| CLAIMS 1. Modular sanitary structure for use in inhabited buildings and/or outdoor applications, adapted to be employed to medical purposes for setting up a sterile room, in which each patient due to undergo medical, surgical, dental and similar treatments can be introduced, or to any other kind of different sanitary uses (e.g. civil and fire protection operations, ambulances, and the like), or at the site of occurrence of road or work accidents, natural disasters (e.g. leakage of chemical, bacteriological, radioactive and similar substances) or war disasters, said modular structure being comprised of a set of rigid tubes having equal and/or different geometrical shapes and lengths, which can be coupled with and uncoupled from each other by means of connection means, and is covered by means of outer cladding means to thereby delimit at least one inner room consisting of a bottom base, a ceiling, and vertical peripheral walls, said inner room being kept under sterile conditions through ventilation and filtering/sterilizing means in communication with the same room, so as to enable the required treatments on the patient to be performed, characterized in that said tubes (11) are so dimensioned as to enable a modular structure (10) to be defined, which is adapted to accommodate a small bed, a stretcher, etc. for the patient to be treated, along with the medical staff, equipment, instruments, medicines, and the like, as needed for the treatments to be performed; and in that said cladding means are comprised of at least an enclosing envelope (19) of sterile sealing plastic material delimiting the aseptic inner room, which is removably attached to said tubes (11) by per se known fastening means (clips 20, etc.) and so shaped as to enable the same material thereof to be used to provide a first and a second door (27, 32) allowing access into said inner room, which are so sized as to allow the small bed, stretcher or the like with the patient due to be treated lying thereon and the medical or surgical staff, instruments, equipment and medicines to pass therethrough, respectively, said first and second doors (27, 32) being able to be opened and closed relative to the remaining portion of the enclosing envelope (19) by means of related quick-closing hinges (28, 33), or the like, under resulting sealing effect all along both all sides of said doors and all edges of said envelope (19); and characterized in that said ventilation and filtering/sterilizing means (21) are able to create an overpressure, i.e. plenum condition inside said inner room, as well as the desired air sterilization level, and are located on the lower portion of the modular structure (10), where they rest either on the ground or, in the case of indoor applications, on the floor of the building, the delivery side (22) thereof being introduced in the inner room through a corresponding aperture in said enclosing envelope (19), which is sealed in an air-tight manner once such ventilation and filtering means have been installed. 2. Modular structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said rigid tubes (11) may be provided in either fixed or variable lengths, such as in the form of telescopic tubes (35). 3. Modular structure according to claim 2, characterized in that said connection means comprise corresponding joints (12), each one of them being comprised of a first and a second flat plate (36, 37) made of a hard material, which are identical and adaptable to each other, wherein each such plate is joined to a respective tube portion (38, 39) adapted to removably couple with a related fixed-length tube (11) or variable-length tube (35) of the modular structure (10), and wherein on the sides thereof both said plates (36, 37) are provided with respective hinges (40, 41) that can be coupled to each other either solely along a single side of said plates, so as to have the latter positioned orthogonally to each other and adapted to form the angular regions of the modular structure (10), wherein said tube portions (38, 39) are coupled with horizontal or vertical tubes of the same structure, respectively, or on both sides of said plates so as to allow for the horizontal or vertical tubes of said structure to be coupled with the respective ones of said tube portions (38, 39). 4. Modular structure according to claim 3, characterized in that electric cables for lighting fixtures or the operation of related machinery, or rigid or flexible pipes for the conveyance of necessary liquids and/or gases, may also be let into said inner room to power-supply or medium-supply purposes from either the mains or transportable equipment or systems, such as for instance photovoltaic cells, by causing them to pass through corresponding small perforations in said enclosing envelope (19), which are then sealed in an air-tight manner. |
The invention relates to a modular structure for inhabited buildings and/or external uses, i.e. indoor and/or outdoor applications, which is used in order to set up a sterile space of reduced size in a quick manner, as this may become necessary in view of carrying out medical or similar treatments of various kinds, such as for instance emergency surgical operations that normally require being performed in thoroughly sterile hospital environments, or in outdoor environments, such as for instance at the site of road accidents, occupational injuries, and the like, or even in other fields of medical treatment, such as in situations of natural or war calamities and disasters.
