Modular healthcare room interior

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6243993
  • Patent Number
    6,243,993
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, March 11, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, June 12, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A modular patient healthcare room interior assembly is provided for creating a room in an unfinished space of a building. The interior assembly includes a modular sidewall assembly which includes a plurality of pre-fabricated wall panel segments connected together. Each wall panel segment includes a finished interior wall surface. A divider wall separates the room into a bedroom and a bathroom. A pre-fabricated vanity unit is located in the bathroom. The vanity unit includes a vanity countertop, a vanity wash basin and a vanity perimeter wall. A prefabricated bathing unit is located in the bathroom. A pre-fabricated nurse's station is located in the bedroom.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates generally to pre-fabricated room interiors, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to pre-fabricated room interiors for use in a healthcare environment.




2. Description of the Prior Art




The present state of the art in the construction of hospital rooms and other healthcare facilities utilizes on site stick built construction of the room interior. Interior furnishings are selected from various conventional sources and may or may not optimize the usefulness and attractiveness of the completed room.




In addition to the non-optimal design, such traditional methods of construction involve long and unreliable construction times due to the difficulties in scheduling the various craftsmen such as carpenters, painters, plumbers, electricians and the like to complete the construction work.




The same problems are encountered in both new construction and in renovation using traditional methods.




Furthermore, in today's more competitive healthcare environment there is a demand by patients for more livable and pleasant accommodations, as contrasted to the typical sterile clinical environment of traditional hospital room construction.




Accordingly, there is a need for an optimal healthcare room interior design which at the same time can be rapidly installed either in a new construction or renovation situation.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




A modular patient healthcare room interior assembly is provided for creating a room in an unfinished space of a building. The modular room interior may be utilized in either new construction or renovation.




The room interior assembly includes a modular sidewall assembly. The sidewall assembly includes a plurality of pre-fabricated wall panel segments connected together. Each wall panel segment includes a finished interior wall surface.




A divider wall at least partially separates the room into a bedroom and a bathroom. A pre-fabricated vanity unit is located in the bathroom. The vanity unit includes a countertop, a wash basin and a perimeter wall. A pre-fabricated bathing unit is located in the bathroom.




A pre-fabricated nurse's station is located in the bedroom. The nurse's station includes a nurse's countertop, a nurse's washbasin and nurse's perimeter wall.




A medical gas rail assembly is located in the bedroom and mounted on either the sidewall assembly or the divider wall, often referred to as a headwall. The medical gas rail assembly includes a plurality of healthcare utility connections.




All of the components are designed to be fabricated at one or more off site locations and then transported to the onsite assembly point.




The components are constructed so that they may be rapidly assembled on site. When connected together the components provide a complete building interior with finished wall surfaces, and all necessary equipment.




Furthermore, the room interior is designed to optimize the usefulness of the available space and provide a far more pleasant livable environment for the patient.




It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide modular patient healthcare room interior assemblies.




Another object of the present invention is the provision of methods for constructing patient healthcare room interiors.




Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a room interior which may be pre-fabricated off site and then rapidly assembled at the onsite location.




Still another object of the present invention is the provision of healthcare room interiors which optimize the usefulness of the available space.




Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of healthcare room interiors which provide a more pleasant and livable patient environment.




Other and further objects features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon the reading of the following disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective cutaway view of a first embodiment of the modular room interior of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a perspective cutaway view of a second embodiment of the modular room interior.





FIG. 3

is a plan view of the room interior of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 4

is a plan view of the room interior of FIG.


2


.





FIG. 5

is a front elevation view of the pre-fabricated vanity unit.





FIG. 6

is a sectioned elevation view taken along line


6





6


of FIG.


5


.





FIG. 7

is a section plan view taken along FIG.


7





7


of FIG.


5


.





FIG. 8

is a front elevation view of the nurse's station.





FIG. 9

is a sectioned elevation view taken along line


9





9


of FIG.


8


.





FIG. 10

is a section plan view taken along line


10





10


of FIG.


