System and method for medical rooms

Abstract

A system 10 for use in a medical room 1, the system comprising a chair or table 12 arranged to receive a patient for treatment or examination, and a cleaning enclosure 14 arranged to accommodate the c

Description

The present invention relates to a system for use in medical rooms, the system comprising a chair or table for receiving a patient during a medical examination or procedure. The present invention relates in particular, but not exclusively, to a system for use in dental surgeries. The present invention further relates to a medical room comprising a system including a patient chair or table, and a method of cleaning a patient chair or table between patients. In all medical environments, such as surgeries and clinics, cleaning and sterilisation of equipment after examination or treatment of a patient is critical for effective infection control. Not only must medical instruments be fully sterilised before reuse, all other equipment within the room in which the patient is examined or treated must also be fully cleaned and disinfected between patients to prevent cross-infection. This matter is particularly critical in dental surgeries, in which treatments and procedures performed on a patient, including routine examinations, frequently involve the release of bodily fluids as aerosols. Such aerosols are prone to spread more rapidly and easily to surfaces in the vicinity of the patient. It is therefore necessary for dental practitioners to thoroughly disinfect all surfaces within the surgery between patients, including, but not limited to, the treatment chair or table. Such practices are normally carried out by a dental assistant or dental nurse. At the same time, recent trends in medical innovation are aiming to automate many of the procedures and tasks carried out by medical practitioners. Such automation has the potential to reduce costs and increase the number of patients that can be seen, providing better access to medical care. Additionally, automated processes for cleaning, sterilisation and disinfection may be more reproducible than manual processes, further decreasing the risk of cross-infection between patients. Whilst some tasks and procedures normally carried out by a medical (e.g. dental) nurse or assistant can be readily automated, various constraints have hitherto prevented automation of other tasks, meaning that full automation of all cleaning, sterilisation and disinfection processes has hitherto been unrealised. One such task that is yet to be effectively automated is the cleaning and disinfection of a patient chair or table and its auxiliary components (such as spittoons, lights, instrument tables etc). Present techniques require a dental assistant or nurse to manually wipe down the chair or table and auxiliary components using an appropriate cleaning and / or disinfectant solution. There is therefore a need to provide systems that allow for automation of such processes in order for full automation of the tasks of a medical nurse or assistant to be achieved. The present invention arose in an attempt to provide a solution to the abovementioned problems. According to the present invention there is provided a system for use in a medical room, the system comprising a chair or table arranged to receive a patient for treatment or examination, and a cleaning enclosure arranged to accommodate the chair or table, the cleaning enclosure comprising means for cleaning the chair or table accommodated therein, wherein the chair or table is movable from a first location in which the chair or table is located external to the enclosure for treatment of a patient, to a second location in which the chair or table is located within the cleaning enclosure. The present invention allows the cleaning or disinfection of a patient chair or table in a medical room to be more readily automated. In the context of the present invention, the term ‘medical room’ is not particularly limiting and includes any room, space or environment in which a doctor, dentist or other medical practitioner treats or examines patients, such as a surgery or theatre. The present invention is of particular use in a dental surgery. The term ‘chair or table’ refers to any suitable platform on which a patient may sit or lie during treatment or examination. With the arrangement of the present invention, accommodation of the chair or table within a dedicated cleaning enclosure allows standardised and automated cleaning methods to be used to clean or disinfect the chair or table after treatment or examination of a patient. Use of standardised and automated cleaning methods or procedures would not be practical with a conventional treatment chair or table, which would normally remain in a fixed location within the room. It will be appreciated that any automated method or process for cleaning or disinfecting a patient chair or table would require suitable mechanical components (such as rollers or spray heads) to be installed within the room. At the same time, the physical space around the patient chair or table must remain open and available to allow the medical practitioner to examine or treat the patient and / or for appropriate positioning of auxiliary components required during a procedure, such as lights, spittoons or instrument trays. Such constraints prevent the permanent positioning of mechanical cleaning components in the vicinity of the patient chair or table, when provided in a fixed position in the medical room, in particular for a dental surgery. Accordingly, the present invention provides a solution to