Abstract:
A mechanism for transporting a medical device, wherein the medical device may be quickly and/or conveniently disconnected from a patient or a member of a healthcare provider&#39;s medical staff transporting the medical device. Also, a method of transporting a medical device, wherein the method provides for the quick and/or convenient detachment of the medical device from a patient or medical staff member transporting the medical device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to components, systems, and methods for transporting a medical device. More particularly, the present invention relates to such components, systems, methods that may conveniently be disconnected from a medical device.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Medical devices are often too fragile, sensitive, bulky, and/or heavy to be conveniently transported without the use of wheels, rollers, or other attachments. However, some medical devices are sufficiently robust, small, and lightweight to be conveniently picked up by, for example, a medical staff member of a healthcare facility. In fact, some medical devices are sufficiently portable that they may be attached or connected to and carried by a patient being monitored and/or cared for by the medical device. For example, some currently available medical devices are connected to shoulder straps that form a loop beginning at the medical device, extending across a patient&#39;s chest, shoulder, and back, and ending back at the medical device.  
         [0003]     Once attached to a patient, a medical device having the above-mentioned shoulder strap connected thereto is often difficult to remove from the patient. For example, when a patient is lying down in a hospital bed, a portion of the strap will be wedged between the patient&#39;s back and the hospital bed. Thus, the medical device may not be removed without forcing the patient&#39;s back off of the bed, which may cause the patient discomfort or which may wake a sleeping patient.  
         [0004]     At least in view of the above, it would be desirable to provide mechanisms for conveniently removing a medical device from a patient, medical staff member or other person to which the medical device is attached. It would also be desirable to provide methods for conveniently removing a medical device from a patient, medical staff member or other person to which the medical device is attached.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention wherein, in a first embodiment thereof, a mechanism for transporting a medical device is provided. The mechanism includes a receiving portion connected to a medical device. The mechanism also includes a releasable engaging portion including a rigid component and configured to releasably engage the receiving portion. In addition, the mechanism further includes an accommodating portion connected to the engaging portion and configured to accommodate a user transporting the medical device when the engaging portion is engaged with the receiving portion.  
         [0006]     In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, a method of transporting a medical device is provided. The method includes connecting a receiving portion to a medical device. The method also includes releasably engaging the receiving portion with an engaging portion including a rigid component and having an accommodating portion connected thereto. In addition, the method further includes transporting the medical device using the accommodating portion when the engaging portion is engaged with the receiving portion.  
         [0007]     In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, another mechanism for transporting a medical device is provided. This other mechanism includes connecting means for connecting to a medical device. This other mechanism also includes engaging means for releasably engaging the connecting means, wherein the engaging means includes a rigid component. In addition, this other mechanism also includes accommodating means for accommodating a user transporting the medical device when the engaging means is engaged with the connecting means, wherein the accommodating means is connected to the engaging means.  
         [0008]     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.  
         [0009]     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
         [0010]     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a mechanism for transporting a medical device according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates another perspective view of the mechanism for transporting a medical device illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a mechanism for transporting a medical device according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates another perspective view of the mechanism for transporting a medical device illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout.  FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a mechanism  10  for transporting a medical device  12  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]     In  FIG. 1 , the medical device  12  is a chest drainage unit that, for example, may be used to evacuate air and/or fluid from a patient&#39;s chest cavity. Such evacuation helps to re-establish normal intrathoracic pressure in the patient&#39;s chest cavity and also facilitates the re-expansion of the patient&#39;s lungs to restore normal breathing dynamics. However, upon practicing one or more embodiments of the present invention, one of skill in the art will appreciate that, according to other embodiments of the present invention, the chest drainage unit illustrated in  FIG. 1  may be replaced with another medical or, alternatively, a non-medical device.  
         [0017]     The mechanism  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes a receiving portion  14  that is connected to the medical device  12 . In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the receiving portion  14  includes a substantially closed loop of material that is connected to an outer surface  16  of the casing  17  of the medical device  12 . Often, the receiving portion  14  is made from the same material that the casing  17  of the medical device  12  is made from. Also, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the receiving portion  14  is formed directly into or as part of the outer surface  16  of the casing  17 . Commonly, the receiving portion  14  and/or the casing  17  of the medical device  12  is made from a hard plastic, a metal, or a metal alloy.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  illustrates another perspective view of the mechanism for transporting the medical device illustrated in  FIG. 1 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the mechanism  10  also includes a releasable engaging portion  18  that is configured to releasably engage the receiving portion  14 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the releasable engaging portion  18 , according to certain embodiments of the present invention, takes the form of a clip. The clip  18  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  includes an arcuate portion  20  that extends through the receiving portion  14  and a movable flexible portion  22  that abuts the arcuate portion  20  when no pressure is being applied to the flexible portion  22 . When sufficient force or pressure is applied to the flexible portion  22 , the flexible portion  22  is moved away from the arcuate portion  20  and toward the interior portion  23  of the clip.  
         [0019]     As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art upon practicing one or more embodiments of the present invention, the releasable engaging portion  18  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  may quickly and conveniently be disconnected from the receiving portion  14  on the medical device  12  by applying pressure against the flexible portion  22  and then pulling the entire releasable engaging portion  18  away from the receiving portion  14 .  
         [0020]     The mechanism  10  for transporting the medical device  12  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  also includes an accommodating portion  24  that is connected to the engaging portion  18 . Typically, the accommodating portion  24  is configured to accommodate a user (e.g., a patient or a member of a medical facility&#39;s staff) transporting the medical device  12  when the engaging portion  18  is engaged with the receiving portion  14 .  
