JP2004267888A - Oxygen enriching apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oxygen enriching apparatus the operation sound of which is made quiet and from which a user can suck oxygen in the feeling liberated from bondage. <P>SOLUTION: This oxygen enriching apparatus is provided with an oxygen selectively permeating membrane for separating oxygen selectively from air, a decompressing means for decompressing/sucking the oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen selectively permeating membrane, a duct communicated with the decompressing means for guiding the oxygen-enriched air to the user and a nozzle which is communicated with the duct and has a discharge port for emitting the oxygen-enriched air toward the user. The discharge port is arranged at a position that it is not inserted into a nasal cavity of the user. The amount of the oxygen-enriched air to be sucked by the decompressing means is made to be 5-15 liters/minute in the atmospheric pressure when the decompressing means is not connected to this apparatus. The velocity of the oxygen-enriched air to be emitted from the discharge port is made to be 0.2-20 m/second. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an oxygen enrichment device, and particularly to an oxygen enrichment device suitable for obtaining a relaxed feeling.
[0002]
[Prior art]
It is known that taking oxygen at a higher concentration than the atmosphere into the body has the effect of relaxing and refreshing the mind and body, or the function of replenishing the brain that was inefficient at meetings and study and concentrating the spirit. ing. There is an oxygen enrichment device as a means for easily obtaining so-called oxygen-enriched air having a high oxygen concentration from ordinary air, and in recent years, it has been expected that the device is widely used for these purposes.
[0003]
Oxygen enriching devices can be roughly classified into pressure fluctuation adsorption type and selective oxygen permeable membrane type according to the function of the oxygen generating section. The pressure fluctuation adsorption type (hereinafter abbreviated as PSA type) supplies concentrated oxygen having an oxygen concentration of about 90% by supplying pressurized air to an adsorption bed filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen. It is produced and mixed with ordinary air supplied from another system to obtain oxygen-enriched air having an oxygen concentration of 40% or less, which does not adversely affect the human body. The selective oxygen permeable membrane type obtains oxygen-enriched air having an oxygen concentration of 40% or less by compressing, supplying or sucking air into a polymer membrane having a higher oxygen permeability than nitrogen.
[0004]
As an example of applying the oxygen enrichment device to the mind and body relaxation application, a PSA type oxygen enrichment device is combined with a system chair, and the discharge port is held near the nasal cavity using a nozzle connected to a head mounted display device. It has been proposed to inhale oxygen (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0005]
Further, there has been proposed an apparatus that generates oxygen-enriched air using a selective oxygen-permeable membrane and inhales oxygen-enriched air from a nozzle inserted into a nasal cavity (for example, see Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2).
[0006]
Further, as a nozzle that efficiently supplies oxygen without being inserted into a nasal cavity, a configuration has been proposed in which a discharge port is provided on an outer wall surface of a nose and oxygen is supplied as a flow along a facial side wall (for example, Patent Document 2). reference.).
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2000-152997 (pages 3, 6; FIG. 1-3)
[Patent Document 2]
JP 2001-79092 A (Pages 4-5, FIG. 1-5)
[Non-patent document 1]
"Oxygen Business Penetration", Yomiuri Shimbun, October 16, 2002, morning edition
[Non-patent document 2]
"Small Oxygen Concentrator" Oxycool 32 "OXYCOOL32"", Nichimen Co., Ltd. News Release, October 7, 2002
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When a person seeks to feel relaxed, the absence of harsh sounds, that is, the presence of a quiet environment and the lack of binding due to unnatural contact, is an essential condition. It is difficult to get a sense of relaxation if one is missing. That is, it is the minimum necessary condition that the oxygen-enriching device suitable for relaxation should have both.
[0009]
In view of the above proposals from this viewpoint, it can be seen that each of them has the following problems. That is, in the invention shown in Patent Document 1, a PSA type generally used in home oxygen therapy is used as an oxygen enrichment device. By the way, the compressor used for the PSA type emits a loud operating noise, but in addition to this, the operating noise of the PSA type has the following characteristics.
[0010]
In the PSA type, it is necessary to desorb the adsorbed nitrogen at regular intervals, so pressurization and pressure release must be repeated during operation. In addition, in order to secure oxygen supply during the desorption period, it is usual to use a plurality of adsorption beds while switching. For this reason, the operation noise of the PSA type oxygen enrichment device is annoying, in addition to the operation noise of the compressor, the air purge generated in each adsorption / desorption cycle and the operation noise of the automatic valve are frequently heard.
[0011]
When the user tries to relax, it is preferable to put himself in a quiet environment, but the driving sound of the PSA type is not suitable for relaxation as described above. Alternatively, the soundproofing measures for hiding the driving sound become strict and massive. In addition, since the compressor and the adsorption bed are heavy and large, the apparatus is inevitably large in weight, and the handling is insufficient, such as the necessity of a caster for movement.
[0012]
In addition, the proposals shown in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 use a so-called nasal cannula in which an intake nozzle for oxygen-enriched air is inserted directly into a nasal cavity. This is a method generally used in home oxygen therapy. However, it is inevitable that a contact with the inner wall of the nasal cavity of the nozzle causes a great sense of restraint. In order for the user to obtain a feeling of relaxation, it is preferable to release the body from the restrained state. In this regard, it can be said that the structure is not suitable for application to the relaxing use.
[0013]
By the way, when supplying oxygen-enriched air to the nasal cavity without using a nasal cannula, the oxygen-enriched air is released from the nozzle outlet and diffuses rapidly at the same time, so that only a very low concentration of oxygen is absorbed. There is a problem that no stable suction oxygen concentration can be obtained.
[0014]
Although Patent Document 1 uses a non-insertion nozzle, no particular study has been made on this point. In consideration of this point, a non-insertion nozzle is proposed in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, which also assumes a patient with respiratory failure as seen in home oxygen therapy. There is no problem with realizing a quiet environment suitable for relaxation, such as using a PSA-type oxygen enrichment device as a source.
[0015]
In other words, in any of the proposals, the configuration of home oxygen therapy was diverted to relaxing use as it is, or the purpose of home oxygen therapy itself, and the user was given due consideration to issues to obtain a sense of relaxation. It was hard to say that there was.
[0016]
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an oxygen enrichment device capable of inhaling a sufficient concentration of oxygen in a state where the driving sound is quiet and the user is released from the feeling of being restrained. Is to do.
[0017]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an oxygen selective permeable membrane for selectively separating oxygen from air, a pressure reducing means for vacuum-suctioning oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen selective permeable membrane, and communicating with the pressure reducing means. An oxygen-enriching apparatus comprising: a conduit for introducing oxygen-enriched air to a user; and a nozzle communicating with the conduit and having a discharge opening for discharging the oxygen-enriched air toward the user. Is disposed at a position not to be inserted into a user's nasal cavity. The decompression means has an exhaust rate of 5 to 25 L / min when no load is connected under an atmospheric pressure environment, and the oxygen enrichment released from the discharge port An oxygen enrichment device is provided, wherein the velocity of the air is 0.2 to 20 m / s.
[0018]
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the nozzle has a holding portion which is arranged at a position where the discharge port is not inserted into a nasal cavity of a user.
In another preferred aspect of the present invention, the displacement is 5 to 15 L / min.
In another preferred aspect of the present invention, the velocity of the oxygen-enriched air discharged from the discharge port is 0.7 to 2 m / s.
In another preferred aspect of the present invention, the nozzle is provided with a fragrance generating means for adding a fragrance to the oxygen-enriched air.
In another preferred aspect of the present invention, the nozzle includes a fragrance generating means housing section for housing the fragrance generating means, and a nozzle body in which the fragrance means storing section is detachable.
In another preferred aspect of the present invention, the fragrance generating means is detachably provided on the nozzle.
[0019]
According to the present invention, the driving sound can be suppressed to a low level without impairing the ability to supply a predetermined amount of oxygen-enriched air to a user, and a small and light device achieves a substantially quiet environment suitable for relaxation. it can. In addition, the user can inhale the oxygen-enriched air having a stable concentration sufficiently higher than the atmosphere while being released from the restrained state.