the abovementioned problems by permitting the movement of the patient chair or table away from its normal location in a central space of the medical room into a dedicated cleaning enclosure. Mechanical cleaning components provided within the enclosure can thus be arranged to perform an automated cleaning operation more easily than would be possible for a chair or table that remains in a fixed location within the medical room. Automated cleaning procedures performed within the cleaning enclosure may also be more reliable and reproducible, providing more effective cleaning than provided by existing manual procedures. It will be appreciated that conventional surgeries, in particular dental surgeries, locate the chair or table in a fixed location. There are many reasons for this, including the provision auxiliary components (instrument tables, spittoons, suction devices etc) located next to or in the vicinity of the chair or table. Also, conventional chairs are typically powered by pneumatic or hydraulic mechanisms that will often be powered by a pump located away from the medical room, with compressed fluid (particularly compressed air) supplied to the chair via pipework extending through the flooring of the medical room. Moreover, chairs for use in medical surgeries are generally cumbersome and are therefore typically located and / or secured in a fixed location. The present invention therefore represents a significant departure from conventional chair or table systems utilised in medical rooms such as dental surgeries. The system may be foldable between a first configuration in which the chair or table is arranged to receive a patient, in use, and a second configuration in which the chair or table is arranged to be accommodated within the cleaning enclosure for cleaning. The second configuration is different to the first configuration. Accordingly, the cleaning enclosure is arranged to receive the chair or table when it is in the second configuration. Such embodiments allow the size, shape and configuration of the cleaning enclosure to be determined by the space available within the medical room, with the chair or table being reconfigured as appropriate to fit within the cleaning enclosure. After cleaning, the chair or table can be moved out of the cleaning enclosure and configured as appropriate for treatment or examination of a patient. The first configuration may be an upright configuration in which the chair provides a seat for a patient, and the second configuration may be a flattened configuration in which the chair lies in substantially horizontal arrangement. The system may comprise a chair that is foldable between an upright configuration in which the chair provides a seat for a patient, and a flattened configuration in which the chair lies in substantially horizontal arrangement. The cleaning enclosure is preferably arranged to accommodate the chair in the flattened configuration. By configuring the chair in a substantially horizontal arrangement, the vertical space occupied by the chair can be minimised, and thus the vertical dimensions of the cleaning enclosure can also be minimised. Additionally, a horizontal arrangement of the chair may facilitate cleaning processes carried out within the enclosure. In the flattened configuration, components of the chair are arranged substantially horizontally relative to the upright configuration. In this regard, the chair preferably comprises a back rest and a seat, wherein the back rest and seat lie in a substantially horizontal arrangement when in the flattened configuration. Accordingly, an angle between the back rest and the seat when the chair is in the flattened configuration is increased relative to the angle between the back rest and the seat when the chair is in the upright configuration. In other words, an angle between the back rest and the seat when the chair is in the upright configuration is less than an angle between the back rest and the seat when the chair is in the flattened configuration. The angle between the back rest and the seat when the chair is in the flattened configuration is preferably greater than 150 degrees, more preferably greater than 160 degrees, and yet more preferably greater than 170 degrees. Most preferably, the angle between the back rest and the seat when the chair is in the flattened configuration is approximately 180 degrees. The chair may additionally comprise a leg rest and / or a head rest. The leg rest may be fixedly attached to or integral with the seat, so as to move therewith, or may be movably connected to the seat. The head rest may be fixedly attached to or integral with the back rest, so as to move therewith, or may be movably connected to the back rest. In preferred embodiments, in the flattened configuration, leg rest and / or head rest may lie in a substantially horizontal arrangement with the back rest and seat. In particularly preferred embodiments, the chair defines a substantially planar upper surface when in the flattened configuration. The upper surface of the chair may be defined by upper surfaces of the back rest, seat and head rest or leg rest, where present. The chair or table may be mounted on a support mechanism, the support mechanism comprising a base arranged to be fixedly secured to a floor of a medical room, and an arm attached to an underside of the chair or table and to the base so as to connect the chair or table to the base, the arm being movable relative to the base so as to move the chair or table between the first location and the second location. The base may preferably be located within the cleaning