JP2018166635A - Respiration measuring apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a PSA type oxygen concentration apparatus capable of acquiring respiration information while distinguishing between pressure fluctuation caused when forming concentrated oxygen gas and respiratory pressure.SOLUTION: A PSA type oxygen concentration apparatus includes an oxygen generation part 11 equipped with a cylinder 113 for generating concentrated oxygen gas and a pressure regulating valve 116 for regulating the pressure of the concentrated oxygen gas supplied from the cylinder, an oxygen flow rate control part 12 having a flow meter 122 and a control valve 121, and an oxygen supply port 13 for supplying the generated oxygen gas outside the apparatus. It also includes pressure adjusting means 14 for adjusting at least one of first average pressure and second average pressure so that a pressure difference between the first average pressure between the flow meter and the control valve, and the second average pressure at the oxygen supply port falls within a predetermined range, pressure comparing means 15 for calculating a difference between the first average pressure and the second average pressure after the adjustment by the pressure adjusting means, and respiration information calculation means for calculating respiration information from the difference.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a respiratory information acquisition device in a PSA type oxygen concentrator.

  Conventionally, oxygen therapy is performed for patients with respiratory diseases. In recent years, home oxygen therapy (HOT: Home Oxygen Therapy) in which oxygen is inhaled at home or in facilities has become common, and many of them use oxygen concentrators.

  An oxygen concentrator is a medical device that takes in air (atmosphere) outside the device and supplies the patient with concentrated oxygen gas. There are various types of oxygen concentrators, and there are various types of oxygen oxygen generation and supply methods. Most of the oxygen concentrators used in home oxygen therapy in homes and facilities are stationary oxygen concentrators. .

  The concentrated oxygen gas generation method of the stationary oxygen concentrator is generally a pressure fluctuation adsorption method (hereinafter referred to as PSA method), and the supply method is generally a continuous flow (hereinafter referred to as PSA method / continuous flow oxygen supply). A stationary oxygen concentrator is simply referred to as an oxygen concentrator).

  The PSA method is a method of generating concentrated oxygen gas, which is a method of generating concentrated oxygen gas by taking air into a cylinder filled with an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs nitrogen gas and repeating the pressurization and depressurization. is there. The concentrated oxygen gas generated in the cylinder is adjusted so that the pressure fluctuation is attenuated by the pressure regulating valve, and then the flow rate at the time of supplying oxygen is controlled by the oxygen flow rate control unit. The continuous flow is one of concentrated oxygen gas supply methods, and is a method of continuously supplying a concentrated oxygen gas at a constant flow rate.

JP 2001-286666 A

  The main disease of patients who receive home oxygen therapy is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (hereinafter referred to as COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulsed Disease). COPD is an irreversible disease that presents with symptoms such as cough, sputum and difficulty breathing due to bronchial constriction and alveolar wall destruction.

  When COPD symptoms worsen, shortness of breath and an increase in respiratory rate are observed, and the symptoms may worsen to “a state in which it is necessary to change or add treatment in the stable period” called acute exacerbation of COPD. Many patients are hospitalized for acute exacerbation of COPD, and may experience respiratory failure or face life threatening. Even if the patient can be discharged, it is not uncommon for symptoms in the stable period to worsen before hospitalization and to repeat hospitalization.

  Therefore, it is important to give early treatment before symptoms worsen to the extent of hospitalization for acute exacerbation of COPD, and patient breathing information is a useful source of information for understanding the patient's condition in home oxygen therapy .

  It is also important that the patient inhales concentrated oxygen gas according to the prescription flow rate diagnosed by the doctor. However, it often happens that oxygen cannot be inhaled correctly because the cannula slips during sleep or the tube comes off during work, and the patient himself intends for some reason even when the oxygen concentrator is in operation. Sometimes the cannula is removed. In any case, even if the oxygen concentrator is operating, a situation in which the patient cannot inhale oxygen has a risk of deteriorating the patient's condition.

