbalancing of the canopy and associated components such that the weight of such canopy and components is neutralized. Thus, a standard, inexpensive motor can be used to raise and lower the canopy without complex synchronization between two motors and yet the unit moves smoothly and without misalignment.

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 at or nearing the upper position so that the heater can direct energy toward the infant to warm the infant when acting as an infant warmer. The doors close at or shortly after the heater commences movement to the lower position. When closed, the doors isolate the heater to prevent the inadvertent touching of the heater by the infant or attending personnel and prevents the further radiating of infrared energy towards the infant. The mechanism operates automatically without any reminder to the user or action by the user.

Abstract: A method and system for rapid control of set inspired gas concentration is disclosed for operating a medical anesthesia delivery system and for controlling the flow and concentration of gases and anesthesia vapor delivered to a patient. Control of the inspired gas and agent concentration is accomplished by operating in different control priority modes. In a flow priority control mode, the user may set, either directly or indirectly, the total fresh gas flow rate. The total fresh gas flow rate can then be slowly be varied by the control algorithm, while the vaporizer concentration is actively controlled to achieve the user set inspired gas concentration. The invention includes a process for switching from the flow priority control mode into a concentration priority mode for low flow rates. By throttling the flow, the patient will receive nearly an instantaneous change in the amount of agent and fresh gas without having the transport delay associated with a change in the agent concentration.

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: A respiratory therapy apparatus that delivers a predetermined precise volume of a therapeutic gas to a patient upon each inhalation of the patient. The apparatus has a flow sensing device and a valve that opens and closes to deliver the pulse to the patient. A CPU controls the open time of the valve and also uses the flow to the patient determined by the flow sensing device and the time the valve is in the open position to determine the volume of therapeutic gas to the patient. A user input device communicates a user desired volume to be delivered to the patient and the CPU compares the user input desired volume with the calculated volume and adjusts the time the valve is in the open position to cause the apparatus to deliver to the patient the precise desired volume inputted by the user. In one embodiment the system senses and used the ambient temperature and ambient pressure to determine the correct volume of gas delivered to the patient.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus such as an incubator or infant warmer having a mattress for supporting the infant on an infant platform that can, at times, by fully rotated 360 degrees to obtain full access to the infant. In the incubator, a translation platform can be slid into and out of the infant compartment and the mattress tray is pivoted to that translation platform so as to rotate at a pivot point that connects the mattress tray to the translation platform. Accordingly, when all of the doors of the infant incubator are in the closed position, the mattress tray is constrained from rotational movement but that mattress tray can be rotated a full 360 degrees whenever both doors are open or when the translation platform has been moved to a position at least partially exterior of the infant compartment. In all, the apparatus provides easy and convenient access to the infant for carrying out procedures on the infant while it is still supported by the infant care apparatus.

Abstract: The humidity and/or temperature of a gas sample is monitored so that these system parameters can be accounted and/or actively monitored and controlled. In one embodiment, a gas analyzer system (10) includes an input flowline (12) for receiving a sample stream from a patient respiratory circuit via a patient input module (14), an analyzer instrument (16) for obtaining composition information regarding the gas sample, a humidity sensor module (18) containing a temperature sensor (40) and a humidity sensor (42), and a vacuum pump (22) for drawing the gas sample through the analyzer system (10). A processor (28) receives information from the analyzer instrument (16) and the humidity sensor module (18) and determines composition information regarding the gas sample based on such inputs. The analyzer system (10) thereby allows for improved composition measurements and for monitoring the humidity of the gas sample to stay within specifications or preferred operating ranges of certain analyzer instruments.

Abstract: A nitric oxide delivery system is disclosed that delivers a pulsed volume of NO containing therapeutic gas to a patient upon each inhalation of the patient. The NO delivery system includes certain functions to provide protection against the inadvertent inclusion of NO.sub.2 in the therapeutic gas administered to the patient. One of the functions is to provide a purge upon start up of the delivery system apparatus that clears the regulator and conduits of any NO.sub.2 that may have formed during the prior idle period of the system. A detector determines the start-up and may automatically carry out the purge cycle or may cause a prompt that is visual or audible to remind the user to carry out the purge cycle manually.

Abstract: A system that enables the accurate monitoring of tidal volume of a patient when using a Bain, Mapleson D or similar type of patient breathing circuit in an anesthesia system. The system allows the use of flow sensors positioned at the machine or distal end of the patient breathing circuit and not at the less desirable patient or proximal end of the patient breathing circuit. Thus, the flow sensors can be positioned out of the way of the patient and will provide a measurement of the tidal volume of the patient. A CPU is used to take into account, the additional fresh gas provided to the patient breathing circuit during the expiration cycle to correct the flow monitored in the main breathing tube that supplies the gas to the patient from a ventilator or breathing bag.

Abstract: A container (2) for a liquid anaesthetic agent for supplying the agent to an anaesthetic vaporizer comprises a reservoir for the liquid agent, a valve (6) which, when closed, prevents the flow of the liquid agent from the reservoir, a tubular outlet (10) through which the liquid can leave the reservoir when the valve is open. An O-ring (20) at the free end of the conduit provides a sealing surface for forming a seal with a corresponding sealing surface provided at an inlet to a vaporizer to which the anaesthetic agent is to be supplied. A flange (22) engages a guide on the vaporizer, to retain the container in contact with the vaporizer.

Abstract: An apnea detection system is disclosed for use with a medical ventilator and which detects the volume of gas delivered by the ventilator to a patient and also the volume of gas exhaled by the patient. The two flow measurements are compared, preferably in a microprocessor, to determine whether an apnea condition exists by comparing, against a known standard, the two detected volumes. The volume of the exhaled gas must be a predetermined percentage of the volume of gas delivered to the patient within a predetermined time period or an alarm is activated indicating an apnea condition.

Abstract: A respiratory therapy apparatus is disclosed that delivers a pulsed volume of NO containing therapeutic gas to a patient upon each inhalation of the patient. The NO delivery system includes certain functions to provide protection against the inadvertent formation of NO.sub.2 through the reaction of NO and O.sub.2 within the device itself. Since the formation of NO.sub.2 is a time based reaction, the delivery system includes a timer that monitors the elapsed time the passes between pulses of a NO containing therapy gas to the patient. In the event that time exceeds a predetermined period, thereby raising the possibility that sufficient time has passed to potentially have toxic concentrations of NO.sub.2 formed, the delivery device automatically itself delivers the pulse of NO containing gas to the patient and which clears the conduits, passageways and the like within the device to rid the device of any NO.sub.2 that may have formed.

Abstract: A respiratory therapy apparatus that delivers a predetermined pulsed dose of a therapeutic gas to a patient upon inhalation of the patient. The system has separate conduits for the supply of the therapeutic gas at a high concentration and for the supply of a diluent gas. The therapeutic gas conduit has a control valve that is accurately controlled to open and close so as to deliver a precise dose of the high concentration therapeutic gas. The diluent gas conduit has means to ensure there is sufficient flow of diluent gas to ensure the said high concentration therapy gas is diluted to a safe concentration. A third conduit receives the gases from both the first and second conduits so that the gases are mixed together and administered to the patient. By this system, the therapeutic gas supply can be of a high, otherwise harmful, concentration and the therapeutic gas is diluted prior to introduction to the patient.

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.