Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
DEFIBRILLATOR STORAGE DEVICE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application claims priority from U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/090,497 filed December 11, 2014 and from
U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/132,597 filed March 13, 2015.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automated
external
defibrillator storage devices.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are often used to
resuscitate people during cardiac arrest incidents including life-threatening
cardiac
dysrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation, and pulseless ventricular tachycardia.
Each of these
cardiac incidents involves abnormal, electrical impulse conduction in the
cardiac muscle,
which in turn results in abnormal heart rhythms that may lead to damaged
cardiac muscle
and potentially death. To reduce the adverse effects and/or to end these
incidents,
defibrillation therapy, which includes delivering therapeutic doses of
electrical current
with a defibrillation device to the cardiac muscle thereby potentially
restoring normal
heart rhythm.
[0003] Numerous different types of defibrillator devices exist such
as
external, transvenous, or implanted defibrillator devices. For example,
pacemakers are
implantable devices used to treat people with chronic arrhythmias by
constantly or
intermittently applying compensatory and corrective electrical impulses to
maintain proper
cardiac rhythm. These
1746104.1
1
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-09
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compensatory and corrective electrical impulses thereby potentially reduce
occurrence of cardiac
arrest events and potentially prolong a person's life. While pacemakers are
designed for patients
having predictable, chronic cardiac arrhythmias, most cardiac arrests
associated with life-
threatening cardiac dysrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation, and pulseless
ventricular tachycardia
occur spontaneously. Therefore, specific AED devices were designed to further
treat these
spontaneous cardiac arrests.
[0004] Over the past four decades, it has become common place to
include AED
devices in various public and common areas having high volume pedestrian
traffic to potentially
combat the deleterious effects of the above mentioned spontaneous cardiac
arrest incidents.
Also, due to the complex and highly sensitive circuitry within these AED
devices, these AED
devices are sometimes placed within various types of storage cabinets to
protect the AED devices
until needed and to further ensure proper AED operation while in use. For
example, U.S. Patent
No. 61301,501 and U.S. Patent No. 61735, 473 disclose exemplary, conventional
AED storage
cabinets. In order to notify others of someone potentially experiencing a
cardiac arrest incident,
most conventional cabinets are equipped with door triggered alarms that are
activated and
immediately sound (and/or provide a visual alarm) upon opening the cabinet
door regardless of
the presence of the AED device inside the cabinet.
[0005] Most conventional storage cabinets utilize an activation switch
and alarm
that is in operative relation relative to its door and a wall. More
specifically, certain devices
utilize a pressure switch operatively connected to a circuit that controls an
alarm that is
immediately activated upon door opening. In these exemplary devices, the
pressure switch
remains open as long as there is adequate pressure on the switch, which may be
applied, for
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example, as long as the door is closed. However, when the storage cabinet door
opens, pressure
on the switch is released and the switch is closed, thus, automatically
activating the alarm
regardless of whether the AED device has been removed from the cabinet.
[0006] Although the above mentioned conventional AED storage cabinets
function to store AED devices, many problems currently exist with these
conventional cabinets.
For example, cabinets having these "cover triggered" or "pressure triggered"
alarms, which are
operatively linked to door movement, are prone to generate false alarms. These
false alarms may
be generated when, for example, people accidentally bump into or make
incidental contact with
the storage device's door thereby partially or completely opening the door,
which simultaneously
activates the alarm. These false alarms create a general state of panic for
those around the AED
storage cabinet, and in some instances, medical providers (e.g., ambulances
and emergency
medical technicians) are unnecessarily alerted and called to the scene of the
false alarm. Thus,
these false alarms further waste healthcare provider's time and resources.
[0007] To potentially avoid these false alarms, many conventional AED
storage
cabinets have been further equipped with locking mechanisms (e.g., a lock and
key mechanism)
provided in the door that rely on keys for entry in to the cabinet's interior.
