GB2472888A

GB2472888A - Mobile shelter having storable medical imaging equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2472888A
Application number: GB1009919A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Donald Lodge
Original assignee: MARSHALL SPECIALIST VEHICLES Ltd
Current assignee: MARSHALL SPECIALIST VEHICLES Ltd
Priority date: 2009-08-18
Filing date: 2009-08-18
Publication date: 2011-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 2029-08-18
Also published as: GB201009919D0; GB2472888B

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile shelter comprising medical scanner equipment 2, wherein the scanner has a transport configuration and an operational configuration, such that in the transport configuration the scanner 2 is provided with travel limiting means to limit movement of the scanner 2 relative to the shelter, and in the operational configuration the scanner is rigidly anchored to the shelter; the travel limiting means comprising a plurality of resiliently deformable bumpers 22a, 22a', 22b, 22b', 22c, 22c' which, in the transport configuration, are rigidly attached, directly or indirectly to the scanner or to the shelter, each bumper 22a, 22a', 22b, 22b', 22c, 22c' being initially distanced from a stop 26, 26' 16, 16' formed on the shelter or the scanner, as appropriate, so as to permit the scanner an amount of travel in each of three orthogonal axes before at least one of said bumpers contacts a stop from which it is initially distanced.

Description

Mobile Shelter with Medical Ima2in2 Eiuipment

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a mobile shelter equipped with medical imaging equipment, and a method of making the same.

Background of the Invention

Expandable shelters, based on ISO containers of standard dimensions, are known and are used to provide temporary accommodation for use as mobile field hospitals, or mortuaries or centres for command, control and communications ("C3") and the like.

Examples include those disclosed in WO 2007/0307 13.

n known shelters of the type generally described above a central shelter section, of conventional ISO container dimensions, comprises two side sections of smaller dimensions, one side section being smaller than the other, such that the smaller side section can be stowed within the larger side section, and both side sections can be stowed, in a nested arrangement, within the central section. In this stowed or transport configuration, the shelter can be transported using methods and equipment intended to transport conventional containers e.g. by container ship, lorry, or even by air (e.g. within a C-130 transport aircraft or equivalent).

When the shelter has reached the desired location it can be deployed into an extended configuration, the two side sections being extended outwards from the central section.

Typically the floors of the side sections have a longitudinal hinge or fold, such that the floors of the side sections are substantially upright in the transport configuration, and assume a substantially horizontal position in the extended configuration. This arrangement leaves the floor of the central section accessible, even in the transport configuration, which allows medical, communications, or other electrical equipment to be permanently mounted on the floor of the central section.

Another type of expandable shelter is disclosed in EP 0501071 and US 5097497. The shelter has one long wall with several hinged wall layers such that upon deployment, the side wall folds down to become about a 2.5m x 6m floor, another section folds up to become the front side wall, a third section folds out to function as the roof, and two side panels fold out to complete the double ISO shelter. The shelter described in EP 0501071 accommodates a computerized tomography (CT) scanner and associated apparatus.

CT scanners are very expensive and delicate pieces of equipment. In order to provide images of the best possible resolution, the scanner must be completely stable during operation and therefore must be rigidly anchored to the shelter. However, when the shelter is in transit the scanner must be protected from vibration and impacts by suspension on shock absorbers.

EP 0501071 discloses a complex arrangement of coiled metal rope isolators, pins, clamps and the like to provide the necessary shock isolation for the CT scanner in transit and the requisite stability when in use. The coiled metal rope isolators confer good protection against vertical displacement of the scanner, but isolation of the scanner against movement in any of the other possible axes (including rotational displacement) is less effective.