         [0021]     In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the accommodating portion  24  includes a flexible portion that takes the form of a strap. The strap forms a substantially closed loop and is attached to the releasable engaging portion  18  by a portion of the strap that passes through a slot  26  included at one end of the engaging portion  18 .  
         [0022]     The strap used in the accommodating portion  24  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  may include, for example, a flexible polymer, a fabric, a webbing, and/or any other flexible material. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the loop formed by the strap in the accommodating portion  24  is large enough to fit around a patient&#39;s or other user&#39;s shoulder. According to other embodiments, the loop is large enough to extend, for example, from the medical device  12 , across a patient&#39;s chest, over the patient&#39;s shoulder, across the patient&#39;s back, and back to the medical device  12 .  
         [0023]     According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the size of the loop formed in the accommodating portion  24  is adjustable. In order to accommodate such adjustability, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the accommodating portion  24  includes a strap whose ends pass through a buckle  28  that is also included as a part of the accommodating portion  24 . According to some of these embodiments, in order to adjust the size of the loop formed in the accommodating portion  24 , longer or shorter portions of the strap are allowed to pass through the buckle  28 . As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art upon practicing embodiments of the present invention, devices other than a buckle may be used to adjust the loop illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . For example, a clip may be used to hold one section of a strap making up the accommodating portion  24  over another section of the strap.  
         [0024]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate perspective views of a mechanism for transporting a medical device  30  according to another embodiment of the present invention. The mechanism  30  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  includes a two-piece engaging portion  32 . More specifically, the engaging portion  32  includes a female portion of a buckle  34  and a male portion of a buckle  36 . In  FIG. 3 , the female portion  34  and the male portion  36  are disengaged and, in  FIG. 4 , the female portion  34  and the male portion  36  are engaged.  
         [0025]     The mechanism  30  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  may be used to transport a medical device  38  such as, for example, a chest drainage unit. However, the mechanism  30  may also be used to transport non-medical devices.  
         [0026]     The mechanism  30  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  includes a receiving portion  40  that is connected to the medical device  38 . In many respects, the receiving portion  40  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  is analogous to the receiving portion  14  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . For example, the receiving portion  40 , according to certain embodiments of the present invention, includes a rigid plastic, a metal, or a metallic alloy and may be built directly into the medical device  38 .  
         [0027]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the above-discussed female portion of the buckle  34  is connected to the receiving portion  40  through the use of a loop  42  that extends from the female portion  34 , through the receiving portion  40 , and back to the female portion  34 . The loop  42  may be made, for example, from a strap or webbing. However, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the female portion  34  is built directly into the casing  44  of the medical device  38 .  
         [0028]     The male portion of the buckle  36  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  includes a slot  45  through which a portion of an accommodating portion  46  of the mechanism  30  passes. In a manner analogous to the accommodating portion  24  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the accommodating portion  46  is typically made from a flexible material. Also, the size of the loop formed in the accommodating portion  46  may be adjusted by the use of, for example, a buckle, a clip, or any other mechanisms or method that will become apparent to one of skill in the art upon practicing one or more embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0029]     One of skill in the art will appreciate, upon practicing one or more embodiments of the present invention, that the male portion  36  releasably engages the female portion  34  and thus allows the accommodating portion  46  of the mechanism  30  to be quickly disconnected from the medical device  38 . More specifically, a user may disengage the male portion  36  from the female portion  34  by pushing the sides  31 ,  33  of the male portion  36  together while pulling on the male portion  36 . As such, the medical device  38  may be detached from, for example, a patient, without necessitating the mechanism  30  also being detached from the patient.  
         [0030]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of transporting a medical device is provided. This method typically includes connecting a receiving portion (e.g., the receiving portion  14  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  or the receiving portion  40  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) to a medical device  12 . However, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the receiving portion may be built directly into the medical device. For example, the receiving portion may be formed in the outer casing of the medical device.  
         [0031]     According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the above-discussed connecting step includes connecting a substantially closed loop to a surface of the medical device. Typically, this substantially closed loop is formed of metals, metal alloys, and/or hard plastics. However, non-rigid, substantially closed loops may also be used.  
         [0032]     According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the above-discussed connecting step includes connecting the receiving portion to a chest drainage unit. However, according to other embodiments, this method may also be implemented using either other medical devices or using non-medical devices.  
         [0033]     The above-discussed method also typically includes releasably engaging the above-mentioned receiving portion with an engaging portion having an accommodating portion connected thereto. When implemented using the mechanism  10  illustrated in FIGS. I and  2 , this releasably engaging step may include choosing the engaging portion  18  to include a clip. When implemented using the mechanism  30  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , this releasably engaging step may be implemented by engaging a first portion of a buckle  34  with a second portion of a buckle  36 . However, other ways of implementing this step are also within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0034]     The above-discussed method also typically includes transporting the medical device using the accommodating portion when the engaging portion is engaged with the receiving portion. This transporting step may be implemented, for example, by choosing the accommodating portion to include a flexible portion that forms a substantially closed loop. Then, the loop may be placed, for example, around a patient&#39;s or medical staffer&#39;s shoulder or torso. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the above-discussed method also includes adjusting a dimension (e.g., the sized) of the loop. This may be done, for example, using the buckle  28  illustrated in  FIG. 1  or a clip, as discussed above.  
         [0035]     The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.