Abstract:
A defibrillator storage device including a housing defining an interior storage compartment configured to hold a removable automated external defibrillator therein, a door pivotally attached to the housing, an alarm disposed within the housing, and a tether attached at a first end thereof to an interior wall of the housing and at a second end thereof to the alarm, the tether configured to be routed through a handle of the automated external defibrillator such that removal of the automated external defibrillator from the interior compartment causes the second end of the tether to be pulled from the alarm, thereby triggering the alarm.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/090,497 filed Dec. 11, 2014 and from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/132,597 filed Mar. 13, 2015, which are incorporated herein in their entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of automated external defibrillator storage devices. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are often used to resuscitate people during cardiac arrest incidents including life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation, and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Each of these cardiac incidents involves abnormal, electrical impulse conduction in the cardiac muscle, which in turn results in abnormal heart rhythms that may lead to damaged cardiac muscle and potentially death. To reduce the adverse effects and/or to end these incidents, defibrillation therapy, which includes delivering therapeutic doses of electrical current with a defibrillation device to the cardiac muscle thereby potentially restoring normal heart rhythm. 
         [0004]    Numerous different types of defibrillator devices exist such as external, transvenous, or implanted defibrillator devices. For example, pacemakers are implantable devices used to treat people with chronic arrhythmias by constantly or intermittently applying compensatory and corrective electrical impulses to maintain proper cardiac rhythm. These compensatory and corrective electrical impulses thereby potentially reduce occurrence of cardiac arrest events and potentially prolong a person&#39;s life. While pacemakers are designed for patients having predictable, chronic cardiac arrhythmias, most cardiac arrests associated with life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation, and pulseless ventricular tachycardia occur spontaneously. Therefore, specific AED devices were designed to further treat these spontaneous cardiac arrests. 
         [0005]    Over the past four decades, it has become common place to include AED devices in various public and common areas having high volume pedestrian traffic to potentially combat the deleterious effects of the above mentioned spontaneous cardiac arrest incidents. Also, due to the complex and highly sensitive circuitry within these AED devices, these AED devices are sometimes placed within various types of storage cabinets to protect the AED devices until needed and to further ensure proper AED operation while in use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,501 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,735, 473 disclose exemplary, conventional AED storage cabinets. In order to notify others of someone potentially experiencing a cardiac arrest incident, most conventional cabinets are equipped with door triggered alarms that are activated and immediately sound (and/or provide a visual alarm) upon opening the cabinet door regardless of the presence of the AED device inside the cabinet. 
         [0006]    Most conventional storage cabinets utilize an activation switch and alarm that is in operative relation relative to its door and a wall. More specifically, certain devices utilize a pressure switch operatively connected to a circuit that controls an alarm that is immediately activated upon door opening. In these exemplary devices, the pressure switch remains open as long as there is adequate pressure on the switch, which may be applied, for example, as long as the door is closed. However, when the storage cabinet door opens, pressure on the switch is released and the switch is closed, thus, automatically activating the alarm regardless of whether the AED device has been removed from the cabinet. 
         [0007]    Although the above mentioned conventional AED storage cabinets function to store AED devices, many problems currently exist with these conventional cabinets. For example, cabinets having these “cover triggered” or “pressure triggered” alarms, which are operatively linked to door movement, are prone to generate false alarms. These false alarms may be generated when, for example, people accidentally bump into or make incidental contact with the storage device&#39;s door thereby partially or completely opening the door, which simultaneously activates the alarm. These false alarms create a general state of panic for those around the AED storage cabinet, and in some instances, medical providers (e.g., ambulances and emergency medical technicians) are unnecessarily alerted and called to the scene of the false alarm. Thus, these false alarms further waste healthcare provider&#39;s time and resources. 
         [0008]    To potentially avoid these false alarms, many conventional AED storage cabinets have been further equipped with locking mechanisms (e.g., a lock and key mechanism) provided in the door that rely on keys for entry in to the cabinet&#39;s interior. However, a major drawback of including a lock and key mechanism in an AED storage cabinet is that the key must be readily accessible to unlock the door and access the AED device if someone is experiencing a cardiac arrest incident. Thus, even though a lock and key mechanism may decrease false alarms, these lock and key configurations often lead to decreased response times for treating cardiac arrest incidents. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    Therefore, a need exists to provide an AED storage cabinet that overcomes the deficiencies of conventional storage cabinets. Disclosed are automated defibrillator storage devices including a housing having walls and a door that define an interior cavity for receiving an automated defibrillator therein, a defibrillator stored within the storage cabinet, and an alarm positioned within the housing triggered in response to removal of the AED from the cabinet. 