Summary of the Invention

In a first aspect the invention provides a mobile shelter comprising medical scanner equipment, wherein the scanner has a transport configuration and an operational configuration, such that in the transport configuration the scanner is provided with travel limiting means to limit movement of the scanner relative to the shelter, and in the operational configuration the scanner is rigidly anchored to the shelter; the travel limiting means comprising a plurality of resiliently deformable bumpers which, in the transport configuration, are rigidly attached, directly or indirectly, to the scanner or to the shelter, each bumper being initially distanced from a stop, formed on the shelter or on the scanner, as appropriate, so as to permit the scanner an amount of travel in each of three orthogonal axes before at least one of said bumpers contacts a stop from which it is initially distanced.

Preferably the shelter of the first aspect of the invention will be such that, in the transport configuration, the scanner is mounted on isolation means to provide isolation against shock or vibration, the isolation means comprising:-at least one shock absorber at each of two opposed ends of the scanner, each shock absorber being sandwiched between a first support rigidly attached to the scanner and a second support rigidly attached to the shelter, wherein the shock absorbers lie in a horizontal plane which passes through, or within 10cm of, the centre of mass of the scanner.

The arrangement of the invention positions the shock absorbers at or close to the vertical height of the centre of mass of the scanner. In this way, rotational movements about the centre of mass of the scanner are minimized.

Accordingly, in general, the closer the shock absorbers can be positioned to the horizontal plane which passes through the centre of mass of the scanner, the better.

Desirably the shock absorbers lie within 8cm of said plane, preferably within 6cm, more preferably within 5cm, and most preferably within 4cm.

The centre of mass of any particular scanner can be derived by those skilled in the art in a routine manner. For example, the scanner may be broken down into individual components of significant mass (e.g. those representing about 1% or more of the total mass of the scanner -the threshold value selected will affect the accuracy of the result). Each component is treated as having a mass existing at a single point, and the combination of the different masses and their locations within the scanner processed to arrive at an overall centre of mass for the object.

The first support will preferably comprise a plurality of members, typically in the form of a frame. Conveniently the first support will comprise a plurality of members forming a frame attached to an end region of the scanner body, and a plurality of members forming another frame attached to an opposed end region of the scanner body. The various members at one end region of the scanner body are not necessarily directly attached to the various members of the support at the opposed end region.

This arrangement gives much improved isolation of the scanner relative to the arrangement disclosed in the prior art, whilst still protecting the scanner against excessive movement during transit.

In a preferred embodiment the shock absorbers comprise a plurality of elastomeric isolators. Conveniently the elastomeric material comprises silicone rubber or other synthetic elastomeric material. In a preferred embodiment, at least one shock absorber is provided generally at each corner of the scanner.

In a preferred embodiment the shock absorbers comprise donut-shaped or annular isolators. In the transport configuration, the entire weight of the scanner may be borne by the shock absorbers mounted in the horizontal plane as previously described, which are preferably therefore of material strong enough to bear this load. Tn a convenient embodiment, a pair of annular shock absorbers is provided generally at each corner of the scanner, there being eight shock absorbers in total in the aforesaid horizontal plane. Suitable shock absorbers are obtainable from Stop Choc Limited (Banbury Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 4LR). They are about 80mm in diameter and about 120mm long, with each "ring" of the "donut" being 25mm thick.

The preferred shelter in accordance with the invention will desirably comprise shock absorbers additional to those preferably lying in the horizontal plane at or close to the centre of mass of the scanner. The additional shock absorbers may comprise resiliently deformable travel limiting bumpers in accordance with the first aspect of the invention. Alternatively or, more preferably, additionally, the shelter will comprise additional shock absorbers which are essentially identical to those mounted in the horizontal plane e.g. one or more additional annular shock absorbers, advantageously a plurality thereof. In a preferred embodiment one or more additional shock absorbers are mounted to absorb shock or impact which would tend to cause lateral, substantially horizontal, movement of the scanner, whilst the shock absorbers mounted in the horizontal plane which passes through or close to the centre of mass of the scanner are mounted to absorb shock or impact which would tend to cause up/down, substantially vertical, movement of the scanner.

For the purposes of the present specification, it will be appreciated that "horizontal" and "vertical" movements may have a minor vector component in an axis which is other than horizontal or vertical, respectively, and thus the terms "horizontal" and "vertical" are to be construed accordingly.