However, a major
drawback of including a lock and key mechanism in an AED storage cabinet is
that the key must
be readily accessible to unlock the door and access the AED device if someone
is experiencing a
cardiac arrest incident. Thus, even though a lock and key mechanism may
decrease false alarms,
these lock and key configurations often lead to decreased response times for
treating cardiac
arrest incidents.
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SUMMARY
[0008] Therefore, a need exists to provide an AED storage cabinet that
overcomes
the deficiencies of conventional storage cabinets. Disclosed are automated
defibrillator storage
devices including a housing having walls and a door that define an interior
cavity for receiving an
automated defibrillator therein, a defibrillator stored within the storage
cabinet, and an alarm
positioned within the housing triggered in response to removal of the AED from
the cabinet.
[0009] To achieve the foregoing, in a first embodiment the present
invention
provides a defibrillator storage device including a housing defining an
interior storage
compartment configured to hold a removable automated external defibrillator
therein, a door
pivotally attached along a bottom edge thereof to a bottom edge of the housing
such that the door
is configured to pivot open to access the interior storage compartment, an
alarm disposed within
the housing, and a tether attached at a first end thereof to an interior wall
of the housing and at a
second end thereof to the alarm, the tether configured to be routed through a
handle of the
automated external defibrillator such that removal of the automated external
defibrillator from
the interior compartment causes the second end of the tether to be pulled from
the alarm, thereby
triggering the alarm.
(0010) In another aspect, the alarm may be located on an interior wall
of the
housing opposite the interior wall to which the first end of the tether is
attached, the alarm
including a fixed plate and a body configured to translate relative to the
fixed plate to move an
electrical contact on the body relative to an electrical contact on the fixed
plate, the electrical
contact on the body and the electrical contact on the fixed plate together
forming a switch for
activating the alarm.
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[0011] In another aspect, the second end of the tether may be
threaded through an
opening through the body and the body may include a resilient arm extending
therefrom, the
resilient arm engaging the interior wall to which the alarm is attached and
arranged to bias the
body in a direction of the fixed electrical contact when the tether is
threaded through the opening
through the body.
[0012] In another aspect, the opening through the body and the
resilient ann may
be arranged on opposite sides of the interior wall to which the alarm is
attached such that
threading of the second end of the tether through the opening of the body
prevents the body from
moving in a direction of the fixed electrical contact.
[0013] In another aspect, translation of the body relative to the
fixed plate may be
guided by a pair of spaced guides.
[0014] In another aspect, a heating device may be disposed within the
housing in
proximity of the automated external defibrillator to transfer radiant heat
thereto.
[0015] In another aspect, a heating plate may be pivotally attached
along a bottom
edge thereof to the bottom edge of the housing inward of the door, the heating
plate dimensioned
to cover at least a portion of the automated external defibrillator to
transfer radiant heat thereto.
[0016] In another aspect, a movable partition may be disposed within
the housing
defining a pocket for receiving the automated external defibrillator therein,
the movable partition
movable relative to a back wall of the housing and extending upward a
predetermined distance
from a floor of the housing.
[0017] In another aspect, the alarm may include an electrical circuit
and a battery.
[0018] In another aspect, alarm activation may be independent of door
movement.
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[0019] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a
defibrillator
storage device including a housing defining an interior storage compartment
configured to hold a
removable automated external defibrillator therein, a door pivotally attached
to the housing
configured to pivot open to access the interior storage compartment, an alarm
disposed within the
housing external to the automated external defibrillator, and a tether
attached at a first end
thereof to an interior wall of the housing and at a second end thereof to the
alarm, the tether
configured to be routed through a handle of the automated external
defibrillator such that
removal of the automated external defibrillator from the interior compartment
causes the second
end of the tether to be pulled apart from the alarm, thereby triggering the
alarm.
