Surge in Patent Applications Related to Negative Pressure Wards... Mobile and Modular Types Account for 54.7%

Basic Principles and Structure of Negative Pressure Wards. Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The number of patent applications related to ‘negative pressure wards,’ a type of isolation treatment facility, has increased sharply. In particular, it has been identified that patent applications for mobile and modular negative pressure wards dominate even within the same field.

According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) on the 16th, a total of 63 patents related to negative pressure wards were filed last year, which is more than 20 times the annual average of 2 to 3 cases from 2011 to 2019.

The increase in patent applications related to negative pressure beds was largely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the number of applications last year was 2.7 times higher than the total number of applications (23 cases) from 2011 to 2019, according to KIPO.

In particular, among the patent applications by technology type for negative pressure wards last year, applications related to mobile and modular negative pressure wards accounted for 47 cases, representing 54.7% of the total.

Representative examples of mobile and modular negative pressure ward applications include air tents using airframes, pre-fabricated modular wards, and modular containers.

These negative pressure wards are praised for their ease of mobility and installation, as well as their ability to expand patient rooms. For the same reasons, they were highly utilized last year when confirmed COVID-19 cases surged and negative pressure wards were in short supply.

Besides mobile and modular types, last year’s patent applications mainly included air conditioning technologies that control the internal pressure of patient rooms (19 cases, 22.1%), air purification technologies that remove viruses and bacteria using filters, chemicals, and ultraviolet light (17 cases, 19.8%), and remote control technologies for patient rooms (3 cases, 3.4%).

Regarding the types of applicants for negative pressure ward technology patents, small and medium-sized enterprises filed 44 applications, accounting for 51.2% of the total.

Individuals followed with 28 applications (32.6%), and universities and research institutes with 11 applications (12.8%). Above all, domestic applicants accounted for an overwhelming 98.8% of the total patent applications for negative pressure ward technology last year.

Shin Hyun-il, an examiner at KIPO’s Medical Technology Examination Division, said, “The world’s attention is focused on Korea’s innovative medical technologies that respond swiftly to COVID-19, such as diagnostic kits and drive-through testing. KIPO will continue to provide diverse intellectual property information to support the innovative growth of medical technologies that prevent the spread of infectious diseases.”

Meanwhile, negative pressure wards maintain internal pressure lower than the outside to block viruses contained in the air and droplets inside the ward from being released outside. They also safely discharge internal air after purification through filters and other means, classifying them as essential medical facilities for treating infectious disease patients.

Currently, 161 negative pressure rooms are established in 29 medical institutions in Korea. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is expanding an additional 83 rooms, but if confirmed cases surge in a specific region, these rooms alone may have limitations in accommodating patients.

For the same reason, patent applications related to mobile and modular negative pressure wards are expected to continue increasing in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.