  Therefore, if the patient's respiratory information can be acquired inside the oxygen concentrator during operation of the oxygen concentrator, the patient's breathing information can be acquired without changing the feeling of use compared to the conventional general oxygen concentrator. This is a very useful means because it is possible to confirm that the patient is connected by an oxygen supply tube and the actual usage of the patient. Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which a fluid resistor is provided inside an oxygen flow path of an oxygen concentrator and respiration information can be acquired with pressure measured by a differential pressure type flow meter. According to Patent Document 1, since the pressure fluctuation factor is not added to the differential pressure measurement system when the flow rate of the concentrated oxygen gas is constant, the differential pressure data detected by the differential pressure type flow meter shows a constant value, It is shown that when there is respiration, a pressure fluctuation factor is added to the differential pressure measurement system, so that the differential pressure data detected by the differential pressure type flow meter changes, that is, pressure fluctuation related to respiration is detected.

  By the way, as a result of intensive studies by the inventors of the present application, it has been clarified that the pressure fluctuation added to the differential pressure measurement system includes the pressure fluctuation accompanying the pressure increase / decrease when the concentrated oxygen gas is generated. FIG. 1 is an example of a pressure waveform at an oxygen supply port that supplies oxygen to the user from the oxygen concentrator when the concentrated oxygen gas flows at a constant flow rate. As shown in FIG. 1, the pressure fluctuation accompanying the pressure increase / decrease during the generation of concentrated oxygen gas remains as a fluctuation factor even after passing through the pressure regulating valve, and the amount of pressure fluctuation is equal to or higher than the respiratory pressure.

  Therefore, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, there is a problem that it is difficult to distinguish between pressure fluctuations and respiratory pressures that occur during the generation of concentrated oxygen gas, and respiratory information may not be acquired. An object of the present invention is to provide a PSA-type oxygen concentrator capable of acquiring respiration information by distinguishing between pressure fluctuations and respiration pressure that occur during the generation of concentrated oxygen gas.

  In order to solve the above problems, a PSA oxygen concentrator according to the present invention includes at least one cylinder that generates concentrated oxygen gas, and a pressure regulating valve that regulates the pressure of the concentrated oxygen gas supplied from the cylinder. An oxygen generation unit, an oxygen flow control unit disposed downstream of the oxygen generation unit and having at least a flow meter and a control valve, and disposed downstream of the oxygen flow control unit, the generated oxygen gas is removed from the apparatus. A first average pressure that is an average pressure between the oxygen generation unit and the oxygen flow rate control unit or between the flow meter and the control valve; , At least one of the first average pressure and the second average pressure so that a pressure difference between the oxygen supply port and the second average pressure, which is an average pressure of the oxygen supply port, falls within a predetermined range. Pressure adjusting means for adjusting, pressure comparing means for taking a difference between the first average pressure and the second average pressure after being adjusted by the pressure adjusting means, and a breathing information calculating means for calculating breathing information from the difference; Is a PSA type oxygen concentrator.

  Here, each part is connected to the oxygen generation part cylinder and the pressure regulating valve in the order of the oxygen flow path, and each part is connected to the flow meter and control valve of the oxygen flow rate control part regardless of the order of the oxygen flow path. The oxygen generation unit, the oxygen flow rate control unit, and the oxygen supply port are connected to each other in the order of the oxygen flow path. Even if components other than the components and the components are included as components, they can be regarded as the same oxygen concentrator as the PSA oxygen concentrator that is the subject of the present technology.

  The pressure of the oxygen supply port indicates a pressure on the oxygen flow channel that is close to the oxygen supply port in the oxygen flow channel of the oxygen concentrator and in which the patient's respiratory pressure loss is small.

The pressure adjusting means may be means for reducing the first average pressure to the second average pressure.
The pressure comparison means may be a differential pressure sensor.
The pressure adjusting means may be a variable flow valve.

The degree of opening of the variable flow valve is such that the first average pressure between the oxygen generator and the oxygen flow controller or between the flow meter and the control valve and the second average pressure of the oxygen supply port The differential pressure may be adjusted to be within a predetermined range.
The differential pressure sensor may be a diaphragm type differential pressure sensor.

