JPH09239033A - Oxygen-enriched air supplying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an oxygen-enriched air supplying device with which the control of the oxygen concn. in oxygen-enriched air is easy. SOLUTION: This oxygen-enriched air supplying means has an oxygen- enriched air generating means 1, an air introducing means 8 for diluting the oxygen canon., an air introducing rate control means 6, a flow rate control means 2 and an oxygen-enriched air supplying means 4 and has an oxygen supplying rate setting means 5 capable of setting the oxygen concn. of the oxygen-enriched air. The air introducing rate is increased and decreased cooperatively with the oxygen canon. The flow rate of the air supplied from the flow rate control means 2 is so controlled as to be kept approximately constant.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for supplying oxygen-enriched air separated from the atmosphere and containing oxygen at a higher concentration than air. More specifically, it relates to an oxygen-enriched air supply device capable of controlling the oxygen-enriched air flowing into the supply means for use at a desired flow rate and oxygen concentration.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Oxygen inhalation is one of the most effective treatments for respiratory diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In recent years, an oxygen-enriched air supply device has been used for this therapy. It has started to be done. For patients who use this oxygen-enriched air supply device, when the required oxygen amount is small, the flow rate may be about 0.1 to 0.5 liter / minute, and when it is large, 4 to 6 liter / minute. There may be a degree.

[0003]

In such a conventional oxygen-enriched air supply apparatus, since the necessary change in the oxygen supply amount can be dealt with by changing the oxygen supply amount by changing the flow amount, particularly when the flow amount is small. In some cases, patients could not feel that they were being supplied with oxygen-enriched air. Further, since the flow rate is controlled with an extremely small amount, the variation is likely to be large, and the control is difficult.

[0004] In general, these gases have almost no moisture in oxygen gas, and therefore a humidifying operation is required to provide them for breathing. When humidification is required, generally, at a low flow rate, it is difficult to adjust the humidification in the humidifier, and the humidification tends to be relatively excessive and drainage is likely to occur. This drain is generated because the oxygen is cooled in an extension tube or a cannula serving as an oxygen supply conduit and may enter the nose of the patient, which is not preferable and is often provided with some removing means. In any case, the generation of drainage is neither hygienic nor visually preferable.

[0005]

As a result of intensive studies conducted by the present inventor in order to solve the above-mentioned inconveniences in the conventional oxygen-enriched air supply apparatus, it was found that the concentration variable system is adopted instead of the conventional flow rate variable system. The present invention has been achieved by finding that inconvenience can be solved.

That is, the present invention comprises means for generating oxygen-enriched air containing oxygen at a concentration higher than that of air, air introduction means for diluting the concentration of the oxygen-enriched air, and the generation means. An air flow rate control means provided in a flow path for supplying oxygen-enriched air to the user and controlling the amount of introduction of the dilution air; and a first flow rate control means provided downstream thereof.
In an oxygen-enriched air supply device having a second flow rate setting means provided on the downstream side of the first flow rate setting means and an oxygen-enriched air supply means provided on the downstream side of the first flow rate setting means, the device further comprises: An oxygen supply amount setting means capable of setting the oxygen concentration of the oxygen-enriched air supplied from the supply means, changing the air flow rate control means in association with the set oxygen concentration, and the first flow rate setting means The present invention provides an oxygen-enriched air supply device, characterized in that the flow rate supplied from the device is adjusted to be substantially constant.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the drawings as necessary.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic flow chart of a preferred embodiment of the oxygen-enriched air supply device of the present invention.

The oxygen-enriched air containing oxygen at a concentration higher than that of air according to the present invention is produced by concentrating oxygen in the air, and an adsorption-type oxygen concentrator is advantageously used for oxygen concentration. . The following description will be made mainly for the case where an adsorption type oxygen concentrator is used.

The oxygen-enriched air supply apparatus of the present invention comprises oxygen supply amount setting means capable of setting the oxygen concentration of oxygen-enriched air according to the oxygen supply amount to be used by the patient, which is determined by the doctor's prescription. By changing the air flow rate control means for controlling the amount of air for diluting the oxygen concentration introduced by the air introduction means in conjunction with the oxygen concentration set by the setting means, the range of the generated oxygen concentration is changed. It can be greatly changed.

The oxygen supply amount setting means may be the flow rate control means (not shown) itself provided in the air inflow line of the air flow rate control means and the oxygen enriched air discharge line of the first flow rate control means. The setting means may be installed at a position distant from the setting means, or an electric control system for driving the air flow rate control means and the first flow rate control means according to the set value by the setting means. be able to. Alternatively, the air flow rate control means and the first flow rate setting means may be integrated.