Known in the art there are modular structures that can be assembled to form inner rooms that, as isolated relative to the outside environment, are adapted to be used in a wide variety of applications, including applications in the field of medical and similar treatments, wherein such structures are for example formed of an extensible metal structure of the type that is capable of being extended in the way of a concertina and is then covered with a plastic or similar outer cladding, and wherein at the end portions of such structures there are provided hinges or hermetically closing access doors; or such structures may also be comprised of metal tubes, which are adapted to be coupled with each other by means of joints of various kind, and plastic sheets or films attached to said same tubes. These modular structures, however, are rather complex, difficult to assemble, and quite often involve rather important space requirements; they have further to be connected to appropriate air filtering and/or sterilization facilities to the purpose of creating a sterile and isolated environment under plenum, i.e. overpressure conditions thereinside, and - in turn - these facilities involve bulky machinery requiring not only a lot of space, but also considerable power ratings and high operating costs for them to be able to ensure effective operation. Furthermore, these structures require variously sized doors of various kind, such as for instance sliding doors and/or double doors, which are rather difficult to transport, install and maintain.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks and practical limitations of the prior-art modular structures of the above-described kind by providing a modular structure, which is simple and easy to assemble and set up, in particular for use to medical and sanitary purposes of various kind, and which incorporates the characteristics and features as substantially described with particular reference to the appended patent claims. Features and advantages of the present invention will anyway be more readily understood from the following description, given to sole illustrative purposes by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
- Fig. 1 is a perspective front view of the modular structure according to the invention, as shown in the assembled state thereof;
- Fig. 2 is a front view of the modular structure shown in Figure 1, again in the assembled state thereof;
- Fig. 3 is a perspective front view of a component part of the modular structure shown in Figure 1;
- Fig. 4 is a front view of the component part shown in Figure 3;
- Fig. 5 is a perspective front view of another component part of the modular structure shown in Figure 1 ;
- Fig. 6 is a front view of the component part shown in Figure 5;
- Fig. 7 is a perspective front view of a further component part of the modular structure shown in Figure 1, as set in a position thereof;
- Fig. 8 is a perspective front view of the component part shown in Figure 7, as set in another position thereof.
With reference to the above-listed Figures, illustrated below there is a modular structure for inhabited buildings and/or outdoor applications, adapted to be used to medical and sanitary purposes of various kind in view of quickly and conveniently creating a confined sterile space of a reduced size, as this may become necessary in view of carrying out medical or similar treatments of various kinds, such as for instance emergency surgical operations that normally require being performed in thoroughly sterile hospital environments, dental treatments normally requiring the particular environment of dentist's surgeries or practices, light or small-extent surgery treatments as in the case of plastic surgery, wound dressing, treatment of ulcers and sores, and the like, or for medical or surgical uses in the sector of civil and fire protection, ambulances, etc., or in outdoor environments, such as for instance at the site of road accidents, occupational injuries, and the like, or in other fields of emergency medical treatment, such as in situations of natural or war calamities and disasters (e.g. leakage of chemical, bacteriological, radioactive or similar substances).
With reference to Figure 1, there can be noticed that the sanitary modular structure 10 is comprised of a number of rigid tubes 11 in the shape of a cylinder, or any other suitable geometrical form, and having the same and/or a differing length, depending on the size of the sterile room that has to be set up, wherein such tubes are removably connected to each other in the horizontal and vertical direction by means of a plurality of joints 12 of various kind, to thereby form and set up a sealed chamber of any geometrical shape whatsoever, such as for instance a quadrangular shape, and so sized as to be capable of accommodating at least a small bed for a patient to be treated and one or more doctors or medical staff, wherein such sealed room is formed to comprise a bottom base 13, a ceiling 14, such as in particular a double ceiling, and vertical peripheral walls, which consist of the walls 15 and 16 in a rectangular shape in the example being considered, but may of course be made in any other suitable geometrical shape as well, wherein such walls are provided all along the side periphery of the structure 10 and are connected to each other by a set of vertical tubes acting as upright members 17, as well as by a set of horizontal tubes acting as cross members 18. Inside the space delimited by such bottom base, ceiling and peripheral walls there is applied a hermetically sealed enclosing envelope 19 of sterile plastic material, which forms the actual inner aseptic chamber, and which is attached to the upright members 17 and the cross members 18 by means of clips 20 and is further associated to at least a ventilation and filtering system 21 for purifying and/or sterilizing the outside air being blown into the inner chamber of the modular structure 10, so as to create a plenum condition in said same inner chamber. Said ventilation/filtration system 21 is located in the lower portion of the modular structure 10, where it is provided to rest either on the ground or on appropriate supports placed on the ground. The delivery-side portion 22 of such system is introduced, either directly or via a connecting conduit (not shown), in a corresponding aperture (not shown) in the enclosing envelope 19, which - upon said system 21 having been duly mounted - is appropriately sealed in an air-tight manner; in this way, said ventilation/filtration system turns practically out as being independent of and not fixed relative to the modular structure 10 and the related enclosing envelope 19. Figures 3 and 4 schematically illustrate the ventilation/filtration system 21, which comprises a cylindrical housing 23 containing the traditional component parts 24 used to ventilation and air sterilization purposes, as mounted on the delivery side 22 of the system, and the filter 25 mounted on the suction or intake side 26 of the same system.
