Pivotable Infant Warmer Heater Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional infant warmers restrict access to the infant, necessitating the removal of the infant for diagnostic and imaging procedures, which can increase the risk of infection due to handling.
Innovation Solution
A pivotable heater assembly with a mounting shaft and biasing pin system that allows the heater to be rotated out of the neutral position, enabling greater access while automatically turning off the heating when pivoted, and a locking mechanism to secure the heater in place when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heater assembly is fixed in position to maintain infant temperature, then heating reliability is improved, but access to the infant for diagnostic procedures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heater assembly is made dynamically movable through a pivot mechanism allowing it to rotate between a first position (providing access) and a second position (providing heating). The mounting shaft with set screw and slot enables controlled pivoting while maintaining stable heating when needed, resolving the contradiction between fixed heating reliability and operational access.
2Ease of operation
If the heater assembly is made movable to improve access, then ease of operation is improved, but heating stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static to dynamic with controlled stability. The pivot mechanism with set screw and slot allows movement when needed while providing stable positioning during heating operations, achieving both accessibility and heating stability through controlled dynamic behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting shaft with set screw acts as an intermediary mechanism between the movable heater assembly and the fixed frame. The set screw provides incremental positioning control, and the slot allows angular adjustment, serving as a mediator that enables both movement and stable positioning.
3Adaptability or versatility
If diagnostic equipment is introduced from above the infant, then diagnostic capability is improved, but interference with the heater assembly occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The heater assembly's dynamic pivoting capability allows it to move out of the way for overhead diagnostic equipment while remaining readily repositionable for heating, eliminating equipment interference without reducing diagnostic capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the heater assembly from a fixed vertical position to a rotatable position in the horizontal plane, changing the spatial dimension of operation. This allows diagnostic equipment to operate from above without interference while the heater can be rotated to provide heating when needed.
4Ease of operation
If the infant is removed from the warmer for diagnostic procedures, then access for procedures is improved, but infection risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable heater assembly allows the infant to remain in the warmer during diagnostic procedures by rotating the heater away, eliminating the need to remove the infant and thereby reducing infection risk while maintaining procedural access.
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
Facilitates access to the infant during procedures without exposing personnel or equipment to heat, reducing the risk of infection by allowing the heater assembly to be safely pivoted out of the way while maintaining infant temperature.
Implementation Method 1
a spring disposed about the periphery of the locking pin. The spring is configured to bias the locking pin into a locked position within the locking aperture
Implementation Method 2
an overhead radiant heater that is located above the infant and which thus radiates energy in the infrared spectrum to impinge upon the infant to maintain the predetermined temperature
Data Source
AI summary
An infant warmer apparatus includes a base, a crib and a frame. The frame includes a support plate assembly comprising a plate member defining a pivot aperture and a notch. The heater assembly includes a canopy, and a mounting shaft. The mounting shaft defines a first terminal end secured to the canopy and a second terminal end passing through the pivot aperture of the plate member. The mounting shaft includes a biasing pin configured to settle within the notch of the plate member when the heater assembly is in a neutral position relative to the frame. The mounting shaft is rotatable within the pivot aperture such that the heater assembly can be pivoted in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction from the neutral position. A controller is configured to turn off the heater assembly when the heater assembly is pivoted out of the neutral position.