The relationship between the oxygen concentration set in the oxygen supply amount setting means, the generation amount of oxygen-enriched air in the generation means, the air amount introduced in the air flow rate control means, and the oxygen concentration is as follows. It is determined by the capacity of the modified air supply device (for example, the maximum attainable oxygen concentration, the flow rate generated at that time, etc.) and the planned prescription (oxygen concentration and / or flow rate). In general, the prescription is defined by some non-continuous values, so the above relationship often does not need to correspond to continuous changes, and therefore the air introduction amount corresponding to the planned non-continuous set value. Since the discharge amount of oxygen-enriched air and the discharge amount of oxygen-enriched air may be determined, it can be easily obtained by an experiment if the device capacity is determined.

The oxygen concentration of the oxygen-enriched air generated by the oxygen-enriched air generating means and the amount of the oxygen-generated air are constant depending on the capacity of the apparatus. In a normal pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, the oxygen concentration is about 90%. It is possible to generate a predetermined amount of oxygen-enriched air having Therefore, as the air flow rate control means, the prescribed oxygen concentration of the doctor is, for example, 40% or 50%.
It is preferable that the air inflow rate can be controlled so that it can be variably set at each level of%, 60%, 70%, 80%, and 90%.

The air introduction means of the present invention is a device for introducing air for diluting the oxygen concentration of the oxygen-enriched air, and a device such as a blower or a compressor that can introduce air into the oxygen-enriched air introduction line is used. It is also possible to use the compressor of the oxygen concentrator.

Further, in the oxygen-enriched air supply apparatus of the present invention, the supply amount of oxygen-enriched air in the supply means is about 1.
It is desirable to be able to supply at a level of 5 to 5.5 liters / minute.

In the oxygen-enriched air supply device of the present invention,
The air flow rate control means is provided with an oxygen-enriched air inflow line and an air introduction line for diluting the oxygen concentration of the oxygen-enriched air, and is of a type that determines the oxygen concentration by controlling the air introduction amount. Those capable of efficiently mixing the above are preferable.

Further, the first flow rate control means is preferably of a type capable of discharging a part of the mixed oxygen-enriched air. The amount of oxygen-enriched air discharged increases as the oxygen concentration set by the oxygen supply amount setting means decreases. Since the oxygen concentration set by the supply amount setting means is lowered, the dilution air is introduced from the air introduction means to the oxygen-enriched air supply line via the air flow rate control means,
The flow rate control means discharges an excess flow rate of oxygen-enriched air to adjust the flow rate, and stabilizes the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air supplied to the patient by the conduit and the supply means downstream of the first flow rate control means. It will be in the state of

In the oxygen-enriched air supply device of the present invention, if necessary, in order to cope with fluctuations in the oxygen flow rate to be used,
Second flow rate control means can be provided, and like the first flow rate control means, it is preferable that the second flow rate control means can discharge a part of the oxygen-enriched air. It is desirable that the sum of the discharge amount of the oxygen-enriched air and the supply amount of the oxygen-enriched air supplied from the supply means to the patient is substantially constant. This allows good control of the feed rate to be achieved.

The air flow rate control means and / or the first and second flow rate control means in the present invention may be an inflow rate or an inflow rate depending on the degree of opening / closing of a flow meter of an orifice type, a rotor meter with a needle valve, or a needle valve or a ball valve. It can be a mass flow meter or a mass flow meter that can adjust the discharge flow rate.

The flow rate control means is, for example, an instrument having a plurality of holes having different orifice diameters, and one or two or more of the plurality of holes are selected according to the set value, and a constant inflow is made. It can provide a flow rate or a discharge flow rate. They may be provided in each of the branched conduits to control the flow rate on the use side and the flow rate on the discharge side in plural sets, or may integrally control the flow rate on the use side and the flow rate on the discharge side. As an example of the former, JP-A-62-62
Examples thereof include those described in JP-A-140026 and JP-A-2-241463. Examples of the latter include, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 7-73333 and attached FIG.
A dual flow controller of the type described in and its variants. Its basic structure is shown here and in FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings, which is provided with a plurality of oxygen-enriched air inlets, a set of apertures which can be modified integrally or in conjunction. It is a dual flow rate controller having the variable orifice portions 32 to 35 and the gas discharge holes 36 and 37 capable of discharging the oxygen-enriched air flowing out from the opening portions in at least two systems.

