Collapsible Isolation Enclosure With Negative-Pressure Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current isolation room apparatuses for healthcare facilities are complex, expensive, difficult to deploy, and ineffective in preventing the transmission of infectious materials due to the need for hermetic sealing and manual door operation, which can lead to increased infection rates and higher healthcare costs.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible isolation room apparatus with a frame that can be easily erected and converted into a trolley, featuring a canopy with adjustable width and height, a curtain rail that supports the canopy without requiring elevation of the front frame members, and an air filtration system to reduce contamination risks, allowing for efficient isolation and reduced manual handling of infectious materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hermetically sealed envelope is used to isolate the patient, then infection control effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible envelope made of impermeable material that can be attached to a simple frame structure. The envelope itself provides the isolation barrier without requiring complex sealing mechanisms, as it is designed to be flexible yet impermeable to pathogens, thereby achieving effective isolation with minimal structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The isolation apparatus is divided into separate components: a simple frame structure, a detachable envelope, and a door assembly. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, reducing the overall complexity while maintaining effective isolation through the coordinated assembly of these simpler parts
2Device complexity
If manual door operation is used, then device complexity is reduced, but infection transmission risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (such as a foot pedal or remote actuator) that allows the door to be opened and closed without direct hand contact. This intermediary device transmits the opening/closing action from a distance, maintaining the simplicity of the door mechanism while eliminating the infection transmission risk associated with manual handling
3Adaptability or versatility
If the frame is elevated to accommodate curtain rail and canopy, then patient accommodation capability is improved, but weight and deployment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the curtain rail and canopy in a three-dimensional arrangement where the rail is mounted on the upper horizontal members of the frame, utilizing the vertical dimension effectively. This spatial arrangement provides adequate headroom and patient accommodation capability without requiring excessive frame elevation, thereby controlling the overall weight while maintaining functionality
4Ease of operation
If a simple frame structure is used, then ease of deployment is improved, but support capability for canopy and curtain rail decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame members are designed with multi-functionality, serving both as structural support elements and as mounting positions for the curtain rail and canopy. The upper horizontal members simultaneously provide structural integrity and act as rail supports, eliminating the need for separate elevated support structures and maintaining deployment simplicity while ensuring adequate support capability
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 apparatus provides effective isolation with reduced complexity and cost, easier deployment, and improved infection control by minimizing the spread of contaminants through adjustable and lightweight design, while maintaining a negative pressure environment without the need for hermetic sealing.
Implementation Method 1
an opening in one of the wall portions fitted with an integral filter means adapted to filter out infectious particles from the air
Implementation Method 2
The pump means draws air through said filter means which creates a negative pressure inside the enclosure, whereby air flows in the direction valve-enclosure-filter means
Data Source
AI summary
An isolation room apparatus configured to isolate a subject, the apparatus including: a frame movable between collapsed and erected configurations, the frame including: first and second front frame members; first and second rear frame members; a canopy mounting mounted to each frame member, and, a curtain rail that in the erected configuration is mounted proximate upper ends of the first and second front frame members so that the curtain rail extends between the first and second front frame members above an opening defining a doorway; and, a canopy configured to be supported by the frame in the erected configuration, the canopy defining an internal volume for containing a subject to thereby substantially isolate the subject from a surrounding environment.