Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02406541 2002-10-04
DEFIBRILLATOR ENCLOSURE WITH ALARM SIGNAL
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective defibrillator storage device
with an alarm
system to notify others that a cardiac arrest incident is in progress.
Description of the Prior Art
Defibrillators are used by clinicians to resuscitate patients during a cardiac
arrest. The
availability of a defibrillator and a trained clinician to utilize the
defibrillator during a cardiac
arrest are often critical to the survival of a cardiac arrest victim. As the
level of defibrillator
technology grew, defibrillators were developed which required minimal training
to apply and
operate during cardiac arrest. These defibrillators, typically called
Automated External
Defibrillators (AED), have sophisticated cardiac assessment programs which
allowed the AED to
assess the status of the cardiac arrest victim and automatically defibrillate
the cardiac arrest
victim when it is appropriate.
Since it is often beneficial to defibrillate a cardiac arrest victim at the
onset of cardiac
arrest, the AED is being used more and more by non-clinicians in settings
where it is often
difficult or impossible for fully trained medical personnel to respond quickly
to a cardiac arrest.
Consequently, AEDs are being utilized in planes, office buildings, and other
locations where
medical personnel are not readily available. As a result of this growing use
of AEDs and the
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CA 02406541 2002-10-04
need to protect the AED from unnecessary wear and tear and theft, a need has
arisen for an
adequate storage facility to protect the AED and to minimize the searching
necessary to locate
the AED during a cardiac arrest situation.
In a typical hospital setting, defibrillators are often placed on mobile carts
called "crash
carts". These carts typically have several drawers in which are placed various
medicaments and
supplies which are used by clinicians during cardiac arrests. Several of these
"crash carts" are
often located throughout the hospital. However, crash carts are typically not
feasible in many
applications outside of the clinical setting. One of the biggest drawbacks to
these crash carts is
the size of the cart. In a non clinical setting, users of the AED are
typically not sufficiently
trained to deliver medicaments and the storage space allotted for an AED is
minimal, so a bulky
crash cart is typically not required.
Also, during a cardiac arrest, it is often necessary to have several people
present in order
to assist with the resuscitation of the cardiac arrest victim. In most major
hospitals, sophisticated
warning systems are in place to notify appropriate personnel that a cardiac
arrest is currently
taking place. In locations where an AED may be used, there is often no system
in place to notify
others that a cardiac arrest is occurring. Consequently, it would be
beneficial that the use of an
AED start a signal process which would alert others of an occurrence of a
cardiac arrest.
U.S. Patent No. 4,015,250 issued to Fudge ("the '250 Patent") discloses an
enclosure for
housing a fire extinguisher with an electrically energizable warning device
connected to the
enclosure that has a resilient member to grip the body of the fire
extinguisher. The resilient
member merely holds the fire extinguisher in place with the fire extinguisher
resting on the floor
of the enclosure and does not promote awareness of the fire extinguisher.
However, the '250
Patent does not disclose an enclosure having a mount that allows greater
viewability of the
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contents of the enclosure. The claimed invention provides a defibrillator
mount that retains the
defibrillator within the enclosure in a location that provides improved
viewability of the contents
of the enclosure, thus promoting greater awareness of what type of equipment
is inside the
enclosure. Although differing sizes of defibrillators are contemplated to be
used with the
claimed invention, smaller defibrillators would not be easily viewed if held
by the resilient
member disclosed by the '250 Patent. The '250 Patent also does not disclose
the use of a
defibrillator housed in an enclosure for use in non-clinical settings such as
office buildings and
shopping malls. Using a defibrillator in combination with an enclosure of this
type allows
greater access to the use of a defibrillator, drastically cutting the response
time associated with
the deployment of the defibrillator to the victim or the victim to the
defibrillator.
U.S. Patent No. 5,388,570 issued to Wassil ("the '570 Patent") discloses a
cabinet
housing CPR masks and non-sterile hypoallergenic gloves having a lever switch
on the cabinet
automatically activating a loud piezo buzzer mounted on top of the cabinet
when the cabinet
door is opened that can be deenergized with a key-activated switch. However,
the '570 Patent
does not disclose an enclosure having a transparent door section and a mount
that allows greater
viewability of the contents of the enclosure through the transparent section
of the door. Further,
the '570 Patent does not disclose the use of a defibrillator being housed in
an enclosure for use in
non-clinical settings.