When this is used as the first flow rate control means, even if the amount of oxygen-enriched air flowing in from the oxygen-enriched air inlet varies within a certain range, the amount of gas released from at least one system is substantially It is preferable that the hole cross-sectional areas of the plurality of sets of open holes are set so as to be constant. In short, even if the amount of inflow from the oxygen-enriched air inflow hole 31 of FIG. 2 changes, 33 and 35 rotate to set a new set of openings 32 and 34, whereby one side The opening diameter is increased or decreased to control the release amount, and the other release amount is made substantially constant.

This can be realized by changing the diameter of the opening on one side while keeping the diameter of the opening on one side constant, or by changing the diameters of the openings on both sides simultaneously. .

When the above dual flow rate controller is used as the second flow rate control means, the amount of gas flowing from the oxygen-enriched air inflow hole 31 is controlled to be substantially constant, so that it is released from one of the gas release holes. It is easy to set the aperture diameter so that the desired flow rate is the prescribed prescription flow rate.

In any case, if the device capability is determined and the formulation used is determined, the aperture diameter can be easily determined by experiments.

FIG. 2 is a diagram in which the supply amount setting means and the first flow rate control means in the oxygen-enriched air supply device of the present invention are integrated, and the respective flow rates (corresponding to the oxygen concentration) are also shown.
It is an example of a dual type flow rate controller in which both openings can be selected by the same operation corresponding to.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 31 is an inflow portion of the oxygen-enriched air to which the upstream conduit is connected. 33 is an orifice-type discharge amount setting unit that is provided with a plurality of hole portions having different hole areas, such as the hole portion 32, so that the hole portions can be selected and used according to the discharge amount. is there. The orifice type 35 is provided with a plurality of opening portions having different opening areas, such as the opening portion 34, so that the opening portions can be selected and used according to the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air to be used. It is a flow rate setting unit. In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the discharge flow rate setting unit 33 and the utilization flow rate setting unit 35 are integrated, but they do not necessarily have to be integrated, and may be linked in correspondence. Reference numeral 36 is a lead-out portion for discharging the discharged oxygen-enriched air, and the downstream side thereof is open to the atmosphere. 37 is a derivation | leading-out part of the oxygen enriched air which should be supplied to a user. 38 is
A rotary shaft for setting both the desired discharge flow rate and the desired discharge flow rate by the same rotation operation of both the discharge flow rate setting unit 33 and the use flow rate setting unit 34 which are integrated,
A knob (not shown) for facilitating the rotating operation is further attached to the left end portion thereof.

Further, 40 is a display plate for displaying the flow rate set by the utilization flow rate setting unit 35. 41
Is adapted to the opening 42 through which the gas to be discharged passes, when the rotating shaft 38 is rotated, and the opening selected from the discharging opening 32 and the like passes from the used gas opening 34 and the like. Opening part 43 through which the gas to be supplied to the user passes through the selected opening part
It is a positioning member for fixing at a predetermined position so as to fit in.

If the above-mentioned display plate is used, it can be used also as a supply amount setting device by a flow rate display or an oxygen concentration display depending on the display method.

Further, FIG. 3 shows the supply amount setting means, the air flow rate controlling means and the first means in the oxygen enriched air supply device of the present invention.
This is an example of a dual flow rate controller in which the flow rate control means is integrated, and both openings can be selected by the same operation for each flow rate (also corresponding to oxygen concentration). .

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 61 is an inflow portion of the oxygen-enriched air connected to the upstream conduit. An orifice-type air flow rate setting unit 63 is provided with a plurality of opening portions having different opening areas, such as the opening portion 62, so that the opening portions can be selected and used according to the amount of air introduced. Is.

In the air flow rate setting unit, the oxygen-enriched air that has flowed in is mixed with air to generate oxygen-enriched air corresponding to the set oxygen concentration, and the discharge flow rate setting unit 33 and the utilization flow rate setting unit 35 obtain the desired oxygen enriched air. A utilization flow rate and a desired discharge flow rate are obtained.

The use of the oxygen-enriched air supply device of the present invention is not particularly limited, and is suitable for medical use such as home use.

By adopting such a configuration, even if the amount of oxygen to the user changes, the oxygen concentration can be correspondingly changed to make the supply amount substantially constant, and the user's discomfort can be reduced. be able to.