Conveniently the one or more additional shock absorbers are sandwiched between, and normally (in the transport configuration) in contact with, the first and second supports. Desirably the one or more additional shock absorbers are fixed to an upright member of the first or second supports. In a preferred embodiment, an additional shock absorber is located generally towards each corner of the scanner. Conveniently the one or more additional shock absorbers are attached (e.g. by bolts or the like) to uprights of the second support and contact an upright of the first support, preferably with one or more lateral' shock absorbers attached to each upright of the second support.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the shock absorbers set forth above are normally in contact with both the first and second supports in the transport configuration. As a result, small shocks or vibrations, which might tend to cause only a very slight movement of the scanner will cause or tend to cause deformation of the shock absorbers, and thus be absorbed thereby.

n contrast, the travel limiting means of the invention comprises resiliently deformable bumpers which are initially distanced from their respective bumper stops.

Accordingly, the resiliently deformable bumpers will not be affected by, and so not absorb, small impacts which do not cause significant relative displacement of the first and second supports. If the scanner body (and thus the first support to which it is rigidly attached) is displaced relative to the shelter (and thus the second support) by an amount equal to or greater than the initial separation between the bumper and its respective stop, then the travel limiting means will come into effect and absorb the shock. Thus, the travel limiting means, in practice, will absorb large magnitude shocks, whilst the "shock absorbers" will absorb small shocks.

Advantageously, in the travel configuration, the initial separation between the bumpers and their respective bumper stops of the travel limiting means is a little less than the maximum designed compression of the shock absorbers of the isolation means. Thus one or more bumpers will contact their respective bumper stop before the shock absorbers exceed their compression limit, and the bumpers will bear the load, protecting the shock absorbers from rupture or other damage, and preventing jolting of the scanner. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the initial distance between the bumpers and their respective bumper stop is about 30mm and the maximum designed compression tolerance of the shock absorbers is about 40mm.

In a preferred embodiment the resiliently deformable bumpers are substantially formed of an elastomeric material, such as a silicone rubber. Desirably the bumpers are substantially conical or frustoconical. This means that the greater the force applied to the bumper, the greater the thickness of bumper material needed to be distorted (and hence the resistance to further movement is increased).

In a preferred embodiment at least one bumper is provided to limit the travel of the scanner in a respective one of each of three orthogonal axes. Desirably a plurality of bumpers is provided for each of the three orthogonal axes. Preferably the bumpers are provided in the general vicinity of the corners of the scanner. Conveniently a plurality of bumpers is provided at each corner of the scanner. In one embodiment, each corner of the scanner has at least one bumper to limit upward movement of the scanner relative to the shelter. Preferably each corner of the scanner has at least one bumper to limit downward movement of the scanner relative to the shelter. In one preferred embodiment each corner of the scanner is provided with a least one bumper which limits forward and/or backward movement of the scanner relative to the shelter. In one preferred embodiment each corner of the scanner is provided with at least one bumper which limits left and/or right travel of the scanner relative to the shelter.

It will be apparent that the term "corner" as used herein is not intended to imply that a bumper or other component is exactly at a corner of the scanner, but is disposed generally towards the corner (e.g. typically within 20cm; preferably within 10cm thereof).

n a preferred embodiment the bumpers are about 120mm long, and 80mm diameter at their base and comprise a silicone rubber material. Suitable bumpers are available from Stop Choc Ltd. In one embodiment, at least some of the bumpers are mounted on brackets attached to the scanner body, and wherein the stop is, or forms part of, a member attached to the shelter, typically to the floor thereof. Conveniently the stop is, or forms part of, the second support of the apparatus defined above.

In one embodiment, at least some of the bumpers are mounted on a member which is anchored to the wall or, more preferably, the floor of the shelter. In preferred embodiments the member forms part of the second support. A stop for such bumpers is attached, directly or indirectly, to the scanner body. Tn this way the bumpers serve to limit movement of the scanner relative to the shelter.

