JP2005350282A - Oxygen concentrator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oxygen concentrator which can immediately detect the oxygen concentration even in a stop state without shortening the durable period of an oxygen sensor. <P>SOLUTION: The oxygen concentrator is equipped with a compressor 1 for sucking air in the atmosphere and compressing it, first and second adsorption cylinders 2, 3 connected in parallel to each other, an accumulator tank 4 for accumulating a gas containing oxygen in high concentration, a pressure reducing valve 5, and a flow rate regulator 6. The oxygen sensor 11 for detecting the oxygen concentration is connected between the pressure reducing valve 5 and the flow rate regulator 6. An electric power supply means 12 for supplying an electric power to the oxygen sensor outputs pulse-like standby power when the oxygen sensor 11 is not operated, and on the other hand, outputs continuous waveform driving power when the oxygen sensor 11 is operated to detect. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an oxygen concentrator used, for example, for treatment of respiratory diseases.

  Conventionally, oxygen concentrators are known which inhale air in the atmosphere and concentrate oxygen contained in the inhaled air to generate a gas having a high oxygen concentration. In this type of oxygen concentrator, a zirconia-type oxygen sensor is used to detect the oxygen concentration of the generated gas (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-174617). The oxygen sensor has a characteristic that the service life is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the detected oxygen concentration and the accumulated time of the detection operation. Therefore, the oxygen concentrator detected by the oxygen sensor has a relatively large oxygen concentration, and by intermittently supplying power to the oxygen sensor and detecting the oxygen concentration intermittently, the accumulated time of the detection operation increases. It is conceivable to reduce the speed of the oxygen sensor and extend the service life of the oxygen sensor.

However, since the zirconia oxygen sensor needs to be activated by supplying power in advance several minutes before the detection operation, the oxygen detection operation cannot be started immediately after it is stopped. Therefore, the conventional oxygen concentrator cannot immediately detect the oxygen concentration even if an abnormality occurs while the oxygen sensor that performs the detection operation intermittently is stopped. There is a problem that becomes insufficient.
JP 2002-174617 A

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an oxygen concentrator that can immediately detect the oxygen concentration even in a stopped state without shortening the service life of the oxygen sensor.

In order to solve the above problems, the oxygen concentrator of the present invention is:
Oxygen concentration means for concentrating oxygen contained in air in the atmosphere to generate a high oxygen concentration gas having an oxygen concentration higher than the oxygen concentration of the air;
Oxygen concentration detection means for detecting the oxygen concentration of the high oxygen concentration gas generated by the oxygen concentration means;
Driving power is supplied to the oxygen concentration detecting means when the oxygen concentration detecting means is in operation for detecting oxygen concentration, while the oxygen concentration detecting means is more than the driving power when not operating when the oxygen concentration detecting means is not operating for detecting oxygen concentration. And a power supply means for supplying a small standby power.

  The oxygen concentrator having the above structure sucks air in the atmosphere, concentrates oxygen contained in the sucked air by the oxygen concentrating means, and has a high oxygen concentration having an oxygen concentration higher than the oxygen concentration of the air. Generate gas. The oxygen concentration of the high oxygen concentration gas generated by the oxygen concentrating means is detected by the oxygen concentration detecting means. The oxygen concentration detection means is supplied with power by the power supply means.

  The power supply means supplies a predetermined driving power when the oxygen concentration detection means operates to detect the oxygen concentration. On the other hand, when the oxygen concentration detection means is not in operation without performing the oxygen concentration detection operation, the power supply means supplies standby power smaller than the drive power. As a result, the oxygen concentration detecting means is in a standby state with power supplied even when it is not in operation.

  When the oxygen concentration detector is not in operation, for example, if an abnormality occurs in the oxygen concentrator, it may be necessary to detect the oxygen concentration. Here, since the standby power is supplied to the oxygen concentration detection means even when it is not in operation, when the power supplied by the power supply means is switched from standby power to drive power, the oxygen concentration can be detected in a shorter time than before. The concentration can be detected. Therefore, even when an abnormality occurs in the oxygen concentrator, for example, the oxygen concentration of the gas generated by the oxygen concentrating means can be detected quickly, and the operation of the oxygen concentrating means is controlled in response to the abnormality. Can be done quickly.

