US3306289A

US3306289A - Oxygen tent atmosphere conditioning apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: US3306289A
Application number: US163453A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cameto Leon Robert; William R Evans; Raleigh J Harris
Original assignee: MIST O2 GEN EQUIPMENT CO
Current assignee: MIST O2 GEN EQUIPMENT CO
Priority date: 1962-01-02
Filing date: 1962-01-02
Publication date: 1967-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 1984-02-28

Description

1967 R. CAMETO ETAL OXYGEN TENT ATMOSPHERE CONDITIONING APPARATUS AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.

INVENTORS LEON ROBERT CAM ETO I HARRI 5: By 5%, MM *w fiq WILLIAM R. EVANS RALEIGH J.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. R. CAMETO ETAL OXYGEN TENT ATMOSPHERE CONDITIONING APPARATUS AND METHOD Feb. 28, 1967 Filed Jan.

T INVENTORS LEON ROBERT CAMETO WILLIAM R. EVANS RALEIGH J HARRIS By 7 I'M 47' TORNEYS United States Patent OXYGEN TENT ATMOSPHERE CONDITIONING APPARATUS AND METHOD Leon Robert Cameto, William R. Evans and Raleigh J. Harris, all of Oakland, Calif., assignors to Mist 0 Gen Equipment Co., Oakland, Calif.

Filed Jan. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 163,453 Claims. (Cl. 128191) This invention relates to a system for conditioning the atmosphere in an oxygen, or patient treatment, tent. The atmosphere, predominantly oxygen enriched air, in an oxygen tent often becomes uncomfortable for the patient therein because of the heat radiated by his body in the small enclosed space. In addition, the atmosphere in the tent is often maintained in a moist, humid condition because of the addition of vapor carrying medicants which increases the .discomfiture.

Heretofore, systems for conditioning, primarily cooling, the tent atmosphere have withdrawn it from the tent, passed it through cooling ducts and filters, added the required oxygen and vapor, and recirculated the atmosphere to the tent. Although such prior systems have adequately conditioned the air in tents, they have become easily contaminated by the tent atmosphere which the patient has exhaled. Because of the many intricate passageways and crevices in such equipment and its necessary size it has been impossible to sterilize by ordinary cleaning processes. In order to safely reuse such equipment on succeeding patients it has been the practice to leave the equipment idle for an extended time in order to assure that harmful bacteria will not remain to contaminate the new patients tent atmosphere. This, of course, causes substantial nonuse of the equipment.

Another object of this invention is the provision of structure and an arrangement thereof whereby contamination of the system from contact with the atmosphere within any oxygen tent is restricted to only the exterior readily sterilized surfaces of a relatively small portion of the system, and which portion is readily separated from the remainder for sterilization thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel method for conditioning the atmosphere in any oxygen tent.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of improved structure in the portion of a cooling system that is adapted to be positioned within an oxygen tent for cooling the atmosphere within such tent, and which portion is readily detached from the remainder of the cooling system.

Yet a further object of this invention is the provision of a method for conditioning the atmosphere in a patient treatment tent, in which method heat is withdrawn from the tent without withdrawing a substantial portion of such atmosphere.

In the present system no special attempt is made to circulate the air within the tent other than what circulation occurs in the form of convection currents caused by the presence of a cooling element within the tent.

The present invention isolates the coolant in the cooling system from the air in the tent so that no contamination of the coolant is possible, and the present system is so arranged that all parts or portions that may become contaminated are readily separated from the rest of the system for sterilization.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view that is illustrative of the system generally.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged cross sectional view 1 taken along line 33 of FIG. 1.

