Infant incubator steam humidification system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a steam humidification system for an infant incubator, comprising a humidification system consisting of a water box, a heating unit, and a silencer unit. The humidification system is disposed outside the infant incubator by installing a hanger unit, generally located outside the infant incubator's air duct circulation system. The water box is mounted on the hanger unit. The heating unit is inserted into the water box and is used to heat the water in the water box into steam and transmit it to the silencer unit. The silencer unit has a labyrinthine steam flow channel for transmitting steam from the heating unit to the interior of the infant incubator. Because the steam humidification system of the present application is disposed entirely outside the infant incubator, steam can directly enter the infant incubator's air duct circulation cavity without the need for any pipelines, facilitating overall disassembly and internal cleaning and disinfection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an infant incubator, and in particular to a steam humidification system for an infant incubator. Background Art

[0002] Infant incubators are mainly used for the treatment and care of infants (such as premature infants or newborns). Therefore, it is necessary to provide a precise culture environment for the infants to ensure their growth and development. Especially for premature infants, it is necessary to provide them with a growth environment similar to the mother's womb. At this time, the humidification system of the infant incubator plays a key role: the humidification system can humidify the air inside the incubator to ensure that the circulating air inside the incubator has a constant humidity to meet the needs of the infant's growth and development.

[0003] There are many kinds of humidification systems for infant incubators on the market (such as ordinary natural humidification, inverted steam humidification, pumping water box heating humidification, etc.), but they are all built-in structures (the humidification system is embedded in the incubator as a whole, and the water box and heating mechanism are directly placed inside the air duct circulation). This structure has certain disadvantages during use: 1. It only has natural humidification state and cannot meet the special requirements of high humidity; 2. The humidification system has a complex structure and is not convenient to disassemble, clean and sterilize. Bacteria are easily bred in dead corners, which will pollute the internal environment of the incubator and pose a major safety hazard; 3. If the water box is in an inverted structure, similar to the water dispenser in daily life, not only the whole The body structure is complex, and because the water box is inverted and the water inlet is relatively small, the inside of the water box cannot be thoroughly cleaned. After long-term use, dirt will form at the corners and bottom of the water box, breeding bacteria. The humidification inside the incubator needs to be connected to the air duct circulation through pipes. The large amount of water stains remaining inside the pipes will also breed bacteria, which can seriously endanger the life safety of the child. 4. If the water box is a pull-out integral embedded structure, not only is the structure more complicated, but it is also inconvenient to operate and add water, and there is no water shortage alarm reminder. The water level can only be determined through active observation by medical staff. At the same time, when the incubator is moved, water is easy to splash into the incubator from the water box, thereby breeding bacteria. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to address the problems existing in existing infant incubator humidification systems and, in combination with the clinical needs of medical staff, provide an infant incubator steam humidification system. The humidification system is placed outside the infant incubator, making it easy to disassemble and clean and disinfect. The overall system has a pipeline-free design, allowing steam to directly enter the infant incubator, resulting in more uniform and stable humidity. The designed water shortage and overtemperature protection makes the use process safer and more reliable.

[0005] To achieve the above purpose, the present invention can adopt the following technical solutions:

[0006] The steam humidification system for an infant incubator of the present invention comprises a humidification system consisting of a water box, a heating unit, and a muffler unit. The humidification system is installed outside the infant incubator via a mounting bracket unit, generally located outside the air duct circulation system of the infant incubator.

[0007] The water box is installed on the hanger unit; the heating unit is inserted in the water box, which is used to heat the water in the water box into steam and transmit it to the silencer unit; the silencer unit has a labyrinth steam flow channel, which is used to transmit the steam of the heating unit to the inside of the infant incubator.

[0008] Since the steam humidification system of the present application is entirely arranged outside the infant incubator, steam can directly enter the air duct circulation cavity of the infant incubator without any pipelines, which facilitates overall disassembly and internal cleaning and disinfection.