[0034]

EXAMPLES Specific examples of the oxygen-enriched air supply apparatus of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic flow chart schematically showing a preferred embodiment of the oxygen-enriched air supply device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is an oxygen concentrator filled with an adsorbent such as a molecular sieve 5A, 13X or a lithium-type zeolite, which is more likely to adsorb nitrogen than oxygen,
A compressor 11 is connected to the oxygen concentrator 1 by a conduit via a flow path switching valve 12, and a surge tank 9 for temporarily storing oxygen-enriched air is conduited by an oxygen concentrator 1 via an automatic opening / closing valve 13. Are linked to. The flow path switching valve 12 is provided with an intake conduit having an intake muffler and the like and an exhaust conduit having an exhaust muffler and the like. The compressor 11 to the surge tank 9 constitute the oxygen-enriched air generating means in the embodiment.

Further, the surge tank 9 includes a pressure reducing valve 2
An oxygen-enriched air flow path conduit 15 including 2, 23, etc. is attached to the conduit 15, and an air flow rate control means, an orifice type flow rate setting device 6 as the first and second flow rate control means, an orifice type flow rate. A setting device 2 and an orifice type flow setting device 3 are provided, and a supply amount setting means 5 is provided integrally with the orifice type flow setting device 6 and the orifice type flow setting device 2. The supply amount setting device 5 and the orifice type flow rate setting devices 2 and 6 are interlocked with each other to increase or decrease the inflow amount of air from the flow rate setting device 6 and the exhaust amount from the flow rate setting device 2 to control the oxygen concentration and the flow rate. To do. Means (not shown) for detecting the pressures on the upstream side of the flow rate control means by the pressure detection means 51, 52 and issuing an alarm when an abnormality in the pressure occurs.
It conveys information to. Further, the conduit 15 is further provided with an automatic opening / closing valve 18, a sterilization filter 25, a humidifier 7, etc., and is connected by a conduit 21 to an oxygen-enriched air supply means 4 such as a nasal cannula or a mouth mask. It is practically preferable.

Furthermore, the breathing cycle of the user is detected,
Based on the detection result, if the generating means provided with a demand valve that opens and closes the valve and supplies oxygen-enriched air is used, the device can be downsized.

In the operation mode of the oxygen-enriched air supply apparatus of FIG. 1, the compressed air is supplied to the oxygen concentrator 1 by the compressor 11 via the valve 12 as shown in FIG. 1 with the solenoid valves 13 and 18 opened. To adsorb nitrogen, and the obtained oxygen-enriched air is stored in the surge tank 9 via the conduit 14. The oxygen-enriched air stored in the surge tank 9 is diluted by the air introduced from the air introduction means 8 in the orifice type flow rate setter 6 to a predetermined oxygen concentration, and excess oxygen-enriched air is released. Is adjusted to a predetermined flow rate by the orifice type flow rate setting device 2 (flow rate control means), passes through the pressure reducing valve 23 and the sterilization filter 25, and is then adjusted to a predetermined flow rate by the orifice type flow rate setting device 3, and the humidifier. It is humidified by 7 and supplied to a patient or the like having a respiratory disease through the nasal cannula 4 connected to the conduit 21.

In the oxygen-enriched air generating means, after adsorbing for a predetermined period of time, the valve 13 is closed and the valve 12 is switched to use the compressor 11 as a vacuum pump so that the pressure in the oxygen concentrator 1 is reduced. Depressurize and perform desorption. After desorption for a predetermined time, the valve 12 is switched to introduce pressurized air into the oxygen concentrator 1, and the valve 13
Is opened and the oxygen-enriched air is caused to flow backward from the surge tank 9 to re-pressurize the oxygen concentrator 1, and then the adsorption step is carried out while introducing pressurized air into the oxygen concentrator 1. Such adsorption and desorption steps are repeated to obtain oxygen-enriched air.

Further, the flow rate setter 2 (first flow rate control means) and the orifice type flow rate setter 3 (by changing the amount of air inflow from the orifice type flow setter 6 and the amount of exhausted gas in the orifice type flow setter 2). The flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air in the conduit 15 between the second flow rate control means) is kept substantially constant.

The oxygen-enriched air stored in the surge tank 9 passes through the conduit 15 and its flow rate is set to the flow rate setters 2, 3, 3.
6 is supplied to the patient from an oxygen-enriched air supply means 4, such as a nasal cannula. Once the orifice type flow rate setting device 3 is set, it is basically unnecessary to change it so much.

As a preferred embodiment of the oxygen-enriched air supply device of the present invention, the compressor 11 and the blower 19 are housed in a muffler box, and a partition plate having an opening is provided in the box to upstream the cooling air flow. The blower 19 is arranged in the chamber on the side and the compressor 11 is arranged in the chamber on the downstream side,
An example is one in which the open end of the conduit on the intake side of the flow path switching valve 12 is located in the chamber accommodating the blower. In addition, it is desirable that a filter is provided at an inlet for cooling air of the apparatus.

