IT202000011119A1 - MODULAR SECTIONAL UNIT FOR THE RAPID CONSTRUCTION OF EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE STRUCTURES. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

accompanying a patent application for an industrial invention entitled:

?UNIT? MODULAR UNIT FOR THE RAPID CONSTRUCTION OF EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE STRUCTURES?.

DESCRIPTION TEXT

The present patent application for an industrial invention relates to a unit? modular system for the rapid construction of emergency healthcare structures.

More experiences or less recent have made it possible to detect how many states are substantially unprepared at the time of dealing with health emergencies, such as pandemics, calamities? natural or large-scale environmental contamination.

Such a deficit is usually justified by the choice, made by many states for budgetary needs, to reduce the costs for permanent health structures, understood as clinics, hospitals, diagnostic or rehabilitation centres.

Self ? Is it true, however, that such a downsizing of healthcare facilities can still be tolerated? though not without some difficulty? ? in normal times, ? equally evident that this phenomenon instead creates substantially insurmountable problems during the aforementioned emergency situations, when the large number of subjects involved and above all their abnormal concentration in a short or very short period of time makes the situation completely unmanageable.

Pi? precisely it alludes to the fact that hospitals and other health facilities are no longer? able to welcome and adequately treat the large number of patients involved in the emergency.

To deal with such extraordinary situations, impromptu solutions are currently being adopted, since in the short period of time in which the emergency occurs, there is no? certainly the possibility? to expand the dimensions of the permanent health structures with ordinary construction techniques.

Therefore there is a tendency to resort to the construction of structures characterized by a greater or lesser temporariness, in the sense of being in any case destined to be dismantled once the emergency is over.

In this perspective, perhaps the rapid conversion of buildings already? such as industrial warehouses, sports halls or exhibition halls, or for the installation of field hospitals, in the form of military-inspired tent cities.

Well, even if these solutions manage to buffer the emergency in some way, you can't? avoid detecting some drawbacks of considerable size.

With reference to the reconversion of the aforesaid structures previously intended for completely different uses, it should be emphasized in the meantime that these operations still require medium-long times, precisely because the general needs of health facilities, the need? to obtain a plurality? of small rooms intended for the hospitalization of patients, so? as the need? to be able to have a dedicated plant? think only of systems for medical gases, for conditioning and sanitizing the air? certainly make the operations aimed at such a reconversion complex.

To there? it should be added that, at the end of the emergency, the buildings subject to such a conversion are normally returned to their initial destination by means of costly dismantling of the premises and systems set up for the emergency and with the further economic disadvantage that many of the building structures and systems set up on the occasion of the aforesaid emergency conversion turn out to be ? following their dismantling? not anymore reusable for any new emergencies of the same type.

For their part, the aforementioned field hospitals lend themselves to being put into service in shorter times. rapid, but certainly not able to guarantee hospitalized patients and medical staff conditions of comfort, hygiene and immunity? at a level compatible with the needs of a typical healthcare environment, n? much less to administer highly sophisticated or intensive-level therapies.

In other cases, yes? chosen to build the aforementioned emergency health facilities thanks to the prefabrication technique, according to which the components of these structures understood as floors, walls and upper coverings ? they are built in the factory and assembled on site.

However, even this technology currently does not reconcile very well with the needs of a rapid construction of emergency health structures, above all due to the fact that rather long times are then required to equip similar generic prefabricated structures with all the equipment and systems necessary in a healthcare environment, moreover under the care of a highly specialized workforce.

Moreover, in the event that there is an emergency of a viral or bacteriological nature, can one? well understand how the aforementioned operators called to install the equipment and systems for sanitary use on the aforementioned generic prefabricated buildings find themselves highly exposed to the risk of being infected, at least in cases where the place where they are equipping the new units? emergency health was in the vicinity? of a permanent health facility or other units? prefabricated already? finished that they had already? welcomed infected patients.

Precisely the careful reflection on the problems just referred to led to the conception of the invention in question, whose main purpose? ? precisely that of allowing the extremely rapid construction of an emergency health facility capable of ensuring optimal hospitalization conditions for patients and even the possibility of to receive even intensive therapies.