3,306,289 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the refrigeration apparatus within a cabinet, as seen from the rear side of the cabinet shown in FIG. 1, the latter being in cross section and with part of the view schematically illustrating the heat exchanger that is adapted to be positioned within the tent to be air conditioned.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the heat exchanger unit, as seen from the reverse side shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 generally designates a refrigeration unit or assembly which functions to remove heat energy from a heat exchanger, generally designated 2, adapted to be supported within an oxygen tent 3 (FIG. 1) for cooling the air within said tent. In the embodiment described herein the refrigeration unit 1 circulates a liquid coolant through heat exchanger 2 to withdraw heat from it. The preferred coolant is water mixed with alcohol (to prevent its freezing) and it will hereinafter be referred to as water or coolant.

A water conduit 4 (FIG. 4) receiving warm water from the heat exchanger 2 is coiled around a cooling tank 6, supported in a cabinet 5 within which the refrigeration unit is enclosed. Conduit 4 empties into cooling tank 6 where the water is cooled by a refrigerant in coil 7, which also surrounds tank 6.

A conventional compressor 8 and condenser 9 are connected with coil 7 for supplying the cooled refrigerant to the latter, and the refrigerant is returned to the compressor through pipe 10.

The sole function of the refrigerating system is to cool the water that is circulated through the heat exchanger 2, and any suitable and conventional control means 11 may be employed for controlling the temperature of the water. Such control means includes ordinary thermostatic controls having settings manually adjusted by the usual control knob conveniently located on the top of the cabinet of FIG. 1, as indicated at 12.

Make-up water may be added to the system from a closed supply reservoir 13 having a delivery pipe 14 (FIG. 4) leading to the bottom of tank 6, and an air vent pipe 15 communicating between the upper end of said reservoir and the upper end of tank 6 equalizes the an pressure in the tank and reservoir 13. Preferably reservoir 13 has a transparent sidewall and is mounted to be visible for indicating the level of water in the system.

Outside the cabinet is a supply tank (not shown) contaming oxygen or other breathable gas under pressure having the usual pressure and flow control valves thereon from which a hose 16 leads into the cabinet (FIG. 4) where it divides into flexible lines 17, 18 that terminate in fittings 19, 20 mounted on top of the cabinet. Fittings 19, 20 include quick detachable couplers serving to connect lines 17, 18 with

oxygen hoses

21, 22. Each said fitting also incorporates a check valve to close lines 17, 18 when

hoses

21, 22 are disconnected and fitting 19 may also have incorporated therein a needle control valve for adjusting the flow of oxygen into hose 21. Fitting 20 may include a manually operable valve for opening and closing hose 22 to flow of oxygen from the oxygen supply tank. I The tent 3 (FIG. 1), which is a conventional flexible plastic-walled drape, is adapted to be suspended from a horizontal bar 23 that extends over the tent transversely of the latter. Cross rods 24, extending horizontally through said bar 23 at right angles to the latter, have eyes 25 or hooks at their outer ends from which hangers 26 extend to and connect with the tent for supporting the latter in the desired position.

One end of bar 23 is secured to the upper end of a vertical post 28. The lower end of said post extends through a collar 29 and into cabinet 5 (FIG. 3), said collar being secured on the upper wall of said cabinet. A thumb screw extending through collar 29 adjustably secures post 28 at the desired elevation, and it also functions to hold the bar 23 at the desired angle relative to the cabinet, since the post 28 may be revolved when screw 30 is loosened.

A fitting 31 is also secured on post 28 adjacent to the lower end of the latter by a pair of set screws 32. The post 28 extends vertically through a sleeve-like portion 33 of said fitting, and an enlargement portion 34 projects from one side of said fitting. Portion 34 may be connected to portion 33 by a vertically displaceable dovetail connection 27. Such disconnectable portion 34 is formed with a horizontal, open-ended through bore 35 (FIG. 3) through which extends one end of a cylindrical pipe 36. A screw 37 extends through one side of said enlargement portion and secures the end of pipe 36 to portion 34.

By this structure it is apparent that the pipe 36 may be detached from post 28 by raising said pipe and separating portion 34 of fitting 31 from portion 33.

Pipe 36 extends from the fitting 31 into the tent 3 through an opening 38 formed in the side wall 40 of the tent that is adjacent to post 28 and to said fitting 31. The portion 41 of the pipe 36 that is within said tent may extend any desired distance across the tent, and is generally above the bed 42 on which the patient may be lying and over the head portion of which the tent is adapted to be suspended.

