JPH09206341A - Incubator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable to accurately measure the oxygen concentration in an incubator, by equipping a hood to cover a space on the main body of an incubator separated from outside, and a holding part to hold a probe to measure the oxygen concentration in air in the incubator in a way to be attached/ detached from outside. SOLUTION: This incubator 1 is equipped with an incubating room 5 covered by a freely openable/closable transparent hood 7 and formed on a main body 3, and a blow-out port 9 and a suction port 11 to circulate slightly pressurized mixed gas in the incubating room 5 are formed on the upper face of the main body 3. An air conditioning device to circulate air is set in the main body 3 and circulates mixed gas of outside air and, if necessary, into-guided oxygen gas from the blow-out port 9 to the suction port 11. P probe to measure the oxygen concentration is detachably attached on a side face 7a in vicinity of the suction port 11 on the hood 7 and an oxygen concentration meter 15 is housed in the main body 3 side thereunder.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an incubator capable of measuring the oxygen concentration in a nursery room when protecting and raising a premature baby or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Incubators are used to protect and grow premature babies who are physically weak and to protect and raise them in an optimal environment by isolating them from the outside air.

[0003] In this incubator, the outside air is cleaned by the operation of the air conditioning mechanism and taken into the incubator, and the air in the incubator for accommodating infants such as premature babies is circulated to the desired temperature and humidity in the incubator. Have control. In addition, oxygen gas may be supplied into the nursery room to circulate a mixed gas of outside air and oxygen gas in accordance with the state of cardiopulmonary growth of the infant.

When a mixed gas of outside air and oxygen gas is circulated in the nursery room, it is necessary to control the oxygen concentration in the nursery room according to the doctor's prescription. Therefore, insert the probe of the oximeter into the nursery room, measure the oxygen concentration in the nursery room, and adjust the oxygen gas supply amount and the outside air introduction amount so that the oxygen concentration in the nursery room matches the doctor's prescription. Was.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] If the probe is installed within the reach of the infant's hand or leg, the sensor part of the probe may be covered with the infant's hand or leg, and the measurement result may be higher than the actual oxygen concentration. Is also displayed low. Therefore, a mixed gas with an oxygen concentration completely different from the doctor's prescription circulates in the nursery room,
The desired therapeutic effect cannot be obtained.

Further, since the probe is arranged in the nursery room, the hand or leg of the infant may pull the cable extending from the probe, which may cause a disconnection or a poor contact of the cable.

In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an incubator capable of accurately measuring the oxygen concentration in a nursery room and free from problems such as cable disconnection and contact failure.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a hood which forms a nursery room isolated from the outside by covering the space on the main body according to the present invention, and a probe for measuring the oxygen concentration in the air in the nursery room are provided outside. And a holding unit that holds the unit in a detachable manner.

The probe includes a first case including a printed circuit board having a calibration switch and a plurality of spring contacts and a cable connected between the printed circuit board and the oximeter, and the first case. A second case that is detachably attached to the case and stores the sensor;
The sensor is preferably one in which the plurality of contacts on the sensor side and the plurality of spring contacts are in contact with each other by attaching the second case to the first case.

Further, a space for accommodating the oximeter may be formed in the main body.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of an incubator 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this incubator 1, a childcare room 5 covered with a transparent hood 7 that can be opened and closed is formed on a main body 3. Further, on the upper surface 3a of the main body 3, a blow-out port 9 and a suction port 11 for circulating a slightly pressurized mixed gas in the nursery room 5 are formed.

An air conditioning mechanism (not shown) for circulating air is arranged inside the main body 3, and an outside air inlet (not shown) is provided.
The outside air and the oxygen gas supply port (not shown) from which the mixed gas with the oxygen gas is controlled to a desired temperature and humidity as necessary, and in the nursery room 5, from the blow port 9 to the suction port. It circulates toward 11 as shown by the arrow.

The side surface 7 of the hood 7 near the suction port 11 side
A probe 13 for measuring the oxygen concentration is detachably attached to a. An oxygen concentration meter 15 is housed on the lower side of the main body 3 side. Although nothing is shown on the upper surface 3a of the main body 3, a mat for keeping the infant lying down and a mechanism attached to the mat are arranged between the blow-out port 9 and the suction port 11.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a mounting portion of the probe 13 shown in FIG. An opening 7b communicating with the childcare room 5 is formed on the side surface 7a of the hood 7, and a panel 17 for attaching the probe 13 is fitted in a position corresponding to the opening 7b. For example, an oval hole 17a is formed in this panel 17, as shown in the figure, while an oval flange 13a and a circular flange 13b are provided on the probe 13 side at intervals corresponding to the plate thickness of this panel 17. And are formed. Therefore, after inserting the oval flange 13a into the hole 17a of the panel 17, the probe 13 is moved clockwise (or counterclockwise) by 60 degrees.
The probe 13 is attached to the panel 17 by rotating the probe by about a degree.

If the oval hole is formed on the side surface 7a of the hood 7 and the probe 13 is attached thereto, the panel 17 can be omitted. In this embodiment, a decorative plate (not shown) having no holes is fitted in place of the probe mounting panel 17, and the same hood as the illustrated hood 7 is used to measure the oxygen concentration. We are considering providing an incubator with and without specifications.

