Surgical Helmet System Including a Garment With A Face Shield and a Method of Regulating the System

Abstract

A surgical helmet system and a method of regulating the system. The system including a helmet and garment. The helmet comprising a module, a sensor, and a control processor. The control processor in communication with the module and the sensor, and is configured to selectively energize the module based on an input from the sensor. The garment comprises a face shield and is configured to be removably secured to the helmet so that the face shield is positioned forward of the helmet. The method comprises a measuring a temperature and selectively energizing the module based on the measured temperature. The method may further comprise selectively energizing the module for a time period that is proportional to a difference between a measured temperature and a desired temperature.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 761,363, filed on Mar. 19, 2018, which is a National Stage of International Patent Application No. PCT / US2016 / 052491, filed on Sep. 19, 2016, which claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 221,266, filed on Sep. 21, 2015, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention generally relates to a personal protection system such as the type of personal protection system worn by a healthcare provider. The personal protection system of this invention includes a cooling strip that draws heat away from the individual wearing the system.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]During some medical and surgical procedures, a healthcare provider will wear an assembly known as a personal protection system. This type of assembly includes a helmet. A protective gar...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The system effectively dissipates heat over a larger area, minimizing discomfort and reducing the likelihood of thermal backflow, while allowing for user preference in cooling and reducing the weight of the helmet.

Problems solved by technology

No one, especially a healthcare worker performing a procedure, wants to be subjected to the harmful effects of excessive exposure to carbon dioxide.

The formation of these water droplets can reduce the visibility through the face shield.

Nevertheless, an individual wearing a personal protection system, like any individual, generates heat.

Consequently, when some individuals wear a personal protection system, the air around these individuals can become uncomfortably warm.

Surgeons, in particular, are known to consider being encased in a personal protection garment a less than desirable experience.

The generation of this relatively large quantity of heat can result in the environment inside the personal protection garment becoming unpleasant.

One disadvantage of this type of system is that a providing the system with a large fan typically results in providing the system with a fan that emits an appreciable amount of noise.

The added noise pollution this type of fan can contribute to an operating room inherently makes it more difficult for the individuals wearing the personal protection system to communicate.

Further, this added noise pollution adds to the distractions the individuals performing the procedure have to ignore to concentrate on the procedure.

Another disadvantage of providing a personal protection system with a fan with larger air flow capabilities than fans currently used is that this fan draws more power than the power drawn by the current fans.

If the power draw of the fan is increased there is an increased likelihood that, during the procedure, system battery will be completely drained.

There are, however, disadvantages of simply providing the helmet of personal protection system with one or more skin abutting Peltier modules.

One disadvantage of this type assembly is that when a Peltier module is activated, the heat source surface draws thermal energy away from the surface of the object immediately in contact with the module.

This means that when a module is simply in contact with the skin, most of the heat loss is from the skin immediately in contact with the module.

This difference can be disconcerting to the person wearing the personal protection system.

Further when the application of current to a Peltier module is terminated there may be a significant amount of thermal energy adjacent the module.

Further some individuals that use a personal protection system may not want the system to include Peltier modules.

This individual may even be irritated by having to wear a helmet that includes the added weight of the Peltier modules.

However, unless a relatively large number of both types of helmets are provided, it may be difficult to, for a procedure, have enough of both types of helmets to ensure that preferences of each individual participating in the procedure is met.

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