[0020] Additional features, aspects and advantages of the invention
will be set
forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily
apparent to those
skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the
invention as described
herein. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and
the following
detailed description present various embodiments of the invention, and are
intended to provide an
overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the
invention as it is
claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further
understanding of the
invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this
specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present
invention
are better understood when the following detailed description of the invention
is read with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an Automated External
Defibrillator (AED)
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storage device according to the present invention;
(0023] FIG. 2a is a perspective view of the AED storage device shown
with the
door opened and without an AED sored therein;
[0024] FIG. 2b depicts the AED storage device with the door opened
and with an
AED stored therein;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of FIG. 2b further illustrating an
AED in the
storage device;
10026.1 FIG_ 4a and FIG. 4b are detailed, cut away views of the device
sidewall
illustrating movement of the activation switch/activation switch assembly to
activate and
deactivate the alarm according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a detailed view of an AED inside the storage device
with the
alarm being activated but not actively alarming;
[0028] FIGs. 6(a) and 6(b) depict detailed cut-away views of the
device's sidewall
as depicted in the second embodiment;
10029) FIGs. 7(a), 7(b), 7(c), 8(a), and 8(b) depict various
magnified, cut away
cross section views of the device depicted in FIG. 5 illustrating alarm
activation according to this
embodiment of the invention;
[0030) FIG. 9 is a front view of AED storage device with a securing
element for
securing the AED therein;
[003]] FIG. 10(a) depicts the AED device and securing element removed
from the
storage device;
[0032] FIG. 10(b) depicts the AED device removed from storage device
while the
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securing element remains positioned in the storage device;
[0033] FIGs. 11(a), 11(b), and 11(c) sequentially depict securing
element
installation;
[0034] FIG. 12 depicts a second embodiment of the securing element
for securing
the AED within the storage device;
[00351 FIG. 13 is a top view depicting the second embodiment of the
securing
element shown with the RED removed from the device;
10036] FIG. 14 is a top view depicting the second embodiment of the
securing
element with the AED positioned in the interior of the storage device; and
[0037] FIG. 15 is a detailed view of the exemplary fixing elements
used to secure
the second embodiment of the securing element in the interior a the storage
device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] The present invention will now be described more fully
hereinafter with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which exemplary embodiments of the
invention are
shown. However, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and
should not be
construed as limited to the representative embodiments set forth herein. The
exemplary
embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be both thorough and
complete, and will
fully convey the scope of the invention and enable one of ordinary skill in
the art to make, use
and practice the invention. Like reference numbers refer to like elements
throughout the various
drawings.
[0039] Figures 1-8 depict various views and embodiments of the AED
storage
device (also referred to as "the RED storage cabinet"). The disclosed
automated defibrillator
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storage device 10, 110 (Le., AED storage cabinet) includes a housing having
walls 20, 21, 22,23
and a door 24 that define an interior cavity for receiving an automated
defibrillator 30. For
example, storage device 10, 110 may include two side walls 20, 21 connected by
a back wall 23,
and bottom wall 22. Bottom wall 22 is connected to the side walls 20, 21 and
back wall 23.
When present, the AED device is preferably placed on the storage device's
bottom wall 22, and
is laterally adjacent to side walls 20, 21 and back wall 23.
[0040] In certain aspects, a lip is directly connected to and
spans a partial or entire
length of the bottom wall 22. The lip extends vertically from the bottom wall
in a direction that
is spaced apart and substantially parallel to the back wall 23. This lip has
sufficient height (e.g.,
1" to 6" in height, 2" to 5" in height, or 2.5" to 4" in height) to ensure
that, when present, the
AED device remains secured within cabinet 10, 110 upon opening door 24. In
certain aspects,
this lip, in combination with the side walls, back wall, and bottom wall, may
form a recessed
cavity within the interior of the storage device in which a bottom portion of
the AED device may
be obstructed from view when the AED device is placed within storage cabinet
10, 110. The
walls 20, 21, 22, 23, door 24, and lip may be independently famed of rigid
materials including
thermoplastic resins (e.g., injection molded thermoplastic resin), metal,
glass, or any combination
=
thereof. In certain aspects, door 24 is preferably formed of a partially
transparent thermoplastic
resin such that the storage device's interior cavity, and more preferably the
AED device, may be
viewed when the door 24 is closed and the device is viewed from the outside.