8


.





FIG. 11

is a downward looking cross-sectional view showing two of the sidewall panel segments fitted together, and received in a floor channel.





FIG. 12

is a front elevation view of a vanity storage cabinet module.





FIG. 13

is a front elevation view of a towel and soap dispenser cabinet module.





FIG. 14

is a front elevation view of a communications cabinet module.





FIG. 15

is a front elevation view of a sharps cabinet module.





FIG. 16

is a plan view of several alternative lay-outs for room interiors.





FIG. 17

is a plan view of two more alternative lay-outs for room interiors.





FIG. 18

is a downward looking cross-sectional view showing interior construction of the headwall/divider wall to which the medical gas rail assembly is mounted.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to

FIGS. 1 and 3

, a modular patient healthcare room interior assembly is shown and generally designated by the numeral


10


.




The interior assembly


10


is installed in an unfinished space of a building


12


. The building


12


typically includes exterior columns


14


, exterior walls


16


, interior columns


18


, and interior walls


20


. In the embodiment shown in

FIG. 1

, the interior wall


20


may also be referred to as a hallway wall


20


.




It will be appreciated that there are many varieties of building construction and that the particular type and arrangement of the various structural members defining the building super structure are not critical to the present invention.




The modular room interior assembly


10


of the present invention may be modified as necessary to fit within any existing or planned building construction.




The interior building wall


20


includes a doorway opening


19


and door


21


.




The major components of the room interior


10


include a modular sidewall assembly


22


, a divider wall assembly


100


, which in part separates the room into a bedroom


102


and bathroom


104


, a pre-fabricated vanity unit


106


, a pre-fabricated bathing unit


108


, and a pre-fabricated nurse's station


110


.




All of the interior walls of the room


10


are defined by the modular sidewall assembly


22


which is made up of a plurality of pre-fabricated wall panel segments connected together at the onsite location. Each of the wall segments includes a finished interior wall surface


24


. Preferably the interior wall surface


24


is covered with a washable vinyl material, but any other desired wall finish including paint could be used. All of the wall segments are, however, fabricated in an off site facility where they are completely finished, and thus are ready to be assembled on site into a finished room interior. There is no need for painting or papering the room interior walls after the panels are assembled.




Beginning on the left hand side of

FIG. 3

, the modular sidewall assembly


22


includes a relatively long linear panel


26


, a concave rounded interior segment


28


, a short linear segment


30


, a convex rounded interior panel


32


, a short linear panel


34


, a concave rounded interior panel


36


, a linear panel


38


, fitted around a window opening


39


, a concave rounded corner panel


40


, another longer linear panel


42


, another concave rounded corner panel


44


, two short linear panels


46


and


48


which lead up to the nurse's station


110


. On the other side of the nurse's station


110


there is another linear panel


50


, which leads to the hallway door opening


19


in the interior building wall


20


.




The modular sidewall assembly


22


continues on the opposite side of the hallway door opening


19


with another linear panel


54


, a bathroom entry trim piece


56


, and a concave rounded corner panel


58


which leads to the vanity unit


106


. On the other side of the vanity unit


106


, the sidewall assembly


22


continues with a short linear panel


60


, a concave rounded corner panel


62


, a longer linear panel


64


, another concave rounded corner panel


66


, and a short linear panel


68


which leads to the bathing unit


108


.




On the opposite side of the bathing unit


108


, is found the divider wall


100


. The divider wall


100


includes a linear panel


70


, doorway opening trim panel


72


, a short linear panel


74


, a rounded corner panel


76


, and a long linear panel


78


which is joined by a concave corner panel


80


to the linear panel


26


of sidewall assembly


22


.




Although some of the components of the divider wall


100


are constructed from the same types of panel segments as the segments of wall assembly


22


, the divider wall


100


also includes a special wall section known as a headwall panel


82


. The headwall panel


82


may be constructed in a manner similar to that of the wall panel segments, but is typically thicker and of more sturdy construction. The headwall panel


82


is constructed to have a medical gas rail assembly


116


and a bed locator


117


(see

FIG. 1

) mounted thereon. The headwall unit


82


will also carry various plumbing and electrical connections for the medical gas rail assembly


116


and bed locator


117


.





