Patent US4034740A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4034740A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Temperature controlling methods and apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-10-14
•
Granted: 1977-07-12
•
Expires: 1995-10-14
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for controlling the temperature inside an incubator. The incubator includes a heater for heating the air circulating therein. A temperature controller measures the skin temperature of an infant therein and at least one other temperature within the incubator environment which has a significant effect on the infant's skin temperature. The controller responds to the measured temperatures and other calculated temperatures to either turn on or turn off the incubator air heater so as to keep the temperature difference between the infant's skin and the environment, which affects skin temperature, below a preset maximum. The controller also causes the rate of temperature changes within the incubator to be minimized.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry D. Atherton
- 👤 Neil K. Edwards
- 👤 Paul H. Perlstein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61G; A61G11/00; G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19; G05D23/1917; G05D23/20; A61G2203/00; A61G2203/30; A61G2203/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of controlling the temperature inside an incubator having a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, said method comprising the steps of: a. measuring the temperature of the skin of an infant in the incubator, b. measuring at least one other temperature within said incubator, said other temperature affecting the body temperature of the infant, c. calculating an environment temperature and a control temperature, said environment temperature being a function of at least said other measured temperature and said control temperature being a function of the measured skin temperature of the infant and said environment temperature, said control temperature being equal to the sum of about one half the skin temperature and about one half said environment temperature, and d. turning off said heater when said control temperature exceeds a first predetermined temperature.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of controlling the temperature inside an incubator having a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, said method comprising the steps of: a. measuring the temperature of the skin of an infant in the incubator, b. measuring at least one other temperature within said incubator, said other temperature affecting the body temperature of the infant, c. calculating an environment temperature and a control temperature, said environment temperature being a function of at least said other measured temperature and said control temperature being a function of the measured skin temperature of the infant and said environment temperature, said control temperature being equal to the sum of about one half the skin temperature and about one half said environment temperature, and d. turning off said heater when said control temperature exceeds a first predetermined temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined temperature is about 35.5° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of turning off said heater when the skin temperature exceeds a second predetermined temperature, or when the difference between said environment temperature and said skin temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature difference.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said first predetermined temperature is about 35.5° C, said second predetermined temperature is about 36.5° C, and said predetermined temperature difference is within the approximate range of about 2.0° C to about 3.0° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said one other temperature is the temperature of air within said incubator.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
213 words
A method of controlling the temperature inside an incubator having a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, said method comprising the steps of: a. measuring the temperature of the air inside said incubator, said temperature affecting the body temperature of an infant within said incubator, b. measuring the temperature of the skin of the infant in the incubator, c. calculating an environment temperature and a control temperature, said environment temperature being a function of at least the measured air temperature, and said control temperature being a function of the measured skin temperature of the infant and said environment temperature, d. providing an upper skin temperature adaptive limit, and e. turning off said heater when said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit, f. said upper control temperature limit being determined by providing an initial control temperature and lowering said initial control temperature at a predetermined rate, when the skin temperature exceeds said upper skin temperature adaptive limit for a time exceeding a predetermined time period, until the skin temperature equals or falls below said upper skin temperature adaptive limit or said upper control temperature limit falls to a predetermined lower limit temperature therefor, said predetermined rate being low enough to prevent infant apnea due to changing temperature inside the incubator.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
213 words
A method of controlling the temperature inside an incubator having a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, said method comprising the steps of: a. measuring the temperature of the air inside said incubator, said temperature affecting the body temperature of an infant within said incubator, b. measuring the temperature of the skin of the infant in the incubator, c. calculating an environment temperature and a control temperature, said environment temperature being a function of at least the measured air temperature, and said control temperature being a function of the measured skin temperature of the infant and said environment temperature, d. providing an upper skin temperature adaptive limit, and e. turning off said heater when said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit, f. said upper control temperature limit being determined by providing an initial control temperature and lowering said initial control temperature at a predetermined rate, when the skin temperature exceeds said upper skin temperature adaptive limit for a time exceeding a predetermined time period, until the skin temperature equals or falls below said upper skin temperature adaptive limit or said upper control temperature limit falls to a predetermined lower limit temperature therefor, said predetermined rate being low enough to prevent infant apnea due to changing temperature inside the incubator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said predetermined time period is at least about five minutes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as in claim 6 wherein said predetermined rate is about 0.01° C per minute.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said initial control temperature is about 35.5° C, said upper skin temperature adaptive limit is about 36.0° C, and said predetermined lower limit temperature is about 34.5° C.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of controlling the temperature inside an incubator having a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, said method comprising the steps of: a. measuring the temperature of the air inside said incubator, said temperature affecting the body temperature of an infant within said incubator, b. measuring the temperature of the skin of the infant in the incubator, c. calculating an environment temperature and a control temperature, said environment temperature being a function of at least the measured air temperature, and said control temperature being a function of the measured skin temperature of the infant and said environment temperature, d. providing a lower skin temperature adaptive limit, and e. turning off said heater when said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit, f. said upper control temperature limit being determined by providing an initial control temperature and increasing said initial control temperature at a predetermined rate, when the skin temperature falls below said lower skin temperature adaptive limit for a time exceeding a first predetermined time period and the length of time since said heater was last turned off does not exceed a second predetermined time period, until the skin temperature equals or exceeds said lower skin temperature adaptive limit or said upper control temperature limit rises to a predetermined upper limit temperature therefor, said predetermined rate being low enough to prevent infant apnea due to changing temperature inside the incubator.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
