FOLDABLE INFLATABLE HYPERBARIC CHAMBER
20240173186 ยท 2024-05-30
Inventors
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a hyperbaric chamber that is capable of folding and unfolding, thereby reducing and increasing its inner volume, respectively. The inner volume is confined by a structural body and optionally also by top and bottom structural covers having a dome shape and being coupled to a structural body. The structural body, i.e., the structure that extends along a longitudinal axis of the chamber and grants the chamber a substantial portion of its geometric stability when the hyperbaric chamber is inflated with pressurized gas. The structural body is formed of two types of regions, a first, non-transparent region and a second, at least partially transparent region, both regions are reinforced to a degree for withstanding the desired internal pressure, namely a pressure difference between the internal volume of the chamber and the ambient pressure.
Claims
1. An assembly for supporting a foldable inflatable hyperbaric chamber and allowing inclination adjustment of the chamber, comprising: a base; one or more arms coupled to said base and are configured to be coupled with one or more coupling locations at the external surface of said hyperbaric chamber; wherein said one or more arms are adjustable between various states, which the combination of the states of different arms, defines the inclination of the chamber.
2. The assembly of claim 1, comprising one or more auxiliary arms connecting two or more of said coupling locations.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said one or more arms comprise one or more couples of arms, each arm of the couple is coupled to a respective coupling location opposite to the coupling location of the other arm of the couple.
4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said one or more arms are rotatably coupled to the base to allow said adjustability between various states.
5. An inclination assembly for supporting a foldable inflatable hyperbaric chamber, comprising: an elongated support arrangement extending between first and second ends and configured for coupling with the foldable inflatable hyperbaric chamber, said support arrangement comprises a rigid frame defining a frame enclosure sized for supporting said foldable inflatable hyperbaric chamber; an inclination mechanism for allowing controlling the inclination of the elongated support arrangement along a range of inclination positions.
6. The inclination assembly of claim 5, wherein the elongated support arrangement comprises one or more supporting sheets fixed to the rigid frame to fit within at least a portion of the frame enclosure.
7. The inclination assembly of claim 5, wherein the first end is pivotally coupled to a first anchoring structure, and the inclination mechanism is pivotally coupled to a coupling portion of the rigid frame other than the first end.
8. The inclination assembly of claim 7, wherein the coupling portion is defined between the first and second ends, more proximal to the second end.
9. The inclination assembly of claim 7, wherein the inclination mechanism is formed of two segments pivotally coupled to one another at a segment coupling portion, the first segment is coupled to the coupling portion other than the segment coupling portion, and the second segment is coupled to a second anchoring structure other than the segment coupling portion.
10. The inclination assembly of claim 9, wherein the inclination mechanism is switchable between two inclination positions, a first inclination position forms a selected angle between a frame plane defined by the rigid frame and a horizontal plane, a second inclination position in which the frame plane is co-planar with the horizontal plane.
11. The inclination assembly of claim 10, wherein segment coupling portion is configured to engage the ground in the second inclination position to provide additional support.
12. The inclination assembly of claim 9, comprising a container sized for containing said inclination assembly, said container comprises said first and second anchoring structures.
13. The inclination assembly of claim 5, wherein the rigid frame is formed of a plurality of rigid frame members coupled to one another.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0200] In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0219] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the presently disclosed subject matter. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the presently disclosed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the presently disclosed subject matter.
[0220] In the figures and descriptions set forth, identical reference numerals indicate those components that are common to different embodiments or configurations. Further, it will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity.
[0221] As used herein, the phrase for example, such as, for instance and variants thereof describe non-limiting embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter. Reference in the specification to one case, some cases, other cases or variants thereof means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment(s) is included in at least one embodiment of the presently disclosed subject matter. Thus, the appearance of the phrase one case, some cases, other cases or variants thereof does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment(s).
[0222] It is appreciated that, unless specifically stated otherwise, certain features of the presently disclosed subject matter, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the presently disclosed subject matter, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.
[0223] According to certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, there is provided a foldable inflatable hyperbaric chamber for, inter alia, providing hyperbaric-oxygen environment therein intended for regeneration and therapeutic purposes.
[0224] Bearing this in mind, attention is drawn to
[0225] The foldable inflatable hyperbaric chamber 100 (also referred to herein as chamber) includes a structural body 102 with a sealable opening 302 (shown in
[0226] According to certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, the structural body 102 having a substantially tubular shape, when inflated with gas. It can be formed by two segments of flexible material(s) firmly coupled (e.g., sewed and welded) therebetween at their edges to form the substantially tubular shape, as can be seen in
[0227] The second segment of the flexible material, that may form the front portion 202 of the chamber 100, can be made of a reinforcing mesh 108 (also referred to herein as mesh) embedded within a polymeric material layer 109 (best seen in
[0228] Synthetic fibers forming the strands can be made from, by way of non-limiting example. Aromatic polyamide materials (also known as Aramid fibers. e.g., Kevlar? fibers. Nomex? fibers, etc.). It is to be noted that in other cases, other materials and/or combinations thereof can be used to make the synthetic fibers.