FIG. 18

illustrates further details of the construction of the interior of the headwall panel


82


. Headwall panel


82


is made up of an internal structure including vertical metal I-beams or studs such as


83


and


84


, and cross-bridging such as


85


,


86


and


87


which spans between adjacent vertical I-beams. The cross-bridging snaps in place between the I-beams. First and second outer wall panels such as


88


and


89


snap into place on the internal structure.




The wall panels


88


and


89


may be ⅝ inch thick gypsum board covered with a washable vinyl outer covering. The thickness


90


of headwall


82


can vary, but typically is five inches.




It is noted that the divider wall


100


may be described as at least partially dividing the room space into the bedroom


102


and the bathroom


104


. One could also describe the divider wall


100


and certain portions of the sidewall such as sidewall panel segment


54


as collectively defining an enclosure wall around the bathroom


104


.




It will be appreciated that the various panel segments which make up the sidewall assembly


22


and divider wall


100


will be for most part made up of standard dimension components, but for any particular room it will likely be necessary for a few custom components to be designed to accommodate the unique shapes and arrangements of the existing structural columns and walls of the building super structure.





FIG. 11

shows a typical construction for one of the sidewall panels with connecting means for connecting the panel to adjacent panels of either the sidewall assembly


22


or divider wall


100


.




For example, in

FIG. 11

two adjacent standard two foot wide segments


26


A and


26


B of linear panel


26


are shown. The panel segments are received in channel shaped floor and ceiling tracks. The floor track


92


has a web


93


and upward extending flanges


94


and


95


. The ceiling track is similar but inverted.




The panel segments


26


A and


26


B have a width


96


, typically of 3¼ inches, which is closely received between flanges


94


and


95


.




Each wall panel segment such as


26


B includes an interior panel board


96


and an exterior panel board


97


. Interior panel board


96


has the interior surface


24


covered with a washable vinyl covering. Boards


96


and


97


are separated by a tongue spacer


98


and central spacers such as


99


. Central spacer


99


of panel segment


26


A is spaced inward to form a groove


101


in which a tongue


103


of panel segment


26


B is slidably received.




The boards


96


and


97


and the spacers


98


and


99


may all be constructed of ⅝ thick gypsum board.




Thus the segments are easily assembled on site by sliding them into the floor and ceiling channels, and sliding the panel segments into a tongue and groove engagement with each other.




The divider wall


100


extends from the sidewall assembly


22


so that an acute angle interior corner


112


is defined in the bathroom


104


adjacent divider wall


100


, and so that an obtuse angle interior corner


114


is defined in the bedroom


102


adjacent the divider wall


100


.




A medical gas rail assembly


116


is mounted on the headwall panel


82


of the divider wall assembly


100


. It is possible to alternatively locate the headwall panel and the medical gas rail assembly on the sidewall, as seen in the third room from the left in FIG.


16


. The assembly


116


includes a plurality of healthcare utility connections such as electrical power (standard and emergency), air, oxygen, vacuum, communications, lighting controls and the like. The headwall bed locator unit


116


may be an Integris 2001 Headwall System including rail and locator module, manufactured by the Hill-Rom Company.




Located on headwall panel


82


below the medical gas rail assembly


116


is a bed locator


117


(See

FIG. 1

) which locates the hospital bed


118


and carries electrical connections and the like for the bed.




The divider wall


100


includes a bedroom side


120


which faces toward a diagonally opposite corner


122


of the bedroom


102


. As seen in

FIG. 1

, a corner armoire


124


is located in the corner


122


. The armoire


124


includes a space for a television receiver


126


which is thus conveniently located to be viewed by the patient lying in the bed


118


.




