Patient holding hospital unit, patient transportation system and patient transportation and life support system

• US 10,105,272 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Giulianotti, Pier, Vittori, Arturo, Vogler, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Cox, Thaddeus
• Application Number:
  US14/897,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20160120723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 10/005 Isolators, i.e. enclosures generally comprising flexible walls for maintaining a germ-free environment
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/08 the table being divided into different adjustable sections
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/102 Fluid drainage means for collecting bodily fluids from the operating table, e.g. for blood, urine drainage on the patient A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/104 Adaptations for table mobility, e.g. arrangement of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/107 Supply appliances supply appliances for dental machines A61C1/0007
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/22 for automatically guiding movable devices, e.g. stretchers or wheelchairs in a hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/80 for connecting a trolley to a device, e.g. bed or column table
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/01 specially adapted for anaesthetising A61M16/104, A61M16/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/168 Means for controlling media flow to the body or for metering media to the body, e.g. drip meters, counters ; Monitoring media flow to the body flow control in general G05D7/00

Abstract

A patient holding hospital unit is described. The patient holding hospital unit has a supporting surface configured to receive a patient and a life support system. The supporting surface has a container restrained to the supporting surface that contains an anesthesia machine, reservoirs and related ducts, perfusion devices, an automatic control system, a power supply unit, a power supply line. The container also has dispensing valves arranged on an external surface of the container together with a control interface and the supply valves and electric connector of the power supply line are arranged at a connecting member adapted to be mounted to a base member configured to supply gases under pressure to the reservoirs and power to the control system.

Claims

1. A patient holding hospital unit, comprising:

a supporting surface configured to receive a patient; and

a life support system restrained to said supporting surface, said system comprising;

an anesthesia machine;

a plurality of reservoirs adapted to contain gases under pressure;

a first set of gas supply ducts respectively connected to outlet ports of said reservoirs, free ends of said gas supply ducts being provided with respective dispensing valves;

a second set of gas supply ducts respectively connected to inlet ports of said reservoirs, free ends of said second set of gas supply ducts being provided with respective supply valves;

one or more perfusion devices;

an automatic control system operably connected to said anesthesia machine, dispensing valves, perfusion devices and provided with a control interface;

a power supply unit operably connected to said automatic control system; and

a power supply line operably connected to said automatic control system in parallel relative to said power supply unit, said power supply line having an electric connector,

wherein said anesthesia machine, reservoirs and related ducts, perfusion devices, automatic control system, power supply unit and power supply line are arranged in a container restrained to said patient supporting surface,

wherein the dispensing valves are arranged on an external surface of said container together with said control interface and said supply valves and electric connector of the power supply line are arranged at a connecting member adapted to be mounted to a base member configured to supply gases under pressure to the reservoirs and power to the control system, and wherein said connecting member is a T-shaped connecting member having;

a top portion having fasteners of a second set adapted to engage in a detachable manner with fasteners of a first set of a surgical table, to hold firmly said surgical table,

a bottom portion having fasteners and connectors of a third set adapted to engage in a detachable manner with upper fasteners and connectors of a mount of a surgical station and to keep the T-shaped connecting member firmly connected to the mount,

at least one side portion having fasteners and connectors of a fourth set,

internal conduits and at least an electric cable joining together corresponding connectors of the third set and of the fourth set, and

wherein said life support system further comprises;

holding fasteners adapted to engage in a detachable manner with the fasteners of the fourth set and to keep the life support system firmly connected to the T-shaped connecting member,

inlet gas connectors and at least an input electric connector configured to couple in a detachable manner with corresponding connectors of the fourth set,

outlet gas connectors adapted to couple with external tubes for delivering oxygen and/or an anesthetic gas, and

electrically operated devices for supporting life of a patient laying on the surgical table, configured to be powered through said input electric connector and having inlet gas conduits coupled with the inlet gas connectors and outlet gas conduits coupled with the outlet gas connectors.

2. The patient holding hospital unit according to claim 1, wherein said life support system is further equipped with a computerized system configured to monitor, to control and to adapt functions performed by appliances of the life support system in order to preserve the patient'"'"'s vital functions.

