Patent Publication Number: US-6668493-B1

Title: Modular medical gas services unit

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 29/135,785, filed Jan. 16, 2001, now U,S. Pat. No. D452,573 entitled Modular Medical Gas Services Column, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 29/124,148, filed May 31, 2000, entitled Modular Medical Gas Services Column, now U.S. Pat. No. D443,365, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/781,220, filed Jan. 10, 1997, entitled Modular Medical Gas Services Column, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,935, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/297,193, filed Aug. 26, 1994, entitled Modular Medical Gas Services Column, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,876, and the entire contents of each these applications is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to modular medical gas services units. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular medical gas services column constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the modular medical gas services column shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line  2 — 2 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the modular medical gas services column shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line  3 — 3 . 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modular medical gas services column in accordance with the present invention showing several items of medical gas service operating equipment connected to the medical gas outlets. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged, perspective view of a portion of the modular medical gas services column shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention wherein the modular medical gas services column is pentagonal in cross-section and has a medical gas outlet on each side. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the modular medical gas services column shown in FIG. 6 taken along the line  7 — 7 . 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the modular medical gas services column shown in FIG. 6 taken along the line  8 — 8 . 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged, perspective view of a portion of the modular medical gas services column shown in FIG. 6 with medical gas services operating devices attached. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In health care facilities such as hospitals, clinics and convalescent centers, it is essential that medical gas services, such as vacuum, compressed air and oxygen, be immediately available in the event of a medical emergency. Modular units for supplying medical gas services have virtually supplanted the use of individual medical gas systems, such as oxygen tanks and suction machines. Although modular units eliminate the need for multiple pieces of independent equipment at the bedside, the modular unit itself can become an obstacle which interferes with medical care. In critical care units and emergency rooms, multiple medical practitioners must be able to work at the bedside at the same time. Also, the patient must be accessible from virtually every position around the bed, from the head, the foot and the length of both sides. The present invention provides a modular medical gas services unit in the form of a narrow tower or column which is accessible from all sides and occupies little space. 
     Most modular units provide multiple outlets for medical gases, as well as electrical outlets, telephone outlets, clocks and other services. Although electrical outlets, for example, can be placed in a wide range of locations—i.e., high and low—, the outlets for medical gases must be placed at a convenient height. This is because when the medical gas operating equipment is in use, the function of the equipment must be monitored visually and the controls must be within an arm&#39;s reach. For example, medical personnel must be able to visually confirm the flow rate of an oxygen flow meter as well as to quickly adjust it. Thus, the desired level for supporting medical gas outlets usually is between about 40 inches and about 60 inches from the floor. 
     The operating devices for medical gases, such as vacuum control units and collections containers, as well as oxygen flow meters and humidification containers, are large and substantially wider than the medical gas outlet to which they are connected. Thus, the number of gas outlets which can used at the same time is limited vertically and horizontally by the space needed to accommodate the dimensions of the operating equipment. Because of the height limitations (40″-60″), it is usually undesirable to mount two pieces of equipment vertically. Thus, there is a need to provide as many medical gas outlets as possible at the same height but in a confined space. The modular medical gas services column of this invention is provided with multiple medical gas outlets at the same height, and the outlets are spaced a sufficient distance apart to accommodate a wide range of conventional operating equipment. 
     The Embodiment of FIGS.  1 - 5   
     With reference now to the drawings in general and to FIG. 1 in particular, there is shown therein a modular medical gas services column in accordance with the present invention. The column, designated generally by the reference numeral  10 , comprises a narrow vertical frame  12 . 
     In most instances the frame  12  will be sized for placement between the floor and ceiling of a medical facility. Thus, the column  10  may be equipped with brackets  15  and feet  16  by which the frame  12  is anchored in the selected location. 
     The frame  12  may be conveniently formed by vertical corner members  14  joined by multiple cross members (not shown). The frame  12  defines an external support surface  20 . As seen in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the external support surface  20  is formed of at least one planar surface and preferably four planar surfaces, such as the side panels  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28 . The side panels  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28  are connected in some suitable manner to the vertical corner members  14  or the internal cross members or both to form a column which is square in cross-section. See FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, in the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the external support surface  20  forms a hollow tubular structure so that the surface  20  encloses an internal space  30 . 
     As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, at least two medical gas supply assemblies  34  are mounted on the surface  20 . Even more preferably, eight medical gas supply assemblies  34  are supported on the surface  20  around the frame  12  and preferably all at about the same height on the frame  12 . As previously indicated, the desired height usually will be between about 40 inches and about 60 inches from the floor (not shown). 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the medical gas supply assembly  34  includes an outlet housing  36  having a first end  38  and a second end  40 . An outlet  42  (see also FIG. 1) is supported on the first end  38  so that it is accessible from near the column  10 . The second end  40  extends into the internal space  30  of the frame  12 . In most instances, the medical gas supply assembly will include a gas conduit  44  (see FIG.  5 ). The conduit  44  has a first end  46  (FIG. 3) connected to the second end  40  of the medical gas outlet housing  36  and a second end  48  adapted to be connected to a medical gas supply. However, in some cases, the conduit may be attached during installation of the column  10  on site. 
     With continuing reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the width of each of the side panels  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28  is only slightly wider than a conventional medical gas outlet. Thus, using conventional components, only four medical gas outlets could be mounted at the same level on a column this narrow. 