[0229] It is to be noted that the chamber 100 is made of light weight, flexible materials (e.g., as described herein) and could be folded to a small volume, as optionally described herein below with respect to
[0230] In some cases, the mesh 108 can be woven utilizing a Leno weave technique, known to ordinary person skilled in the art, which enables a geometric stability of the reinforcing mesh 108 structure. That is, the mesh does not substantially deform and fail under high pressure (e.g., 10 atm).
[0231] In some cases, the mesh 108 can be embedded within the polymeric material layer by a Calendering process.
[0232] The chamber 100 includes two flexible hemi-spherical structural elements 104 that are firmly coupled (e.g., sewed and welded) to opposite sides of the structural body 102 at coupling portions thereof 114. The two hemi-spherical structural elements 104 and the structural body 102 are enclosing an inner volume of the chamber 100. Said inner volume can be entered or exited through the sealable opening 302 by a subject. By way of non-limiting example, the flexible hemi-spherical structural elements 104 can be made from a flexible material such as a Kevlar? fabric coated with Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) on both sides thereof. In some cases, the sealable opening 302 can include a first zip fastener that is configured to prevent gas passage between the structural body 102 (e.g., the inner volume) and its surroundings. In some other cases, the sealable opening 302 can include a second zip fastener that is configured to withstand stress forces experienced by the chamber 100 when inflated by pressurized gas. It is to be noted that utilizing zip fasteners is by no means limiting and the teachings herein can be performed utilizing any other sealing and/or fastening techniques (e.g., buckle fasteners) and/or combinations thereof, mutatis mutandis.
[0233] According to certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, the sealable opening 302 can be located on the second segment of the flexible material, that may form the front portion 202 of the chamber 100. That is, the sealable opening 302 can be formed entirely on the reinforcing mesh 108. Such configuration enables convenient entry and egress of the subject into/from the inner volume. In some cases, at least portion of the sealable opening 302 can be formed on the mesh 108. That is, the sealable opening 302 can extend from the mesh 108 portion to the back portion of the structural body 102.
[0234] In some cases, the chamber 100 can further include one or more reinforcing rings 118 applied on at least a part of the coupling portions 114 of the chamber 100. Said reinforcing rings 118 are configured to provide additional circumferential sealing layer to areas where the hemi-spherical structural elements 104 are connected to the structural body 102. By way of non-limiting example, the reinforcing rings 118 can be made from a Kevlar? fabric coated with Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) on both sides thereof.
[0235] According to certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, the chamber 100 can operate with a maximum working gas pressure of approximately 10 atm (that is, the chamber 100 can maintain an interior gas pressure of approximately 10 atm). Accordingly, the structural body 102 is configured to withstand a relative air pressure of up to approximately 9 bar (e.g., the relative pressure between the inner volume of the chamber 100 and the ambient pressure thereof, such as for example, the pressure at sea level which is typically approximately 1 atm).
[0236] In some cases, the chamber 100 can further include one or more of: an air/oxygen flow valve, an over-pressure relief valve or ventilation valve. For instance, the ventilation valve can be configured to ventilate the gas inside the chamber 100 at a rate of 30 liters/min. In some cases, said one or more valves can be located on the structural body 102 portion of the chamber 100. Additionally, the chamber 100 can further include a control panel configured to, inter alia, automatically control operation of the one or more valves (e.g., open and close), regulate oxygen supply to hoods or masks (where applicable) that may be worn by the subject while being inside the chamber 100, etc.
[0237] In some cases, the chamber 100 can further include one or more sensors, such as but not limited to, an oxygen sensor, a temperature sensor or a pressure sensor, that may be located on the structural body 102 portion of the chamber 100. The control panel can be configured to control operation of the one or more valves based on readings from the one or more sensors. In some cases, the one or more valves and/or sensors may be operated manually.
[0238] The inflatable spreading structure 106 (also referred to herein as skeleton) of the chamber 100 is illustrated separately in
[0239] Referring to
[0240] Such configuration of the adjustable seat 120 can offer the subject a free movement between one or more relaxed reclining positions, that can be adjusted before and/or during the hyperbaric treatment inside the chamber 100. This can be achieved by rotating one or more adjustable seat 120 portions (e.g., the backrest portion 304, seat portion 306, footrest extension 308 and/or backrest supporting member 318) about their respective joint portions (e.g., the first joint portion 312, second joint portion 314 and/or third joint portion 318) which allows adjusting position or inclination of the respective adjustable seat portion.
