Abstract:
An inhalation therapy enclosure includes a base with end walls joined by a rear wall. A cover having two panels joined perpendicularly is hinged to the top of the rear wall. When lowered, the cover forms an enclosure with the end wall, rear wall and base. Latches secure the cover to the base. A port in one end wall allows introduction of nebulized medication or anesthesia while a port of equal size in the opposing end wall allows exhaust from the enclosure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention pertains to inhalation therapy enclosures for small animals.  
         [0002]     In the practice of veterinary medicine, the treatment of diseased or injured animals encompasses administration of medications by injection or by mouth, as well as by inhalation of nebulized medications. Current methods for respiratory therapy through administration of nebulized medications consist of use of a mask held over the nose and mouth of the animal, or by forcing the animal into a closed chamber into which nebulized medication is introduced. Typically, the chamber is an open topped box with a lid held in place to trap the animal inside. Because an animal in compromised health is already under stress, the reaction of an animal to being placed in an open-topped box is to resist this mode of therapy, to become fractious and increasingly stressed and less responsive to therapy. Similarly, the forced placement of a mask over the nose and mouth of a fearful animal is stressful for both animal and veterinarian staff, and results in less successful administration of medication.  
         [0003]     In the administration of general anesthesia to small animals, inhalation of anesthetic gases either must be administered by mask or through placement of the animal into an anesthetic induction chamber into which anesthetic gas is introduced. Again the typical anesthetic induction chamber is an open topped plastic box with a lid. In the case of cats and other small animals, the forced placement of the animal into an open topped box frequently results in fractious behavior by the animal accompanied by elevation of stress in the animal and the veterinary staff.  
         [0004]     An example of an anesthetic induction chamber for animals is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,353,076 to French which shows an elongate box with a top lid and an end door.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention pertains to equipment to assist in the administration of inhalants in the practice of veterinary medicine. Particularly, the invention pertains to administration of nebulized medicaments to small animals such as cats, ferrets, small dogs, rats, birds, small reptiles and like sized pets.  
         [0006]     Uncooperative or medically compromised animal patients are easily treated with inhalation therapy provided the inhalation therapy can be successfully administered. The present invention presents an enclosure for small animals which includes a base with a rear wall and opposing end walls upstanding from edges of the base. The combination of the base, rear wall, and opposing end walls provides a structure with an open top and an open side. A cover assembly is attached to the top of the rear wall by hinges such that the cover can be rotated about the hinges to either close the enclosure or to open the enclosure. Rest brackets extend from the rear wall to provide structures for the open cover to rest against. The cover includes a first panel which serves as the top of the resulting enclosure, and a second panel fixed perpendicularly to the first panel, the second panel providing a front wall for the resulting enclosure. A large portion of each panel is an unbreakable transparent window made of tempered or shatterproof glass or clear acrylic or clear polycarbonate. Latching devices are provided on the base and second panel to retain the cover in place when desired. A port is provided through each of the opposing end walls at a height above the mid-point of the end wall. Each port includes a ribbed tube to which a hose may be attached. The diameter of both ports is substantially equal. When desired to be used for administration of nebulized medications, a hose interconnects the first port with a nebulizer. A second hose may be attached to the port on the opposing sidewall to duct away exhaust exiting the second port.  
         [0007]     The enclosure may also be used as an anesthetic inhalation chamber. In the case of administration of inhalable anesthetic compounds, the port in the first end wall may be connected to tubing coupled to a source of anesthetic gas and the port in the second end wall may be coupled to a hose transmitting the uninhaled gases to a scavenging or recapture system.  
         [0008]     The enclosure may also be used as an oxygen inhalation chamber. In the case of administration of inhalable oxygen, the intake port in the first sidewall may be connected to tubing coupled to a source of oxygen and the exhaust port in the second sidewall may be left open.  
         [0009]     The enclosure may also be configured as a portable pet carrier by substitution of the transparent windows in the cover panels by open cage wall structures such that ventilation is adequate.  
