Collapsible isolation apparatus

A collapsible, protective containment device for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible containment wall expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing an impermeable barrier wall about the portion of the patient therein;
• at least a portion of the containment wall being clear to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see through the clear containment wall portion;
• a closure device for closing the flexible containment wall about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region at least about the head of the patient;
• an air ventilation device including a filter for filtering air being transmitted between the substantially airtight interior region and the ambient atmosphere;
• the flexible containment wall having an upper portion and a lower portion joined together to define the shape of clam shell halves;
• a substantially airtight zipper for joining together the clam shell halves to enclose the patient in the containment device;
• and
• a drag bottom on the lower clam shell half of a heavier and stronger material than the material of the upper clam shell half to allow dragging of the containment device and the patient therein along the ground.

A collapsible, protective containment device for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible containment wall expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing an impermeable barrier wall about the portion of the patient therein;
• at least a portion of the containment wall being clear to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see through the clear containment wall portion;
• a closure device for closing the flexible containment wall about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region at least about the head of the patient;
• an air ventilation device including a filter for filtering air being transmitted between the substantially airtight interior region and the ambient atmosphere;
• and
• a detachable drag bottom having attachable portions thereon for assisting in attaching the drag bottom to the containment device when it is desired to add a drag bottom to the containment device.

A collapsible, protective containment device for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible containment wall expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing an impermeable barrier wall about the portion of the patient therein;
• at least a portion of the containment wall being clear to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see through the clear containment wall portion;
• a closure device for closing the flexible containment wall about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region at least about the head of the patient;
• an air ventilation device including a filter for filtering air being transmitted between the substantially airtight interior region and the ambient atmosphere;
• an extension portion on a foot portion of the containment device;
• and
• an exhaust filtration device mounted on the extension portion for transport of the exhaust filtration device with the patient in the containment device;
• a drag bottom on the containment device for dragging along the ground;
• and
• the extension portion being an extension on the drag bottom projecting beyond the containment wall.

A collapsible, protective containment device for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible containment wall expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing an impermeable barrier wall about the portion of the patient therein;
• at least a portion of the containment wall being clear to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see through the clear containment wall portion;
• a closure device for closing the flexible containment wall about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region at least about the head of the patient;
• an air ventilation device including a filter for filtering air being transmitted between the substantially airtight interior region and the ambient atmosphere;
• and
• a fluid drain at a patient's foot portion of the interior region on a side corner of the foot portion.

A disposable, collapsible, protective containment device for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible thin plastic enclosure sheet expandable from a collapsed state having a reduced overall length for the containment device to an expanded state to define a tubular containment device for encircling the patient and to cover a patient being down within the tubular containment device, an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing an impermeable barrier wall about the patient;
• the thin plastic enclosure sheet having a clear portion to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see through the clear sheet;
• a closure device for closing the flexible sheet about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region at least about the head of the patient;
• an air inlet port on the flexible enclosure sheet for connection to a portable air handling system for flowing air into the interior region;
• an air outlet port on the flexible closure sheet for connection to a portable, air handling system;
• and
• the enclosure sheet being made of plastic 20 mil. or less thick to provide a low-cost disposable containment device for being disposed by burning after contamination.

A collapsible, protective containment device for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible containment wall expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing an impermeable barrier wall about the patient;
• at least a portion of the containment wall being clear to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see through the clear containment wall portion;
• a closure device for closing the flexible containment wall about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region at least about the head of the patient;
• semi-rigid support ribs connected to the containment wall to hold the containment wall spaced from at least the upper portion of the patient within the protective containment device when a negative air pressure is maintained inside the interior region to prevent air from flowing outwardly from a contaminated patient within the interior region;
• an air flow device for removing air from the substantially air tight region and creating a negative air pressure within the containment device;
• and
• an air ventilation device including a filter for filtering air and through which air is transmitted from the substantially airtight interior region to the ambient atmosphere.

A collapsible, protective containment device for isolating an ambulatory patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a jacket having sleeves, a torso and a head covering portion;
• the jacket being made of thin plastic sheet expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region inside the jacket and providing an impermeable barrier wall about a portion of the ambulatory patient as the patient walks;
• at least the head covering portion of the plastic sheet being clear to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see forming an air impermeable barrier about the upper portion of the ambulatory patient;
• a closure device for closing the jacket about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region at least about the head of the patient;
• and
• an ambulatory air ventilation device carried by the ambulatory patient for supplying air to the covering portion of the jacket and having a filter for filtering air being transmitted between the substantially airtight interior region and the ambient atmosphere.