It is hereby expressly stated for the avoidance of doubt that features described herein as "preferred", "advantageous", "desirable", "convenient" or the like may be present in the invention in isolation, or in any combination with one or more further features so described, unless the context dictates otherwise.

The invention will now be described by way of illustrative example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a CT scanner apparatus and associated supports for use in a shelter in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation, to a different scale, of the CT scanner and supports depicted in Figure 1, Figure 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus and supports depicted in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of part of the support shown in Figures 1-3, to a different scale.

Each of Figures 1-3 shows the apparatus and supports in the transport configuration.

Detailed Description of an Embodiment

Referring to Figure 1, a CT scanner has a generally rectangular body 2 which is positioned in a shelter, above a shallow recess or trough in the floor thereof The scanner is essentially one that is commercially available (a Brilliance 16 CT scanner from Philips) but with trivial modifications thereto (e.g. attachment of various brackets etc.). The shelter is generally of the sort described in W02007/030713.

Opposed ends of the scanner body 2 are rigidly attached to respective first support frames 6, 6' by multiple bolts. A pair of second supports 8, is rigidly anchored to the shelter floor by a plurality of bolts, with one second support pair positioned close to the respective first support frame 6, and a further pair of second supports 8' provided at the opposed end of the scanner, positioned close to the first support frame 6'. The first and second supports are both formed of rectangular section steel members, the walls of which are about 4mm thick.

The first support takes the form of a frame 6 comprising a top, substantially horizontal, member 10, two parallel upright members 12 and a bottom, substantially horizontal, bracing member 14, as most clearly seen in Figure 4.

The second support 8 comprises two parallel upright members 16. The top horizontal member 10 of the first support frame 6 overhangs the two upright members 16 of the second support 8.

The ends of the lower surface of the top horizontal member 10, and the upper ends of the vertical members 16 are each provided with a thin steel mounting plate 18, bolted to the members. Sandwiched between the pairs of mounting plates 18 are pairs of resiliently deformable isolators or shock absorbers 20. The isolators 20 are ring shaped members of elastomeric material, such as silicone rubber. The isolators 20 are bolted to the uppermost of each pair of mounting plates 18. The isolators 20 lie in a horizontal plane which passes through the centre of mass of the scanner 2. As a result, rotational movements about the centre of mass of the scanner are minimised.

The isolators 20 act to absorb shocks which would tend to displace the scanner in the vertical axis. Similar isolators 20' are provided at the opposite end of the scanner.

Also provided (and best observed in Figure 3) are further isolators or shock absorbers 21. An isolator 21 is attached to each upright member 16 of the second support and is sandwiched between, and normally (in the transport configuration) in contact with, the upright member 16 of the second support and the upright member 12 of the first support. One such isolator 21 is provided at each corner of the scanner. The isolators 21 serve to absorb shocks which would tend to displace the scanner laterally in the horizontal axis (left/right, in relation to Figure 3).

Also present, in the transport configuration, is a detachable support frame (not shown). One such detachable support frame is provided at each of the two opposed end regions of the scanner body. Each detachable support frame comprises a pair of angled legs which, at their bottom end are bolted to the floor of the shelter and, at their upper ends, are bolted to a horizontal cross-piece which is itself bolted to the second support. The detachable support frame helps to strengthen the second supports.

A similar arrangement of first, second and detachable support frames, together with associated isolators etc., is provided at the opposite end of the scanner body.

