U.S. patent application number 13/003486 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-21 for self-contained medical care unit.
Invention is credited to Nathalie Denicourt, Philippe Denicourt, Salvatore Giammello.
Application Number | 20110173898 13/003486 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40328423 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110173898 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Denicourt; Philippe ; et
al. |
July 21, 2011 |
SELF-CONTAINED MEDICAL CARE UNIT
Abstract
Self-contained medical care unit consisting of a module forming
a container (1) in which there is situated at least one care room
(2), the container being equipped with a self-supporting structure
and comprising at least one collection of peripheral walls (4a, 4b,
4c, 4d), the care unit comprising means allowing it to be attached
removably to a central medical care structure (13), characterized
in that, in the attached position, the said module is incorporated
into the central structure (13), whereas the module is such that at
least some of its peripheral walls are removable to allow access to
the space from the central structure (13), and in that the space
comprises means (12) of connection to corresponding connections of
the central structure (13), allowing the care unit to be connected
to all necessary supplies, such as supplies of electricity, oxygen
and the like, and in that the module (1) comprises at its lower
part rolling and bearing means allowing, on the one hand, the said
module to be moved around in order to incorporate it into the
central unit and allowing this rolling to be prevented and the
module to be borne and held in place in a firm and stable manner
once it has been installed.
Inventors: |
Denicourt; Philippe;
(Saint-Cergues, FR) ; Denicourt; Nathalie;
(Saint-Cergues, FR) ; Giammello; Salvatore;
(Nernier, FR) |
Family ID: |
40328423 |
Appl. No.: |
13/003486 |
Filed: |
May 22, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
May 22, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR09/50954 |
371 Date: |
April 11, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/79.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 1/125 20130101;
E04H 3/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/79.1 |
International
Class: |
E04H 3/08 20060101
E04H003/08; E04H 1/00 20060101 E04H001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 11, 2008 |
FR |
0803947 |
Claims
1. Self-contained medical care unit comprised of a module forming a
container (1) within which at least one care room (2) is located,
the container being equipped with a self-supporting structure and
including at least one set of peripheral walls (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d),
the care unit including means enabling it to be removably attached
to a central medical care structure (2), characterized in that, in
the attached position, said module is incorporated into the central
structure (2), whereas the module is such that at least some of its
peripheral walls (4d, 4'c, 4'a) are removable in order to allow
access into the enclosed space from the central structure, in that
the enclosed space includes means (12) for connection to
corresponding connections of the central structure, enabling the
care unit to be connected to all necessary supplies, such as
electric current, oxygen and the like, and in that the module (1)
includes, in its lower portion, rolling and bearing means enabling
said module to be moved in order to incorporate it into the central
unit, on the one hand, and allowing this rolling to be stopped and
the module to be supported and held in place in a stable and firm
manner once it has been set up.
2. Self-contained medical care unit according to claim 1,
characterized in that the container includes a room (6) for
controlling medical apparatuses that can be installed inside the
care room (2) and a technical room (10).
3. Self-contained medical care unit according to claim 2,
characterized in that the technical room (10) includes a secondary
opening (11) for access, providing access to the users working in
the technical room.
4. Self-contained medical care unit according to claim 1,
characterized in that the module (1) includes, in its lower
portion, rolling and bearing means enabling said module to be moved
in order to incorporate it into the central unit, on the one hand,
and allowing this rolling to be stopped and the module to be
supported and held in place in a stable and firm manner once it has
been set up.
5. Self-contained medical care unit according to claim 4,
characterized in that the rolling means are comprised of an
assembly of rolling elements comprised of at least one wheel (21a,
21b) enabling a sliding displacement on the rails (17a, 17b) in
order to incorporate the module into the central unit (13).
6. Self-contained medical care unit according to claim 5,
characterized in that the bearing means are comprised of an
assembly of support elements (20) arranged beneath the module,
including at least one support comprised of a screw (22a, 22b)
enabling the module to be stabilized once incorporated into the
central unit (13).
7. Central medical care structure (2) adapted to receive the care
unit (1) of claim 1, characterized in that it includes means
enabling it to removably receive said medical care unit (1).
8. Central structure (2) according to claim 7, characterized in
that it includes a reception space (14) before a first opening (15)
opening out towards the outside and used for moving in the unit
(1), and a second opening (16) opening out towards the inside of
the structure and used for access when the unit (1) is in
place.
9. Central structure (2) according to claim 8, characterized in
that it includes a rail system (17a, 17b) installed on a paving
slab in the central structure to enable the care unit (1) to be
moved inside the reception space (14) provided in the central
structure (13).
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a self-contained medical
care unit and the associated central care structure.
[0002] It relates more particularly to a unit of the type comprised
of a module forming a container within which at least one care room
is located, the container being equipped with a self-supporting
structure and including walls provided with a main opening giving
access to the patients.
[0003] It should be specified here that, within the scope of the
invention, by medical care is meant any types of actions performed
to preserve health, to establish one or more types of diagnosis on
the health condition, to restore the health of a person, or to take
samples from a person.
