PATIENT COMFORT APPARATUS AND SYSTEM

• US 20140058485A1
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Anderson, Thomas P., Augustine, Scott D., Arnold, Randall C.
• Granted Patent: US 11,311,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/107
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0025 by means of forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/14 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/32 Therapeutic use
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0018 Trunk or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/006 of gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0091 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0094 using a remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0234 for the upper part of the trunk, e.g. bodice
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/0097 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0085 Devices for generating hot or cold treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0097 Blankets with active heating or cooling sources warming mats A61F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 31/00 Arrangements for connecting hoses to one another or to flexible sleeves F16L33/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/098 by means of flexible hooks

Abstract

An apparatus, a system, and a method for thermally comforting a patient include pneumatic, convective device providing thermal treatment for persons or animals, which is adapted for use in combination with a clinical garment such as a hospital gown, robe, bib, and other equivalents. The pneumatic convective device provides convective warming focused or directed primarily on the thorax or body core. The pneumatic convective device includes at least one inlet for being accessed through a clinical garment, a region in distribution with the inlet for distributing a stream of pressurized, thermally treated air, and a permeable member for emitting pressurized, thermally treated air from the distribution region.

Claims

1. A clinical garment, comprising:

a hospital gown including a body portion adapted to cover a portion of a patient, an inner surface for facing the patient, and an outer surface for facing away from the patient;

a sheet of material mounted to the inner surface or to the outer surface to form a pneumatic convective device therewith; and

,

at least one opening for admitting a stream of air into the pneumatic convective device,

wherein the body portion includes sleeves sized and positioned for receiving a patient'"'"'s arms.

2. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the body portion is constructed in one piece.

3. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening comprises a hose card with an inlet port mounted to the pneumatic convective device.

4. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the sheet of material is a permeable sheet of material mounted to the inner surface, the opening is through the body portion, and the hose card is mounted to the body portion.

5. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the sheet of material is an impermeable sheet of material mounted to the outer surface, the opening is through the impermeable sheet of material, and the hose card is mounted to the impermeable sheet of material.

6. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the sleeves include slits and fastening devices near each slit for detachably attaching opposing sides of the slit.

7. The clinical garment of claim 6, wherein the fastening devices are selected from the group consisting of buttons, string, snaps, repositionable adhesive, hook and eye elements, double-sided adhesive, hook and loop elements, and rivets.

8. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the body portion further includes a neck opening and a bottom hemline, a rear slit extending from the neck opening to the hemline and fastening devices near the slit for detachably attaching opposing sides of the slit.

9. The clinical garment of claim 8, wherein the fastening devices are selected from the group consisting of strings, hook and eye elements, double-sided adhesive, hook and loop elements, snaps, and rivets.

10. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the hospital gown comprises a woven material or a non-woven material.

11. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic convective device includes an inflatable portion.

12. The clinical garment of claim 11, wherein the inflatable portion includes a distribution region in communication with the at least one opening for distributing the stream of air.

13. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening includes a slit.

14. The clinical garment of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening includes a flap.

15. The clinical garment of claim 1, further comprising:

a first fastening device to secure the clinical garment to a patient.

16. The clinical garment of claim 15, further comprising:

a second fastening device to attach a portion of the clinical garment to a patient.

17. The clinical garment of claim 16, wherein the first or the second fastening device comprises at least one of strings, hook and eye elements, double-sided adhesive, hook and loop elements, snaps, and rivets.