JP4650713B2 - Oxygen concentrator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improvement of an oxygen concentrator (pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator).
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of patients suffering from asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and the like. One effective treatment is oxygen inhalation therapy. Oxygen concentrators that generate oxygen-enriched air from the air have been developed and are becoming increasingly popular due to convenience during use and ease of maintenance.
A doctor is given a prescription for inhalation of oxygen for a patient who is regarded as a respiratory disease, and is generally inhalation time and oxygen flow rate. In particular, the oxygen flow rate varies depending on the situation at the time of inhalation. May be prescribed. For example, at rest, during and after work, and during sleep. An inhalation time adapted to each situation is also prescribed.
A patient must inhale oxygen at a predetermined time and flow rate in accordance with the prescription, but in fact, there are many cases in which oxygen is inhaled at the patient's discretion. Excessive oxygen flow may cause headaches or, depending on the illness, inhaling more oxygen than necessary may cause breathing to weaken, resulting in an increase in carbon dioxide (Narcosis). There is.
Conventional oxygen concentrators include a membrane oxygen concentrator using an oxygen selective permeable membrane and a pressure fluctuation adsorption oxygen concentrator using an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas.
The latter pressure fluctuation adsorption-type oxygen concentrator introduces air pressurized by a compressor into an adsorption tower filled with an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas, and adsorbs nitrogen gas to the adsorbent and oxygen-enriched air. (Adsorption process). The oxygen-enriched air produced in this adsorption tower is stored in a product tank (buffer tank).
[0003]
By the way, in the conventional pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, the oxygen concentration is generally kept around 90%, and the necessary oxygen amount is dealt with by adjusting and changing the flow rate in the breathing gas supply means. In addition, the prescription flow rate issued from the doctor to the patient generally varies considerably from 0.25 liter / minute to 5.0 liter / minute.
Although the patient changes the set flow rate each time, there is a risk of causing problems with the conventional flow control components.
[0004]
The flow control means of the oxygen concentrator used for conventional home oxygen therapy uses a rotary switch type multiple orifice switching mechanism or can be easily adjusted using an area type (float type) needle valve. The type is generally used. However, in the orifice type, the settable flow rate is a fixed value because the orifice diameter is determined in advance. In addition, since it is a rotary type, there is a limit to the number of arbitrarily set values, and there are cases where the oxygen flow rate is unstable or stops flowing in the middle of each setting. In particular, since it is difficult for the patient to feel that oxygen is flowing at a low flow rate, there is a possibility that the patient keeps inhaling without oxygen actually flowing. On the other hand, in the case of the float type, it can be said that it is unsuitable for general users because, for example, there is a difference between individuals in the fluctuation of the float due to fluid resistance and reading when setting.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and the object of the present invention is to set an oxygen flow rate or the like in accordance with a prescription in advance, and the patient can select one of several preset control patterns. It is an object to provide an oxygen concentrator that can easily receive oxygen inhalation in accordance with a prescription simply by selecting.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, the oxygen concentrator of the present invention is provided with an adsorption tower filled with an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas, air is fed into the adsorption tower from a compressor, and nitrogen in the air is removed. Oxygen-concentrated air is produced by adsorption and stored in a product tank, and in an oxygen concentrator supplying a predetermined amount of oxygen enrichment from within the product tank, the amount of oxygen-enriched air discharged from the product tank is controlled by a control pattern A flow rate control unit that controls the flow rate control unit, an input unit that inputs a control pattern of the flow rate control unit, a control unit that includes a storage unit that stores a control pattern input by the input unit, and a memory of the control unit comprising a plurality of setting switching button for selecting one arbitrary from a control pattern of the plurality of ways stored in means, said setting switch button is a three situations during oxygen inhalation of the patient, Ahn When, wherein the sleep, the three said setting changeover button corresponding after exertion -.