  A first pressure sensor that measures a pressure between the oxygen generation unit and the oxygen flow rate control unit or between the flow meter and the control valve; and a second pressure sensor that measures the pressure of the oxygen supply port. The pressure adjusting means has a predetermined pressure difference between a first average pressure calculated from the output of the first pressure sensor and a second average pressure calculated from the output of the second pressure sensor. Pressure for adjusting the difference between the first average pressure and the second average pressure after adjusting at least one of the first average pressure and the second average pressure so as to be within, and being adjusted by the pressure adjusting means Comparing means and respiration information calculating means for calculating respiration information from the difference may be provided.

  According to the present invention, respiration information can be acquired by distinguishing between pressure fluctuations and respiration pressure that occur during the generation of concentrated oxygen gas.

It is a figure which shows an example of the pressure waveform of an oxygen supply port. It is a figure which shows the structure of the PSA type oxygen concentrator of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the pressure adjustment means 14 which is a component of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the pressure waveform which the pressure comparison means 15 acquired during the oxygen concentration apparatus operation | movement of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the PSA type oxygen concentrator of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the pressure measurement means 15 which is a component of 2nd Embodiment.

  Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
The configuration of the PSA type oxygen concentrator according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
The PSA type oxygen concentrator 1 includes an oxygen generator 11 that takes in air from the outside of the PSA type oxygen concentrator 1 and generates concentrated oxygen gas.

  The air taken into the oxygen generator 11 from outside the oxygen device is compressed by the compressor 111 and sent to the cylinder 113 via the first switching valve 112. The first switching valve 112 communicates one of the plurality of cylinders 113 with the compressor 111 to send compressed air to the cylinder 113 and open the other cylinders to the atmosphere. The cylinder 113 is filled with an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs nitrogen gas. The compressed air that has passed through the cylinder 113 has a reduced nitrogen gas concentration and becomes a concentrated oxygen gas. The concentrated oxygen gas is stored in the concentrated oxygen buffer tank 115 via the second switching valve 114. The second switching valve 114 communicates or blocks any one of the plurality of cylinders 113 with the concentrated oxygen buffer tank 115.

  The oxygen generator 11 causes the compressor 111 and any of the plurality of cylinders 113 to communicate with each other by the first switching valve 112, and causes the cylinder 113 and the concentrated oxygen buffer tank 115 to communicate with the compressor 111 by the second switching valve 114. . Therefore, the compressor 111 and any one of the plurality of cylinders 113 are connected to the concentrated oxygen buffer tank 115, and the generated concentrated oxygen gas is supplied to the concentrated oxygen buffer tank 115. On the other hand, the cylinder 113 that does not communicate with the compressor 111 is opened to the atmosphere via the first switching valve 112 while being blocked from the concentrated oxygen buffer tank 115 by the second switching valve 114. As a result, the pressure inside the cylinder 113 is reduced, and the nitrogen gas adsorbed by the adsorbent is released to the outside of the oxygen concentrator.

  Since the pressure change inside the cylinder 113 accompanying the generation of concentrated oxygen is very large, the concentrated oxygen gas stored in the concentrated oxygen buffer tank 115 is adjusted by the pressure regulating valve 116 so that the pressure fluctuation is attenuated.

  The oxygen flow rate of the concentrated oxygen gas whose pressure has been adjusted by the oxygen generation unit 11 is controlled by an oxygen flow rate control unit 12 including a control valve 121 and a flow meter 122, and is supplied from the oxygen supply port 13 to the outside of the oxygen concentrator via the humidifier 101. To be supplied. Usually, the concentrated oxygen gas supplied from the oxygen supply port 13 is supplied to the patient via a tube or a nasal cannula. In the oxygen flow control unit 12, either the control valve 121 or the flow meter 122 may be provided upstream of the flow path, and the oxygen flow control unit 12 may include other configurations. The oxygen concentrator 1 may be configured without the humidifier 101.