The upper side of said portion 41 is formed with a slot or elongated opening 43 (FIG. 6) extending longitudinally of said portion, and into which the lower marginal portion of heat exchanger panel 39 extends.

The heat exchanger panel 39 may be formed by a pair of vertically disposed plates 44, 45 (FIG. 6) having a plurality of complementary, opposedly opening recesses formed in their adjacent sides, which recesses are interconnected by suitably positioned return bends for forming a continuous conduit 48 to conduct coolant therethrough. The

plates

44, 45 are welded or otherwise secured fiat together around said recesses. These recesses that coact to form conduit 48, may be expanded in the plates after the remaining portions are secured together in a conventional manner, or they may be die formed and the plates welded together. In any event, the marginal portion along the lower edge of the heat exchanger panel is a horizontally extending vertically disposed platelike extension projecting downwardly below the lower horizontal run of conduit 48 and through slot 43 into the portion 41 of pipe 36. A pair of vertical posts 46 secured to portion 41 serve to support the opposite marginal edges of panel 39.

In the embodiment herein illustrated the heat exchanger 2 is a panel of substantial area which is cooled by circulation of coolant through the extensive conduit therein for absorbing heat energy from the tent atmosphere and transferring it to the refrigerating unit.

There are two quick detachable couplings 49, on the cabinet 5 (FIG. 1) that couple hose lines from the ends of conduit 48 with the conduit 4 emptying into cooling tnk 6 and with the outlet therefrom. A hose or tube 52 may connect the outlet end of conduit 48 with coupling 50 whereas the hose or tube 51 connects the inlet end with coupling 49. These hoses extend into pipe 36 through slot 43 and then out through openings in a sealing plug 53 (FIG. 2) in the end of pipe 36 that is adjacent to the cabinet 5 to the

couplings

49, 50. Such end of pipe 36 functions as a housing for the tubes carried therein.

Within the cabinet (FIG. 4), a pressure line 54 having a pump 55 interposed therein connects the outlet from tank 6 with the coupling 49 and hose 51 while the pipe 4 from coupling 50 will connect hose 52 with the inlet into tank 6. It is obvious that the inlet and outlet hoses may be reversed as desired.

As already mentioned, thermostatic control means 11 is adapted to be set to control the temperature of the water or coolant, and water branch lines 57 from the tank are associated in the usual manner with said thermostatic control means.

Oxygen lines 21, 22 extend through plug 53 into the same end of pipe 36 as the

water lines

51, 52. One of these oxygen lines 21 extends into a conventional atomizer or nebulizer 58 which is adapted to be supported in the tent 3 (FIG. 1). This nebulizer is connected by a tube 59 with a reservoir 60' that is outside the tent and may be supported on post 28 on the cabinet 5. Reservoir 60 holds the liquid that is to be discharged in vapor form into the tent to control the humidity of the atmosphere within the tent. The other oxygen line 22 also extends through plug 53 into pipe 36 and when the valve in fitting 20 is opened admits oxygen to the tent to flush the atmosphere in the same with pure oxygen.

The oxygen or air flow in line 21 actuates the nebulizer in a known manner to aspirate liquid from the receptacle into the nebulizer for atomization and discharge thereof into the tent with the oxygen. Tube 59 that connects the nebulizer with the reservoir 60 has disposed within it a suction tube 61 (FIG. 2) which carries the liquid from the reservoir to the nebulizer nozzle where it is vaporized and mixed with the oxygen from line 21. The larger particles of liquid which are not sufficiently vaporized drain back into reservoir 60 through the outer tube 59.

The nebulizer not only humidifies the atmosphere in the tent but also assists in circulating it. Medicaments may be added to the vapor generated. by the nebulizer for desired medical treatments. Since gas is being continually added there is a continual overflow of atmosphere from the tent due to normal leakage at the borders where it is tucked around the bed and the patient. This added gas may be any oxygen, air, or other breathable gas under pressure depending on the patients requirements.