  The oxygen concentration detection means is supplied with standby power smaller than the drive power when not operating, and thus can prevent a significant shortening of the service life.

  In the oxygen concentrator of one embodiment, the standby power is power having a voltage lower than that of the driving power.

  According to the embodiment, the standby power supplied to the oxygen concentration detection means when the oxygen concentrator is not operated is power having a voltage lower than the voltage of the driving power. Therefore, by adjusting the standby power, the oxygen concentration detection means can be easily put into a standby state.

  In the oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment, the standby power is a pulsed power having a maximum voltage at the time of ON that is substantially the same as the voltage of the driving power.

  According to the embodiment, the standby power supplied to the oxygen concentration detection means when the oxygen concentrator is not operating is pulsed power, and the maximum voltage when the pulsed power is on is the driving power. Therefore, the driving power and the standby power can be switched easily and quickly.

  As described above, the oxygen concentrator of the present invention generates a high oxygen concentration gas by concentrating oxygen contained in air in the atmosphere with an oxygen concentrating means, and detects the oxygen concentration of this high oxygen concentration gas. Detect by means. The power supply means supplies driving power to the oxygen concentration detection means when the oxygen concentration detection means operates to detect the oxygen concentration, while the oxygen concentration detection means does not operate when the oxygen concentration detection means does not detect the oxygen concentration. The standby power smaller than the driving power is supplied. Therefore, the oxygen concentration detection means is in a standby state of operation by supplying power even when not operating. Therefore, the oxygen concentration detection means can perform an oxygen concentration detection operation a short time after the supplied power is switched from standby power to drive power. As a result, even when an abnormality occurs in the oxygen concentrator, the oxygen concentration can be detected quickly and the abnormality can be appropriately dealt with. Moreover, since the oxygen concentration detection means is supplied with standby power smaller than the drive power when not operating, it can prevent a significant shortening of the service life.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an oxygen concentrator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The oxygen concentrator includes a compressor 1 that sucks and compresses air in the atmosphere, and first and second adsorption cylinders 2 and 3 as oxygen concentrating means connected to the compressor 1.

  The first and second adsorption cylinders 2, 3 are connected in parallel to each other, and an inlet valve 21, between the discharge port of the compressor 1 and the inlets of the first and second adsorption cylinders 2, 3. 31 is provided.

  Each of the first and second adsorption cylinders 2 and 3 is connected to an oxygen discharge pipe for discharging a high oxygen concentration gas, and the two oxygen discharge pipes connected to the first and second adsorption cylinders 2 and 3 are , And connected to the accumulator tank 4 via the check valve 10. The two oxygen discharge pipes communicate with each other through a connection pipe having a pressurizing valve 9 interposed therebetween.

  Each of the first and second adsorption cylinders 2 and 3 is connected to an exhaust pipe for exhausting nitrogen recovered from the air to the outside of the oxygen concentrator, and exhaust valves 22 and 32 are interposed in the exhaust pipe. doing.

  A pressure reducing valve 5 and a flow rate regulator 6 are sequentially provided in an oxygen pipe for introducing oxygen from the accumulator tank 4, and this oxygen pipe is connected to an oxygen supply destination.

  Between the pressure reducing valve 5 and the flow controller 6 of the oxygen pipe, an oxygen sensor 11 is provided as an oxygen concentration detecting means. The oxygen sensor 11 is connected to a power supply unit 12 that supplies power to the oxygen sensor 11 and a concentration value calculation unit 13 that receives a signal from the oxygen sensor 11 and calculates a value of the oxygen concentration.

  The oxygen concentrator having the above-described configuration operates as follows.