[0004] It should also be specified that, within the scope of the
invention, by self-contained medical care unit is meant a unit that
incorporates all of the equipment, medical apparatuses and their
control devices, making it possible to dispense medical care
entirely from within the module constituting the unit, without it
requiring the patient to go outside of this module.
[0005] For example, a self-contained medical care unit known as
"MRI" is a type of unit that incorporates a magnetic resonance
imaging apparatus (MRI), as well as its control device and/or panel
inside the module.
[0006] For example, a dental care unit is a type of unit that
incorporates the dental medical equipment needed by a dentist to
check the condition of a tooth or teeth of a patient and/or to work
on such tooth/teeth.
[0007] For example, medical imaging or scanning apparatuses can
apply medical care by visual diagnosis of the health condition of a
patient.
[0008] The cost of certain medical apparatuses is so prohibitive
that certain medical health care centers, such as private clinics
or hospitals, with limited financial resources, cannot afford such
investments. Therefore, medical care cannot be proposed by such
private clinics or hospitals. This is the case, for example, of
private clinics with no medical imaging center, which thus cannot
perform magnetic resonance imaging on their patients and send them
to other, more capable health care centers.
[0009] To partially remedy the drawbacks and possible delays in
providing diagnoses or needed medical care due this situation,
mobile medical care units have been developed. For example, these
self-contained units are entirely comprised of the trailer of a
truck, inside which appropriately sized medical apparatuses are
provided, powered by a generator, also installed in the trailer,
and controlled by control devices and/or panel also installed
inside. In this regard, one can cite blood transfusion trucks or
medical imaging centers, the walls of which incorporate a Faraday
cage and the outer surfaces of which demarcate the contours of the
trailer.
[0010] These self-contained mobile units, temporarily installed in
the vicinity a private clinic or a hospital are not entirely
satisfactory. Indeed, firstly, the location in which the truck is
parked, in the vicinity of the clinic or hospital, is not
necessarily intended for this purpose: the access to these units
can be difficult for the patients, in particular for patients who
are not self-reliant, such as those in a wheelchair or on a
stretcher. Secondly, patients who are already hospitalized and are
more sensitive to the surrounding conditions must necessarily cross
a zone in the open air, which can be harmful to the state of their
health. Lastly, the daily cost for setting up and immobilizing such
a self-contained mobile unit can prove to be high.
[0011] The object of the invention is then to remedy all or part of
the above-mentioned disadvantages.
[0012] To this end, the invention relates to a self-contained
medical care unit, of the type comprised of a module forming a
container within which at least one care room is located, the
container being equipped with a self-supporting structure including
a set of peripheral walls, at least one of which and/or a portion
of one of which can be dismounted, and which includes means
enabling it to be removably attached to a central medical care
structure such that, in the attached position, the main opening
giving access to the patients is directly opposite an access
arranged in the central structure, through which the patients
access the unit.
[0013] It should be specified here that, within the scope of the
invention, by "central medical care structure" is meant a building
inside which medical care is normally provided.
[0014] Thus, the self-contained medical care unit of the invention
is comprised of a module forming a container within which at least
one care room is located, the container being equipped with a
self-supporting structure and including at least one set of
peripheral walls, the care unit including means enabling it to be
removably attached to a central medical care structure,
characterized in that, in the attached position, said module is
incorporated into the central structure, whereas the module is such
that at least some of its peripheral walls are removable in order
to allow access into the enclosed space from the central
structure,
[0015] in that the enclosed space includes means for connection to
corresponding connections of the central structure, enabling the
care unit to be connected to all necessary supplies, such as
electric current, oxygen and the like,
[0016] and in that the module includes, in its lower portion,
rolling and bearing means enabling said module to be moved in order
to incorporate it into the central unit, on the one hand, and
allowing this rolling to be stopped and the module to be supported
and held in place in a stable and firm manner once it has been set
up.
[0017] According to complementary characteristics, the container
includes a control room for the medical device(s) that can be
installed inside the care room, as well as a technical room, which
includes a secondary opening for access, providing access to the
users intervening in the technical room.
[0018] According to another characteristic, the module includes, in
its lower portion, displacement and bearing means, enabling said
module to be moved in order to incorporate it into the central
unit, on the one hand, and allowing this rolling to be stopped and
the module to be supported and held in place in a stable and firm
manner once it has been set up.
[0019] The invention also relates to the central medical care
structure adapted to receive the care unit, which includes means
enabling it to removably receive said medical care unit.
[0020] The present invention also relates to the characteristics
which will become apparent from the description that follows, and
which are to be considered separately or according to any possible
technical combinations thereof.
[0021] This description, given by way of a nonlimiting example,
helps to better understand how the invention can be embodied, with
reference to the annexed drawings, in which:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view, in cross-section along a
horizontal plane of a self-contained medical care unit according to
the invention.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic lateral view, in longitudinal
cross-section along a vertical plane.
