JP2014200494A - Hood for infant incubator and infant incubator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hood for an infant incubator capable of creating a light/dark environment effective for the growth of a premature baby and a newborn infant while the lighting in a newborn nursery is turned on.SOLUTION: A hood 3 for an infant incubator used for an infant incubator 1 for a premature baby and a newborn infant includes a filter 20 composed of a dimming electrochromic element whose surface that at least receives the light of the hood for an infant incubator has a function to suppress the transmission of the light of a wavelength of 680 nm or less by the application of a voltage. The filter includes at least a transparent conductive film layer, an ion storage layer, an electrolyte layer, a catalyst layer, and a dimming layer on a transparent base material, and the dimming layer is composed of a magnesium-iridium alloy thin film.

Description

  The present invention relates to an incubator hood suitable for use in premature infants and newborns, and an incubator equipped with the same.

Numerous incubators are placed in the neonatal room, and premature babies and newborns are raised in the incubator for a certain period of time.
Although it will be turned off at night, it is desirable to turn on some lights all night to respond in an emergency.
However, it is known that when the illumination is turned on all night, premature infants and newborns in the incubator are adversely affected by the illumination light (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  In order to solve such problems, the inventions of Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose inventions that do not adversely affect premature infants and newborns in the incubator even when the necessary illumination is turned on all night in the neonatal room. Has been.

Japanese Patent No. 4463177 JP 2010-178857 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an incubator hood suitable for use in premature infants and newborns, and an incubator equipped with the same.

As a means for solving the problems, the present invention
An incubator hood used for preterm and newborn incubators,
An incubator hood having at least a filter made of a dimming electrochromic element having a function of suppressing transmission of light having a wavelength of 680 nm or less by application of voltage, at least a surface of the incubator hood receiving light; Provide used incubators.

  The incubator hood of the present invention can suppress the transmission of light having a wavelength of 680 nm or less by turning on and off the switch. An environment can be created.

The perspective view of the incubator provided with the food | hood for incubators of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the layer structure of the filter which consists of a light control electrochromic element used with the food | hood for incubator of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the use condition of the food | hood for incubators of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the test method of the switching characteristic of the filter which consists of a light control electrochromic element used with the food | hood for incubator of this invention. The figure which shows the switching characteristic (temporal change of the light transmittance and light reflectance in wavelength 670nm) of the filter which consists of a light control electrochromic element obtained in the Example. The figure which shows the transmission spectrum and reflection spectrum by the wavelength of the filter which consists of a light control electrochromic element obtained in the Example.

<Incubator hood>
FIG. 1 shows an incubator 1 provided with an incubator hood, which has a general shape and structure. However, in the present invention, as the incubator hood 3, at least a surface that receives the light of the incubator hood, It is characterized by having a filter composed of a dimming electrochromic element having a function of suppressing transmission of light having a wavelength of 680 nm or less by application of voltage.

In the incubator 1, a transparent incubator hood 3 is detachably mounted on a pedestal 2, and a newborn is raised in the hood 3.
The insertion holes 4 and 5 and the door 6 are used by a doctor or nurse to remove a hood 3 and insert a hand into the inside to raise a newborn (hereinafter used to include preterm infants). is there.

The incubator hood 3 has a filter made of a dimming electrochromic element having a function of suppressing light transmission with a wavelength of 680 nm or less when a voltage is applied to a surface that receives light from indoor lighting.
The filter is transparent enough to allow a doctor, nurse, or the like to see a newborn in the incubator 1.

  A filter comprising a dimming electrochromic element having a function of suppressing light transmission having a wavelength of 680 nm or less by application of voltage is a dimming layer material in the structure of an all-solid-state dimming electrochromic element described in Japanese Patent No. 5136978 Can be used in which a magnesium-iridium (Mg-Ir) alloy thin film is substituted.

A preferred embodiment (first embodiment) of a filter comprising a dimming electrochromic element will be described with reference to FIG.
The filter 20 shown in FIG. 2 has a transparent conductive film layer 22, an ion storage layer 23, an electrolyte layer 24, a catalyst layer 25, and a light control layer 26 in this order on a transparent substrate 21.
The filter 20 shown in FIG. 2 can also use the same layer structure as the all solid-state dimming electrochromic element shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 5136978.

In addition to the layer structure shown in FIG. 1, the filter 20 can be added with other layers.
For example, a transparent conductive film layer can be provided on the light control layer 26 (second embodiment).
For example, a transparent conductive film layer can be provided on the light control layer 26 and a transparent base material can be provided thereon (third embodiment).
For example, in the third embodiment, a glass interlayer can be provided on each of the lower transparent substrate and the upper transparent substrate, and glass can be further provided on the glass interlayer (first). Embodiment 4).
The all-solid-state dimming electrochromic element shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 of Japanese Patent No. 5136978 can be used for the filters of the second to fourth embodiments.

