Gas distribution assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9237979-B2
Application number	US-201113083799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2011
Priority date	Apr 11, 2011
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A gas delivery system for a patient room may include a centralized gas distribution system that provides a source of gas and a manifold for distributing the gas in the patient room. The gas delivery system may include a gas outlet coupled to a wall of the patient room and line connecting the gas outlet to the manifold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas delivery assembly for a patient room in a healthcare facility including a wall, the gas delivery system comprising:
a centralized gas distribution system in the healthcare facility, the centralized gas distribution system including a source of a gas, a supply line coupled to the source, and a supply port coupled to the supply line,
a first modular gas manifold including a body formed to include a space, a supply connector interconnecting the body and the supply port to provide fluid communication with the space, and a pair of output ports coupled to the body,
a second modular gas manifold including a body formed to include a space, a supply connector interconnecting the body of the second modular gas manifold and one of the output ports included in the first modular gas manifold to provide fluid communication with the space of the first modular gas manifold and the space of the second modular gas manifold, and a pair of output ports coupled to the body of the second modular gas manifold,
a pair of gas outlets coupled to the wall and coupled to the outlet ports of the second modular gas manifold in fluid communication with the space formed in the second modular gas manifold, and
wherein the wall includes at least one of (a) a modular frame structure including first and second columns extending upwardly from a floor, the first and second columns spaced apart from one another to define a vertical gap therebetween, and the first and second modular gas manifolds lie in the vertical gap between the first and second columns or (b) a modular frame structure including first and second columns spaced-apart laterally from one another, a first cross bar interconnecting the first and second columns, and a second cross bar spaced apart below the first cross bar, the second cross bar interconnects the first and second columns and cooperates with the first cross bar to define a horizontal gap therebetween, and the first and second modular gas manifolds lie in the horizontal gap between the first and second cross bars.

2. The gas delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wall further includes a panel coupled to the modular frame structure to form a surface, the panel is formed to include a plurality of apertures opening into at least one of the vertical and horizontal gaps and the pair of gas outlets lie in two of the plurality of apertures.

3. The gas delivery assembly of claim 2 , wherein the wall further includes a knock-out panel coupled to the panel to cover one of the plurality of apertures not being filled with one of the pair of gas outlets.

4. A gas delivery assembly for a patient room in a healthcare facility including a wall, the gas delivery system comprising:
a centralized gas distribution system in the healthcare facility, the centralized gas distribution system including a source of a first gas, a first supply line coupled to the source of the first gas, and a first supply port coupled to the first supply line,
a first modular gas manifold including a body formed to include a space, a supply connector coupled to the body and to the first supply port to admit the first gas from the source into the space, and a plurality of output ports coupled to the body in fluid communication with the space,
a first flexible line coupled to one of the plurality of output ports,
a first gas outlet coupled to the wall and coupled to the first flexible line to cause the first gas to be supplied to a caregiver upon demand, wherein the wall includes a modular frame structure including a plurality of columns secured together by removable fasteners and spaced apart from one another by a distance to form a gap therebetween, a plurality of panels coupled to the modular frame structure to form a surface, the panels being secured to the modular frame structure by removable fasteners, and the removable fasteners securing the panels to the modular frame structure are positioned in the gap and recessed from the surface of the panels, and the first gas outlet is coupled to at least one of the panels, and
a second flexible line coupled to another of the plurality of output ports included in the first modular gas manifold and a second modular gas manifold including a body formed to include a space, a supply connector coupled to the body of the second modular gas manifold and to the second flexible line and configured to admit gas from the second flexible line into the space formed in the body of the second modular gas manifold, and a second plurality of output ports coupled to the body of the second modular gas manifold in fluid communication with the space formed in the body of the second modular gas manifold.

5. The gas delivery assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a third flexible line coupled to one of the plurality of output ports included in the second modular gas manifold and coupled to a second gas outlet coupled to the wall.

6. The gas delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first gas is compressed air.

7. The gas delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first gas is oxygen.

8. The gas delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first gas is a vacuum.

9. The gas delivery assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first modular gas manifold and the first supply line lie in the gap behind the panels.

10. The gas delivery assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one of the panels is formed to include a first and second aperture opening into the gap, the first aperture is configured to receive the first gas outlet therein, and the second aperture is covered by a knock-out plate coupled to the at least one panel that includes the first and second aperture opening.

11. The gas delivery assembly of claim 4 , wherein the centralized gas distribution system further includes a source of a second gas, a second supply line coupled to the source of the second gas, and a second supply port coupled to the second supply line.

12. The gas delivery assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second modular gas manifold is spaced-apart from the first modular gas manifold, the supply connector of the second modular gas manifold coupled to the body of the second modular gas manifold and to the second supply line to admit the second gas from the source of the second gas into the space of the second modular gas manifold.

13. The gas delivery assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a second gas outlet coupled to the wall in spaced-apart relation to the first gas outlet and the second flexible line coupled to one of the plurality of output ports included in the second modular gas manifold and to the second gas outlet to provide the second gas to the caregiver upon demand.

14. The gas delivery assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a third flexible line coupled to another of the plurality of output ports included in the first modular gas manifold and a third modular gas manifold including a body formed to include a space, a supply connector coupled to the body of the third modular gas manifold and to the third flexible line to admit the first gas from the third flexible line into the space formed in the body of the third modular gas manifold, and a plurality of output ports coupled to the body of the third modular gas manifold in fluid communication with the space formed in the body of the third modular gas manifold.

Assignees

• Carnell Todd M
• Hoffman Brian J
• Newkirk David C
• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Carnell Todd M
• Hoffman Brian J
• Newkirk David C

Classifications

• E04H3/08

  Hospitals, infirmaries, or the like; Schools; Prisons · CPC title

• A61G12/005 Primary

  mounted on the wall · CPC title