JP7498950B2 - Aerosol Box - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an aerosol box that is placed to cover the patient's head and prevents droplet infection from the patient.

Due to the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus disease) epidemic that began at the end of 2019, several types of products called "aerosol boxes" are currently on the market. This was invented by Dr. Hsien Yung Lai of Taiwan, whose design was made public, in order to prevent previous SARS-CoV2 infections. As shown in the video in Non-Patent Document 1, the aerosol box is a bulkhead box to prevent infection of medical personnel from viral droplets (aerosols) that are dispersed from the mouth and nose of a patient during medical procedures, and is placed to cover the patient's head. When COVID-19 becomes severe, artificial respiration is required due to pneumonia, and tracheal intubation is performed using an aerosol box. In addition, the aerosol box is used not only for tracheal intubation, but also as a droplet prevention measure when removing inserted instruments, as shown in the video in Non-Patent Document 1. It can also be used to prevent droplet infection during PCR testing.

For example, the publicly known aerosol boxes in Non-Patent Documents 1 to 5 are made of transparent acrylic or transparent polycarbonate with a thickness of about 5 mm. These are disinfected with rubbing alcohol or 0.05% to 0.1% sodium hypochlorite, etc., and are reused. In addition, a circular arm insertion hole is formed on the flat surface on the medical staff side (patient's head side). These transparent acrylic or transparent polycarbonate aerosol boxes are expensive and heavy.

The aerosol box in Non-Patent Document 6, unlike Non-Patent Documents 1 to 5, is made of opaque plastic cardboard and is made of plastic materials such as polypropylene (PP) that are disinfected with alcohol each time, and is also intended to be reused. Also, like Non-Patent Documents 1 to 5, there is an arm insertion hole on the front for the medical worker to insert his or her arm.

Acrylic processing shop | Aerosol Box, [Searched on June 21, 2020], Internet <http://acrylate.jp/service/aerosol-box> KOTOBUKI Medical Co., Ltd. | Laparoscopic training box shop, [searched June 21, 2020], Internet <https://www.tech-kg-shop.com/SHOP/ASB-R.html> Curio Inc. | PR Times, [Retrieved June 21, 2020], Internet <https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000004.000056621.html> Cocker Marine | Lost Generation Working Doctor's Asset Formation Blog, [Retrieved June 21, 2020], Internet: https://www.cokermarin.com/entry/2020/05/27/173000 Minoru Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. | Aerosol Box Trapezoid 4.14, [Retrieved June 21, 2020], Internet <https://www.dbym.jp/ab> Ishihara Kogei Co., Ltd. | Simple medical protective box | Aerosol box, [Searched on June 21, 2020], Internet <http://ishiharakougei.com/box.html> youtube | Laryngeal expansion and tracheal intubation using a simulator, [Retrieved June 21, 2020], Internet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ12zDZtsls JA Hiroshima General Hospital | Department of Anesthesiology | News and Announcements | Introduction of Tracheal Intubation and Video Laryngoscope [Searched June 21, 2020], Internet: https://www.hirobyo.jp/services/departments/outpatient/anesthesia/2014/06/post-36.html

The aerosol boxes in Non-Patent Documents 1 to 6 are all designed to be reused. However, the act of disinfecting itself increases the risk of infection for medical workers. In addition, the disinfection process itself is time-consuming for medical workers.

The present invention therefore aims to provide an aerosol box that is inexpensive and easy to use, so that it can be used disposably, rather than a reusable aerosol box.

The aerosol boxes in Non-Patent Documents 1 to 6 also have an arm insertion hole on the front for inserting the medical worker's arm. However, the fact that the arm insertion hole is on the front increases the risk of droplet infection for medical workers. In other words, when the patient is in the sniffing position during tracheal intubation, the patient's mouth is facing the medical worker, and the hole (arm insertion hole) connecting to the patient is located opposite the medical worker, increasing the risk of droplet infection through that hole.

On the other hand, if the arm insertion hole is made small (diameter 100 mm) to reduce the risk of droplet infection, the movement of the arm is restricted, making it difficult to perform the procedure. For example, in the video of Non-Patent Document 1, the arm insertion hole is almost the same circle as the arm, so the medical staff's arm does not move much and the wrist moves a lot. In contrast, in the tracheal intubation simulator of Non-Patent Document 7, which does not use an aerosol box, the arm moves freely and the wrist moves less.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol box that reduces the risk of droplet infection while ensuring sufficient range of arm movement.