Normally the atmosphere in the tent will be maintained at a high humidity because the added oxygen is usually quite dry and because a medicated, humid atmosphere is often beneficial to the patient. Such an atmosphere would be most uncomfortable, due to the added heat radiated from the patients body and expired by him, were it not for the cooling effect of heat exchanger 2. The moisture will, however, tend to condense on the cooler surfaces of the heat exchanger panel 39.

The condensate collecting on the heat exchanger panel will drain into the pipe 36 through slot 43 and will be drained from pipe 36 (which is preferably slightly inclined for this purpose) through a hose line 63 (FIG. 2) that extends from plug 53 to a closed drain receptacle 64. This receptacle may be supported in an outwardly opening recess 65 formed in the cabinet 5 and is preferably sealed to avoid contamination of any of the refrigerating unit. It may be noted that the lower marginal portion of the heat exchanger 39 is spaced from the edges of slot 43 (FIG. 6) where it extends into the portion 41 of pipe 36, thus insuring drainage from both sides of the heat exchanger panel into said pipe 36.

The operation of the system is believed to be clear. The cooled water from the tank 6 is circulated through the heat exchanger in a circuit that is completely sealed against contact with the atmosphere in tent 3. The flow of oxygen through lines that extend into the pipe 36 is always into the tent 3 where the oxygen is discharged, a portion of it being with atomized liquid.

In effect, the atmosphere in the tent, which becomes contaminated by the patient during use, is completely isolated from the refrigerating and oxygen-adding systems. It is these latter systems that, because of their complex passageways and associated electro-mechanical equipment, are very difficult to maintain in sterile condition and are impossible to rapidly sterilize by steam, as in an autoclave.

In the embodiment herein described only the condensate draining from the heat exchanger and the gross liquid particles draining from the nebulizer pass outside the tent 3 and these liquids are received in sealed and sterilizable receptacle 64 and reservoir 60. If desired, receptacles can be provided within the tent for receiving these draining liquids, although this practice is not deemed necessary because the possibility of contamination from these sources is negligible.

The jar or reservoir 60, the receptacle 64, the'quick detachable couplings connecting the water lines with the heat exchanger 2, and the quick detachable couplings that connect the oxygen lines with the cabinet 5 are all outside the cabinet, hence nothing that contacts the contaminated air within the tent passes into the cooling system within the cabinet. This eliminates the necessity for filters and the like, which are used in systems in which the tent atmosphere is recirculated.

Sterilization of the parts that in any way come into contact with the contaminated air is greatly facilitated by their arrangement'and the fact that they are readily separated from the cabinet housing the refrigerating unit. The jar 60 and receptacle 64 may readily be removed from the cabinet and the oxygen lines and Water lines are quickly detached Where they are coupled with lines from the oxygen supply tank and water coolant tank. The heat exchanger 2 may quickly be detached from the post 28, by separating the dovetail connection 27, and the

lines

21, 22, 51, 52, 59 and 63 may be removed therewith (along with jar 60 and receptacle 64). All of these parts may be readily and completely sterilized in an autoclave or the like and will thereafter be available for immediate reuse.

Since the refrigerating unit 1 and its cabinet 5 always remain isolated from and uncontaminated by the tent atmosphere, they may be employed with other sterilized heat exchangers for other patients in immediate succession. Sterilization of the tent 3 and bed 42 is, of course, accomplished by conventional means, or the tent may be disposed of after use.

In operation, it may be said that the method of conditioning the atmosphere within the oxygen tent is one in which oxygen or other breathable gas under pressure is injected into the tent, together with the moist vapors from the nebulizer. A slight pressure above that of the outside atmospheric pressure is thereby created so that the atmosphere within the tent will be permitted to sub stantially continuously escape from the tent, which escape will normally be, for the most part, around the lower edges of the tent. The atmosphere within the tent will usually be an oxygen-enriched air and moist vapor mixture.

