Patent Publication Number: US-10765579-B2

Title: Incubator for the transport of high-risk infants

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates an incubator for the transport of high-risk infants. 
     More specifically, the invention concerns a transport incubator capable to accommodate and maintain high-risk infants in a controlled environment during transportation by ambulance, airplane, helicopter and the like, from the place of birth to the Neonatal Intensive Care Department. 
     Brief Discussion of the Related Art 
     It has long been known that the transport of pathological or immature newborn, from the place of birth to the Intensive Care Center of a hospital, involves substantial risk and can often cause even irreversible worsening of the already precarious conditions of the newborn. 
     Therefore, the use of an apparatus that regulates the temperature and humidity levels and allows the immature or premature newborn to enjoy conditions similar to those of the intrauterine environment is necessary. 
     Currently, known transport incubators allow to adjust both the temperature, humidity and other environmental parameters and to associate other life support equipment for pulmonary ventilation, oxygenation and related equipment tester for functional verifications, for the newborn transportation. 
     However, in known transport incubators, visual monitoring and the access to medical interventions on premature, that are limited by the structure of the system, are often difficult. 
     In addition, the transportation of premature and/or infants from birth place to images diagnostic rooms, or from a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to the images diagnostic rooms, requires the newborn to be moved from the incubator on the specific thermographic equipment deck chairs such as the apparatus of Magnetic Resonance Imaging—MRI, or the apparatus of Computerized Axial Tomography—CT and the like, and this causes considerable temperature changes and the interruption of the assisted monitoring. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In light of the above, it is therefore object of the present invention providing a light transport incubator, easy to handle and compatible with the transport means such as ambulance, airplane, helicopter ambulance and the like, to allow a quick intervention. 
     A further object of the invention is to prevent the risks arising from the transport of a premature newborn from the birth place to the Neonatal Intensive Care Departments, allowing the quick start of intensive care and reanimation and allowing the transport of the newborn in full safety during the diagnosis and/or therapy phases. 
     Another object of the invention is to allow a better accessibility, both visual and manual, to the patient during the permanence within the incubator. 
     It is therefore specific object of the invention a transport incubator comprising a support structure comprising a base, provided with at least one first guide, a housing structure, coupled with said supporting structure, comprising a first portion having at least one first side panel slidably coupled with said first guide of said base, and a second portion, laterally delimited by at least one first side wall, on which at least said first panel of said first portion slides. 
     Further according to the invention, said base is provided with a second guide, arranged parallel with respect to said first guide, said first portion comprises a second side panel, arranged facing to said first side panel, slidably coupled to said second guide of said base, and said second portion is delimited by a second side wall, arranged facing with respect to said first side wall, on which said first portion of said second panel slides. 
     Still said supporting structure comprises a frame comprising a first curb and a second curb, on which a plurality of U-shape support elements, for the passage of fastening straps, are hooked. 
     Preferably according to the invention, said supporting structure comprises a U-shaped supporting base, which can be coupled with said frame and on which said base is fixed. 
     Further according to the invention, said base has, on its lateral surface, a through slot, said support base has laterally a through slot overlapped on said through slot of said base, and it comprises a tray removable from the inside outward said first portion for the insertion and the subsequent extraction of radiographic sheets. 
     Still according to the invention, said base is provided with a first support frame, arranged parallel and beside to said first guide, and a second support frame arranged beside and parallel to said second guide, and said first portion comprises a perforated base, sliding on said first and second support frame, on which perforated base a newborn can be rested. 
     Preferably according to the invention, said first side panel of said first portion comprises a first porthole, provided with an opening handle and a second porthole, provided with an opening handle, and said second side panel of said first portion comprises a first porthole provided with an opening handle and a second porthole provided with an opening handle. 
     Further according to the invention, said first portion is delimited at the top by a dome coupled with said first and second panel. 
     Still according to the invention, said dome and said first and second panel are made of transparent plastic material. 
