# US 10,369,242 B1 · Hospital and operating room designs and sterilization methods

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- Number: US 10,369,242 B1
- Document ID: US10369242B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/125,736
- Filed: 2018-09-09
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-15
- Assignees: Synergy Med Global Design Solutions, LLC
- Applicants: Synergy Med Global Design Solutions, LLC
- Inventors: Sanford M. Kellogg, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369242B1

## CPC

- A61L 2/208: Hydrogen peroxide
- A61L 2/10: Ultraviolet [UV] radiation
- A61L 2/22: Phase substances, e.g. smokes or aerosols
- A61L 2/24: Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
- A61L 9/04: using substances evaporated in the air without heating
- A61L 9/20: Ultraviolet radiation
- F24F 3/167: Clean rooms, i.e. enclosed spaces in which a uniform flow of filtered air is distributed (air distribution by perforated walls F24F7/10)
- F24F 7/10: with air supply, or exhaust, through perforated wall, floor or ceiling (outlet members for directing or distributing air {into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air-diffusers} F24F13/06)
- F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
- F24F 11/75: for maintaining constant air flow rate or air velocity
- F24F 11/77: by controlling the speed of ventilators
- F24F 13/10: movable, e.g. dampers
- A61L 2103/75: Room floors or walls
- A61L 2202/11: Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps
- A61L 2202/13: Biocide decomposition means, e.g. catalysts, sorbents
- A61L 2202/14: Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
- A61L 2209/111: Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
- A61L 2209/135: Vaporisers for active components
- A61L 2209/14: Filtering means
- A61L 2209/16: Connections to a HVAC unit
- F24F 8/108: using dry filter elements
- F24F 8/167: using catalytic reactions
- F24F 8/22: using UV light
- F24F 8/24: using sterilising media
- F24F 2120/10: Occupancy
- F24F 2221/02: combined with lighting fixtures
- Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
- Y02B 30/70: Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