234 words
A method of controlling the temperature inside an incubator having a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, said method comprising the steps of: a. measuring the temperature of the air inside said incubator, said temperature affecting the body temperature of an infant within said incubator, b. measuring the temperature of the skin of the infant in the incubator, c. calculating an environment temperature and a control temperature, said environment temperature being a function of at least the measured air temperature, and said control temperature being a function of the measured skin temperature of the infant and said environment temperature, d. providing a lower skin temperature adaptive limit, and e. turning off said heater when said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit, f. said upper control temperature limit being determined by providing an initial control temperature and increasing said initial control temperature at a predetermined rate, when the skin temperature falls below said lower skin temperature adaptive limit for a time exceeding a first predetermined time period and the length of time since said heater was last turned off does not exceed a second predetermined time period, until the skin temperature equals or exceeds said lower skin temperature adaptive limit or said upper control temperature limit rises to a predetermined upper limit temperature therefor, said predetermined rate being low enough to prevent infant apnea due to changing temperature inside the incubator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said first and said second predetermined time period is each at least about five minutes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said predetermined rate is about 0.01° C per minute.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said initial control temperature is about 35.5° C, said lower skin temperature adaptive limit is about 35.5° C, and said predetermined upper limit temperature is about 36.5° C.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
327 words
A method of controlling the temperature inside an incubator having a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, said method comprising the steps of: a. measuring the temperature of the air inside said incubator, said air temperature affecting the body temperature of the infant, b. measuring the temperature of the skin of an infant in the incubator, c. calculating an environment temperature and a control temperature, said environment temperature being a function of at least the measured air temperature, and said control temperature being a function of the measured skin temperature of the infant and said environment temperature, d. providing an upper and a lower skin temperature adaptive limit, and e. turning off said heater when (1) the air temperature exceeds a first predetermined temperature, or (2) the skin temperature exceeds a second predetermined temperature, or (3) said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit, or (4) the difference between said environment temperature and the skin temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature difference, f. said upper control temperature limit varying between predetermined upper and lower temperature limits therefor, and (1) automatically decreasing at a predetermined rate, when the skin temperature exceeds said upper skin temperature adaptive limit for a time exceeding a first predetermined time period, until the skin temperature equals or falls below said upper skin temperature adaptive limit or said upper control temperature limit falls to said predetermined lower limit therefor, and (2) automatically increasing at said predetermined rate, when the skin temperature falls below said lower skin temperature adaptive limit for a time exceeding a second predetermined time period and the length of time since said heater was last turned off does not exceed a third predetermined time period, until the skin temperature equals or exceeds said lower skin temperature adaptive limit or said upper control temperature limit rises to said predetermined upper limit temperature therefor; said predetermined rate being low enough to prevent infant apnea due to changing temperature inside the incubator.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
327 words
A method of controlling the temperature inside an incubator having a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, said method comprising the steps of: a. measuring the temperature of the air inside said incubator, said air temperature affecting the body temperature of the infant, b. measuring the temperature of the skin of an infant in the incubator, c. calculating an environment temperature and a control temperature, said environment temperature being a function of at least the measured air temperature, and said control temperature being a function of the measured skin temperature of the infant and said environment temperature, d. providing an upper and a lower skin temperature adaptive limit, and e. turning off said heater when (1) the air temperature exceeds a first predetermined temperature, or (2) the skin temperature exceeds a second predetermined temperature, or (3) said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit, or (4) the difference between said environment temperature and the skin temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature difference, f. said upper control temperature limit varying between predetermined upper and lower temperature limits therefor, and (1) automatically decreasing at a predetermined rate, when the skin temperature exceeds said upper skin temperature adaptive limit for a time exceeding a first predetermined time period, until the skin temperature equals or falls below said upper skin temperature adaptive limit or said upper control temperature limit falls to said predetermined lower limit therefor, and (2) automatically increasing at said predetermined rate, when the skin temperature falls below said lower skin temperature adaptive limit for a time exceeding a second predetermined time period and the length of time since said heater was last turned off does not exceed a third predetermined time period, until the skin temperature equals or exceeds said lower skin temperature adaptive limit or said upper control temperature limit rises to said predetermined upper limit temperature therefor; said predetermined rate being low enough to prevent infant apnea due to changing temperature inside the incubator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
197 words