  The compressor 1 sucks air in the atmosphere to generate compressed air, and the compressed air is supplied to the first and second adsorption cylinders 2 and 3. Zeolite is accommodated in the first and second adsorption cylinders 2 and 3, and this zeolite adsorbs the nitrogen component of the compressed air. Thereby, the oxygen concentration of the compressed air is increased, and a gas having a high oxygen concentration is generated.

  The high oxygen concentration gas from the first and second adsorption cylinders 2 and 3 is accumulated in the accumulator tank 4, and the gas accumulated in the accumulator tank 4 is depressurized by the pressure reducing valve, and the flow rate regulator It becomes a predetermined flow rate and is supplied from the oxygen pipe to the supply destination.

  When the adsorption of nitrogen by the zeolite in the first and second adsorption cylinders 2 and 3 is saturated, the inlet valves 21 and 31 are closed, the supply of compressed air is stopped, and the exhaust valves 22 and 32 are opened. Thereby, the inside of the first and second adsorption cylinders 2 and 3 is depressurized, nitrogen adsorbed on the zeolite is desorbed, and the nitrogen is exhausted into the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe.

  The oxygen sensor 11 that detects the oxygen concentration of the gas supplied from the oxygen pipe to the supply destination is a zirconia oxygen sensor formed using a zirconia solid electrolyte that is an oxygen ion conductor. The power supplied to the zirconia oxygen sensor is controlled by the power supply means 12.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the power supply means 12.

  The power supply means 12 includes, for example, a power circuit 51 that converts AC power from a general power source into DC power having a predetermined voltage value and current value and outputs the power, and an oxygen sensor power source that receives + 5V power from the power circuit 51 Capacitor 52 and a waveform generation circuit 53 that receives + 5V power from the capacitor 52 and generates power of a predetermined voltage waveform.

  The waveform generation circuit 53 receives an on / off signal from a CPU (microcomputer) 55 and outputs power having a voltage waveform corresponding to the on / off signal. The CPU 55 is supplied with power from the power supply circuit 51, reads out and executes an execution program stored in a ROM (read only memory) 56, thereby performing a signal output operation to the waveform generation circuit 53.

  The CPU 55 receives a signal indicating the oxygen concentration value from the oxygen sensor 11 and calculates an oxygen concentration value by calculation based on the signal. That is, the CPU 55 also functions as a density value calculation unit. The CPU 55 controls the power supplied to the motor of the compressor 1 and controls the opening and closing of the inlet valves 21 and 31 and the exhaust valves 22 and 32.

  The power supply means 12 operates as follows.

First, when the oxygen sensor 11 does not detect the oxygen concentration, the CPU 55 outputs an on / off signal to the waveform generation circuit 53 at a predetermined timing. Waveform generating circuit 53 which receives the signal from the CPU55, as shown in FIG. 3, while rises to a maximum voltage value V _a to a time which has received the on-signal, the minimum voltage value V ₀ to the time that has received the OFF signal The falling pulsed power (hereinafter referred to as standby power) is output. The maximum voltage value V _a reaches when receiving the ON signal is a value of voltage to be supplied at the time of performing the detection operation the oxygen sensor 11.

As shown in FIG. 3, the standby power voltage pulse includes an on period T _on from when the on signal is received until the off signal is received, and an off period from when the off signal is received until the next on signal is received. has a period _{T 0} consisting of a period _{T off,} with the on-duty ratio showing the ratio of on-period _{T on} for the period _{T 0} in percentage. The period T ₀ is preferably in the range of 10 to 1 kHz, but may be other periods.

  The pulsed standby power output from the waveform generation circuit 53 is input to the oxygen sensor 11. In the oxygen sensor 11 that has received this standby power, the temperature of the oxygen detector formed of the zirconia solid electrolyte becomes a temperature corresponding to the duty ratio of the pulse. Thereby, the oxygen sensor 11 enters a standby state.

When the oxygen sensor 11 operates to detect the oxygen concentration, the CPU 55 continuously outputs an ON signal to the waveform generation circuit 53, and the waveform generation circuit 53 receiving the continuous ON signal receives the voltage V The power having _a continuous waveform of a (hereinafter referred to as drive power) is output. The oxygen sensor 11 that has received this driving power raises the temperature of the oxygen detector to about 400 ° C., and can detect the oxygen concentration.