[0007]
According to this, it leaves the memory by entering in advance a number of ways of oxygen flow control patterns corresponding to the prescription of the patient in the storage means of the control unit with the oxygen concentrator, the control pattern of the several ways so that it can be-option selected by any one in the switching means from the house. Therefore, the patient may select an oxygen flow rate and an inhalation time adapted to the state at the time of inhalation, for example, at rest, during and after work, and at sleep, and the patient is appropriately prescribed oxygen.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an oxygen concentrator according to the present invention.
The oxygen concentrator according to the present invention includes an oxygen-enriched air generation unit 20, an automatic flow controller 15, and a controller (CPU) 16.
[0009]
The oxygen-enriched air generating unit 20 is provided with an adsorption tower filled with an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas, air is fed into the adsorption tower from a compressor, and nitrogen in the air is adsorbed to obtain oxygen-enriched air. Is stored in a product tank, and a predetermined amount of oxygen enrichment is supplied from within the product tank.
The automatic flow control device 15 controls the amount of oxygen-enriched air discharged from the product tank based on a specific control pattern. The automatic flow control device 15 is not particularly limited as long as it can be controlled by an external input signal such as an impeller type, a differential pressure type, a mass type, etc. In particular, the mass type (mass flow controller) is less affected by temperature and pressure and is electrically It is suitable because it can exchange signals.
[0010]
The control unit 16 includes a memory for storing several control patterns for controlling the flow rate control means and the operation time of the apparatus (that is, the oxygen inhalation time) adapted to each control pattern. Several control patterns stored in the memory of the control unit 16 can be arbitrarily selected by a setting changeover switch described later.
The oxygen-enriched air generation unit 20 is configured as shown in FIG. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this.
[0011]
Reference numeral 1 denotes a compressor, which is provided with an air intake on the suction side, and a dustproof filter and a dehumidifier (not shown) are provided at the air intake.
Further, the discharge side of the compressor 1 is connected to the two-way valve manifold 2. Two adsorption towers 3, 4 are connected in parallel to the two-way valve manifold 2, and the adsorption towers 3, 4 are filled with an adsorbent 5 that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas. The adsorbent 5 may be any adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas. For example, zeolite is used.
[0012]
The two-way valve manifold 2 is composed of four two-way valves SV1, SV2, SV3, and SV4, as shown in the figure, and these four two-way valves are connected in a ring shape between adjacent two-way valves. The pipes are drawn from each.
The piping from the compressor 1 is adsorbed to the piping between the two-way valves SV2 and SV3, the piping between the two-way valves SV2 and SV1 is adsorbed to the adsorption tower 3, and the piping between the two-way valves SV3 and SV4 is further adsorbed Connect to tower 4 respectively. In addition, a pipe between the two-way valves SV1 and SV4 is connected to the exhaust port 6.
[0013]
When one of the two adsorption towers 3 and 4 is in the adsorption step, the other is used for regeneration of the adsorbent 5, and the four two-way valves SV1 of the two-way valve manifold 2 are used for each cycle. By switching SV4, oxygen-enriched air having a high oxygen concentration is continuously supplied.
Check valves 7 and 8 are connected to the outlets of the two adsorption towers 3 and 4, respectively. A pipe 10 having a pressure equalizing orifice 9 and a pipe 11 having a pressure equalizing valve SV5 are connected in parallel between the outlets of the two adsorption towers 3 and 4.
Further, the outlets of the two adsorption towers 3 and 4 are connected to the product tank 12 via the respective check valves 7 and 8, and the oxygen-enriched air in the product tank 12 is supplied with the pressure regulator 13, the air filter 14, and the flow rate control. Supplied to the patient via means 15.
[0014]
In such an apparatus, when the two-way valve SV2 of the two-way valve manifold 2 is opened and the two-way valve SV3 is closed, pressurized air is sent to the adsorption tower 3, and nitrogen in the air is adsorbed in the adsorption tower 3. 5, oxygen-enriched air is sent to the product tank 12 through the check valve 7. When the line leading to the product tank 12 and the pressure of the product tank 12 rise, a part of the oxygen-enriched air is discharged to the adsorption tower 4 through the pressure equalizing orifice 9 and the adsorbent 5 in the adsorption tower 4 is adsorbed. Is discharged from the exhaust port 6 through the two-way valve SV4.