In addition, in the case of a laryngoscope without a monitor, the trachea must be confirmed by direct vision. On the other hand, in the case of a video laryngoscope with a monitor (see Non-Patent Document 8), the trachea is confirmed by the image on the monitor. The aerosol box in Non-Patent Document 6 is made of opaque plastic cardboard, so the ridges on the front and top as seen by the doctor are opaque plastic. For this reason, for example, when using an aerosol box such as that in Non-Patent Document 6 with a video laryngoscope, there is a problem that the opaque ridges block the view to confirm the trachea. In addition, when performing tracheal intubation, the doctor needs to move his face significantly to the front or top depending on the angle at which the trachea is confirmed.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an aerosol box that does not obstruct the view due to opaque edges on the front and top surfaces.

In addition, the aerosol boxes in Non-Patent Documents 1 to 6 are all pre-assembled and take up a large volume during storage and transportation. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol box that is easy to store and transport.

To achieve the above objective, the aerosol box of the present invention is characterized by comprising a paper body having a viewing opening and an arm insertion hole, and a transparent body covering the viewing opening.

Since the material is a paper body and a transparent body, an inexpensive aerosol box can be provided. This makes it easy to dispose of, which eliminates the need for disinfection of the aerosol box and reduces the risk of infection for medical workers. In addition, since the material is paper, it can be easily disposed of at an incineration plant. Note that cardboard, thick paper, etc. can be used as the paper body. Also, a transparent plastic film, etc. can be used as the transparent body.
In addition, it is preferable that the aerosol box of the present invention has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from above, and arm insertion holes are formed on the left and right side surfaces.
Since there is no arm insertion hole in front of the medical staff, the risk of infection is low. In addition, the arm insertion hole can be enlarged, making it easier to perform procedures.
In the aerosol box of the present invention, it is preferable that the viewing opening is connected to the top surface and the front surface.

There are various types of laryngoscopes, including general laryngoscopes and video laryngoscopes equipped with a monitor for viewing images of the trachea, and the line of sight during tracheal intubation differs depending on the laryngoscope. In addition, the line of sight to view the trachea and laryngoscope monitor also moves during the procedure. Therefore, it is preferable to ensure a wide field of view so as not to interfere with the line of sight as much as possible. Even when the aerosol box is made of an opaque material as in the present invention, the area between the top and front is not blocked by opaque edges, so tracheal intubation is easy to perform no matter what type of laryngoscope is used.

In addition, in the aerosol box of the present invention, it is preferable that the viewing opening on the top surface is inclined. This allows medical personnel to get closer to the patient's face. It also prevents light reflection from the ceiling, etc.

In the aerosol box of the present invention, it is preferable that the arm insertion hole is an inclined long hole. To reduce the risk of infection, it is desirable that the arm insertion hole be as small as possible, but even a small hole can increase the range of motion of the arm, making the procedure easier.

In the aerosol box of the present invention, it is preferable that a sheet is attached to the arm insertion hole. This can prevent droplets from leaking through the gap between the arm and the hole. It is also preferable that the sheet has radial slits.

In the aerosol box of the present invention, the paper body is preferably assembled from an unfolded state. Since it is assembled from an unfolded state, it is usually left in the unfolded state and only needs to be assembled when necessary, which saves space during storage and transportation and reduces storage and transportation costs.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing a main part of an aerosol box according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing a main part of an aerosol box of a second embodiment, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view of FIG. FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing a main part of an aerosol box according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view of FIG. A is an image of a prototype of an aerosol box according to the third embodiment of the present invention, B is a first image showing the interior spaciousness of the third embodiment, and C is a second image showing the interior spaciousness. FIG. 11 is a development view of an aerosol box according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The following describes the mode for carrying out the present invention with reference to the embodiments and drawings. However, the embodiments shown below are not intended to limit the present invention to those described herein, and the present invention is equally applicable to those in which various modifications are made without departing from the technical ideas set forth in the claims. In addition, in each of the drawings used for explanation in this specification, each component is shown at a different scale so that each component is large enough to be recognizable on the drawing, and is not necessarily shown in proportion to the actual dimensions.

[First embodiment]
An aerosol box 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1A is a perspective view of the aerosol box as seen from the medical staff side, and Fig. 1B is a perspective view of Fig. 1A as seen from the rear.