     Preferably according to the invention, said second portion is delimited at the top by a top cover, coupled with said first and second side wall, in which a monitor for displaying said vital parameters of said newborn accommodated within said first portion is integrated. 
     Further according to the invention, said monitor is coupled with said top cover by a hinge, and said monitor passes from a rest position, in which it is inserted into a housing of said top cover, to a parameter display position, by rotating around said hinge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows an isometric view in closed configuration of the incubator object of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows an axonometric view in open configuration of the incubator of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of the components of the upper part of the incubator of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  shows an exploded view of the components of the lower part of the incubator of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the various figures, similar parts will be indicated by the same reference numbers. 
     Referring to the enclosed figures, the incubator object of the invention, referred to with the reference I, comprises a supporting structure S made of plastic material, shaped so as to be fixed, by means of passing-belts, to any type of media being used for the transport emergency such as folding trolleys, beds for intra-hospital transport, spinal stretchers and the like, and a housing structure of the high-risk infant. 
     Said supporting structure S comprises a frame  1  comprising a first curb  1   a  and a second curb  1   b , on which a plurality of U-shaped supporting elements  11   a ,  11   b , . . . ,  11   g  are hooked. 
     Said first  1   a  and second  1   b  curb allow the passage of passing-belts, not shown in the figures, to firmly engage said incubator I with said transport beds, spinal stretchers and the like. 
     Said supporting structure S comprises a U-shaped support base  2 , which is coupled with said frame  1 , in particular with said plurality of support elements  11   a ,  11   b , . . . ,  11   g.    
     Said support base  2  has, on its lateral surface, a first hole  21  and a second hole  22  for housing knobs, which will be described in detail below, and a through slot  23 , which will be described in detail below. 
     Said support structure S also includes a grid  3 , which is coupled with said support base  2 , on which said housing structure A is supported. 
     Said housing structure A comprises a base  4 , which is coupled with said bearing structure S. 
     A first guide  4   a  and a second guide  4   b  are fixed on said base  4  of said housing structure A, for the sliding of panels that will be described in detail below. 
     In particular, said base  4  has, on its lateral surface, a first pin  41 , a second pin  42 , and a through slot  43 . 
     Said first pin  41  is inserted in said first hole  21  of said support base  2  and is locked by a first knob  411 , said second pin  42  is inserted in said second hole  22  of said support base  2  and is locked by a second knob  421 , and said through slot  23  of said support base  2  overlaps said through slot  43  of said base  4 , during the coupling between said housing structure A and said support structure S. 
     Said first  411  and second  421  knob are used to actuate the lift system of the bed, on which the infant lies. 
     In particular, said lift system comprises a first tube  40   a , connected with said first pin  41 , a second pipe  40   b , connected with said second pin  42 , a first support frame  40   c , placed on said base  4  and put beside said first guide  4   a  and a second support frame  40   d , placed on said base  4  and put beside said second guide  4   b.    
     On said first  40   c  and second  40   d  support frame the bed that will be described later is placed. 
     Said housing structure A comprises a first portion A′ and a second portion A″. 
     Said first portion A′ comprises a first side panel  5  and a second side panel  6 , both made of transparent material and slidably coupled respectively with said first  4   a  and second  4   b  guide of said base  4 . Said first side panel  5  is provided with a first porthole  51  and a second porthole  52 , which allow the access from the outside of the medical staff&#39;s hands to the inside of said first portion A′. Said first porthole  51  is provided with an opening handle  51   a  and said second porthole  52  is provided with an opening handle  52   a.    
     Said first portion A′ further comprises a second side panel  6 , made of transparent material, arranged faced to said first side panel  5 , slidingly coupled with said second guide  4   b  of said base  4 . 
     Said second side  7  panel  6  is provided with a first porthole  61  and a second porthole  62 , which allow the access from the outside of the medical staff&#39;s hands to the inside of said first portion A′. Said first porthole  61  is provided with an opening handle  61   a  and said second porthole  62  is provided with an opening handle  62   a.    