     However, the number of gas supply assemblies  34  which can be mounted on this narrow, four-sided column  10  is doubled by employing an angled outlet panel  50 . At least one angled outlet panel  50  may be provided on each side panel  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28 . 
     The angled outlet panel  50  comprises generally an angled support bracket  51  by which the medical gas supply assembly is mounted to the frame  12  by screws or some suitable means (not shown). A molded trim cover  52  is attached over the bracket  51 . In the embodiment shown, the bracket  51  and cover  52  are as wide as the side panel  22 . Thus, the side panel  22  is divided into an upper and lower section, and the outlet panel  50  is mounted between the sections. In some embodiments, however, the side panels may be formed of a single section. 
     Both the bracket  51  and the trim cover are formed into angles, thus defining first and second planar outlet support surfaces  54  and  56 . The first and second planar outlet support surfaces are adjacent and angled relative to each other. Thus, the planes defined by each surface  54  and  56  intersect to form an angle “A,” as illustrated in FIG.  3 . Preferably, the angle A is at least 90 degrees, more preferably, angle A is an obtuse angle, and most preferably, angle A is about 135 degrees. 
     Now a major advantage of the angled medical gas outlet panel of the present invention will be apparent. As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the use of the angled outlet panels  50  permits closer-placement of two pieces of medical gas services operating a equipment than is possible with two conventional planar outlet panels placed side by side. For example, the two adjacent vacuum control boxes with depending containers  60  and  62  could not be supported so closely together if connected to two medical gas outlets mounted flush in the side panel  24 . For a side-by-side, flush-mounted arrangement, the width of the side panel  24  would have to be increased. This would, in turn, increase the overall size of the column  10  which is contrary to the goal of reducing space requirements in medical gas services modules. 
     Yet, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, even with the minimal overall size of the column  10  of this invention, there is ample room internally and externally for numerous other service outlets and attachment devices. For example, electrical outlets  70  can be positioned at various heights. Telephone jacks  72 , and display panels for digital clocks and timers  74  can be conveniently placed along the vertical length of the side panels  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28 . Still further, the vertical corner members  14  may be formed to provide equipment mounting tracks  76 , and additional equipment mounting tracks  78  can be mounted on the side panels. In this way, bracket devices permit the adjustable attachment of a wide variety of other equipment. 
     The Embodiment of FIGS.  6 - 9   
     Turning now to FIGS. 6-9, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Illustrated in FIG. 6 is a modular medical gas services column  100  comprising a vertical frame  102 . As best seen in FIG. 7, a preferred frame  102  comprises a plurality of vertical members  103  which are connected by internal cross members (not shown). Thus, the frame  102  forms a hollow tubular structure having an external support surface  104  which encloses an internal space  106 . Although the external support surface  104  may take several forms, a preferred configuration comprises five planar side panels  110 ,  112 ,  114 ,  116  and  118  of equal width. 
     In the preferred construction, the width of each side panel is only sightly greater than the width of a conventional medical gas service outlet. In this way, a medical gas outlet may be place on each side panel  110 ,  112 ,  114 ,  116  and  118  at about the same height. 
     To that end, the column  100  comprises at least two medical gas supply assemblies, one of which is designated by the reference numeral  120 . As shown in FIG. 8, the medical gas supply assembly  120  comprises generally an outlet housing  122  mounted on a bracket  123  which is attached to the vertical members  103  of the frame  102 . 
     The outlet housing  122  has a first end  124  supporting the exposed outlet  125  and a second end  126  which extends into the internal space  106 . A window  127  is cut in the side panel  118  to expose the outlet  125 . The second end  126  of the outlet housing  122  is adapted to be connected to a gas conduit  130  which is contained in the internal space  106 . As best seen in FIG. 9, the other end  132  of the gas conduit  130  is adapted to be connected to a medical gas supply (not shown). 
     Returning to FIG. 8, it now will be understood that the longitudinal axis of each of the medical gas supply assemblies  120  extends generally radially from the center of the internal space  106  or the longitudinal axis of the frame  102 . Thus, the intersection of the longitudinal axes of any two adjacent outlet housings  120  forms an acute angle, designated herein as “B.” The acuity of angle B will vary depending on the number of medical gas supply assemblies mounted around the frame. In the pentagonal configuration shown, angle B is about 72 degrees. 
     Turning once more to FIG. 9, the advantage of the present invention is illustrated further. With the medical gas supply assemblies  120  mounted radially at acute angles to each other, the number of medical gas service operating devices  134  which can be used simultaneously is increased without increasing the overall dimensions of the column  100 . 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1-5, and particularly to FIG. 3, it will be appreciated that the medical gas supply assemblies  34  in the first embodiment using the angled outlet panels  50  also are arranged radially so that the longitudinal axes of adjacent outlet housings  36  intersect to form acute angles. However, in the first described embodiment, the distance between the outlets is not equal; outlets in the same outlet panel  50  are closer than outlets in adjacent outlet panels. Similarly, although the angle formed by the longitudinal axes of any two adjacent outlet housings is acute, the angles are not all the same; for example, the axes of outlet housings  34  in the same outlet panel  50  is about 40 degrees, while the angle between outlet housings in adjacent outlet panels is about 50 degrees. 
     It will also be appreciated that the longitudinal axes of the outlet housings  36 , as shown in FIG. 3, do not extend radially precisely from the center of the internal space  30  of the longitudinal axis of the frame  12 . Nevertheless, for purposes of this invention, the expression “generally radially” is intended to include such a slightly offset arrangement as is found in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5. 
     Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of the various parts, elements, steps and procedures described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.