enclosure, such that when the chair or table is in the second location, the entire support mechanism is also located within the cleaning enclosure. This ensures that chair or table and its support mechanism are completely removed from the central space of the medical room for cleaning. This also facilitates cleaning of the medical room itself by automated procedures, without obstruction by the chair or table and / or support mechanism. The support mechanism preferably comprises one or more electric motors arranged to effect movement of the arm relative to the base. The support mechanism may alternatively comprise pneumatic or hydraulic mechanisms to effect movement of the chair or table from the first position to the second position. In such cases, it is preferred that system comprises a dedicated compressed air pump or hydraulic pump that is arranged to power only the chair or table of the particular system with which it is associated. This ensures that the mechanism used to effect movement of the chair does not rely on a centralised pump feeding compressed fluid to the chair via pipework extending through the flooring of the medical room, for example. Movement of the chair between the first and second positions is thereby facilitated. The system preferably comprises a control unit arranged to control movement of the chair or table between the first location and the second location. The control unit preferably controls movement of the support mechanism so as to effect movement of the chair or table. The control unit may be operable by a user to move the chair between the first position and the second position and / or may comprise automated means for moving the chair from the first position to the second position at an appropriate time. For example, a medical practitioner may operate an actuator of the control unit after completion of a treatment or examination, the control unit being configured to automatically control the chair or table to move into the second position upon actuation. The control unit may be further configured to automatically control the chair or table to move into the first position after completion of a cleaning operation, or in response to further actuation by a user. The system may comprise means for determining when a patient has alighted from the chair or table (for example, motion sensors, image recognition cameras etc) and the control unit is configured to determine when a patient has alighted from the chair or table and to operate the chair or table to move into the second position when it is determined that a patient has alighted from the chair or table. The chair or table may comprise one or more auxiliary components, the or each auxiliary component being mounted on an arm connected to a body of the chair or table, said arm being movable to position the auxiliary component in a first position for use of the auxiliary component, and a second position separate from the first position, wherein the enclosure is arranged to accommodate the chair or table and the or each auxiliary component when the or each auxiliary component is in the second position. Accordingly, the chair or table and its auxiliary components can be simultaneously moved into the cleaning enclosure and cleaned in the same operation. When in the second position, the or each auxiliary component and its arm preferably lie in a substantially horizontal arrangement with the chair or table. Preferably, the chair or table and auxiliary components (and respective arms) collectively define a substantially planar upper surface when in the flattened configuration. Non-limiting examples of auxiliary components include: a light for illuminating a part of the patient (such as the face / oral cavity) in use; a stool on which a dental practitioner can sit during treatment or examination of a patient; a spittoon; an instrument table; and a suction unit for the removal of bodily fluids and other waste generated in the patient’s oral cavity during a dental procedure. The cleaning means comprises one or more rollers arranged to traverse a surface of the chair or table. The system may further comprise a dispensing system arranged to dispense a disposable wipe onto the surface of the or each roller. The cleaning means may comprise one or more spray systems arranged to spray a surface of the chair or table with a cleaning solution. The provision of a dedicated cleaning enclosure, isolated from the central space of the medical room, is particularly beneficial in this arrangement, since any fluids or aerosols generated during the cleaning operation can be contained within the enclosure. The cleaning means may comprise a UV lamp. The UV lamp may be arranged to irradiate at least a portion of the chair or table with UV-C radiation of wavelength 180 to 280 nm. UV-C radiation is also known as germicidal UV and is known to kill or inactivate bacteria, viruses, fungi, mols and other pathogens. Accordingly, use of UV-C radiation can be particularly useful in cleaning processes used in medical environments. At the same time, UV-C irradiation is known to be harmful to humans, meaning that its use in an open environment, such as a medical or dental surgery, is hazardous. In the present invention, by providing a separate and dedicated cleaning enclosure into which the patient chair or table is moved, UV-C radiation can be used to kill or inactivate pathogens carried on the surfaces of the chair or table and / or its auxiliary components, without compromising the safety of any persons present in the surgery. The enclosure may comprise an air filter, such as