         [0010]     It is a primary object of the invention to provide an enclosure to receive a small animal requiring inhalation therapy which avoids stress in that animal when the animal is placed in the enclosure. It is a further object to provide an enclosure for small animals which the animal will willingly enter. It is also an object of the invention to provide an inhalation therapy enclosure in which nebulized medication may be effectively administered to an ill animal. Another object of the invention is to provide an inhalation therapy enclosure in which the animal is comfortable and unrestrained. It is yet another object of the invention to provide an enclosure for a small animal which allows observation of the animal while enclosed and from which the animal may observe the environment exterior to the enclosure. A further object of the invention is to provide an transportable enclosure into which a pet owner can place his or her pet preparatory to surgery and which can be used to transport the animal to surgery and in which anesthetic can be conveniently administered without further handling of the pet, while allowing the pet to be observed as anesthetic is administered.  
         [0011]     The foregoing and other desirable objects of the invention will be understood from an examination of the detailed description of the invention which follows. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective of a veterinary treatment system for administration of nebulized medication, according to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side plan view of the enclosure of the invention with the cover fully open.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation of the enclosure invention with the cover fully open.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a cross section view along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     This invention is an inhalation therapy enclosure for small animals. The invention may be used as an enclosure for administration of nebulized medication, as an anesthetic induction chamber or as an oxygen inhalation chamber. In an alternative embodiment, the invention may be used as a portable pet carrier.  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  discloses a system  2  for administration of nebulized medicaments for treatment of veterinary patients. The medicament may be any drug with the property of being delivered via nebulization or atomization including but not limited to antibiotics, bronchodilators, steroids, insulin, oxygen, or any other medicament that can be absorbed in the oral or nasal mucosa or lungs of an animal, or a drug which may be absorbed transdermally.  
         [0018]     A closable enclosure  4  is coupled to a nebulizer cup  6  containing a liquid medicament to be nebulized. A nebulizer pump  8  is coupled by air duct  10  to the nebulizer cup  6  such that air may be bubbled through the liquid medicament within nebulizer cup  6  to be atomized to a mist or vapor to be passed through intake port  12  in first sidewall  14  into the interior  16  of enclosure  4 . Together the nebulizer pump  8 , nebulizer cup  6  and air duct  10  are a nebulizing apparatus which is well known.  
         [0019]     Enclosure  4  further comprises a base  18  which serves as a bottom of the enclosure  4 , a rear wall  20  and a second sidewall  22  which opposes first sidewall  14 . In the substantially rectangular embodiment of enclosure  4  of  FIG. 1 , each of sidewalls  14 ,  22  and rear wall  20  is upstanding upon edges of base  18 . A cover  24  is hinged to top edge  26  of rear wall  20  such that cover  24  may pivot about top edge  26  of rear wall  20  from an open position as seen in  FIG. 1  to a closed position with the free edge  28  of cover  24  abutted to base  18  at the front  30  thereof.  
         [0020]     Cover  24  comprises a first panel  32  joined at a substantial perpendicular to second panel  34 . First panel  32  is hinged to top edge  26  of rear wall  20 . Second panel  34  could be joined to first panel  32  by a hinge if desired, but in the preferred embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3 , second panel  34  is joined to first panel  32  at a fixed angle. Depending on the geometry of sidewalls  14 ,  22 , first panel  32  could be joined to second panel  34  over a range of angles from approximately forty-five degrees to approximately one hundred thirty-five degrees.  
         [0021]     When cover  24  is moved to the closed position, in addition to the abutment of free edge  28  to front  30 , first side edge  36  of first panel  32  abuts top edge  38  of first sidewall  14  and second side edge  40  of first panel  24  abuts top edge  42  of second sidewall  22 . In addition, first side edge  44  of second panel  34  abuts front edge  46  of first sidewall  14  and second side edge  48  of second panel  34  abuts front edge  50  of second sidewall  22 . Rabbets  52  along edges  50 , 42 ,  40 ,  48  and along edges  46 ,  38 ,  36 ,  44  permit a substantially air tight fit of cover  24  to sidewalls  14  and  22  and to base  18  thereby creating a sealed enclosed space within interior  16  of enclosure  4 .  
