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Publication Number
US-11517490-B2
Publication Date
2022-12-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
A patient isolation unit (PIU) for use in marine rescues. The PIU of this invention is useful to safely transport personnel exposed to, or potentially exposed to, an identified and/or known infectious agent or chemical warfare agent (CWA) on marine vessels and/or aircraft such as Coast Guard boasts, cutters and aircraft. The PIU has a generally tapered tubular shape compatible with wire rescue baskets conforming in shape to the human body and into which an injured, sick, or disabled person can be safely strapped, such as the Stokes litter rescue basket for hoisting and fit in rotary wing aircraft.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an isolation apparatus for transporting a person that includes an enclosure sealed against releasing chemical, biological, and radiological agents. The enclosure includes a plurality of vapor permeable and liquid tight flexible panels, each formed of a selectively permeable material and sealed by gas tight and liquid tight seams, thereby defining a transport chamber for receiving the person. The enclosure also includes a closable opening that provides access to the transport chamber.
The enclosure is shaped with a rounded first end and a rounded second end, and is at least partially tapered from the first end toward the second end. In one arrangement, the first end comprises a bulbous top portion that includes a patient head window. The invention further specifies support structures for the head region, including support ribs connected to external sides of the enclosure that extend curved across the head window and cross each other over the head window.
The invention is further described as being compatible with a litter basket enclosure configuration for transporting a person, where the sealed enclosure includes vapor permeable and liquid tight flexible panels formed of selectively permeable material and sealed by gas tight and liquid tight seams. The closing structure is described as a closable access opening suitable for maintaining sealing against releasing chemical, biological, and radiological agents, and the transport chamber is arranged to receive the person while enabling access through the closable opening.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00017. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on a sealed, selectively permeable, vapor-permeable/liquid-tight enclosure with gas- and liquid-tight seams forming a transport chamber, combined with a tapered rounded end geometry and a closable access opening, with clm-00017 adding a litter-basket enclosure configuration, a bulbous top portion with a patient head window, and crossed support ribs over the head window.
Sealed selectively permeable transport-chamber enclosure with gas-tight and liquid-tight seams
An enclosure sealed against releasing chemical, biological, and radiological agents, including a plurality of vapor permeable and liquid tight flexible panels each formed of a selectively permeable material and sealed by gas tight and liquid tight seams, and defining a transport chamber for receiving the person.
Closable access opening to the transport chamber
The enclosure including a closable opening providing access to the transport chamber.
Rounded first end, rounded second end, and tapered enclosure geometry
The enclosure including a rounded first end and a rounded second end, and the enclosure at least partially tapered from the first end toward the second end.
Litter basket enclosure with a bulbous top portion including a patient head window
A litter basket enclosure sealed against releasing chemical, biological, and radiological agents, including a plurality of vapor permeable and liquid tight flexible panels each formed of a selectively permeable material and sealed by gas tight and liquid tight seams, defining a transport chamber for receiving the person, wherein the enclosure includes a first end and a rounded second end, the enclosure is at least partially tapered from the first end toward the second end, and the first end comprises a bulbous top portion including a patient head window.
Crossed support ribs over the head window
Two support ribs each connected to external sides of the enclosure, wherein the support ribs extend curved across the head window and cross each other over the head window.
The independent claims broadly cover a CBR-agent sealed transport enclosure using selectively permeable, vapor-permeable/liquid-tight flexible panels sealed by gas-tight and liquid-tight seams, together with a closable access opening and a rounded tapered end geometry. Claim clm-00017 further narrows the structure to a litter basket enclosure having a bulbous top portion with a patient head window and crossed support ribs extending across and crossing over the head window.
Stated Advantages
The patent states CWA resistance.
The patent states reduced crew/aircraft contamination risk.
The patent states compatibility with marine rescue transport and wire rescue baskets.
The patent states NFPA 1994-2012 Class 3 compliance.
Documented Applications
Marine-rescue patient isolation and transport using a patient isolation unit (PIU) configured to be compatible with wire rescue baskets and rotary-wing aircraft.
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