JP2637246B2 - Oxygen-enriched gas supply device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an oxygen-enriched gas supply device for separating and acquiring an oxygen-enriched gas from the air using an adsorbent, and providing the oxygen-enriched gas for use. More specifically, the present invention provides such an oxygen-enriched gas supply device, which is an improved device that can be used by installing a humidifying means or the like near a user.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, oxygen therapy for supplying oxygen from an oxygen cylinder to a patient with a respiratory disease has been performed. Recently, an oxygen concentrator capable of separating and concentrating oxygen from the air to supply an oxygen-enriched gas to a user has been developed, and oxygen therapy using the device has been gradually spread.

A major example of such an oxygen concentrator is an adsorption type oxygen concentrator using an adsorbent such as zeolite capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen in the oxygen concentrating function section.

In the case of the adsorption-type oxygen concentrator, the oxygen-enriched gas obtained after humidification by a humidifier housed in the device is supplied to the patient because the oxygen content of the obtained oxygen-enriched gas is usually small. Was.

However, in such an adsorption-type oxygen concentrator, when the oxygen-enriched gas after humidification is taken out from its outlet, and is passed through the tube and supplied to the user from a supply means such as a nasal cannula, the gas inside the tube is In some cases, moisture is condensed to form dew, causing mist-like water to enter the nasal cavity of the user, causing discomfort and the like. In addition, when the device is used at a position far from the oxygen concentrator, it is often difficult to grasp the operation status of the device, and there has been a demand for improvement.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the conventional oxygen concentrator. More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved device that minimizes the generation of water droplets in the supplied oxygen-enriched gas and that allows a user to easily confirm the operation of the device as necessary. It is.

<Means for Solving the Problems> As a result of earnest studies to solve the problems, the present inventor has used a humidifier away from the concentrator main body and reduced the noise generated when the humidifier was used as the humidifier. It is effective to use a squeezed material, and if necessary, adopt a device that can install a display means for displaying the operation of the concentrator and an alarm near the user, if necessary. Are found to be effective, and the present invention has been achieved.

That is, the present invention has an adsorbent bed filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing oxygen or nitrogen, and pump means for supplying air to the adsorbent bed or taking out oxygen-enriched gas in a box, An adsorption-type oxygen concentrator having an outlet for taking out the oxygen-enriched gas obtained from the adsorption bed in the box wall portion, and an oxygen-enriched gas supply means for using the outlet and the oxygen-enriched gas for use; And a conduit means for continuous supply of oxygen-enriched gas, comprising a bubble-type humidifier having a noise generated during use of 34 dB (A) or less near the oxygen-concentrated gas supply means in the conduit means. An oxygen-enriched gas supply device characterized in that:

In the oxygen-enriched gas supply device of the present invention, the bubble-type humidifier has a tube extending in water and having a porous member at the tip, and the oxygen-enriched gas to be humidified is supplied to the tube. Devices that pass through and are released into the water as microbubbles from the side and / or top surface of the porous member are included.

Furthermore, the oxygen-concentrated gas supply device of the present invention includes an apparatus in which the bubble-type humidification unit includes a water receiver made of glass.

Further, the oxygen-concentrated gas supply device of the present invention includes a device in which a bubble-type humidification device is installed in an installation device provided with an operation display device and / or an alarm device for operation of the adsorption-type oxygen concentrator device.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail. That is, the oxygen concentrating function unit in the oxygen concentrating apparatus of the present invention includes one or more adsorbing beds filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing oxygen or nitrogen. As the agent, molecular sieves 5A and 13X or modified products thereof are usually used. The number of adsorption beds is preferably 3 or less, and 1 or 2 is desirable for medical use.

As the pump means of the present invention, a compressor is usually used in the case of a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator. In the case of a type in which desorption of the adsorption bed is performed under reduced pressure below atmospheric pressure, a vacuum pump is used. This vacuum pump is also a pump means according to the present invention. These pump means are driven by an electric motor.

In the adsorption-type oxygen concentrator of the present invention, a fan, a blower, or the like is used as a blower for cooling a pump or the like.