a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. The enclosure may be an enclosure of a washer disinfector. Washer disinfectors are commonly used within medical institutions (including dental surgeries) and typically comprises the following steps in a cleaning cycle: (i) Cleaning / flushing cycle: water (typically below 45 °C) is used to perform a pre-rinse to remove solid and fluid debris contamination from items held within the washing enclosure of the washer disinfector. (ii) Washing / detergent cycle: a detergent is used to further remove debris and other agents present on the items. A rinse stage may be performed to remove detergent and other agents. (iii) Disinfection: a high temperature (typically 90 °C) is applied for a predetermined period of time to disinfect the items. (iv) Drying: the items are dried with hot air. Washer disinfectors are typically used to facilitate the cleaning and disinfection of medical instruments. In embodiments of the present invention, the cleaning enclosure is an enclosure of a washer disinfector, such that the patient chair or table can be subjected to the same washer disinfector cleaning treatment. In such embodiments, the enclosure may have a first region arranged to receive the chair or table, and a second region arranged to receive one or more instruments, wherein the washer disinfector is arranged to perform a cleaning operation on the chair or table and said one or more instruments received within the second region simultaneously. The second region may comprise a rack arranged to receive a plurality of medical instruments. The rack may preferably be arranged to receive one or more treatment cassettes, each treatment cassette being arranged to hold a plurality of medical instruments. Accordingly, the chair or table, instruments and / or treatment cassette(s) can be transferred into the enclosure by automated processes, and can be disinfected simultaneously in the same operation. In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medical room comprising a system according to any preceding claim, wherein, when in the first location, the chair or table is located within a central space of the medical room external to the cleaning enclosure. The cleaning enclosure is preferably provided within a cabinet arranged at a side of the medical room. The medical room may preferably be a surgery, in particular a dental surgery. In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of cleaning a chair or table used in a medical room, the method comprising: (i) providing a cleaning enclosure arranged to accommodate the chair or table, the cleaning enclosure comprising means for cleaning the chair or table accommodated therein; (ii) moving the chair or table from a first location in which the chair or table is located external to the enclosure for treatment of a patent, to a second location in which the chair or table is accommodated within the enclosure; and (iii) performing a cleaning operation on the chair or table located within the cleaning enclosure. Suitably, where the method includes a patient chair, prior to (ii), the chair is collapsed from an upright configuration in which the chair provides a seat for a patient, to a flattened configuration in which the chair lies in substantially horizontal arrangement. Step (iii) preferably comprises at least one of: (a) traversing a roller across a surface of the chair or table; (b) spraying a surface of the chair or table with a cleaning or disinfectant solution; and (c) irradiating a surface of the chair or table with ultraviolet radiation. The cleaning enclosure may be the enclosure of a washer disinfector, wherein step (iii) comprises performing a washer disinfector cleaning cycle within the enclosure, with the chair or table accommodated therein. One or more medical instruments may be placed inside the enclosure prior to step (iii), and wherein step (iii) comprises performing a cleaning operation on the chair or table and the one or more medical instruments at the same time. Non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a surgery comprising a system in accordance with the present invention, wherein a patient chair is located in a central space of the surgery; Figure 2 is a schematic top view of the surgery of Figure 1, wherein the patient chair is located within a cleaning enclosure; Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a chair of a system in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 is a further schematic side view of the chair of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a schematic side view of a cleaning enclosure of a system in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 6 is a schematic top view of the cleaning enclosure of Figure 5. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a schematic view of a medical surgery 1 (for example, a dental surgery) comprising a system 10 in accordance with the present invention. The surgery 1 is an example of a medical room within the context of the present invention. The system 10 comprises a chair 12 arranged to receive a patient for treatment or examination and cleaning enclosure 14 arranged to accommodate the chair 12. Alternative embodiments may comprise a patient table, such as an operating table. The cleaning enclosure 14 comprises means for cleaning the chair 12 accommodated therein, as explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 5 and 6. The chair 12 is moveable from a first location in which the chair 12 is located external to the enclosure 14 for treatment of a patient (Figure 1), to a second location in which the chair 