     Said first portion A′ includes a perforated base or bed  7 , slidingly coupled to said first support frame  40   c  and to said second support frame  40   d , on which the newborn is placed, and a tray B which slides from the inside to the outside of said first portion A′ through said slot  43  of said base  4  and the slot  23  of said support base  23 . 
     Said tray B is adapted to contain radiographic sheets, in order to carry out X-ray examinations to infants, while they are accommodated in said first portion A′. 
     Said first portion A′ further comprises a double wall transparent dome  8 , to allow a complete visibility inside said portion A′ and to act as an effective thermal and sound protection barrier of the internal environment of said portion A′. 
     Said dome  8  has at its ends a first guide  8   a  and a second guide  8   b , on which respectively said first side panel  5  and said second side panel  6  slide. 
     Said portion A′ is closed at the front by a front door  9  and at the rear by a rear door  10 . 
     Said front door  9  comprises a frame  91 , which is coupled with said dome  8 , and a flap door  92 , made of transparent material, which is fixed to said frame  91  by a pin  94  for opening and closing said flap door  92 . 
     On said flap door  92  a rubberized slot  93  is obtained for the passage of cables and/or tubes. 
     Said rear door  10  has a plurality of openings  10   a ,  10   b , . . . ,  10   d  for the passage of oxygen cylinders and cables for the power supply of the incubator I. Said second portion A″ is delimitated by a first side wall  53 , coupled with said first guide  4   a , on which said first panel  5  of said first portion A′ slides, by a second side wall  63 , coupled with said second guide  4   b , on which said second panel  6  of said first portion A′ slides, and by a top cover  65 , fixed to said first  53  and second  63  side wall, in which a monitor  66  is integrated within a housing. 
     Said monitor  66  shows the vital parameters of the newborn accommodated within said incubator I and passes from a rest position, in which it is inserted in said top cover  65 , to a parameter display position, by rotating around a hinge  66 ′. 
     Said monitor  66  can also be rotated sideways toward said first side panel  5  or towards said second side panel  6 . 
     Said second portion A″ is closed at the rear by a door  101 , on which a first opening  101   a  and a second opening  101   b  are obtained for the passage of cables and medical instrumentation. 
     All the component elements of said second portion A′ are made of plastic material to ensure compatibility with the tomographic apparatuses. 
     In operation, when a newborn at risk has to be transported by means of said incubator I, an operator opens said flap door  92  by rotating the pin  94 , extracts said perforated base  7  from said first closed portion A′ and puts there the newborn at risk. 
     Said perforated base  7  is then retracted inside said first closed portion A′ and said flap door  92  is closed. 
     Said incubator I is then secured to a transport means, such as a spinal stretcher, resting said support structure S on said spinal stretcher and fixing said incubator I to said spinal stretcher by means of straps running through said first  1   a  and second  1   b  curb. 
     Medical staff views newborn&#39;s vital parameters by means of the monitor  66 . 
     When intervening directly on the infant is necessary, medical staff can insert hands and arms inside of said first closed portion A′ through said first porthole  51  and second porthole  52  of said first side panel  5  and/or through said first porthole  61  and second porthole  62  of said second side panel  6 . 
     In case of X-ray or tomographic examination, the operator proceeds extracting said tray B, housing a radiographic plate and retract said tray B through said through slot  23  of said support base  2  and said slot of said through slot  43  of said base  4 . 
     In case directly accessing to the infant is necessary, it is possible opening said first portion A′ by sliding said first panel  5  along said first guide  4   a  of said first side wall  53  of said second portion A″ and/or by sliding said second panel  6 , along said second guide  4   b  on said second side wall  63  of said second portion A″. 
     As it is evident from the above description, said incubator can be used compatibly with diagnostic imaging tomographic apparatuses, by the use of an extensible configuration. 
     Additionally, the limited dimensions both in length and in width ensure both transportability on devices adapted to emergency transport as well as the insertion within image diagnostic devices. 
     The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.