[0015]
Next, when the two-way valves SV2 and SV4 are closed and the two-way valves SV3 and SV1 are opened, the pressurized air is sent to the adsorption tower 4 and the nitrogen in the air is adsorbed by the adsorbent 5 in the adsorption tower 4. . The oxygen-enriched air produced in this way is sent to the product tank 12 via the check valve 8. When the pressure to the product tank 12 and the product tank 12 increases, a part of the oxygen-enriched air is released to the adsorption tower 3 through the pressure equalizing orifice 9 and the adsorbent 5 in the adsorption tower 3 is adsorbed. Is discharged from the exhaust port 6 through the two-way valve SV1.
The pressure equalizing valve SV5 opens immediately before the two-way valve manifold 2 switches, and then closes immediately after the switching, and then blows oxygen-enriched air into the adsorption tower 3 or 4 on the side where oxygen-enriched air is produced to increase its internal pressure. Thus, the next cycle can be started under high internal pressure so that oxygen-enriched air can be produced immediately.
[0016]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation panel of the oxygen concentrator. Of course, what is shown here is merely an example, and other arrangements are arbitrary.
The operation panel 30 shown in the above diagram includes a power on / off switch 31, a time setting button 32, an accumulated time display unit 33, a flow rate display unit 34, a flow rate setting button 35, a setting switching button 36, and an operation state display lamp 37. Is arranged.
The power on / off switch 31 is for turning on / off the operation of the apparatus. When this switch 31 is turned on, the “run” lamp of the operation state display lamp 37 is lit. In addition, if there is any abnormality, the “abnormal” lamp lights up.
[0017]
The time setting button 32 is used by the patient to set the oxygen inhalation time according to the prescription. The left upward arrow button 32a instructs the numerical value up, and the right downward arrow button 32b instructs the numerical value down. The accumulated time display unit 33 displays the oxygen inhalation time, and accumulates and displays it until it is reset.
The flow rate setting button 35 is used by the patient to set the oxygen flow rate according to the prescription. The left upward arrow button 35a instructs the numerical value up, and the right downward arrow button 35b instructs the numerical value down. The flow rate display unit 34 displays the set value of the oxygen flow rate.
[0018]
The setting switching button 36 switches, for example, each oxygen flow rate setting value at rest, sleep, labor, and after. In this example, when the left “1” button 36a is pressed, the center “ When the "2" button 36b is pressed, the mode is switched during sleep, and when the "3" button 36c on the right side is pressed, the mode is switched between after and after work.
By the way, the time setting button 32 and the flow rate setting button 35 which can be set by the patient may be anything as long as they can be converted into electric current by touch panel type, dial type or push button type. Since there are relatively many elderly people, it is desirable that they can be operated as easily and reliably as possible, and practically, the push button type that is often used for remote control of home appliances is suitable.
[0019]
Thus, in the oxygen concentrator of the present invention, the increase / decrease of the oxygen flow rate can be increased / decreased by the flow rate setting button 35, and the increase / decrease of the oxygen inhalation time can be increased / decreased by the time setting button 32. Each of the setting switching buttons 36a, 36b, 36c is set (memory) simultaneously with a prescription flow rate and an inhalation time to be delivered from the doctor to the patient.
[0020]
The prescription data is input as follows.
If the "1" button 36a on the left side of the setting switching button 36 is continuously pressed, the input is enabled. Therefore, the set value is selected up and down by the flow rate setting buttons 35a and 35b. Next, the flow rate setting value can be stored in the “1” button 36 a by pressing a set switch (not shown) provided inside the apparatus. By repeating the same operation, the flow rate setting values are stored in the “2” button 36b and the “3” button 36c, and adapted to the “1” to “3” buttons 36a to 36c at rest, during sleep, and during and after work. Set a numeric value.
