Portable chamber for hyperbaric and/or hypoxic treatment

A portable chamber suitable for hyperbaric and/or hypoxic treatment, the chamber being connectable to at least one source of gases for receiving a supply of gases during the treatment, the chamber comprising:

• a) an open-ended frustro-conical tubular body sized to accommodate at least one occupant, the tubular body being made of a flexible and reinforced elastomeric material, the tubular body comprising:
• i) a first opening at a first extremity of the tubular body;
• ii) a first substantially spherical extremity section adjacent with the first opening and having a first radius of curvature;
• iii) a second opening at a second extremity of the tubular body;
• iv) a second substantially spherical extremity section adjacent with the second opening and having a second radius of curvature, the first radius of curvature being larger than the second radius of curvature;
• and
• v) a longitudinal axis:
• b) a first end member adapted to be inserted into the open-ended tubular body and configured to be mounted substantially inside the tubular body at the first extremity section to close off the first opening of the first extremity section, the first end member comprising a first substantially spherical periphery having an exterior surface and a third radius of curvature, the third radius of curvature of the first end member being equal to the first radius of curvature of the first substantially spherical extremity section when the chamber is under pressure, the first end member also comprising a door for providing access to an interior of the tubular body;
• c) a second end member adapted to be inserted into the open-ended tubular body and configured to be mounted substantially inside the tubular body at the second extremity section to close off the second opening of the second extremity section, the second end member comprising a second substantially spherical periphery having an exterior surface and a fourth radius of curvature, the fourth radius of curvature of the second end member being equal to the second radius of curvature of the second substantially spherical extremity section when the chamber is under pressure;
• whereby, in use, when the chamber is supplied with gases during hyperbaric and/or hypoxic treatment,
• the first end member is moved under pressure along the longitudinal axis towards the first extremity such as the first end member is urged against the first extremity section of the flexible tubular body, the exterior surface of the first spherical periphery then engaging an inner surface of the first extremity, and
• the second end member is moved under pressure along the longitudinal axis towards the second extremity such as the second end member is urged against the second extremity section of the flexible tubular body, the exterior surface of the second spherical periphery then engaging an inner surface of the second extremity,
• thereby sealing the chamber.

A hyperbaric and/or hypoxic chamber system comprising:

• a) at least one source of gases;
• b) a chamber connectable to the at least one source of gases for receiving a supply of gases, the chamber comprising:
• i) an open-ended tubular body sized to accommodate at least one user, the tubular body being made of a flexible and reinforced elastomeric material, the tubular body comprising a longitudinal axis, a first opening at a first extremity of the tubular body, a first substantially spherical extremity section adjacent with the first opening and having a first radius of curvature, and a second opening at a second extremity of the tubular body;
• a second substantially spherical extremity section adjacent with the second opening and having a second radius of curvature;
• ii) a first end member adapted to be inserted into the open-ended tubular body and configured to be mounted substantially inside the tubular body at the first extremity section to close off the first opening of the first extremity section, the first end member comprising a first substantially spherical periphery having an exterior surface and a third radius of curvature, the third radius of curvature of the first end member being equal to the first radius of curvature of the first substantially spherical extremity section when the chamber is under pressure, the first end member also comprising a door for providing access to an interior of the chamber;
• iii) a second end member adapted to be inserted into the open-ended tubular body and configured to be mounted substantially inside the tubular body at the second extremity section to close off the second opening of the second extremity section, the second end member comprising a second substantially spherical periphery having an exterior surface and a fourth radius of curvature, the fourth radius of curvature of the second end member being equal to the second radius of curvature of the second substantially spherical extremity section when the chamber is under pressure;
• whereby, in use, when the chamber received the supply of gases during hyperbaric and/or hypoxic treatment,
• the first end member is moved under pressure along the longitudinal axis towards the first extremity such as the first end member is urged against the first extremity section of the flexible tubular body, the exterior surface of the first spherical periphery then engaging an inner surface of the first extremity section, and
• the second end member is moved under pressure along the longitudinal axis towards the second extremity such as the second end member is urged against the second extremity section of the flexible tubular body, the exterior surface of the second spherical periphery then engaging an inner surface of the second extremity section,
• thereby sealing the chamber during the treatment.