Abstract: An inclination adjusting linkage arrangement is disclosed for an open care bed or infant warmer having a mattress supported on a mattress base cantilevered from a columnar or vertically disposed "back bone". The mattress base includes a box like frame over which a sheet is stretched to provide tensioned support for a mattress. Adjustment of the angle of inclination of the mattress base is made possible by the use of a non-parallel arm type system providing a virtual pivot point for the mattress base which may be positioned near the center of the mattress.

Abstract: This invention is a heated corrugated (21) conduit (7) for use in a respiratory humidification system (5). A heater wire (20) within the conduit reduces the occurrence of condensation or "rain out". The heater wire is spirally wound in a helix or double helix with both ends of the wire available for termination at one end of the conduit.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of treating OSA (Obstructve Sleep Apnea) are disclosed wherein a Positive Airway Pressure device is utilized to provide a gases supply which is then passed through a humidifier. As the amount of water vapor generated by the humidifier is very low at start up (typically the humidifier comprises a water container on a heating plate) the pressure of gases supplied by the apparatus are controlled so that the humidity of the gases supplied to a patient are always at the maximum of the capability of the humidifier to humidify that air flow.

Abstract: An electronically commutated brushless DC motor primarily for fractional horsepower applications of the type where at any instant one motor winding is unpowered and used to detect back EMF zero-crossings which information is used to initiate winding commutations. The duration of the pulse produced in this winding due to dissipation of stored energy by free-wheel diodes in parallel with the commutation devices after supply of current has been removed from this winding is used to provide a measure of motor current. This allows for simplified commutation device current limiting circuits and is available for control purposes which are a function of motor torque. There is also disclosed a method for maximizing useful power output by reducing the phase angle between the motor current and the back EMF. This is accomplished by introducing a delay in commutating the motor windings beyond the occurrence of each back EMF zero-crossing, with the delay being a function of the time between commutations.

Abstract: A refrigeration system is disclosed in which temperature regulation and energy efficiency are improved. Each compartment to be cooled is provided with a variable speed fan, the speed of which is controlled dependent on that compartment's temperature, the temperature required of that compartment, and the difference between required and actual temperatures for any other compartments. The temperatures are monitored continually and fan speeds altered so that the compartment furthest from its required temperature receives the most cooling (highest fan speed). An alternative embodiment is also disclosed wherein the speed of one compartment's fan is fixed and the other varied.

Abstract: A home appliance, such as a laundry washing machine or refrigerator including a buzzer designed to sound an alarm or provide an audible indication of a certain condition is disclosed. The appliance may transmit information (such as diagnostic or fault codes and appliance usage information) to a remote service center without the need for a physical connection to a telephone line. The buzzer may be controlled to produce audible tones in a predetermined format which can be transmitted from the appliance, through the air and down a telephone line through a telephone handset to the service center. The signal is recorded at the service center and the data extracted. The data is then analyzed to obtain the fault and/or usage information.

Abstract: An open care bed or infant warmer having a mattress supported on a mattress base cantilevered from a columnar or vertically disposed "back bone". The column carries an infrared radiant heater head at its upper end which directs heat down towards the mattress. The lower end of the column sits on a base of the infant warmer which is provided with castors for transporting the warmer. The mattress base comprises a box like frame over which a sheet is stretched to provide tensioned support for a mattress. The sides of the mattress base are provided with fold down side walls which are normally retained in a vertical position but are lowerable to a horizontal position, by free falling under the control of a friction controlled damping axle configuration. Adjustment of the angle of inclination of the mattress base is made possible by the use of a non-parallel arm type system providing a virtual pivot point for the mattress base which may be positioned near the center of the mattress.

Abstract: A mechanism for adjusting the height of at least a part of an item or article, for example a home appliance such as a refrigerator, dishwasher or laundry washing machine. The device includes two parts and is adapted to replace at least a front foot of the item. A first part of the device is an enlarged diameter thumb wheel which is rotated by a user. The thumb wheel is held within a captive nut within the appliance thus rotation of the thumb wheel increases or decreases the height of the appliance from the floor. The second part of the device is a disk which is held captive within the thumb wheel but which is in contact with the floor. The materials selected and the geometry of the mating surfaces of the two components is chosen such that a low co-efficient of friction is produced between them.

Abstract: An infant warmer for use in a Healthcare environment for the examination and treatment of newborn babies. A column supports an infra-red radiant heater above a support surface on which the baby is positioned. The support source is cantilevered from the column. The column is carried by a base section which is provided with wheels to allow the infant warmer to be easily transported. The base section includes an automated height adjustment mechanism which allows a user to easily adjust the height of the support surface by raising; or lowering the column. The infant warmer is made in a modular fashion to be easily customised for any particular environment or special requirement by constructing the column from a "U" shaped extrusion which allows various Healthcare modules to be inserted as required to suit particular requirements.

Abstract: An evaporation tray for a refrigerator or refrigerator/freezer which is adapted in use to contact a heat producing part of the refrigeration system (such as the compressor or condenser). The tray comprises a rigid frame which supports a flexible membrane designed to receive defrost liquid from the refrigerator or refrigerator/freezer. The frame is designed to sit adjacent the heat producing part so that the flexible membrane is in direct contact with the heat producing part. As the membrane is flexible, it easily deforms to the shape of the heat producing part providing increased heat transfer to liquid in the tray.

Abstract: A refrigerator 1 has a cabinet 2 including a fresh food compartment 5. A door 7 hinged from one side of the refrigerator cabinet 2 is closaeable to enclose the fresh food compartment. A butter conditioner 11 is mounted on the door 7. A refrigerator light 10 is positioned so that with the door 7 in a closed position the butter conditioner 11 is positioned in close proximity to the light 10. The light 7 is operated with the door 7 closed to provide heating effect to the conditioner 11. The conditioner 11 may optionally be a removable thermally insulated container. A heated butter conditioner is mounted in a refrigerator door without an electrical connection across the door hinge.

Abstract: An infrared radiant heater for use in an infant warmer open care bed. The heater includes a curved reflector within a similarly shaped housing. Between the reflector and casing is at least one baffle made of a heat insulating material. The baffle divides the inside of the housing into a number of separate insulating air gaps. In order to ensure that heat is not conducted through the head, spacers protrude from the housing to support the baffles at their required positions maintaining heat insulating air gaps between the heater head components.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the speed of a multi-phase, brushless DC electrically commutated motor (ECM). Voltage is commutated to the windings of the ECM based on rotor position information derived from back EMF or Hall effect sensors. The application of the commutating voltages is arranged such that the voltage applied to the windings always leads the back EMF generated in the windings by a selected constant lead angle. The speed of the motor is then controlled by pulse width modulating (PWM) the voltage applied to the windings of the ECM.

Abstract: A laundry washing machine in which a suitable level of water is automatically determined for any particular load size. The machine is operated to first determine an initial estimation of the clothes load and to then fill to a water level suitable to the initial load estimation. The machine is then operated in such a way to check if the estimated water level is actually sufficient for the clothes load, essentially by determining the resulting load on the laundry machine motor. If the water level is found to be insufficient, then more water is added before the checking routine is carried out once again. When the water level is determined to be suitable for the clothes load, washing is commenced.

Abstract: A laundry machine which has a spray head for spraying liquid into laundry machines into a defined target area. The spray head includes a tubular body with first and second groups of spray nozzles in the body wall located at different longitudinal spacings from the inlet. A pressure operated valve is mounted in the body which in a closed position enables low pressure liquid entering the spray head to exit from the first group of spay nozzles and in an open position enables higher pressure liquid to exit from both the first and second groups of spray nozzles.