[0009] To ensure safety, the humidification system is equipped with an over-temperature protector. When the heating unit reaches an abnormal overheating temperature, the control system of the infant incubator will automatically cut off the heating power supply for overheating protection.

[0010] The heating unit of the present application includes a heat-insulating sleeve with a water inlet at the bottom and a heating sleeve with a heating tube inside. The bottom of the heat-insulating sleeve is inserted into the water box, and the top is connected to the inlet of the labyrinth steam flow channel of the muffler unit. The heating sleeve is sleeved inside the heat-insulating sleeve, and the gap formed between the outer wall of the heating sleeve and the inner wall of the heat-insulating sleeve constitutes a circulating water heating chamber. During operation, the heating tube is energized to heat the heating sleeve, thereby heating the water in the circulating water heating chamber, and the generated steam enters the labyrinth steam flow channel of the muffler unit upward. The bottom of the heat-insulating sleeve is inserted into the water box, so that water can continuously enter the circulating water heating chamber between the heat-insulating sleeve and the heating sleeve through the water inlet at the bottom of the heat-insulating sleeve under the action of the internal air pressure of the water box.

[0011] The silencer unit of the present application includes a soundproof cavity surrounded by a bottom plate, an upper cover and side plates placed above the water box. A plurality of partition plates are arranged at intervals and staggered between the two side plates in the soundproof cavity to form a labyrinth steam flow channel. A steam inlet is provided on the bottom plate of the soundproof cavity at the inlet of the labyrinth steam flow channel corresponding to the position of the thermal insulation sleeve. The steam inlet is connected to the steam outlet at the top of the thermal insulation sleeve. A steam duct is sealed on the steam outlet provided on the upper cover of the soundproof cavity at the outlet of the labyrinth steam flow channel. The steam outlet of the steam duct is connected to the air duct circulation pipe of the infant incubator. The soundproof cavity provided in the present application can effectively reduce the sound made when water is heated into steam, and can also effectively reduce heat loss.

[0012] In actual production, the chamber space at the steam outlet of the labyrinth steam flow channel is larger than the space of the front chamber, that is, the chamber space at the end of the labyrinth steam flow channel is designed to be larger, and the spaces of the front chambers are designed to be slightly smaller. The difference in space is used to achieve the decompression of water vapor in the flow channel.

[0013] The mounting hanger unit designed in the present application consists of a first hanger and a second hanger, the first hanger is installed on the infant incubator to support the silencer unit; the second hanger is installed on the first hanger to support the water box; specifically, the first hanger is an L-shaped structure, the upper folded edge of its vertical plate is provided with a mounting hole, and its horizontal plate is a mounting platform supporting the silencer unit; the second hanger includes a hanging shell, the hanging shell is inserted into the mounting slot in the water box, and the upper end is fixed to the horizontal plate of the first hanger, a self-resetting spring clip is provided in the hanging shell, and a card slot matching the buckle of the self-resetting spring clip is provided on the side wall of the mounting slot of the water box.

[0014] The self-resetting spring clamp includes a return spring arranged in the suspension shell, a pressing rod is provided at the bottom of the return spring, the buckle is symmetrically hinged on both sides of the pressing rod, and a through hole for the buckle to extend is opened on the suspension shell corresponding to the position of the buckle. The bottom of the pressing rod extends from the bottom of the suspension shell, and a water box disassembly button is installed at the end thereof.

[0015] During normal use, the buckles on both sides of the pressing rod extend from the through holes on the hanging shell and are inserted into the slots on the inner wall of the installation slot of the water box, thereby fixing the water box very well. When the water box needs to be cleaned after a certain period of use, it is only necessary to gently press the water box disassembly button at the bottom of the pressing rod, push the rod upward, the return spring retracts, and the buckle is retracted into the hanging shell. The water box can slide down and out of the hanging shell. After the inside of the water box is cleaned and disinfected, the installation slot of the water box is aligned with the hanging shell and pushed up until the buckle is inserted into the slot on the inner wall of the water box installation slot. It is very convenient.

