US4140105A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gas curtain for shielding person on an operating table
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1977-06-30
•
Granted: 1979-02-20
•
Expires: 1997-06-30
Abstract
Abstract An operation area on an operating table is flanked by a blower unit and a suction unit. The blower unit creates several vertically spaced and independently adjustable streams of gas each of which is aspirated by a respective intake of the suction unit. The lowermost stream of gas, which is sterilized, flows just tangent to the operation location on the body of a patient lying on the operating table. The outlets of the blower unit and the intakes of the suction unit are independently adjustable to position the respective gas streams in accordance with the dimensions of the body part being shielded.
Inventors
- 👤 Zinon Duvlis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:07
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61G; A61G13/00; A61G13/10; A61G13/108; F; F24; F24F; F24F9/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S55/00; Y10S55/29
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
In combination with an operating table having a platform for supporting a patient, an apparatus for shielding the supported patient from germs and comprising: blower means to one side of said platform having an upper outlet and spaced therebelow a lower outlet for discharging respective upper and lower discrete vertically spaced and generally parallel streams of sterilized air over said patient on said platform; adjustment means on said blower means for changing the size and position of each of said outlets for varying the path of the respective air stream independently of the path of the other air stream; and suction means to the other side of said platform having an upper inlet and a lower inlet respectively aligned with said upper and lower outlets of said blower means for drawing in said streams after same have passed over said platform.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
In combination with an operating table having a platform for supporting a patient, an apparatus for shielding the supported patient from germs and comprising: blower means to one side of said platform having an upper outlet and spaced therebelow a lower outlet for discharging respective upper and lower discrete vertically spaced and generally parallel streams of sterilized air over said patient on said platform; adjustment means on said blower means for changing the size and position of each of said outlets for varying the path of the respective air stream independently of the path of the other air stream; and suction means to the other side of said platform having an upper inlet and a lower inlet respectively aligned with said upper and lower outlets of said blower means for drawing in said streams after same have passed over said platform.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein each of said outlets and each of said inlets is horizontally elongated, whereby said streams are horizontally oriented curtains.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said adjustment means comprises means for changing the cross-sectional area of said streams.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein said adjustment means comprises means for changing the loci where said streams issue from said blower means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said adjustment means comprises at least one shade on each of said outlets and movable between a plurality of positions to change the size of the respective outlet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said adjustment means comprises a plurality of shades on each of said outlets and means for displacing same independently of one another to change the position of the respective outlet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said blower means further comprises a casing and means for deforming said casing for changing said paths of said streams so that said paths pass over a patient supported on said platform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said blower means further comprises a casing having a lower arcuate marginal portion near to and an upper arcuate marginal portion distant from said platform, said lower outlet being adjacent said lower marginal portion to discharge air forming said lower stream and said upper outlet being adjacent said upper marginal portion to discharge air forming said upper stream.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein said casing and said marginal portions thereof are deformable and said adjustment means includes means for deforming said casing and said marginal portions for changing the shape of said outlets.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said blower means includes a deformable casing, said adjustment means including means for deforming said casing to change the paths of said streams, said suction means comprising a housing having said inlets and being deformable, said adjustment means including means for deforming said housing and aligning said inlets with said outlets.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said suction means has arcuate first and second marginal portions, said inlets being between said marginal portions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said adjustment means has means for changing the size and position of each of said inlets.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said outlets are directed for convergence of the respective air streams, said suction means having a suction head located opposite said blower means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said blower means comprises nozzles having orifices constituting said outlets.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said blower means comprises a plurality of modules each having a respective one of said outlets for sterilized air.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said modules are elongated.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said blower means comprises a plurality of nozzles having orifices which constitute said outlets.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said blower means comprises conduits in said modules and having air-discharging ends constituting said outlets.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus defined in claim 18 wherein each of said conduits has a nozzle constituting the respective air-discharging end.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said modules are independently displaceable.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said modules are deformable and said adjustment means includes means for deforming said modules.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said modules are identical and interchangeable.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising means for changing the orientation of said blower means with respect to said platform.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising means for supporting said suction means and including means for changing the orientation of said suction means with respect to said platform.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising means for changing the relative speed of said air streams independent of each other.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising a shroud intermediate said blower means and the nearest portion of said platform.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein said shroud is deformable.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
206 words
A method of preventing access of contaminants to an area having an operating table having a platform on which a medical operation is being carried out on a body part, said method comprising the steps of: producing streams of sterile gas from shielding apparatus comprising blower means to one side of said platform having an upper outlet and spaced therebelow a lower outlet for discharging respective upper and lower discrete vertically spaced and generally parallel streams of sterilized air over said patient on said platform, adjustment means on said blower means for changing the size and position of each of said outlets for varying the path of the respective air stream independently of the path of the other air stream, and suction means to the other side of said platform having an upper inlet and a lower inlet respectively aligned with said upper and lower outlets of said blower means for drawing in said streams after same have passed over said platform; directing said streams from said blower means of said apparatus to said suction means over said area with said streams passing tangentially over said body part; and aspirating said streams into said suction means, whereby said streams form a gas curtain tangenting said part.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
206 words
A method of preventing access of contaminants to an area having an operating table having a platform on which a medical operation is being carried out on a body part, said method comprising the steps of: producing streams of sterile gas from shielding apparatus comprising blower means to one side of said platform having an upper outlet and spaced therebelow a lower outlet for discharging respective upper and lower discrete vertically spaced and generally parallel streams of sterilized air over said patient on said platform, adjustment means on said blower means for changing the size and position of each of said outlets for varying the path of the respective air stream independently of the path of the other air stream, and suction means to the other side of said platform having an upper inlet and a lower inlet respectively aligned with said upper and lower outlets of said blower means for drawing in said streams after same have passed over said platform; directing said streams from said blower means of said apparatus to said suction means over said area with said streams passing tangentially over said body part; and aspirating said streams into said suction means, whereby said streams form a gas curtain tangenting said part.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method defined in claim 28 wherein said streams are downwardly concave.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method defined in claim 28 further comprising the step of imparting to each of said streams a shape seen in the direction of flow of the respective stream which corresponds to that of the body part.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method defined in claim 28, further comprising the step of filtering the gas of said streams.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 28, further comprising the step of recirculating the gas from said suction side to said blower side.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-02-19 | 1982-08-21 | 1983-02-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-02-19 | 1986-08-21 | 1987-02-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-02-19 | 1990-08-21 | 1991-02-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |