JP2006230813A - Oxygen concentrator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oxygen concentrator of a pressure swing adsorption type which efficiently obtains silencing effect without causing complexity of upsizing and structure of a sound-absorbing box for various noise such as exhaust noise as a gas passage positioned next to an exhausting outlet for venting air and nitrogen to cool air. <P>SOLUTION: A gas inlet port 106a for the gas to be exhausted is provided on a ceiling board 106 of sound-absorbing box 105, and a gas exhausting port 112 for exhausting gas outside is provided on a floor board 111. In the sound-absorbing box 105, near the gas inlet port 106a, between the gas inlet port 106a and gas exhausting port 112, a partition wall 115 is arranged for preventing the gas flowed into the sound-absorbing box 105 from being directed to the gas exhausting port 112. This partition wall 115 is equipped with guide wall parts 115b on both the sides. By this guide wall parts, after having passed to the opposite side, on the plan view, of the gas exhausting port 112, the gas is branched into both sides of partition wall 115 and so guided to turn around and directed to the gas exhausting port 112. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an oxygen concentrator, and more particularly to an oxygen concentrator used for oxygen inhalation therapy effective as a treatment method for diseases of respiratory organs such as chronic bronchitis.

  This type of oxygen concentrator (also referred to as an oxygen concentrator; hereinafter simply referred to as a device) separates and concentrates oxygen in the air as an oxygen concentrating method that permeates oxygen and selectively (preferentially) adsorbs nitrogen. So-called adsorption-type oxygen concentrators using adsorbents such as zeolite are widely used. This oxygen concentrator usually supplies air compressed by a compressor into a nitrogen adsorption container (adsorption cylinder) filled with an adsorbent capable of preferentially adsorbing nitrogen over oxygen, and the inside is pressurized. By adsorbing nitrogen, the pressurization process (adsorption process) to obtain high oxygen concentration gas (high oxygen concentration gas) and exhausting the nitrogen adsorbed by reducing the pressure in the nitrogen adsorption container to the outside (release) ), The depressurization step (regeneration step) for regenerating the adsorbent is repeated alternately (sequentially) so that the high oxygen concentration gas is continuously generated (manufactured). The high pressure, high oxygen concentration gas thus generated is sent to a tank (reservoir) that temporarily stores the gas, and the pressure and flow rate are adjusted by the regulator and the flow rate setting device, and processing such as humidification is performed. And then supplied to the patient.

  Such an oxygen concentrator (hereinafter also simply referred to as a device) is a device that is used by a patient, who is a user, throughout the day and night, including during sleep, so that no noise is generated. There is a strong demand for quiet driving. For this reason, among the components of the apparatus, various devices such as a compressor, a blower, or a solenoid valve that form a main sound source have soundproofing or sound insulating properties formed in a casing that forms an external case of the apparatus. It is arranged in the compartment so that its operating sound does not leak outside. In addition, measures are taken such as supporting the compressor itself or a motor for driving the compressor in the compartment through a vibration isolating member such as a spring or rubber so that the vibration of the compressor does not reach the outside.

However, in such an oxygen concentrator, in order to prevent heat generation of a compressor provided therein and a motor for driving the compressor, these are air-cooled by a blowing means (blower). In this apparatus, it is indispensable to supply air to the compressor and to periodically exhaust (release) nitrogen adsorbed in the nitrogen adsorption container to the atmosphere. For this reason, in such an oxygen concentrator, an air intake for cooling or high oxygen concentration gas production, air for cooling air and nitrogen (in the present specification, these are also referred to as air or gas). In addition to improving the sound insulation of the casing itself constituting the device or the compartment itself where the compressor is installed, the exhaust opening for these intakes and exhaust openings is provided. It is very important to prevent the sound from leaking outside. In this case, of the leaking sound, the sound from the intake port is relatively small because it is transmitted in the direction opposite to the air flow, but the sound from the exhaust port matches the direction of gas outflow and its propagation direction. Therefore, the problem is extremely large. Under these circumstances, there is a technique in which a gas passage (silencer box) is provided adjacent to these openings and a sound insulating plate is provided therein (Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP 7-255850 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-255851