[0016] The water box cover is provided with a water filling port, and a sealing cover is provided on the water filling port. When the water volume is insufficient, water can be added to the water box in time through the water filling port.

[0017] The present application includes a water level sensor on one side of the water box. When the water level in the water box falls below the minimum safe level, the infrared water level sensor promptly sends a signal, prompting the infant incubator's control system to issue a water shortage alarm and promptly cut off the heating power. Furthermore, the infrared water level sensor not only serves as a water shortage alarm, but also issues an alarm when the water box is not properly positioned, thus ensuring proper installation of the water box.

[0018] The advantages of the present invention are that the steam heating system is placed as a whole outside the infant incubator, which is convenient for disassembly, cleaning and disinfection; the system has no pipeline design as a whole, and steam can directly enter the air duct circulation cavity of the infant incubator, which can ensure that the humidity in the infant incubator is uniform and stable; the specially designed water level prompt and over-temperature protection functions can make the infant incubator safer and more reliable during use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention with part of the water box side wall hidden.

[0020] Figure 2 It is a top view of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 AA cross-sectional view.

[0022] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the water box of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Top view of .

[0024] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 AA section view.

[0025] Figure 7 It is an exploded view of the muffler unit and the heating unit of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Top view of the middle sound insulation cavity.

[0027] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 An enlarged view of the structure of the second hanger.

[0028] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the installation position of the present invention on the infant incubator.

[0029] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 An enlarged schematic diagram of part B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present application is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings to facilitate understanding and implementation by those skilled in the art.

[0031] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of the present invention (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0032] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "connection" and "fixation" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "fixation" can mean fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0033] In addition, the terms "first," "second," and so on, used in this disclosure are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of these features.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the infant incubator steam humidification system of the present application includes a humidification system consisting of a water box 10, a heating unit 20 and a silencer unit 30. The humidification system is installed on the outside of the infant incubator by installing a hanger unit: the water box 10 is installed on the hanger unit; the heating unit 20 is inserted into the water box 10, and is used to heat the water in the water box into steam and transmit it to the silencer unit 30; the silencer unit 30 has a labyrinth steam flow channel, which is used to transmit the steam of the heating unit to the air duct circulation system 100 of the infant incubator.

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the installation location of the steam humidification system (part B in the figure) of this application in the infant incubator. Figure 11 It is an enlarged view of part B. As can be seen from the figure, the steam humidification system of the present invention is integrally installed outside the air duct circulation system 100 of the infant incubator.

[0036] Since the steam humidification system of the present application is installed as a whole outside the infant incubator, the steam can directly enter the air duct circulation cavity of the infant incubator without any pipelines, and the structure is simpler; at the same time, it is convenient to disassemble and install the whole, and the internal components can be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. There are no sanitary dead corners, and the children are safer in the incubator.

[0037] The heating unit of this application is as follows Figure 2 、 Figure 3As shown, it includes an insulating sleeve 22 with a water inlet 21 at the bottom and a heating sleeve 24 with a heating pipe 23 inside. The bottom of the insulating sleeve 22 is inserted into the water box 10, and the top is connected to the labyrinth steam flow inlet of the muffler unit. The heating sleeve 24 is sleeved inside the insulating sleeve 22, and the gap formed between the outer wall of the heating sleeve 24 and the inner wall of the insulating sleeve 22 constitutes a circulating water heating chamber. During operation, the heating pipe 23 is energized to uniformly heat the heating sleeve 24, and then the heating sleeve 24 heats the water in the circulating water heating chamber, and the generated steam enters the labyrinth steam flow in the muffler unit upward. The bottom of the insulating sleeve 22 is inserted into the water box 10, so that water can continuously enter the circulating water heating chamber between the insulating sleeve and the heating sleeve through the water inlet 21 at the bottom of the insulating sleeve 22 under the action of the internal air pressure of the water box 10.