In the embodiment of

FIGS. 1 and 3

, the bathing unit


108


is preferably a shower stall


108


. The shower stall


108


is located in the acute angled corner


116


adjacent the divider wall


100


.




In the embodiment of

FIGS. 1 and 3

, the vanity unit


106


is located on a side of the bathroom


104


opposite from the divider wall


100


. A toilet


128


is located in the bathroom


104


adjacent the wall section


64


of sidewall


22


.




The bathroom


104


is provided with hand rails throughout in order to assist disabled patients. A first hand rail


130


is located to the left upon entering through the doorway


132


to the bathroom


104


. A second hand rail


134


is located within the shower stall


108


. A third hand rail


136


is located adjacent the toilet


128


. A fourth hand rail


138


is attached to the vanity unit


106


.




It is noted that doorway


132


will typically be closed by either a conventional hinged door or a sliding door.




The shower stall


108


has rounded interior walls


140


which provide superior support to a disabled patient who may be leaning against the wall. Also provided is a folding bench


142


so that patients may sit in the shower.




The bedroom


102


includes an area adjacent the hallway door opening


19


which functions as a staff foyer


144


. The bathroom


104


opens through opening


132


into the staff foyer


144


. The nurse's station


110


faces into the staff foyer


144


on a side of the staff foyer


144


opposite the bathroom opening


132


.




As noted, all of the corners of the room are defined either by the rounded concave corner panel section such as


28


or the rounded convex panel portion such as


32


. This provides many advantages. It eliminates the danger of sharp corners to patients who may fall in the room. Also it provides a very pleasing appearance and is easier to clean. The rounded convex wall panels such as


32


preferably have a radius of curvature of at least four inches and typically 7¼ inches. The concave corner portions


28


preferably have a radius of curvature of at least four inches and typically 7¼ inches. The radiused corners in bathroom


104


have a radius of curvature typically of four inches.




The Embodiment of FIGS.


2


and


4






Looking at

FIGS. 2 and 4

, a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. The room interior assembly of

FIGS. 2 and 4

is generally designated by the numeral


150


. The room interior


150


includes a modular sidewall assembly


152


, a divider wall


154


, a vanity unit


156


, a bathing unit


158


and a nurse's station


160


.




In the embodiment of

FIGS. 2 and 4

, the bathing unit


158


includes a tub located on a side of the bathroom opposite from the divider wall


154


. The vanity unit


156


is located in the bathroom adjacent the divider wall


154


.




The medical gas rail assembly


116


may be a Provider 6000 Bed Locator Module and Medical Gas Rail Assembly manufactured by Modular Services Company of Oklahoma City.




The room of

FIGS. 2 and 4

is somewhat larger than the room of

FIGS. 1 and 3

, thus providing a larger bathroom which has room for the tub unit


158


and also providing a larger bedroom which provides more room for furnishings as shown, and which provides space for a closet


162


.




The Vanity Unit and The Nurse's Station




The details of construction of the vanity unit are shown in

FIGS. 5-7

. The details of construction of the vanity unit


106


of

FIGS. 1 and 3

and those of the vanity unit


156


of

FIGS. 2 and 4

are identical.




Vanity unit


106


is a pre-fabricated module. It includes a countertop


164


having a front access edge


166


, side portions


168


and


170


and a rear portion


172


. A back wall or perimeter wall


174


extends upward from the side and rear portions of the countertop


164


. A module ceiling


176


spans the perimeter wall


172


above the countertop


164


.




The perimeter wall


174


includes two planar sidewall portions


178


and


180


and a backwall portion


182


. As best seen in

FIG. 7

, the sidewall portions


178


and


180


are slanted toward each in plan view so that the sidewall portions are closer together adjacent the backwall portion


182


than they are adjacent the front access edge


166


. The sidewall portions


178


and


180


intersect the backwall portion


182


to form two rounded obtuse interior corners


184


and


186


.




The front access edge


166


of the countertop


164


is straight, and in plan view as seen in

FIG. 7

the front access edge


166


and the perimeter wall


174


form a generally trapezoidal shape.