The aerosol box 100 consists of a paper body with a viewing opening and an arm insertion hole, and a transparent body that covers the viewing opening. More specifically, the aerosol box 100 is made up of a cardboard front panel 1 that forms the rectangular front surface 1F when viewed from the medical staff performing the procedure, a cardboard top panel 2 that forms the rectangular top surface 2F, two cardboard side panels 3 that form the left and right rectangular side surfaces 3F, a cardboard bottom panel 4 that forms the rectangular bottom surface 4F, a front viewing opening 51 provided on the front surface 1F, a top viewing opening 52 provided on the top surface 2F, two side viewing openings 53 provided on the left and right side surfaces 3F, a pair of left and right arm insertion holes 61 provided on the front surface 1F through which the arms are inserted, a front transparent film 71 that covers the front viewing opening 51, a top transparent film 72 that covers the top viewing opening 52, and two side transparent films 73 that cover the left and right side viewing openings 53.

The front panel 1, top panel 2, two side panels 3 and bottom panel 4 are cut out from a single piece of cardboard, with the four sides of the front surface 1F connected to one side of each of the top surface 2F, two side surfaces 3F and bottom surface 4F. As shown in Figure 1, the paper width direction (also known as the grain direction of the cardboard) W is the up-down direction. The front and back liners of the cardboard are white, giving a clean look.

As shown in FIG. 1, the top plate 2 and the side plate 3 are connected by adhesive with two top plate bending flanges 21 extending from the top plate 2. The bottom plate 4 and the side plate 3 are connected by adhesive with two bottom plate bending flanges 41 extending from the bottom plate 4. This makes the aerosol box 100 a box-shaped box with an opening at the rear. For reinforcement, a top plate bending flange 31 is formed on the top plate 2 side of the side plate 3, and a bottom plate bending flange 32 is formed on the bottom plate 4 side.

Then, the patient's head is inserted from the rear of the aerosol box 100, so that the aerosol box 100 covers the patient's head. At this time, the patient's head is positioned on the bottom plate 4, so the lightweight aerosol box 100 does not move easily. In other words, the aerosol box 100 does not move easily due to the movement of the arm inserted into the front arm insertion hole 61.
Furthermore, by slightly inclining the top surface 2 and the two side surfaces 3, multiple aerosol boxes 100 can be stacked and stored in an unused state.

The front transparent film 71, top transparent film 72, and side transparent film 73 are sheets of transparent plastic (e.g., polypropylene, cellophane, PET, PVC, etc.) and are fixed to the surface of each paper cardboard with adhesive or glue. The arm insertion hole 61 is a circular hole (e.g., 100 mm in diameter) with the minimum size necessary for an arm to pass through in order to prevent splashes from leaking.

As described above, the aerosol box 100 of the first embodiment is made of cardboard with a transparent film attached, and can be provided at a much lower cost than aerosol boxes made of acrylic or polycarbonate, making it easy to dispose of. It can also be disposed of in a combustible incinerator. It is also lightweight and easy to handle.

[Second embodiment]
The aerosol box 100A of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2A is a perspective view of the aerosol box seen from the medical staff side, and Fig. 2B is a perspective view of Fig. 2A seen from the rear side. In the aerosol box 100A, the same reference numerals are given to the parts having the same configuration as the aerosol box 100 of the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted, and the suffix "A" is added to the reference numerals to the parts having the same names but different configurations.

The aerosol box 100A is an aerosol box 100 of the first embodiment in which the arm insertion hole 61 has been moved from the front surface 1F to the side surface 3F, and its shape has been made elliptical, with the width of the front surface 1FA narrowed to compensate for the absence of the arm insertion hole 61.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the insertion hole 61 is removed from the front surface 1FA of the aerosol box 100A, and the width of the front surface 1FA is accordingly narrower. Accordingly, the sides of the top surface 2FA and bottom surface 3FA on the front surface 1FA side are narrower, and the aerosol box 100A has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from above (plan view). The width of the front surface 1FA is approximately the width of an average head, ensuring the field of view required for medical personnel to treat patients and allowing the procedure to be easily performed.

