JP2008253902A - Oxygen concentrator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oxygen concentrator loaded with a function for displaying information of data in a device of an oxygen concentrator with a simple means. <P>SOLUTION: In the oxygen concentrator equipped with an absorption tube charging an adsorbent to selectively adsorb nitrogen more than oxygen, a compressor to supply a pressurized air into the adsorption tube, and separating unadsorbed oxygen, and equipped with a display means of a set value for a flow rate setting device and a supply means to supply oxygen to an user at a predetermined flow rate, it is characterized by being provided with a sensor to detect the produced oxygen gas performance and the device performance, a memorizing part of the detection result, an external power output terminal to output the memorizing part and the memorized information to the exterior, and a display switching means to output the detection result or the operation indicating information to the compressor, into the display means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an oxygen concentrator for separating oxygen in air and supplying it to a user.

  In recent years, the number of patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases such as pulmonary emphysema, pulmonary tuberculosis sequelae and chronic bronchitis tends to increase. As a treatment method for such patients, oxygen inhalation therapy for inhaling high concentration oxygen is performed. The oxygen inhalation therapy is a treatment method for inhaling oxygen gas or oxygen enriched gas to the diseased patient. Examples of the supply source of therapeutic oxygen gas or concentrated oxygen gas include the use of high-pressure oxygen cylinders, liquid oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, etc., which can withstand long-term continuous use and are easy to use. For this reason, cases of using oxygen concentrators are increasing.

  The oxygen concentrator is an apparatus that can separate and concentrate oxygen in the air. As an apparatus for separating and concentrating oxygen, one or a plurality of adsorbent beds are packed with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen in the air from the viewpoint of obtaining a high concentration of oxygen of 90% or more. Adsorption type oxygen concentrators are widely known and used. Among them, a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator using a compressor as a pressure fluctuation apparatus is widely spread in the world. Such an apparatus usually supplies at least compressed air from a compressor to one or more adsorbent beds filled with an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs nitrogen, and adsorbs nitrogen by making the inside of the adsorbent bed pressurized. And a desorption process for desorbing nitrogen by depressurizing the inside of the adsorption bed, and repeating this in a certain cycle to obtain high concentration oxygen. . In the pressure fluctuation adsorption method, PSA: Pressure Swing Adsorption method that removes the adsorbed nitrogen component and regenerates the adsorbent to atmospheric pressure, and VPSA: Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption method that depressurizes the adsorption bed to vacuum with a vacuum pump There is.

In the oxygen concentrator, the oxygen concentration and the oxygen supply flow rate are the main indicators for measuring the therapeutic effect and the device performance, and are therefore important measurement values that are always measured during periodic inspections. In addition, there are items such as the above-described adsorption method that require measurement independently depending on the configuration of each device.
Also in the conventional oxygen concentrator, the method of displaying the main measured values of the oxygen concentrator is shown. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-278605, switching is performed for each sensor provided in the oxygen concentrator. It is described that the sensor can be easily measured by providing a switch and switching between them to display an arbitrary value.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-278605

  Oxygen concentrators are regularly inspected at regular intervals, grasping the operating state of the device within the limited time and environment of visiting the patient's home, and quickly determining the time for parts replacement, etc. Must. At that time, the measured values related to the oxygen concentration, oxygen supply flow rate, and processes in the equipment, which are the main performances of the equipment, are obtained and confirmed, and used as a guide for maintenance and parts replacement. At the time of periodic inspection, the conventional method was to acquire the operation information of the concentrator by operating the external terminal after connecting the external terminal and switching the concentrator body to the operation mode for maintenance. The procedure for connecting to the apparatus may be complicated or time consuming, and there has been a demand for acquiring these measurement values simply and safely without being an engineer.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-278605 describes a device that provides a changeover switch for each sensor provided in the oxygen concentrator and displays the sensor output value by switching them. However, there is a possibility that the display will be confused by using the changeover switch without permission. In order to prevent such confusion, there is a method of providing a changeover switch in the apparatus housing, but there is a problem that it is not convenient because it is necessary to open the housing during inspection.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention eliminates the need to connect a personal computer or information terminal for inspection at the time of inspection of the oxygen concentrator, and from an outside of the apparatus simply and safely without being a technician. It provides a means by which the main performance of the oxygen concentrator and the necessary device data can be displayed and acquired.

