Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Electrical therapeutic systems
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-03
2001-05-08
Layno, Carl H. (Department: 3762)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Electrical therapeutic systems
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230053
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a defibrillator having an integrated surveillance monitor, on the screen of which vital parameters of a patient can be displayed in the form of a rotatable screen content, having a built in power supply device for power supply independent of the main power supply and having a connection device for the external power supply of the defibrillator.
Defibrillators for external or transthoracic defibrillation form part of the equipment of rescue facilities, such as in particular rescue vehicles, and are thus used in differing practical situations, namely on the one hand directly at the place of application outside the rescue facility and on the other hand during transport of the patient using the rescue facility. That is to say that the defibrillator is removed from the rescue facility upon arrival of the rescue facility at the place of application, in order to be utilized for the treatment of the patient, who is usually lying on the ground. During transport of the patient to the hospital using the rescue facility, the defibrillator is likewise needed; however, for this purpose it is inserted into a special mounting within the rescue facility.
When used outside the rescue facility the defibrillator is powered by means of its own power supply, i.e. preferably an accumulator, while the defibrillator inserted in its mounting within the rescue facility draws its energy from the on-board power supply of the rescue facility; in this case, the accumulator of the defibrillator is at the same time recharged from the on-board power supply.
A defibrillator has a substantially parallelepipedic housing, which, in the course of treatment of a patient outside the rescue facility, rests flat on the ground. Within the rescue facility for reasons of space the defibrillator is inserted “edgewise” into its mounting.
This differing arrangement of the defibrillator in the case of use outside the rescue facility and in the case of use within the rescue facility now gives rise to a shortcoming, and the most widely varying efforts have already been made to eliminate this shortcoming.
As is known, a defibrillator does indeed have a surveillance monitor, on which the vital parameters of a patient are displayed. These vital parameters include at least an electrocardiogram (ECG) and, where appropriate, further quantities in addition. Accordingly, the surveillance monitor provides the physician or paramedic with a report on the success or lack of success of the use of the defibrillator on the patient. Thus, constant observation by the physician or paramedic is of great importance.
As has, however, already been explained hereinabove, the defibrillator is situated in different positions when used outside the rescue facility and when used within the rescue facility; this necessarily also involves different positions of the surveillance monitor, and thus of the screen thereof.
This means that an image which appears in “normal” form on the screen when the defibrillator is used outside the rescue facility may appear in a “vertically inverted” form in the case of use within the rescue facility when the defibrillator is situated in a mounting, since, as a consequence of the different positioning of the defibrillator, the screen has been rotated through 180°. It does not need to be emphasized that the viewing and evaluation of a “vertically inverted” image is extremely laborious for the physician or paramedic.
To overcome this problem, a defibrillator has already been developed, the screen content of which can be rotated by means of the actuation of an operating element. Thus, in addition to the operating elements which are needed for medical reasons, such defibrillators also have a further operating element which has to be actuated and set separately after the defibrillator has been inserted into the mounting within the rescue facility, in order to obtain the signal display on the screen of the surveillance monitor in the accustomed fashion, i.e. “not vertically inverted”.
However, precisely when a patient is brought into a rescue facility, the most widely varying necessary actions have to be performed by the physician or paramedic, so that the setting of a separate operating element on the defibrillator to rotate the screen content thereof is perceived as troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a defibrillator having a surveillance monitor with a rotatable screen content, in the case of which a physician or paramedic obtains the display of the screen content in the correct arrangement and not “vertically inverted” on the surveillance monitor of the defibrillator, without additional manipulations or settings, irrespective of the place of application of the defibrillator outside or within a rescue facility.
In the case of a defibrillator of the initially mentioned type, this object is achieved according to the invention in that the screen content is automatically rotatable in dependence on the application of the external power supply, or in dependence on the insertion of the defibrillator into a mounting, respectively.
Thus, the invention follows a surprisingly simple path: by means of a sensor, it is discerned whether the power supply of the defibrillator is being effected via the on-board power supply of the rescue facility, or whether the defibrillator is inserted into a mounting. If it is found, for example, that the power supply is being undertaken via the on-board power supply of the rescue facility, then the screen content displayed on the surveillance monitor of the defibrillator is rotated through 180°, and vice versa. It is thus achieved that, after insertion of the defibrillator in its mounting within the rescue facility and after the establishment of contact of contact springs of the defibrillator with the on-board power supply of the rescue facility, or after the establishment of contact of a sensor, respectively, the screen content is immediately rotated without manual intervention by the physician or paramedic, so that it can again be viewed in the normal position and not “vertically inverted”. In this case no additional manipulations or settings are necessary, so that it is also the case that, for this purpose, the treatment of the patient does not need to be interrupted.
In this way, the invention permits a special advantage, namely an “automatic” rotation of the screen content on the surveillance monitor, in dependence on the place of application of the defibrillator; this was not possible previously, with the prior art.
As the defibrillator's power supply device independent of the on-board power supply use is preferably made of an accumulator which, upon application of the external power supply, can automatically be recharged from the on-board power supply of the rescue facility.
In a development of the invention, it is provided that the rotatability of the screen content can be activated in dependence on the power supply or in dependence on the insertion into a mounting, respectively, prior to the first inception of operation of the defibrillator. That is to say that it is possible that the rotatability of the screen content is not activated. This may be expedient in special cases, in which, on an exceptional basis, the defibrillator is accommodated within the rescue facility in such a way that its surveillance monitor is in the same position as outside the rescue facility. In this case, a rotatability of the screen content is undesired, so that the activation of the rotatability is expediently not undertaken.
In this connection, it should be mentioned that rescue facilities are to be understood in general as referring to motor vehicles, rail vehicles, airplanes, helicopters and watercraft, although, of course, motor vehicles represent the preferred area of application. Where sufficient space is available, the defibrillator is not necessarily inserted “edgewise” in a mounting within the rescue facility; this means that, as has been explained hereinabove, the surveillance m
Cabou Christian G.
Layno Carl H.
Marquette Hellige GmbH
Michael & Best & Friedrich LLP
LandOfFree
Defibrillator having a monitor with rotatable screen content does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Defibrillator having a monitor with rotatable screen content, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Defibrillator having a monitor with rotatable screen content will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2544920