12 is located within the cleaning enclosure 14 (Figure 2). With further reference to Figure 1, in the first location the chair 12 is located in a central space 16 of the surgery, that is external to the enclosure 14. In this first location, the chair 12 can be used for seating a patient during treatment or examination. With further reference to Figure 2, after use by the patient, the chair 12 is moved into the second location within the cleaning enclosure 14. In order to facilitate movement from the first location to the second location, the chair 12 is mounted on a supported mechanism 18 comprising a support column (base) 20 secured in a fixed location within the enclosure 14. The support mechanism 18 further comprises an arm 22 connected to an underside of the chair 12. The arm 22 is pivotably and telescopically moveable relative to the support column 20 so as to permit movement of the chair 12 into and out from the enclosure 14. The arm 22 is preferably pivotably connect to the underside of the chair 12, so as to permit rotation of the chair 12 relative to the arm 22. The chair 12 can thus be moved into an appropriate position and orientation by the support mechanism 18. It will also be appreciated that the support mechanism is configured to permit vertical movement of the chair 12 (in an up-down direction) so as to allow the chair 12 to be positioned appropriately for the particular patient and dental procedure when in use, and also to move the chair 12 into the correct vertical position for transfer into the enclosure 14 via an opening thereof (not shown). The support mechanism 18 is shown schematically only, and numerous suitable mechanisms permitting movement of the chair 12 between the first location and the second location will be conceivable to the skilled person. The particular support mechanism is not critical to the present invention. The support mechanism 18 is driven by electric motors to effect movement of the chair 14. The system 10 further comprises a control unit 23 arranged to control the movement of the chair 12 by means of the support mechanism 18. The control unit 12 allows a user, such as a dentist or other medical practitioner, to control movement of the chair 12 into and out from the cleaning enclosure 14. Movement of the chair 12 into and out from the cleaning enclosure 14 allows the chair to be appropriately cleaned or disinfected between patient appointments. Provision of a cleaning enclosure 14 allows the chair 12 to be cleaned by a cleaning means or cleaning equipment located within the enclosure in a controlled and automated manner. This allows the process of cleaning and disinfecting the chair 12 between patient appointments to be fully automated. Additionally, as is evident from Figure 2, movement of the chair into the cleaning enclosure 14 ensures that the central space 16 of the surgery is clear for suitable cleaning, which may otherwise be difficult and / or require manual cleaning if the patient chair remains present in the central space. Cleaning of the entire dental surgery is therefore facilitated. In order to facilitate movement of the chair 12 between the first location and the second location (into and out from the cleaning enclosure 14), the chair 12 is foldable between an upright configuration in which a chair 12 provides a seat for a patient (as shown in Figure 3) and a flattened configuration in which the chair 12 adopts a substantially horizontal arrangement (as shown in Figure 4). Accordingly, the chair 12 can be manipulated to adopt any desired arrangement for use in the treatment or examination. However, in the flattened configuration the chair 12 occupies a minimum volume of space, allowing the dimensions of the cleaning enclosure 14 to be minimised. The cleaning enclosure 14 therefore occupies as little space in the surgery as possible. Providing a substantially horizontal arrangement of the chair 12 also facilitates the cleaning process, as will be described in greater detail below. In the illustrated embodiment the chair comprises a head rest 24, a back rest 26, a seat 28, and a leg rest 30. It will be appreciated that this particular configuration of the chair 12 is not limiting and the chair 12 may comprise other components such as armrests and footrests, for example. The back rest 26 and leg rest 30 are individually connected to the seat 28 by means of pivotable connectors 32, which are arranged to permit the back rest 26 and leg rest 30 to be pivoted relative to the seat 28 to provide any desired seat arrangement, which may be variable depending on the procedure. The pivotable connecters 32 permit the back rest 26 and leg rest 30 to be brought into a horizontal arrangement with the seat 28, as shown in Figure 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the head rest 24 is fixedly connected to the back rest 26 so as to move therewith, however in alternative embodiments the head rest 24 may be independently pivotable relative to the back rest 28. As is preferred, each of the pivotable connectors 32 is driven by an electric motor to permit movement of the chair components relative to each other. Such an arrangement is in contrast to conventional dental chairs, which operate by use of compressed air. Such conventional chairs require the supply of compressed air to the chair, typically via to tubing connected to an air compressor, which may be located remotely from the surgery, for example in a basement of the medical facility. In such conventional arrangements, compressed air is transferred to the chair via piping running beneath and through the flooring of the surgery to the location of the chair. Such conventional systems restrict movement of the chair away from its normal position in a central space of the surgery, where it is used during treatment or examination of a patient. Accordingly, the use of exclusively electric motors to drive movement of the chair between its upright configuration and its flattened configuration ensures that movement of the chair into and out from the cleaning enclosure is not restricted by any pipe work or tubing connected to the chair. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, when in the flattened configuration, the chair 12 defines a substantially planner upper surface. The components of the chair 12 are therefore aligned horizontally. This arrangement facilitates cleaning of the upper surfaces of the chair 12 (with which the patient is most likely to come into contact during treatment or examination) within the cleaning enclosure 14, for example by means of a roller arranged to traverse the upper surface of the chair 12 during a cleaning operation. It will be appreciated that the seating surfaces of the chair 12 may not be completely planar and may, for example, be contoured and / or curved to provide an ergonomic seat for a patient. Accordingly, the upper surface of the chair 12 when in the flattened configuration may not be completely planar. An angle a between the back rest 26 and the seat 28 when the chair 12 is in the upright configuration (Figure 3) is less than an angle p between the back rest 26 and the seat 28 when the chair 12 is in the flattened configuration (Figure 4). Accordingly, the flattened configuration is to be understood as a configuration in which the angle between the back rest 26 and the seat 28 is increased relative to the angle between the back rest 26 and the seat 28 in the upright configuration. In Figure 4, the angle p between the back rest 26 and the seat 28 when the chair 12 is in the flattened configuration is approximately 180 degrees, as is preferred. This provides a linear arrangement, minimising the vertical space occupied by the chair 12 and facilitating the cleaning process. The cleaning enclosure may preferably be provided within a cabinet located within the surgery 1. The cabinet may be provided with all the other facilities required by the dentist (or other medical practitioner) particular to the specific surgery in which the system 10 is located. The cabinet can thus be provided as a standardised unit, which can be fitted into the majority of existing surgeries in a compact manner. Moreover, since the system 10 is provided within a standalone unit, insulation time and costs are significantly reduced compared to conventional surgeries, which may require connection of the chair to external systems such as an air compressor, for example. The means for cleaning the chair 12 will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 shows a schematic side view of the cleaning enclosure 14 with the chair 12 inserted. Figure 6 shows a schematic top view of the cleaning enclosure 14 with the chair 12 inserted. The cleaning enclosure 14 comprises means for cleaning the chair 12, which in the illustrated embodiment includes rollers 36, spray heads 38, UV lamp 40 and an air filter 42. It will be appreciated that the particular means for cleaning the chair 12 are not critical to the present invention. Regardless of the particular method of cleaning to be used, accommodating the chair 12 within an enclosure allows the cleaning operation to be more easily automated than would be possible if the chair 12 were retained in a central space of the surgery 1. Thus, by providing a cleaning enclosure 14 comprising suitable cleaning means, the task of a dental assistant wiping down surfaces between patients can be automated in a manner that has hitherto not been possible. With further reference to Figure 5, the cleaning means comprises an upper roller 36a and a lower roller 36b. Each of the upper roller 36a and lower roller 36b is arranged to traverse across a surface of the chair (e.g. an upper surface or a lower surface). Each roller 36 is arranged to apply a cleaning solution to a surface of the chair 12. In one particular embodiment, disposable wipes may be attached to a surface of the roller 36, said wipes comprising an appropriate cleaning or disinfectant solution. Removal of the wipe from the roller 36 after the operation and subsequent attachment of a new wipe to the surface of the roller 36 for the next cleaning operation can be readily automated. Figure 6 shows a dispenser mechanism 44, which may comprise a roll of disposable wipes. The dispenser mechanism 44 in the illustrated embodiment is located outside of the enclosure 14, however alternative embodiments may comprise a dispensing mechanism within the enclosure 14 itself. The dispensing mechanism 44 is functionally connected to a respective one of the rollers 36, to dispense a cleaning wipe onto the surface of the roller 36 for the next cleaning operation. In alternative embodiments, the rollers 36 may comprise a fibrous (e.g. microfibre) surface that is supplied with a cleaning or disinfectant solution for application to the surface of the chair 12. The cleaning enclosure 14 further comprises cleaning means in the form of spray heads 38 located on upper, lower and side surface of the cleaning enclosure 14. Spray heads 38 are configured to spray the chair 12 with an appropriate cleaning or disinfectant solution. In the illustrated embodiments, each spray head 38 is provided in a fixed location for cleaning a specific part of the chair 12, however in