FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a filtration and air handling device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device for providing filtered air to localized areas, such as those surrounding hospital patients.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A filtering device that provides air to areas surrounding hospital patients is in demand. Filtered air environments are needed in many situations. Hospitals filter air in operating rooms, patient recovery areas, and patient rooms to reduce the chances of infection. Likewise, in schools, homes, workplaces, and even public places, air filtration can help protect people from dust, harmful particles, and germs.
Air filters can be used to circulate a room's air, drawn into a filter or filtering system and then discharged back into the room. However, most such systems are designed so that only a small amount of the air in the room is passed through the filter, and most such systems are installed in a room or structured in such a way that contaminated air exhaled by the patient or people surrounding the patient may remain in the room for some time before it is filtered. In addition, such systems are not designed to instantly capture contaminated air exhaled by the patient or by people in surrounding areas.
Many people are suffering from a new highly contagious coronavirus called COVID-19. On Mar. 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
COVID-19 is a serious respiratory disease that can cause coughing, fever, and shortness of breath. It spreads primarily through liquid droplets emitted from the nose and mouth when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales.
Conventional devices or systems are not effective in preventing the spread of airborne pathogens from contaminated air exhaled by the patient, so that there is a need to develop a device to solve these problems.
The present invention is intended to address problems associated with and/or otherwise improve on conventional devices through an innovative ventilation device that is designed to offer a convenient and effective means of preventing the spread of airborne pathogens from contaminated air exhaled by the patient while incorporating other problem-solving features.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top-front-left perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the present invention is shown integrated into an exemplary bed frame and headboard.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof, wherein the exemplary bed frame is removed to show construction, and the canopy is rendered as transparent in broken lines.
FIG. 3 is a detail view of area 3-3 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a detail view of area 4-4 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is an alternate exploded perspective view thereof, wherein a chassis is also removed to show construction, and the canopy is rendered as transparent in broken lines.
FIG. 6 is a left-side elevational view thereof, wherein the canopy is rendered as transparent in broken lines in a deployed configuration.
FIG. 7 is a detail view of area 7-7 in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a section view taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 7.
DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The present invention is to be described in detail and is provided in a manner that establishes a thorough understanding of the present invention. There may be aspects of the present invention that may be practiced or utilized without the implementation of some features as they are described. It should be understood that some details have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure focus of the invention. References herein to “the preferred embodiment”, “one embodiment”, “some embodiments”, or “alternative embodiments” should be considered to be illustrating aspects of the present invention that may potentially vary in some instances, and should not be considered to be limiting to the scope of the present invention as a whole.
In reference to FIG. 1 through 8, the present invention is a ventilator headboard apparatus comprising a chassis 10, at least one mounting panel 37, a supply plenum 33, a cover plate 35, a plenum space 21, a pressurized conduit 19, an air handling assembly 27, and a power supply 17. The functional arrangement of these components enables a care provider to affect a treated airspace in proximity to a patient's head by replacing or augmenting the headboard of a hospital cot, stretcher, or conventional bedframe.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 the chassis 10 extends between a fore end 11 and a rear end 12, wherein the fore end 11 is faced towards a patient area and the rear end 12 is faced away from the patient. Accordingly, the area between the fore end 11 and the rear end 12 is allocated for supporting and containing the functional portions of the present invention. The at least one mounting panel 37, the air handling assembly 27, and the power supply 17 are mounted to the chassis 10 between the fore end 11 and the rear end 12.
The chassis 10 refers to any casement or supporting framework for the functional components of the present invention to be positioned adjacent to the head of a patient. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the chassis 10 constitutes a structural element supporting the supply plenum 33, the cover plate 35, the pressurized conduit 19, the air handling assembly 27, and the power supply 17. The chassis 10 enables an instance of the present invention to be deployed as a modular attachment or modification to existing beds or gurneys, without permanently bonding the chassis 10 to any external structure. In another embodiment, the chassis 10 constitutes a headboard of a conventional bedframe as shown in FIG. 1. Further, the chassis 10 may be configured to contain and enclose the remaining components, presenting the present invention as a self-contained unit suitable for directly replacing the headboard of an existing bed.
In reference to FIG. 5 the supply plenum 33 is mounted to the at least one mounting panel 37 adjacent to the rear end 12 of the chassis 10. The cover plate 35 is mounted to the at least one mounting panel 37 adjacent to the fore end 11 of the chassis 10. This layered arrangement enables the supply plenum 33 to be mounted onto the at least one mounting panel 37 prior to installation onto the chassis 10. As shown in FIG. 2 the at least one mounting panel 37 is exposed towards the fore end 11 of the chassis 10 prior to the attachment of the cover plate 35, thereby enabling an installer to affix the at least one mounting panel 37 to the chassis 10 as previously outlined.