In addition, arm insertion holes 61A are provided on the left and right side surfaces 3FA. Unlike the first embodiment, the arm insertion hole 61A is elliptical, with the direction of the long axis being the direction in which the medical worker's arm faces the patient's oral cavity (for example, approximately 45 degrees downward and inward as seen by the medical worker). This allows the medical worker to easily insert his or her arm, and the elliptical shape also allows the medical worker to bend his or her elbow or move his or her arm toward the patient's oral cavity. Note that the arm insertion hole 61A of the present invention is not limited to an ellipse, and a long hole consisting of, for example, an oval or rectangular shape may also be used.

An arm insertion sheet 74 made of transparent, deformable plastic (such as PVC) is fixed to the side panel 3 with an adhesive or the like so as to cover the arm insertion hole 61A. Radial slits S are formed in the arm insertion sheet 74 so that the arms can be inserted.

As such, the aerosol box 100A does not have an arm insertion hole 61A on the front surface 1FA, so droplets do not leak onto the face of medical personnel, preventing infection.

In addition, an arm insertion sheet 74 with a slit S is attached to the arm insertion hole 61A provided on the side surface 3FA, which prevents droplets from leaking through the gap between the arm and the arm insertion hole 61A. When an arm is not inserted in the arm insertion hole 61A, the arm insertion sheet 74 prevents droplets from leaking from the arm insertion hole 61A.

The preferred method for inserting the arms is to form slits S to prevent splashes from leaking, but it is also possible to fix only the upper part of the arm insertion sheet 74 so that the sheet hangs down, and then roll up the lower part of the arm insertion sheet 74 to insert the arms.

As shown in FIG. 2, the two side viewing openings 53A on the left and right are made smaller by moving the arm insertion hole 61A. Although the side viewing openings 53A are not essential, the patient can be seen through the side viewing openings 53A, and the patient can see outside the box, which reduces the sense of oppression from the box. The side transparent film 73A attached to the side viewing openings 53A may be made of the same material as the arm insertion sheet 74 or one piece of material, and may have radial slits so that the nurse can insert their arm. This makes it easier for the nurse to provide assistance (compressing the cricoid cartilage, passing the tracheal tube, expanding the corners of the mouth, removing the stylet, injecting air into the cuff, inserting a bite block, assisting the doctor with auscultation, etc.).

[Third embodiment]
The aerosol box 100B of the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3A is a perspective view of the aerosol box 100B seen from the medical staff side, and Figure 3B is a perspective view of Figure 2A seen from the back. Figure 4A is an image of a prototype, Figure 4B is a first image showing the interior size of the third embodiment, and Figure 4C is a second image showing the interior size. In the aerosol box 100A, the suffix "B" is added to the reference symbol for parts with the same name but different configurations.

The aerosol box 100B is an aerosol box 100A of the second embodiment in which the top surface 2FA is inclined toward the front surface 1FA, and the front viewing opening 51A and the top viewing opening 52A are connected.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the top surface 2FB is inclined toward the front surface 1FB. This causes the edge between the front surface 1FB and the top surface 2FB to slope downward, allowing the medical staff's eyes to be closer to the patient's oral cavity. Also, although lighting is usually installed on the ceiling in the room, this can prevent this lighting from being reflected in the top transparent film 72B of the top viewing opening 52B.

As shown in FIG. 3, the front viewing opening 51B on the front surface 1FB and the top viewing opening 52B on the top surface 2FB are connected to form an integrated front/top viewing opening 54, to which a sheet of front/top transparent film 75 (71B, 72B) is attached. This makes the edges of the front/top transparent film 75 transparent, widening the field of view. The wide, connected top and bottom fields of view can be used with a variety of laryngoscopes, both with and without monitors, and make it easier to move the line of sight up and down during procedures.

The side viewing opening 53B and arm insertion hole 61B are covered with a single transparent, deformable plastic arm insertion/side sheet 76. Radial slits S are provided in the arm insertion hole 61B. The front/top transparent film 75 and the two left and right insertion/side sheets 76 may be integrated into a single transparent sheet by coating the cardboard.

The bottom plate 4B of the aerosol box 100B is a separate piece, and depending on the usage situation, such as when the patient's head cannot be placed on the bottom plate 4B, the bottom plate 4B can be removed.