  As a result of intensive studies by the inventors of the present application, while the oxygen concentrator 1 is in operation, the pressure on the oxygen flow path from the oxygen generator 11 to the oxygen supply port 13 is subject to pressure fluctuations that occur during the generation of concentrated oxygen gas, It became clear that it was difficult to detect the respiratory pressure of the patient transmitted through the tube connected to the oxygen supply port 13 or the nasal cannula on the oxygen flow path. The amplitude of the pressure fluctuation that occurs during the generation of concentrated oxygen gas is larger than the amplitude of the respiratory pressure, and the amplitude of the respiratory pressure also decreases due to the pressure loss caused by passing through the oxygen flow path, which makes it difficult to measure the respiratory pressure waveform. It can be cited as a reason.

  While the oxygen concentrator 1 is in operation, the pressure fluctuation generated when the concentrated oxygen gas is generated on the oxygen flow path from the oxygen generator 11 to the oxygen supply port 13 is not a pressure change generated in the cylinder 113 but is adjusted by the pressure regulating valve 116. It means pressure fluctuation. As described above, the pressure fluctuation is attenuated by the pressure regulating valve 116, but the pressure fluctuation remains sufficiently larger than the respiratory pressure. Further, the pressure fluctuation pattern changes when passing through the pressure regulating valve 116. Therefore, the pressure fluctuation that occurs when the concentrated oxygen gas is measured from the pressure regulating valve 116 to the oxygen supply port 13 has the same pressure fluctuation pattern. Therefore, by taking the difference between two pressures on the oxygen flow path of the oxygen supply port 13 from the oxygen generator 11, it is possible to cancel the pressure fluctuation that occurs when the concentrated oxygen gas is generated. In a general oxygen concentrator, the phase of pressure fluctuation does not change greatly between these two locations.

  By the way, as described above, the amplitude of the pressure fluctuation generated when the concentrated oxygen gas is generated is larger than the amplitude of the respiratory pressure, and the amplitude of the respiratory pressure also decreases due to the pressure loss caused by passing through the oxygen channel in the upstream direction. Therefore, the difference between the pressure at the point downstream of the oxygen generation unit 11 and the effect of the respiratory pressure on the upstream side of the oxygen channel can be substantially ignored, and the pressure at the point where the attenuation of the respiratory pressure on the downstream side of the oxygen channel is small. Extraction of respiratory information is performed. Specifically, the difference between the pressure between the oxygen generation unit 11 and the oxygen flow rate control unit 12 or between the flow meter 122 and the control valve 121 and the pressure of the oxygen supply port is generated to generate the concentrated oxygen gas. The pressure information is canceled and the respiratory information is extracted from the respiratory pressure superimposed on the oxygen supply port. Note that if the difference in pressure between the oxygen flow rate control unit 12 and the oxygen supply port 13 is taken, not only the pressure fluctuation that occurs during the generation of the oxygen-enriched gas but also the respiratory pressure may be subtracted. We will compare.

  The respiratory information is, for example, the number of breaths per minute, the inspiratory time, the expiratory time, the IE ratio (the ratio of the inspiratory time to the expiratory time), the inspiratory start timing, the expiratory start timing, and the apnea / hypopnea frequency in a certain time. These can be realized by software that acquires the timing at which the pressure waveform of the acquired respiratory information passes through the baseline and the timing at which the waveform becomes an extreme value, and calculates the respective time intervals. The timing at which the pressure waveform of the acquired respiratory information passes through the baseline is, for example, the timing at which the sign of the measurement signal changes (zero cross timing) when the baseline is zero.

  In the present embodiment, one side of the pressure comparison unit 15 is connected between the control valve 121 and the flow meter 122 via the pressure adjustment unit 14, and the other side of the pressure comparison unit 15 is connected to the oxygen supply port 13. An example of an embodiment is shown. Here, “the state in which the other side of the pressure comparison means 15 is connected to the oxygen supply port 13” means that the oxygen flow channel of the oxygen concentrator is connected to an oxygen flow channel that is close to the oxygen supply port where the patient's respiratory pressure loss is small. Including the state.