U.S. Patent No. 3,644,920 issued to Cartledge ("the '920 Patent") discloses a
panel
mounting a hook having an upturned end and is adapted to support an article
and an actuator bar
pivoted to the panel overlying the hook so that if an article is removed from
the hook the bar is
displaced. An alarm circuit is actuated by displacement of the bar and
includes a normally open
switch adapted to be closed by the bar when displaced. This prior art is
relevant in that it
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discloses the use of a relay circuit. However, the '920 Patent does not does
not disclose an
enclosure having a transparent door section and a mount that allows greater
viewability of the
contents of the enclosure through the transparent section of the door.
Further, the '920 Patent
does not disclose the use of a defibrillator being housed in an enclosure for
use in non-clinical
settings.
Accordingly, there is a need for a storage device which is easily locatable
and can protect
a defibrillator, particularly an AED, from unnecessary wear and tear and
theft.
Accordingly there is also a need for a storage device for a defibrillator
which can alert
others that a cardiac arrest situation is occurring.
The present invention is a protective defibrillator storage device with an
alarm system to
notify others that a cardiac arrest incident in progress.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the present invention
solves the
aforementioned and employs a number of novel features that render it highly
advantageous over
the prior art.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a storage device for
a defibrillator
that is easily locatable and capable of protecting the defibrillator from
unnecessary wear and tear
and theft.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a storage device for a
defibrillator
that is capable of alerting others that a cardiac arrest incident is in
progress.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a storage device for a
defibrillator
in combination with a defibrillator.
To achieve these objectives, and in accordance with the purposes of the
present invention
the following protective defibrillator storage device with an integral alarm
system is provided.
Using the defibrillator storage device in combination with a defibrillator is
also provided.
The protective defibrillator storage device has an enclosure comprised of a
plurality of
wall sections, a top section, a bottom section and a door section. The wall
sections, top section,
bottom section, and the door section define an interior compartment. The
interior compartment
is of sufficient size to house a defibrillator. A locking mechanism is
typically connected to the
door section and a wall section in order to secure the door in a closed
position. The enclosure is
typically mounted onto the surface of a wall but a stabilizing base may be
attached in order to
allow the enclosure to stand on its own. Retaining flanges can also be
connected to an exterior
surface of the enclosure to allow the enclosure to be easily recessed into a
wall.
The enclosure is preferably made of 14 GA CRS steel with a high gloss finish,
but other
rigid lightweight materials can also be used. A portion of the door section is
preferably made of
a translucent material in order to allow visibility of the interior
compartment when the door
CA 02406541 2002-10-04
section is closed.
A defibrillator mount is connected to an interior surface of the enclosure.
The
defibrillator mount should hold the defibrillator so as to provide greater
visibility of the
defibrillator within the interior compartment. However, the defibrillator
mount should also allow
for quick removal of the defibrillator from the enclosure. Different
embodiments of the
defibrillator mount are contemplated with a first embodiment consisting of
first and second
retaining members, the first retaining member angularly extending from the
interior surface
toward the second retaining member, the second retaining member vertically
adjacent the first
retaining member extending substantially perpendicular from the interior
surface having a
retaining lip angularly extending from the second retaining member toward the
first retaining
member. A second embodiment of the defibrillator mount consists of at least
one holding
member extending generally perpendicularly from an interior surface of the
enclosure, the
holding member holding the defibrillator within the enclosure so that it can
be readily viewed
through the transparent portion of the door in embodiments of the invention
having doors with
transparent door sections.
An alarm means is connected to the enclosure. The alarm means is used to
indicate that
the door of the protective defibrillator storage device has been opened, and
that a cardiac arrest
incident is possibly in progress. The alarm means is comprised of an alarm
circuit with a visual
alarm signal and an audible alarm signal. The alarm means is activated when
the door section is
opened and remains activated until the alarm means is deactivated and reset.
An activation switch for triggering the alarm means is connected to the door
section and
operatively positioned to contact an enclosure wall when the door is closed.
The activation
switch is open when the door section is closed, but upon opening of the door
section, the
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activation switch closes activating the alarm means.
An alarm deactivating switch is connected to the enclosure and is connected in
circuit to
the alarm means. The alarm deactivating switch is used to reset the system
after the alarm means
has been activated or to totally deactivate the alarm means. The alarm
deactivating switch is a
key switch connected in circuit to a power supply and to the alarm means. When
the alarm
means has been activated, the key switch is turned to an open position cutting
of power to the
alarm means and disabling the alarm. The defibrillator can then be reinserted
into the protective
defibrillator storage device and the door closed. The key switch is then
rotated to the closed
position, and the circuit between the power supply and the alarm circuit is
completed and the
alarm circuit is enabled.