Next, as for the oxygen inhalation time, the time setting buttons 32a and 32b are used to set numerical values adapted to rest, sleep, work, and after to the “1” to “3” buttons 36a to 36c.
[0021]
Thus, by setting a numerical value to the setting switching button 36, the patient may select any one of the “1” to “3” buttons 36a to 36c according to the situation at the time of oxygen inhalation. Oxygen can be inhaled with an oxygen flow rate and inhalation time tailored to each. There is no problem with the conventional orifice type or float type oxygen flow rate control.
It is desirable to provide a switch capable of resetting, setting, etc. of the setting switching button 36 in the apparatus or in a place where the patient cannot directly operate. Further, once the time setting button 32 and the flow rate setting button 35 are set, they are usually not changed frequently thereafter. Therefore, providing a switch capable of locking these buttons prevents an operation error of the patient. Is preferable.
[0022]
The oxygen concentrator of the present invention sets several oxygen flow rate control patterns and inhalation times adapted to the oxygen inhalation situation according to the doctor's prescription, and sets them in the memory of the control unit 16 in advance. The control pattern is selected by the setting switching button 36.
This allows the patient to easily change the inhalation conditions according to the oxygen inhalation situation.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, according to the oxygen concentrator of the present invention, the flow rate control means for controlling the amount of oxygen-enriched air based on the control pattern, the input means for inputting the control pattern of the flow rate control means, a control unit having a storage unit that memorize the input control pattern by the input means, and switching means for selecting one arbitrary from a control pattern of the plurality of ways stored in the storage means of the control unit The switching means includes a plurality of setting switching buttons corresponding to the situation when the patient inhales oxygen. Therefore, leave the memory by entering in advance a number of ways of oxygen flow control patterns corresponding to the patient's prescription in the memory means of the control unit with the oxygen concentrator, switching means a control pattern of the number of ways or Ru can be arbitrarily selected by. When combined with for example resting the patient to the situation at the time of inhalation, after exertion, may be selected by the setting switching button the oxygen flow rate control pattern adapted during sleep, the operation is simple.
Further, by providing the locking means, there is no possibility that the patient will accidentally change the oxygen flow rate control pattern. In addition to this, by arranging the input means inside the apparatus and arranging the setting switching button on the apparatus surface, there is an excellent effect that the change of the oxygen flow rate control pattern due to an erroneous operation of the patient is further eliminated .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an oxygen concentrator of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an arrangement configuration of an operation panel of the oxygen concentrator.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Compressor 2 Two-way valve manifold 3, 4 Adsorption tower 5 Adsorbent 6 Exhaust port 7, 8 Check valve 9 Pressure equalizing orifice 12 Product tank 15 Automatic flow control device 16 Control unit 20 Oxygen-enriched air generation unit 30 Operation panel 32 Time setting button 35 Flow rate setting button 36 Setting switching button

Claims (2)

An adsorption tower filled with an adsorbent that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen gas is installed, air is sent from the compressor to the adsorption tower, nitrogen in the air is adsorbed to produce oxygen-enriched air, and this is stored in the product tank In the oxygen concentrator for supplying a predetermined amount of oxygen enrichment from within the product tank, flow rate control means for controlling the amount of oxygen enriched air discharged from the product tank based on a control pattern, and control of the flow rate control means An input unit for inputting a pattern, a control unit having a storage unit for storing a control pattern input by the input unit, and any one of a plurality of control patterns stored in the storage unit of the control unit comprising a plurality of setting switching button for selecting said setting changeover button, a three situations during oxygen inhalation of the patient, resting, sleep, three of the setting switching corresponding after exertion - Oxygen concentrator, which is a button. The lock means for disabling the change of the control pattern by the setting switching button is disposed inside the oxygen concentrator , and the setting switching button is disposed on the surface of the oxygen concentrator. oxygen concentrator of.

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