The filter 20 shown in FIG. 1 (first embodiment) changes from a mirror to black, further red (transparent), or red (transparent) to black, and further to a mirror, depending on the polarity (plus or minus) of the voltage. It has properties. Further, since the memory performance is provided, each state can be maintained in a non-energized state (a state where no voltage is applied). And after changing to red, it acts so that transmission of the light below 680 nm among illumination lights may be suppressed. This density can be controlled by the magnitude of the applied voltage.
The filters of the second to fourth embodiments also have the same function.

In the incubator hood of the present invention, the incubator hood 3 itself shown in FIG.
When the incubator hood 3 itself is formed with the filter 20 as described above, the filter 20 itself needs strength, so that the transparent base material 21 shown in FIG. It is preferable to use a plate made of transparent plastic, etc. In addition, the filters of the third embodiment and the fourth embodiment described above can be used.

The incubator hood of the present invention can be such that the top of the incubator hood 3 shown in FIG.
When the incubator hood 3 is covered with the filter 20 in this way, the filter 20 itself needs to be flexible, so a transparent plastic sheet is used as the transparent substrate 21 shown in FIG. Those are preferred.
For such an incubator hood 3, a method of covering a filter having the same shape as the incubator hood 3, a method of attaching a filter to the surface of the incubator hood 3 (ceiling surface 3 a, side surface 3 b to side surface 3 e), and the like are applied. Can be obtained.

Depending on the position of indoor lighting and the arrangement state of the incubator 1 in the room, the filter 20 may be the entire surface of the incubator hood 3 (ceiling surface 3a, side surface 3b to side surface 3e), or a part of the above surfaces. Can be provided.
When the filter is disposed on the entire surface of the incubator hood 3, openings corresponding to the insertion holes 4, 5 and the door 6 are provided so as not to impair the childcare workability.
When a filter is arranged on a part of the surface of the incubator hood 3, it is possible to cover a surface with a large amount of light irradiation in consideration of the location of the incubator and the position of the lighting fixture. For example, when the illumination hits from the side surface 3c side, filters are arranged at least on the ceiling surface 3a and the side surface 3c.

<Incubator>
The incubator 1 shown in FIG. 1 of the present invention includes the incubator hood 3 described above.
In the incubator 1, the filter and the power source are connected by an electrical connection means (electric cable or the like).
The incubator 1 has a changeover switch 7 provided in the middle of the electrical connection means for switching the energized state and the non-energized state of the filter.
By turning this switch 7 on and off, it is possible to energize the filter (apply voltage) or to de-energize (stop application of voltage).

Next, a method of using the incubator 1 provided with the incubator hood 3 itself formed of the filter 20 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, the base 2 of the incubator 1 is omitted, and the incubator hood 3 is also simplified.
FIG. 3A shows a state in the daytime, and all the lights in the newborn baby room are turned on.
Since the incubator hood 3 (filter 20) has memory performance, the mirror, black, and red (transparent) states can be maintained in a non-energized state (a state where no voltage is applied). In addition, the state of the newborn inside can be confirmed in the transparent state by controlling the lightness and darkness in the transparent state using the magnitude of the applied voltage.

FIG. 3B shows a state at night, and a part of the illumination in the newborn room is turned on. Although it is darker than daytime, the brightness is maintained so that doctors and nurses can easily confirm the interior of the newborn.
When shifting from the daytime state of FIG. 3A to the nighttime state of FIG. 3B, the switch 7 of the incubator 1 is adjusted to energize the incubator hood 3 (filter 20) (the voltage is applied). State). Thereby, the incubator hood 3 (filter 20) changes to red (transparent), and transmission of light of 680 nm or less is suppressed. After the change, the state is maintained even in the non-energized state.
Since the newborn cannot sense light exceeding 680 nm, from the newborn, the incubator 1 in the state of FIG. 3B is in a state where the amount of light is small (artificial night state).
On the other hand, since minimal lighting in the newborn baby room is maintained, medical practice by doctors and nurses can be performed smoothly.
Further, when an abnormality of one newborn is found, even if all lights in the newborn room are turned on for treatment, adverse effects on the newborn in the remaining incubator are prevented.

<Manufacture of filters>
A glass plate with a thickness of 1.1 mm was used as the transparent substrate.
On the glass plate, tin-doped indium oxide having a surface resistance of 10Ω / □ was coated as a lower transparent conductive film. This was set in a vacuum apparatus and evacuated.

Next, a tungsten oxide thin film serving as an ion storage layer was deposited on the lower transparent conductive film using a magnetron sputtering apparatus.
The film formation was performed using a reactive direct current magnetron sputtering method in which a metal tungsten target was sputtered in a mixed atmosphere of argon and oxygen.
The mixed atmosphere was controlled by controlling the flow rates of argon gas and oxygen gas.
The flow rate ratio of argon gas and oxygen gas was 5: 1, the pressure in the vacuum chamber was 1.0 Pa, and a film was formed by applying a power of 80 W to tungsten by a direct current magnetron sputtering method. The film thickness of the produced tungsten oxide thin film was about 500 nm.