System and method to reducing risk of patient infections (HAI), using operating rooms equipped with suitable automatic airborne sterilizing agent generators, sensors, mechanisms, automatic air control devices, and ceiling mounted structures that allows the room to both provide air curtains of laminar flow sterilized air over the operating table, as well as to be quickly and completely sterilized. After suitable safety checks, the system isolates the interior air from external air, and activates an air phase anti-microbial agent generator, filing the room with air-phase anti-microbial agent. After sterilization, the invention deactivates the generator, removes the remaining air-phase anti-microbial agent by flowing room air through a catalytic converter, and then restores the connection to outside sterilized air. The ceiling mounted structure is configured for laminar flow air curtain delivery, supply lighting, and support boom mounted operating room equipment. Various sensors, control methods, wall coverings, and other options are disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A healthcare chamber system configured to reduce a risk of HAI, said system comprising:
at least one computer processor and at least one sensor;
a chamber configured to return interior air from said chamber by using at least one return air damper, said chamber comprising air impermeable chamber walls, ceiling, and floor;
said chamber further comprising a ceiling mounted structural device comprising a load bearing structure, with a laminar air flow system mounted on said structural device;
said laminar air flow system configured to blow HEPA filtered and UV sterilized supply air over a defined field in said chamber;
said laminar air flow system connected to at least one supply air damper;
said chamber configured to obtain interior air by using said ceiling mounted structural device and said laminar air flow system to obtain sterilized outside air and blow HEPA filtered and UV sterilized supply air over a defined field in said chamber;
said laminar air flow system connected to said at least one supply air damper;
said at least one computer processor and at least one sensor configured to verify that no humans are present in said healthcare chamber, and prior to a start of a sterilization cycle when no humans are present to restrict access to said chamber;
said at least one computer processor also configured to isolate an interior air flow in said chamber from outside air by closing at least one return damper and at least one supply air damper;
said at least one computer processor also configured to activate an air phase anti-microbial agent generator, said generator configured to fill said chamber with air phase anti-microbial agents at a time and dose level configured to kill at least a substantial majority of microbes in said chamber;
said at least one computer processor also configured to deactivate said generator, and to flush remaining air phase anti-microbial agents from said chamber by at least opening said return damper and said at least one supply damper.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said air phase anti-microbial agent generator is a combination generator and humidifier configured to operate by regulating humidity, and converting an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide into air phase hydrogen peroxide by using any of a misting, nebulizer based, vaporizing based, or aerosol generating type process.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein at least the substantial majority of said chamber's walls are covered with materials selected to be resistant to said air phase anti-microbial agents, said materials comprising any of glass, and other materials.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said chamber is an operating room, said defined field in said chamber is an operating table; and
said ceiling mounted structural device has a polygonal shape configured with a plurality of internal grids, at least some of said grids configured to accommodate electrical conduits and to supply structural support for standard operating room boom mounted equipment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein said laminar air flow system further comprises a plurality of air curtains configured to produce a plurality of directionally-controlled airstreams, said airstreams configured to reduce penetration of particles from outside an area of said operating table to inside an area of said operating table.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein exterior dimensions of said polygonal shape exceed exterior dimensions of the operating table;
said polygonal shape is a rectangular polygonal shape, said plurality of air curtains extends on all four sides of a perimeter of said rectangular polygonal shape so as to exceed said exterior dimensions of said operating table, and to isolate said operating table from airborne particles outside of said operating table; and
wherein said laminar air flow system is disposed on an interior of said rectangular polygonal shape and is configured to introduce an air flow configured to flush airborne particles from the area of said operating table to an area outside said operating table;
at least some of said internal grids are configured to accommodate electrical conduits with widths of at least 2 inches; and
wherein at least some of said internal grids comprise weigh supporting flanges configured to supply structural support for said standard operating room boom mounted equipment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to isolate interior air flow in said chamber from outside air by closing at least one computer controlled return damper and at least one computer controlled supply air damper;
said chamber is configured to return interior air from said chamber using said at least one computer controlled return air damper;
said laminar air flow system is connected to said at least one computer controlled supply air damper;
said at least one computer processor is configured to activate said air phase anti-microbial agent generator;
said at least one computer processor further configured to then deactivate said generator, and to flush remaining air phase anti-microbial agents from said chamber by at least opening said computer controlled return damper and said at least one computer controlled supply damper.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein said chamber is further equipped with at least one-way computer operated door locks, and wherein said at least one computer processor is further configured to restrict access to said chamber by setting said at least one-way computer door locks to restrict humans outside said chamber from entering said chamber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein said chamber is equipped with at least one sensor configured to monitor amounts of air-phase anti-microbial agents present in said air, said at least one sensor configured to monitor amounts of air-phase anti-microbial agents present in said air is further configured to transmit data to said at least one computer processor, and wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to set said at least one-way computer door locks to allow humans to enter said chamber only after said at least one sensor configured to monitor amounts of air-phase anti-microbial agents present in said air reports that said air phase anti-microbial agents are at a non-toxic level.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to verify that no humans are present in said chamber by using said at least one computer processor to sample a plurality of different occupancy sensors, said plurality of different occupancy sensors comprising any of motion sensors, infrared sensors, video cameras, carbon dioxide sensors, and sound sensors.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to be controlled by at least one touch panel equipped graphical user interface terminal mounted either on an interior chamber wall, and/or exterior to said chamber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, further wherein said at least one computer processor is further configured to turn on at least one fan to further flush remaining air phase anti-microbial agents from said chamber, and/or to further use at least one computer controlled catalyst damper and a catalyst to deactivate any remaining air-phase anti-microbial agents.

