Patient point-of-care water sterilizer

• US 7,537,030 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wittrock Enterprise, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallant, Dennis J
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Steven O
• Application Number:
  US11/672,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20070125008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 52 361- 365, 52/791, 52/795, 52/34, 522201-2203, 522/207, 522/381, 52 64- 72, 521/10, 521/11, 141/2, 141/18, 141/94, 141/95
• US Class Current: 141/18
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 10/00 Treatment rooms or enclosures for medical purposes baby incubators, couveuses A61G11/00; devices for gas baths with ozone, hydrogen or the like A61H33/14 ; for isolating individuals from external stimuli A61M21/0094 ; containers or portable cabins for affording breathing protection in general A62B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/00 Accommodation for nursing, e.g. in hospitals, not covered by groups A61G1/00 - A61G11/00, e.g. trolleys for transport of medicaments or food service or tea-tables, trolleys or wagons A47B31/00; Prescription lists
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/001 Trolleys for transport of medicaments, food, linen, nursing supplies carts specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis A61B50/13; hand carts B62B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/002 Supply appliances, e.g. columns for gas, fluid, electricity supply vertical ducts or channels for receiving utility lines E04F17/08; installations of electric cables or lines, wall trunking H02G3/0431; structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles F21V33/0068; stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles F16M11/00; buildings for public purposes E04H3/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/107 Supply appliances supply appliances for dental machines A61C1/0007
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/108 Means providing sterile air at a surgical operation table or area treatment rooms A61G10/00; instruments or implements for sterile operation A61B90/00; sterilisation of air A61L9/00; purification of air in air-conditioning systems F24F3/16, F24F8/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2205/00 General identification or selection means
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/00 Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons stretchers with facilities for picking up patients or disabled persons A61G1/003
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0005 Means for bathing bedridden persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0015 having means for attaching a cabinet in order to transport bed and cabinet together
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/02 with toilet conveniences, or specially adapted for use with toilets
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0503 Holders, support devices for receptacles, e.g. for drainage or urine bags hanging-up devices for infusion A61M5/1414
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0513 covering particular sections of the bed, e.g. one or more partial side-rail sections along the bed
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/053 Aids for getting into, or out of, bed, e.g. steps, chairs, cane-like supports
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 9/02 Cleaning devices washing and rinsing machines for crockery and tableware A47L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/61 Two- or three-bottle systems for underwater drainage, e.g. for chest cavity drainage
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/00 Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration; Tracheal tubes stimulating the respiratory movement by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical means, iron lungs combined with gas breathing means A61H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/082 Mounting brackets, arm supports for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/084 : Supporting bases, stands for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1415 : Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/74 : Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge framed panels E04C2/38
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7448 : with separate framed panels without intermediary posts, extending from floor to ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/745 : Glazing details
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7483 : Details of furniture, e.g. tables or shelves, associated with the partitions
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7488 : Details of wiring
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/08 : Hospitals, infirmaries, or the like; Schools; Prisons
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 : for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/005 : Electrical coupling combined with fluidic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 : allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 : for medicine and surgery

Abstract

A modular patient room includes a plurality of modular wall panels or units having various configurations. In some embodiments, the modular wall units have water dispensers. Headwall units having water dispensers are also disclosed. The water dispensers are configured to filter water or to sterilize water.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a healthcare facility to dispense water to a point of care in the healthcare facility, the apparatus comprising

a headwall unit mounted to a wall of the healthcare facility, the headwall unit having a gas outlet through which gas is delivered, and

a water dispenser having a housing situated in a cavity provided in the headwall unit, the water dispenser being coupled to a water line of the healthcare facility, the water dispenser including a spigot extending from the housing without any sink thereunder, and the water dispenser having a user input that is coupled to the housing above the spigot and that is operable to dispense water to the point of care through the spigot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water dispenser has a filter through which water from the water line passes prior to being dispensed to the point of care.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water dispenser has a sterilizer through which water from the water line passes prior to being dispensed to the point of care.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water dispenser has an electronic flow control that is configured to control the dispensing of water.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electronic flow control has an electric circuit and a sensor coupled to the electric circuit, the sensor sends a signal to the electric circuit regarding the flow of water out of the water dispenser, and the electric circuit is configured to calculate how much water is dispensed from the water dispenser.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the electronic flow control includes a display that indicates how much water is dispensed from the water dispenser.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the electric circuit reports how much water is dispensed to a computer network of the healthcare facility.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electronic flow control has an electrically operated valve and the user input is coupled to the electrically operated valve, the electrically operated valve normally preventing water from being dispensed from the water dispenser, and actuation of the user input results in a signal being sent to the electrically operated valve to permit water to flow from the water dispenser to the point of care.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user input comprises a push button.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user input comprises a movable lever.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user input comprises a movable knob.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spigot is configured to couple to an IV bag.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the headwall unit includes a pair of spaced vertical walls on opposites of the cavity and the housing of the water dispenser fits in the cavity of the headwall unit between the pair of spaced vertical walls.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the headwall unit has a front panel and the water dispenser has a housing with a front wall that is substantially coplanar with the front panel of the headwall unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the headwall unit has a top panel and the water dispenser has a housing with a top wall that is substantially coplanar with the top panel of the headwall unit.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first housing of a first module of the water dispenser and a second housing of a second module of the water dispenser.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first housing and the second housing are situated in the cavity in side-by-side relation.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first module receives water from the waterline of the healthcare facility and is operable to perform at least one of filtering the water and sterilizing the water.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the water from the waterline enters the first module through a back of the first module and wherein water exits the first module through a side of the first module to be received by the second module.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the spigot extends from a lower portion of the second module.