A sink


188


is located centrally in the countertop


164


. In the preferred embodiment the sink


188


is integrally molded with the countertop


164


as further described below. Conventional faucets are mounted adjacent the sink


188


.




The countertop


164


has an arcuate enclosed edge


190


bounded by and tangential to the sidewall portions


178


and


180


and backwall portion


182


of the perimeter wall


174


. The arcuate edge


190


is located above the elevation of countertop


164


by a distance


192


so as to form first and second integral shelves


194


and


196


lying outside the arcuate edge


190


and above the elevation of the countertop


164


.




The countertop


164


, sink


188


, perimeter wall


174


, ceiling


176


and the integral shelves


194


and


196


are preferably formed as a one piece integrally molded structure which is molded from a plastic material such as acrylic for example.




The countertop


164


, perimeter wall


174


and ceiling


176


may be collectively generally described as an upper portion


198


of the module


106


.




Although the side panels


178


and


180


are molded as a continuous solid member, they will typically have openings such as


200


and


202


cut therein for receiving pre-fabricated cabinet structures.




The first cabinet receiving opening


200


preferably receives an open front vanity storage cabinet


197


as shown in elevation view in FIG.


12


. The second cabinet receiving opening


200


preferably receives a towel and soap dispensing cabinet


199


as shown in FIG.


13


. The positions of cabinets


197


and


199


may be reversed.




A mirror


204


is mounted on the back wall


182


. A pair of can type lighting fixtures


205


and


207


are mounted in the module ceiling.




The module


106


also includes a lower portion


206


which is preferably integrally molded with the upper portion


198


.




The lower portion


206


is located below countertop


164


and has a concave wheelchair receiving recess


208


defined therein immediately below the sink


188


. The concave recess


208


is defined by interior sidewalls


210


and


212


, a floor


214


and a pipe shield wall


216


. The pipe shield wall


216


includes a removable access panel


218


for allowing access to plumbing


220


connected to the sink


188


. The lower portion


206


includes left and right forward facing fiont side panels


223


and


225


on either side of the wheelchair receiving recess


208


.




Preferably, the floor panel


214


has a portion thereof cut out from the front edge thereof to an arcuate line


215


the location of which is best shown in FIG.


7


. The cutout along arcuate line


215


is for the purpose of improving wheelchair access by eliminating the need for a wheelchair to roll over a front lip of the floor panel


214


.




The sidewalls


210


and


212


, floor


214


and pipe shield wall


216


are all integrally molded parts of the lower portion


206


of the module


106


. In a preferred embodiment, the countertop


164


, perimeter wall


174


, module ceiling


176


, side panels


223


and


225


, interior sidewalls


210


and


212


. floor


214


and pipe shield panel


216


are all one integrally molded part thus providing great structural integrity to the module


106


and making it economical to manufacture and install. A night light


228


is mounted on interior sidewall


210


as seen in FIG.


6


.




As best seen in

FIGS. 6 and 7

, the integrally molded portions of the module


106


include a perimeter flange


230


integrally molded therewith to provide an aesthetically pleasing interface and fit with the sidewall assemblies


222


adjacent thereto.




Referring again to the front elevation view of

FIG. 5

, on the left hand side of the concave wheelchair receiving recess


208


there is located a recessed trash receptacle


222


which is mounted flush with a front surface


224


of the module which is generally in line with the front access edge


166


.




The grab rail


138


extends across the module


106


above the concave wheelchair receiving recess


208


and below the countertop


164


.




On the right hand side of the wheelchair receiving recess


208


is a recessed toilet tissue dispenser


226


. Alternatively the positions of trash receptacle


222


and dispenser


226


can be reversed.




Turning now to

FIGS. 8

,


9


and


10


, the details of construction of the nurse's station


110


are shown. The nurse's station


110


includes an upper portion


232


and a lower portion


234


.