  However, as in the oxygen concentrators described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in the technology of providing a sound insulating plate in the gas passage, a sufficient effect is expected unless a plurality of sound insulating plates are provided and through holes are provided in the sound insulating plate. Can not. In this case, there is a problem that the more the sound insulation plates are provided, the larger the sound deadening box that forms the gas passage, and the reduction of the oxygen concentrator, which is a basic requirement, cannot be achieved. In addition, when the sound insulating plate is provided with a through hole, the structure is complicated and the manufacturing cost of the sound insulating plate itself is increased, resulting in an increase in the cost of the apparatus. In addition, as the number of sound insulation plates is increased, the ventilation resistance in the exhaust gas increases, the cooling performance decreases, and the basic performance of the oxygen concentrator decreases.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object thereof is to increase the size of the silencing box that forms the gas passage adjacent to the exhaust port, and to complicate the structure, among the openings. It is an object of the present invention to provide an oxygen concentrator capable of efficiently obtaining a silencing effect.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention according to claim 1 is a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, wherein air blown to cool a compressor or the like and nitrogen exhausted from a nitrogen adsorption vessel And a sound deadening box for silencing the exhaust sound,
The silencing box has a gas inlet to the inside of the silencing box for the gas to be exhausted, and a gas exhaust port to the outside of the silencing box,
Moreover, in the silencing box, the gas to be exhausted that flows into the silencing box from the gas inlet to the portion near the gas inlet between the gas inlet and the gas exhaust port, in plan view, The partition wall is provided so as not to directly face the gas exhaust port, and the partition wall is formed after the gas flows toward the side opposite to the gas exhaust port side in a plan view. A guide wall portion is provided on each of the two sides of the guide wall so as to be divided and folded on both sides of the gas and to be guided toward the gas exhaust port.

The present invention according to claim 2 is a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, which exhausts air blown to cool a compressor or the like and nitrogen exhausted from a nitrogen adsorption vessel to the outside. In which an exhaust passage is provided and a silencing box for silencing the exhaust sound is provided,
The silencing box has a gas inlet to the inside of the silencing box of the gas to be exhausted in the ceiling plate of the silencing box, and a gas exhaust port to the outside of the silencing box is provided in the floor plate of the silencing box, The gas inlet and the gas exhaust port are arranged with an interval so as to be located at each wall portion facing each other in the silencing box in a plan view,
Moreover, in the silencing box, the gas to be exhausted that flows into the silencing box from the gas inlet to the portion near the gas inlet between the gas inlet and the gas exhaust port, in plan view, The partition wall is provided so as not to directly face the gas exhaust port, and the partition wall is formed after the gas flows toward the side opposite to the gas exhaust port side in a plan view. A guide wall portion is provided on each of the two sides of the guide wall so as to be divided and folded on both sides of the gas and to be guided toward the gas exhaust port.

  And as for this invention of Claim 3, the said silencer box is made into the substantially square or the substantially rectangular inside in planar view, The said gas inlet_port | entrance with respect to the straight line which passes through the approximate center of each opposite side, The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gas exhaust port and the partition wall are provided substantially symmetrically.

  In the oxygen concentrator of the present invention, since the partition wall described above is provided in the silencing box, the gas to be exhausted flowing into the silencing box from the gas inlet directly faces the gas exhaust port in a plan view. However, after flowing toward the opposite side of the gas exhaust port by the action of the partition wall, it is diverted on both sides of the partition wall, turned back, and exhausted toward the gas exhaust port. The compressor noise generated during operation also leaks from the gas exhaust port through the silencer box from the gas inlet. However, in the present invention, when the sound leaks from the exhaust port, it basically becomes small. .