Such a purpose? ? been pursued through the? unit? modular unit according to the invention which preferably adopts, once the building is complete, a structure similar to that of a small house with a rectangular plan.

In fact it is built using the prefabrication technique, which however in this case is adapted to the specific needs of a health emergency, in the presence of which it is necessary, on the one hand, to limit the times of the aforementioned construction to a minimum and, from other, prepare buildings equipped with equipment and dedicated systems, which are certainly not those commonly adopted by a unit? prefab for residential use.

Starting therefore from the assumption that also the unit? modular according to the invention is intended to be built on the site of installation thanks to the assembly of structural components made in the factory, it must be specified that the peculiarity? of the present invention consists in the fact of having provided for the first time that the aforementioned structural components ? understood as walls, floor and top cover? must incorporate, right from their creation in the factory, all the systems required for a building intended for health emergencies.

It is therefore understood that the assembly of the various structural components of such a unit? prefabricated emergency not only carries out the construction of the latter, but also the simultaneous installation of all the typical systems for use by the units. emergency health, just why? incorporated in the aforementioned structural components.

It is understood that the assembly of similar components? equipped? will have to still be carried out by skilled labor, but certainly with processing times much lower than those required when ? as mentioned ? first build a prefabricated structure and then equip it on site with all the necessary systems.

In fact, the? further purpose? of the present invention? just that of making sure that the personnel involved in the installation of the unit? according to the invention must remain in the place of installation, perhaps dangerous due to some risk of contagion, for an extremely limited time, slightly longer than that required to assemble a prefabricated building not yet equipped with the relative service systems.

Can you? In other words, that time which, in the logic of traditional prefabrication, the fitters of the systems must spend on site to duly equip the various units? prefabricated already? assemble, now ? thanks to the present invention ? can? be spent by them in the factory, where for? precisely these installers must incorporate the respective systems in the structural components of each of the units? prefabricated.

A further important purpose? of the present invention? that of making sure that, once the health emergency is over, all the components of the various units? prefabricated buildings can be quickly disassembled and suitably stored, without even having to remove the systems they incorporate and with the certainty that these components remain available, in perfect conditions of efficiency, for any future health emergency.

The further purpose? pursued through the present invention ? that of making possible the rapid creation of emergency health structures of any desired size, taking advantage of the modularity? of? unit? modular according to the invention, which in fact lends itself to being installed, in perfect synergy, with any desired number of identical specimens.

L? unit? modular unit according to the invention comprises the following prefabricated components, which can be mutually assembled:

- a floor;

- an upper cover acting as a roof;

- two longitudinal walls and two transversal walls, placed between the aforesaid floor and the aforesaid upper cover.

These elements combine to delimit a main environment within that unit? modular.

The peculiarity of that unit? modular unit according to the invention ? the one on the basis of which the aforesaid floor and/or the aforesaid upper cover and/or at least one of the aforesaid walls incorporate one or more? branches of one or more prefabricated service plants for the aforementioned unit? modular.

It should be noted that by prefabricated service systems it is meant that said systems are made directly in the factory, jointly with the aforementioned floor and/or the aforementioned upper cover and/or at least one of the aforementioned walls.

For greater explanatory clarity, the description of the invention continues with reference to the attached drawings, having an illustrative and non-limiting value only, in which:

- figure 1 ? an axonometric representation of the new unit? modular in question;

- figure 2 ? an isometric representation showing the floor support frame of the unit? modular of figure 1;

- figure 3 ? analogous to the previous one, but showing the various panels which make up the aforesaid floor resting and fixed above the frame of figure 2;

- figure 4 ? an axonometric representation showing the inside of the unit? modular as in figure 1, thanks to the removal of the upper cover which acts as a roof; - figure 5 ? a section with a transverse plane of figure 1; - figure 6 ? a view from the internal surface of one of the longitudinal walls of the unit? modular of figure 1;

- figure 6A ? an enlarged detail of figure 6;

- figure 7 ? analogous to figure 6, but refers to a second constructive form of the aforesaid longitudinal wall; - figure 7A ? an enlarged detail of figure 7;

- figures 8 and 9 show a building obtained thanks to the cooperation of two examples of the unit? modular in question, respectively before the completion of the relative upper covering and after the completion of said covering;

- figure 10 shows an entire hospital complex obtained thanks to the cooperation of a plurality of specimens of? unit? composable in question.