The upper portion


232


of nurse's station


110


is constructed substantially identical to the upper portion


198


of the vanity unit


106


, and can in fact be molded from the same mold. The molded plastic portions of the nurse's station


110


, however, terminate at a lower edge


236


defining the lower end of upper portion


232


.




Typically, the only differences between the upper portion


232


of the nurse's station


110


and the upper portion


198


of the vanity unit


106


involve the separate structures mounted therein. For example, the nurse's station


110


will preferably have a sharps disposal cabinet


240


as best shown in

FIG. 15

, mounted in the opening


200


in the left sidewall


178


, and will have a communications module


242


as best shown in

FIG. 14

mounted in the opening


202


in the right side panel


180


. The positions of cabinets


240


and


242


may be reversed if desired. Also, instead of a mirror, preferably a bulletin board or marker board


238


which may be either a marker board or a tack board is mounted on the back wall


182


.




The lower portion


234


of the nurse's station


110


is a pre-fabricated drawer assembly including an assortment of drawers and storage areas as seen in FIG.


8


.




The Embodiments of FIGS.


16


and


17







FIGS. 16 and 17

provide some alternative layouts of room spaces which have been created utilizing the modular assembly of the present invention. In the embodiment of

FIG. 16

four modular patient healthcare room interior assemblies are shown and generally designated by the numerals


250


,


252


,


254


and


256


, respectively.




The room interior assemblies


250


,


252


, and


256


are similarly constructed. For example, room interior assembly


252


includes a sidewall


258


, and a divider wall


260


dividing the space into a bedroom


262


and a bathroom


264


. A medical gas rail assembly


266


is mounted on the divider wall


260


, and the location of the bed


268


is shown in dashed lines. These rooms each include a vanity


268


and bathing unit


270


similar to those previously described.




One change as compared to the layouts previously described is with regard to the nurse's station


272


, which no longer carries the sharps cabinet and data communications module as integral parts thereof. In the unit


250


of

FIG. 16

, a separate data communications panel


274


is provided. A separate sharps storage unit


276


may be located at any convenient location within the bedroom.




Another alternative arrangement is seen for the room interior assembly


254


of FIG.


16


. In this embodiment, a divider wall


278


is oriented at a generally ninety degree angle to the sidewall


280


. In this instance the sidewall


280


includes a headwall panel


282


upon which is mounted a medical gas rail assembly


284


. The location of the bed


286


adjacent the headwall


282


is shown in dashed lines.





FIG. 17

shows still other room layouts which may utilize certain portions of the present invention. The room layouts of

FIG. 16

are associated with a curved outer wall


286


thus dictating different interior layouts for the room spaces. In

FIG. 17

two room spaces designated as


288


and


290


are shown.




One primary difference in the layout of

FIG. 17

is that the two rooms


288


and


290


share a common staff foyer space


292


in which a nurse's station


294


is located for common use by the staff attending to patients in rooms


288


and


290


.




Methods of Onsite Assembly




All of the wall panel segments of sidewall assembly


22


, the divider wall


100


, the vanity units


106


and


156


, the bathing units such as


108


and


158


, and the nurse's station


110


and


160


are fabricated at one or more off site locations.




Most of the segments of the sidewall assembly


22


and divider wall


100


will be standard length either straight or rounded pieces, but where necessary custom dimension components will be fabricated to fit a particular onsite room.




As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the space of the building


12


which is to be converted into the patient healthcare room like those previously described, may either be a completely unfinished space of a newly constructed building, or it may be a space of an existing building which is being renovated.




Typically, the installation of the sidewall assembly


22


, divider wall


100


, vanity units such as


106


or


156


, bathing unit such as


108


or


158


, and nurse's station such as


110


or


160


will be part of a turnkey package which will include finishing of the floor and ceiling of the building space and installation of all necessary plumbing and electrical wiring.




A typical such turnkey package will be constructed as follows.




First, prior to locating the pre-fabricated components, the floor and ceiling of the space will be finished. The floor will typically be covered with floor coverings such as carpet or sheet vinyl. The ceiling will typically be constructed of a conventional drop ceiling type structure or of a painted gypsum board type structure.