  The connection location of the pressure comparison means 15 via the pressure adjustment means 14 may be between the pressure regulating valve 116 and the control valve 121. In the case of an oxygen concentrator in which the connection order of the control valve 121 and the flow meter 122 is the reverse of that in FIG. In other words, any one point from the pressure regulating valve 116 to the component closest to the oxygen supply port of the oxygen flow rate control unit 12 in the oxygen flow path of the oxygen concentrator 1 may be used.

  The pressure comparison unit 15 is a unit that extracts a differential pressure with hardware from two pressures connected to both ends thereof, and detects the differential pressure as a pressure fluctuation related to respiration, for example, a differential pressure sensor. A differential pressure sensor is a sensor that can measure a differential pressure without causing pressure interference between the two ends of the pressure sensor. For example, two pressures are given from both sides of a U-shaped tube, for example, and the pressure difference is a liquid pressure difference. A liquid column type differential pressure sensor that appears at the height of the column, or a mechanical differential pressure sensor that outputs differential pressures at two locations regardless of the type of temperature, gravity, and gas can be used. Especially, since the mechanical differential pressure sensor using a diaphragm has a diaphragm (diaphragm) that divides one space into two, gas in two places does not mix and is particularly preferable. Hereinafter, the pressure comparison means 15 is also referred to as a differential pressure sensor 15 in the description of the present embodiment.

  The pressure adjusting means 14 adjusts the pressure on the oxygen flow path and supplies it to the pressure comparing means 15. The pressure on the oxygen flow path from the oxygen generator 11 to the oxygen supply port 13 is higher toward the upstream. In general, since the differential pressure sensor 15 has a measurable range determined by the specification, the pressure adjusting means 14 is configured so that the average pressure of the oxygen supply port 13, the oxygen generation unit 11 and the oxygen flow rate control unit 12, or the flow rate. One or both pressures are adjusted so that the pressure difference with the average pressure between the meter 122 and the control valve 121 falls within a predetermined range. The predetermined range is a range in which the pressure amplitude measured by the differential pressure sensor 15 falls within the measurable range of the differential pressure sensor 15. For example, if the measurable range of the differential pressure sensor 15 is ± 100 Pa and the measured pressure amplitude is ± 30 Pa, the predetermined range is a range of ± 70 Pa.

  An example of an embodiment of the pressure adjusting means 14 and the pressure comparing means 15 will be described with reference to FIG. As the pressure adjusting means 14 according to the present embodiment, the configuration shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C can be exemplified. In addition, the same number is attached | subjected about a common component and apparatus.

  The pressure adjusting means 14 according to FIG. 3A is a throttle means 141 that is connected to the oxygen flow path and the differential pressure sensor 15, and an exhaust amount adjustment that is installed between the differential pressure sensor 15 and the throttle means 141. Means 142 and a CPU 16 that controls the throttle means 141 based on the detection value of the differential pressure sensor 15 and calculates respiration information from the detection value of the differential pressure sensor 15. The passage throttling means 141 is preferably a variable flow valve. The displacement adjusting means 142 is preferably an orifice, an elongated tube, or the like.

  The CPU 16 reads the detection value of the differential pressure sensor 15 and controls the throttle means 141 so that the difference between the two pressures falls within the measurable range of the differential pressure sensor. The adjustment frequency of the variable flow valve is preferably adjusted in the range of 0.5 to 10 Hz in consideration of prevention of malfunction due to noise and stabilization time after adjustment of the variable flow valve. It becomes easier to stabilize by adjusting the variable flow valve every second. Further, it is preferable to use the average value of the adjustment interval as the value of the differential pressure sensor instead of the instantaneous value.