[0038] To ensure safe use, the present application also provides an over-temperature protector 40 on the humidification system. If the humidification system is used in a water shortage state, when the water level monitoring fails and fails to detect the water shortage, the heating tube will be in a dry-burning state, causing the temperature of the heating sleeve to rise rapidly due to the lack of water, which will cause the water box, insulation sleeve and other plastic parts to be burned. To avoid such failures, the over-temperature protector 40 can be set at the top of the heating sleeve 24, and the set temperature value is 150°C. In this way, when the control system of the infant incubator detects that the heating unit has an abnormal temperature (reaching 150°C), the heating power supply can be quickly cut off. The over-temperature protector designed in this application is only activated when the water shortage alarm and the alarm system of the control system are damaged. The purpose is to prevent the humidification component from being overheated and burned. It is used in conjunction with water shortage protection (water level detection) and humidity deviation protection (provided by the infant incubator) to play a good safety protection role.

[0039] The present application provides an infrared water level sensor 50 on one side of the water box 10. Figure 11 When the water level in the water box 10 is lower than the set minimum safe water level, the infrared water level sensor 50 can send a signal in time. At this time, the control part of the infant incubator can issue a water shortage alarm and cut off the heating power in time. At the same time, the infrared water level sensor 50 can also send an alarm when the water box 10 is not placed in place, thereby ensuring the correct installation of the water box 10.

[0040] The structure of the water box 10 of the present application is as follows Figure 4 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 6As shown, the lid of the water box 10 is provided with a water filling port 11, and a sealing cover 12 is provided on the water filling port 11. After a period of use, the lid can be opened to thoroughly clean the inside of the water box to prevent bacterial growth. During use, water can be added promptly through the water filling port 11, effectively preventing dry boiling. The operation is very convenient. After adding water, the sealing cover 12 is replaced to prevent water leakage. To facilitate installation of the water box 10, a mounting slot 13 is provided in the body of the water box 10, and an annular groove 14 is provided on the inner wall of the mounting slot 13.

[0041] The muffler unit 30 of the present application is as follows Figure 1 、 Figure 7 、 Figure 8 As shown, the sound insulation chamber is placed above the water box 10 and is surrounded by a heat-insulating bottom plate 31, a heat-insulating upper cover 32 and a heat-insulating side plate 33. A plurality of partition plates 34 (four are shown in the figure) are staggered between the two side plates in the sound insulation chamber to form a labyrinth steam flow channel (such as Figure 8 To ensure a good steam seal, a sealing gasket 35 is provided beneath the insulating upper cover 32. A steam inlet is provided on the insulating base plate 31 (located at the entrance of the labyrinthine steam flow channel), corresponding to the position of the insulating sleeve 22. This steam inlet is connected to the steam outlet at the top of the insulating sleeve 22. A steam conduit 36 ​​is sealed above the steam outlet provided on the insulating upper cover 32 and the sealing gasket 35 (located at the exit of the labyrinthine steam flow channel). The steam outlet of the steam conduit 36 ​​is connected to the air duct circulation system of the infant incubator. The soundproof chamber designed in this application can effectively reduce the sound generated when water is heated to steam and effectively minimize heat loss from the steam.

[0042] In actual production, the chamber space at the steam outlet of the labyrinth steam flow channel can be designed to be larger than the space of the three front chambers, such as Figure 8 That is, the last chamber space of the labyrinth steam flow channel is designed to be larger, and the first three chamber spaces are designed to be smaller. In this way, the difference in space can be used to achieve the decompression of water vapor in the flow channel.