In such a configuration, the flow of the cooling air from the cooling blower-side chamber to the compressor-side chamber is one-way, and by arranging the compressor intake port in the blower-side chamber, the ambient air Clean air can be inhaled at a temperature close to the temperature. The temperature of the room on the compressor side easily rises due to heat radiation from the compressor, and introducing air from there to the intake port of the compressor may be disadvantageous in terms of performance.

[0044]

According to the present invention, the flow rate is kept substantially constant,
It is possible to change the oxygen concentration, improve the patient's feeling of use, and adjust the humidification with a humidifier to prevent drainage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic flow chart schematically showing an embodiment of an oxygen-enriched air supply device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a dual type flow rate controller showing a mode in which a supply amount setting means and a first flow rate control means are integrated.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a dual type flow rate controller showing an aspect in which a supply amount setting means, an air flow rate control means, and a first flow rate control means are integrated.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Oxygen concentrator 2 Orifice type flow rate setting device (first flow rate control means) 3 Orifice type flow rate setting device (second flow rate control means) 4 Oxygen-enriched air supply means 5 (40) Flow rate display type supply amount setting means 6 Orifice Mold flow rate setter (air flow rate control means) 8 Air introduction means 31 (61) Oxygen-enriched air inflow hole 32 Exhaust opening part 33 Exhaust flow rate setting part 34 Oxygen-enriched air opening part 35 Utilized flow rate setting part 36 Exhaust oxygen-enriched air derivation part 37 Utilized oxygen-enriched air derivation part 62 Air inflow opening 63 Air flow setting part 65 Dilution air introduction part

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A means for generating oxygen-enriched air containing oxygen at a concentration higher than that of air, an air introducing means for diluting the concentration of the oxygen-enriched air, and oxygen-enriched air from the generating means. Air flow rate control means for controlling the amount of the dilution air introduced in the flow path for supplying to the user, a first flow rate control means provided downstream of the air flow rate control means, and if necessary, downstream of the first flow rate setting means. In an oxygen-enriched air supply device having a second flow rate setting means provided on the side and an oxygen-enriched air supply means provided downstream thereof, the device further comprises the oxygen-enriched air supplied from the supply means. An oxygen supply amount setting means capable of setting an oxygen concentration is provided, the air flow rate control means is changed in association with the set oxygen concentration, and the flow rate supplied from the first flow rate setting means becomes substantially constant. Acids characterized by adjusting to Air supply device for enriched air. 2. The introduction amount of the dilution air increases as the set oxygen concentration in the oxygen supply amount setting means decreases.
The oxygen-enriched air supply device according to claim 1. 3. The oxygen-enriched air supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first flow rate control means is of a type capable of discharging a part of the oxygen-enriched air. 4. The oxygen-enriched air supply apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the amount of oxygen-enriched air discharged in the first flow rate control means increases as the set oxygen concentration in the supply amount setting means decreases. 5. The first flow control means is of a type capable of discharging a part of the oxygen-enriched air.
5. The oxygen-enriched air supply device according to claim 4. 6. The oxygen-enriched air supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sum of the discharge amount and the oxygen-enriched air supply amount from the supply unit of the second flow rate control unit is substantially constant. . 7. The air flow rate control means mixes a gas inflow hole of oxygen-enriched air, a variable orifice section provided with a plurality of opening sections, and air flowing in from the opening section and combines them into one system. The oxygen-enriched air supply device according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen-enriched air supply device is a flow rate controller having a gas discharge hole capable of discharging the gas. 8. A variable orifice section provided with a plurality of gas inflow holes and one set of openable holes which can be integrally or interlocked with each other in the first flow rate control means and the second flow rate control means. An oxygen-enriched air supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is a dual flow rate controller having a gas discharge hole capable of discharging the gas flowing out from the opening portion in at least two systems. . 9. A dual flow rate controller as the first flow rate control means, wherein the amount of gas released from at least one system is substantially constant even if the amount of gas flowing in from the gas inflow hole changes within a certain range. The oxygen-enriched air supply device according to claim 9, wherein each hole cross-sectional area of the plurality of sets of openings is set so as to be constant. 10. A triple variable orifice in which the air flow rate control means and the first flow rate control means are provided with a plurality of gas inflow holes and a set of opening portions that can be changed integrally or in conjunction with each other. Integrated flow rate having a gas discharge hole that introduces dilution air from one of the openings and one of the openings and discharges the gas flowing out from the remaining two openings of the opening separately into at least two systems. The oxygen-enriched air supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is a controller.