[0041] In certain aspects, door 24 may be connected to an outer
peripheral edge of
the bottom wall 22 and pivot out and downward relative to a surface beneath
device 10, 110
when opening the storage device, However, in alterative aspects, the door may
be connected to a
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top portion (e.g., an outer peripheral edge) of the back wall 23 and may
rotate in an upward
manner relative to a surface beneath device 10, 110. The door may be further
equipped with a
locking mechanism to hold open the door if desired.
[0042] As depicted in FlOs. 3 and 5, storage device 10, 110 each
include an alarm
positioned within, for example, side wall 21. In certain aspects, the alarm
may be mounted
internally relative to wall 21 of the storage cabinet and external to
defibrillator 30 The alarm
includes a fixed plate 60 and a body 50 configured to translate relative to
the fixed plate to move
an electrical contact (not shown) on the body relative to an electrical
contact on the fixed plate,
the electrical contact on the body and the electrical contact on the fixed
plate together forming a
switch for activating the alarm.
[0043] Cable 40 having a first end 41 securely attached to or fixed to
a rib 35
formed on the side wall 20 and back wall 23 of the cabinet interior. The cable
40 further
includes a second end 42, 142 that is removably threaded through or removably
tethered to an
opening 55, 155. As shown in FlOs. 3 and 5, in certain aspects the cable is
threaded through
handle 31 of AED 30. In each aspect, when AED 30 is positioned within cabinet
10, 110 and
cable 40 is tethered to the AED or threaded through handle 31, cable end 41
remains secured or
fixed to rib 35 when AED 30 is removed from the cabinet. However, when AED 30
is removed
from the cabinet, the second cable end 42, 142 is removed from opening 55.
155. thus activating
the alarm.
[0044] In view of the above, the alarm depicted in FIGs. 3, 4a, and 4b
will now be
described in further detail. As shown in FIGs. 4a and 4b, in certain aspects,
the body 50 has a
"T" shape. With regard to this T shaped body, the T shaped body includes an
elongate, rod-like
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structure with an end 54 arranged to protrude through side wall 21 and
positioned externally
relative to the side wall 21. The T shaped body includes an end 51 that is
positioned within a
mount 70, 71 (i.e., guides) such that the activation switch is movably
attached in the cabinet 10
between side wall 21 and mount 70, 71 (i.e., guides). In certain aspects, ends
54,51 are
perpendicular relative a vertically extending face of wall 21, The T shaped
body further includes
arm 52 that extends co-axially relative to the vertical face of side wall 21,
and a portion of arm
52 is configured to contact the inner portion of side wall 21. Arm 52 is
preferably a resilient,
elastic member configured to apply tensioned or compressive force against the
inner portion of
side wall 21 when the cable's second end 42 is placed in opening 55 and arm 52
moves the I
shaped body when cable end 42 is removed, thus activating the alarm.
1.0045] More particularly, FIG. 4a in view of FIG. 3 shows cable end 42
being
inserted through an opening located on end 54 of the T shaped body, as well as
arm 52 contacting
side wall 21, The arrows in FIG, 4a indicate that arm 52 is elastically
compressed against an
inner portion of side wall 21 when cable end 42 is inserted in the T shaped
body and is biased
such that elastic force is simultaneously linearly exerted to provide
translational movement from
end 54 of the T shaped body to end 51 of the T shaped activation switch in a
direction that is
opposite from which cable end 42 is inserted. Also, FIG. 4a further depicts
fixed plate 60 that is,
for example, an electronic contactor that is operatively linked to the alarm
and functions to
activate the alarm when contacted by portion 53 of the body. However, as shown
in FIG. 4a,
cable end 42 prevents arm 52 from exerting elastic force such that portion 53
of the activation
switch contacts the electronic contactor, Thus, when inserted, cable end 42
prevents the
activation switch from contacting and activating the alarm (i.e., providing
any visual and/or
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audible alarm signals 80).