Returning again to the description of the first and second support frames, a number of resiliently deformable (elastomeric silicone rubber) bumpers 22 are provided (best seen in Figures 2 and 3), which are attached to either the first or second supports. The bumpers are generally conical or frustoconical in shape, for reasons that will be described later. There are four such bumpers positioned generally at each corner of the scanner body 2. Three of these bumpers 22 are visible in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 2, a bumper 22a is visible. The bumper 22a is mounted on a metal bracket 24, which itself is attached to the vertical member 16 of the second support frame. The tip of the bumper 22a is separated by about 30mm from a stop, which takes the form of a bracket 26 with a flat horizontal surface, bolted to the side of the scanner body 2. It will be apparent that upward motion of the scanner body 2 (and hence bracket 26), relative to the second support 8 (and hence the bumper 22a), will be limited by the bracket 26 impacting the bumper 22a. As a result of the frustoconical shape of the bumper 22a, the greater the relative upward displacement of the scanner body 2, the greater the restraining force, since the mass of material in the bumper 22a increases with progression upwards along the vertical axis through the bumper. A similar arrangement is provided at the other end of the scanner body, comprising bumper 22a' and bracket 24'.

Still with reference to Figure 2 a second bumper, 22b is mounted on a bracket bolted to the scanner body 2. The axis of this bumper is horizontal. The tip of the bumper 22b is separated by about 30mm from the side of the upright 16 of the second support 8. The upright 16 acts as a stop for bumper 22b. The bumper 22b thus limits lateral leftwards movement of the scanner, relative to the second support 8. A similar arrangement at the other end of the scanner body 2, including bumper 22b', limits lateral rightwards movement of the scanner.

A third bumper, 22c, is mounted on a bracket 26 bolted to the scanner body 2. The bumper 22c, like the other bumpers 22, is frustoconical in shape and formed of elastomeric material. The axis of bumper 22c is vertical. The floor of the recess or trough of the shelter constitutes a stop for bumper 22c. The tip of the bumper 22c is about 30mm above the recessed floor of the shelter. In this way, bumper 22c limits downward travel of the scanner body 2 relative to the shelter. A similar arrangement is provided at the other end of the scanner body 2, including bumper 22c mounted on bracket 26'.

The fourth bumper at the corner of the scanner body 2 is not visible in Figure 2, but is apparent in Figure 3. Referring to Figure 3, a bumper 22d is mounted on upright 12 of the first support frame, which is itself bolted to the scanner body 2. The axis of the bumper 22d is horizontal. The tip of bumper 22d is separated by about 30mm from the side of upright 16 of the second support, which constitutes a stop. Bumper 22d thus limits travel of the scanner body 2, relative to the second support frame (and hence the shelter) in a leftwards direction in Figure 3 (which in Figure 2 would be out of the plane of the drawing towards the observer). A similar arrangement, involving bumper 22d' is provided on the other side of the scanner, as shown in Figure 3, to prevent rightward movement of the scanner relative to the second support.

Thus, there are four bumpers 22 generally located at each corner of the scanner body 2. The bumpers serve to limit the translational travel of the scanner, relative to the shelter, in each of three orthoganol axes ("up/down", "forward/back", "left/right"), but also serve to limit pitch, roll and yaw.

Also provided generally at each corner of the scanner body are a pair of "donut" -shaped silicone rubber shock absorbers (thus, eight in total) which lie in a horizontal plane which passes through the centre of mass of the scanner. These are most clearly seen in Figure 3.

When the apparatus is in the transport mode, the full weight of the scanner is borne by the eight shock absorbers 20, with the scanner "floating" on them. This serves to insulate and isolate the scanner from vibration and impact in transit. The shock absorbers are designed to be compressed by up to about 40mm. Thus, the bumpers 22 limit relative displacement of the scanner (with progressively increasing resistance), before the maximum compression tolerance of the shock absorbers is reached.

When the shelter has reached the desired location, to deploy the scanner into the operational configuration it is necessary simply to remove the detachable support frame from each end of the scanner body, and then to wind down the four metal jacking screws 30, provided at each corner of the apparatus. The threaded jacking screws 30 pass through the ends of the horizontal member 10 of the inner support frame, with which they are in threaded engagement. The jacking screws 30 are each provided with solid steel feet, which bear on the mounting plate 18 provided on the second support frame. Desirably a reference mark is provided on the screws or some other means provided, to ensure that they are all wound down to a predetermined point, at which the jacking screws bear all the weight of the scanner and the scanner is level and rigid.