         [0010]    To achieve the foregoing, in a first embodiment the present invention provides a defibrillator storage device including a housing defining an interior storage compartment configured to hold a removable automated external defibrillator therein, a door pivotally attached along a bottom edge thereof to a bottom edge of the housing such that the door is configured to pivot open to access the interior storage compartment, an alarm disposed within the housing, and a tether attached at a first end thereof to an interior wall of the housing and at a second end thereof to the alarm, the tether configured to be routed through a handle of the automated external defibrillator such that removal of the automated external defibrillator from the interior compartment causes the second end of the tether to be pulled from the alarm, thereby triggering the alarm. 
         [0011]    In another aspect, the alarm may be located on an interior wall of the housing opposite the interior wall to which the first end of the tether is attached, the alarm including a fixed plate and a body configured to translate relative to the fixed plate to move an electrical contact on the body relative to an electrical contact on the fixed plate, the electrical contact on the body and the electrical contact on the fixed plate together forming a switch for activating the alarm. 
         [0012]    In another aspect, the second end of the tether may be threaded through an opening through the body and the body may include a resilient arm extending therefrom, the resilient arm engaging the interior wall to which the alarm is attached and arranged to bias the body in a direction of the fixed electrical contact when the tether is threaded through the opening through the body. 
         [0013]    In another aspect, the opening through the body and the resilient arm may be arranged on opposite sides of the interior wall to which the alarm is attached such that threading of the second end of the tether through the opening of the body prevents the body from moving in a direction of the fixed electrical contact. 
         [0014]    In another aspect, translation of the body relative to the fixed plate may be guided by a pair of spaced guides. 
         [0015]    In another aspect, a heating device may be disposed within the housing in proximity of the automated external defibrillator to transfer radiant heat thereto. 
         [0016]    In another aspect, a heating plate may be pivotally attached along a bottom edge thereof to the bottom edge of the housing inward of the door, the heating plate dimensioned to cover at least a portion of the automated external defibrillator to transfer radiant heat thereto. 
         [0017]    In another aspect, a movable partition may be disposed within the housing defining a pocket for receiving the automated external defibrillator therein, the movable partition movable relative to a back wall of the housing and extending upward a predetermined distance from a floor of the housing. 
         [0018]    In another aspect, the alarm may include an electrical circuit and a battery. 
         [0019]    In another aspect, alarm activation may be independent of door movement. 
         [0020]    In another embodiment, the present invention provides a defibrillator storage device including a housing defining an interior storage compartment configured to hold a removable automated external defibrillator therein, a door pivotally attached to the housing configured to pivot open to access the interior storage compartment, an alarm disposed within the housing external to the automated external defibrillator, and a tether attached at a first end thereof to an interior wall of the housing and at a second end thereof to the alarm, the tether configured to be routed through a handle of the automated external defibrillator such that removal of the automated external defibrillator from the interior compartment causes the second end of the tether to be pulled apart from the alarm, thereby triggering the alarm. 
         [0021]    Additional features, aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present various embodiments of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention are better understood when the following detailed description of the invention is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) storage device according to the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2 a    is a perspective view of the AED storage device shown with the door opened and without an AED sored therein; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2 b    depicts the AED storage device with the door opened and with an AED stored therein; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a detailed view of  FIG. 2 b    further illustrating an AED in the storage device; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4 a    and  FIG. 4 b    are detailed, cut away views of the device sidewall illustrating movement of the activation switch/activation switch assembly to activate and deactivate the alarm according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of an AED inside the storage device with the alarm being activated but not actively alarming; 
           [0029]      FIGS. 6( a ) and 6( b )  depict detailed cut-away views of the device&#39;s sidewall as depicted in the second embodiment; 
           [0030]      FIGS. 7( a ), 7( b ), 7( c ), 8( a ), and 8( b )  depict various magnified, cut away cross section views of the device depicted in  FIG. 5  illustrating alarm activation according to this embodiment of the invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is a front view of AED storage device with a securing element for securing the AED therein; 
           [0032]      FIG. 10( a )  depicts the AED device and securing element removed from the storage device; 
           [0033]      FIG. 10( b )  depicts the AED device removed from storage device while the securing element remains positioned in the storage device; 
           [0034]      FIGS. 11( a ), 11( b ), and 11( c )  sequentially depict securing element installation; 
           [0035]      FIG. 12  depicts a second embodiment of the securing element for securing the AED within the storage device; 
           [0036]      FIG. 13  is a top view depicting the second embodiment of the securing element shown with the AED removed from the device; 
           [0037]      FIG. 14  is a top view depicting the second embodiment of the securing element with the AED positioned in the interior of the storage device; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 15  is a detailed view of the exemplary fixing elements used to secure the second embodiment of the securing element in the interior of the storage device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0039]    The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. However, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the representative embodiments set forth herein. The exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be both thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention and enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make, use and practice the invention. Like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the various drawings. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 1-8  depict various views and embodiments of the AED storage device (also referred to as “the AED storage cabinet”). The disclosed automated defibrillator storage device  10 ,  110  (i.e., AED storage cabinet) includes a housing having walls  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  and a door  24  that define an interior cavity for receiving an automated defibrillator  30 . For example, storage device  10 ,  110  may include two side walls  20 ,  21  connected by a back wall  23 , and bottom wall  22 . Bottom wall  22  is connected to the side walls  20 ,  21  and back wall  23 . When present, the AED device is preferably placed on the storage device&#39;s bottom wall  22 , and is laterally adjacent to side walls  20 ,  21  and back wall  23 . 