A control system for use in combination with an incubator adapted to receive an infant therein including a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, to control said air heater comprising: an incubator having top, bottom and side walls and a heater therein, at least one first temperature sensor means disposed within said incubator to produce signals indicative of at least one temperature within said incubator said temperature affecting, through the body temperature of the infant, a second temperature sensor means adapted to be placed on the skin of the infant in the incubator to produce signals indicative of skin temperature, means operatively associated with each of said sensor means and responsive to said temperature signals produced by said first sensor means to produce signals indicative of an environment temperature and responsive to said skin temperature signals and said environment temperature signals for producing signals indicative of a control temperature, wherein said control temperature is equal to the sum of about one half the skin temperature and about one half said environment temperature, and means responsive to said control temperature signals to turn off said heater when said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
197 words
A control system for use in combination with an incubator adapted to receive an infant therein including a heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, to control said air heater comprising: an incubator having top, bottom and side walls and a heater therein, at least one first temperature sensor means disposed within said incubator to produce signals indicative of at least one temperature within said incubator said temperature affecting, through the body temperature of the infant, a second temperature sensor means adapted to be placed on the skin of the infant in the incubator to produce signals indicative of skin temperature, means operatively associated with each of said sensor means and responsive to said temperature signals produced by said first sensor means to produce signals indicative of an environment temperature and responsive to said skin temperature signals and said environment temperature signals for producing signals indicative of a control temperature, wherein said control temperature is equal to the sum of about one half the skin temperature and about one half said environment temperature, and means responsive to said control temperature signals to turn off said heater when said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
The control system of claim 15 additionally including means responsive to said skin temperature signals and said control temperature signals for gradually decreasing said upper control temperature limit, at a rate low enough to prevent infant apnea due to temperature change, when said skin temperature remains above an upper skin temperature adaptive limit for a predetermined time.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The control system of claim 16 wherein said means is additionally operative to prevent said upper control temperature limit from falling below a predetermined lower limit therefor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
57 words
The control system of claim 15 additionally including means responsive to said skin temperature signals and said control temperature signals to gradually increase said upper control temperature limit, at a rate low enough to prevent infant apnea due to temperature change, when said skin temperature remains below a lower skin temperature adaptive limit for a predetermined time.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 18 wherein said means is additionally operative to prevent said upper control temperature limit from rising above a predetermined upper limit therefor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said first temperature sensor means senses and produces signals indicative of air temperature inside said incubator.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
249 words
A control system for use in combination with an incubator adapted to receive an infant therein including an air heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, to control said air heater comprising: an incubator having top, bottom and side walls and a heater therein, a plurality of first temperature sensor means disposed within said incubator to produce signals indicative of temperatures within said incubator, said temperatures affecting the body temperature of the infant, a temperature sensor means adapted to be placed on the skin of the infant in the incubator to produce signals indicative of skin temperature, means operatively associated with each of said sensor means and by said first temperature sensor means to produce signals indicative of an environment temperature and responsive to said skin temperature signals and said environment temperature signals for producing signals indicative of a control temperature and signals indicative of the difference between said environment temperature and said skin temperature, and means responsive to said temperature signals produced by said first temperature sensor means and skin temperature signals, said control temperature signals, and said signals indicative of the difference between said environment temperature and said skin temperature to turn off said heater when the temperature sensed by one of said first temperature sensors exceeds a first predetermined temperature, or said skin temperature exceeds a second predetermined temperature, or said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit, or the difference between said environment temperature and said skin temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature difference.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
249 words
A control system for use in combination with an incubator adapted to receive an infant therein including an air heater for supplying warm air to said incubator, to control said air heater comprising: an incubator having top, bottom and side walls and a heater therein, a plurality of first temperature sensor means disposed within said incubator to produce signals indicative of temperatures within said incubator, said temperatures affecting the body temperature of the infant, a temperature sensor means adapted to be placed on the skin of the infant in the incubator to produce signals indicative of skin temperature, means operatively associated with each of said sensor means and by said first temperature sensor means to produce signals indicative of an environment temperature and responsive to said skin temperature signals and said environment temperature signals for producing signals indicative of a control temperature and signals indicative of the difference between said environment temperature and said skin temperature, and means responsive to said temperature signals produced by said first temperature sensor means and skin temperature signals, said control temperature signals, and said signals indicative of the difference between said environment temperature and said skin temperature to turn off said heater when the temperature sensed by one of said first temperature sensors exceeds a first predetermined temperature, or said skin temperature exceeds a second predetermined temperature, or said control temperature exceeds an upper control temperature limit, or the difference between said environment temperature and said skin temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature difference.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as in claim 21 wherein said one of said first temperature sensors is adapted to produce signals indicative of air temperature inside the incubator.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2098316A
Cited
US2353536A
Cited
US2641248A
Cited
US3005673A
Cited
US2975261A
Cited
US3076451A
Cited
US3187744A
Cited
US3158150A
Cited
US3335713A
Cited
US3326203A
Cited
US3452744A
Cited
US3470866A
Cited
US3338233A
Cited
US3464388A
Cited
GB1232048A
Cited
US3529590A
Cited
US3529131A
Cited
US3705576A
Cited
US3789853A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-07-11 | 1981-01-10 | 1981-07-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-07-11 | 1985-01-10 | 1985-07-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-07-11 | 1989-01-10 | 1989-07-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |