Abstract:
An incubator according to the present invention will be able to prevent accidents to the incubator itself or other devices, a doctor, a nurse or others causing external force even if the external force is applied to a canopy of a newborn chamber. An optical detector in a control mechanism detects application of external force to the canopy of the newborn chamber, and a signal output section in the control mechanism outputs a signal that renders a driving mechanism for lowering and raising the canopy non-operational when the application of external force is detected. Accordingly, even if external force is applied to the canopy by bump, contact, putting some object or others, the driving mechanism will not continue or start to lower or raise the canopy while the external force is applied to the canopy because the driving mechanism will be rendered non-operational.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an incubator that has a driving mechanism for lowering and raising a canopy of a newborn chamber. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    An incubator has a newborn chamber to provide appropriate physiological environment for a newborn who cannot adjust its body temperature and others by itself. In a closed type incubator, substantially entire areas of the sides and top of a newborn chamber are formed from transparent members so that a newborn in the newborn chamber can be seen from outside. Within the newborn chamber, not only temperature but also humidity, oxygen concentration and others are controlled. In an open type incubator, substantially entire areas of the sides of a newborn chamber are formed from transparent members, and a radiant heating source disposed above the newborn chamber controls the temperature of a bed for the newborn in the newborn chamber together with the temperature of the newborn itself. 
         [0003]    Also known is a switching type incubator which can be switched between the closed type and open type as required by lowering or raising the canopy of the newborn chamber. In this switching type incubator, the canopy of the newborn chamber is lowered or raised by a driving mechanism such as an electric motor automatically or by hand if the driving mechanism malfunctions because the canopy of the newborn chamber has to be lowered or raised as described above (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). 
       {Citation List} 
     {Patent Literature} 
       [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,499 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0005]    In the switching type incubator, when the canopy of the newborn chamber is automatically lowered or raised by the driving mechanism, the canopy might be lowered or raised while the canopy bumps against or comes into contact with other devices near the incubator or a person&#39;s body such as that of a doctor, a nurse or others, or while some object is put on the canopy, in other words, while external force is applied to the canopy. If the driving mechanism for the canopy continues or starts to lower or raise the canopy in such circumstances, accidents may happen to the incubator itself or the other devices, the doctor, the nurse or others causing the external force. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an incubator that will be able to prevent accidents to the incubator itself or other devices, a doctor, a nurse or others causing the external force, even if the external force is applied to a canopy of a newborn camber. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0006]    In an incubator according to the present invention, a detecting section in a control mechanism detects application of external force to a canopy of a newborn chamber, and a signal output section in the control mechanism outputs a signal that renders a driving mechanism non-operational when the application of external force is detected. Accordingly, even if external force is applied to the canopy of the newborn chamber by bump, contact, putting some object or others, the driving mechanism for the canopy will not continue or start to lower or raise the canopy while the external force is applied to the canopy because the driving mechanism for the canopy will be rendered non-operational. The application of external force may be detected, for example, by detecting displacement or strain of at least part of the canopy, by detecting variation in pressure applied to at least part of the canopy, or by detecting variation in driving current or driving frequency in the driving mechanism for the canopy. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0007]    In the incubator according to the present invention, even if external force is applied to the canopy of the newborn chamber by bump, contact, putting some object or others, the driving mechanism for the canopy will not continue or start to lower or raise the canopy while the external force is applied to the canopy because the driving mechanism for the canopy will be rendered non-operational. Accordingly, it will be able to prevent accidents to the incubator itself or other devices, a doctor, a nurse or others causing the external force. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  A vertical section of a canopy and its vicinity of an incubator according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  Perspective views of an optical detector in the incubator according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) shows a state in which light is not detected, and (b) and (c) show a state in which light is detected. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  A side view of the incubator, in a state of a closed type, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  A side view of the incubator, in a state of an open type, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]    An embodiment according to the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 .  FIGS. 3 and 4  show an incubator according to the present embodiment which is in a closed type and an open type respectively. In the incubator  11 , wheels  13  and a support  14  are attached to a frame  12 . A base  15  is supported on the support  14 . Within the base  15  is a control mechanism (not shown) for temperature, humidity and others. Disposed on the base  15  is a newborn chamber  16 . A drawer  17  for use as storage is attached under the base  15 . Pedals  18  are also attached to the frame  12  in order to adjust the height of the base  15  or others along the support  14 . 
         [0013]    A bed (not shown) is disposed in the newborn chamber  16 . Formed in the sides of the newborn chamber  16  are: a pair of left and right treatment doors  21  which are located on the left and right sides of a newborn (not shown) lying on the bed; a foot end treatment door  22  which is located at the foot end; and a head end treatment wall  23  which is located at the head end. A pair of left and right posts  24  is also attached to the frame  12 . Another pair of left and right posts  25  (see  FIG. 4 ) is nested in the pair of left and right posts  24 . The respective posts  25  are slidable within the respective posts  24 . 
         [0014]    A canopy  26  of the newborn chamber  16  and an infrared heater  27  are supported one each by the left and right posts  25 . By sliding the posts  25  within the corresponding posts  24 , the canopy  26  and infrared heater  27  can be raised or lowered independently. They are raised or lowered by an operating instruction given from a doctor, a nurse or others to a driving mechanism such as an electric motor (not shown). The canopy  26  is also made of a transparent material. Attached also to the posts  24  is a protector  28  that prevents the infrared heater  27  from bumping against a wall (not shown) of a room. The left and right treatment doors  21  each have a transparent wall  31 . The walls  31  have a pair of left and right hand insertion windows (not shown), and a pair of left and right hand insertion doors  32  which opens or closes the windows. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  shows the canopy  26  and its vicinity. A support arm  33  is attached to one of the pair of left and right posts  25 , and the canopy  26  is suspended from the support shaft  34  of the support arm  33 . Attached to the support arm  33  is a pair of elastic supports  35  and  36 . The elastic supports  35  and  36  press the canopy  26 , thereby limiting rotational range of the canopy  26  around the support shaft  34  to a predetermined angle. The elastic supports  35  and  36  may each be structured, for example, by attaching a semispherical press member made of rubber to the leading end of a helical compression spring. Disposed near the elastic support  35  of the canopy  26  is a light source  37  for illumination, etc. 
         [0016]    This incubator  11  is provided with a control mechanism for controlling the raising and lowering of the canopy  26 . The control mechanism has an optical detector  38  that detects application of external force to the canopy  26 ; and a signal output section (not shown) that outputs a signal that renders the driving mechanism for the canopy  26  non-operational when the application is detected. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the optical detector  38  has: a light emitting element  41  and a light receiving element  42  mounted on the support arm  33  so as to be opposite to each other; and a light shield  43  mounted on the canopy  26  and extending toward a space between the light emitting element  41  and light receiving element  42 . 
         [0017]    When the canopy  26  is suspended from the support shaft  34  in a normal state and external force is not applied to the canopy  26 , the light shield  43  is situated between the light emitting element  41  and light receiving element  42  as shown in  FIG. 2  ( a ), and light emitted from the light emitting element  41  is intercepted by the light shield  43  and does not enter the light receiving element  42 . In this case, the signal output section in the control mechanism does not output a signal. If a doctor, a nurse or others gives an operating instruction to the driving mechanism for the canopy  26  in this condition, the canopy  26  is raised or lowered according to this operating instruction. 
         [0018]    However, for example, if some object is put on an area, opposite to the posts  25  with respect to the support shaft  34 , of the canopy  26 , this canopy  26  rotates around the support shaft  34  clockwise in  FIG. 1  through a certain angle against the elastic support force of the elastic support  36 , as indicated by a chain line in  FIG. 1 . If the light shield  43  moves out of the space between the light emitting element  41  and light receiving element  42  as shown in  FIG. 2  ( b ) due to the rotation, light emitted from the light emitting element  41  is not intercepted by the light shield  43  and enters the light receiving element  42 . 