  The exhaust amount adjusting means 142 releases the concentrated oxygen gas decompressed by the passage restricting means 141 to the atmosphere. When the exhaust amount in the exhaust amount adjusting means 142 is large, the oxygen concentration provided to the user from the oxygen supply port 13 decreases, so the exhaust amount is reduced as much as possible and provided from the oxygen supply port to the outside of the oxygen concentrator. It is necessary to adjust so that the oxygen concentration of the concentrated oxygen gas does not deviate from the specification range determined by the oxygen concentrator. Note that the exhaust amount adjusting means 142 may be a valve capable of adjusting the flow rate such as a variable flow valve, and the CPU 16 may be configured to control the opening degree of the exhaust amount adjusting means 142 in addition to the throttling means 141. In this case, the opening degree of the exhaust amount adjusting means 142 is 1/4 of the opening degree of the variable flow valve of the throttle means 141 or the oxygen concentration from the oxygen supply port when the opening amount of the exhaust amount adjusting means 142 is 0. Emissions in a range where the oxygen concentration falls within -5% compared to the oxygen concentration of the concentrated oxygen gas provided outside the device, and in a range where the oxygen concentration of the concentrated oxygen gas does not deviate from the specification range defined by the oxygen concentrator. The variable flow valve of the adjusting means 142 is opened.

  The pressure adjusting means 14 according to FIG. 3B is different from the pressure adjusting means according to FIG. 3A in that the CPU 16 controls the exhaust amount adjusting means 142 based on the detection value of the differential pressure sensor 15. In this case, the passage means 141 is preferably an orifice, an elongated tube, or the like. Further, it is preferable that the exhaust amount adjusting means 142 is a variable flow valve. The CPU 16 reads the detection value of the differential pressure sensor 15 and controls the exhaust amount adjusting means 142 so that the difference between the two pressures is within the measurable range of the differential pressure sensor.

  The pressure adjusting means 14 according to FIG. 3C is configured such that the throttle means 141 is not used as in the pressure adjusting means according to FIG. The displacement adjusting means 142 is preferably a control valve. The CPU 16 controls the exhaust amount adjusting means 142 in the same manner as the pressure adjusting means according to FIG.

  4 (a) and 4 (b) show changes over time in the pressure waveform acquired by the differential pressure sensor 15 in the embodiment of FIG. 3 (a). FIG. 4A shows a change with time when the concentrated oxygen gas flows at a constant flow rate. Although a fluctuation of about 2 to 3 [Pa] is observed, it is shown that the pressure fluctuation generated when the concentrated oxygen gas is generated can be largely excluded as compared with the pressure waveform shown in FIG. FIG. 5B shows a change with time when the patient's breath is applied via the nasal cannula when the concentrated oxygen gas flows at a constant flow rate. It is shown that the pressure clearly fluctuates, that is, the pressure related to respiration can be measured as compared with the state where there is no respiration in FIG.

  The CPU 16 calculates predetermined respiration information from the pressure waveform acquired by the differential pressure sensor 15. In addition, about the method of calculating respiration information from a pressure waveform, a well-known means can be used suitably and description is abbreviate | omitted here.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the respiratory information can be acquired by distinguishing the pressure fluctuation and the respiratory pressure that are generated when the concentrated oxygen gas is generated.

[Second Embodiment]
The configuration of the PSA type oxygen concentrator according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, the same number is attached | subjected about the part which overlaps with 1st Embodiment, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the pressure measuring means 17 measures the pressure between the oxygen generator 11 and the oxygen flow rate controller 12 or between the flow meter 122 and the control valve 121 and the pressure of the oxygen supply port 13. The difference from the first embodiment is that the difference is calculated after adjusting one or both of the two measured pressure information by data processing.

  FIG. 6 schematically shows an example of an embodiment of the pressure measuring means 17 and is an example of a form for acquiring patient respiratory information. The pressure measuring means 17 measures the difference between the two pressures not passing through the passage restricting means 171 and the passage restricting means with the differential pressure sensor 172.

  The two pieces of pressure information measured are processed by the CPU 16. The CPU 16 adjusts the pressure information of one or both of the two measured pressure information, and then calculates the difference between them to calculate the respiratory pressure waveform of the user. Further, the CPU 16 calculates predetermined respiration information from the acquired pressure waveform.