The mixture will become heated from the body heat and respiration of the patient, and this heat is withdrawn from the mixture by the cooler, which in the present instance is illustrated as .a heat exchanger.

As a result, a downward moving current of cooled atmosphere, by convection, will flow to the head of the patient, and since the oxygen and moist vapors are injected into the tent above the patients head, these will be carried downward with the said convection current to the head of the patient. The atmosphere within the tent will escape into the atmosphere outside the tent, but contrary to conventional air conditioning systems, none of the atmosphere is withdrawn other than that which is permitted to escape.

The oxygen-vapor content of the tent is thereby maintained against escape or removal from the tent other than the portion that is permitted to escape into the outside atmosphere.

Under the above circumstances, none of the atmosphere within the tent can enter the cooling system itself, but

can only contact the portion of outside surface of the elements of such systems as may be within the tent.

Although a specific embodiment has been described herein, such modifications as would appear to one skilled in the art are understood to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim: 1. Apparatus for conditioning the atmosphere within a patient treatment tent comprising:

(a) a nebulizer (b) a conduit fully enclosing and sealing from contamination by said atmosphere a coolant adapted to be circulated through said conduit, (c) said conduit including a heat exchanger and inlet and outlet portions for respectively conducting said coolant into said heat exchanger and out of the latter upon said circulation,

(d) said nebulizer and said heat exchanger including said inlet and outlet portions of said conduit being adapted to be positioned within the atmosphere within said tent,

(e) means for so positioning said nebulizer, heat exchanger and said inlet and outlet portions and (f) said nebulizer including a gas pipe line and a fluid pipe line connected therewith for conducting a breathable gas and a fluid to said nebulizer,

(g) said conduit further including heat removing means for removing heat from said coolant upon said circulation of the latter, and

(h) a gas supply tank connected with said gas pipe line for supplying breathable gas to said nebulizer,

(i) detachable couplings in said conduit and gas line for disconnecting said heat exchanger and said nebulizer from said heat removing means and from said gas supply tank to enable sterilization of said heat exchanger and said nebulizer independently of said heat removing means and said gas supply tank.

2. In the combination as defined in claim 1,

' (j) means securing said nebulizer to said heat exchanger for handling as a unit with said heat exchanger,

(k) a housing rigid with said heat exchanger having an inner end at said heat exchanger and an outer end spaced therefrom and which outer end is adapted to extend through and project from a wall of said tent when said heat exchanger and said inner end are positioned within said tent,

(1) said inlet and outlet portions of said conduit and said gas pipe line extending through and enclosed by said housing and (m) said detachable couplings adapted to be outside said tent adjacent to said outer end of said housing.

3. In a cooling system for cooling the atmosphere within an oxygen tent;

(a) a vertical post adapted to be rigidly held at different positions outside such tent relative to the latter;

(b) means for so holding said post;

(0) a horizontally extending rigid tubular member;

(d) quick removable means for securing said member to said post for removal of said member from said post upon upward movement of said member relative to said post;

(e) said member projecting laterally from said post a sufi'icient distance to extend at one end thereof through a side wall of such tent and into the latter when said post is alongside such side wall and outside the tent;

(f) a drain collector for receiving condensate from a heat exchanger, secured to said one end of said tubular member and supported by the latter;

(g) a heat exchanger supported on said drain collector and adapted to thereby be supported within such tent by said member and said post;

(b) said heat exchanger having a passageway therethrough for a coolant, and having an inlet at one end of said passageway for such coolant and an outlet at its opposite end for said coolant;

(i) separate fluid conducting lines respectively connected with said inlet and said outlet and extending through said tubular member to outside such tent when said heat exchanger and said drain collector are supported within said tent by said post.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3, plus;

(3') said tubular member being open at the end thereof that is opposite to said drain collector through which said separate fluid conducting lines extend;

(k) a drain line extending from said drain collector through said tubular member and out of the said open end thereof;

(1) quick coupling means respectively on said separate fluid conducting lines and said drain line, adjacent to the said open end of said tubular member for releasably connecting them with other portions of the cooling system.