[0020]
Further, the user can inhale the scent at the same time as the oxygen-enriched air, so that a more relaxed feeling can be obtained. At this time, it is possible to switch and use a plurality of scents by replacing the fragrance generating means, but since the fragrance generating means is disposed downstream of the conduit, adsorption of odor molecules to the conduit is prevented. As a result, the possibility that the new scent and the previous scent are mixed is suppressed, and the user can always inhale the pure scent. In addition, by preparing a plurality of fragrance generating means accommodating sections, it is possible to easily replace the fragrance generating means simply by attaching and detaching only the fragrance generating means accommodating section.
[0021]
The design concept of the present invention will be described in more detail.
In order for a person to obtain a feeling of relaxation, it is essential that there is no harsh sound and that there is no binding due to unnatural contact. The PSA type was extremely inappropriate in terms of harsh sounds, and the nasal cannula was extremely inappropriate in terms of restraint.
[0022]
With regard to harsh sounds, the PSA type is changed to a selective oxygen permeable membrane type, which can be considerably eliminated. FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the oxygen enrichment device main body. The atmospheric air 11 is guided to the selective oxygen permeable membrane 1 through the intake filter 12 by the intake fan 13. The inside of the selective oxygen permeable membrane 1 is depressurized by the decompression pump 2 via the communication pipe 14, whereby oxygen-enriched air is led out of the selective oxygen permeable membrane 1 to the communication pipe 14. On the other hand, air having an oxygen concentration lower than that of the atmosphere that has not passed through the selective oxygen permeable membrane is exhausted from the exhaust port 16 through the path 15. When the oxygen-enriched air passes through the pipe 17 and is guided to the space in the water separator 19 through the adiabatic expansion valve 18, the water vapor contained in the oxygen-enriched air is condensed by the adiabatic expansion, and the oxygen-enriched air is dehumidified. Is performed. The water separated by the water separator 19 is discharged from a drain 20. The oxygen-enriched air dehumidified by the water separator 19 passes through a pipe 21 and is sent from an oxygen-enriched air outlet 22 to a conduit connected to the main body. The adiabatic expansion valve 18 and the water separator 19 can be replaced by simpler dehumidifying means such as silica gel.
[0023]
As described above, since the selective oxygen permeable membrane type can supply oxygen-enriched air only by continuous reduced pressure suction, the structure and operation pattern are simple, and the air purging and automatic valve operation which cannot be avoided in the PSA type. There is no sound.
[0024]
A vacuum pump is generally used as a means for suction under reduced pressure. In general, the noise of a vacuum pump decreases as the suction force decreases. Therefore, a more unpleasant sound can be eliminated by using a vacuum pump having a small suction force. Here, the suction force refers to the capability of the vacuum pump in consideration of the ultimate vacuum degree and the exhaust speed. However, when the suction force is reduced, the degree of vacuum on the permeation side of the selective oxygen permeable membrane decreases, and the obtained oxygen concentration decreases. For this reason, it is necessary to consider both noise and suction power when selecting a vacuum pump.
[0025]
FIG. 3 shows the noise level of the pump when various vacuum pumps are connected to the selective oxygen permeable membrane with respect to the displacement of the vacuum pump. As the selective oxygen permeable membrane, a flat plate type oxygen selective permeable membrane module manufactured by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. was used. The measurement of the noise level was performed at a position 50 cm from the pump in the anechoic chamber. Here, the exhaust amount is described in the catalog by the names of the discharge air amount, the effective exhaust speed, and the like, and refers to the exhaust flow rate when the pump is operated at atmospheric pressure without a load connected. .
[0026]
FIG. 3 also shows the PSA type operation sound. This is a result of directly measuring a sound generated from an internal mechanism section by opening a cover of a housing. The noise level itself was large, 73.2 dB (A) during normal operation, and 82.2 dB (A) during air purging, and the feeling actually heard was extremely disturbing.
[0027]
On the other hand, when a vacuum pump is connected to the selective oxygen permeable membrane, the noise level of the operation noise can be suppressed to 55 dB (A) or less by using a pump having an exhaust volume of 25 L / min or less, and the exhaust volume can be reduced to 15 L / min or less. It can be seen that the noise level can be suppressed to 55 dB (A) or less using any vacuum pump. While 80 dB (A) corresponds to noise in a crowded city, 60 dB (A) corresponds to conversation at a position 1 m away. Although the sound of 55 dB (A) is not already annoying, the device can achieve a completely quiet environment by further housing the selective oxygen permeable membrane and the pump in the housing.