[0241] In some cases, the adjustable seat 120 can be anchored to at least one anchoring point at the structural body 102, e.g., anchoring point 316. This may secure the seat 120 to the chamber 100 and prevent its movement (e.g., sliding, falling down, etc.) when the chamber 100 is in a substantially vertical position and/or inclination with respect to the ground surface (e.g., substantially vertical positions as illustrated in
[0242] Each adjustable seat 120 portion (e.g., the backrest portion 304, seat portion 306, footrest extension 308 and/or backrest supporting member 318) may be formed of a respective rolled pipe frame. For example, frames 320 and 322 of the backrest portion 304 and footrest extension 308, respectively, as illustrated in
[0243] Such configuration of rolled pipe frames integrates with the substantially tubular shape of the structural body 102 and thereby may create a continuous line of contact therewith which distributes the pressure or tension exerted thereon.
[0244] According to certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, upon completion of the hyperbaric treatment, the adjustable seat 120 can be manually detached from the structural body 102 and swiftly folded to a compact portable configuration and vice versa.
[0245] Referring to
[0246] The inclination assembly 500 includes an elongated support arrangement 502 and an inclination mechanism 506. The elongated support arrangement 502 is extending between a first end 508 and a second end 510 thereof and is configured for coupling with the foldable inflatable hyperbaric chamber 100 (as shown for example in
[0247] It is to be noted that utilizing supporting sheets 512 is by no means limiting and the teachings herein can be performed utilizing any other supporting means and/or techniques, mutatis mutandis.
[0248] In some cases, the rigid frame 504 can be formed of a plurality of rigid frame members 514 coupled to one another. That is, the rigid frame 504 can be assembled or disassembled by connecting the plurality of rigid frame members 514 to one another, to form the frame 504. By way of non-limiting example, the frame members 514 can be carbon rods configured to withstand a weight of the chamber 100 while it is accommodated by a subject therein.
[0249] The inclination mechanism 506 allows to control the inclination of the elongated support arrangement 502, and thereby the inclination of the chamber 100 when it is coupled thereto, along a range of inclination positions. For instance.
[0250] In order to enable changing the inclination positions of the elongated support arrangement 502, the first end 508 thereof can be pivotally coupled (e.g., by coupling two rigid frame members 514) to a first anchoring structure 516. Additionally, inclination mechanism 506 can be pivotally coupled to a coupling portion of the rigid frame 504, other than the first end 508. For this purpose, the coupling portion can be defined between the first end 508 and the second end 510 of the rigid frame 504, in some cases more proximal to the second end 510 (as for example illustrated in
[0251] In some cases, the inclination mechanism 506 can be formed of two segments 518, 520 pivotally coupled to one another at a segment coupling portion 522. The first segment 518 can be pivotally coupled to a coupling portion of the rigid frame 504, other than the segment coupling portion 522. The second segment 520 can be pivotally coupled to a second anchoring structure 524 other than the segment coupling portion 522. Such configuration enables rotation of each of the segments 518, 520 about their respective coupling portions, as further described herein below with respect to
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[0253] According to certain embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, the container 600 can include the first anchoring structure 516 and the second anchoring structure 524, configured to enable aforesaid coupling.
[0254] Attention is now drawn to
[0255] In some cases, the inclination mechanism 506 can be switchable between two inclination positions: [0256] (a) a first inclination position (e.g., as illustrated in
[0258] In some cases, the inclination mechanism 506 can be a pneumatic piston configured to perform teaching described herein.
[0259] Reference is now being made to
[0260] A sealable opening 666 is formed in the structural body 652 and is formed with at least one zipper 668 for allowing a subject to enter and exit an inner volume of the hyperbaric chamber 650.
[0261] The structural body is cylindrical, in the inflated state, having two opposite openings which are sealed by two opposite structural covers 670 that are sewn to the structural body 652.
[0262] A grid of reinforcing bands 672 embrace the external surface of the structural body and the structural covers to provide more durability to the chamber so it can withstand very high-pressure difference between its interior and the ambient pressure.
[0263] A seat 674 is accommodated within the internal volume 676 of the chamber confined by the structural body 652 and the structural covers 670. The seat 674 can be adjusted to assume several sitting states. This is performed by adjusting seat elements that are capable of rotation, each about a respective axis.
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[0267] It is to be understood that the presently disclosed subject matter is not limited in its application to the details set forth in the description contained herein or illustrated in the drawings. The presently disclosed subject matter is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Hence, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 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 designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present presently disclosed subject matter.