Abstract:
A phototherapy light device for directing light onto an infant. The phototherapy light device has a base containing an illumination source and a gooseneck type of elongated member that extends outwardly from the base and has a conical shaped shade at its distal end. An optical fiber transmits the light from the illumination source to the shade through the optical fiber where the light is passed through a plastic Fresnel lens at the distal end of the shade. By the use of the Fresnel lens and the means of affixing the shade onto the elongated member, the distal end of the phototherapy light device is relatively light and which alleviates the problem of that distal end sagging downwardly to contact the infant undergoing treatment.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a phototherapy light for treating infants and, more particularly, to a phototherapy light having an improved lens.  
         [0002]     Hyperbilirubinemia is an affliction of newborn infants typified by an elevated level of a toxic molecule know as bilirubin in the infant&#39;s blood. Current medical therapy for such affliction is through the use of phototherapy where light radiation, generally within a certain wavelength band is directed upon the infant&#39;s skin.  
         [0003]     There are a number of means or devices that are conventionally employed to direct the light upon the skin of the infant, one of which is to provide a bank of lights that are portable or can be built into an infant care apparatus and which direct the light radiation toward the infant positioned on an infant platform as a part of that apparatus.  
         [0004]     Another means of providing phototherapy is through the use of a fiberoptic pad that is comprised of woven optical fibers such that the light radiation couples out of the optical fibers at the various bends that are formed in the optical fibers during the weaving process.  
         [0005]     A still further means or device is by the use of a “gooseneck” phototherapy device that has a maneuverable, elongated neck that the caregiver can bend to the desired position to direct the light radiation upon the area of the infant where the light radiation is needed.  
         [0006]     With the “gooseneck” type of phototherapy device, the distal end that is positioned so as to direct the light radiation upon the infant conventionally includes a lens that focuses the light radiation to most effectively impinge on the infant.  
         [0007]     One difficulty, however, in the use of the device, is that the lens is comprised of a relatively heavy glass material and, since the distal end of the “gooseneck” can be suspended over the infant, the weight of the lens can cause drooping or sagging of the distal end and can result in the distal end of the “gooseneck” phototherapy device actually contacting the infant. Since the glass lens is normally at an elevated temperature, the contact with the infant is obviously not desirable since it can cause harm to the infant.  
         [0008]     It would be advantageous to have a design and construction of a “gooseneck” type of phototherapy device that provides the necessary alleviation of the bilirubin condition but with a lighter distal end. It would be even further advantageous if the distal end of that phototherapy device were maintained at a relatively low temperature to reduce the potential harm to the infant if there is still an inadvertent contact with an infant.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     Accordingly, the present invention relates to a phototherapy light device that is usable in the treatment of bilirubinemia of an infant. With the device of the present invention, the device preferably has a base where the source of illumination is located for the light therapy. Extending from the base is an elongated “gooseneck” type of flexible member that terminates at a distal end. The elongated member encloses a light pipe or optical fiber system that transmits the light from the light source in the base to the distal end where the light can emanate to impinge upon the infant.  
         [0010]     By means of the flexibility of the elongated member, the location of the distal end can be manipulated by the user to direct the light upon the desired area of the infant while the base remains in a stationary position.  
         [0011]     At the distal end of the elongated member, there is a housing that has an opening for the distal end of the optical fiber to retain it in a desired location and the housing flares outwardly in a generally conical configuration to a widened end where there is located a Fresnel lens.  
         [0012]     As such, the light emanating from the distal end of the optical fiber radiates somewhat outwardly in a diverging pattern to reach the inner surface of the Fresnel lens where the light is redirected outwardly from the housing in a generally collimated pattern. In the present invention, the inner surface of the Fresnel lens is ridged and which faces the distal end of the optical fiber while the outer surface that faces the infant is the smooth side of the Fresnel lens.  
         [0013]     The effect of the Fresnel lens is to prevent the buildup of heat that can cause harm to the infant if there is contact therebetween. The Fresnel lens has a larger radius than the prior art glass lens. In addition, the Fresnel lens is preferable plastic so that the combination of the large area and plastic material allows the Fresnel lens to redirect the light without creating significant heat. Thus, the distal end of the phototherapy light device is not greatly heated and the hazard of contact with an infant by a heated surface is eliminated.  