In at least one embodiment of the present invention the at least one mounting panel 37 is directly engaged to the chassis 10; the cover plate 35 and the supply plenum 33 are connected to the chassis 10 through the at least one mounting panel 37 by proxy. This configuration enables the supply plenum 33 and the cover plate 35 to be standardized in construction, whereas the construction of the at least one mounting panel 37 may be altered to correspond to various extant furniture or external support structures. More specifically, the at least one mounting panel 37 is constructed to mount universally to any external structures to employ said external structures as the chassis 10 in an embodiment of present invention.
The plenum space 21 is delineated between the supply plenum 33 and the cover plate 35, traversing the at least one mounting panel 37. The plenum space 21 ideally defines a contoured void space configured to direct air passing through the cover plate 35, either expelling or vacuuming air therethrough as indicated in FIG. 2. The pressurized conduit 19 is connected between the air handling assembly 27 and the supply plenum 33 to provide a route for volumes of air to be moved through the cover plate 35, towards or away from the air handling assembly 27. Accordingly, the air handling assembly 27 is in fluid communication with the plenum space 21 through the pressurized conduit 19. Further, the power supply 17 is electrically connected to the air handling assembly 27 to provide any requisite operating power to the air handling assembly 27.
The air handling assembly 27 broadly refers to any source of pressure, or pressure generating device, that is configured to move volumes of air when supplied with electrical power from the power supply 17. The air handling assembly 27 ideally constitutes a means of filtering or treating the volumes of air traversing the cover plate 35. In one instance, the air handling assembly 27 is configured to positively pressurize the plenum space 21 via the pressurized conduit 19. Accordingly, this will expel volumes of air out of the cover plate 35 to constantly refresh and recirculate clean air around a patient's head. In reverse, the air handling assembly 27 is configured to negatively pressurize the plenum space 21 via the pressurized conduit 19. This will draw air from around the patient's head back through the cover plate 35, minimizing the spread of airborne pathogens from the patient into the surrounding area.
As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the air handling assembly 27 further comprises a casing 28, an external port 29, an impeller 30, and a filter element 31. The casing 28 is mounted adjacent to the rear end 12 of the chassis 10 with the impeller 30 being positioned into the casing 28. The external port 29 is externally mounted to the casing 28, ideally exposed to ambient air external to the casing 28. The pressurized conduit 19 is connected to the casing 28, opposite the external port 29 across the impeller 30. This positional arrangement ensures that any volume of air within the casing 28 is affected by the impeller 30, either flowing towards the pressurized conduit 19 or towards the external port 29 depending on the mode of operation. Further, the filter element 31 is mounted to the casing 28 between the impeller 30 and the pressurized conduit 19. The external port 29 is in fluid communication with the pressurized conduit 19 through the filter element 31, ensuring that any volume of air traversing the casing 28 is filtered by the filter element 31 regardless of flow direction. In a positive-pressure configuration, this ensures that the volume of air being forced into the external port 29 and ultimately onto the patient are appropriately free of contaminants. In a negative-pressure configuration, the volume of air drawn from around the patient is decontaminated prior to being exhausted into the ambient air from the external port 29.
As shown in FIG. 2, the present invention will functionally integrate any existing headboard as the chassis 10 by attaching the at least one mounting panel 37 thereto. Accordingly, the at least one mounting panel 37 further comprises an intermediate plate 38, a plurality of fastener apertures 39, and a perimetric seal 40. The intermediate plate 38 constitutes a rigid structure spanning across the plenum space 21 to interconnect the supply plenum 33 and the cover plate 35. The plurality of fastener apertures 39 traverses the intermediate plate 38 between the fore end 11 and the rear end 12 of the chassis 10, wherein the plurality of fastener apertures 39 is distributed across the intermediate plate 38 corresponding to any existing mounting structures of any bed frame or headboard. As shown in the exemplary figures, the plurality of fastener apertures 39 is arranged as a collection of multiple dissimilar mounting patterns, thereby enabling any single instance of the mounting panel 37 to attach to a variety of headboards, bedframes, or other furniture. Further, the perimetric seal 40 is perimetrically mounted to the intermediate plate 38 between the intermediate plate 38 and the supply plenum 33 to ensure that the plenum space 21 is not compromised by any of the plurality of fastener apertures 39. As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of fastener apertures 39 is separated from the plenum space 21 by the perimetric seal 40 to prevent any pressure leakage from any unfilled instances defined within the plurality of fastener apertures 39.