alternative embodiments the enclosure may comprise one or more moveable spray heads arranged to traverse across one or more surface of the chair 12 so as to apply the cleaning or disinfectant solution. The enclosure 14 further comprises a drain 46 to allow any liquids generated during the cleaning operation to be appropriately removed from the cleaning enclosure. Further cleaning means are provided in the form of a UV lamp 40 arranged to irradiate the chair 12 UV light, in particular UV-C light (wavelength 100 to 280 nm). The UV lamp 40 may be arranged to irradiate a specific part or component of the chair 12, or may be arranged to irradiate the chair 12 in its entirety. A plurality of UV lamps 40 may be utilised for this purpose. By moving the chair 12 into an enclosure 14, any potentially harmful effects of UV radiation (in particular UV-C) on any persons within the surgery 1 at the time of the cleaning operation can be restricted. Accordingly, the present invention provides alternative or additional means of cleaning by UV radiation, which would be impractical and / or harmful in a conventional surgery or other medical room. As shown most clearly in Figure 6, the chair 12 comprises a plurality of auxiliary components. The auxiliary components are pieces of equipment common to dental surgeries. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the plurality of auxiliary components comprises: a light 48 for illuminating a part of the patient (such as the face / oral cavity) in use; a stool 50 on which a dental practitioner can sit during treatment or examination of a patient; a spittoon 52; an instrument table 54; and a suction unit 56 for the removal of bodily fluids and other waste generated in the patient’s oral cavity during the procedure. It will be appreciated that the particular auxiliary components may vary depending on the particular type of surgery or other medical room in which the system is installed. Each of the auxiliary components is mounted on an arm 58, said arm 58 being moveable so as to position the auxiliary component in an appropriate position for use, whilst also allowing the auxiliary component to be brought into a substantially horizontal arrangement with the other chair components. The enclosure 14 is arranged to accommodate the chair 12 and its auxiliary components, such that the auxiliary components can be cleaned and / or disinfected in the same operation as the chair 12. The particular mechanism by which movement of the arms 58 so as to position the auxiliary components is not particularly critical and many variations will be conceivable to the skilled person. With the above arrangement, all of the equipment used during a dental procedure (treatment or examination) can be cleaned and disinfected in a single operation, said operation being more easily automated due to the removal of the chair and its auxiliary components from the central space of the surgery into an isolated cleaning enclosure 14, whereby any appropriate cleaning means such as those described above can be used. As will be understood, the present invention allows many of the tasks typically carried out by a dental nurse or assistant to be automated. The present invention thus has the potential to reduce the running costs of a dental surgery (or other medical room) by reducing the number of staff required to be present during an appointment. In combination with other automated technologies, the present invention may facilitate the operation of a medical surgery with only a single medical practitioner, such as a doctor or a dentist. Running costs can therefore be kept to a minimum, allowing institutions to offer lower cost medical care, improving access to said care. The invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, given by way of example only. It will be appreciated that different arrangements of the system are possible, which fall within the scope of the appended claims. 05 06 25

Claims

1. A system for use in a medical room, the system comprisinga chair comprising a back rest and a seat, and being arranged to receive a5 patient for treatment or examination, anda cleaning enclosure arranged to accommodate the chair, the cleaning enclosure comprising means for cleaning the chair accommodated therein, wherein the chair is movable from a first location in which the chair is located external to the enclosure for treatment of a patient, to a second location in which the chair is located10 within the cleaning enclosure,wherein the chair is foldable between an upright configuration in which the chair provides a seat for a patient, and a flattened configuration in which the chair lies in a substantially horizontal arrangement, the cleaning enclosure being arranged to receive the chair when the chair is in the flattened configuration, such that the chair is in the flattened15 configuration when in the second location,wherein in the flattened configuration, at least the back rest and the seat of the chair lie in a substantially horizontal arrangement such that an angle between the back rest and the seat when the chair is in the upright configuration is less than an angle between the back rest and the seat when the chair is in the flattened configuration, and20 wherein the chair is mounted on a support mechanism comprising a supportstructure secured in a fixed location internal to the cleaning enclosure, the support mechanism further comprising an arm connecting the chair to the support structure, the arm being movable relative to the support structure so as to move the chair between the first location and the second location.

252. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the flattened configuration, the chair defines a substantially planar upper surface.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the angle between the back rest and 30 the seat when the chair is in the flattened configuration is greater than 150 degrees, preferably greater than 160 degrees and more preferably greater than 170 degrees.

4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support structure is a base arranged to be fixedly secured to a floor of a room and wherein the arm is attached to05 06 25an underside of the chair and to the base, the arm being movable relative to the base so as to move the chair between the first location and the second location.

5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the chair comprises one or5 more auxiliary components, the or each auxiliary component being mounted on an auxiliary arm, said auxiliary arm being movable to position the auxiliary component in a first position for use of the auxiliary component, and a second position separate from the first position, wherein the enclosure is arranged to accommodate the chair or table and the or each auxiliary component when the or each auxiliary component is in the second10 position.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein in the flattened configuration, the or each auxiliary component and auxiliary arm lie in a substantially horizontal arrangement with the chair.

157. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein in the flattened configuration, the chair andauxiliary components define a substantially planar upper surface.

8. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cleaning means20 comprises one or more rollers arranged to traverse a surface of the chair.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a dispensing system arranged to dispense a disposable wipe onto the surface of the or each roller.25 10. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cleaning meanscomprises one or more spray systems arranged to spray a surface of the chair with a cleaning solution.

11. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cleaning means30 comprises a UV lamp.

12. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure comprises an air filter.05 06 2513. A medical room comprising a system according to any preceding claim, wherein, when in the first location, the chair is located within a central space of the medical room external to the cleaning enclosure.5 14. A method of cleaning a chair used in a medical room, the method comprising:(i) providing a cleaning enclosure arranged to accommodate the chair, the cleaning enclosure comprising means for cleaning the chair accommodated therein;(ii) rearranging the chair from a first configuration in which the chair is arranged 10 to receive a patient, in use, to a second configuration in which the chair isarranged to be accommodated within the cleaning enclosure for cleaning, wherein the first configuration is an upright configuration in which the chair provides a seat for a patient, and the second configuration is a flattened configuration in which the chair lies in a substantially horizontal15 arrangement and in which an angle between the back rest and the seat isincreased relative to an angle between the back rest and the seat in the upright configuration;(iii) moving the chair from a first location in which the chair is located external to the enclosure for treatment of a patent, to a second location in which the20 chair is accommodated within the enclosure in the flattened configuration;and(iv) performing a cleaning operation on the chair located within the cleaning enclosure,wherein the chair is mounted on a support mechanism comprising a support25 structure located in a fixed position internal to the cleaning enclosure, the support mechanism further comprising an arm connecting the chair to the support structure, the arm being movable relative to the support structure so as to move the chair between the first location and the second location.30 15. A method according to claim 14, wherein step (iii) comprises at least one of:(a) traversing a roller across a surface of the chair;(b) spraying a surface of the chair with a cleaning or disinfectant solution; and(c) irradiating a surface of the chair with ultraviolet radiation.

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