         [0014]     In addition, the Fresnel lens is lighter that the prior use of a glass lens and that lighter construction as well as the particular assembly of the housing to the elongated member also aids in alleviating the problem of the distal end of the phototherapy light device sagging downwardly and possible contacting the infant.  
         [0015]     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a phototherapy light device constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a side cross sectional view of the elongated member used in the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view illustrating certain components and their assembly in constructing the phototherapy light device of the present invention; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a wave ring used in the invention in the assembly of the phototherapy light device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of the phototherapy light device  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention. As can be seen, the phototherapy light device  10  includes a base  12  and, in the embodiment shown, the base  12  can be mounted to a stand  14  so that the phototherapy light device  10  can be moved to a location proximate to an infant for use in administering phototherapy. As an alternative, the base  12  can be affixed to an infant care apparatus, such as an incubator or infant warmer or may be physically incorporated into an infant care apparatus.  
         [0021]     There can be suitable controls on the base  12 , including a power switch  16  and an intensity control  18  to allow the user to set a desired intensity of the phototherapy light directed onto an infant. In the upper surface of the base  12  there is an opening  20  where an elongated member  22  is affixed to the base  12 .  
         [0022]     The elongated member  22  itself can be a flexible member such as is used in a gooseneck lamp so that the user can manipulate the elongated member  22  as desired so as to position the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22  in a particular location to direct the phototherapy light at a selected area of the infant. Affixed to the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22  is a shade assembly  26  that is generally conical shaped with a reduced diameter proximal end  28  and a larger diameter distal end  30 .  
         [0023]     Thus, overall, there is an illumination source  32  located in the base  12  and which provides the light that is emitted from the distal end  30  of the shade assembly  26  to impinge upon the infant. As is conventional, the illumination source  32  can be a light bulb, for example, of about 50 watts, that provides light at the preferred wavelength to alleviate the bilirubinemia.  
         [0024]     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , taken along with  FIG. 1 , there is shown a side cross sectional view of a portion of the elongated member  22  and, in particular, illustrating the proximal end  34  of the elongated member  22 . As can be seen, the proximal end  34  includes a circular flange  36  that is dimensioned so as to interfit into the opening  20  in the base  12  in order to affix the elongated member  22  to the base  12 . Within the elongated member  22  there is an optical fiber  38  that runs the full length of the elongated member  22 , that is, from the proximal end  34  to the distal end  24 . The optical fiber  38  may be protected by a shield  40  that covers the full length of the optical fiber  38 .  
         [0025]     Accordingly, in conventional manner, the proximal end  34  of the elongated member  22  is affixed firmly within the opening  20  in the base  12  such that the proximal end  42  of the optical fiber  38  is optically located proximate to the illumination source  32  to enable the light from the illumination source  32  to enter the proximal end  42  of the optical fiber  38  so as to transmit that light to the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22 .  
         [0026]     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , taken along with  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown an exploded view illustrating certain components and the assembly and affixation of the shade assembly  26  to the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22 . As will be seen, the optical fiber  38  and the elongated member  22  are both affixed to the shade assembly  26  in a manner that facilitates the assembly during the manufacturing process. As such, therefore, the distal end  44  of the optical fiber  38  is positioned within a fitting  46  that is affixed at the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22 . A foam washer  48  is slipped over the distal end  44  of the optical fiber  38  and an aperture sleeve  50  is also slipped over that distal end  44 . In the process, as the sleeve  50  is placed onto the distal end  44 , a inner flange  52  on the sleeve  50  contacts and pushes the foam washer  48  inwardly and which serves as an inner seal to seal between the optical fiber  38  and the internal diameter of the elongated member  22 .  
         [0027]     Thus the distal end  44  of the optical fiber  38  is encased in the aperture sleeve  50  that has an aperture  54  at its external end in order to allow the light to pass from the distal end  44  of the optical fiber  38  into the shade assembly  26  in a manner that will be later explained.  
         [0028]     In addition, as can be seen, there is an elastomeric sleeve  56  comprises of a flexible material and a retention clip  58  that can be made of a steel material having a slit  60  along its length and the purpose of the elastomeric sleeve  56  and the retention clip  58  will be later explained, however at this point in the assembly, the elastomeric sleeve  56  and the retention clip  58  are assembled to the shade assembly  26  by begin slipped over the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22 .  
