AU2005100941A4

AU2005100941A4 - Oxygen vending apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2005100941A4
Application number: AU2005100941A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Richard Vaughn Gilbert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-11-09
Filing date: 2005-11-09
Publication date: 2005-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 2013-11-09

Description

OXYGEN VENDING APPARTUS 0 FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to oxygen dispensing devices in particular but not exclusively to a coin operated oxygen vending machine for use in gymnasiums, sporting venues and the like.

iBACKGROUND ART OPrior art ventilation and oxygen delivery devices are well known. Most of these devices are normally associated with medical or para-medical equipment used to dispense oxygen enriched air in cases of emergency such as inadvertent drowning, smoke inhalation from fires and other situations where the patients or victims breathing has been compromised.

While it is known that oxygen enriched air is often the treatment of choice for such conditions, there is a current development toward the use of pure or medical grade oxygen as a therapy per se. The use of pure or near pure medical grade oxygen has been shown to be beneficial in ailments resulting from poor dietary habits, lack of regular exercise, breathing of polluted air, smoking, hereditary and some medical conditions such as colds, flues and sinus conditions.

A new application for the use of pure or medical oxygen is in the sporting field such as breathing it before and after heavy exercise or strenuous physical activity. Many professional athletes have been known to inhale oxygen before and after competition to help boost or regain physiological pre-activity energy levels. It is also known that some large Japanese corporations have taken to the practice of making it a company policy to administer oxygen to their executives on the basis that helps to strengthen the immune system and boost mental alertness resulting in increased productivity.

c-I 2 The principle behind the present invention is to enrich the air in the lungs with Z pure or near pure oxygen which is transferred to the circulatory system thereby retaining blood oxygen levels to full strength for use by the muscular and neurological systems. Excess and un-used oxygen is simply exhaled by the user. It will be obvious that users with heart conditions such as congestive Oheart failure or pulmonary hypertension should seek medical advice before Ousing the invention. One prior art device is disclosed in EP 1237642. This 0 specification discloses an oxygen dispenser comprising an oxygen Oconcentrator to deliver oxygen enriched air to a dispenser outlet. The problems associated with this prior art is that as it concentrates oxygen from air and therefore the level of oxygen supplied is not as pure as possible. Furthermore, the oxygen concentrator also needs a warm up period before it produces the oxygen enriched air.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to seek to ameliorate some of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect, the invention resides in a money operated oxygen vending apparatus including in combination; one or more oxygen cylinders containing pure or medical grade oxygen, gas regulators associated with each cylinder, to regulate the flow of oxygen from the cylinders, a money operated controller adapted to control the release of oxygen from the regulators, c-I 3 the controller in fluid communication with the regulators, the controller having

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Z one or more outlets to dispense the oxygen, wherein in use, the amount of money processed by the controller determines the duration or amount of oxygen released via the one or more outlets.

OPreferably the controller is electronically operated and controls oxygen output of a pair of oxygen cylinders, wherein, the emptying of one cylinder causes the controller to switch to the other full cylinder.

Preferably, the controller includes solenoid operated valve members which are controlled by circuitry receiving signals from pressure transducers detecting a fall of pressure in either of the cylinders thereby closing off the empty cylinder and allowing the passage of oxygen from the full cylinder.

Preferably there are manually controlled flow meters downstream of the solenoid operated valve members to further control the flow of oxygen before it reaches the user.

Preferably, the controller processes currency in the form of coins wherein a timer is activated depending on the designation or number of coins delivered to and processed by the controller.

Where coins are used, preferably there are electronic coin receiving units adapted to receive and process the type of coins wherein a signal is sent to the controller.

Preferably, the circuitry of the controller operates with the power from a 24 volt DC power supply.

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4 Preferably, there are indicators in the form of LED indicators to indicate whether 0 z or not the oxygen is flowing.

Preferably, the hose connections and outlet fittings are of a standard medical grade and type.

Suitably, the oxygen is delivered by a disposable face mask which can be purchased by the user as a separate item.