With reference to figures from 1 to 7, the unit? modular according to the invention (U) is formed by some structural components made in buildings and assembled on site, in removable, according to the prefabrication technique.

In particular, said components that can be assembled ? otherwise definable prefabricated artifacts? consist of:

- a floor (1);

- perimeter walls, four in the preferred embodiment, with a rectangular plan, of the unit? modular shown in the aforementioned figures, of which two are longitudinal (2a, 2b) and two are transversal (3a, 3b); wherein said transversal walls (3a, 3b) are preferably used for assembling access doors (P);

- an upper cover acting as a roof (4).

With reference to figures 2 and 3, the aforesaid floor (1) uses, as a load-bearing structural element, a horizontal metal frame (10) resting on the ground by means of height-adjustable legs (11), as well as able to be plugged at the top with a series of panels (12) actually intended to give rise to the treadable surface of the unit? modular in question (U).

With reference to figures 1 and 5, the aforementioned upper cover (4) is made by means of two flat longitudinal sections (41, 42) connected centrally by a raised longitudinal section (43), substantially a sort of backbone, provided with a substantially ?U? upside down and internally hollow, as it is formed by two vertical sides and a horizontal upper wall.

With reference to figures 4 and 5, the unit? according to the invention (U) ? intended preferably to be set up as a unit? hospital also for intensive care, capable of accommodating in its main room (A1) two rows of beds (L), according to a logic whereby the headboard of each of these beds abuts against the internal surface of one of the aforementioned longitudinal walls (2a, 2b).

As anticipated, ? it is envisaged that the aforesaid side walls (2a, 2b, 3a, 3b), the aforesaid upper cover (4) and possibly also the aforesaid floor (1) incorporate in their structure, since their construction in the factory, one or more? branches of the systems normally necessary for the correct functioning of the emergency health facilities and the units? of intensive care.

In this perspective? preferably expected:

- that the two aforementioned longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) of the unit? modular in question (U) incorporate respective branches of the electrical, telephone, hydraulic and medical gas conduction systems and

- that the aforementioned cover serving as a roof (4), and more? precisely its aforementioned hollow raised section (43), incorporates the branches of a lighting system and an air conditioning/sanitization system and supports a respective battery of photovoltaic panels at the top.

Is it also precise? that all the branches of the aforementioned systems are equipped at the ends? of connectors that allow l?quick connection with any other branches of corresponding systems supplied to the same unit? modular (U) and/or with the respective units? operational (OP) mounted outside the unit? modular itself (U) ? intended perhaps as air conditioning units, water or medical gas tanks, generators, as shown in figure 4 ? or again with public supply networks.

For example, the aforesaid quick connection connectors could be used to allow the connection between the branches of the systems incorporated in one of the aforesaid longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) with the branches of corresponding systems possibly incorporated in the aforesaid transverse walls (3a, 3b).

But such a quick link logic can? be advantageously exploited also to connect in series the branches of the systems provided as standard to a specific unit? modular (U) with the branches of the corresponding systems provided for one or more? further specimens of the same unit? modular (U), when you want to create a ?multiple? hospital structure, in which each unit? modular (U) constitutes a single module of a whole that can be expanded at will, as shown in figures 9 and 10.

