Hyperbaric Rescue Vehicle Pressure Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies do not provide hyperbaric oxygen treatment during patient transport from remote locations to medical facilities, leading to delays in treatment.
Innovation Solution
A hyperbaric rescue vehicle equipped with a treatment pressure lock and a Transfer Under Pressure (TUP) unit that maintains hyperbaric conditions during transport, allowing continuous treatment and enabling seamless transfer of patients to a medical facility without disrupting the treatment pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hyperbaric treatment is provided only at fixed medical facilities, then treatment safety and equipment reliability are ensured, but treatment accessibility and response time to remote locations deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed medical facility is segmented into a mobile hyperbaric vehicle that can be deployed to remote locations and a base facility that retains comprehensive equipment. The treatment system is divided between the mobile unit (providing accessibility) and the base facility (providing reliability through backup equipment and specialist staff).
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile hyperbaric vehicle acts as an intermediary between remote locations and fixed medical facilities. It provides hyperbaric treatment capability to areas without fixed facilities while maintaining communication and transfer protocols with base facilities for complex cases.
2Loss of time
If patient transport time is reduced by using faster transport methods, then treatment timeliness is improved, but treatment continuity deteriorates due to pressure changes during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The transport system is made dynamic by enabling pressure adjustment during transport. The vehicle can maintain hyperbaric conditions during movement, and the pressure can be dynamically adjusted to match different phases of transport and treatment protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The hyperbaric treatment is made continuous by eliminating pressure changes during transport. The vehicle maintains treatment pressure throughout the journey, ensuring uninterrupted therapeutic effect from scene to facility.
3Reliability
If a sealed hyperbaric chamber is used to maintain treatment pressure, then treatment continuity is improved, but patient access and provider interaction deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The entrance lock module is nested within the hyperbaric chamber structure. It functions as an intermediate chamber that allows personnel to enter and exit the main treatment area without compromising the sealed environment or treatment pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The entrance lock module serves as an intermediary between the sealed hyperbaric chamber and the external environment. It enables controlled access while maintaining the pressure differential, allowing patient loading/unloading and provider interaction without breaking the seal.
4Adaptability or versatility
If hyperbaric equipment is made portable for mobile deployment, then treatment accessibility is improved, but equipment complexity and setup requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into the mobile vehicle platform: hyperbaric treatment chamber, life support systems, communications equipment, and patient monitoring are integrated into a single mobile unit. This reduces the number of separate setup components while maintaining comprehensive functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile vehicle is designed as a universal platform that can provide hyperbaric treatment, standard emergency medical care, and communications capabilities. The same vehicle serves multiple functions from remote assessment through treatment to handoff at the receiving facility.
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
Enables the provision of hyperbaric oxygen treatment during transport and ensures continuous treatment pressure from the emergency vehicle to the medical facility, reducing delays and maintaining treatment efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
an air compressor for generating treatment pressure
Implementation Method 2
maintaining a selected treatment pressure in the patient section
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a hyperbaric ambulance and transfer-under-pressure (TUP) unit. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicle for emergency transport and treatment of a patient that is capable of providing hyperbaric oxygen treatment to the patient, and a mobile unit for transferring the patient from the vehicle to a medical care facility. More particularly, the present invention includes a vehicle having a driver section and a vehicle chassis having a patient section that includes a hyperbaric treatment chamber. An entrance module can be positioned in between the driver section and the patient section, the entrance module having a communication and control compartment and a pressure module. The pressure module can have at least two pressure hatches, wherein at least one of the at least two pressure hatches allows personnel to enter the pressure module from the control compartment, and at least one of the at least two pressure hatches allows personnel to enter the treatment chamber from the pressure module. The pressure module enables a user to selectively enter or exit the entrance module while simultaneously maintaining a selected elevated pressure value in said patient section, and preferably enables a user to selectively enter or exit said hyperbaric treatment chamber from the entrance module while simultaneously maintaining a selected elevated pressure value in the patient section.