Infant Incubator Heater with Flat Plate Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing incubator heaters face challenges with complex geometry making cleaning difficult, high noise levels due to lamellae or central heat exchanger elements, and require high surface temperatures for uniform heating, which can be hazardous and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A heater design featuring a horizontally arranged, flat, plate-shaped heat transfer element with a smooth surface, free from lamellae, made of thermally conductive materials, which allows for efficient heat transfer with a low surface temperature, reducing noise and facilitating easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If heating coil tubes or rib-like heating elements are used, then heating function is provided, but cleaning becomes difficult and heat transfer efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using traditional tube-shaped or rib-like heating elements that create complex geometries, the patent inverts the approach by using a flat plate heat transfer element with a smooth surface. This inversion simplifies the geometry to a basic flat shape that is easy to clean while still providing effective heat transfer through its large surface area contact with the air stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from three-dimensional complex geometries (tubes and ribs) to a two-dimensional flat plate structure. This dimensional simplification maintains heat transfer effectiveness through increased surface area contact while dramatically improving cleanability by eliminating crevices and complex surfaces where dirt accumulates.
2Reliability
If lamellae or central heat exchanger elements are used, then heat exchange surface is enlarged, but noise level increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the problematic lamellae and central heat exchanger elements that cause noise through air turbulence. Instead, it uses a simple flat plate heat transfer element that provides adequate heat exchange surface area without creating the complex flow patterns that generate noise in traditional designs.
3Manufacturing precision
If high surface temperatures are used for heating, then uniform heating is achieved, but safety hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter by operating the heating element at lower surface temperatures than traditional designs. The flat plate geometry with its large surface area contact with the air stream enables uniform heat distribution at reduced temperatures, eliminating safety hazards while maintaining heating effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a low-noise, easy-to-clean incubator heater that operates at lower surface temperatures, ensuring uniform heating while minimizing risks and improving safety for newborns.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heating element (31) and at least one heat transfer element (30)... the heat transfer element (30) is a surface (32) with a flat surface (32), which is arranged horizontally during the operation of the heater (10)
Implementation Method 2
the heat transfer element (30) is a surface (32) with a flat surface (32)... made of thermally conductive materials, which allows for efficient heat transfer with a low surface temperature
Implementation Method 3
at least one fan impeller (50)... which brings about circulation of the air in the interior space
Data Source
AI summary
A heater, for an incubator for infants, has a housing structure with an upper housing surface and a lower housing surface, at least one air inlet for an inflowing air stream, at least one air outlet for an outflowing air stream, at least one fan impeller, at least one heating element and at least one heat transfer element. The upper housing surface and the lower housing surface delimit a flow space. The heat transfer element is a plate with a flat surface that is arranged horizontally during operation of the heater. An incubator for infants having such a heater is also provided.