N 10 Preferably, the oxygen vending apparatus is housed in an enclosed and lockable cabinet to prevent tampering with the controller, the cylinders and other components.

BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention be better understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein, Figure 1 shows the controller according to the invention, Figure 2 shows the controller connected to the oxygen supply, Figure 3 and 4 show a preferred application of the invention as an exercise recovery station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is shown a preferred controller 10 according to the invention. The controller is adapted to be connected to a pair of oxygen cylinders 12, 14 through regulators and contents gauges 16, 18 having hoses 20, 22 connecting to the solenoid valve members 24, 26. A 240 volt power cable 28 and plug 30 is connected to a transformer 32 which steps the voltage down to a 24 volt power supply associated with the electronic circuitry controlling the valves 24, 26 as is shown. Signals from the coin receiving units 34, 36 are electronically processed by the circuitry to cI operate the valves to allow a timed dosage of oxygen to flow through the flow

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Z meters 38, 40 into the outlet hoses 42, 44. The outlets 47, 48 can then be connected to a face mask worn by the user.

Figure 2 shows the controller 10 in situ in a cabinet 50 housing a pair of oxygen cylinders 52, 24. As shown the regulators 16, 18 are attached to the cylinders.

SFlow is controlled by the flow meters 38, 40 before the outlet hoses 42, 44 pass 0 through the wall 51 of the cabinet 50. Preferably both regulators supply oxygen Sto the controller and only one cylinder is initially used as the main oxygen supply. On depletion of the oxygen in the first cylinder the control unit switches over to the other cylinder so that the empty cylinder can then be replaced.

Preferably there are LED indicators (not shown) or other indicating devices to indicate that the oxygen is flowing.

Figure 3 shows the front of the preferred oxygen vending station 50 of Figure 2.

Also shown are coin receiving units 34, 36 with the face masks 56 and lines 58 supplying the oxygen draped over them. A pair of bar stools 60, 62 is provided as an option for clients to be comfortably seated while breathing the oxygen through the face mask.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the vending station 50 of Figure 3. The station preferably has a removable back cover 53 which can be locked 55 to prevent any unauthorized tampering with the control unit or replacement of oxygen cylinders.

Variations It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are 6 deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein Z set forth.

Throughout the description and claims this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

Claims

1. An oxygen vending apparatus including in combination; one or more oxygen cylinders containing pure or medical grade oxygen, gas regulators associated with each cylinder, to regulate the flow of oxygen from the cylinders, 0 a money operated controller adapted to control the release of Ooxygen from the regulators, the controller in fluid communication with the regulators, the controller having one or more outlets to dispense the oxygen, wherein in use, the amount of money processed by the controller determines the duration or amount of oxygen released via the one or more outlets.

2. An oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the controller is electronically operated and controls oxygen output of a pair of oxygen cylinders, wherein, the emptying of one cylinder causes the controller to switch to the other full cylinder.

3. A oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the controller includes solenoid operated valve members which are controlled by circuitry receiving signals from pressure transducers detecting a fall of pressure in either of the cylinders thereby closing off the empty cylinder and allowing the passage of oxygen from the full cylinder.

4. An oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein, there are manually controlled flow meters downstream of the cI 8 solenoid operated valve members to further control the flow of oxygen Z before it reaches the user.

An oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the controller processes currency in the form of coins and wherein a timer is activated depending on the designation or number of coins delivered to Oand processed by the controller.

6. An oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in claim 5, having electronic coin receiving units adapted to receive and process the type of coins wherein a signal is sent to the controller.

7. An oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein, the circuitry of the controller operates with the power from a 24 volt DC power supply.

8. An oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein, there are indicators typically LED indicators to indicate whether or not the oxygen is flowing.

9. An oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein, there are hose connections and outlet fittings of a standard medical grade and type.

10.An oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein, the oxygen is delivered by a disposable face mask.

11.An oxygen vending apparatus as claimed in any of the above claims housed in a lockable cabinet to prevent unauthorised tampering with componentry of the apparatus.