  As described above, since the standby power is supplied to the oxygen sensor 11 when the oxygen concentration is not detected, the oxygen concentration is detected after a relatively short time after the standby power is switched to the driving power. It becomes possible. Therefore, even when an abnormality or the like occurs in the oxygen concentrator when the oxygen sensor 11 is not operating, the oxygen concentration can be detected quickly. Control of the compressor 1 etc. can be performed appropriately.

Also, the standby power, since the pulse-like having substantially the same maximum voltage V _a voltage of the driving power, it is possible to quickly perform the switching to the drive power from the standby power, also, the waveform generating circuit 53 can generate standby power with little power loss. Note that the maximum voltage of the standby power may not be the same as the voltage of the driving power.

The response time required from when the power supplied to the oxygen sensor 11 is switched from standby power to drive power until detection is possible is determined by the on-duty ratio of the standby power. Therefore, the on-duty ratio may be set based on the required response time. The on-duty ratio and the frequency T ₀ may be determined in advance and stored in the ROM, or may be set based on an input from the user of the oxygen concentrator and stored in the EEPROM or the like.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the oxygen concentration detection operation by the oxygen sensor 11 is performed intermittently at predetermined intervals. Thereby, the speed at which the accumulated time of the detection operation of the zirconia oxygen sensor increases can be reduced, and the shortening of the service life of the oxygen sensor 11 can be prevented.

  Note that the time interval for intermittently detecting the oxygen sensor 11 may be a predetermined interval or may be changed according to the operating state of the oxygen concentrator.

  Further, the standby power when the oxygen sensor 11 is not in operation has a pulse-like, that is, a rectangular wave-like fluctuation voltage. As long as the waveform has periodicity, any waveform may be used.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the electric power which has a pulse voltage was supplied as standby electric power supplied when the said oxygen sensor 11 is non-operation, the said standby electric power has the drive electric power supplied when the said oxygen sensor 11 operates. Electric power having a voltage lower than the voltage may be used. That is, the oxygen sensor 11, while supplying a driving power having a voltage V _a at the time of operation, by the inoperative supplying standby power having a voltage lower than the voltage V _a, you in the standby state at a predetermined temperature In addition, the temperature may be rapidly raised to about 400 ° C. necessary for detecting the oxygen concentration.

  The oxygen concentrator of the present embodiment is not limited to the medical field such as the treatment of respiratory diseases, for example, all kinds of applications such as recovery from fatigue due to exercise, beauty / health improvement, animal treatment, etc. Used for applications.

It is a block diagram which shows the oxygen concentrator of embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an electric power supply means. It is a figure which shows the voltage waveform of the standby electric power which a waveform generation circuit produces | generates.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Compressor 2 1st adsorption | suction cylinder 3 2nd adsorption | suction cylinder 4 Accumulator tank 5 Pressure reducing valve 6 Flow regulator 9 Pressurization valve 11 Oxygen sensor 12 Electric power supply means 13 Concentration value calculation means

Claims (3)

Oxygen concentration means (2, 3) for concentrating oxygen contained in air in the atmosphere to generate a high oxygen concentration gas having an oxygen concentration higher than the oxygen concentration of the air;
Oxygen concentration detection means (11) for detecting the oxygen concentration of the high oxygen concentration gas generated by the oxygen concentration means (2, 3);
The oxygen concentration detection means (11) supplies driving power when the oxygen concentration detection means (11) operates to detect oxygen concentration, while the oxygen concentration detection means (11) performs oxygen concentration detection operation. An oxygen concentrator comprising: power supply means (12) for supplying standby power smaller than the driving power when not operating. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, wherein
The oxygen concentrator, wherein the standby power is a power having a voltage lower than a voltage of the driving power. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, wherein
2. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, wherein the standby power is pulsed power having _a maximum voltage (V _a ) at the time of ON substantially the same as the voltage of the driving power.

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