[0046] As shown in
FIG. 4b, when AED 30 is removed from cabinet 10, cable
end 42 is removed from the opening located on end 50 of the body, and the body
moves toward
the electronic contactor (fixed plate 60) due to the elastic force exerted by
arm 52 against the
vertical face of the inner portion of side wall 21. In FIG. 4b, portion 53 of
the body contacts the
electronic contactor, thereby activating the alarm (e.g., an audible alarm 80,
visual alarm 81, or a
combination thereof). The alarm in cabinet 10 is preferably configured to
remain activated until
the activation switch is returned to the configuration shown in FIG. 4a. The
alarm may be
deactivated, for example, by pulling end 54 towards the interior of cabinet 10
and re-threading or
re-tethering cable end 42 to the opening in end 54 of the activation switch.
In certain aspects, the
alarm may include a timer that deactivates the alarm after a predetermined
time period lapses.
For example, the alarm may include an audible alarm, a visual alarm (e.g.,
strobe lights), or a
combination thereof that are programmed to alarm for a predetermined period of
time (e.g,, 1
minute, 5 minutes, etc.) once the AED device is removed from the storage
device and may cease
to alarm once the predetermined period of time has lapsed.
[0047] Another
embodiment of the alarm will now be described in further detail in
view of FIGs. 5-8(b), As shown in FIGs. 5, 6(a), and 6(b), opening 155 is
provided on side wall
21 and cable end 142 is inserted into and threaded through this opening and
preferably positioned
between mounts 170, 171. When cable end 142 is inserted through opening 150 as
depicted in
FIG. 6, cable end 142 prevents a spring loaded electronic contactor 181 (FIGs.
8(a) and 8(b))
from being released and activating the alarm. However, as shown for example in
FIGs. 7(a)-FIG.
8(b), when cable end 142 is removed from opening 155, the spring loaded
electronic contactor
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181 is released thus activating the alarm. In particular, circuit 180 is
operably connected to
spring loaded electronic contactor 181, battery (not shown), and an audible
arid/or visual alarm.
As indicated above, when removing AED 30 from the cabinet, cable end 142 is
pulled from
opening 155 allowing contactor 181 to close the circuit 180 thereby allowing
current to flow
from the battery through the circuit to the audible and/or visual alarm, thus
activating the alarm
and potentially notifying bystanders of a potential cardiac arrest incident.
The alarm in cabinet
110 is preferably configured to remain activated until returning to the
configuration shown in
FIG. 6 by threading cable end 142 through opening 155 and disengaging the
electronic contactor.
In certain aspects, the alarm may include a timer that deactivates the alarm
after a predetermined
time period lapses.
[0048] FIGs. 9-15 depict the storage devices 10, 110 disclosed herein
being
further equipped with heater 220, 221 and securing elements 210, 310 that
respectively heat and
securely position and hold AD 30 within the storage device(s), FIGs. 9-11(c)
depict a storage
device 10, 110 equipped with securing element 210 (i.e., partition) and heater
220, 221 according
to one embodiment, As shown within FIGs. 10(a) and 10(b), storage device 10,
110 may include
tracks 211 attached to an outer portion of opposing walls 20, 21. Tracks 211
preferably include
one or a plurality of grooves that are aligned relative to the grooves on the
track positioned on the
opposing wall. These grooves are configured to receive securing element 210
(e.g., a flat, thin
partition that may be translucent and/or transparent material such as a
molded, thermoplastic,
glass, or other composite material), which extends perpendicularly relative to
an outer surface of
bottom wall 22 when securing element 210 is positioned in tracks 211. The
grooves further
allow for securing element 210 to be positioned at various depths within the
storage device's
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interior to secure different AEDs having variable widths.