As seen in Figure 4, one embodiment of a first support for use in the invention comprises a metal frame. The frame comprises a pair of parallel uprights 12, a horizontal top member 10, and horizontal bottom bracing member 14. Each upright 12 is provided with a large bracket 32, and the top member 10 is provided with flanges 33, by which the frame may be bolted to a scanner body. The horizontal top member 10 has a longitudinal slot 34 cut in the top, towards each end of the top member 10. These slots facilitate attachment of the shock absorbers to the top member 10, by permitting access to, and insertion or removal of, mounting bolts which pass through the top member 10, mounting plate (not shown) and the top portion of the shock absorbers.

At each end of the top member 10 is a short flange 36 bearing a threaded aperture 38 through which a jacking screw 30 (not shown in Figure 4) passes. The bottom of the jacking screw, in the operational configuration, bears on the upper surface of plates 18 attached to the upper surfaces of uprights 16, as best seen in Figure 3.

Claims

Claims A mobile shelter comprising medical scanner equipment, wherein the scanner has a transport configuration and an operational configuration, such that in the transport configuration the scanner is provided with travel limiting means to limit movement of the scanner relative to the shelter, and in the operational configuration the scanner is rigidly anchored to the shelter; the travel limiting means comprising a plurality of resiliently deformable bumpers which, in the transport configuration, are rigidly attached, directly or indirectly to the scanner or to the shelter, each bumper being initially distanced from a stop formed on the shelter or the scanner, as appropriate, so as to permit the scanner an amount of travel in each of three orthogonal axes before at least one of said bumpers contacts a stop from which it is initially distanced.
2. A shelter in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in the transport configuration, the scanner is mounted on isolation means to provide isolation against shock or vibration, the isolation means comprising:-at least one shock absorber at each of two opposed ends of the scanner, each shock absorber being sandwiched between a first support rigidly attached to the scanner and a second support rigidly attached to the shelter, wherein the shock absorbers lie in a horizontal plane which passes through, or within 10cm of, the centre of mass of the scanner.
3. A shelter in accordance with claim 2, wherein each corner of the scanner is provided with at least one shock absorber.
4. A shelter in accordance with claim 2 or 3, wherein the shock absorbers lie in a horizontal plane which passes within 5cm of the centre of mass of the scanner.
5. A shelter in accordance with any one of claims 2, 3, or 4, wherein the isolation means comprises a plurality of further shock absorbers which absorb shocks which would tend to cause movement of the scanner in a horizontal axis.
6. A shelter in accordance with claim 5, wherein at least one of said further shock absorbers is provided at each corner of the scanner.
7. A shelter in accordance with any one of claims 2-6, wherein a first support is provided at each of two opposed ends of the scanner.
8. A shelter in accordance with any one of claims 2-7, wherein the first support is in the form of a frame comprising a plurality of members, each member predominantly formed of metal.
9. A shelter in accordance with any one of claims 2-8, wherein the second support is rigidly attached to the floor of the shelter.
10. A shelter in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of bumpers is positioned generally at each corner of the scanner.
11. A shelter in accordance with claim 1, 2, or 10, wherein the bumpers are conical or frustoconical.
12. A shelter in accordance with any one of claims 1, 2, 10 or 11, wherein at least one bumper is rigidly attached, directly or indirectly, to the scanner, and a respective bumper stop is formed on a member rigidly attached to the shelter floor.
13. A shelter in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one bumper is rigidly attached, directly or indirectly, to the second support, and a respective bumper stop is provided on the scanner or the first support.
14. A shelter in accordance with any one of claims 1, 2, or 10-13, wherein each corner of the scanner is provided with at least one bumper which limits travel of the scanner in the up/down axis, at least one bumper which limits travel in the left/right axis, and at least one bumper which limits travel in the front/back axis.
15. A shelter comprising medical scanning equipment generally as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.17. A method of making a mobile shelter in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the step of installing a scanner in a shelter and installing travel limiting means as set out in claim 1.