  Specifically, it is a measurement value display function for inspection, and provides a means to display device information necessary for inspection using the set flow rate display function originally provided by simple external operation. To do. If a single display switching switch is provided on the outside of the apparatus, there is a risk of erroneous operation by the patient. If it is provided inside the apparatus, there is a risk of damage to the apparatus unless it is troublesome and an engineer to open the apparatus cover. Therefore, in order to prevent the user from accidentally switching to the device information display mode and to switch safely without being an engineer, the switching operation is simple without opening the external cover of the device. Switch according to the combination of jig and operation.

  That is, the present invention includes an adsorption cylinder filled with an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs nitrogen rather than oxygen, and a compressor that supplies pressurized air to the adsorption cylinder, and separates unadsorbed oxygen to provide a flow rate setting device. Sensor for detecting the generated oxygen gas performance and apparatus performance, a storage unit for storing the detection results, and the storage in the oxygen concentrating apparatus provided with the display means for the set value and the supply means for supplying oxygen to the user at the set predetermined flow rate Display switching means comprising an external output terminal for outputting information to the outside, and outputting the detection result of the sensor or the operation instruction information to the compressor to the display means by detecting the grounding of the signal line of the external output terminal The present invention provides an oxygen concentrator provided with the above.

  Further, the present invention is a setting device that includes a flow rate contact corresponding to each set value of a plurality of flow rate values, and detects a flow rate set value by detecting grounding of the flow rate contact. An oxygen concentrator comprising: a display switching means for detecting that the flow rate contact is not grounded for a predetermined time and outputting the detection result of the sensor or the operation instruction information to the compressor to the display means. It is to provide.

  Further, according to the present invention, the sensor detects the concentration of the generated oxygen gas, the flow sensor for detecting the flow rate of the oxygen gas, the pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the adsorption cylinder, or the rotational speed of the compressor. An oxygen concentrator characterized in that it is a sensor, the compressor is an apparatus equipped with an inverter, and the operation instruction information to the compressor is instruction information of the inverter voltage, The present invention provides an oxygen concentrator provided with means for automatically and sequentially switching.

Measurement of data related to the main performance of the device (for example, oxygen concentration, oxygen supply flow rate, etc.) and other values related to device performance (adsorption pressure, internal temperature, etc.) by simple operation from the outside of the oxygen concentrator The following effects are expected.
In other words, it is possible to easily grasp internal data by using a simple jig for short-circuiting the external output terminal without connecting an expensive external device for display such as a personal computer or an information terminal. is there.

  In addition, the display of internal measurement data can be switched without opening the housing cover of the device by a combination of external switch operations, which may lead to the risk of electric shock, the risk of damage to electronic components such as boards, etc. The risk of unintended display mode switching due to is eliminated. Furthermore, even sales staff unfamiliar with technology can observe data simply and safely.

  By using one indicator that already displays the set flow rate of the oxygen concentrator, there is no need for a new display means, and a display switching operation for displaying measured values by displaying a plurality of measured values in order is possible. It becomes unnecessary.

  An embodiment of the oxygen concentrator of the present invention will be described taking a two-cylinder VPSA type pressure fluctuation adsorption oxygen concentrator as an example. The pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator includes an external air intake filter, a compressor having a compression / vacuum function, a three-way solenoid valve that is a flow path switching valve, an adsorption cylinder, a product tank, a pressure regulating valve, a flow rate setting means, and a filter. Thus, an oxygen-enriched gas is produced by concentrating oxygen gas from the raw material air taken in from the outside.

  First, the raw material air taken in from the outside is taken in from an air intake port provided with an external air intake filter for removing foreign matters such as dust. At this time, the normal air contains 1.2% of about 21% oxygen gas, about 77% nitrogen gas, 0.8% argon gas, water vapor and other gases. In such an apparatus, only oxygen gas necessary as a breathing gas is concentrated and extracted.

  The oxygen gas is taken out from the adsorption cylinder filled with an adsorbent made of zeolite or the like that selectively adsorbs nitrogen gas molecules rather than oxygen gas molecules. While switching, the source air is pressurized and supplied by a compressor, and approximately 77% of nitrogen gas contained in the source air is selectively adsorbed and removed in the adsorption cylinder.

  The adsorption cylinder is formed of a cylindrical container filled with the adsorbent, and usually a multi-cylinder type of three or more cylinders is used in addition to the one-cylinder type and the two-cylinder type. In order to produce oxygen-enriched air from raw air, it is preferable to use a two-cylinder or multi-cylinder type adsorption cylinder.