         [0019]    In this case, the signal output section in the control mechanism outputs a signal. Even if a doctor, a nurse or others gives an operating instruction to the driving mechanism for the canopy  26  in this condition, the canopy  26  will not be raised or lowered regardless of this operating instruction. Additionally, for example, if some object falls on an area, opposite to the posts  25  with respect to the support shaft  34 , of the canopy  26  in the course of raising or lowering the canopy  26 , or if the head of a doctor, a nurse or others bumps against an area, on the posts  25  side with respect to the support shaft  34 , of the canopy  26  in the course of lowering the canopy  26 , the light shield  43  in the optical detector  38  may come to a state as shown in  FIG. 2  ( b ). In this case also, the signal output section in the control mechanism outputs a signal. Consequently, the raising or lowering of the canopy  26  is halted by the output of this signal. 
         [0020]    Alternatively, for example, if some object is put on an area, on the posts  25  side with respect to the support shaft  34 , of the canopy  26 , this canopy  26  rotates around the support shaft  34  counterclockwise in  FIG. 1  through a certain angle against the elastic support force of the elastic support  35 , as indicated by a chain double-dashed line in  FIG. 1 . If the light shield  43  moves out of the space between the light emitting element  41  and light receiving element  42  as shown in  FIG. 2  ( c ) due to the rotation, light emitted from the light emitting element  41  is not intercepted by the light shield  43  and enters the light receiving element  42 . In this case also, the signal output section in the control mechanism outputs a signal. Even if a doctor, a nurse or others gives an operating instruction to the driving mechanism for the canopy  26  in this condition, the canopy  26  will not be raised or lowered regardless of this operating instruction. 
         [0021]    Further, for example, if some object falls on an area, on the posts  25  side with respect to the support shaft  34 , of the canopy  26  in the course of raising or lowering the canopy  26 , or if the head of a doctor, a nurse or others bumps against an area, opposite to the posts  25  with respect to the support shaft  34 , of the canopy  26  in the course of lowering the canopy  26 , the light shield  43  in the optical detector  38  may come to a state as shown in  FIG. 2  ( c ). In this case also, the signal output section in the control mechanism outputs a signal. Consequently, raising or lowering of the canopy  26  is halted by the output of this signal. 
         [0022]    In the incubator  11  in the forgoing embodiment, the light emitting element  41  and light receiving element  42  are mounted on the support arm  33 , and the light shield  43  is mounted on the canopy  26 . However, these positions may be reversed; that is, the light emitting element  41  and light receiving element  42  may be mounted on the canopy  26 , and the light shield  43  may be mounted on the support arm  33 . 
         [0023]    Further, in order to detect application of external force to the canopy  26 , the incubator  11  in the foregoing embodiment uses an optical detector  38  serving as a non-contact sensor. However, instead of the optical detector  38 , various devices may be used to detect application of external force. For example, as non-contact type sensors, ultrasonic detectors, in which an ultrasonic transmitter, ultrasonic receiver, and ultrasonic interceptor correspond to the light emitting element  41 , light receiving element  42 , and light shield  43 , respectively, may be used. Additionally, a strain gauge may be stuck to a portion, most apt to be strained by the application of external force, of the canopy  26 , for example, a portion near the support shaft  34 . 
         [0024]    Further, in order to detect external force itself applied to the canopy  26 , a pressure sensor may be stuck to, for example, an upper surface or peripheral edge of the canopy  26 . Additionally, if external force is applied to the canopy  26  during driving this canopy  26  by an electric motor, the driving current and driving frequency of the electric motor varies. That is, if the load on the electric motor for driving the canopy  26  varies due to application of external force to the canopy  26 , the driving current of the electric motor varies, and slippage variation due to the load variation would also lead to variation in the rotating speed of the electric motor. Accordingly, a detector that detects abnormal values of the driving current or rotating speed of the electric motor for driving the canopy  26  may also be used. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0025]    The present invention can be applied, for example, to manufacturing a switching type incubator with a driving mechanism for lowering and raising a canopy of a newborn chamber, thereby allowing switching of the incubator between the closed type and open type as required. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0026]      11  Incubator 
         [0027]      16  Newborn chamber 
         [0028]      26  Canopy 
         [0029]      33  Support arm 
         [0030]      38  Optical detector (detecting section, non-contact type sensor) 
         [0031]      41  Light emitting element 
         [0032]      42  Light receiving element 
         [0033]      43  Light shield