  The CPU 16 adjusts one or both of the two pieces of pressure information. For example, the maximum value of the absolute value in the time window of 60 seconds is extracted from each pressure, and one or both of the two pressures are multiplied so that the maximum value of the absolute value of the two pressures is equal. Execute pressure adjustment processing. The pressure adjustment processing may be performed by normalizing or standardizing each of the two pressures with a time window of 60 seconds. The time window of 60 seconds is for simplifying the process of calculating the respiratory rate for 1 minute, but it may be a time window other than 60 seconds. Further, the processing may be performed with overlapping time windows.

  CPU16 performs the pressure comparison process which acquires a respiration pressure waveform by calculating the difference of the two pressure information electronically adjusted as mentioned above. Further, the CPU 16 executes a respiration information calculation process for calculating predetermined respiration information from the pressure waveform acquired by the pressure comparison process.

  Here, the example in which the pressure adjustment process, the pressure comparison process, and the respiration information calculation process are executed by the single CPU 16 has been described. However, the number of CPUs is not limited to this, and for example, a different CPU is used for each process. May be executed by

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the respiratory information can be acquired by distinguishing the pressure fluctuation and the respiratory pressure that are generated when the concentrated oxygen gas is generated.

11: Oxygen generating unit 12: Oxygen flow rate adjusting unit 13: Oxygen supply port 14: Pressure adjusting unit 141: Passage restricting unit 142: Exhaust amount adjusting unit 15: Pressure comparing unit 16: CPU
111: Compressor 112: First switching valve 113: Cylinder 114: Second switching valve 115: Concentrated oxygen buffer tank 116: Pressure regulating valve 121: Control valve 122: Flow meter 101: Humidifier 17: Pressure measuring means 171: Pass throttle means 172: Differential pressure sensor

Claims (7)

At least one cylinder producing concentrated oxygen gas;
A pressure regulating valve that regulates the pressure of the concentrated oxygen gas supplied from the cylinder, and an oxygen generator,
An oxygen flow rate control unit disposed downstream of the oxygen generation unit and having at least a flow meter and a control valve;
An oxygen supply port that is arranged downstream of the oxygen flow rate control unit and supplies the generated oxygen gas to the outside of the apparatus;
In the PSA type oxygen concentrator comprising:
A first average pressure that is an average pressure between the oxygen generation unit and the oxygen flow rate control unit or between the flow meter and the control valve, and a second average pressure that is an average pressure of the oxygen supply port. Pressure adjusting means for adjusting at least one of the first average pressure and the second average pressure so that the pressure difference falls within a predetermined range;
A pressure comparing means for taking a difference between the first average pressure and the second average pressure after being adjusted by the pressure adjusting means;
Respiration information calculating means for calculating respiration information from the difference;
A PSA-type oxygen concentrator.   The PSA type oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, wherein the pressure adjusting means is means for reducing the first average pressure to the second average pressure.   The PSA type oxygen concentrator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pressure comparison means is a differential pressure sensor.   The PSA type oxygen concentrator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pressure adjusting means is a variable flow valve.   The PSA oxygen concentrator according to claim 4, wherein the opening of the variable flow valve is adjusted such that a differential pressure between the first average pressure and the second average pressure is within a predetermined range.   The PSA type oxygen concentrator according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the differential pressure sensor is a diaphragm type differential pressure sensor. A first pressure sensor for measuring a pressure between the oxygen generation unit and the oxygen flow rate control unit or between the flow meter and the control valve;
A second pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of the oxygen supply port;
The pressure adjusting means has a pressure difference between a first average pressure calculated from the output of the first pressure sensor and a second average pressure calculated from the output of the second pressure sensor within a predetermined range. Adjusting at least one of the first average pressure and the second average pressure,
Pressure adjusting means for calculating a difference between the first average pressure and the second average pressure after being adjusted by the pressure adjusting means;
The PSA type oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, further comprising: a respiration information calculation unit that calculates respiration information from the difference.

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