On the tungsten oxide thin film, a tantalum oxide thin film serving as a solid electrolyte was produced by a reactive direct current magnetron sputtering method in the same manner as the tungsten oxide thin film.
Film formation was performed by sputtering a metal tantalum target in a mixed atmosphere of argon and oxygen to produce a thin film. The mixed atmosphere was controlled by controlling the flow rates of argon gas and oxygen gas.
The flow rate ratio of argon gas and oxygen gas was 10: 1, the pressure in the vacuum chamber was 0.7 Pa, and sputtering was performed by applying a power of 70 W to tantalum by the reactive DC magnetron sputtering method. The film thickness of the produced tantalum oxide thin film was about 400 nm.

The catalyst layer palladium and the light control layer magnesium / iridium alloy thin film (catalyst layer and light control layer) were deposited on the surface of the tantalum oxide thin film using a triple magnetron sputtering apparatus.
Metal magnesium, metal iridium, and metal palladium were set as targets on the three sputter guns, respectively.
First, a palladium thin film as a catalyst layer was deposited by sputtering metal palladium to a thickness of about 4 nm. The argon gas pressure during sputtering was 1.2 Pa, and sputtering was performed by applying a power of 30 W to palladium by a direct current magnetron sputtering method.
Thereafter, a power of 30 W was applied to magnesium and a power of 7 W was applied to iridium, and a magnesium / iridium alloy thin film was deposited by about 150 nm. At this time, the composition of magnesium and iridium was approximately Mg ₉ Ir.

The filter (refer FIG. 1) which consists of a light control electrochromic element was obtained by the above process.
The obtained filter composed of a light-modulating electrochromic element was attached to the evaluation apparatus shown in FIG. 4, and an optical switching characteristic was examined by taking an electrode with a magnesium / iridium alloy thin film and a lower conductive film.
In FIG. 4, 101 is a filter, 102 is a semiconductor laser (wavelength: 670 nm), 103 is a Si photodiode, 104 and 105 are digital multimeters, 106 is a source meter, and 107 is a control and measurement personal computer.

FIG. 5 shows the time change of the optical transmittance and the optical reflectance in FIG.
The filter immediately after the production of the magnesium-iridium alloy thin film has a metallic luster, so it reflects light (optical reflectivity: ~ 58%), and the tungsten oxide thin film that is the ion storage layer is colored dark blue. The transmittance is very low (optical transmittance: ~ 0.1%). It has a light shielding performance of 99.9% or more in the visible light range.
For example, when a voltage of 5V is applied, hydrogen ions in the tungsten oxide thin film diffuse in the solid electrolyte and are introduced into the magnesium / indium alloy thin film. As a result, the tungsten oxide thin film becomes transparent, and the magnesium / indium based The alloy thin film also hydrogenated and became transparent (optical reflectance: ˜24%, optical transmittance: ˜22%).
In order to transition from the mirror state to the black state and the red state (transparent), in the intermediate black state, a decrease in reflectance (optical reflectance: ˜16%) was observed before and after voltage switching.
When +5 V was applied after completion of the transparent state, the transmittance decreased and returned to the mirror state.
As described above, the filter was able to reversibly change the mirror state, the black state, the red state (transparent), and the density (transparency) by changing the polarity of the applied voltage.

The transmission spectrum and reflection spectrum of the filter before and after switching are shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, it has been found that the transmission spectrum and the reflection spectrum at the measurement wavelength are largely changed by switching. As described above, the filter can switch the optical characteristics by applying a voltage, and a light / dark environment effective for the growth of premature infants and newborns can be constructed by applying the filter to the incubator hood as a filter.

1 Incubator 2 Pedestal 3 Incubator Hood 20 Filter

Claims (5)

An incubator hood used for preterm and newborn incubators,
An incubator hood, wherein at least a surface of the incubator hood receiving light has a filter made of a dimming electrochromic element having a function of suppressing light transmission having a wavelength of 680 nm or less when a voltage is applied.   The filter comprising the light control electrochromic element has at least a transparent conductive film layer, an ion storage layer, an electrolyte layer, a catalyst layer, and a light control layer on a transparent substrate, and the light control layer is magnesium. -The incubator hood according to claim 1, comprising an iridium alloy thin film.   The incubator hood according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the incubator hood is formed of a filter composed of a dimming electrochromic element having a function of shielding light having a wavelength of 680 nm or less.   The incubator hood according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the incubator hood is covered with a filter composed of a dimming electrochromic element having a function of shielding light having a wavelength of 680 nm or less. An incubator comprising the incubator hood according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The filter and the power source are connected by an electrical connection means, and further provided in the middle of the electrical connection means for switching between the energized state and the non-energized state for the filter An incubator that has a switch.

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