Baby incubator

Claim 2

A baby incubator comprising a base, an infant support on said base, wall forming members located adjacent the sides of said base and support and spaced from the edges of said support, means for mounting said wall forming members for vertical movement with respect to said base and support from a raised position in which they extend upward about the sides of said support to a lowered position affording access to said support from the sides thereof, means for directing conditioned air upward through the space between said support and wall forming members and over the inner surface of at least one of said wall forming members while said members are in said raised position, and means carried by said wall forming members for deflecting such air inward over said support when said members are in said lowered position.

Claim 3

A baby incubator as defined in claim 1 wherein a cover extends over said support in a position to cooperate with said wall forming membeRs when said members are in said raised position to provide an enclosure for said infant support.

Claim 4

A baby incubator comprising a base, an infant support on said base, wall forming members connected together to form a unit surrounding said base and support, means for mounting said unit for vertical telescoping movement with respect to the base and support from a raised position in which the upper edges of said wall forming members project upward a substantial distance above said support to a lowered position in which the upper edges of said wall forming members are positioned adjacent said support, at least a portion of said wall forming members being spaced from said support, and means for circulating conditioned air upward through said space, over the inner surfaces of said wall forming members and over said infant support.

Claim 5

A baby incubator comprising a base, an infant support on said base, wall forming members connected together to form a unit surrounding said base and support, means for mounting said unit for vertical telescoping movement with respect to the base and support from a raised position in which the upper edges of said wall forming members project upward a substantial distance above said support to a lowered position in which the upper edges of said wall forming members are positioned adjacent said support, at least a portion of said wall forming members being spaced from said support, and means for circulating conditioned air upward through said space, over the inner surfaces of said wall forming members and over said infant support.

Claim 6

A baby incubator as defined in claim 3 wherein said support is substantially rectangular and said wall forming members extend vertically adjacent the sides of said support, at least one of said wall forming members being transparent.

Claim 7

A baby incubator as defined in claim 3 wherein means are provided for directing heated air upward adjacent the inner surfaces of said wall forming members.

Claim 8

A baby incubator as defined in claim 3 wherein at least some of said wall forming members are provided with inwardly inclined air deflecting means located adjacent the upper edges thereof.

Claim 9

A baby incubator comprising a base, an infant support on said base, wall forming members connected together as a unit extending about the sides of said support and spaced therefrom, means for mounting said unit for vertical movement into and out of a raised position in which they extend upwardly about the sides of said support, a cover extending over said support and spaced vertically therefrom, a column extending upward adjacent one of said wall forming members, said cover being mounted on said column and positioned to cooperate with said wall forming members to form an enclosure extending about and over said support when said unit is in said raised position, air conditioning means in said base, and means for circulating air from said air conditioning means through the space between the support and wall forming members to said column for return to said air conditioning means.

Claim 10

A baby incubator comprising a base, an infant support on said base, wall forming members connected together as a unit extending about the sides of said support and spaced therefrom, means for mounting said unit for vertical movement into and out of a raised position in which they extend upwardly about the sides of said support, a cover extending over said support and spaced vertically therefrom, a column extending upward adjacent one of said wall forming members, said cover being mounted on said column and positioned to cooperate with said wall forming members to form an enclosure extending about and over said support when said unit is in said raised position, air conditioning means in said base, and means for circulating air from said air conditioning means through the space between the support and wall forming members to said column for return to said air conditioning means.

Claim 11

A baby incubator as defined in claim 7 wherein said cover is yieldably mounted on said column.

Claim 12

A baby incubator as defined in claim 7 wherein means are provided for circulating conditioned air through the space about said support including an air duct located within said column and communicating with said space.

Claim 13

A baby incubator as defined in claim 9 wherein there is a base located below said support and having air conditioning means therein, said column has an air duct therein communicating at its upper end with the space beneath said cover and communicating at its lower end with said air conditioning means, and means are provided for circulating air through said space, said duct and said air conditioning means.

Claim 14

A baby incubator comprising a base, a generally rectangular infant support mounted on said base, wall forming members extending upward from said base on all four sides of said support, said wall forming members having the upper edges thereof located at a level above said support and cooperating to define an enclosure which extends about the sides of said support but is open at the top, the opening at the top of said enclosure being generally coextensive with the support whereby the support is substantially wholly exposed to provide access to a supported infant, at least two of said wall forming members located at opposite sides of said support being spaced from the support to define air passages therebetween at said opposite sides of the support, and having inwardly inclined air deflecting means adjacent the upper edges thereof, means below the support and including a blower for establishing at least one pair of air curtains flowing upwardly thRough the air passages between said support and said opposite wall forming members and over the inner surfaces thereof into contact with said air deflecting means so that said air curtains will be directed inwardly into impinging contact adjacent the open top of said enclosure and above a patient resting on said support and will thereafter exit through the open top of the enclosure and means in said base for conditioning the air forming said air curtain.

Claim 15

A baby incubator comprising a base, a generally rectangular infant support mounted on said base, wall forming members extending upward from said base on all four sides of said support, said wall forming members having the upper edges thereof located at a level above said support and cooperating to define an enclosure which extends about the sides of said support but is open at the top, the opening at the top of said enclosure being generally coextensive with the support whereby the support is substantially wholly exposed to provide access to a supported infant, at least two of said wall forming members located at opposite sides of said support being spaced from the support to define air passages therebetween at said opposite sides of the support, and having inwardly inclined air deflecting means adjacent the upper edges thereof, means below the support and including a blower for establishing at least one pair of air curtains flowing upwardly thRough the air passages between said support and said opposite wall forming members and over the inner surfaces thereof into contact with said air deflecting means so that said air curtains will be directed inwardly into impinging contact adjacent the open top of said enclosure and above a patient resting on said support and will thereafter exit through the open top of the enclosure and means in said base for conditioning the air forming said air curtain.

Claim 16

A baby incubator as defined in claim 11 wherein at least a portion of the air utilized in establishing said air barrier is recirculated through said air conditioning means.

Claim 17

A baby incubator as defined in claim 11 wherein a cover member is located above said wall forming members, and said wall forming members and cover member are relatively movable into and out of a position wherein they enclose said infant support.