Protective device for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases

Description

[0001] It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective device for protecting an operator from airborne communicable infectious diseases of the type specified in the preamble to the first claim.

[0002] More particularly, the present invention has as its object a disposable protective device for protecting a healthcare worker as well as a patient and thus capable of being disposed of, after use, by standard hospital disposal processes.

[0003] The devices designed to isolate a patient, specifically a patient presumed to be suffering from airborne infectious diseases such as influenza viruses, coronaviruses, viral infections such as mumps and rubella, meningitis, and other serious bacterial infections, are currently known. As is known in these cases, contagion occurs through droplets or droplets of saliva or sputum emitted through coughing, sneezing, emesis or even through phonation.

[0004] Examples of devices of the known art are described in documents BE396444, WO-A-2006 / 138232 and US-A-3710791.

[0005] The document WO-A-2006 / 138232 describes a closed, collapsible capsule for isolating the patient to prevent a flow of contaminants to and from the patient. The capsule further comprises a number of sections that are transparent, flexible and also resistant to biochemical agents. Further, the capsule includes a plurality of glove box-like hermetic accesses to allow access and operations of an operator as well as manifolds to allow insertion of oxygen or other fluids, intravenous connections and more. Finally, the device described in WO-A-2006 / 138232 includes an artificial ventilation and filtration system.

[0006] The document US-A-3710791 describes an inflatable container capable of enclosing a controlled atmosphere volume for use as an incubator or oxygen therapy tent. The side sections are flexible sheets that are folded and designed to be inflated to become load-bearing elements of the device. Once inflated, the device forms an air barrier in a volume around the patient.

[0007] The known technique described includes some major drawbacks.

[0008] In particular, both documents WO-A-2006 / 138232 and US-A-3710791 describe devices that are bulky and not suitable for easy transport and positioning in emergency situations.

[0009] Again, both devices described in documents WO-A-2006 / 138232 and US-A-3710791 require external devices such as compressors, oxygen cylinders, and power supply devices that do not make them usable in any environment.

[0010] In order to overcome some of the problems of the aforementioned known technique, it is possible to adopt devices as described, for example, in patent applications US-A-2694403, US-A-2915074, US-A-2389293 or WO-A-2014189874.

[0011] The document US-A-2694403 describes a device including transparent deformable walls and a plurality of coupling means for allowing the walls to be coupled onto an external frame so as to be suspended at least over the head of a user. Such a device is, therefore, substantially collapsible and allows access of oxygenation ducts through two nozzles arranged on the wall.

[0012] The document US-A-2915074 describes, on the other hand, a collapsible structure comprising an inflatable frame capable, when filled with air, of forming a load-bearing box-like structure enclosed by flexible transparent walls.

[0013] The access is provided by hinges and / or holes in at least one wall.

[0014] The document US-A-2389293, on the other hand, describes a collapsible containment device provided with hinges and other means of closure suitable for hermetically sealing the torso and head of a user within a predetermined volume. The document WO-A-2014189874 describes a tented device in which access to the internal volume is only via hermetically gloved accesses and in which the structure has a significant impact on the visibility of the operator with respect to the user whose head is disposed within the internal volume of the structure.

[0015] Even the known technique just described includes some major drawbacks.

[0016] In particular, the device described by US-A-2694403 requires an external structure in order to be used and, therefore, is not substantially easy to use, for example, on transfer patients who need to be transported.

[0017] The device described by US-A-2915074 must be inflated in order to function properly, and is therefore not suitable for use in emergency situations where speed is required. In addition, the device of US-A-2389293 does not allow access to the internal volume and is therefore unsuitable for use on patients requiring surgery or other operator manoeuvres.

[0018] In conclusion, the device of WO-A-2014189874 essentially deprives the operator of the visibility necessary for the correct manipulation of the user's head and reduces the manoeuvrability by using access through gloves.

[0019] In this situation, the technical task underlying the present invention is to devise a protective device for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases capable of substantially obviating at least part of the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0020] In the context of said technical task, it is an important aim of the invention to obtain a protective device for protecting an operator from airborne transmissible infectious diseases which provides high visibility of the user's head to enable the operator to carry out interventions with great efficiency.

[0021] Another important purpose of the invention is to achieve a protective device for protecting an operator from airborne communicable infectious diseases which increases the possibility of movement of the operator's limbs allowing the operator to perform wider and more precise movements.