         [0041]    In certain aspects, a lip is directly connected to and spans a partial or entire length of the bottom wall  22 . The lip extends vertically from the bottom wall in a direction that is spaced apart and substantially parallel to the back wall  23 . This lip has sufficient height (e.g., 1″ to 6″ in height, 2″ to 5″ in height, or 2.5″ to 4″ in height) to ensure that, when present, the AED device remains secured within cabinet  10 ,  110  upon opening door  24 . In certain aspects, this lip, in combination with the side walls, back wall, and bottom wall, may form a recessed cavity within the interior of the storage device in which a bottom portion of the AED device may be obstructed from view when the AED device is placed within storage cabinet  10 ,  110 . The walls  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 , door  24 , and lip may be independently formed of rigid materials including thermoplastic resins (e.g., injection molded thermoplastic resin), metal, glass, or any combination thereof. In certain aspects, door  24  is preferably formed of a partially transparent thermoplastic resin such that the storage device&#39;s interior cavity, and more preferably the AED device, may be viewed when the door  24  is closed and the device is viewed from the outside. 
         [0042]    In certain aspects, door  24  may be connected to an outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall  22  and pivot out and downward relative to a surface beneath device  10 ,  110  when opening the storage device. However, in alterative aspects, the door may be connected to a top portion (e.g., an outer peripheral edge) of the back wall  23  and may rotate in an upward manner relative to a surface beneath device  10 ,  110 . The door may be further equipped with a locking mechanism to hold open the door if desired. 
         [0043]    As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , storage device  10 ,  110  each include an alarm positioned within, for example, side wall  21 . In certain aspects, the alarm may be mounted internally relative to wall  21  of the storage cabinet and external to defibrillator  30  The alarm includes a fixed plate  60  and a body  50  configured to translate relative to the fixed plate to move an electrical contact (not shown) on the body relative to an electrical contact on the fixed plate, the electrical contact on the body and the electrical contact on the fixed plate together forming a switch for activating the alarm. 
         [0044]    Cable  40  having a first end  41  securely attached to or fixed to a rib  35  formed on the side wall  20  and back wall  23  of the cabinet interior. The cable  40  further includes a second end  42 ,  142  that is removably threaded through or removably tethered to an opening  55 ,  155 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , in certain aspects the cable is threaded through handle  31  of AED  30 . In each aspect, when AED  30  is positioned within cabinet  10 ,  110  and cable  40  is tethered to the AED or threaded through handle  31 , cable end  41  remains secured or fixed to rib  35  when AED  30  is removed from the cabinet. However, when AED  30  is removed from the cabinet, the second cable end  42 ,  142  is removed from opening  55 ,  155 , thus activating the alarm. 
         [0045]    In view of the above, the alarm depicted in  FIGS. 3, 4   a , and  4   b  will now be described in further detail. As shown in  FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b   , in certain aspects, the body  50  has a “T” shape. With regard to this T shaped body, the T shaped body includes an elongate, rod-like structure with an end  54  arranged to protrude through side wall  21  and positioned externally relative to the side wall  21 . The T shaped body includes an end  51  that is positioned within a mount  70 ,  71  (i.e., guides) such that the activation switch is movably attached in the cabinet  10  between side wall  21  and mount  70 ,  71  (i.e., guides). In certain aspects, ends  54 ,  51  are perpendicular relative a vertically extending face of wall  21 . The T shaped body further includes arm  52  that extends co-axially relative to the vertical face of side wall  21 , and a portion of arm  52  is configured to contact the inner portion of side wall  21 . Arm  52  is preferably a resilient, elastic member configured to apply tensioned or compressive force against the inner portion of side wall  21  when the cable&#39;s second end  42  is placed in opening  55  and arm  52  moves the T shaped body when cable end  42  is removed, thus activating the alarm. 