  An important point to be noted in the present invention is that the gas to be exhausted is branched in two directions by the action of the partition wall in the silencer box, and the exhaust gas flows to the exhaust port after being folded back together. The point is that a passage is formed. With such a configuration, with one partition wall, it is possible to effectively lengthen the ventilation length because the two exhaust passages are substantially secured while maintaining the sound insulation effect, and the number of bendings can be increased. Therefore, a high silencing effect can be obtained efficiently. Thus, in the present invention, there is an effect that the sound leaking from the exhaust port to the outside can be reduced. Moreover, in the present invention, since the partition wall is provided in the silencer box, the oxygen can be efficiently obtained without complicating or increasing the size of the silencer structure. Can be a concentrator. In addition, since the balance of an exhaust passage is ensured when the gas inlet, the gas exhaust port, and the partition wall are provided substantially symmetrically as described in claim 3, a higher noise reduction effect is achieved. Is obtained.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 are views showing an external case (housing) 100 constituting the oxygen concentrating device 101 according to the present invention and a schematic configuration inside thereof. In the outer case 100, two nitrogen adsorption containers (not shown) filled with an adsorbent (for example, zeolite) capable of preferentially adsorbing nitrogen over oxygen are provided. The pressurized step of obtaining a high oxygen concentration gas by supplying compressed air by the compressor 21 installed in the lower part of the outer case 100 and the nitrogen adsorbed by reducing the pressure in the nitrogen adsorption vessel The depressurization step of regenerating the adsorbent by exhausting to the outside is repeatedly performed alternately so that a high oxygen concentration gas is continuously generated.

  That is, as shown in the block diagram (circuit diagram) of FIG. 4, the apparatus of this embodiment is provided with two (two) nitrogen adsorption containers (hereinafter also simply referred to as containers) 31, 32. Yes. In each of the nitrogen adsorption containers 31 and 32, as shown in FIG. 1, air taken in through a filter or the like (not shown) from the air intake port 10 provided in the upper portion of the outer case 100. Is compressed by the compressor 21 installed in the lower compartment 121, and the switching valves 41, 42, 51, 52 for the pressurizing process or the depressurizing process of the nitrogen adsorption containers 31, 32 are controlled to be switched. In each nitrogen adsorption vessel 31, 32, high oxygen concentration gas is continuously generated by repeating generation of high concentration oxygen gas by adsorption of nitrogen and pressurization and decompression for regeneration of the adsorbent alternately in a fixed cycle. , Configured to supply.

  In FIG. 1, a blower (fan) 131 is attached to the ceiling plate 123 of the lower compartment 121 that becomes the floor plate of the upper compartment 122, and the air taken in from the air intake 10 is placed in the lower compartment 121. The compressor 21 and the like are cooled by blowing air downward. As shown in FIG. 4, the high oxygen concentration gas generated alternately in each nitrogen adsorption vessel 31, 32 is a product from the secondary side (upper side of FIG. 4) of the two nitrogen adsorption vessels 31, 32 via piping. Various devices that are fed into the tank 71 and reach the oxygen outlet on the secondary side of the tank 71, that is, although not shown, a regulator (flow control valve), a bacteria filter, a flow setting device, an oxygen sensor, It is configured to be supplied to the patient from the oxygen outlet via a humidifier or the like.

  That is, in this embodiment, a pressurizing step for obtaining a high oxygen concentration gas by supplying compressed air by the compressor 21 into the nitrogen adsorption containers 31 and 32 filled with an adsorbent capable of preferentially adsorbing nitrogen over oxygen. A high oxygen concentration by alternately and repeatedly performing a depressurization step of regenerating the adsorbent by exhausting the nitrogen adsorbed by reducing the pressure in the nitrogen adsorption vessels 31 and 32 through the exhaust muffler 60 The gas is continuously obtained, and sent to the product tank 71 to be supplied to the patient from the oxygen outlet. In addition, on the secondary side of the nitrogen adsorption containers 31 and 32 in FIG. 4, the left and right pipes are connected via an on-off valve 81 and a fixed throttle, which is obtained during the pressurization process with one nitrogen adsorption container. This is for purging nitrogen to be exhausted in the other nitrogen adsorption vessel with a part of the high oxygen concentration gas.