[0022] The specified technical task and purposes are achieved by a protective device for protecting an operator from airborne communicable infectious diseases as claimed in the annexed claim 1.

[0023] Preferred technical solutions are disclosed in the dependent claims.

[0024] The features and advantages of the invention are hereinafter clarified by the detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: the Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic side view of a protective device for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases according to the invention during use; the Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic front perspective view of a protective device for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases according to the invention; and the Fig. 3 is a rear perspective schematic view of a protective device for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases according to the invention in which an alternative third access is shown and air or oxygen inlet and outlet tubes connectable to the respective third accesses are visible.

[0025] In the present document, the measurements, values, shapes and geometric references (such as perpendicularity and parallelism), when associated with words like "about" or other similar terms such as "approximately" or "substantially", are to be considered as except for measurement errors or inaccuracies due to production and / or manufacturing errors, and, above all, except for a slight divergence from the value, measurements, shape, or geometric reference with which it is associated. For instance, these terms, if associated with a value, preferably indicate a divergence of not more than 10% of the value.

[0026] Moreover, when used, terms such as "first", "second", "higher", "lower", "main" and "secondary" do not necessarily identify an order, a priority of relationship or a relative position, but can simply be used to clearly distinguish between their different components.

[0027] Unless otherwise specified, as results in the following discussions, terms such as "treatment", "computing", "determination", "calculation", or similar, refer to the action and / or processes of a computer or similar electronic calculation device that manipulates and / or transforms data represented as physical, such as electronic quantities of registers of a computer system and / or memories in, other data similarly represented as physical quantities within computer systems, registers or other storage, transmission or information displaying devices.

[0028] The measurements and data reported in this text are to be considered, unless otherwise indicated, as performed in the International Standard Atmosphere ICAO (ISO 2533:1975).

[0029] With reference to the Figures, the protective device for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases according to the invention is globally referred to as device 1.

[0030] Preferably, the device 1 is suitable for protecting an operator when handling a user suffering from airborne infectious diseases. In any case, the device 1 may find efficient use in any action in which it is of importance to create, as required, a chamber with a controlled environment for the head 11 of a user 10.

[0031] Therefore, the device 1 is capable of providing at least the function of isolating a health care operator 12 from the user 10 and the user 10 from the external environment during the performance of treatments on the user 10, operative interventions, hospital stays, the transfer of users 10 between departments, transport by ambulance or other means, waiting in environments with a high concentration of people, such as emergency rooms, during roadside rescue operations, or in general for the creation of a negative pressure environment for oxygen administration in treatments requiring it.

[0032] Furthermore, the device 1 may also simply be capable of allowing proper observation of the user 10 by the operator 12 or may, in at least one embodiment, allow the operator 12 to operate on the user 10 via one or more of its own limbs 13.

[0033] Thus, the device 1 may also be capable of allowing the introduction of at least one limb 13 of the operator 12 for manipulation of the user 10.

[0034] In summary, the device 1 comprises at least one frame 2 and a cover 3.

[0035] The frame 2 is preferably a frame similar to common igloo tent frames. Thus, the frame 2 is shaped approximately like a pavilion vault with a quadrangular base, for example square or rectangular, as shown in Figs. 1-3. By the term approximately, it is meant that the shape need not be perfect, but is roughly assimilated to it.

[0036] Thus, the frame 2 preferably comprises at least two rods 20. Such rods 20 are substantially two curved or bendable elements whose ends start from the same plane and preferably cross each other at a maximum point.

[0037] Thus, the rods 20 are essentially mutually crossed at a crossing point 2a.

[0038] The crossing point 2a preferably corresponds to the top, or rather the highest point above the ground, of the frame 2 when the device 1 is in use, for example, on a flat surface provided by a table top or the ground itself.

[0039] The cover 3 is, therefore, supported by frame 2. Therefore, in use, the cover 3 is shaped according to the shape imposed by the frame 2. Preferably, therefore, the cover 3 is mostly defined by a deformable membrane layer.

[0040] Thus, cover 3 defines walls 30. The walls 30 are essentially parts of the cover 3 delimited by the rods 20. By this is not meant that the walls 30 are separate from each other, but that they are, although in one piece, simply distinct from the rods 20.