5. In a cooling system for cooling the atmosphere within an oxygen tent;

(b) means for so holding said post;

(c) a horizontally extending rigid tubular member;

(e) said member projecting laterally from said post a sufficient distance to extend at one end thereof through a side wall of such tent and into the latter when said post is alongside such side wall and outside the tent;

(f) a heat exchanger;

(g) means supporting said heat exchanger on said tubular member at the end of the latter remote from said post for holding said heat exchanger at an elevated point within said tent when said post is outside said tent;

(h) said means for holding said post including a portable housing and conventional refrigeration apparatus having a circulating system for a coolant;

(i) said heat exchanger including a passageway for a coolant having an inlet at one end thereof and an outlet at the opposite end;

(j) coolant conducting lines respectively connected with said inlet and said outlet extending through said tubular member and out of the latter at a point adjacent to and outside said housing; and,

(k) quick detachable couplings at said point for detachably coupling said lines with the coolant circulating system of said refrigeration apparatus, whereby said tubular member, heat exchanger and coolant conducting lines may be separated from said refrigeration apparatus as a unit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,858,400 5/1932 Koehler 12819l.1 1,913,347 6/1933 Taylor 128191.1 1,971,408 8/1934 Heidbrink ct al. 128l91.1 2,190,613 2/1940 Sittler 128191.1 2,882,026 4/1959 Eichelman 128-194 X 2,903,863 9/1959 Coning 62-291 X 3,000,379 9/1961 Viers 128191 3,040,742 6/1962 Eichelman 128--191.1 3,050,058 8/1962 Andrews 128191 FOREIGN PATENTS 28,746 1909 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner.

W. E. KAMM, H. PEZZNER, D. S. BURKS,

Assistant Examiners.

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN A PATIENT TREATMENT TENT COMPRISING: (A) A NEBULIZER (B) A CONDUIT FULLY ENCLOSING AND SEALING FROM CONTAMINATION BY SAID ATMOSPHERE A COOLANT ADAPTED TO BE CIRCULATED THROUGH SAID CONDUIT, (C) SAID CONDUIT INCLUDING A HEAT EXCHANGER AND INLET AND OUTLET PORTIONS FOR RESPECTIVELY CONDUCTING SAID COOLANT INTO SAID HEAT EXCHANGER AND OUT OF THE LATTER UPON SAID CIRCULATION, (D) SAID NEBULIZER AND SAID HEAT EXCHANGER INCLUDING SAID INLET AND OUTLET PORTIONS OF SAID CONDUIT BEING ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED WITHIN THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN SAID TENT, (E) MEANS FOR SO POSITIONING SAID NEBULIZER, HEAT EXCHANGER AND SAID INLET AND OUTLET PORTIONS AND (F) SAID NEBULIZER INCLUDING A GAS PIPE LINE AND A FLUID PIPE LINE CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR CONDUCTING A BREATHABLE GAS AND A FLUID TO SAID NEBULIZER, (G) SAID CONDUIT FURTHER INCLUDING HEAT REMOVING MEANS FOR REMOVING HEAT FROM SAID COOLANT UPON SAID CIRCULATION OF THE LATTER, AND (H) A GAS SUPPLY TANK CONNECTED WITH SAID GAS PIPE LINE FOR SUPPLYING BREATHABLE GAS TO SAID NEBULIZER, (I) DETACHABLE COUPLINGS IN SAID CONDUIT AND GAS LINE FOR DISCONNECTING SAID HEAT EXCHANGER AND SAID NEBULIZER FROM SAID HEAT REMOVING MEANS AND FROM SAID GAS SUPPLY TANK TO ENABLE STERILIZATION OF SAID HEAT EXCHANGER AND SAID NEBULIZER INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID HEAT REMOVING MEANS AND SAID GAS SUPPLY TANK.