As the compressor, a two-head type oscillating air compressor is used as a compressor having a compression function and a vacuum function, and a rotary type air compressor such as a screw type, a rotary type, or a scroll type is used. Sometimes. Moreover, the power source of the electric motor that drives the compressor may be alternating current or direct current. Usually, an inverter is mounted to control the rotation speed and to control the discharge amount of pressurized air from the compressor.
Oxygen-enriched air mainly composed of oxygen gas that has not been adsorbed by the adsorption cylinder flows into the product tank via a check valve provided so as not to flow backward to the adsorption cylinder.

  The nitrogen gas adsorbed by the adsorbent filled in the adsorption cylinder needs to be desorbed from the adsorbent in order to adsorb nitrogen gas again from the newly introduced raw material air. For this purpose, the pressurized state realized by the compressor is connected to the vacuum line of the compressor by a three-way solenoid valve, switched to a vacuum decompression state, and the adsorbent is regenerated by desorbing the adsorbed nitrogen gas. Further, in this desorption process, in order to increase the desorption efficiency, the oxygen-enriched gas may be caused to flow back as a purge gas from the product end side of the adsorption cylinder during the adsorption process via a pressure equalizing valve.

  Oxygen-enriched air is produced from the raw air and stored in the product tank. The oxygen-enriched air stored in this product tank contains high-concentration oxygen gas, for example 95%, and is supplied to the humidifier while its supply flow rate and pressure are controlled by a pressure regulating valve, flow rate setting means, etc. And humidified oxygen-enriched air is supplied to the patient.

  In such a humidifier, a moisture permeable membrane module having a moisture permeable membrane takes in moisture from external air and supplies it to dry oxygen-enriched air, a bubbling humidifier using water, Alternatively, a surface evaporation humidifier can be used.

  In the VPSA type oxygen concentrator, when one adsorption cylinder is performing a pressure adsorption process, the other adsorption cylinder performs a vacuum desorption process, and sequentially switches the adsorption process and the desorption process in reverse phase, Oxygen is continuously generated.

  Usually, the oxygen concentrator is provided with a display means for displaying a set oxygen flow rate value supplied to the user. Usually, such a display means uses a three-digit 7-segment display necessary for displaying the set oxygen flow rate value.

  Since the oxygen gas generated by the oxygen concentrator is used as a medical gas for the treatment of patients with respiratory diseases, it must be supplied at a flow rate prescribed by a doctor. Therefore, in such an oxygen concentrator, the concentration of the produced oxygen gas and the oxygen flow rate sensor, such as the oxygen flow rate actually supplied, are measured and stored as in-device data, and feedback control is performed. In addition, when an abnormal value such as exceeding a certain threshold is indicated, an abnormality alarm is issued.

  In addition, in order to prevent abnormalities not only in the supplied oxygen gas but also in the oxygen concentrator itself that generates it, an inverter that controls the internal temperature of the apparatus, the temperature of the compressor, the rotational speed, or the rotational speed of the compressor Information source for detecting and storing various information such as voltage control signals, suction cylinder pressure, product tank pressure, etc. as data in the device, and sucking each stored information with an information terminal during maintenance, etc. It is utilized as. When there is an abnormal stop or the like, it is used as information for analyzing the cause of the abnormality. Therefore, the oxygen concentrator is equipped with an external output terminal for extracting various stored information. By connecting a portable terminal for maintenance and inspection as described in JP-A-9-145664 to the external output terminal, Information can be taken up and displayed on the mobile terminal side. Further, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-143451, the storage information can be transmitted from the external output terminal to the information center through a communication line and managed.

  The use of such a management system using a portable terminal or a communication line is expensive. The oxygen concentrator of the present invention provides means for easily displaying oxygen gas performance and device performance.

  As a means for displaying the in-device data, a 3-digit 7-segment display for displaying the set oxygen flow rate value is usually used. As the values to be displayed, the oxygen concentration of the generated oxygen gas, the oxygen supply flow rate, the adsorption pressure indicating the state of the oxygen concentrator, and the set value of the compressor, which are the main performances of the oxygen concentrator, are displayed.

  For the display of the oxygen concentration value and the oxygen supply flow rate value, the detected values of the oxygen concentration sensor and the oxygen flow rate sensor mounted on the oxygen concentrator are used and displayed on the 7-segment display. As the adsorption pressure, a detection value of a pressure sensor provided on the adsorption cylinder or a pressure sensor provided on the secondary side of the compressor is used. Furthermore, the compressor set value is a value that adjusts the magnitude of the supply air volume of the compressor, and more specifically, the detected voltage of the compressor, or the command voltage of the inverter that controls the rotation as the operation command information to the compressor Display using values. In addition, it is possible to display various temperatures and operating states depending on the operation method and parts of the oxygen concentrator. However, since the number of data to be displayed becomes difficult to identify, the above four types of measured values are displayed.