A collapsible, protective containment device for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible containment sheet expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing a substantially air-impermeable barrier about the patient;
• a closure device for closing the flexible containment sheet about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region at least about the head of the patient;
• and
• an air ventilation device including a filter for filtering air and for providing an air-flow rate and an air-flow path to prevent an undesirable buildup of carbon dioxide in the interior region while transmitting air between the interior region and the ambient atmosphere.

A protective containment device for battlefield evacuation and treatment of a patient undergoing chemical or biological attack, the containment device comprising:

• a soft walled housing having a lower portion and an upper portion;
• a bottom wall on the lower portion adapted to receive a patient to lie thereon;
• an upper wall on the upper portion having transparent portions therein to allow viewing of the patient;
• stays associated with the upper portion to keep the upper wall spaced from the patient at least for a substantial portion of the patient's body;
• an air ventilation unit for providing filtered air to the patient within the soft walled housing;
• glove ports providing a safe access to the patient;
• and
• attachments for interconnecting the soft wall housing to a litter system for transport of the patient.

A protective containment device for battlefield evacuation and treatment of a patient undergoing chemical or biological attack, the containment device comprising:

• a soft walled housing having a lower portion and an upper portion;
• a bottom wall on the lower portion adapted to receive a patient to lie thereon;
• an upper wall on the upper portion having transparent portions therein to allow viewing of the patient;
• stays associated with the upper portion to keep the upper wall spaced from the patient at least for a substantial portion of the patient's body;
• an air ventilation unit for providing filtered air to the patient within the soft walled housing;
• glove ports providing a safe access to the patient;
• and
• attachments for interconnecting the soft wall housing to a litter system for transport of the patient;
• an elongated zipper extending about at least three sides of the upper and lower housing portions to join the housing portions together;
• and
• pass-through ports in the housing to allow food or medicine to be passed to the patient;
• and
• patient restraints within the housing.

A collapsible, protective containment device for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible containment wall expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing an impermeable barrier wall about the portion of the patient therein;
• at least a portion of the containment wall being clear to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see through the clear containment wall portion;
• a closure device for closing the flexible containment wall about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region;
• a first inlet air filtration device for filtering the inlet air flowing into the interior region to protect the patient from foreign materials in the ambient atmosphere;
• a second air exhaust, filtration device for filtering the air being exhaled by the patient and flowing from the interior region to the ambient atmosphere to protect against transmission of an infectious disease from the patient;
• and
• the first air filtration device and the second air filtration devices each having substantially identical filter units with the filter unit of the exhaust filtration device being reversed in position relative to the position of the filtration device for the air inlet device.

A collapsible, protective containment device for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible containment wall expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing an impermeable barrier wall about the portion of the patient therein;
• at least a portion of the containment wall being clear to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see through the clear containment wall portion;
• a closure device for closing the flexible containment wall about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region;
• an inlet air filtration device for filtering the air flowing into the interior region to protect the patient from foreign materials in the ambient atmosphere;
• the head and foot portions of the protective containment device being substantially similar in appearance;
• and
• a silhouette representing a person on the containment wall to assist in properly orienting the patient to have the patient's head located properly at the head portion of the protective containment device.

A collapsible, protective containment device, useable without a litter, for isolating a patient in a controlled environment and for transport of the patient while therein, the device comprising:

• a flexible containment wall expandable from a collapsed state to define an interior region for receiving at least a portion of a patient therein and providing an impermeable barrier wall about the portion of the patient therein;
• at least a portion of the containment wall being clear to allow observation of the patient and to allow the patient to see through the clear containment wall portion;
• a closure device for closing the flexible containment wall about the patient to provide a substantially airtight interior region;
• a first inlet air filtration connection on the containment wall for connection to an air filtration device that is not attached to the connection when the containment wall is in the collapsed state and that is stored separately from the protective containment device;
• the containment wall being unsupported by a litter;
• a second air outlet connection on the containment wall for connection to a air filtration device that is not attached to the second air outlet connection when the containment wall is in the collapsed state and that is stored separately from the protective containment device;
• and
• the containment wall being collapsible to reduce the overall length of the containment device;
• and
• the containment wall being collapsible to reduce the overall length of the containment device.