Patent ID: 6953427

Claim:
An infant care apparatus, said apparatus comprising a base having an infant support on which an infant is positioned, an upper housing supporting a radiant heater mounted to said base at a fixed vertical distance above said infant support, a canopy mounted to said base, said canopy being movable between a lower position wherein said canopy fits over said infant support to form an infant compartment adapted to enclose an infant and an upper position wherein said canopy is elevated with respect to said infant support and the infant compartment is open, said canopy having an opening formed therein located so as to be positioned between said radiant heater and said infant support when said canopy is in said upper position to allow said radiant heater to direct radiant energy through said opening toward said infant support, said canopy having at least one door having a closed position blocking said opening when said canopy is in said lower position and an open position when said canopy is in said upper position, said door being openable and closable as said canopy moves, respectively, from its lower position to its upper position and from its upper position to its lower position, said at least one door having an upper surface when in the closed position, said infant care apparatus further having an object sensing means adapted to sense the presence of an object resting upon the upper surface of the at least one door when the at least one door is in its closed position and for preventing the upward movement of the canopy when an object is sensed.