         [0029]     The coupling of the elongated member  22  to the sleeve assembly  26  is accomplished by affixing a shade  62  to the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22 . The shade  62  has a generally conical shaped body  64  with a large diameter outer end  66  and a small, cylindrical inner end  68 . In the assembly, therefore, the cylindrical inner end  68  of the shade  62  is interfitted over the aperture sleeve  52  and inside of the fitting  46 . There are a plurality of apertures  70 , generally two apertures, located 180 degrees apart, in the cylindrical inner end  68  of the shade  62  that align with apertures  72  in the fitting  46  such that pins  74  can be inserted through the respective, aligned apertures  70  and  72  to affix the shade  62  to the fitting  46 , thereby, of course, affixing the shade  62  to the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22 .  
         [0030]     The retention clip  58  can then be slid distally along the elongated member  22  to a position overlying the pins  74  to retain the pins  74  in their position affixing the shade  62  to the fitting  46 . The elastomeric sleeve  56  can then also be slipped distally along the elongated member  22  to a position overlying the retention clip  58  to provide a moisture seal over the retention clip  58  as well as other areas of the junction between the elongated member  22  and the shade assembly  26 .  
         [0031]     As such with the shade  58  to the elongated member  22 , the remaining components of the shade assembly  26  can be assembled. Thus, a reflective cone  76  is inserted into the interior of the shade  62  and rests against ribs  78  formed on the interior surface of the shade  62 . The inner end  80  of the reflective cone  76  fits around the aperture  54  in the aperture sleeve  50  to allow the light emanating from the distal end  44  of the optical fiber  38  to enter and be reflected off of the interior metallized surface of the reflective cone  76 .  
         [0032]     A Fresnel lens  82  is located at the distal end outer end  66  of the shade  62  and is preferably made of a plastic material for lightness. Since a Fresnel lens, by definition, has a flat side and a ridged side, in the present construction the flat side is the outer side  84 , that is, facing toward the infant and the ridged side is the inner side  86  facing the optical fiber  38 . By that orientation it can be assured that the outer side  84  can be easily cleaned by the users since it is flat without the ridges which are difficult to clean.  
         [0033]     As can be seen, the Fresnel lens  82  rests against the outer ends  88  of the ribs  78  to hold the Fresnel lens  82  along its inner side  86  and a wave spring  90  affixes the Fresnel lens to the shade  62 . The wave spring  90  is better shown in  FIG. 4 , taken along with  FIG. 3  and used to hold the Fresnel lens  82  safely to the outer end  66  of the shade  62 . Basically, the wave spring  90  is a circular ring of overlapping ends and which has waves or various sinusoidal indentations  92  formed therein. In assembling the Fresnel lens  82  to the outer end  66  of the shade  62 , the Fresnel lens  82  is placed into a circular groove  94  formed in the outer end  66  and the wave spring  90  is compressed and sprung open in the annular grove  94  to retain the Fresnel lens  82  firmly in position.  
         [0034]     As described and shown, therefore, it can be seen that the shade assembly  26  is affixed to the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22  is a positive manner and yet which does not add significant weight to the distal end  24  of the elongated member  22  so that the phototherapy light device can be held in its desired position over the infant and not sag toward the infant.  
         [0035]     Therefore, with the present invention, the light originating from the illumination source  32  passes through the optical fiber  38  to the distal end  44  of the optical fiber  38  where it enters the housing shade  62  to impinge on the inner side  86  of the Fresnel lens  82 . That ridged inner side  86  then passes the light to the smooth, outer side  84  of the Fresnel lens  82  to be directed toward the infant at the desired area.  
         [0036]     By means of the “gooseneck” elongated member  22 , the light can be directed by the user to the desired area of the infant. By the particular arrangement of affixing the shade assembly  26  to the elongated member  22 , and the use of a light, plastic Fresnel lens, the distal end of the phototherapy light device  10  is sufficiently light as compared to the prior art glass lens unit, to allow the distal end of the phototherapy light device  10  to be safely positioned over an infant and reduce the possibility of sagging and potential touching of the infant.  
         [0037]     Those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the phototherapy light device of the present invention which will result in an improved phototherapy system for an infant care apparatus, yet all of which will fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.