  In the oxygen concentrator 101 of this embodiment, the compressor 21 that compresses the air taken in from the air intake 10 and supplies the compressed air to the nitrogen adsorption vessels 31 and 32 is as shown in FIG. Further, the floor plate is formed in the compartment 121 under the apparatus 101, and on the ceiling plate 106 of the muffler box (space) 105 described below, the lower four places are vibration absorbing and damping members (vibration-proof members). It is supported via a support member 107 having an elastic member such as rubber or a coil spring. Further, in this embodiment, the muffler 60 described above is arranged in the compartment 121 in which the compressor 21 is accommodated, and nitrogen is exhausted from the muffler 60 into the compartment 121 in a decompression step. Yes. Therefore, the exhausted nitrogen is configured to flow downward together with air for air cooling.

  Now, at the bottom of such an apparatus 101 and below the lower compartment 121, a muffler box 105 that constitutes the gist of the present invention is provided. The muffler box 105 is made of a wooden board having excellent sound insulation, and in this embodiment, has a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape. Further, in the ceiling plate 106 of the silencer box (space) 105, an opening that forms a gas inlet 106a into the box 105 is formed near the back of the apparatus 101 (right side in FIG. 3). A gas including air-cooling air blown by the air and nitrogen exhausted from the muffler 60 flows into the muffler box (space) 105. In the floor plate 111 of the silencing box (space) 105, an opening that forms a gas exhaust port 112 is formed near the front of the apparatus 101 (left side in FIG. 3). The gas exhaust port 112 is configured to discharge to the outside (downward) of the apparatus 101. In the present embodiment, the silencing box 105 has a rectangular shape close to a square as shown in a plan view (plan view) in FIG. 5, and the gas inlet 106a is located near the walls 105a and 105b forming the opposing short sides. The gas exhaust ports 112 are both substantially square or substantially rectangular, and are opened at intervals (distances). In this embodiment, the gas inlet 106 a is opened larger than the gas exhaust port 112.

  In such a silencing box 105, a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 (cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1) is located between the gas inlet 106a and the gas exhaust port 112 and closer to the gas inlet 106. As shown, a partition wall 115 is formed along the gas inlet 106 a formed in the ceiling plate 106. In this partition wall 115, the gas to be exhausted that has flowed into the sound deadening box 105 from the gas inlet 106 a does not directly face the gas exhaust port 112, but first flows toward the side opposite to the gas exhaust port 112 in a plan view. Later, guide walls 115b are provided on both sides of the partition wall 115 to guide the flow of the exhaust gas so that it is diverted on both sides of the partition wall 115 and turned toward the gas exhaust port 112. In this embodiment, the partition wall 115 is formed in a U shape that opens one side (the lower side in FIG. 5) in plan view. The partition wall 115 has an upper end joined to the ceiling plate 106 and a lower end joined to the floor plate 111. Thus, in the present embodiment, the exhaust in the muffler box 105 has a flow indicated by an arrow in each drawing. In this embodiment, a sound absorbing material (plate) such as a sponge is attached to the inner surface (wall, floor plate, and ceiling plate) of the sound deadening box 105 and the surface of the partition wall 115.