[0041] In detail, the walls 30 comprise at least one front wall 30a, a rear wall 30b and side walls 30c. The front wall 30a includes at least one first access 4. The first access 4 may be trivially defined by a hole cut in the front wall 30a.

[0042] In particular, the first access 4 is preferably capable of allowing a user 10 to insert their head 11 therein.

[0043] In contrast, the rear wall 30b is opposite the front wall 30a. Preferably, the rear wall 30b is the wall through which the operator 12 views at least the head 11 of the user 10. Thus, advantageously, the at least rear wall 30b is transparent.

[0044] The side walls 30c are, therefore, preferably arranged between the front walls 30a and the rear walls 30b.

[0045] Of course, the side walls 30c and / or the front wall 30a could also be transparent. Preferably, in the preferred embodiment, all the walls 30 are transparent.

[0046] The cover 3 also preferably defines a bottom 31. The bottom 31 is substantially flat, at least when resting on a surface, and is defined by the part of the cover 3 subtended by the walls 30. Thus, the bottom 31 is substantially adjacent to and surrounded by all the walls 30.

[0047] The cover 3 therefore also defines a chamber 32. The chamber 32 is substantially bounded by walls 30 and bottom 31. Thus, the chamber 32 is nothing more than the volume bounded by the walls 30 and bottom 31 and is configured to accommodate at least the head 11 of the user 10.

[0048] The head 11 of the user 10 is, therefore, inserted into the chamber 32 via the first access 4.

[0049] Advantageously, the device 1 comprises certain special features.

[0050] The crossing point 2a, in fact, defines a projection point 2a' on the off-centre bottom 31. The projection point 2a' is nothing more than the point of intersection between the bottom 31 and a line perpendicular to the bottom 31 passing through the crossing point 2a.

[0051] The projection point 2a', therefore, is closer to the front wall 30a than to said rear wall 30b.

[0052] In this way, the frame structure 2 is slightly inclined. More importantly, said rear wall 30b turns out to be more extended increasing the visibility of the chamber 32 from the outside, or rather the visibility of the operator 12 with respect to the head 11 of the user 10.

[0053] Advantageously, in addition, the rear wall 30b may comprise at least a second access 5.

[0054] The second access 5, if present, is preferably configured to allow insertion of a limb 13 of the operator 12 so that the latter can easily manipulate at least the head 11 of the user 10.

[0055] The second access 5 is, therefore, preferably made by at least one notch 50.

[0056] The notch 50 is substantially cross-shaped, or T-shaped, or L-shaped, made on the cover 3. Thus, the flaps of the cover 3 separated by the notch 50 are deformable so as to allow the introduction of the limb 13 of the operator 12 into the chamber 32. The notch 50, in particular, is determined by a horizontal groove 50b and a vertical groove 50a.

[0057] The horizontal groove extends parallel to the bottom 31. The vertical groove 50a, on the other hand, extends transversely to the bottom 31, and thus also to the horizontal groove 50b.

[0058] Advantageously, the vertical groove 50b defines a length at least equal to 1 / 3 of the extension defined by the rear wall 30b between the intersection 2b and the bottom 31. Furthermore, advantageously, the vertical groove 50b extends at least up to above half of said extension defined by the rear wall 30b between the intersection 2b and the bottom 31, starting from a position close to the bottom 31.

[0059] Thanks to these features, the limb 13 of the operator 12 has extreme mobility within the chamber 32 and allows, above all, the operator 12 to manoeuvre while maintaining an upright posture with full visibility of the head 11 of the user 10, as shown in Fig. 1. In fact, thanks to the extension of the groove 50b, the limb 13 can assume a position transverse to the bottom 31 and does not necessarily have to be introduced parallel to it.

[0060] The latter aspects may be of paramount importance when the device 1 is used to surgically operate the user 10 and when, therefore, a high degree of precision dependent on mobility is required.

[0061] The rear wall 30b could also comprise two second accesses 5. If present, they could be placed side by side in such a way as to allow the operator 12 to insert both limbs 12, simultaneously, within the chamber 32.

[0062] In addition, one or more of the side walls 30c could also include one or more second accesses 5. The latter could be useful in particular situations where it is necessary to operate on the head 11 of the user 10 from a different angle.