[0028]
FIG. 4 shows the obtained oxygen concentration with respect to the displacement of the vacuum pump. The obtained oxygen concentration is the oxygen concentration in the oxygen-enriched air discharged from the vacuum pump, that is, the oxygen concentration released from the nozzle outlet in the oxygen-enriching device.
[0029]
It is understood that an oxygen concentration of 26% or more can be obtained by using a pump having a displacement of 5 L / min or more. As will be described later, according to the present invention, if 26% or more of oxygen is released from the nozzle outlet, the user can inhale at least 21.5% or more of oxygen.
[0030]
The approximate volume and weight of a vacuum pump with a displacement of 5 to 25 L / min are 0.5 to 5 liters and 0.7 to 5 kg. It is about 1/2 to 1/20. Similarly, the selective oxygen permeable membrane has a small volume and a weight of about 1/50 and a weight of about 1/30 compared to the PSA type adsorption bed for home oxygen therapy.
[0031]
As described above, the combination of the selective oxygen permeable membrane and the vacuum pump having a displacement of 5 to 25 L / min, more desirably 5 to 15 L / min, provides a quiet driving sound and a sufficient driving sound that are important for obtaining a sense of relaxation. The device can achieve a small, lightweight and simple structure while achieving the nozzle discharge oxygen concentration.
[0032]
On the other hand, it is conceivable to dispose the nozzle outside the nasal cavity in order to eliminate the feeling of binding due to unnatural contact. However, in that case, the oxygen-enriched air is rapidly diffused at the same time as being discharged from the nozzle outlet. For this reason, it is inevitable that the concentration of oxygen inhaled from the nasal cavity becomes lower than the concentration discharged from the nozzle outlet. However, this can be avoided to some extent by controlling the jets emitted from the nozzle outlets and suppressing the diffusion of oxygen-enriched air.
[0033]
The present inventor made a model of the face near the nasal cavity, measured the oxygen concentration in the oxygen-enriched air inhaled from the nasal cavity, and studied diligently on the conditions for suppressing the diffusion of oxygen after discharging from the nozzle outlet. As parameters, the velocity of the oxygen-enriched air released from the nozzle outlet, the inhalation speed of the nasal cavity, and the distance from the nozzle outlet to the nasal cavity were examined.
[0034]
By the way, the oxygen-enriched air discharged from the discharge port diffuses and the jet diameter increases, so that the velocity decreases as the distance from the discharge port increases. Here, the velocity of the oxygen-enriched air discharged from the nozzle discharge port refers to the velocity immediately after the discharge, specifically, a value obtained by dividing the volume flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air by the discharge port area.
[0035]
The setting of the nasal inhalation speed was based on the following idea. In normal breathing, the inhalation flow rate is not constant throughout the inhalation process, and the inhalation flow rate increases with time for a while from the start of inhalation, and thereafter decreases with time until the end of inhalation. It is considered that the maximum value of the suction flow rate is about 18 L / min. In consideration of this, three levels of 6, 12, 18 L / min were set as representative inhalation flow rates, and the nasal cavity area was 2.1 cm. ² Were converted to speeds of 0.48, 0.95, and 1.43 m / s.
[0036]
FIG. 5 plots the concentration of oxygen inhaled from the nasal cavity against the velocity of oxygen-enriched air emitted from the nozzle outlet. The concentration of oxygen released from the nozzle is 30%, and the distance between the nozzle and the nasal cavity is 10 cm. The inhalation concentration shows a negative correlation with the nozzle outlet discharge speed. The decrease in the inhalation concentration is thought to be due to the development of the jet by entrained flow.
[0037]
At this time, it is found that when the discharge speed of the nozzle outlet is 20 m / s or less, a suction concentration of 21.7% or more, which is sufficiently higher than the atmosphere, can be obtained. This tendency is the same even when the nozzle discharge speed is 26%, and the suction concentration becomes 21.5% or more.