In another preferred embodiment, the present invention further comprises a deployable enclosure 42. The deployable enclosure 42 constitutes an air tent suitable for use in oxygen therapy treatments, or in cases where a highly infectious patient must be sequestered inside a room to prevent pathogenic spread. In reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the deployable enclosure 42 further comprises at least one pivoting base 43, an overhead support 44, and a canopy 45. The at least one pivoting base 43 is mounted to the supply plenum 33 to provide a stable, fixable base for the overhead support 44 to traverse between a stowed and a deployed position. Accordingly, the overhead support 44 is adjustably mounted to the at least one pivoting base 43 adjacent to the rear end 12 of the chassis 10. In the deployed position the overhead support 44 is configured to extend from the rear end 12 towards the fore end 11 of the chassis 10. Ideally, this positions the overhead support 44 above the head of a bed and over the upper body of a patient laying therein. The canopy 45 is mounted to the overhead support 44, wherein the cover plate 35 is substantially enclosed by the canopy 45. This additionally encloses the patient within the canopy 45, limiting airflow across the canopy 45 and increasing the efficacy of the air handling assembly 27 in moderating the air surrounding the patient.
It is further considered that the geometry of the supply plenum 33 and the at least one mounting panel 37 may not produce optimal airflow throughout the plenum space 21, resulting in uneven airflow through the cover plate 35. This uneven airflow may cause excess noise, lower recirculation rates, and otherwise prevent the patient from fully enjoying the benefits of the present invention. Accordingly, the plenum space 21 further comprises an internal cavity 22 and at least one diffuser element 23. In reference to FIGS. 2 and 5, the at least one diffuser element 23 is mounted into the internal cavity 22 adjacent to the at least one mounting panel 37. At this intermediate position between the cover plate 35 and the supply plenum 33, the at least one diffuser element 23 is configured to moderate airflow within the plenum space 21. The functionality of the at least one diffuser element 23 is proposed to function bimodally, i.e., the airflow across the cover plate 35 is ideally normalized regardless of the direction of airflow.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the at least one diffuser element 23 is a volume of diffusing material 24. The volume of diffusing material 24 ideally constitutes a collection of piled or shredded material placed within the internal cavity 22 in high-airflow regions within the internal cavity 22. Ideally, the overall air pressure within the internal cavity 22 is normalized by disrupting directional airflow across the internal cavity 22, thereby producing even air pressure through the cover plate 35.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the at least one diffuser element 23 is a plurality of baffle inserts 25 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The plurality of baffle inserts 25 defines rigid aerodynamic surfaces configured to redirect high-speed airflow across the internal cavity 22. The configuration of the plurality of baffles is generally contemplated to equally distribute a stream of air across the cover plate 35, but this configuration may be supplanted with a configuration targeting specific areas without departing from the original spirit and scope of the present invention.
In an instance wherein the chassis 10 supplants a standard headboard, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, it is proposed that the chassis 10 will enable some vertical adjustability of the bed frame. In at least one embodiment the chassis 10 further comprises a structural panel 13, a plurality of lift actuators 14, and a plurality of base plates 15. The structural panel 13 broadly refers to the substructure of a conventional headboard, wherein the headboard is adapted for use with the other functional components of the present invention as outlined above. The plurality of lift actuators 14 defines any user-adjustable, extensible members suitable for supporting the weight of the present invention, a supported bed frame, and a patient. In one instance, the plurality of lift actuators 14 are manually adjustable posts threaded into the structural panel 13. In another instance, the plurality of lift actuators 14 defines a series of electrically operated linear actuators receiving operating power from the power supply 17. In yet another instance, the plurality of lift actuators 14 is a series of pressurized cylinders, wherein the cylinders are extensible by pumping increased pressure thereto. Each of the plurality of base plates 15 are mounted to each of the plurality of lift actuators 14, opposite the structural panel 13. The plurality of lift actuators 14 is configured to moderate an offset between the structural panel 13 and the plurality of base plates 15, wherein the offset defines the elevation of the structural panel 13 above the plurality of base plates 15. This elevation translates to an inclination or declination of the patient, thereby enabling a patient to find a comfortable resting position.
As outlined previously, the present invention aims to filter any volume of air traversing through the air handling unit to reduce the prevalence and spread of airborne contaminants. While the above-described instances of the present invention broadly encompass various forms of passive filtration, it is further suggested that the present invention may utilize active sterilization measures to eliminate biological hazards. More specifically, the present invention further comprises a plurality of emitters 47 configured to emit ultraviolet radiation in at least one embodiment. In reference to FIG. 3 the plurality of emitters 47 is internally mounted to the supply plenum 33 and electrically connected to the power supply 17. The plurality of emitters 47 is configured to produce ultraviolet radiation to sterilize the plenum space 21, wherein the plurality of emitters 47 exposes any volume of air within the plenum space 21 to prolonged fractions of ultraviolet radiation of approximately 260nm wavelength.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Patent Application
20220087440