[0024] FIG. 3 is a perspective view, showing the care unit, one of
its peripheral walls, in particular an end wall, and a portion of
another wall, in particular a lateral wall, being removed, as can
be the case when the unit is positioned in the central
structure.
[0025] FIG. 4 is a top view, in cross-section along a horizontal
plane of the zone of the central structure adapted to receive the
care unit.
[0026] FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d illustrate the various steps in setting
up the care unit in the receiving central structure.
[0027] FIG. 6 is a top view, in cross-section along a horizontal
plane, illustrating the central unit in its position of use.
[0028] FIGS. 7 and 8 are views similar to the view of FIG. 3,
showing two other possibilities of removal of the peripheral
walls.
[0029] FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate how the rolling and bearing means
of the module are implemented.
[0030] The self-contained medical care unit designated by the
general reference numeral (1), is comprised of a single module
forming a container (1) within which a main care room (2) is
located. Inside this care room (2) is arranged an apparatus (3) for
medical care or diagnosis, such as a magnetic resonance imaging
apparatus, for example, dimensioned for this purpose.
[0031] The container (1) according to the invention is equipped
with a self-supporting structure and includes a set of peripheral
walls (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) as well as a set of inner walls (5a, 5b), an
upper wall (40a) and a lower wall (40b). Inside the container (1)
is a control and monitoring room (6) having, for example, a panel
(7) for controlling the care or diagnosis apparatus(3) located in
the care room, an inner wall (5a) with an access door (9)
separating these two rooms (2, 6).
[0032] Furthermore, the container (1) includes a technical room
(10) having a secondary opening (11) opening out towards the
outside, which gives exclusive access to the people working inside
this room, in particular when a patient is present in the care room
(2), without disturbing the medical care being dispensed to this
patient.
[0033] The self-contained care unit (1) includes a set of
connections (12) enabling the care unit to be connected to all
necessary supplies, such as electric current, oxygen, telephone and
the like.
[0034] According to the invention, the unit (1), which is a
self-contained mobile care unit, and is therefore initially free of
any central structure, is adapted to be removably incorporated into
a stationary medical care central structure (13), such as a private
clinic, a hospital, or the like.
[0035] Thus, the central structure (13) includes a reception space
(14) before a first opening (15) opening out towards the outside
and used for bringing in the unit (1), and a second opening (16)
opening out inward of the structure and used for internal access,
when the unit (1) is in place.
[0036] The central structure (13) according to the invention
includes, for example, a rail system (17a, 17b) installed on a
paving slab in the structure, at least within the reception space
(14) that slidably receives the care unit (1) according to the
invention, which can be positioned laterally via a sliding motion.
This positioning can be carried out by any suitable handling
means.
[0037] FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d) illustrate the various steps in
setting up the care unit (1) in the receiving central structure
(13).
[0038] Thus, due to a sliding or rolling path, the care unit (1) is
presented in front of the first opening (15), (FIG. 5a), and then
moved gradually inside of the reception space (14), as illustrated
in FIGS. 5b, 5c, 5d.
[0039] Once the unit (1) has been completely moved in, as
illustrated in FIGS. 5d and 6, the end peripheral wall (4d)
opposite the second access opening, as well as a wall portion (4'c)
of the lateral wall (4c), are dismounted on the side of the second
opening (15) to provide access to the control and monitoring room.
Furthermore, the unit (1) is wired due to the connections (12).
[0040] FIGS. 7 and 8 are views similar to the view of FIG. 3,
showing two other possibilities of removal of the peripheral
walls.
[0041] According to the alternative embodiment of FIG. 7, three
peripheral walls are removed, namely the end wall (4d), and a
portion (4'c) of one of the lateral walls (4c), as well as a
portion (4'a) of the other lateral wall (4a), all of these walls
(4d, 4'a, 4'c) at least partially demarcating the control room
(6).
[0042] According to the alternative embodiment of FIG. 8, only one
peripheral wall is removed, and more precisely a portion (4'c) of
the lateral wall (4c) is removed, this wall portion (4'c) at least
partially demarcating the control room (6).
[0043] It is noted that the module (1) includes, in its lower
portion, rolling and bearing means enabling said module to be moved
in order to incorporate it into the central unit, on the one hand,
and allowing this rolling to be stopped and the module to be
supported and held in place in a stable and firm manner once it has
been set up. These means are illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.
[0044] Thus these means are comprised of an assembly of rolling and
bearing elements (20) arranged under the module.
[0045] Each of the assemblies, one of which is illustrated in FIGS.
9 and 10, includes: [0046] at least one wheel, the illustrated
example including two wheels (21a, 21b) enabling the rolling
displacement on the rails (17a, 17b) in order to incorporate the
module in the central unit (13), and [0047] at least one support
comprised of a screw, the illustrated example including two
supports (22a, 22b) enabling the module to be stabilized once
incorporated into the central unit (13).
[0048] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments
described and shown by way of examples, but also includes all of
the technical equivalents as well as their combinations.
* * * * *