[0038]
In addition, the behavior of the nasal cavity inhaled oxygen concentration largely depends on the magnitude relationship between the nozzle outlet discharge speed and the nasal cavity inhalation speed. In a region where the discharge speed of the nozzle outlet is smaller than the nasal suction speed, the suction concentration is relatively high, and its value is affected by the suction speed. When the nozzle discharge speed is higher than the nasal suction speed, the suction concentration is relatively low, but a value sufficiently higher than the atmospheric concentration is maintained, and the value is not affected by the suction speed.
[0039]
This means that a constant concentration of oxygen can be inhaled from the beginning to the end of the inhalation process, and that a constant concentration of oxygen can be inhaled regardless of the amount of inhalation. If used, a stable concentration of oxygen inhalation can be provided to the user. The boundary between the two exists in the range of the nozzle discharge port discharge speed of 0.2 to 0.7 m / s.
[0040]
6 to 8 show the concentration of oxygen inhaled from the nasal cavity plotted against the distance from the nozzle outlet to the nasal cavity. The nozzle discharge oxygen concentration is 30%. Here, it can be seen that the nozzle discharge speed of 0.19 m / s protrudes and shows a high suction concentration. However, at the same time, when the suction speed was 0.95 m / s, the nozzle discharge speed was 0.19 m / s, and at a distance of 40 mm or more, the suction concentration was significantly fluctuated with time, so that the suction concentration could not be specified.
[0041]
That is, at a nozzle discharge speed of 0.19 m / s, although a very high concentration of oxygen can be inhaled at a certain point in the inhalation process, oxygen which is almost the same as the atmospheric concentration is inhaled at a certain point. On the other hand, when the nozzle discharge speed is 0.74 m / s or more, a stable inhalation concentration independent of the nozzle discharge speed can be obtained at any distance when the distance between the nozzle and the nasal cavity is 20 mm or more.
[0042]
As described above, by controlling the velocity of the oxygen-enriched air discharged from the discharge port of the nozzle disposed outside the nasal cavity within the range of 0.2 to 20 m / s, the feeling of restraint is achieved. However, it is possible to realize the inhalation of oxygen-enriched air having a sufficiently high concentration compared to the atmosphere.
[0043]
Further, if the discharge speed of the nozzle outlet is controlled within the range of 0.7 to 2 m / s, although the intake oxygen concentration is relatively reduced, it is still possible to maintain a sufficiently high concentration with respect to the atmosphere, and to stabilize the intake concentration. Sex is extremely high.
[0044]
The discharge speed of the nozzle outlet is controlled by the overall design of the oxygen enrichment device, such as the outlet diameter, the vacuum pump capacity, and the pressure loss of the piping.
[0045]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an oxygen enrichment device according to the present invention. A vacuum pump 2, a conduit 3, and a nozzle 4 are sequentially communicated with the selective oxygen permeable membrane 1, and oxygen-enriched air is discharged toward a user from a discharge port 5 provided in the nozzle 4. The selective oxygen permeable membrane 1 and the vacuum pump 2 are housed in an oxygen enrichment device main body 6. Membrane area (approximate value) 230 cm as selective oxygen permeable membrane 1 ² When a module in which six flat oxygen selective permeable membranes are stacked is used and a vacuum pump with a displacement of 10 L / min is used, 3.5 L / min of oxygen-enriched air having a nozzle outlet discharge concentration of 28.6% is obtained. can get.
[0046]
The operating noise of the selective oxygen permeable membrane type oxygen enrichment device equipped with a vacuum pump with a displacement of 5 to 25 L / min is sufficiently lower than that of the PSA type, but if it is desired to make it even quieter. It is also effective to take measures such as installing a vacuum pump in a dedicated private chamber in the apparatus, doubling the wall of the pump chamber, and bending the supply / exhaust pipe.
[0047]
The conduit 3 is preferably made of a flexible resin tube, and is preferably designed so as not to hinder the behavior of the user. The oxygen-enriched air passing through the conduit 3 flows into the nozzle 4. The nozzle 4 is provided with a discharge port 5 for oxygen-enriched air at the tip, and a fragrance 7 can be sealed therein as needed. The nozzle 4 is engaged with a support 8 for fixing the nozzle 4 to the user's head, the outlet 5 is held near the user's nasal cavity, and oxygen-enriched air is supplied to the user. Released.
