Collapsible Aerosol Enclosure with Negative Pressure Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional approaches for isolating patients with aerosolizable diseases pose a high risk to healthcare workers due to the cumbersome use of full-body protection suits and pressure-controlled treatment areas, which are time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially in settings with shortages of personal protective equipment.
Innovation Solution
A portable, collapsible aerosol particle enclosure with a rigid frame and flexible transparent panels that can be attached to patient transport devices, utilizing a low-pressure source to create a negative pressure environment that restricts airborne particle escape while allowing for unencumbered caregiver access and aerosol generating procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full body protection suits and pressure controlled treatment areas are used to isolate patients with aerosolizable diseases, then the safety of healthcare workers is improved, but the complexity of the system and time consumption increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation system is segmented into a portable enclosure that can be attached to the patient transport device, separating the containment function from the healthcare worker's body protection. This modular approach reduces system complexity while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
A transparent barrier material serves as an intermediary between the patient and healthcare workers, allowing visual contact and communication while maintaining isolation. This mediator enables safe interaction without requiring full body protection suits.
2Reliability
If full body protection suits and pressure controlled treatment areas are used, then the safety of healthcare workers is improved, but the time required for patient intake and treatment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The portable enclosure is pre-positioned on the patient transport device before patient arrival, eliminating the need for time-consuming setup of pressure controlled treatment areas. The enclosure is ready for immediate use upon patient intake.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static pressure controlled rooms to a dynamic portable enclosure that can be quickly deployed and repositioned. The flexible barrier material allows rapid installation and adaptation to different patient positions and treatment needs.
3Reliability
If pressure controlled treatment areas are used, then aerosol particle containment is improved, but the resource requirements and system overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The aerosol containment function is extracted from the large-scale pressure controlled treatment area and concentrated into a compact portable enclosure. This extraction reduces resource requirements while maintaining containment effectiveness through the use of a flexible barrier and localized negative pressure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible barrier is used to create the enclosure, then adaptability to different patient positions and procedures is improved, but the structural strength to maintain negative pressure decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure uses flexible barrier material that can drape over and adapt to different patient positions and treatment equipment while maintaining structural integrity. The flexibility allows the barrier to conform to various configurations without compromising the sealed environment needed for negative pressure maintenance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The enclosure effectively mitigates aerosolization risks during patient transport and treatment, reducing the likelihood of nosocomial infections by maintaining a controlled environment with minimal resource requirements, particularly in scenarios where personal protective equipment is limited.
Implementation Method 1
A low pressure source is in fluidic engagement with the enclosure for reducing a pressure within the enclosure below that of ambient surroundings, such that the low pressure source provides a pressure for drawing the elasticized barrier against the patient treatment surface for restricting airborne particle passage from the enclosure to the ambient surroundings
Data Source
AI summary
A controlled access aerosolized particle enclosure for isolation of airborne contaminants includes a frame defining a patient isolation region over a patient bed. A linkage attaches the framed enclosure to a patient treatment vehicle, and a flexible elasticized barrier is suspended by the frame for enclosing the patient isolation region. The barrier is formed from deformable planer sheets of a flexible transparent material and extending adjacent to the patient treatment surface forming a draped edge around the bed or transport. A low pressure source is in fluidic engagement with the enclosure for reducing a pressure within the enclosure below that of ambient surroundings, such that the low pressure source provides a pressure for drawing the elasticized barrier against the patient treatment surface for restricting airborne particle passage from the enclosure to the ambient surroundings, but limits the negative pressure to avoid substantial deformation or collapse of the enclosure.