The protective defibrillator storage device is typically positioned in a
highly visible and
relatively accessible area. The rugged construction of the protective
defibrillator storage device
protects the defibrillator from inadvertent impact and provides an easily
locatable housing for the
defibrillator. In case of a cardiac arrest, the protective defibrillator
storage device is opened and
the defibrillator is removed triggering the alarm means. The audible alarm
signal and the visual
alarm signal alert others that a potential cardiac arrest incident may be in
progress and that
assistance may be needed. Since the opening of the door section will trigger a
visual alarm
signal and an audible alarm signal, the protective defibrillator storage
device will also alert
others that the defibrillator has either been stolen or tampered with.
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CA 02406541 2007-09-28
In summary, a first aspect of the invention provides for a protective
defibrillator storage
device with an integral alarm system for warning others of a potential cardiac
arrest incident,
the protective defibrillator storage device comprising:
an enclosure comprising a plurality of wall sections, a top section, a bottom
section and
a door section, the wall sections, top section, bottom section and door
section defining an
interior compartment of sufficient size to house a defibrillator, the door
section partially
constructed of a translucent material allowing the interior compartment to be
viewed with the
door section closed;
alarm means connected to the enclosure;
an activation switch, the activation switch connected to the enclosure and
connected in
circuit to the alarm means, the activation switch positioned in operative
relation to a wall section
and the door section of the enclosure such that the opening of the door
section closes the
activation switch activating the alarm means; and
a defibrillator mount connected to an interior surface of the enclosure having
at least one
holder member, the holding member positioning the defibrillator within the
interior
compartment such that the defibrillator can be readily viewed through the
transparent portion
of the door section.
A second aspect of the invention provides for a protective defibrillator
storage device
with an integral alarm system for warning others of a potential cardiac arrest
incident in
combination with a defibrillator, the combination comprising:
an enclosure comprising a plurality of wall sections, a top section, a bottom
section and
a door section, the wall sections, top section, bottom section and door
section defining an
interior compartment of sufficient size to house a defibrillator;
alarm means connected to the enclosure;
an activation switch, the activation switch connected to the enclosure and
connected in
circuit to the alarm means, the activation switch positioned in operative
relation to a wall section
and the door section of the enclosure such that the opening of the door
section closes the
activation switch activating the alarm means; and
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a defibrillator, the defibrillator placed within the interior compartment of
the enclosure.
A further aspect of the invention provides for a protective defibrillator
storage
device in combination with a defibrillator, the combination comprising:
an enclosure comprising a plurality of wall sections, a top section, a bottom
section and
a door section, the wall sections, top section, bottom section and door
section defining an
interior compartment of sufficient size to house a defibrillator;
alarm means cooperably associated with the enclosure;
alarm-activation means, the alarm activation means being coperably associated
with the
enclosure and the alarm means, the alarm activation means being positioned in
operative
relation to a wall section and the door section such that displacement of the
door section from
a closed position activates the alarm means via the alarm-activation means;
and
a defibrillator, the defibrillator placed within the interior compartment of
the enclosure.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more
readily
apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction
with the
accompanying drawings.
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CA 02406541 2002-10-04
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1. A front view of the protective defibrillator storage device with the
door section
partially open.
Figure 2. An exploded view of the enclosure section revealing the interior of
the enclosure
section.
Figure 3. A side view of the protective defibrillator storage device in Figure
1 with the door
section closed.
Figure 4. An exploded view of the alarm means in Figure 1 revealing the
components of the
alarm means.
Figure 5. An overhead planar view of the circuit board in Figure 4.
Figure 6. A schematic view of the ground switch portion of the circuit board
in Figure 5.
Figure 7. A schematic view of the alarm circuit of the circuit board in Figure
5.
Figure 8. A perspective view of another embodiment of the defibrillator mount.
Figure 9. A perspective view of yet another embodiment of the defibrillator
mount.
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CA 02406541 2002-10-04
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention is a protective defibrillator storage device with an
integral alarm
system to warn others that a cardiac arrest situation may be in progress.
Referring to Figures 1,2 and 3, the protective defibrillator storage device 10
has an
enclosure 11 comprised of a plurality of wall sections 12, a top section 13, a
bottom section 14
and a door section 15. The wall sections 12, top section 13, bottom section 14
and the door
section 15 define an interior compartment of sufficient size to house a
defibrillator. A locking
mechanism 16, 16a is typically connected to the door 15 and a wall section 12
in order to secure
the door 15 in a closed position. In the preferred embodiment, the enclosure
11 is roughly 24
inches high and 14 inches wide and 3.5 inches deep. However, these dimensions
may change in
order to accommodate defibrillators of smaller or larger sizes.
The enclosure 11 is typically mounted onto the surface of a wall but a
stabilizing base
may be attached to the enclosure in order to allow the enclosure to stand on
its own. In a second
embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of retaining flanges 16
extend from an exterior
surface of the enclosure 11. The retaining flange 16 allows the enclosure to
be easily recessed
into a wall, minimizing the useful space required to accommodate the
protective defibrillator
storage device.
The enclosure 11 is preferably made of 14 GA CRS steel with a high gloss
finish, but
other rigid lightweight materials can also be used. A portion of the door
section 15 is preferably
made of a translucent material in order to allow visibility of the interior
compartment when the
door section 15 is closed, a translucent synthetic plastic material is
preferred.
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CA 02406541 2002-10-04
A defibrillator mount 17 is connected to an interior surface of the enclosure.
Figures 1,
2, and 3 show the defibrillator mount 17 attached to the back wall of the
enclosure 11. However,
the defibrillator mount 17 should also allow for quick removal of the
defibrillator from the
enclosure. The defibrillator mount 17 positions the defibrillator within the
enclosure 11 so that
the defibrillator may be readily viewed through the transparent portion of the
door 15 by
potential users of the defibrillator during a cardiac arrest situation. In the
preferred embodiment,
the defibrillator mount 17 is a U-shaped bracket, but there are various other
types of brackets or
holders which may be used to secure the defibrillator within the interior
compartment and to
allow greater visibility of the defibrillator while inside the enclosure 11.
Figure 8 shows an alternate embodiment of the defibrillator mount 117 that
also
connects to an interior surface of the enclosure. The alternate embodiment 117
has at least one
holding member 118 and a back plate 119 for connecting to the interior of the
enclosure 11.
Figure 9 shows yet another embodiment of the defibrillator mount 120.
Referring to Figures 3, 4, and 5, an alarm means 18 is connected to the
enclosure 11.
The alarm means 18 is used to indicate that the door 15 of the protective
defibrillator storage
device 10 has been opened, and that a cardiac arrest incident is possibly in
progress. The alarm
means 18 is comprised of an alarm circuit 19 with a visual alarm, preferably a
strobe light, and a
pair of audible alarms, preferably a siren and a buzzer connected in circuit
thereto. In the
preferred embodiment of the device, the strobe light and the siren are
integrated into a single
strobe light/siren device 20. The alarm means 18 is activated when the door
section is opened.
A power source is connected in circuit to the alarm means to power the alarm
circuit. In
the preferred embodiment of the invention, the power source is a 9 volt
battery. The power
source supplies the voltage necessary to operate the alarm circuit. The alarm
circuit 19 also 18
CA 02406541 2002-10-04
has a low battery detection means incorporated in its design. The low battery
detection means
detects when the battery voltage is approximately 6.2 volts and intermittently
activates the
audible alarm as a signal to alert that the battery voltage is low.
In the preferred embodiment, an activation switch 21 for triggering the alarm
means is
connected to the door section 15 and operatively positioned to contact a wall
section 12 when the
door section 15 is closed. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the
activation switch 21
is a pressure switch which remains open as long as there is adequate pressure
on the switch. The
door section 15 and a wall section 12 pressing against the switch provides the
pressure to keep
the switch open. Once the door section 15 is opened, the pressure on the
switch is released and
the switch is closed.
An alarm deactivating switch 22 is connected to the enclosure 11 and is
connected in
circuit to the alarm means 18. The alarm deactivating switch 22 is used to
reset the system after
the alarm means has been activated or to totally deactivate the alarm means
18. In the preferred
embodiment, the alarm deactivating switch 22 is a key switch connecting in
circuit the power
supply to the alarm means. When the alarm means 18 has been activated the key
switch is
turned to an open position cutting off power to the alarm means and disablinQ
the alarm. The
defibrillator can then be reinserted into the protective defibrillator storage
device and the door
closed. The key switch is then rotated to the closed position, the circuit
between the power
supply and the alarm circuit is completed, and the alarm circuit is enabled.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6, in the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the
power source applies nine volts to the alarm circuit 19 through the key
switch. The key switch is
connected in circuit to the alarm circuit 19 through a PC terminal block TB 1.
When the alarm
deactivating switch 22 is in its closed position, a +9 volts is applied to the
alarm circuit 19
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CA 02406541 2002-10-04
through pin 3 of the PC terminal block TB 1. This voltage puts hex inverter,
UI into a standby
mode.
The +9 volts from the power source is also looped through the activation
switch to pin 4
of the PC terminal block TB 1. When the door section 15 is opened, the
activation switch closes,
allowing a +9 volts to be applied to pin 4 of the PC terminal block TB 1
causing a triggering
voltage to be applied to pin 12 of U 1 causing pin 13 and 3 on U i to go Lo
and causing pin 4 on
U 1 to go Hi. This allows transistor Q 1 to go to ground giving the alarm
circuit 19 the ground
necessary to activate the rest of the alarm circuit 19. The closing of the
activation switch also
sends a triggering voltage through pin 9 and 10 of the of the PC terminal
block TB 1 which can
be used to trigger a remote alarm.
Referring to Figures 5 and 7, in the preferred embodiment, Q 1 going to ground
activates
integrated circuit chips U2, U3 and U4. U2 provides the necessary latching for
a dual timer U3.
Upon activation, pin 5 on U3 is held Hi for 30 seconds. Pin 5 causes pin 10 of
U4, a Schmitt
Trigger, to go Lo which causes Q6 to pull in relay coil K1 completing a
circuit between a 12 volt
battery and the strobe/siren device 20, activating the strobe/siren device 20.
After 30 seconds,
pin 5 of U3 goes Lo and pin 9 of U3 goes Hi causing pins 10 of U4 to go Hi and
causing pin 12
of U4 to go Hi. The relay coil K1 is then released by Q6 and the circuit
between the strobe/siren
device and the 12 volt battery is broken, deactivating the strobe/siren
device. The output of pin
12 on U4 is timed by C9 and R22 to cause the output of pin 11 of U4 to
oscillate, driving the
transistor on Q5 to activate the buzzer.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a low battery detection
circuit is
provided by transistors Q2, Q3 and Q4. When the battery voltage drops to
approximately
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CA 02406541 2007-01-12
The protective defibrillator storage 10 device is typically positioned in a
highly
visible and relatively accessible area. The rugged construction of the
protective
defibrillator storage device protects the defibrillator from inadvertent
impact and provides
an easily locatable housing for the defibrillator. In case of a cardiac
arrest, the protective
defibrillator storage device is opened triggering the alarm means 18. The
audible and
visual alarms alert others that a potential cardiac arrest incident may be in
progress and
that assistance may be needed. Since the opening of the door section triggers
an audible
alarm signal and a visual alarm signal, the defibrillator cabinet also acts as
a deterrent to
prevent tampering or theft of the defibrillator.
While the above description contains much specificity, this specificity should
not
be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an
exemplification
of the invention. For example, as is described hereinabove, it is contemplated
that the
present invention essentially discloses a protective defibrillator storage
device in
combination with a defibrillator, the combination comprising an enclosure,
certain alarm
means, certain actuable alarm-activation means (such as activation switch 21),
and a
defibrillator. The enclosure essentially comprises a plurality of wall
sections, a top
section, a bottom section and a door section. The wall sections, top section,
bottom
section and door section together define an interior compartment of sufficient
size to
house the defibrillator. The alarm means are connected to or otherwise
cooperably
associated with the enclosure, and the alarm activation means may be connected
to the
enclosure and connected in circuit to or in electrical communication with the
alanm
means or otherwise cooperably associated therewith. In this regard, it is
contemplated
that the alarm activation means may be preferably positioned in operative
relation to a
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CA 02406541 2007-01-12
wall section and the door section such that displacement of the door section
from a closed
position activates the alarm means via the alarm-activation means.
The invention described above is the preferred embodiment of the present
invention. It is not intended that the novel device be limited thereby. The
preferred
embodiment may be susceptible to modifications and variations that are within
the scope
and fair meaning of the accompanying claims and drawings.
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