초록 ▼

A hyperbaric capsule has a base forming a seat that can be enclosed by an elongate oval canopy having a large transparent window formed therein. The bottom of the front of the canopy is pivotally attached to the front of the base by a hinge assembly and can be locked in the closed position on the ba

A hyperbaric capsule has a base forming a seat that can be enclosed by an elongate oval canopy having a large transparent window formed therein. The bottom of the front of the canopy is pivotally attached to the front of the base by a hinge assembly and can be locked in the closed position on the base by a plurality of latches that are conjointly operated by an external lever and an internal lever. The weight of the canopy upon opening is borne by a pair of side gas or spring struts.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A hyperbaric capsule comprising: an elongate base molding which forms a forward-facing chair for a user, the chair having a seat and a back rising from the seat, the base molding having a front portion that extends forward of the chair seat at user foot level, and a rea

The invention claimed is: 1. A hyperbaric capsule comprising: an elongate base molding which forms a forward-facing chair for a user, the chair having a seat and a back rising from the seat, the base molding having a front portion that extends forward of the chair seat at user foot level, and a rear portion that extends upwardly above the back of the chair and above user head level, said base molding defining a peripheral seal-line that extends around the front portion and along each side of the chair around the rear portion; an elongate canopy extending forward and downward from above user head level at said back portion of the base to said front portion of the base, the canopy having an elongate transparent window formed therein, the canopy configured to be moveable between an open position, where a user can freely move to the chair from a side of the capsule, and a closed position, where a seated user is fully enclosed by the base and the canopy, the canopy defining a peripheral seal-line that is adapted to engage with said base seal-line to form an air-tight seal between the canopy and the base when the canopy is in the closed position; pressurization means for pressurizing the capsule when said canopy is in the closed position; and a pressure regulator configured to operatively regulate pressure inside the capsule when the canopy is in the closed position. 2. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 1 wherein: said canopy has a convex external surface that is curved both front-to-back and side-to-side, said window also has a convex outer external surface that is curved both front-to-back and side-to-side, and said window extends at least from user head level to the level of the seat of the chair, when the canopy is closed. 3. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 1, having: latching means operable from both within and outside the capsule for securing the canopy to the base when the canopy is in the closed position to permit pressurization of the capsule, and for releasing the canopy from the base for movement to the open position. 4. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 3 wherein said latching means includes: a plurality of latches spaced around said peripheral seal-line of the base, a plurality of latch pins spaced around said peripheral seal-line of the canopy for engagement by respective latches, inside actuator means operable from inside the capsule when the canopy is in the closed position to secure and release all said latches in unison, and outside actuator means operable from outside the capsule when the canopy is in the closed position to secure and release all said latches in unison. 5. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 4 wherein: said latches include hook members moveable between a secure position, in which said hook members engage respective latch pins when the canopy is in the closed position, and a release position, in which said members disengage the respective latch pins, and said hook members have an over-center action whereby an opening force applied to the canopy, when said hook members are in said secure position, acts to bias said hook members toward the secure position, thereby inhibiting operation of said inside and outside actuator means when the capsule is under pressure. 6. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 4 wherein: the base has a first U-shape periphery which is generally horizontal and which defines a first portion of said base seal-line, said first U-shape periphery extends from below the seat on each side of the chair and around said front portion of the base, the base has a second U-shape periphery which is generally vertical and which defines a second portion of said base seal-line, said second U-shape periphery is in the form of an inverted U that extends from below the seat on each side of the chair and over the back of the chair, said first U-shape periphery and said second U-shape periphery join at a given angle below the seat, completing said base seal-line, the canopy includes two opposed downwardly extending side portions of generally triangular form, each side portion of the canopy forms a canopy angle that is substantially equal to said given angle, each side portion also defining portion of said canopy seal-line, and the side portions of the canopy fit into said join of the first and second U-shape peripheries on each side of the capsule when the canopy is in the closed position. 7. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 6 wherein: said hook members are located externally each side of the base near the chair and near said join, said latch pins are located on and externally of said side portions of the canopy and are arranged for engagement by said externally located hook members. 8. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 7 wherein: said externally located hook members are arranged in opposed pairs, the hook members of each of said pairs are fixed to respective ends of a common substantially horizontal shaft that extends transversely through the base molding, the hook members of each pair being movable by rotation of their respective shaft to engage and release their respective latch pins on the side portions of the canopy, outward movement of the side portions of the canopy under pressure is resisted by abutment of the side portions with the hook members of a pair and tension within their respective shaft. 9. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 8, wherein, the canopy is hingedly attached to the base so that, when the canopy is in the closed position, at least part of the side portions of the canopy lies inwards of said first and second U-shaped peripheries of the base on each side of the capsule, whereby outward movement of said side portions of the canopy under pressure is resisted by said first and second U-shaped peripheries of the base. 10. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 1, wherein: the canopy is hingedly attached to the front portion of the base for movement about a transverse horizontal axis, and gas struts are fitted between the canopy and the base on each side of the front portion of the base to counterbalance a weight of the canopy when open or when being opened. 11. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 1, wherein a pressure-operated lock is provided to prevent the opening of the canopy while there is super-atmospheric pressure within the capsule. 12. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 1 having a temperature indicator within the capsule adapted to indicate the temperature of pressurised air supplied to the capsule via the pressurization means. 13. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 1 having: monitoring means adapted to monitor the CO2 concentration of air within the capsule, and alarm means connected to said monitoring means adapted to signal the user when a predetermined concentration of CO2 is reached. 14. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 13 having emergency release means operable to effect automatic depressurization of the capsule and automatic release of said canopy to the open position when the predetermined concentration of CO2 is reached. 15. A hyperbaric chamber according to claim 1 having oxygen supply means adapted to supply oxygen gas at hyperbaric pressure to a user within the capsule, said oxygen supply means including a face mask by which oxygen enriched air can be supplied to a user seated and enclosed within the capsule. 16. A hyperbaric chamber according to claim 1, wherein: a width of the capsule is less than that of a standard door frame, and the base is fitted with wheels or rollers by which the capsule can be moved to or transported within a domestic location. 17. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 1, wherein the pressurization means includes an air-conditioning and pump unit located at a bottom rear-end of the base. 18. A hyperbaric capsule according to claim 1, wherein the pressure regulator includes a throttle valve operated to control air exiting the capsule.