JP2002315833A - Pressure variation adsorption type oxygen concentration equipment for medical treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide equipment capable of continuing normal operation by preventing flowing out of a lubricant for a long period so as to eliminate the abrasion, gnawing or the oxidation corrosion such as rusting of bearing material in the oxygen concentration equipment of a pressure variation adsorption type provided with a channel switching means provided with a rotary distributor valve assembly structure. SOLUTION: In the oxygen concentration equipment of a pressure variation adsorption type, the channel switching means has the rotary distributor valve assembly structure provided with a bearing and an oil seal is provided in the axial direction of the bearing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an oxygen concentrator for separating and using oxygen-enriched gas (including oxygen-enriched air) from the atmosphere. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator having a plurality of adsorption beds, and a flow path of a rotary distributor valve assembly structure for sequentially pressurizing and supplying air to the adsorption bed at a constant timing to perform adsorption and desorption. An improved oxygen concentrator that extends the life of the switching means and reduces the occurrence of corrosion such as wear, galling, lubricant leakage, rust, etc. of the bearing material, dirt entry into the bearing, and inflow of compressed air. To provide.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the number of patients suffering from respiratory diseases such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis tends to increase. One of the most effective treatments is oxygen inhalation therapy. Oxygen concentrators that directly separate oxygen-enriched gas from water have been developed, and are becoming increasingly popular as therapeutic devices for oxygen inhalation therapy because of their convenience in use and ease of maintenance.

[0003] As such an oxygen concentrator, an adsorbent oxygen concentrator in which one or a plurality of adsorbent beds are filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen or oxygen is known. As the adsorption-type oxygen concentrator, there is a pressure fluctuation adsorption-type oxygen concentrator using a compressor. Usually, compressed air is compressed by a compressor into one or more adsorption beds filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen. An adsorption step of obtaining an oxygen-enriched gas by supplying and adsorbing nitrogen in a pressurized state,
A desorption step in which the internal pressure of the adsorption bed is reduced to desorb nitrogen to regenerate the adsorbent, and immediately before the end of the desorption step, a part of the previously generated dry oxygen-enriched gas is back-flowed to improve the regeneration efficiency and increase the pressure This is an apparatus for obtaining an oxygen-enriched gas by sequentially performing a pressure equalizing step in a constant cycle.

[0004] As an apparatus for obtaining such oxygen-enriched gas,
Generally, a flow is used in which a compressor and an adsorption bed are connected by a pipe, and a valve means is provided therebetween to switch a supply path of pressurized air to the adsorption bed. However, such an apparatus has a problem that the number of parts increases and a problem occurs in maintenance. As a device for solving these problems, a modularized oxygen concentrator for supplying pressurized air to the adsorption bed via a fluid separation device described in JP-T-7-508205 has been developed.

[0005]

In order to use such an oxygen concentrator for home use or medical use, it is essential to reduce the size of the device. A rotary valve of a mechanical seal used in such a fluid separation device is required. In addition, with the structure of the fixed valve section, it is difficult to take a sufficient mechanical space inside the valve in order to reduce the size of the module. In addition, a thin thrust bearing is often used as a bearing for a rotary valve because a mechanical seal has a structure in which a load is applied in the axial direction to the shaft center. However, a thin thrust bearing has a problem that it is difficult to form a seal or shield structure for holding and enclosing a lubricant.

As a result, the lubricant may flow out in the axial direction and the radial direction of the bearing in a relatively short period of time, and may cause oxidative corrosion such as wear, galling, or rust of the bearing material. As a countermeasure against oxidative corrosion such as rust, stainless steel bearing material may be used, but stainless steel used as bearing material is mainly martensitic stainless steel, and it is possible to extend the life a little, but completely It cannot be escaped from oxidative corrosion such as rust.

In addition, a thin thrust bearing without a seal structure may cause foreign matter to be caught or deteriorate the performance of a lubricant due to entry of dust from the outside, or the lubricant may flow out in the flow of exhaust gas. Problem.

The present invention relates to a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator having a flow path switching means having a rotary distributor valve assembly structure, which prevents a lubricant from flowing out for a long period of time and prevents foreign matter from entering from outside. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which can prevent the occurrence of oxidative corrosion such as wear or galling of a bearing material or rust and can continue normal operation.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As a result of intensive studies on the above problem, the present inventor has found that the axial direction of a bearing for receiving a rotary valve used for a mechanical seal in a fluid separation device of a conventional oxygen concentrator and the like. Equipped with radial leakage prevention means to prevent lubricant from flowing out for a long period of time, prevent foreign substances and gases from entering from outside, and prevent oxidized corrosion such as abrasion, galling or rust of bearing materials The present inventors have found a possible oxygen concentrator.