  When a changeover switch is newly provided as a means for switching to the in-device data display mode, the cost is high, and an erroneous operation by the user is caused. In the apparatus of the present invention, the external output terminal, the flow rate setting device, or the operation switch is used for the switching operation.

  A display mode switching method is shown in FIG. As shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 1, the display mode switching is determined based on whether or not the signal line of the external output terminal is grounded. In addition to the signal transmission and reception signal lines on the external output terminal, a signal line for switching the display mode is provided, and it is determined whether the signal is short-circuited to GND. Is determined as the display switching mode. When the operation switch is turned on while the display switching mode signal is short-circuited, the apparatus can accept an external command. Moreover, it is also possible to enter a state of accepting a command by short-circuiting the display switching mode signal later with the operation switch turned on.

Such an external output terminal normally connects a portable terminal or the like during maintenance of the device with the display mode switching signal short-circuited to GND, and displays the data in the device on the portable terminal side as a maintenance mode. It can also be used as a means for the device to accept commands from the outside. In this case, if the display is switched only by the ground information of the signal line for display mode switching, it is used for maintenance. Problems occur when used.
In the present invention, a flow rate setting device that switches each flow rate contact by rotating a setting knob is used as the display mode switching means.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flow rate setting device includes each flow rate contact corresponding to a plurality of set flow rates, switches the contact, and determines that the contact is the current flow rate set point when shorted to GND. If none of the contacts are shorted to GND, it is usually determined that the flow rate is undefined.
At this time, when the apparatus is in the display switching mode, when the flow rate indefinite is detected for a certain time, the display is switched to the maintenance display. The fixed time is a time for preventing erroneous detection. Specifically, it is preferably 100 msec (10 msec × 10 times) or more and within about 5 seconds.

As the display method of the measurement value, display switching is repeated in the order shown in FIG. In order to clarify which item is displayed, the concentration indicator lamp of the alarm indicator is turned on simultaneously when the oxygen concentration value is displayed.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the external output terminal is normally connected to an information communication terminal, and can transmit information on in-device data being treated to an information center using a communication line. In this case, the display switching mode signal is open and display switching is not performed.

  On the other hand, when the portable information terminal is connected at the time of maintenance and the in-device information is taken in, as in the display switching mode, the mode is switched to the maintenance mode as shown in FIG. When using the display switching function with the oxygen concentrator alone as in the present invention, a jig for short-circuiting the signal line may be prepared. When using a maintenance function using a PC or the like from the outside, use a cable that has a wiring to be short-circuited or a switch that can be switched between short-circuit and open in the connection cable to the PC.

Detection circuit and method for switching to display switching mode. How to display the measured value and time. External connection terminal circuit and application (display switching mode not used). Circuit and application of external connection terminal (use display switching mode).

Claims (5)

  Equipped with an adsorption cylinder filled with an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs nitrogen rather than oxygen, and a compressor that supplies pressurized air to the adsorption cylinder, separating unadsorbed oxygen and displaying the set value of the flow rate setting device Means for supplying oxygen to a user at a predetermined flow rate that is set, a sensor for detecting the generated oxygen gas performance and device performance, a storage unit of the detection result, and storage information are output to the outside And a display switching means for outputting the detection result of the sensor or the operation instruction information to the compressor to the display means by detecting the grounding of the signal line of the external output terminal. A featured oxygen concentrator.   The flow rate setting device includes a flow rate contact corresponding to each set value of a plurality of flow rate values, and detects a flow rate set value by detecting grounding of the flow rate contact. 2. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, further comprising a display switching unit that detects that the sensor is not grounded and outputs a detection result of the sensor or operation instruction information to the compressor to the display unit. .   The sensor is a concentration sensor that detects the concentration of the generated oxygen gas, a flow sensor that detects the flow rate of oxygen gas, a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the adsorption cylinder, or a sensor that detects the rotation speed of the compressor. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in.   The oxygen concentrator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the compressor is an apparatus equipped with an inverter, and the operation instruction information to the compressor is instruction information of an inverter voltage.   The oxygen concentrator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising means for automatically and sequentially switching the detection result of the sensor at regular time intervals.

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