With reference to figures 7 and 7A, ? it is envisaged that the systems supplied to the two aforementioned longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) are located within one or more? channels (20) fixed on the inner surface of said walls (2a, 2b); since it is foreseen that lamps and connection means (21) are inserted on the front of said channels (20) ? electrical sockets, graft mouthpieces and quant?else? suitable to allow a rapid connection between the aforementioned systems and the external branches? electric cables, flexible pipes, suitably equipped with corresponding coupling means ? intended to serve every single bed.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 8A, ? envisaged instead that the aforesaid channels (20) which house the systems supplied to the same longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) are seated hidden in the thickness of said longitudinal walls (2a, 2b), in such a condition that on the internal surface of said longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) can only remain in view of the aforesaid lamps and the aforesaid quick connection means (21) serving each bed.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5, ? provided that the aforesaid raised section (43) of the upper cover (4) houses inside it, and along its entire length, the pipes (44) which make up a branch of an air conditioning system; being provided that said raised portion (43) is closed at the bottom by a box-shaped panel (45), substantially in the shape of a ?U?, which protrudes slightly towards the inside of the unit? modular (U) and which bears, on its sides, the vents for the forced emission of the air conditioning.

Preferably said box-shaped panel (45) is also used for mounting the ceiling lights of a series of lamps powered by electric cables, likewise installed right from installation in the factory, inside the aforementioned raised section (43) of the upper cover ( 4).

? important to point out that the longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) of? unit? modular according to the invention (U), cos? like the aforementioned raised section (43) of the upper cover (4) adopt a length compatible with the capacity? load capacity of the trolley of a traditional seesaw and therefore substantially identical to that of a ?long? container.

Of course, such a prediction allows you to transport the components more? lengths of the modular unit in question (U) according to modality? absolutely practical and economical both on rubber, cos? as possibly by railway.

With particular reference to the quoted figures, it must be said that the unit? modular in question (U) also lends itself to being equipped with partitions (5) that allow you to separate its internal volume into more? environments.

Thereby ? possible to obtain, in addition to the aforementioned main environment (A1), one or two ?accessory? environments? (A2) of minor surface extension, as well as? located at? one or the other of the two extremities? of? unit? same (U); it being provided that said ancillary rooms (A2) can be used for different needs not directly related to the hospitalization and assistance of patients.

Is it also precise? that the unit? modular according to the invention (U) lends itself to being realized not only as a recovery room for patients in intensive care, but also as a room for diagnostic imaging, reception and first aid, storeroom, changing room for personnel, etc.

Naturally, in the latter hypothesis the unit? modular according to the invention (U), while maintaining its constructive philosophy, it will have to? be equipped with systems from time to time dedicated to these different needs of use.

The aforementioned figures 8 and 9 show a building obtained thanks to the cooperation of two specimens of the aforementioned unit modular according to the invention (U).

From these graphic contributions one can observe, in particular, that the aforementioned cooperation between the two specimens of the unity? in question (U) ? obtained, in the preferred embodiment, thanks to the interposition of a unit? prefabricated housing suitable for use (R), capable of being arranged in an orthogonal arrangement between one and the other of the aforementioned specimens of the unit according to the invention (U), like a connecting corridor.

Figure 10 shows an authentic ?village? hospital obtained by suitably combining a plurality? of specimens of the aforesaid unit? modular according to the invention (U) with the necessary connection of pi? specimens of the aforesaid unit? dedicated prefab (R).

In fact, the various specimens of this?last unit? connection (R), once they are joined in succession, they give life to a long lane, or corridor, from which you can? access the inputs of the aforementioned units? modular (U).

The same figure 10 allows, even more? of the previous ones, to appreciate the true nature of the unit? modular according to the invention (U), which?, precisely, that of a module that can be reproduced and assembled in any number of specimens, yes? to respond adequately to each specific health emergency, also according to the number of patients to be hospitalised.

It is also believed that the modalities of manufacturing and assembly also in pi? specimens, described up to now with reference to the?unit? modular according to the invention (U), allow one to be definitively convinced not only of the practicality and the speed? of the installation of this unit? (U), but also of the fact that such a rapidity? it certainly manifests itself also in the disassembly phase, with the further advantage that this last operation can? be accomplished without jeopardizing the? integrity? of the various structural components of each of the aforementioned units? modular (U), which can then be stored in an orderly manner and suitably reused in the same way in the event of a subsequent emergency.

? Finally, it is important to underline that even if, until now, yes ? always assumed that the new unit? modular unit in question (U) is preferably used to build emergency hospital structures, nothing prevents the inventive idea underlying this invention from being advantageously used, without going beyond the same inventive idea, even for different purposes.

