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US4048684A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Infant waterbed

Assignee: Leland Stanford Junior University
•
Filing: 1975-12-10
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Granted: 1977-09-20
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Expires: 1995-12-10
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Abstract

Abstract An infant waterbed for use in an incubator is disclosed that comprises a tray, a flexible mattress that sits in the tray and holds a fluid, such as water, that is capable of supporting an infant, a cover that fits over the top of the tray to separate the infant from the mattress, a frame that surrounds the cover and fits over the edge of the tray to hold the cover in place, and an oscillator that includes a bladder that sits under the mattress and means for inflating and deflating the bladder randomly at a predetermined frequency. Compensatory vestibular-proprioceptive stimulation is imparted to premature infants by placing them on the above described oscillating waterbed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Anneliese F. Korner
  • 👤 Robert L. Piziali
  • 👤 Orval T. Ellsworth

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 23:51
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61H; A61H31/00; A61H31/008; A61H1/00; A61H1/001; A61H23/00; A61H23/04; A61H31/004; A61H31/005; A61H31/006; A61H9/00; A61H9/005; A61H9/0078; A61H2201/00; A61H2201/01; A61H2201/0103; A61H2201/0119; A61H2201/0138; A61H2201/0142; A61H2201/12; A61H2201/1238; A61H2201/50; A61H2201/5058; A61H2203/00; A61H2203/04; A61H2203/0443; A61H2203/0456

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 139 words
An infant waterbed comprising: p1 a. a tray that has a recess; b. a flexible mattress that sits in the recess of the tray for holding a fluid medium capable of supporting an infant; c. a first bladder that sits in the recess in contact with the mattress; d. a second bladder that is inflated with a predetermined volume of fluid in its normal state; e. a conduit interconnecting the first bladder and the second bladder; f. means for compressing the second bladder intermittently and randomly at a predetermined average frequency whereby the fluid is forced from the second bladder through the conduit into the first bladder when the second bladder is compressed; and g. means for forcing the fluid from the first bladder back through the conduit into the second bladder when the second bladder is not compressed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 139 words
An infant waterbed comprising: p1 a. a tray that has a recess; b. a flexible mattress that sits in the recess of the tray for holding a fluid medium capable of supporting an infant; c. a first bladder that sits in the recess in contact with the mattress; d. a second bladder that is inflated with a predetermined volume of fluid in its normal state; e. a conduit interconnecting the first bladder and the second bladder; f. means for compressing the second bladder intermittently and randomly at a predetermined average frequency whereby the fluid is forced from the second bladder through the conduit into the first bladder when the second bladder is compressed; and g. means for forcing the fluid from the first bladder back through the conduit into the second bladder when the second bladder is not compressed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
The infant waterbed of claim 1 including: h. cover means that fits over the recess of the tray for separating the infant from the mattress.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
The infant waterbed of claim 2 including: i. means on that tray for attaching infant immobilizing means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3085568A Cited
US3392723A Cited
US3419923A Cited
US3335717A Cited
US3602186A Cited
US3672354A Cited
US3736604A Cited
US3707735A Cited
US3872526A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-09-19 1981-03-21 1981-09-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-09-19 1985-03-21 1985-09-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-09-19 1989-03-21 1989-09-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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