The bent flange 21B of the top plate 2B is joined to the side plate 3B, and the bent flange 41B of the bottom plate 4B is joined to the side plate 3B not with adhesive but with a pair of male and female one-touch snap buttons H (see Figure 4A). Joining with snap buttons H makes it easy to disassemble when disposing of the product.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the inside of the aerosol box 100B of the third embodiment is large enough to comfortably use a bag valve mask P, for example, 400 to 500 mm, and as shown in FIG. 4C, the height of the inside is large enough to comfortably use a video laryngoscope V equipped with a monitor above, for example, 550 to 650 mm.

[Fourth embodiment]
The aerosol box 100C of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a view showing the aerosol box 100B of the third embodiment in an expanded state. However, unlike the aerosol box 100C of the third embodiment, the bottom plate 4C of the aerosol box 100C is not a separate body but is connected to the front plate 1C.

The aerosol box 100C is sold in the state shown in the development diagram of FIG. 4 and is assembled by the user. The assembly method is to join the bent flange 21C of the top plate 2C to the corresponding snap button H of the side plate 3C, and also to join the bent flange 41C of the bottom plate 4C to the corresponding snap button H of the side plate 3C.

In this way, the aerosol box 100C of the fourth embodiment is assembled when it is used, so it can be stored in an unfolded state before use, and can be stored in a space-saving manner. Note that the method of assembling the aerosol box of the present invention is not limited to snap buttons, and may be, for example, a method of inserting a tongue with a turn into a groove, or a method of peeling off a release paper and applying adhesive.

The aerosol box of the present invention as described above is mainly made of a paper body and a transparent body, so that an inexpensive aerosol box can be provided. Therefore, it can be used as a disposable type, not as a reusable type as in the past. In the embodiment of the present invention, cardboard paper is used as a specific example of the paper body, but materials other than cardboard paper, such as thick paper, can also be used. Also, a film-like material is used as the transparent body, but any foldable transparent body, such as a sheet-like material thicker than a film, can be used.

The aerosol box of the present invention has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from above, and is made of cardboard with a viewing opening and an arm insertion hole formed therein, with the arm insertion hole formed on the left and right side surfaces. Therefore, since there is no arm insertion hole in front of the medical staff as in the past, the risk of infection is low. In addition, the arm insertion hole can be made large, making it easier to perform procedures. This configuration is not limited to paper, such as cardboard made of paper, and can also be used with transparent acrylic or transparent polycarbonate as in Non-Patent Documents 1 to 5, and plastic cardboard as in Non-Patent Document 6.

The aerosol box of the present invention is also formed with a viewing opening that connects the top and front surfaces. Therefore, even in the case of an aerosol box made of an opaque material, the space between the top and front surfaces is not blocked by opaque edges, making it easy to perform tracheal intubation using any laryngoscope. This configuration is not limited to paper, such as cardboard, and can be used with any aerosol box made of opaque or semi-transparent material, for example, wood made from trees or bamboo, resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and nylon, and metals such as aluminum foil.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol box has a front surface, a top surface, left and right side surfaces, and a bottom surface, but it is also possible to adopt a configuration without a bottom surface. The shape of the top surface does not need to be limited to a plate shape, and it can also be a curved shape. Also, instead of a configuration like the front and top surfaces, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the front surface and top surface are formed from a single plate surface, and the left and right side surfaces are triangular plate surfaces.

100, 100A-C: Aerosol box 1F, 1FA, 1FB: Front 2F, 2FA, 2FB: Top 3F, 3FA: Side 4F: Bottom 51, 51A, 51B: Opening for viewing from the front 52, 52A: Opening for viewing from the top 53, 53A, 53B: Opening for viewing from the side 54: Opening for viewing from the front and top 61, 61A, 61B: Arm insertion hole 71: Front transparent film 72, 72B: Top transparent film 73: Side transparent film 74: Arm insertion sheet 75: Front and top transparent film 76: Arm insertion and side sheet H: Snap button S: Slit

Claims (6)

The device comprises a paper body having a viewing opening and an arm insertion hole, and a transparent body covering the viewing opening,
An aerosol box that is trapezoidal in shape when viewed from above and has arm insertion holes formed on the left and right sides . The aerosol box according to claim 1, characterized in that the viewing opening is connected to the top and front surfaces. The aerosol box according to claim 1, characterized in that the viewing opening on the top surface is inclined. The aerosol box according to claim 1, characterized in that the arm insertion hole is an inclined oblong hole. The aerosol box according to claim 1, characterized in that a film is attached to the arm insertion hole. The aerosol box according to claim 1, characterized in that the paper body is assembled from an unfolded state.

Images