Is it meant to say that if the aforementioned peculiar inventive idea ? that of incorporating ?in the factory? the service systems in the structural components of a prefabricated building, then ? clear that a similar logic can also be exploited for the construction of prefabricated buildings also intended for residential, industrial, craft or commercial construction, on the sole condition of appropriately selecting the service systems intended to be incorporated in the structural components of these buildings alternative.

Claims (15)

1) Unit? modular assembly, comprising the following prefabricated components, which can be mutually assembled: - a floor (1); - an upper cover (4) acting as a roof; - two longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) and two transversal walls (3a, 3b), placed between the aforementioned floor (1) and the aforementioned upper cover (4), acts to delimit together a main environment (A1) within said unit? modular (U); unit? modular (U) characterized by the fact that the aforesaid floor (1) and/or the aforesaid upper cover (4) and/or at least one of the aforesaid walls (2a, 2b / 3a, 3b) incorporate one or more? branches of one or more prefabricated service plants for the aforementioned unit? modular (U). 2) Unit? modular according to claim 1, wherein the aforesaid floor (1) comprises a horizontal load-bearing frame (10), equipped with legs for resting on the ground (11), and a plurality of of panels (12) fixed above said frame (10). 3) Units modular according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the aforesaid upper cover (4) comprises two flat longitudinal sections (41, 42) connected centrally by an internally hollow raised longitudinal section (43). 4) Units modular according to claim 3, wherein the aforesaid raised longitudinal section (43) of the aforesaid cover (4) internally incorporates an air conditioning and air sanitization system (44) and/or an electrical system for power supply a lighting system; in which said raised portion (43) ? closed at the bottom by a boxed panel (45) which protrudes slightly towards the inside of said unit? modular (U) and which includes the diffusion vents of the aforesaid air conditioning and sanitization system (44) and the ceiling lights of the aforesaid lighting system. 5) Units modular according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the aforesaid upper cover (4) externally incorporates a plurality of of photovoltaic panels. 6) Units modular according to one of the preceding claims, in which each of the aforesaid longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) incorporates, in correspondence with its own internal surface, one or more? raceways (20) for housing the aforesaid respective sections of the service systems; in which each of these raceways (20) carries lamps and/or connection means (21) on its front, suitable for allowing the rapid connection of the aforementioned systems with respective external branches. 7) Units modular according to one of the claims from 1 to 5, in which each of the aforesaid longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) incorporates, in its own thickness, the aforesaid channels (20) housing one or more? branches of the aforementioned service facilities; wherein each of these longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) incorporates lamps and/or connection means (21) in correspondence with its internal surface suitable for allowing the rapid connection of the aforementioned systems with respective external branches. 8) Units modular according to one of claims 6 and 7, wherein the aforesaid systems incorporated in the aforesaid longitudinal walls (2a, 2b) are electrical and/or hydraulic systems and/or for the supply of medical gases. 9) Units modular according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said unit? modular (U) does it include outside the units? operations (OP) designed to feed the aforementioned branches of the aforementioned plants. 10) Units modular according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the aforesaid branches of the aforesaid plants comprise, at at least one of their ends, connectors for connection with other branches of the same plants or with the aforesaid units? operational (OP) or with public adduction networks. 11) Units modular according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said unit? modular (U) has internal partitions (5). 12) Units modular according to claim 11, in which the aforesaid partitions (5) are able to originate one or more? accessory rooms (A2) at one or both ends? of the aforementioned main room (A1). 13) Units modular according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said unit? modular (U) ? designed to form, together with one or more? identical specimens, accommodation facilities of any desired extension. 14) Units modular according to claim 13, in which said unit? modular (U) ? able to be connected and made intercommunicating with a second identical unit? modular (U), once the one and the other are aligned longitudinally, by a unit? prefabricated housing (R) able to arrange itself in an orthogonal arrangement between the two aforementioned specimens of the unit? modular (U). 15) Modular residential structure, including a plurality? of the aforementioned units? modular (U) and at least one of the aforementioned units? connection (R).