After the finishing of the floor and ceiling, the bathing unit, vanity unit, nurse's station, toilet and any other structures requiring plumbing will typically be located and connected to existing plumbing stubs.




Next, the headwall panel


82


of divider wall


100


will be installed and connected to all necessary plumbing and electrical connections.




Then the ceiling and floor tracks for holding the wall panel segments of sidewall assembly


22


will be laid in place, and then the various panels of the sidewall panel assembly


22


will be installed.




Then the electrical wiring will be pulled through the walls and ceiling to the various electrical outlets and fixtures.




Then lighting fixtures and other electrical equipment can be installed.




Finally, the bed and other furniture will be placed within the room.




By this method, the majority of the on-site skilled craft work such as carpentry, painting, plumbing, and electrical which has previously been required in conventional construction is eliminated. Most of this work is now done in a controlled factory environment as part of the manufacture of the various prefabricated components. On-site construction time is greatly reduced.




Thus it is seen that the apparatus and methods of the present invention readily achieve the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those inherent therein. While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described for purposes of the present disclosure, numerous changes in the arrangement and construction of parts and steps may be made by those skilled in the art, which changes are encompassed within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A modular patient healthcare room interior assembly for finishing an unfinished space of a building, comprising:a modular sidewall assembly including a plurality of pre-fabricated wall panel segments connected together, each wall panel segment including a finished interior wall surface; a divider wall which at least in part separates the space into a bedroom and a bathroom; a pre-fabricated vanity unit located in the bathroom, the vanity unit including a vanity countertop, a vanity wash basin and a vanity perimeter wall; a pre-fabricated bathing unit located in the bathroom; and a pre-fabricated nurse's station located in the bedroom.
  • 2. The room interior assembly of claim 1, further comprising:a medical gas rail assembly mounted on one of the sidewall assembly and the divider wall within the bedroom, the medical gas rail assembly including a plurality of healthcare utility connections.
  • 3. The room interior assembly of claim 2, wherein:the divider wall extends from the sidewall assembly so that an acute angle interior corner is defined in the bathroom adjacent the divider wall and an obtuse angle interior corner is defined in the bedroom adjacent the divider wall.
  • 4. The room interior assembly of claim 3, wherein:the medical gas rail assembly is mounted on the divider wall.
  • 5. The room interior assembly of claim 4, wherein:the divider wall includes a bedroom side which faces toward a diagonally opposite corner of the bedroom; and the interior assembly includes a corner armoire located in the diagonally opposite corner of the bedroom.
  • 6. The room interior of claim 1, wherein:the divider wall extends from the sidewall assembly so that an acute angle interior corner is defined in the bathroom adjacent the divider wall and an obtuse angle interior corner is defined in the bedroom adjacent the divider wall.
  • 7. The room interior assembly of claim 6, wherein:the bathing unit includes a shower stall located in the acute angle interior corner of the bathroom adjacent the divider wall.
  • 8. The room interior assembly of claim 6, wherein:the vanity unit is located on a side of the bathroom opposite from the divider wall.
  • 9. The interior room assembly of claim 6, wherein:the bathing unit includes a tub located on a side of the bathroom opposite from the divider wall.
  • 10. The interior room assembly of claim 9, wherein:the vanity unit is located adjacent the divider wall.
  • 11. The room interior assembly of claim 1, the unfinished space having a hallway door, wherein:the bedroom includes a staff foyer adjacent the hallway door; and the bathroom opens to the staff foyer.
  • 12. The room interior assembly of claim 11, wherein:the nurse's station faces into the staff foyer on a side of the staff foyer opposite the bathroom.
  • 13. The room interior assembly of claim 1, wherein:the sidewall assembly includes at least one rounded concave wall panel segment defining a concave interior corner of the bedroom.
  • 14. The room interior assembly of claim 1, wherein:the sidewall assembly includes at least one rounded convex wall panel segment defining a protruding interior corner of the bedroom.
