DEVICE FOR PROTECTING MEDICAL OPERATING DEVICES AND/OR EXAMINATION DEVICES SUCH AS AN ENDOSCOPE FROM AERIAL CONTAMINATION

Abstract

A device for protecting against an airborne contamination of a medical device including an air circulation cooling system is disclosed. The device also includes an enclosure defining a sealed receiving volume for the medical device, the protection device further comprising structure for circulating gas flow, within the enclosure, the gas flow having predetermined composition and/or quality criteria different from the external environment and able to be used by the cooling system of the medical device in operation.

Claims

1. A device for protecting against an airborne contamination of a medical device comprising an air circulation cooling system, comprising: an enclosuredefining a volume for receiving said medical device; the protection device further comprising means for circulating gas flow, within the enclosure; the gas flow having predetermined composition and/or quality criteria creating an atmosphere within the enclosure, which is different from the external environment and can be used by the cooling system of said medical device in operation.

2. The protection device according to the claim 1, characterized in that the enclosure is kept sealed against the external environment.

3. The protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas flow circulating in the protective device consists of ambient air from the external environment in which the protection device is located, the circulation means comprising: means for collecting and guiding air from the external environment towards the inner volume of the enclosure, through air inlet means arranged on the enclosure; filtration means for controlling and determining the composition and/or the quality of the air before it enters the enclosure; and air outlet means outside the enclosure.

4. The protection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the collecting and guiding means consist of suction means such as a motor and an associated fan, positioned outside the enclosure in front of the air inlet means consisting of an air inlet such as an opening arranged in the enclosure, having the filtration means.

5. The protection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the collecting and guiding means consist of suction means such as a pump connected to the air inlet means, the pump being able to contain the filtration means.

6. The protection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the filtration means are very high efficiency-type filters (HEPA filters).

7. The protection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the air outlet means consist of a one-way valve or a non-return valve such that the air can only be discharged to the external environment.

8. The protection device according to claim 7, characterized in that the air outlet means comprise filtration means.

9. The protection device according to claim 3, characterized in that it has a pipe for guiding air between an air vent of the housing and the air outlet.

10. The protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas flow comes from a specific gas source such as a neutral gas source or an air supply having predetermined composition and/or quality criteria, the means for circulating this gas flow comprising means for connecting said source to the inner volume of the enclosure, arranged on the enclosure and means for discharging the gas flow out of the enclosure.

11. The protection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the enclosure comprises blowing means making it possible to blow the gas flow entering throughout the entire enclosure.

12. The protection device according to claim 10, characterized in that the circulation means form a closed loop gas flow circulation circuit, comprising the source, a pump connected to a pipe guiding the gas flow towards the inlet in the enclosure and an outlet in the enclosure connected to a return pipe towards the source.

13. The protection device according to claim 11, characterized in that the blowing means comprise a blow ramp consisting of a perforated tube, fixed to the inside and to the rear of the enclosure on its rear face.

14. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the gas flow consists of medical air.

15. The protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the enclosurein which the medical device is received has appropriate means to enable the operation as well as the adjustment of the medical device contained therein.

16. The protection device according to claim 15, characterized in that the enclosure is of rectangular parallelepiped shape, one of the faces of which has an opening having closure means ensuring the closure of the enclosure relative to the external environment.

17. The protection device according to claim 16, characterized in that the closure means consist of a removable panel constituting one face of the enclosure which can be assembled and disassembled by force interlocking on the enclosure and which has sealing means such as a peripheral seal to enable the enclosure to be hermetically sealed once the interlocking has been carried out.

18. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the front face of the enclosure consists of a wall made of a transparent flexible material.

19. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the front face of the enclosure has an opening intended to accommodate the device to be protected, such that part of said device provided with members for adjusting, controlling and/or connecting accessories projects from the enclosure through this opening which has sealing means enabling the sealed engagement of the device to be protected in this opening.

20. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the front face consists of a flexible wall, only one side of which is attached to the rest of the enclosure, and constituting outlet means for the gas flow.

21. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the rear face of the enclosure is provided with an integrated electrical socket enabling the electrical connection of the medical device to be protected.

22. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the enclosure has means for measuring the temperature and the pressure making it possible to control the prevailing temperature and pressure within the enclosure.

Description

[0073] The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the drawing in which the figures represent:

[0074] [FIG. 1] a front side perspective view of a first embodiment of a protection device according to the invention containing a medical device;

[0075] [FIG. 2] a rear side perspective view of the device of FIG. 1;

[0076] [FIG. 3] a rear perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;

[0077] [FIG. 4] a side perspective view of FIG. 3; and

[0078] [FIG. 5] a perspective top view of the device of FIG. 4.

[0079] As can be seen in FIG. 1, a protection device according to the invention comprises an enclosure 1 of rectangular parallelepiped shape. This enclosure 1 defines an inner, preferably sealed, volume in which a medical device such as a digestive endoscope is housed.

[0080] These endoscopes generally comprise a housing B having at least one processor and at least one light source such as a xenon lamp, light-emitting diodes (LED), etc. These elements generate heat during operation that must be dissipated. For this purpose, such housing B also comprises an air cooling system with one or more fans. These endoscopes all have, regardless of brand, an air intake which comprises one or two grilles G to draw up the air inside the processor or the air source and enable a temperature reduction induced by the light source or processors and then evacuate the air.

[0081] Therefore, inside the processor and/or the light source (which may, depending on the model, be in one or two separate enclosures depending on the models and brand of the endoscope), the air from the atmosphere surrounding the medical device is drawn up by one or two fans, diffused widely in order to reduce the temperature of the light source and microprocessors, and is then discharged from inside the housing B of the device into the external environment.

[0082] In addition, the air that is used for insufflation through the endoscope is generally taken from within the housing B containing the processor without there being special provisions for monitoring the quality of this air, by virtue of an air pump connected to the processor-endoscope interface by a plastic tube. In other words, the air injected into the upper or lower digestive tract comes from the external environment, that is to say from the environment of the patients who may suffer from serious bacterial or viral conditions, as digestive endoscopy requires close contact (< 1 m) between the patient, the physician and the endoscopy system.

[0083] As already mentioned above, when there is a risk of the external environment being contaminated, there is a risk that the medical device may also be contaminated by the air circulating in the cooling system of said medical device.

[0084] In order to avoid this contamination of the medical device and the transmission to other patients or other places, the protection device according to the invention is used. This device comprises an enclosure 1 which, in the example shown, has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, the dimensions of which are suitable for defining an inner volume in which the housing B can be installed containing the processor and the light source of a digestive endoscope.

[0085] This enclosure 1 is configured to define the volume so that the latter is isolated, for example in a sealed manner from the external environment. Thus, this enclosure 1 has an opening allowing the housing B to be installed in the enclosure 1 but which, once the opening is closed, is hermetically sealed from the external environment.

[0086] This enclosure 1 therefore has a bottom face, a top face 1D, a front face 1A, a rear face 1B and two side faces 1L. One of the faces, for example the top face 1D, comprises an opening provided with closing means such as a pivotably mounted flap or a removable or retractable panel. This face 1D can thus itself constitute the means for closing the opening. In this case, this face 1D can be assembled and disassembled from the others by force interlocking for example, and has sealing means such as a peripheral seal enabling, once the interlocking has been carried out, the enclosure 1 thus assembled, to be hermetically sealed, isolating the housing B housed therein from the external environment, thus protecting it from an airborne contamination.

[0087] The protection device further comprises means for circulating “clean” air inside the enclosure 1. This enclosure 1 thus comprises, for example, on a side face 1L, an air inlet 2 and on another face, for example the rear face 1B, an air outlet 3, which are associated with the means enabling “clean” air to circulate in the enclosure.