3. The patient holding hospital unit according to claim 1, wherein said unit further comprises a protective cocoon-shaped container, said container being configured to house said patient supporting surface and said life support system.

4. The patient holding hospital unit according to claim 3, wherein said cocoon-shaped container is a substantially cylindrical shell comprising:

a lower shell having a substantially half-cylinder shape with a central longitudinal opening,

an upper shell having a substantially half-cylinder shape coaxially hinged to said lower shell so as to slide over the lower shell by rotating around a central axis of symmetry of the lower shell, the upper shell being adapted to form with the lower shell a tubular space having only an opening at one end through which a supporting surface with a patient laying thereon may be inserted,

a base support adapted to support said lower shell, and

at least one door hinged to said base support and adapted to close said opening of the tubular space.

5. The patient holding hospital unit according to claim 4, further comprising a trolley, said cocoon-shaped container being restrained to said trolley.

6. The patient holding hospital unit according to claim 5, wherein said trolley includes a substantially horizontal fork-shaped frame having two substantially parallel cantilever beams separated by a gap, said cocoon-shaped container being mounted on said cantilever beams and the central longitudinal opening of the lower shell being arranged at the gap between the beams.

7. The patient holding hospital unit according to claim 5, wherein said trolley comprises a robotic movement system configured to automatically drive the trolley.

8. The patient holding hospital unit according to claim 7, wherein the robotic movement system comprises an electric motor operably coupled to trolley wheels, electric accumulators coupled to power said electric motor and a control system configured to command said electric motor.

9. The patient holding hospital unit according to claim 8, further comprising a laser guidance system.

10. The patient holding hospital unit of claim 1, wherein said T-shaped connecting member further comprises a second side portion having fasteners and connectors of a fifth set and internal conduits and at least an electric cable joining together corresponding connectors of the third set and of the fifth set.

11. The patient holding hospital unit of claim 1, wherein said supporting surface is composed of a plurality of rigid parts hinged together.

12. A patient transportation and life support system, comprising:

a robotic movement system including a motorized trolley and a substantially horizontal fork-shaped support having two substantially parallel cantilever beams separated by a gap, and

a protective cocoon having a substantially cylindrical shape and defining an enclosed tubular space adapted to house a patient laying on a supporting surface, the cocoon comprising;

a lower shell having a substantially half-cylinder shape with an opening in correspondence of the gap of the fork-shaped support,

an upper shell having a substantially half-cylinder shape coaxially hinged to said lower shell so as to slide over the lower shell by rotating around a central axis of symmetry of the lower shell, the upper shell being adapted to form with the lower shell a tubular space having only an opening at one end through which a supporting surface with a patient laying thereon may be inserted,

a base support adapted to be laid upon the fork-shaped support and to sustain said lower shell, defining a substantially cylindrical surface having a bottom hatch in correspondence of the gap of the fork-shaped support,

at least one door hinged to said base support and adapted to close said opening of the tubular space, and

the patient holding hospital unit of claim 1.

13. The patient transportation and life support system of claim 12, comprising two half-circular doors hinged to said base support and adapted to close said opening of the tubular space.

14. The patient transportation and life support system of claim 12, further comprising clamping means installed in said tubular space, for attaching to said supporting surface.

15. The patient transportation and life support system of claim 14, wherein said clamping means are mechanically coupled to electric linear actuators fixed to said fork-shaped support and configured to lift a patient'"'"'s supporting surface attached to said clamping means.

16. The patient transportation and life support system of claim 12,

wherein the robotic movement system comprises an electric motor for moving the patient transportation and life support system, electric accumulators coupled to power said electric motor and a control system configured to command said electric motor.

17. The patient transportation and life support system of claim 16, further comprising a laser guidance system.

18. The patient transportation and life support system of claim 12,

wherein said base support comprises motorized arms configured to sustain laterally said lower shell and to rotate the lower shell around said central axis of symmetry by sliding over said base support.

19. The patient transportation and life support system of claim 12,

wherein said base support comprises a motorized gear box configured to rotate the lower shell and the upper shell around a common axis by sliding over said base support.