  The silencing box 105 in the present embodiment has a substantially square or substantially rectangular interior in plan view, and as shown in FIG. 5, the gas inlet 106a is connected to a straight line S passing through the approximate center of each of the opposing sides. The gas exhaust port 112 and the partition wall 115 are provided substantially symmetrically. In the present embodiment, the compressor 21 is arranged in such a manner that the rotation shaft 23a of the driving motor 23 is substantially vertical and the front end faces upward. A part of the motor 23 (part of the part opposite to the rotating shaft 23 a) is in a loosely fitted state from the gas inlet 106 a into the silencing box 105, and the space of the silencing box 105 is Effective use or space saving is achieved. For this reason, the effective ventilation area of the gas inlet 106a is obtained by subtracting the cross-sectional area of the motor 23 (hatched portion in FIG. 5) from the opening area of the gas inlet 106a. Is larger than the gas exhaust port 112, and an effective ventilation area is secured. Note that the compressor 21 has a rotating shaft 23a and cylinders 24, 25 on both sides sandwiching a rotating shaft 23a of a motor (shown by double hatching in the figure), and these shafts are horizontal and face each other. Thus, in this embodiment, an example in which a pair of cylinders 24 and 25 are arranged is illustrated. A reciprocating pressurizing compressor having piston driving means for reciprocating pistons (not shown) arranged in the cylinders 24 and 25 is used. Reference numeral 28 denotes a cover (case) 28 that covers the piston drive mechanism. Further, reference numeral 108 in FIGS. 1 and 3 denotes a moving caster.

  Thus, when the oxygen concentrator 101 of this embodiment is operated, the air taken in from the external air intake 10 is blown by the blower 131 as shown by the arrows in FIGS. The compressor 21 and the like disposed in the chamber 121 are air-cooled. This air is heat-exchanged, enters the sound deadening box 105 from the gas inlet 106 a, and is exhausted from the gas exhaust port 112. Further, the depressurization step for regenerating the adsorbent that exhausts the nitrogen adsorbed by reducing the pressure in the nitrogen adsorption vessels 31 and 32 to the outside is repeated alternately with the pressurization step. In this nitrogen exhaust, high-pressure gas (including purge gas in this embodiment) is exhausted from the exhaust muffler 60 disposed in the compartment 121. Then, this exhaust gas is sent into the sound deadening box 105 together with the blown air and exhausted from the gas exhaust port 112 at the bottom.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, gas is exhausted from the exhaust port 112 using the silencer box 105 as an exhaust passage. At this time, the gas flowing into the silencer 105 from the gas inlet 106a is gas in plan view. The flow does not go directly to the exhaust port 112 but flows as shown by the arrow in FIG. That is, after flowing toward the side opposite to the gas exhaust port 112 side, it is diverted on both sides of the partition wall 115, turned back, and exhausted toward the gas exhaust port 112. On the other hand, the sound of the compressor 21 and the like generated with the operation of the oxygen concentrator 101 is rapidly attenuated when entering the silencer box 105 from the gas inlet 106a. Moreover, since the partition wall 115 acts as a sound insulating plate, the sound is basically reduced when the sound leaks from the exhaust port 112.

  Further, in the sound deadening box 105, the gas to be exhausted is branched into two left and right directions in FIG. 5 by the partition wall 115, and flows back to the exhaust port 112 after being folded back together. In other words, the partition wall 115 substantially secures two exhaust passages on the left and right while maintaining the sound insulation effect, and can increase the number of bendings in each of the passages. Therefore, the exhaust port 112 directly from the gas inlet 106a. Compared to the case of flowing through, a very long ventilation length is secured, so that a high silencing effect can be obtained. As described above, in this embodiment, the oxygen concentrator 101 can be efficiently obtained without causing a complicated structure or an increase in size of the sound deadening box. In addition, in the present embodiment, since the inside of the sound deadening box 105 is arranged substantially symmetrically in plan view, the balance of the exhaust passage is ensured, so that a high sound deadening effect is obtained.

  Here, the oxygen concentrator 101 of the present embodiment (the present invention) is different from the oxygen concentrator of the first comparative example which is different from the oxygen concentrator 101 of the present embodiment (the present invention) only in that the partition wall 115 in which the exhaust gas is not divided into left and right is provided in the silencer box 105. 6) and the oxygen concentrating device (FIG. 7) of Comparative Example 2 in which only one sound insulating plate 115c with a plurality of holes is provided instead of the partition wall 115 of the present embodiment. ), Measured the noise at a point of 1m horizontally from the oxygen concentrator, and compared. The results are as shown in Table 1.