         [0022]     Exhaust port  54  passes through second sidewall  22  to provide a passageway for exhaled or uninhaled gases to escape. Exhaust port  54  may be located in second sidewall  22  at approximately the same vertical position as that of intake port  12  in first sidewall  14 , generally above the vertical midpoint thereof.  
         [0023]     In the preferred embodiment, the enclosure is rectilinear though other shapes may be employed provided the cover  24  serves as top and a side of the resulting enclosure. The preferred embodiment enclosure  4  encloses a volume of approximately one cubic foot.  
         [0024]     Referring now additionally to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that enclosure  4  comprises rest brackets  56  against which cover  24  may rest when fully open. Brackets  56  serve as stops to limit the travel of cover  24  about hinge  58 . Brackets  56  comprise upwardly extending outwardly angled arms  78 .  
         [0025]     A handle  60  is mounted to cover  24  near its free edge  28  and a pair of latches  62  are fixed to cover  24  upon outer face  64  of second panel  34  such that the bails  66  of latches  62  may capture catches  68  when cover  24  is lowered to its closed position.  
         [0026]     Each of panels  32 ,  34  of cover  24  further comprises frames  70 ,  72  which are formed with peripheral recesses  74  to permit the resting of panel edges within rabbets  52  of sidewalls  14 ,  22  and rear wall  18 .  
         [0027]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , it is seen that each of panels  32 ,  34  of cover  24  of enclosure  4  includes a transparent window  80 ,  82  of clear acrylic or clear polycarbonate or of glass, preferably tempered or shatterproof glass. The inclusion of windows  80 ,  82  provides the ability for veterinary staff to observe a cat or other small animal housed in closed enclosure  4  as anesthesia is administered or as treatment with nebulized medicament is carried out.  
         [0028]     It can also be understood from examination of  FIG. 3  that intake port  12  and exhaust port  54  comprise tubes  84  which extend from respective sidewalls  14 ,  22  such that flexible hoses may be attached to the tubes  84  of ports  12  and  54 . Tubes  84  may be tapered to ease placement of plastic tubing over them, or they may be provided with annular ribs (not shown) in the conventional manner to assist in frictional retention of tubing to tubes  84 .  
         [0029]     In the case of the use of enclosure  4  as an anesthesia induction chamber, a source of anesthetic gas (not illustrated) may be coupled to one of ports  12 ,  54  through conventional hose or tubing so that the anesthetic gas can be passed into the enclosure while uninhaled or exhaled gas may be vented from the port not used for insertion of the anesthetic gas.  
         [0030]     The enclosure  4  may also be used as an oxygen inhalation chamber. In the case of administration of inhalable oxygen, the intake port  12  in the first side end wall  14  may be connected to tubing coupled to a source of oxygen and the exhaust port  54  in the second sidewall  22  may be left open.  
         [0031]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a cross section view of the enclosure  4  is illustrated. Bracket  56  extends from outer face  86  of rear wall  20 , with the arm  78  of bracket  56  extending upward and away from the plane of outer face  86 . Arm  78  is angled appropriately to parallel the outer face  88  of first panel  32  of cover  24  thereby to provide a stop or rest for cover  24  when it is fully open. It can be seen that first panel  32  joins second panel  34  at a substantial perpendicular and that window  82  is retained in slots  90  of frame  72  of second panel  34 . Window  82  comprises a substantial area of second panel  34 . Similarly, window  80  of first panel  32  makes up a large proportion of the area of first panel  32  and is retained in slots  92  of frame  70 .  
         [0032]     Base  18  is provided with a shelf  94  to receive the tongue  96  of second panel  34  when cover  24  is lowered to the fully closed position. Rabbets  52  allow for a snug and substantially airtight closure of cover  24  in abutment with second sidewall  22   
         [0033]     The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations of the embodiments are possible in light of the above disclosure or such may be acquired through practice of the invention. The embodiments illustrated were chosen in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and by their equivalents.