  • 15. The room interior assembly of claim 14, wherein:the rounded convex wall panel segment has a radius of curvature of at least 4 inches.
  • 16. A modular patient healthcare room interior assembly for finishing an unfinished space of a building, comprising:a modular sidewall assembly including a plurality of wall panel segments detachably connected together; a divider wall at least partially separating the room into a bedroom and a bathroom, the divider wall extending from the sidewall assembly so that an acute angle interior corner is defined in the bathroom adjacent the divider wall and an obtuse angle interior corner is defined in the bedroom adjacent the divider wall; and a medical gas rail assembly mounted on the divider wall within the bedroom, the medical gas rail assembly including a plurality of healthcare utility connections.
  • 17. The room interior assembly of claim 16, wherein:the divider wall includes a bedroom side which faces toward a diagonally opposite corner of the bedroom; and the interior assembly includes a corner armoire located in the diagonally opposite corner of the bedroom.
  • 18. The room interior assembly of claim 16, further comprising:a shower stall located in the acute angle interior corner of the bathroom adjacent the divider wall.
  • 19. The room interior assembly of claim 16, further comprising:a vanity unit located on a side of the bathroom opposite from the divider wall.
  • 20. The interior room assembly of claim 16, further comprising:a tub located on a side of the bathroom opposite from the divider wall.
  • 21. The interior room assembly of claim 20, further comprising:a vanity unit located adjacent the divider wall.
  • 22. The room interior assembly of claim 16, the unfinished space having a hallway door, wherein:the bedroom includes a staff foyer adjacent the hallway door; and the bathroom opens to the staff foyer.
  • 23. A modular patient healthcare room interior assembly for finishing an unfinished space of a building, the unfinished space having a hallway door comprising:a modular sidewall assembly including a plurality of pre-fabricated wall panel segments connected together; a divider wall at least partially separating the room into a bedroom and a bathroom, the bedroom including a staff foyer adjacent the hallway door, the bathroom opening to the staff foyer; a pre-fabricated vanity unit located in the bathroom; a pre-fabricated bathing unit located in the bathroom; and a pre-fabricated nurse's station located in the bedroom, the nurse's station facing into the staff foyer.
  • 24. The room interior assembly of claim 23, further comprising:a medical gas rail assembly mounted on one of the sidewall assembly and the divider wall within the bedroom, the medical gas rail assembly including a plurality of healthcare utility connections.
  • 25. The room interior assembly of claim 24, wherein:the divider wall extends from the sidewall assembly so that an acute angle interior corner is defined in the bathroom adjacent the divider wall and an obtuse angle interior corner is defined in the bedroom adjacent the divider wall.
  • 26. The room interior assembly of claim 25, wherein:the medical gas rail assembly is mounted on the divider wall; the divider wall includes a bedroom side which faces toward a diagonally opposite corner of the bedroom; and the interior assembly includes a corner armoire located in the diagonally opposite corner of the bedroom.
  • 27. A method of assembling a room interior on site in an unfinished space comprising:(a) fabricating a plurality of interior wall panel segments, a divider wall, a vanity unit, a bathing unit and a nurse's station at one or more off site locations; (b) transporting the interior wall panel segments, the divider wall, the vanity unit, the bathing unit and the nurse's station to the room space; (c) installing the vanity unit, the bathing unit and the nurse's station within the room space; (d) installing the divider wall and thereby at least partially separating the room space into a bathroom and a bedroom so that the vanity unit and the bathing unit are located in the bathroom; and (e) assembling the wall panel segments into a sidewall assembly defining an interior wall of the bedroom.
  • 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:mounting a medical gas rail assembly within the bedroom.
  • 29. The method of claim 28, wherein:the medical gas rail assembly is mounted on the divider wall.
  • 30. The method of claim 28, wherein:step (d) is performed after step (c).
  • 31. The method of claim 28, wherein:step (e) is performed after step (c).
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