Defibrillation system having defibrillator with replaceable supply module

• US 6,397,104 B1
• Filed: 07/16/1999
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V., Laerdal Medical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Eikefjord, Arild J., Miller, James L., Fossan, Helge, Bledsoe, James Daren
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/354,182
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 607/1,2,4,5,10,36,37
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39044 in combination with cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3931 Protecting, e.g. back-up systems

Abstract

A defibrillation system includes an automatic external defibrillator and a supply module containing items for use in connection with the automatic external defibrillator. The supply module may be physically coupled to the defibrillator to ensure the availability of the items during operation of the defibrillator. Items within the supply module or the supply module itself may also be electrically coupled to the defibrillator to reduce the amount of time required to deploy the defibrillator when responding to an emergency medical situation. Items containable by the supply module include pads, ECG leads, gloves, scissors, PCMCIA cards and defibrillator batteries, as well as any other components or supplies desired to be included by the operator or manufacturer. The supply module may be provided with a visible or electronically readable indicia of the shelf life of the supply module or one or more items contained by the supply module. Memory or other circuitry may be provided on the supply module to communicate with the defibrillator prior to, during or after operation of the defibrillator to facilitate exchanges of information between the supply module, defibrillator, defibrillator operator and defibrillator maintenance personnel.

Claims

1. A defibrillation system, comprising:

an external defibrillator including;

a replaceable supply module including pads, a battery and a container with compartments configured to contain the pads and the battery.

2. The defibrillation system of claim 1, wherein the replaceable supply module is electrically connected to the external defibrillator.

3. The defibrillation system of claim 2, wherein the defibrillator is configured to conduct a periodic test of the replaceable supply module.

4. The defibrillation system of claim 3, wherein the defibrillator further comprises a communication unit configured to communicate data regarding the periodic test of the replaceable supply module to a remote location.

5. The defibrillation system of claim 1, wherein said defibrillator is configured to monitor said supply module.

6. The defibrillation system of claim 1, wherein said supply module further contains at least one of ECG leads, gloves, a CPR barrier mask, a PCMCIA memory card and scissors.

7. The defibrillation system of claim 1, wherein said supply module comprises a memory configured to store information for transmission from the supply module to the defibrillator.

8. The defibrillation system of claim 7, wherein said information includes at least one of expiration date information, training information, code information and software information.

9. The defibrillation system of claim 1, wherein said supply module comprises a memory configured to store information including at least one of ECG data, event data and audio data.

10. The defibrillation system of claim 1, wherein:

said defibrillation system further comprises a display;

said replaceable supply module further comprises a memory which stores an expiration date of said replaceable supply module; and

said defibrillator is configured to monitor the expiration date and to communicate expiration of said replaceable supply module to a user via the display.

14. The defibrillation system of claim 9, wherein said external defibrillator further comprises a communication unit which receives the expiration date of the replaceable supply module.

11. A defibrillation system, comprising:

an external defibrillator including;

a replaceable supply module including defibrillation pads and a battery, mounted on said external defibrillator wherein an indication of the earlier of an expiration date of said pads and an expiration date of said battery is printed on said replaceable supply module visible to a user of said defibrillation system.

12. A defibrillation system, comprising:

an external defibrillator including;

a replaceable supply module, including pads and a battery, having an expiration date printed on a surface of said replaceable supply module visible to a user of said defibrillation system.

13. A defibrillation system, comprising:

an external defibrillator including;

a replaceable supply module, including;

pads, a battery and a memory which stores an expiration date in machine-readable form, wherein said defibrillator is configured to recognize said expiration date.

15. A defibrillation system, comprising:

a defibrillator; and

a replaceable supply module, having an expiration date of the replaceable supply module stored on the replaceable supply module, and comprising;

defibrillation pads electrically connected to the defibrillator;

a compartment which contains said pads; and

a battery electrically connected to said defibrillator,

wherein;

said defibrillator is configured to monitor the expiration date, and

said defibrillator further comprises a communication unit configured to communicate expiration of said replaceable supply module to a remote location.

16. A defibrillation system, comprising:

a defibrillator; and

a supply module, comprising;

compartment containing defibrillation pads electrically connected to the defibrillator,

a battery electrically connected to the defibrillator, and

a memory which stores an expiration date,

wherein the defibrillator is configured to issue at least one of an audible and a visual warning based on the stored the expiration date.

17. A defibrillation system, comprising:

a defibrillator which supplies an electrical charge; and

a replaceable supply module comprising;

pads to connect said electrical charge to a patient,

a battery which powers said defibrillator, and

a compartment which contains said pads, wherein operation of said defibrillator is initiated by inserting said replaceable supply module in said defibrillator.

18. A defibrillation system, comprising:

an external defibrillator; and

a replaceable supply module including pads, a battery and a container with,, compartments configured to contain the pads and the battery, the replaceable supply module electrically connected to the external defibrillator and further comprising a peelable top surface, and wherein operation of the defibrillator is initiated by peeling the peelable top surface.