Gas bottle with protective casing for use in the medical field

Abstract

The invention concerns a gas bottle in particular for medical use, comprising a generally cylindrical bottle body ( 1 ) comprising members ( 3 ) regulating gas output and optionally a protective covering ( 2 ) arranged around the members ( 3 ) regulating gas output. The invention is characterised in that the bottle body ( 1 ) is at least partly covered with at least a first protective casing ( 11 ), and the members ( 3 ) and/or the protective covering ( 2 ) are at least partly covered with at least a second protective casing ( 21 ). The invention also concerns a protective packaging for a gas bottle formed with a first protective casing ( 11 ) portion and a second protective casing ( 21 ) portion mutually integral and/or formed in a single piece, the first casing portion ( 11 ) comprising a disc-shaped base ( 12 ) to protect the base of the gas bottle.

1 . A gas bottle comprising a bottle body ( 1 ) of cylindrical overall shape comprising means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of the gas and a protective cowling ( 2 ) arranged around the means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of the gas, characterized in that: 
 the bottle body ( 1 ) is at least partially covered by at least first protective casing ( 11 ), and    the protective cowling ( 2 ) is at least partially covered by at least a second protective casing ( 21 ).    
     
     
         2 . A gas bottle comprising a bottle body ( 1 ) of cylindrical overall shape comprising means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of gas, characterized in that: 
 the bottle body ( 1 ) is at least partially covered by at least a first protective casing ( 11 ), and    the means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of gas are at least partially covered by at least a second protective casing ( 21 ).    
     
     
         3 . The gas bottle as claimed in either of claims  1  and  2 , characterized in that the bottle body ( 1 ) is covered over at least 70% of its external surface area by at least the first protective casing ( 11 ) and/or in that the protective cowling ( 2 ) and/or the means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of gas are covered over at least 70% of their external surface area by at least the second protective casing ( 21 ), and are preferably covered over between 80 and 98% of their external surface area.  
     
     
         4 . The gas bottle as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterized in that said first protective casing ( 11 ) and second protective casing ( 21 ) are a single protective casing and/or form a one-piece covering structure.  
     
     
         5 . The gas bottle as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterized in that said first protective casing ( 11 ) and second protective casing ( 21 ) are separate and/or not attached to one another.  
     
     
         6 . The gas bottle as claimed in one of  claims 2  to  5 , characterized in that the second protective casing ( 21 ) covering the means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of gas comprises at least one cutout or precut ( 23 ,  24 ) allowing an operator to have access, through said cutout or precut ( 23 ,  24 ) to said means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of gas under said second protective casing ( 21 ).  
     
     
         7 . The gas bottle as claimed in one of claims  1  and  3  to  5 , characterized in that the second protective casing ( 21 ) covering the protective cowling ( 2 ) comprises at least one cutout or precut ( 23 ,  24 ) that coincides with and/or is placed opposite at least one opening in the protective cowling ( 2 ) to allow an operator to have access, through said cutout or precut ( 23 ,  24 ) and said opening, to the means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of gas which means are situated inside the protective cowling ( 2 ).  
     
     
         8 . The gas bottle as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  7 , characterized in that the means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of gas are chosen from on/off valves, gas valves, gas pressure reducers, combined gas pressure reducing valve assemblies and combined pressure reducing valve-flow meter assemblies.  
     
     
         9 . The gas bottle as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  8 , characterized in that the first protective casing ( 11 ) and/or the second protective casing ( 21 ) are made of a sheet or structure of a material chosen from cardboard, varnished cardboard, plasticized cardboard, or a polymer; the first protective casing ( 11 ) preferably forms a sleeve able to encompass at least 80% of the body ( 1 ) of the bottle.  
     
     
         10 . The gas bottle as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  9 , characterized in that the protective cowling ( 2 ) and/or the means ( 3 ) of controlling the outlet of gases are at least partially and temporarily covered by at least a third protective casing ( 30 ) and/or a fourth protective casing ( 40 ); the third protective casing ( 30 ) and/or the fourth protective casing ( 40 ) are preferably made of a sheet or structure of a material chosen from polymers, preferably PET or PVC.  
     
     
         11 . The gas bottle as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  10 , characterized in that the first protective casing ( 11 ) and/or the second protective casing ( 21 ) are themselves covered with a third external casing ( 30 ) for temporary protection used while the bottle is being transported; said third casing ( 30 ) preferably comprises one or more handles ( 35 ,  36 ) allowing an operator to carry a gas bottle using at least one handle ( 35 ,  36 ).  
     
     
         12 . The gas bottle as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  11 , characterized in that the first protective casing ( 11 ) has a disk-shaped bottom ( 12 ); said bottom ( 12 ) is preferably rigid and/or made of polymer.  
     
     
         13 . Protective packaging ( 11 ,  21 ) for a gas bottle formed of a first protective casing portion ( 11 ) of rectangular shape to cover at least part of the cylindrical body ( 1 ) of a gas bottle and of a second protective casing portion ( 21 ) to cover at least part of the control members ( 3 ) of said bottle and/or of a protective cowling ( 2 ) protecting said control members ( 3 ), the first protective casing portion ( 11 ) and said second protective casing portion ( 21 ) being secured together and/or formed as a single piece, and the first casing portion ( 11 ) further comprising a disk-shaped bottom ( 12 ) fixed securely to said first casing portion ( 11 ) so as to protect at least part of the bottom of the gas bottle.  
     
     
         14 . The packaging as claimed in  claim 13 , characterized in that the first protective casing portion ( 11 ) and said second protective casing portion ( 21 ) are secured to one another and formed of a single piece of cardboard sheet, preferably a sheet of cardboard covered with a varnish or a polymer film.  
     
     
         15 . The packaging as claimed in either of claims  13  and  14 , characterized in that at least the second protective casing portion ( 21 ) has one or more cutouts or precuts ( 22 ).  
     
     
         16 . The packaging as claimed in one of  claims 13  to  15 , characterized in that the first protective casing portion ( 11 ) has two longitudinal edges ( 28 ,  29 ), at least one ( 28 ) of said edges ( 28 ,  29 ) bearing at least one adhesive strip ( 22 ); said adhesive strip ( 22 ) borne by one ( 28 ) of said edges ( 28 ,  29 ) is preferably able to collaborate with the other ( 29 ) of said edges.  
     
     
         17 . The use of a bottle as claimed in one of  claims 1  to  12  within a hospital or care establishment, or an on-site response unit, particularly a mobile unit of the emergency medical services type.