[0088] These circulation means can notably comprise air suction means such as a fan actuated by a motor, enabling the air to be drawn towards the inside of the enclosure 1 through the inlet 2. This motor and its associated fan are positioned externally in front of the air inlet 2. The actuation of the fan causes a pressure drop behind it, creating a continuous flow of air towards the air inlet 2. This inlet 2 is then preferably provided with appropriate filtration means to prevent the passage of living microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, yeast which may be found in the aspirated air. These filters are very high efficiency-type filters (HEPA filters). They thus make it possible to predetermine, through the filtration characteristics, the composition and/or quality of the so-called “clean” air supply, according to health and safety rules.

[0089] The suction means and the filtration means are positioned outside the enclosure 1 in order to be easily maintained or replaced. The filters can thus be housed at the air inlet, accessible from the outside.

[0090] In this way, only “clean” air, that is having been filtered and therefore decontaminated can enter and circulate in the enclosure 1 according to the predetermined composition and/or quality criteria, that is without contaminants such as viruses, bacteria and microorganisms.

[0091] As a result, this “clean” air is the air that will then circulate inside the housing B as cooling air and as air blown through the endoscope.

[0092] Preferably, the air outlet 3 arranged for example in the rear face 1R of the enclosure 1 consists of a one-way valve or non-return valve such that the air can only be discharged to the external environment. It is, in particular, possible to provide a pipe 4 between the air vent G of the housing B and the air outlet 3, this latter then also being an air vent. In order to further guarantee the quality of the air that is released into the external environment, filtration means can also be placed at the air outlet 3.

[0093] According to a preferred embodiment, the front face 1A of the enclosure 1 is configured to allow access to the control and adjustment buttons 7 of the medical device as well as the connection 8 of the endoscope to the housing B, without needing to open the enclosure 1.

[0094] According to the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the front face 1A has an opening 5 through which the front face BA of the housing B of the medical device can be engaged so as to protrude from the enclosure 1. Furthermore, this opening 5 has sealing means such as a peripheral seal 6 enabling the sealed engagement of the housing B in this opening 5. Direct access thus remains at the front face BA of the housing B enabling easy handling of the control and adjustment members 7, the connection of the endoscope to the connection 8 and the data display screens 9 to be viewed.

[0095] One of the faces of the enclosure 1, preferably, the rear face 1B, is provided with an integrated electrical socket 10 enabling the electrical connection of the medical device, with the processor and the light source generally being connected to the 220 V current. This rear face 1B also comprises means for measuring the temperature and pressure to control the temperature and pressure within the enclosure 1.

[0096] The protection device according to the invention is therefore an easy to implement and secure solution, the enclosure further being easy to clean.

[0097] As can be seen in FIG. 3, the protection device according to a second embodiment of the invention comprises an enclosure 1′ whose rear face 1′R comprises means of connection 11 to a “medical” air source. These connection means 11 guide this medical air into blowing means 12 comprising notably a perforated tube in the form of a rectangular frame arranged on the inner face of the rear face 1′R of the enclosure 1′, which makes it possible to distribute the air forwards throughout the inner volume of the enclosure 1′. This medical air thus enters the housing B, the air vent G of which is located conventionally at the rear of said housing B, towards the cooling circuit of the processor of the medical device and discharges the heat towards the front of the enclosure 1′.

[0098] The front face 1′A of the enclosure 1′ consists of a flexible wall such as a flexible plastic sheet, having for example three sections. This wall is attached only to the upper face 1′D of the enclosure 1′ and is free with respect to the other faces or walls. In this way, the air blown towards the front of the enclosure 1′ can be evacuated by lifting this flexible wall. In this case, the enclosure 1′ is no longer totally isolated from the outside, but the circulation of medical air or even of filtered outside air, imposed by the blowing means 12 makes it possible to generate an atmosphere within the enclosure 1′, which is different and isolated from the external environment due to the circulating flow, such that the cooling circuit of the medical device housed in the housing B is thus cooled using a gas flow having predetermined composition and/or quality criteria that differ from the external environment, protecting it from an airborne contamination even when this medical device is used in a place in which the atmosphere may potentially be contaminated.

[0099] The enclosure 1′ of the protective device further comprises all appropriate means, passages, connections, enabling the medical device to be connected for its operation.