[0049] FIGs. 11(a)-11(c) further sequentially depict securing element
210 (e.g., a
flat, thin partition) being installed to secure an AED within the interior
cavity of storage device
10, 110, For example, FIGs. 11(a) and 11(b) specifically depict securing
element 210 being
positioned within the interior cavity of storage device 10, 110 and being
aligned with the
grooves of securing element tracks 211. After aligning securing element 210
with grooves of
tracks 211, securing element 210 is pressed in a downward manner such that
securing element
slidably engages the grooves thereby becoming fixed within the interior cavity
of device 10, 110,
and in certain aspects, securing element 210 contacts the outer surface of
bottom wall 22 when
fixed in tracks 211. The fixed securing element 210 extends upward from the
cabinet floor (i.e.,
bottom wall 22) and has sufficient height relative to to AED 30 to secure the
AED within the
interior cavity_ For example, in certain aspects, securing element 210 is
configured to
extend/have a height between approximately V4 to 'A of the height of the AED;
this height may
include from 4 to 10 inches, from 5 to 9 inches, or from 6 to 8 inches when
measured extending
upward from bottom wall 22. As alluded to above, storage device 10, 110
further includes a
heater 220, 221 positioned on inner circumferential portions of, for example,
walls 22, 23 that
define portions of the interior cavity. Heater 220, 221 is preferably
configured to
circumferentially surround portions of AED 30 and is configured to provide
radiant heat to the
AED during harsh, cold weather conditions to prevent and/or reduce the
likelihood of AED
malfunction associated with harsh weather conditions.
[0050] FIGs. 12-15 depict a storage device 10, 110 equipped with
securing
element 310 (i.e., movable partition) configured to securely hold AED 30
within the interior
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cavity of the storage device according to a second embodiment. As depicted in
FIG. 12, securing
element 310 (i.e., movable partition) may be pivotably attached to bottom wall
22 and
configured to pivot about a horizontal axis that is parallel to the horizontal
axis of bottom wall
22. As further depicted in FIGs. 13-15, securing element 310 has complimentary
detachable
fasteners 320 positioned on walls 20,21 and end portions 311 of the securing
element. In certain
aspects, end portions 311 may be tabs that are perpendicular relative to the
main body of securing
element 310 and extend into the interior cavity of storage device 10, 110 when
securing element
is in a closed, fastened position (i.e., a "securing" position). The
complimentary detachable
fasteners 320 may include, but are not limited to, complimentary hook and loop
fasteners that
may be detached from one another thereby allowing securing element 310 to
detach from wall(s)
20, 21 to rotate away from the storage device's interior cavity (or AED 31 if
present) into an
opened, "non-securing" position.
[0051] In certain aspects, securing element 310 further includes
fastener 322
positioned mid-span along a top edge of the securing element 310. Fastener 322
may include a
hook or loop fastener, and AED 30 may have a complimentary hook or loop
fastener positioned
accordingly such that fastener 322 contacts the complimentary hook or loop
fastener on the AED
30 thereby further aiding in securing the AED within the interior portion of
the device 10, 110.
FIG. 15 provides a magnified view of the detachable fastener 320 used to
secure the securing
feature 310 in the interior of the storage cabinet. As alluded to above,
storage device 10, 110
depicted in FIGs. 12-15 further includes a heater 220, 221 positioned on inner
circumferential
portions of, for example, walls 22, 23 that define portions of the interior
cavity. Heater 220, 221
circumferentially surrounds portions of AED 30 and is configured to heat the
AED during harsh,
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cold weather conditions to reduce the likelihood of AED malfunction associated
with harsh
weather conditions.
[0052] The
foregoing description provides embodiments of the invention by way
of example only. It is envisioned that other embodiments may perform similar
functions and/or
achieve similar results. Any and all such equivalent embodiments and examples
are within the
scope of the present invention and are intended to be covered by the appended
claims.
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