  As shown in Table 1, in this embodiment, noise was reduced compared to Comparative Example 1. In addition, substantially the same noise as in Comparative Example 2 or lower noise was achieved.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be embodied by appropriately modifying the design. In the embodiment described above, the partition wall 115 is formed in a “U” shape in plan view, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 5, the corner C may be provided with an inclined chamfered surface or a radius. Further, as in the partition wall 115 shown in FIG. 8, the portion near the gas exhaust port 112 may be formed in a semicircular arc shape. The shapes of the gas inlet 106a and the gas exhaust port 112 may be circular.

The schematic structure front longitudinal cross-sectional view in the outer case (housing | casing) which makes the oxygen concentration apparatus of this invention. The AA line fracture | rupture top view of FIG. The principal part fracture | rupture side view of FIG. The block diagram (circuit diagram) explaining the principal part of the oxygen concentration apparatus of this invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1. The cross-sectional view of the sound deadening box explaining the comparative example 1. The cross-sectional view of the sound deadening box explaining the comparative example 2. The cross-sectional view of another form of another example of the silencing box of the oxygen concentrator of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

21 Compressor 31, 32 Nitrogen adsorption container 101 Oxygen concentrator 105 Silencer box 105 a, 105 b Opposing wall 106 in the silencer box 106 Silent box ceiling plate 106 a Gas inlet 111 Silencer box floor plate 112 Gas exhaust port 115 Partition wall 115 b Partition wall 115 b Guide wall S A straight line passing through the approximate center of each opposing side of the silencer box

Claims (3)

This is a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, which has an exhaust passage for exhausting the air blown to cool the compressor and the like and the nitrogen exhausted from the inside of the nitrogen adsorption container to the outside and producing the exhaust sound. In what has a mute box to mute,
The silencing box has a gas inlet to the inside of the silencing box for the gas to be exhausted, and a gas exhaust port to the outside of the silencing box,
Moreover, in the silencing box, the gas to be exhausted that flows into the silencing box from the gas inlet to the portion near the gas inlet between the gas inlet and the gas exhaust port, in plan view, The partition wall is provided so as not to directly face the gas exhaust port, and the partition wall is formed after the gas flows toward the side opposite to the gas exhaust port side in a plan view. An oxygen concentrating device comprising a guide wall portion that is divided on both sides of the gas pipe and is turned back and guided toward the gas exhaust port. This is a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, which has an exhaust passage for exhausting the air blown to cool the compressor and the like and the nitrogen exhausted from the inside of the nitrogen adsorption container to the outside and producing the exhaust sound. In what has a mute box to mute,
The silencing box has a gas inlet to the inside of the silencing box of the gas to be exhausted in the ceiling plate of the silencing box, and a gas exhaust port to the outside of the silencing box is provided in the floor plate of the silencing box, The gas inlet and the gas exhaust port are arranged with an interval so as to be located at each wall portion facing each other in the silencing box in a plan view,
Moreover, in the silencing box, the gas to be exhausted that flows into the silencing box from the gas inlet to the portion near the gas inlet between the gas inlet and the gas exhaust port, in plan view, The partition wall is provided so as not to directly face the gas exhaust port, and the partition wall is formed after the gas flows toward the side opposite to the gas exhaust port side in a plan view. An oxygen concentrating device comprising a guide wall portion that is divided on both sides of the gas pipe and is turned back and guided toward the gas exhaust port. The plan view of the sound deadening box has a substantially square or substantially rectangular interior, and the gas inlet, the gas exhaust port, and the partition wall are each substantially straight with respect to a straight line passing through the approximate center of each of the opposing sides. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the oxygen concentrator is provided symmetrically.

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