[0063] The second access 5 could then be freely accessible, or could be accessible after removal of a protective partition 33.

[0064] Therefore, preferably, the cover 3 comprises at least one protective partition 33 configured to cover or make accessible, on command, the second access 5. If present, a protective partition 33 may be laboriously constrained to the rear wall 30b, or also to the side wall 30c. In a preferred embodiment, the protective partition 33 may be a film constrained only superiorly to the wall 30 in such a way that it can be folded upwards before introducing the limb 13 within the second access 5.

[0065] Naturally, when the second access 5 is released, the protective partition 33 falls back into position to cover the second access 5 by virtue of the gravitational gradient.

[0066] The device 1 may also include further advantageous arrangements.

[0067] For example, it may comprise a membrane 6.

[0068] The membrane 6, if present, is preferably constrained to the front wall 30a. Thus, it is substantially configured as an extension of the front wall 30a beyond the cover 3. The membrane 6 is, therefore, preferably configured to at least partially surround the first access 4. In this way, the membrane 6 realises, in use, an access conduit 60. The access conduit 60 is substantially communicating with the chamber 32.

[0069] Furthermore, within the access conduit 60 can be housed, and covered by the membrane 6, the thorax of the user 10 whose head 11 is housed in the chamber 32. The membrane 6 may be fully secured to the cover 3. Or, the device 1 may comprise locking means 7.

[0070] If present, the locking means 7 are configured to removably constrain, on command, at least part of the membrane 6 and the anterior wall 30a.

[0071] For example, the locking means 7 may include one or more Velcro portions 70. These Velcro portions 70 may then be positioned partly on the membrane 6 and partly on the anterior wall 30a. Thus, they may be distributed around at least part of the access 4.

[0072] The device 1 could also further include constraining means 8.

[0073] If present, the constraining means 8 are configured to allow the binding, on command, of the device 1 to an external object.

[0074] For example, they may include one or more laces 80. The laces 80 may, therefore, be distributed around the bottom 31. The laces 80 may allow the device 1 to be constrained to a stretcher, rather than to another structure defining long elements around which the laces may be knotted.

[0075] The device 1 may also comprise a handle 9. If present, the handle 9 could be configured to allow the device 1 to be lifted with one hand of the operator 13. Thus, the handle 9 could basically include at least one loop 90. The loop 90 may then be made from a simple strip whose ends are mutually constrained or bound at the same point. Advantageously, the loop 90 may be constrained at the junction 2a.

[0076] In addition to what has been described, one or more of the walls 30 may include one or more third accesses 34. The third accesses 34, if present, are advantageously configured to arrange the chamber 32 in fluid passage connection with a respective fluid suction or input pipe from the outside.

[0077] In this regard, the third accesses 34 can be made from cross slots, similarly to the second accesses 5 but with smaller dimensions, or they can also include connectors that can be plugged and opened as required. In addition, third accesses could also be covered by protective partitions similar to the protective partitions 33 of the second accesses 5.

[0078] In terms of materials, frame 2 and cover 3 can be realised in different ways. Preferably, the rods 20 are made of harmonic steel, but could alternatively be made of resin or other materials that are sufficiently strong and, at the same time, elastic. In contrast, the cover 3 comprises a deformable polymeric material. In particular, the material of cover 3 is deformable in such a way that said device 1 is fully collapsible.

[0079] The device 1 is, in fact, preferably intended to be used only once by a single person and then disposed of.

[0080] Thus, preferably, the device 1 makes it possible to make a disposable protective kit to protect an operator from airborne infectious diseases.

[0081] The kit thus comprises, in addition to device 1, an envelope defining a thinned housing space. The device 1 is then, prior to use, collapsed and entirely housed and sealed within the housing space of the pouch.

[0082] More specifically, preferably, the device 1 is packaged in a heat-sealed plastic envelope on which may, in addition, be present all the legal indications and instructions necessary for the use of the device 1.