         [0046]    More particularly,  FIG. 4 a    in view of  FIG. 3  shows cable end  42  being inserted through an opening located on end  54  of the T shaped body, as well as arm  52  contacting side wall  21 . The arrows in  FIG. 4 a    indicate that arm  52  is elastically compressed against an inner portion of side wall  21  when cable end  42  is inserted in the T shaped body and is biased such that elastic force is simultaneously linearly exerted to provide translational movement from end  54  of the T shaped body to end  51  of the T shaped activation switch in a direction that is opposite from which cable end  42  is inserted. Also,  FIG. 4 a    further depicts fixed plate  60  that is, for example, an electronic contactor that is operatively linked to the alarm and functions to activate the alarm when contacted by portion  53  of the body. However, as shown in  FIG. 4 a   , cable end  42  prevents arm  52  from exerting elastic force such that portion  53  of the activation switch contacts the electronic contactor. Thus, when inserted, cable end  42  prevents the activation switch from contacting and activating the alarm (i.e., providing any visual and/or audible alarm signals  80 ). 
         [0047]    As shown in  FIG. 4 b   , when AED  30  is removed from cabinet  10 , cable end  42  is removed from the opening located on end  50  of the body, and the body moves toward the electronic contactor (fixed plate  60 ) due to the elastic force exerted by arm  52  against the vertical face of the inner portion of side wall  21 . In  FIG. 4 b   , portion  53  of the body contacts the electronic contactor, thereby activating the alarm (e.g., an audible alarm  80 , visual alarm  81 , or a combination thereof). The alarm in cabinet  10  is preferably configured to remain activated until the activation switch is returned to the configuration shown in  FIG. 4 a   . The alarm may be deactivated, for example, by pulling end  54  towards the interior of cabinet  10  and re-threading or re-tethering cable end  42  to the opening in end  54  of the activation switch. In certain aspects, the alarm may include a timer that deactivates the alarm after a predetermined time period lapses. For example, the alarm may include an audible alarm, a visual alarm (e.g., strobe lights), or a combination thereof that are programmed to alarm for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 1 minute, 5 minutes, etc.) once the AED device is removed from the storage device and may cease to alarm once the predetermined period of time has lapsed. 
         [0048]    Another embodiment of the alarm will now be described in further detail in view of  FIGS. 5-8 ( b ). As shown in  FIGS. 5, 6 ( a ), and  6 ( b ), opening  155  is provided on side wall  21  and cable end  142  is inserted into and threaded through this opening and preferably positioned between mounts  170 ,  171 . When cable end  142  is inserted through opening  150  as depicted in  FIG. 6 , cable end  142  prevents a spring loaded electronic contactor  181  ( FIGS. 8( a ) and 8( b ) ) from being released and activating the alarm. However, as shown for example in  FIGS. 7( a ) - FIG. 8( b ) , when cable end  142  is removed from opening  155 , the spring loaded electronic contactor  181  is released thus activating the alarm. In particular, circuit  180  is operably connected to spring loaded electronic contactor  181 , battery (not shown), and an audible and/or visual alarm. As indicated above, when removing AED  30  from the cabinet, cable end  142  is pulled from opening  155  allowing contactor  181  to close the circuit  180  thereby allowing current to flow from the battery through the circuit to the audible and/or visual alarm, thus activating the alarm and potentially notifying bystanders of a potential cardiac arrest incident. The alarm in cabinet  110  is preferably configured to remain activated until returning to the configuration shown in  FIG. 6  by threading cable end  142  through opening  155  and disengaging the electronic contactor. In certain aspects, the alarm may include a timer that deactivates the alarm after a predetermined time period lapses. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 9-15  depict the storage devices  10 ,  110  disclosed herein being further equipped with heater  220 ,  221  and securing elements  210 ,  310  that respectively heat and securely position and hold AED  30  within the storage device(s).  FIGS. 9-11 ( c ) depict a storage device  10 ,  110  equipped with securing element  210  (i.e., partition) and heater  220 ,  221  according to one embodiment. As shown within  FIGS. 10( a ) and 10( b ) , storage device  10 ,  110  may include tracks  211  attached to an outer portion of opposing walls  20 ,  21 . Tracks  211  preferably include one or a plurality of grooves that are aligned relative to the grooves on the track positioned on the opposing wall. These grooves are configured to receive securing element  210  (e.g., a flat, thin partition that may be translucent and/or transparent material such as a molded, thermoplastic, glass, or other composite material), which extends perpendicularly relative to an outer surface of bottom wall  22  when securing element  210  is positioned in tracks  211 . The grooves further allow for securing element  210  to be positioned at various depths within the storage device&#39;s interior to secure different AEDs having variable widths. 
