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US 12,442,178 B2Granted
Mobile medical units
AssigneeFero International Inc.
InventorVincenzo DiCristofaro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments are described herein or structures that may be portable, semi-permanent or permanent and made from modular structures for serving a variety of purposes. The modular structures may be made from shipping containers and include air control systems for independently maintaining and transitioning the same rooms of the structure to and from different pressures relative to the outside environment. The rooms of the structures may have wall panels that are constructed to attach to the inner surface of the shipping containers while having a reduced footprint and also laterally engaging one another to increase structural integrity and forming a pressure seal. Various types of compound structures can be formed by connecting the module structures in an airtight fashion by using various seals.
Claims37
A structure that is portable, permanent or semi-permanent, wherein the structure comprises:
- a housing defining a room therein;
- a maintenance room adjacent to the room;
- an air flow system that is coupled to the room for providing conditioned air thereto, the air flow system including components located in and exterior to the maintenance room, the air flow system being configured to controllably transition the at least one room to any one of a positive air pressure configuration, a neutral air pressure configuration and a negative air pressure configuration relative to an environment that is external to the housing;
- an air inlet subsystem configured for drawing inlet air into the room at an inlet rate;
- an HVAC system that is located exterior to the maintenance room and is fluidically coupled to the air inlet subsystem for receiving the inlet air, conditioning the inlet air and sending the conditioned air into the room;
- an air outlet subsystem configured for receiving outlet air and sending the outlet air out of the room at an outlet rate;
- wherein the airflow system further comprises an air pressure control system coupled to the air inlet subsystem and the air outlet subsystem, the air pressure control system having a processor unit that is adapted to control the inlet rate and the outlet rate to enable the air pressure in the room be selectively controlled to be at the positive air pressure configuration, the negative air pressure configuration, or the neutral air pressure configuration, and
- wherein the air inlet subsystem and the air outlet subsystem each comprise a HEPA filter unit and a damper unit coupled to the HEPA filter unit, wherein the processor unit is configured to control the inlet rate and the outlet rate of the airflow system by adjusting a valve position of each damper unit.
5 more elements
A structure that is portable, permanent or semi-permanent, wherein the structure comprises:
- a housing defining a room therein;
- a maintenance room adjacent to the room;
- an air flow system that is coupled to the room for providing conditioned air thereto, the air flow system including components located in and exterior to the maintenance room, the air flow system being configured to controllably transition the at least one room to any one of a positive air pressure configuration, a neutral air pressure configuration and a negative air pressure configuration relative to an environment that is external to the housing, an air inlet subsystem configured for drawing inlet air into the room at an inlet rate;
- an HVAC system that is located exterior to the maintenance room and is fluidically coupled to the air inlet subsystem for receiving the inlet air, conditioning the inlet air and sending the conditioned air into the room;
- an air, outlet subsystem configured for receiving outlet air and sending the outlet air out of the room at an outlet rate;
- wherein the airflow system, further comprises an air pressure control system coupled to the air inlet subsystem and the air outlet subsystem, the air pressure control system having a processor unit that is adapted to control the inlet rate and the outlet rate to enable the air pressure in the room be selectively controlled to be at the positive air pressure configuration, the negative air pressure configuration, or the neutral air pressure configuration;
- and
- wherein the air inlet subsystem and the air outlet subsystem each comprise a HEPA filter unit, wherein each HEPA filter unit comprises a variable speed drive, wherein the processor unit is configured to adjust the inlet rate and outlet rate by adjusting the speed of the variable speed drive of each HEPA filter unit.
5 more elements
A structure that is portable, permanent or semi-permanent, wherein the structure comprises:
- a housing defining a room therein;
- a maintenance room adjacent to the room;
- an air flow system that is coupled to the room for providing conditioned air thereto, the air flow system including components located in and exterior to the maintenance room, the air flow system being configured to controllably transition the at least one room to any one of a positive air pressure configuration, a neutral air pressure configuration and a negative air pressure configuration relative to an environment that is external to the housing:
- an air inlet subsystem configured for drawing inlet air into the room at an inlet rate;
- an HVAC system that is located exterior to the maintenance room and is fluidically coupled to the air inlet subsystem for receiving the inlet air conditioning the inlet air and sending the conditioned air into the room;
- an air outlet subsystem configured for receiving outlet air and sending the outlet air out of the room at an outlet rate;
- wherein the structure further comprises a wall panel system comprising:
- at least one wall panel having a panel body comprising:
- a front surface and a rear surface opposite the front surface;
- a right side surface and a left side surface opposite the right side surface;
- a lateral interlock system comprising a first lateral interlock interface that is disposed on the right side surface and a second lateral interlock interface that is disposed on the left side surface, each of the first and second lateral interlock interfaces comprising at least one lateral interface component;
- wherein the at least one lateral interface component of the first or second lateral interlock interface of the at least one wall panel is oriented to slidably engage at least one lateral interface component of a corresponding interlock interface of an adjacent wall panel to form a friction fit and pull the at least one wall panel and the adjacent wall panel together to directly connect the at least one wall panel and the adjacent wall panel in a co-planar fashion to form a larger wall section;
- wherein the at least one lateral interface component comprises a male portion and a female portion;
- and
- wherein the female portion is a slot, and the male portion is a tab that extends away from an end of the slot at an angle to a side surface of the panel body, wherein the slot is dimensioned to receive a corresponding tab of the adjacent wall panel.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.