[0083] The operation of device 1 described above in structural terms is as follows. Basically, once extracted from the kit housing envelope, the device 1 can be opened in such a way as to define the chamber 32, possibly with the aid of the handle 9. Then, the head 11 of a user 10 can be introduced into chamber 32 by means of the first access 4 via the access conduit 60 made by the membrane 6. At this stage, the membrane 6 can be at least partially free so as to facilitate the introduction of the head 11 and then it can be fully constrained to the anterior wall 30a, by means of the locking means 7, once the head 11 has been introduced so as to secure the membrane 6 on the chest of the user 10. Possible limb accesses 13 of the operator 12 can be completed thanks to the second accesses 5. In any case, the head 11 of the user 10 always remains reclined in the chamber 32 and remains clearly visible before the eyes of the operator 13 at least through the posterior wall 30b. Preferably, front wall 30a and side walls 30c are also transparent, however, opaque side walls 30c and front walls 30a may be contemplated to obscure the head 11 of the user 10 from the outside.

[0084] In conclusion, the constraining means allow the device 1 to be locked, when necessary, to any transport structure, for example a stretcher, of the user.

[0085] The protective device 1 for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases according to the invention achieves important advantages.

[0086] In fact, the protective device 1 for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases always ensures a high visibility of the head of the user to allow the operator to carry out interventions with great efficiency since the crossing point 2a does not obstruct the view of the operator as, unfortunately, happens with all similar solutions of the known technology.

[0087] Moreover, device 1 increases the possibility of movement of the operator's limbs, allowing him to make wider and more precise movements.

[0088] In fact, the conformation of the second accesses is such as to allow the adoption of any posture both of the operator as a whole and of the individual limbs.

[0089] In conclusion, device 1 is extremely versatile and easy to use in any context, quickly, even in particularly emergency situations.

Claims

1. Protective device (1) for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases comprising: - a frame (2) having an approximate shape of a pavilion vault with a quadrangular base made of at least two rods (20) mutually crossed at one crossing point (2a), - a cover (3) supported by said frame (2) and defining walls (30) delimited by said rods (20), a flat bottom (31) subtended by said walls (30) and a chamber (32) delimited by said walls (30) and said bottom (31) for housing at least the head (11) of a user (10), - said walls (30) comprising a front wall (30a) including at least a first access (4) capable of allowing said user (10) to insert said head (11) into said chamber (32), a transparent rear wall (30b) opposite to said front wall (30a) and side walls (30c), and said device (1) being characterized by - said crossing point (2a) defines a projection point (2a') on said decentred bottom (31) and closer to said front wall (30a) than said rear wall (30b) so that said rear wall (30b) is more extended, increasing the visibility of said chamber (32) from the outside.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said rear wall (30b) comprises at least a second access (5) configured to allow the insertion of a limb (13) of an operator (12) carried by at least one notch (50) crosswise on said cover (3) determined by a horizontal groove (50b) extending parallel to said bottom (31) and a vertical groove (50a) extending transversely to said bottom (31) of a length at least equal to 1 / 3 of the extension defined by said rear wall (30b) between said crossing (2b) and said bottom (31) at least up to above half of said extension starting from a position close to said bottom (31).

3. Device (1) according to claim 2, wherein said cover (3) comprises at least a protective partition (33) constrained in a compliant way to said rear wall (30b) and configured to cover or make accessible, on command, said second access (5).

4. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a membrane (6) constrained to said front wall (30a) and configured to at least partially surround said first access (4) so as to provide, in use, an access conduit (60) communicating with said chamber (32) inside which the chest of said user (10) whose said head (11) is housed in said chamber (32) can be housed and covered by said membrane (6).

5. Device (1) according to claim 4, further comprising locking means (7) configured to removably constrain, on command, at least part of said membrane (6) and said front wall (30a) and including one or more portions in Velcro (70) distributed around at least part of said access (4).

6. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising constraining means (8) configured to allow the constraint, on command, said device (1) to an external object and including one or more laces (80) distributed around to said bottom (31).

7. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one handle (9) configured to allow the lifting of said device (1) with one hand of said operator (13) and including at least one loop (90) constrained in correspondence of said crossing (2a).

8. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of said walls (30) include one or more third access (34) configured for arranging said chamber (32) in fluid flow connection with a respective tube suction or introduction of fluid from the outside.

9. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said rods (20) are constituted by spring steel and said cover (3) comprises a deformable polymeric material in such a way that said device (1) is entirely collapsible.

10. Disposable protective kit for protecting an operator from airborne infectious diseases comprising an envelope defining a thinned housing space and a device (1) according to any one of claims 1-9 collapsed and fully housed and sealed, prior to use, within said housing space.