Portable oxygen concentrator

Details Portable oxygen concentrator Portable oxygen concentrator

2000-06-30

2003-02-18

Lewis, Aaron J. (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Respiratory method or device

C128S201210

Reexamination Certificate

active

06520176

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a portable oxygen concentrator usable in oxygen therapy.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Oxygen concentrators using the PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) technique are at present very widely used for household oxygen therapy. Nevertheless, their design has a major drawback namely, the lack of portability.
Thus, the existing concentrators require a source of electricity and are moreover too heavy to be transported or carried by the patient.
However, a certain number of patients using oxygen therapy would like to live as “normal” a life as possible, which requires in particular to be able to walk or move more easily.
To give these patients a solution permitting them to make short trips, the documents WO-A-98/58219 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,275 propose combining the PSA type concentrator with a liquefier, so as to fill a Dewar (receptacle) that the patient can carry. This solution is in fact more complicated than it appears. Thus, the Dewar for storing the oxygen must be periodically reheated to eliminate any trace of hydrocarbons and water. On the other hand, the adjustment of the liquefaction temperature must be precise so as to avoid at the outset of vaporization for use by the patient, that the initial gas will have a high nitrogen content.
Another solution proposed in U.S. Pat. No.5,858,062 is to compress a portion of the oxygen leaving the PSA type concentrator to fill a portable cylinder. But this is a costly solution because it is based on the use of an oxygen compressor, and less satisfactory from the point of view of safety, because the patient must manipulate oxygen under pressure.
The present invention thus has for its object to provide patients desiring to have real mobility, an alternative solution that is more simple and more satisfactory as to safety, which is to say improving the known solutions of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention thus relates to an oxygen concentrator portable by a patient, permitting producing a gaseous flow containing 50% to 95% oxygen from air, comprising:
air compression means to compress the air to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure (1 bar),
means for separating gas by adsorption with pressure variations to separate the air compressed by the air compression means and to produce a gas enriched in oxygen, and
electrical energy accumulating means having a charged life of at least 30 minutes permitting storing and supplying or restoring electricity,
said concentrator having a total weight less than 10 kg, and
the weight of the compression means (Mcomp), the weight of the gas separation means (Msieve) and the weight of the energy accumulating means (Mbattery) being such that:
0.5
<
Mcomp
Qp
<
3
0.15
<
Mbattery
Qp
<
2
0.05
<
Msieve
Qp
<
1
wherein Qp is the flow rate of oxygen produced by the concentrator (in 1/min) and the weights Mcomp, Mbattery and Msieve are expressed in kg.
According to another aspect, the invention also relates to an oxygen concentrator portable by a patient, permitting producing a gaseous flow containing 50% to 95% of oxygen from air, comprising:
air compression means to compress the air to a pressure comprised between 1 and 5 bars,
means for separating gas by adsorption, with pressure variations, comprising several adsorbers each comprising one or several adsorbents operating according to PSA cycles, the duration of each production cycle being less than 30 seconds and at least one adsorbent being a zeolite exchanged with at least one metallic cation selected from lithium, calcium, zinc, copper and their combinations,
electrical energy accumulation means having a charged life of at least 30 minutes,
said concentrator having a total weight less than 10 kg, and
the weight of the compression means (Mcomp), the weight of the gas separation means (Msieve) and the weight of the energy accumulation means (Mbattery) being such that:
0.5
<
Mcomp
Qp
<
3
0.15
<
Mbattery
Qp
<
2
0.05
<
Msieve
Qp
<
1
wherein Qp is the flow rate of oxygen production by the concentrator (in 1/min) and the masses Mcomp, Mbattery and Msieve are expressed in kg,
said air compression means, said means for separating gas by adsorption and said electric energy accumulating means being disposed within at least one housing,
said housing comprising moreover means for controlling or adjusting the operation of the concentrator and at least one system for fastening or carrying the concentrator.
As the case may be, the concentrator of the invention can comprise one or several of the following characteristics:
Qp is comprised between 0.5 and 4 l/min, preferably between 0.5 and 2 l/min.
the ratio (Mcomp/Qp) is comprised between 0.5 and 2 kg/(l/min).
the ratio (Mbattery/Qp) is comprised between 0.15 and 1.2 kg/(l/min).
the ratio (Msieve/Qp) is comprised between 0.05 and 0.8 kg/(l/min).
Mcomp+Mbattery+Msieve≦8 kg, preferably Mcomp+Mbattery+Msieve≦5 kg.
the gas separation means comprise several adsorbers each containing one or several adsorbents and operating according to PSA cycles, preferably the duration of each production cycle is less than 30 seconds, preferably less than 20 seconds.
the adsorbent has a granulometry less than 1 mm and/or comprises particles of zeolite X exchanged with at least one metallic cation selected from lithium, calcium, zinc, copper and their combinations, preferably zeolite X having a ratio Si/Al of about 1 to 1.25 and exchanged by at least 80% with lithium cations.
the compression means are adapted or controlled to compress air at a pressure comprised between 1 and 5 bars, preferably between 2.5 and 3.5 bars.
it comprises means for adjusting the temperature permitting adjusting the temperature of the air supply and/or of the adsorbers, to a value comprised between 10 and 60° C.
the controller adjustment means of the operation of the concentrator comprise at least one start/stop means to start or stop the operation of the concentrator, preferably the start/stop means comprises an operating button or a control member actuable by the operator.
the system of securing or carrying the concentrator comprises at least one carrying handle and/or at least one shoulder strap or a belt and/or at least one system of suspending from the belt.
it comprises adjustment means for the flow rate of the gas to be produced by the means for separating gas by adsorption.


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