[0043] The installation hanger unit designed in this application is as follows Figure 1 and Figure 9 As shown, it is composed of a first hanger 61 and a second hanger 62. The first hanger 61 is installed on the infant incubator to support the silencer unit 30; the second hanger 62 is installed on the first hanger 61 to support the water box 10; specifically:

[0044] The first hanger 61 is an L-shaped structure, and a mounting hole is provided on the upper folded edge of the vertical plate, which can be fixed to the infant incubator by connecting bolts, and the horizontal plate serves as the mounting platform for supporting the silencer unit 30; the second hanger 62 includes a suspension shell 621 (such as Figure 9), the suspension shell 621 is inserted into the installation slot 13 in the water box 10, and the upper end is fixed on the horizontal plate of the first hanger 61; a return spring 622 is installed in the suspension shell 621, and a pressing rod 623 is provided at the bottom of the return spring 622, and buckles 624 are symmetrically hinged on both sides of the pressing rod 623. The position and shape of the buckle 624 match the position and shape of the card groove 14 on the inner side wall of the installation slot of the water box 10. A through hole for the buckle 624 to extend out is opened on the suspension shell 621 corresponding to the position of the buckle 624, and the bottom of the pressing rod 623 extends from the bottom of the suspension shell, and a water box disassembly button 625 is installed on its end.

[0045] During normal use, the buckles 624 on both sides of the pressing rod 623 extend from the through holes provided on the hanging shell 621 and are inserted into the slots 14 on the inner side wall of the installation slot of the water box 10, thereby fixing the water box 10 very well. When the water box 10 needs to be cleaned after a certain period of use, it is only necessary to gently press the water box disassembly button 625 at the bottom of the pressing rod, the pressing rod 623 is pushed up, the return spring retracts, and the buckles 624 are retracted into the hanging shell 621, and the water box 10 can slide down and detach from the hanging shell 621. After the inside of the water box is cleaned and disinfected, the installation slot 12 of the water box 10 is aligned with the hanging shell 621, and the water box 10 is pushed up until the buckles 624 are inserted into the slots 14 on the inner side wall of the water box installation slot. Disassembly and installation are very convenient.

[0046] The steam humidification system designed in this application is placed outside the air duct circulation system 100 of the infant incubator. The overall design is ingenious, the components are compactly connected, and disassembly is very convenient. During use, it can overcome the defects of the conventional steam humidification system:

[0047] The water box 10 is an external, open, independent container that is easy to disassemble, clean, and disinfect. A water refill port 11 is designed on the water box 10, through which water can be added to the water box in a timely manner during use. An infrared water level sensor 50 is designed on the outside of the water box to monitor the water level in the water box 10.

[0048] The heating unit 20 extends deep into the water box 10 and, utilizing the communicating vessel principle, realizes automatic replenishment of the water level through the water inlet 21 at the bottom. A heating sleeve 24 is designed outside the heating tube 23 to evenly distribute the heat of the heating tube 23. An insulating sleeve 22 is designed outside the heating sleeve 24 to form a closed heating area between the heating sleeve 24 and the insulating sleeve 22. At the same time, the insulating sleeve 22 is made of insulating material, which can effectively reduce heat loss. The water vapor formed after heating passes through the labyrinth steam flow channel to form high-temperature and high-pressure steam. As heating continues, more steam gathers and gradually reaches the steam outlet, directly entering the air duct circulation system of the infant incubator through the steam conduit 36. Then, the steam circulates internally in the air duct, allowing it to quickly diffuse into the interior of the infant incubator. An over-temperature protector 40 is provided on the top of the heating sleeve 24 to provide dual protection for the entire humidification system.

[0049] The control system of the infant incubator detects the difference between the actual humidity and the set humidity through the humidity sensor inside the air duct circulation system. Combined with the built-in single-chip microcomputer of the infant incubator, the single-chip microcomputer is used to calculate the heat required to control the boiling of water, and automatically adjust the heating power and heating time. It can ensure that the water vapor generated by boiling after electric heating meets the temperature and humidity requirements of infant incubation before entering the air duct circulation, thereby ensuring that the actual humidity value is consistent with the set humidity value. Stable state.