The adsorption-type oxygen concentrator of the present invention is housed in a box in a state where such adsorption beds and pump means are connected by conduit means via an electromagnetic valve or the like in order to perform pressure fluctuation adsorption separation. In order to take out the separated oxygen-enriched gas, an outlet is provided on the wall forming the box, and a conduit means is provided at the end of the outlet. An oxygen-enriched gas supply means such as a nasal cannula for supplying an oxygen-enriched gas to a nasal cavity of a user such as a patient with a respiratory disease is provided at a distal end of the conduit means. Further, in the middle of the conduit means and near the oxygen-enriched gas supply means, that is, near the user, a bubble-type humidification means is provided.

In the apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable to use, as such a bubble-type humidifying unit, a unit that generates a noise of 34 dB (A) or less during use. In practical use, noise generated during use
Humidification means of 31 dB (A) or less is more preferable. Note that the noise generated during use refers to noise measured at a distance of 1 m when an operation of humidifying by flowing oxygen-enriched gas into the humidifying means in a general Western room.

The bubble-type humidifier usually refers to a humidifier having a water receiver and a means for introducing oxygen-enriched gas into water in the form of bubbles. As a more preferable humidifier, there is a humidifier in which bubbles are generated only from a surface other than the bottom surface, that is, only from the side surface and / or the upper surface of the porous member provided at the tip of the tube extending into water. By adopting such a structure, the frequency of the coalescence of the bubbles is reduced, and the generation of noise can be reduced.

Also, as the humidification means, the water receiver part is made of glass, but the noise generated inside is difficult to transmit to the outside,
This is practically advantageous in terms of noise reduction.

Further, as the oxygen-enriched gas supply device of the present invention, a device in which a humidifier is installed on a member to which at least one of the operation display unit and the sound or light alarm unit of the adsorption-type oxygen concentrator is attached is advantageous in use. It is believed that there is. As such a member, a member in which a humidifier is housed in a box having a panel surface provided with operation display means and the like can be given. In some cases, the humidifier may be suspended. The operation display and the like may be provided in the enrichment apparatus itself so that both can be used together or one of them can be selected and used.

An example of the pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, which is a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, will be described in more detail. That is, in addition to a compressor and a blower, two adsorbent beds filled with an adsorbent for selectively adsorbing nitrogen, and a storage tank for temporarily storing oxygen-enriched gas discharged from the adsorbent are provided. And conduit means for connecting the compressor and each adsorption bed via a three-way automatic switching valve for switching the flow path, conduit means for connecting the adsorption bed and the storage tank via respective automatic on-off valves, and oxygen from the storage tank. Conduit means for providing the concentrated gas for use, conduit means for connecting and equalizing the two discharge sides via an automatic on-off valve for pressure equalization, and increasing the concentration of nitrogen from the inlet side of each adsorption bed. One provided with a conduit means with an automatic opening and closing valve for discharging the gas. The operation type of this device is as follows: After performing an adsorption step of supplying compressed air to one adsorption bed to adsorb nitrogen and discharging oxygen-enriched gas concentrated to about 90%, an equalizing automatic open / close valve , The oxygen-enriched gas flows from the other adsorption bed into the other bed that has already been desorbed, and pressure equalization is performed.Then, the automatic open / close valve for discharge is opened to release the residual gas, and the storage tank is released. A series of cycles of alternately purging the oxygen-enriched gas from the reverse and performing the desorption step are performed alternately. The conduit means for use is provided with a pressure-reducing control valve, a flow rate setting means and the like.

<Effect of the Invention> According to the oxygen concentrating device of the present invention, by installing and using a low-noise humidifier close to the user, the humidifier does not cause discomfort due to noise and can be used in the conduit means for the oxygen-enriched gas. The effect of preventing the generation of water droplets at the surface is obtained.

In addition, driving indications and warnings are given near the user,
Driving with greater security is easier.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A box containing an adsorbent bed filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing oxygen or nitrogen and pump means for supplying air to the adsorbent bed or extracting oxygen-enriched gas, An adsorption-type oxygen concentrator having an outlet for taking out the oxygen-enriched gas obtained from the adsorption bed in the box wall portion, and an oxygen-enriched gas supply means for using the outlet and the oxygen-enriched gas for use; An oxygen-enriched gas supply device having a conduit means for continuing the process, wherein a noise generated during use is 34 dB (A) or less near the oxygen-enriched gas supply means in the conduit means.
An oxygen-enriched gas supply device comprising a bubble-type humidifier having a water receiver made of glass. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said bubble-type humidifying means is installed on an installation means provided with operation display means and / or alarm means for operation of said oxygen concentrator. Oxygen-enriched gas supply device.