[0048]
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the shorter the distance between the nozzle and the nasal cavity, the higher the concentration of oxygen-enriched air can be inhaled. If a feeling of pressure near the face is felt, the pressure feeling is considerably alleviated by moving the nozzle discharge port away from the nasal cavity by 10 cm. Even in this case, the inhalation concentration can maintain a sufficiently high concentration with respect to the atmosphere.
[0049]
The material of the nozzle 4 may be resin, metal, or any other material as long as the nozzle outlet 5 is held in the vicinity of the nasal cavity. However, in order to cope with individual differences in the position of the nasal cavity, the material is easily deformed manually. It is preferable that the supporting member 8 be provided with a position adjusting mechanism such as rotation and expansion / contraction at a portion where the supporting member 8 is engaged.
[0050]
The support member 8 may be fixed to any part of the user as long as the nozzle discharge port 5 can be held in the vicinity of the nasal cavity of the user. For example, a member fixed to the ear portion as shown in FIG. 9 may be used. . Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10, the user may hold the nozzle 4 and use it without engaging the support with the nozzle 4.
[0051]
Alternatively, the place for holding the support 8 need not be limited to the body of the user. When the user lays down on the bed to inhale oxygen-enriched air, an arm-type support having a link mechanism may be held on the bed or the floor, and the nozzle discharge port may be supported near the nasal cavity.
[0052]
As the fragrance 7, many solid and liquid fragrances can be used, but it is necessary to maintain the fragrance 7 inside or outside the nozzle so as to come into contact with oxygen-enriched air. In the case of a solid fragrance, the oxygen-enriched air is placed in the nozzle flow path and fixed with a holding plate having an opening through which the oxygen-enriched air passes or contacts, or stored in a container provided outside the nozzle. Can be adopted.
[0053]
In the case of a liquid fragrance, it is convenient to impregnate the fragrance into, for example, a sponge-like resin porous body or a gel-like polymer and hold the same as a solid fragrance. When arranged inside the nozzle, the oxygen-enriched air may pass directly through the porous body, or the porous body may be formed into a hollow cylindrical shape and passed through the hollow part. Alternatively, the liquid fragrance may be sealed in a container and communicated with the flow path of oxygen-enriched air and the gas permeable membrane. Of course, the means for holding the fragrance is not limited to these, and any means may be used as long as it is held in contact with the oxygen-enriched air.
[0054]
FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the nozzle provided with the fragrance generating means. The fragrance 7 is accommodated in the fragrance generating means accommodating portion 4b detachable from the nozzle body 4a. The method of fitting the fragrance generating means accommodating portion 4b to the nozzle body 4a may be any method as long as the oxygen-enriched air does not substantially leak outside. For example, one side may be formed into a tapered shape and inserted and removed, or a screw may be provided and screwed. Alternatively, a claw and a groove may be provided to each other. It is also preferable to use an oxygen-enriched air sealing means such as packing if necessary.
[0055]
The position of the fragrance generating means accommodating portion 4b is not limited to the tip of the nozzle, and for example, a configuration provided at the center of the nozzle 4 as shown in FIG.
In the nozzle shown in FIG. 13, the fragrance cartridge 9 is detachably housed inside the fragrance generating means housing part 4b. As a method for fixing the fragrance cartridge 9, for example, a method of inserting the fragrance generating means accommodating portion 4b into the nozzle main body 4a in addition to a method of inserting the fragrance cartridge 9 into the nozzle internal flow path can be used.
[0056]
The configuration in which the fragrance cartridge 9 is detachably provided is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, a configuration in which a part of the nozzle 4 is divided and the fragrance cartridge 9 is mounted inside the nozzle 4 can also be adopted. In addition, it is not necessary to completely separate the part of the divided nozzle from the nozzle body, and the nozzle may be opened and closed using a hinge or may be opened and closed by sliding.
[0057]
FIG. 15 shows another embodiment in which the fragrance cartridge 9 is provided detachably, and is configured to be externally attached to the nozzle 4.
[0058]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the driving sound can be suppressed to a low level without impairing the ability to supply a predetermined amount of oxygen-enriched air to a user, and a small and light device achieves a substantially quiet environment suitable for relaxation. it can. Further, the user can inhale the oxygen-enriched air having a stable concentration sufficiently higher than the atmosphere while being released from the restrained state.