[0050] In the steam humidification system of the present application, water vapor first enters the soundproof cavity through the gap between the heating sleeve 24 and the insulation sleeve 22. A sealing gasket 35 is also provided under the insulation cover 32 of the soundproof cavity to effectively prevent water vapor from escaping. Several partitions 34 are designed in the soundproof cavity. Due to the obstruction of the partitions 34, the water vapor forms a high-temperature, high-pressure steam group on the top and around the heating sleeve 24. As the pressure of the steam group gradually increases, the water vapor gradually reaches the soundproof cavity outlet. The cavity space at the soundproof cavity outlet is designed to be larger than the space in the front cavity, utilizing the spatial difference to achieve decompression of the water vapor in the flow channel. The water vapor flowing out of the soundproof cavity directly enters the air duct circulation system 100 of the infant incubator through the steam outlet, humidifying the air inside the incubator and making the structure more compact. The soundproof cavity enclosed by the insulation bottom plate 31, the insulation cover 32 (with the sealing gasket 35), and the side panels 33 not only effectively reduces the heat loss of the steam, but also effectively controls the noise during the water vapor generation process.

Claims

1. A steam humidification system for an infant incubator, characterized in that: The humidification system comprises a water box, a heating unit, and a silencer unit, the humidification system being mounted on the outside of the infant incubator via a mounting bracket unit. The water box is mounted on the bracket unit; the heating unit is inserted into the water box and is configured to heat water in the water box into steam and transmit it to the silencer unit; the silencer unit has a labyrinthine steam flow channel for transmitting steam from the heating unit to the interior of the infant incubator. The heating unit includes an insulating sleeve with a water inlet at the bottom and a heating sleeve with a heating tube inside; the bottom of the insulating sleeve is inserted into the water box, and the top is connected to the labyrinth steam flow channel inlet of the silencer unit. The heating sleeve is sleeved in the insulating sleeve, and the gap formed between the outer wall of the heating sleeve and the inner wall of the insulating sleeve constitutes a circulating water heating chamber.

2. The infant incubator steam humidification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: An over-temperature protector is provided on the humidification system.

3. The infant incubator steam humidification system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The silencer unit includes a soundproof cavity placed above the water box and surrounded by a bottom plate, an upper cover and side plates. A plurality of partition plates are arranged at intervals and staggered between the two side plates in the soundproof cavity to form a labyrinth steam flow channel. A steam inlet is provided on the bottom plate of the soundproof cavity at the inlet of the labyrinth steam flow channel corresponding to the position of the thermal insulation sleeve, and the steam inlet is connected to the steam outlet on the top of the thermal insulation sleeve. A steam duct is sealed on the steam outlet opened on the upper cover of the soundproof cavity at the outlet of the labyrinth steam flow channel, and the steam outlet of the steam duct is connected to the air duct circulation pipe of the infant incubator.

4. The infant incubator steam humidification system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The chamber space at the steam outlet of the labyrinth steam flow channel is larger than the space of the front chamber.

5. The infant incubator steam humidification system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The mounting hanger unit includes a first hanger and a second hanger. The first hanger is installed on the infant incubator to support the silencer unit. The second hanger is installed on the first hanger to support the water box.

6. The infant incubator steam humidification system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first hanger is an L-shaped structure, with a mounting hole provided on the upper folded edge of its vertical plate, and its horizontal plate serving as a mounting platform for supporting the silencer unit; the second hanger includes a suspension shell, which is inserted into the mounting slot in the water box, and the upper end is fixed to the horizontal plate of the first hanger, and a self-resetting spring clip is provided in the suspension shell, and a card slot matching the buckle of the self-resetting spring clip is provided on the side wall of the mounting slot of the water box.

7. The infant incubator steam humidification system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The self-resetting spring clamp includes a return spring arranged in the suspension shell, a pressing rod is provided at the bottom of the return spring, the buckle is symmetrically hinged on both sides of the pressing rod, and a through hole for the buckle to extend is opened on the suspension shell corresponding to the position of the buckle. The bottom of the pressing rod extends from the bottom of the suspension shell, and a water box disassembly button is installed at the end thereof.

8. The infant incubator steam humidification system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A water filling port is provided on the box cover of the water box, and a sealing cover is provided on the water filling port.

9. The infant incubator steam humidification system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A water level sensor is provided on one side of the water box.

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