That is, the present invention provides a plurality of adsorption beds filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen over oxygen, air supply means for supplying air to the adsorption beds, and air from the air supply means. Pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator equipped with flow switching means for sequentially supplying pressure to the adsorption bed at a certain timing to perform adsorption and desorption, wherein the flow switching means comprises a rotary distributor having a bearing. A valve assembly structure,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator characterized by comprising a leakage preventing means in the axial direction and the radial direction of the bearing.

The present invention also provides a medical pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator characterized in that the means for preventing leakage in the axial direction is an oil seal.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An oxygen concentrator according to the present invention comprises a plurality of adsorption beds filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen over oxygen, air supply means for supplying air to the adsorption beds,
A rotary distributor valve assembling structure for supplying air from the air supply means to the adsorbent bed by pressurizing and sequentially adsorbing and desorbing the air at a predetermined timing; The structure is characterized in that the flow path switching means is provided with a bearing, and the bearing is provided with leakage preventing means in the axial direction and the radial direction of the bearing.

Particularly, the present invention is effective for those having a plurality of adsorption beds of two or more. In addition, it does not use the solenoid valve described in JP-T-7-508205, but uses an integral manifold with the adsorption tower. By switching the flow path with a rotary valve,
The present invention can be effectively used for a modularized oxygen concentrator capable of sequentially supplying pressurized air to an adsorption bed.

The bearing that receives the rotary valve is provided with a thrust bearing that receives a load in the thrust direction. Lubricants used for bearings are generally lithium grease, sodium grease, calcium grease, mixed base grease, composite base grease, and non-soap base grease. It is possible to use.

As a means for preventing the bearing from leaking in the axial direction, a rubber seal is generally used, and an oil seal is particularly preferable. Specifically, there is an oil seal manufactured by NOK. In addition, as means for preventing leakage in the radial direction of the bearing, the shape of the rotary valve, pressure, temperature, gas components,
In general, various rubber seals are selected in consideration of the components of the lubricant.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred specific embodiments of the oxygen concentrator according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as necessary. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples.

As shown in the flow chart of FIG. 2, the oxygen concentrator of the present invention supplies a plurality of adsorption beds filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen over oxygen, and supplies air to the adsorption beds. The medical pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator is provided with a compressor and a flow path switching means for sequentially pressurizing and supplying pressurized air from the compressor to the adsorption bed at a predetermined timing to perform adsorption and desorption.

As such an adsorbent bed, AT manufactured by SeQual, USA
The F module was used. This ATF module is capable of sequentially supplying pressurized air to the adsorption bed with a rotary valve via a manifold integrated with the adsorption tower, and the rotary valve structure is a mechanical system consisting of a fixed valve and a rotary valve. It has a seal structure.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of the flow path switching means of the rotary distributor valve assembly structure incorporated in the ATF module. A rotary valve shaft (4) for rotating the rotary valve (2) is represented by a thrust needle bearing. The mechanical seal portion includes a fixed valve (1), a rotary valve (2), and a spring (3). In (5), the bearing washer was sandwiched and fixed between the bearing presser plate (6) and the rotary valve shaft (4). As such a thrust bearing, TRA-16 manufactured by Torrington, USA
25 and mineral oil-based grease was charged.

As means for preventing the bearing from leaking in the axial direction, an oil seal (10) was mounted on the bearing presser plate (6), and the inner diameter side was fitted to the rotary valve shaft (4) to seal. Such an oil seal is manufactured by NOK Co., Ltd.
VC type AG1291E0 was used.

As a means for preventing leakage of the bearing in the radial direction, a sealing material (11) made of NBR was used.

[0022]

By using the oxygen concentrator of the present invention, it is possible to provide a bearing for preventing leakage in the axial and radial directions of the bearing used in the conventional oxygen concentrator for a long period of time. It is possible to provide an oxygen concentrator capable of preventing outflow of lubricant, eliminating galling of bearing material, or oxidizing corrosion such as rust, and continuing normal operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a flow path switching means of a rotary distributor valve assembly structure used in an oxygen concentrator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a medical pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fixed valve 2 Rotating valve 3 Spring 4 Rotating valve shaft 5 Thrust bearing 6 Bearing holding plate 7 Motor unit 8 Compressed air supply port 9 Oxygen outlet 10 Oil seal 11 Sealing material 12 Compressor 13 Adsorption floor 14 Channel switching means 15 Adjustment Pressure valve 16 Flow rate setting device 17 Humidifier

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of adsorbent beds filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen over oxygen, air supply means for supplying air to the adsorbent beds, and an adsorbent bed for supplying air from the air supply means. Pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator equipped with a flow path switching means for sequentially pressurizing and supplying at a constant timing to perform adsorption and desorption, a rotary distributor valve assembly structure in which the flow path switching means is provided with a bearing A medical pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator characterized in that it is a body and is provided with a leak preventing means in an axial direction and a radial direction of the bearing. 2. The medical pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, wherein said axial leakage preventing means is an oil seal.