[0059]
Further, the user can inhale the scent at the same time as the oxygen-enriched air, so that a more relaxed feeling can be obtained. At this time, it is possible to switch and use a plurality of scents by replacing the fragrance generating means, but since the fragrance generating means is disposed downstream of the conduit, adsorption of odor molecules to the conduit is prevented. As a result, the possibility that the new scent and the previous scent are mixed is suppressed, and the user can always inhale the pure scent. In addition, by preparing a plurality of fragrance generating means accommodating sections, it is possible to easily replace the fragrance generating means simply by attaching and detaching only the fragrance generating means accommodating section.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall view of an oxygen enrichment apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a selective oxygen permeable membrane type oxygen enrichment device main body.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a result of measuring a noise level of a pump operation sound when a vacuum pump of each company is connected to a selective oxygen permeable membrane.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing measurement results of the obtained oxygen concentration when vacuum pumps of various companies are connected to the selective oxygen permeable membrane.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the velocity of oxygen-enriched air released from a nozzle and the concentration of oxygen inhaled from a nasal cavity.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the distance from the nozzle to the nasal cavity and the concentration of oxygen inhaled from the nasal cavity.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the distance from the nozzle to the nasal cavity and the concentration of oxygen inhaled from the nasal cavity.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the distance from the nozzle to the nasal cavity and the concentration of oxygen inhaled from the nasal cavity.
FIG. 9 is a view showing another embodiment of the nozzle support in the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a view showing another embodiment of the nozzle according to the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a view showing another embodiment of the nozzle provided with the fragrance generating means in the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a view showing another embodiment of the nozzle provided with the fragrance generating means in the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a view showing another embodiment of the nozzle provided with the fragrance generating means in the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a view showing another embodiment of the nozzle provided with the fragrance generating means in the present invention.
FIG. 15 is a view showing another embodiment of the nozzle provided with the fragrance generating means in the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Selective oxygen permeable membrane, 2 ... Decompression pump, 3 ... Conduit, 4 ... Nozzle, 4a ... Nozzle body, 4b ... Aroma generating means housing part, 5 ... Nozzle discharge port, 6 ... Oxygen enrichment apparatus body, 7 ... Air freshener, 8 ... Nozzle support, 9 ... Air freshener cartridge, 11 ... Atmospheric air, 12 ... Intake filter, 13 ... Suction fan, 14 ... Communication pipe, 15 ... Path, 16 ... Exhaust port, 17 ... Pipe line, 18 ... Adiabatic expansion valve, 19 ... Water separator, 20 ... Drain outlet, 21 ... Pipe, 22 ... Oxygen-enriched air outlet

Claims (7)

An oxygen selective permeable membrane that selectively separates oxygen from air,
Decompression means for decompressing and sucking oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen selective permeable membrane,
A conduit communicating with the decompression means for directing oxygen-enriched air to a user;
An oxygen-enriching device comprising a nozzle communicating with the conduit and having a discharge port for discharging oxygen-enriched air toward a user,
The outlet is arranged at a position not to be inserted into the user's nasal cavity,
The pressure reducing means has an exhaust volume of 5 to 25 L / min when no load is connected under an atmospheric pressure environment,
The oxygen-enriched device, wherein the velocity of the oxygen-enriched air discharged from the discharge port is 0.2 to 20 m / s. The oxygen enrichment device according to claim 1, further comprising a holding unit that arranges the nozzle at a position where the discharge port is not inserted into a nasal cavity of a user. 3. The oxygen enrichment device according to claim 1, wherein the displacement is 5 to 15 L / min. The oxygen-enriched device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the velocity of the oxygen-enriched air discharged from the discharge port is 0.7 to 2 m / s. The oxygen-enriching apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nozzle is provided with a fragrance generating means for adding a scent to oxygen-enriched air. 6. The oxygen-rich gas according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle comprises a scent generating means housing part for housing the scent generating means, and a nozzle body having the scent means storing part detachable. Device. The oxygen enrichment device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the fragrance generating means is detachably provided on the nozzle.

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