### Claim 13

A healthcare chamber system configured to reduce a risk of HAI, said system comprising:
at least one computer processor and at least one sensor;
a chamber configured to return interior air from said chamber by using at least one return air damper, said chamber comprising air impermeable chamber walls, ceiling, and floor;
said chamber further comprising a ceiling mounted structural device comprising a load bearing structure, with a laminar air flow system mounted on said structural device;
said laminar air flow system configured to blow HEPA filtered and UV sterilized supply air over a defined field in said chamber;
said laminar air flow system connected to at least one supply air damper;
wherein said chamber is an operating room, said defined field in said chamber is an operating table; and
said ceiling mounted structural device has a polygonal shape configured with a plurality of internal grids, at least some of said grids configured to accommodate electrical conduits and to supply structural support for standard operating room boom mounted equipment;
wherein said laminar air flow system further comprises a plurality of air curtains configured to produce a plurality of directionally-controlled airstreams, said airstreams configured to reduce penetration of particles from outside an area of said operating table to inside an area of said operating table;
said chamber configured to obtain interior air by using said ceiling mounted structural device and said laminar air flow system to obtain sterilized outside air and blow HEPA filtered and UV sterilized supply air over a defined field in said chamber;
said laminar air flow system connected to said at least one supply air damper;
said at least one computer processor and at least one sensor configured to verify that no humans are present in said healthcare chamber, and prior to a start of a sterilization cycle when no humans are present to restrict access to said chamber;
wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to verify that no humans are present in said chamber by using said at least one computer processor to sample a plurality of different occupancy sensors, said plurality of different occupancy sensors comprising any of motion sensors, infrared sensors, video cameras, carbon dioxide sensors, and sound sensors;
said at least one computer processor also configured to isolate an interior air flow in said chamber from outside air by closing at least one return damper and at least one supply air damper;
said at least one computer processor also configured to activate an air phase anti-microbial agent generator, said generator configured to fill said chamber with air phase anti-microbial agents at a time and dose level configured to kill at least a substantial majority of microbes in said chamber;
wherein said air phase anti-microbial agent generator is a combination generator and humidifier configured to operate by regulating humidity, and converting an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide into air phase hydrogen peroxide by using any of a misting, nebulizer based, vaporizing based, or aerosol generating type process;
said at least one computer processor also configured to deactivate said generator, and to flush remaining air phase anti-microbial agents from said chamber by at least opening said return damper and said at least one supply damper.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein exterior dimensions of said polygonal shape exceed exterior dimensions of the operating table;
said polygonal shape is a rectangular polygonal shape, said plurality of air curtains extends on all four sides of a perimeter of said rectangular polygonal shape so as to exceed said exterior dimensions of said operating table, and to isolate said operating table from airborne particles outside of said operating table; and
wherein said laminar air flow system is disposed on an interior of said rectangular shape and introduces an air flow configured to flush airborne particles from the area of said operating table to an area outside said operating table;
at least some of said internal grids are configured to accommodate electrical conduits with widths of at least 2 inches; and
wherein at least some of said internal grids comprise weigh supporting flanges configured to supply structural support for said standard operating room boom mounted equipment.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein said chamber is equipped with at least one-way computer operated door locks, and wherein using said at least one computer processor to restrict access to said chamber comprises setting said at least one-way computer door locks to restrict humans outside said chamber from entering said chamber.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein said chamber is equipped with at least one sensor configured to monitor amounts of air-phase anti-microbial agents present in said air, said at least one sensor configured to monitor amounts of air-phase anti-microbial agents present in said air transmits data to said at least one computer processor, and wherein said at least one computer processor is configured to set said at least one-way computer door locks to allow humans to enter said chamber only after said at least one sensor configured to monitor amounts of air-phase anti-microbial agents present in said air reports that said air phase anti-microbial agents are at a non-toxic level.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein at least the majority of said chamber's walls are covered with materials selected to be resistant to said air phase anti-microbial agents, said materials comprising any of glass and stainless steel.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein said materials comprise computer configurable display screens configured to display images generated by either said at least one computer processor or from other digital image sources.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one computer processor is controlled by at least one touch panel equipped graphical user interface terminal mounted either on an interior chamber wall, and/or exterior to said chamber.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one computer processor is further configured to turn on at least one fan to further flush remaining air phase anti-microbial agents from said chamber, and/or to further use at least one computer controlled catalyst damper and a catalyst to deactivate any remaining air-phase anti-microbial agents.