         [0050]      FIGS. 11( a )-11( c )  further sequentially depict securing element  210  (e.g., a flat, thin partition) being installed to secure an AED within the interior cavity of storage device  10 ,  110 . For example,  FIGS. 11( a ) and 11( b )  specifically depict securing element  210  being positioned within the interior cavity of storage device  10 ,  110  and being aligned with the grooves of securing element tracks  211 . After aligning securing element  210  with grooves of tracks  211 , securing element  210  is pressed in a downward manner such that securing element slidably engages the grooves thereby becoming fixed within the interior cavity of device  10 ,  110 , and in certain aspects, securing element  210  contacts the outer surface of bottom wall  22  when fixed in tracks  211 . The fixed securing element  210  extends upward from the cabinet floor (i.e., bottom wall  22 ) and has sufficient height relative to to AED  30  to secure the AED within the interior cavity. For example, in certain aspects, securing element  210  is configured to extend/have a height between approximately ¼ to ½ of the height of the AED; this height may include from 4 to 10 inches, from 5 to 9 inches, or from 6 to 8 inches when measured extending upward from bottom wall  22 . As alluded to above, storage device  10 ,  110  further includes a heater  220 ,  221  positioned on inner circumferential portions of, for example, walls  22 ,  23  that define portions of the interior cavity. Heater  220 ,  221  is preferably configured to circumferentially surround portions of AED  30  and is configured to provide radiant heat to the AED during harsh, cold weather conditions to prevent and/or reduce the likelihood of AED malfunction associated with harsh weather conditions. 
         [0051]      FIGS. 12-15  depict a storage device  10 ,  110  equipped with securing element  310  (i.e., movable partition) configured to securely hold AED  30  within the interior cavity of the storage device according to a second embodiment. As depicted in  FIG. 12 , securing element  310  (i.e., movable partition) may be pivotably attached to bottom wall  22  and configured to pivot about a horizontal axis that is parallel to the horizontal axis of bottom wall  22 . As further depicted in  FIGS. 13-15 , securing element  310  has complimentary detachable fasteners  320  positioned on walls  20 ,  21  and end portions  311  of the securing element. In certain aspects, end portions  311  may be tabs that are perpendicular relative to the main body of securing element  310  and extend into the interior cavity of storage device  10 ,  110  when securing element is in a closed, fastened position (i.e., a “securing” position). The complimentary detachable fasteners  320  may include, but are not limited to, complimentary hook and loop fasteners that may be detached from one another thereby allowing securing element  310  to detach from wall(s)  20 ,  21  to rotate away from the storage device&#39;s interior cavity (or AED  31  if present) into an opened, “non-securing” position. 
         [0052]    In certain aspects, securing element  310  further includes fastener  322  positioned mid-span along a top edge of the securing element  310 . Fastener  322  may include a hook or loop fastener, and AED  30  may have a complimentary hook or loop fastener positioned accordingly such that fastener  322  contacts the complimentary hook or loop fastener on the AED  30  thereby further aiding in securing the AED within the interior portion of the device  10 ,  110 .  FIG. 15  provides a magnified view of the detachable fastener  320  used to secure the securing feature  310  in the interior of the storage cabinet. As alluded to above, storage device  10 ,  110  depicted in  FIGS. 12-15  further includes a heater  220 ,  221  positioned on inner circumferential portions of, for example, walls  22 ,  23  that define portions of the interior cavity. Heater  220 ,  221  circumferentially surrounds portions of AED  30  and is configured to heat the AED during harsh, cold weather conditions to reduce the likelihood of AED malfunction associated with harsh weather conditions. 
         [0053]    The foregoing description provides embodiments of the invention by way of example only. It is envisioned that other embodiments may perform similar functions and/or achieve similar results. Any and all such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the scope of the present invention and are intended to be covered by the appended claims.