A button 19 protruding from the rear surface of the probe 13 is for operating a calibration switch of the oximeter 15. The calibration of the oximeter 15 is based on, for example, the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere (about 21%), and if the probe is detached from the panel 17 and the button 19 is operated before the probe 13 is attached or when necessary, this At this time, the value of the signal obtained from the probe 13 is stored in the oximeter 15 as indicating the oxygen concentration of 21%. After that, the calibration value is updated and stored every time the button 19 is operated.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state in which the probe 13 is attached to the panel 17. Probe 13
Is assembled by screwing the male screw portion 23a of the second case 23 into the female screw portion 21b formed in the first case 21. The first case 21 is provided with a calibration switch 25 and a printed circuit board 33 to which a plurality of spring contacts 29a, 29b, 29c capable of conducting to a plurality of ring-shaped contacts of the sensor 27 are mounted. The printed circuit board 33 is further connected with a multi-core cable 31 for connecting the wiring of the calibration switch 25 and the plurality of spring contacts 29a, 29b, 29c to the oximeter 15. The sensor 27 is housed in the second case 23. As described above, the first case 21 and the second case 2
3 is assembled, the sensor 27 is pressed against the printed circuit board 33 side, and the plurality of ring-shaped contacts of the sensor 27 and the spring contacts 29a, 29b, 29c on the printed circuit board 33 side are conducted.

Further, inside the opening 7b of the hood 7, there is provided a valve 35 which is opened by being pushed by the tip of the second case 23 when the probe 13 is inserted. Therefore, even if the probe 13 is removed from the hood 7, the valve 7 closes the opening 7b, so that the mixed gas does not excessively leak to the outside. Of course, unpurified outside air does not enter the nursery room 5.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the probe 13. The first case 21 has an oval flange 1 as described above.
In addition to 3a and the circular flange 13b, a boss 21a for mounting the board and a female screw portion 21b for screwing the second case 23 are formed. The printed circuit board 33 has a plurality of ring-shaped contacts 27 a, 27 b, 27 c of the sensor 27.
A plurality of spring contacts 29a, 29b, 29c that come into contact with the calibration switch 25 are attached (although not shown in the figure, a multi-core cable is also attached to the printed circuit board 33). Then, the printed circuit board 33 is fitted into the first case 21 and screwed. Since a small mechanical key switch is used as the calibration switch 25, a plunger 37 for operating the calibration switch 25 is arranged between the calibration switch 25 and the first case 21 as shown in FIG. It

The second case 23 includes the first case 21.
A male screw portion 23a corresponding to the female screw portion 21b is formed. In addition, the plurality of ring-shaped contacts 27 of the sensor 27
a, 27b, 27c are a plurality of spring contacts 29a, 29a.
It is formed in a concentric shape in order to facilitate contact with b and 29c. Therefore, the sensor 27 is installed in the second case 23.
The plurality of ring-shaped contacts 27a of the sensor 27 by simply screwing the second case 23 into the first case 21,
27b, 27c and a plurality of spring contacts 2 of the printed circuit board 33
9a, 29b and 29c are brought into contact with each other. In addition,
The sensor 27 is of a wet battery type (galvanic battery type) using an electrolytic solution.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above.
Various modifications can be made to the shape and the circuit configuration.
For example, a second switch whose normally-closed contact is opened when the probe is attached to the hood may be provided in the circuit of the calibration switch, and the operation of the calibration switch may be prohibited while the probe is attached to the main body. By doing so, even if the calibration switch is mistakenly operated when a mixed gas different from the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere is circulating in the nursery room, the reference setting is not updated and the oxygen concentration measurement in the nursery room is continued. can do.

[0022]

According to the incubator of the present invention configured as described above, since the probe for measuring the oxygen concentration in the nursery room is always attached at a predetermined position, the dispersion of measured values is reduced, In addition, there is no problem that the hand or leg of the infant covers the sensor part of the probe and the accurate measurement of oxygen concentration becomes impossible. Therefore, the oxygen concentration in the nursery room can be accurately known, and the infant can be protected and raised faithfully according to the doctor's prescription without erroneously controlling the oxygen concentration.

Further, since the cable connected between the probe and the oximeter does not exist in the nursery room, the baby's hand or leg pulls the cable to break the cable,
The problem that the cable is not in good contact does not occur.

Since the probe is provided with the oximeter calibration switch, the oximeter can be calibrated on the probe side. Therefore, it is possible to quickly calibrate the oximeter even if the oximeter is at a distant position.

Furthermore, since the sensor and the cable are electrically connected only by housing the sensor in the disassembled probe, the sensor can be easily replaced or checked.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of an incubator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a mounting portion of the probe shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a probe is attached to a panel.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a probe.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Incubator 3 Main body 5 Nursery room 7 Hood 13 Probe 15 Oxygen concentration meter 25 Calibration switch

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A body for placing a baby on the upper surface, a hood for forming a nursery room isolated from the outside by covering the space above the body, and a probe for measuring the oxygen concentration in the air in the nursery room. An incubator having a holding portion that detachably holds from the outside. 2. A first case including a printed circuit board having a calibration switch and a plurality of spring contacts and a cable connected between the printed circuit board and the oximeter, and the first case. A second case that is detachably attached to the sensor and accommodates the sensor. The sensor includes a plurality of contacts on the sensor side and a plurality of springs when the second case is attached to the first case. The incubator according to claim 1, wherein the incubator is brought into contact with each of the contact points. 3. The incubator according to claim 1, wherein the main body has a space for accommodating an oximeter.