The inventive modular structure may also be connected to an air pump or similar pneumatic device (not shown), as provided to produce and deliver compressed air into the same structure so as to cause the enclosing envelope 19 to rapidly inflate to the desired size and stand stably in position, wherein said pump or pneumatic device are also connected with a further through-aperture (not shown) in the lower portion of the enclosing envelope 19, which is again sealed in an air-tight manner after these air pumping parts have been duly mounted. This air being blown into the structure may also be heated up, with the use of heating systems as generally known as such in the art, and caused to flow in a closed- loop circulation scheme, particularly when the structure is being employed in cold weather conditions.
Access into the inner chamber delimited by the enclosing envelope 19 is gained through a movable front door 27 derived from the same envelope, and using the same material of the latter, and provided with a quick-closable hinge 28 provided both along the three sides 29, 30 and 31 of the same door and along the opposite peripheral edge of the envelope 19, so as to allow the door to be opened and closed for moving in and out a small bed, a stretcher or similar appliance carrying the patient to be treated, the surgical instruments, the medical equipment and the medicines as required, along with the related supports for the same instruments, equipment and medicines to rest thereupon, whereas the medical staff is granted access through a further movable side door 32 separate from the above-described one, derived again from the same envelope and using the same material of the latter, which is provided on a side of the considered modular structure, this further door being again adapted to be opened and closed by means of a quick-closable hinge 33 attached to the envelope 19 as in the case of the afore-described hinge.
Then, when all instruments, equipment pieces and medicines have been introduced in the inner chamber as needed, and when the medical staff due to perform the required treatments has entered the same chamber, the movable doors 27 and 32 are sealed all along the sides thereof, jointly with all of the edges of the enclosing envelope 19, with the use of appropriate sealing materials or means, such as for instance a Velcro ® fastening, suitable isolating materials, and the like, wherein the inner chamber is made sterile by blowing purified and sterilized air thereinto through the ventilation/filtering system 21. Then, when the desired level of sterility of the air is reached thereinside, as detected by sensor and indicator means 34 of the ventilation/filtering system, the treatment on the patient can finally be started. In turn, the tubes 11 may be provided with either fixed length dimensions, as in the case of the tubes shown in Figures 1 and 2, or variable length dimensions, as in the case of the telescopic-type tubes 35 shown in Figures 5 and 6. In the latter case, this provision allows less space to be occupied when the same tubes are stored or transported to an installation site, while giving them the possibility for the size of the modular structures to be set up to be varied according to the needs by correspondingly varying the lengths of the telescopic tubes, without having to each time rely on the availability of specific fixed-length tubes on the spot.
Shown in Figures 7 and 8 is a joint 12 as set into two different positions thereof to enable the various tubes to be connected to each other in a rectilinear direction and at the angular regions of the modular structure, respectively. Each such joint is comprised of a first and a second planar plate 36 and 37 made of a hard material, such as plastics, which are identical and adaptable to each other, wherein each such plate is joined with a related tube portion 38 and 39 capable of coupling up with plugging in or on the related fixed-length tubes 11 and/or telescopic tubes 35 of the modular structure by plugging therein or thereon, wherein both said plates 36 and 37 are provided at the sides with related hinges 40 and 41, which are capable of coupling up with each other on solely a single side of the plates (see Figure 7) to set said plates 36 and 37 in a position in which they lie orthogonal to each other, so as to form the angular portions of the modular structure, wherein the above-mentioned tube portions 38 and 39 are coupled with horizontal or vertical tubes, respectively, or such hinges are capable of coupling up with each other on both sides of the plates (see Figure 8), so as to enable the horizontal rectilinear tubes or the vertical rectilinear tubes to couple up with the related tube portions 38 and 39 of said plates and, in this condition, said joints 12 can therefore be easily and quickly connected to the related tubes, thereby allowing the modular structure 10 to be quickly set up to the desired size. It should finally be noticed that the enclosing envelope 19 may also be provided with a bottom of the same material (not shown) to be laid in contact with the floor of a building or the ground of an outdoor site, wherein such bottom would be attached to the modular structure fitted with the enclosing envelope 19 thereof by means of further clamps or clips (not shown), which may also be in the form of ribbons or strips of cloth.
Thanks to the envelope 19 being of particularly little thickness, the possibility is furthermore given for small perforations to be made in the same envelope, which will then be provided with appropriate impermeable sealing means (not shown) of any type largely known as such in the art, which do not allow air to pass from outside into the envelope, and vice-versa. These perforations will then allow electric wiring and cables for lighting fixtures or the operation of related machinery, or rigid or flexible pipes for the conveyance of necessary liquids and/or gases, to be inserted therethrough to power-supply or medium- supply purposes from either the mains or transportable equipment or systems, such as for instance photovoltaic cells.
This modular structure 10 is therefore adapted to be quickly and easily installed on any kind of ground and in any environment whatsoever, both indoors and outdoors, to thereby create a sterile space isolated from the outside atmosphere in a simple manner, so as to enable medical or surgical treatments to be performed on patients, and is further adapted to be disassembled in an equally quick and simple manner so as to have it packaged and stored in a compact manner to keep it ready in view of further uses thereof to the same sanitary purposes as specified above.