JPS6384564A - Humidifier and oxygen enriched gas feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] <Industrial application field> The present invention is a gas humidifier having a specific structure.

and an oxygen-enriched gas supply device using the humidifier. More specifically, the present invention provides an improved humidifier that can perform humidification at an appropriate level even when the gas flow rate varies greatly and can be used continuously for a long period of time. The present invention also provides an apparatus for supplying oxygen-enriched gas with appropriately increased humidity for medical and other purposes such as improving or reinforcing breathing.

<Prior art> Oxygen therapy, which provides oxygen from oxygen cylinders, has traditionally been performed for patients with respiratory diseases, and recently, oxygen therapy has been performed using oxygen-enriched air obtained by concentrating oxygen in the air. As a result of its development, its treatment methods are becoming increasingly popular.

In these oxygen therapies, when gases such as oxygen or oxygen-enriched air are supplied to the patient's nasal cavity, the gas is usually supplied in a humidified state close to the saturated water vapor pressure to prevent the patient's nasal cavity from drying out. Efforts have been made to do so. That is, in the case of oxygen from an oxygen gas cylinder or liquid oxygen, the humidity is too low as it is, so it is supplied to the patient after being humidified, for example, by passing through a bubble type humidifier. In addition, to obtain oxygen-enriched air, adsorption-type oxygen enrichers and de-type oxygen enrichers are used, but even in the case of adsorption-type oxygen enrichers, moisture is usually added to the oxygen-enriched air. Enriched air is supplied to the patient, which is humidified using a humidifier because it contains very little.

However, in conventional humidifiers, since the relative humidity of M-enriched air and oxygen is humidified to 100% or more or close to 100%, a tube is used to circulate it to supply it to the user's nasal cavity, etc. As the temperature drops inside the tube, dew condensation tends to occur, causing water droplets to enter the user's nasal cavity, causing discomfort and causing bacteria to grow inside the tube. The present inventors have found that this tendency is particularly strong when the flow rate of oxygen-enriched air or the like is reduced in conventional humidifiers, and that a means to solve this problem is needed.

In addition, because the amount of water in the humidifier is small, it cannot be used continuously for a long period of time, and it is a hassle to remove the humidifier and fill it with water quite frequently at short intervals. There was a time. Furthermore, the sound generated by the generation and destruction of air bubbles inside a humidifier is very loud, and it can be a painful noise for users who use it for long periods of time, night and day, especially patients with weakened physical strength. It was often the cause.

<Object of the Invention> The present invention aims to solve these problems. That is, the present invention can moderately maintain the degree of humidification in the relative humidity range of about 60 to 95%, more preferably about 65 to 90%, even if the gas flow rate changes, and can continue for a long period of time. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a humidifier that can be used as a humidifier, and an oxygen-enriched gas sample device equipped with the humidifier. A further object of the present invention is to provide a humidifier that generates little noise during use, and a low-noise oxygen-enriched gas supply device. Still other purposes include mounting,
The present invention also provides an oxygen-enriched gas supply device incorporating an easily removable humidifier.

<Structure of the Invention> As a result of intensive research aimed at achieving the above object, it was surprisingly discovered that a humidifier having a means for changing the surface area of filled water in accordance with the flow rate of gas is extremely effective. We have arrived at the heading Invention.

That is, the present invention provides a gas inlet, an outlet for the humidified gas, a receiver means filled with water, a lid means, and an opening connected to the gas inlet in the receiver means. a gas humidifier having conduit means for changing the surface area of the filled water in a region through which the gas leaving the opening changes in response to the flow rate of the gas passing through the region; a humidifier equipped with an area changing means for; a means for generating an oxygen-enriched gas having a higher oxygen concentration and lower humidity than air; a humidifying means; and a supply for providing the humidified oxygen-enriched gas for use. an oxygen-enriched gas supply device, the humidifying means comprising: an inlet for the oxygen-enriched gas; an outlet for the humidified oxygen-enriched gas; a receiver means filled with water; and a lid. means and conduit means connected to the inlet of the oxygen-enriched gas and having an opening in the receiver means, the filling water being in a region through which the oxygen-enriched gas exits the opening; Provided is an oxygen-enriched gas supply device characterized by comprising an area changing means for changing the surface area in accordance with the flow rate of gas passing through the area.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below using the drawings. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a preferred embodiment of the humidifier according to the present invention. That is, the humidifier shown in the figure has a gas inlet 3. Humidified gas outlet 4. water 1
Receiver means capable of being filled with 0 1. Lid means 2. an opening 6 consisting of a conduit means 5 connected to the ift port 3 and a number of pores provided at its tip; The main component is a core means 7 which limits the rise of the air bubbles 16 to a region 17 and has an upper opening 8 for the passage of the gas.

The core means 7 referred to here refers to the area 1 in which the air bubbles 16 can rise.
7 to only a part of the horizontal cross section of the receiver 1, and the humidifier of the present invention has, for example, a plurality of cylindrical parts having different thicknesses It has been found that gas humidified within a predetermined range can be obtained by changing the area of the water surface of the filled water in the region where bubbles can rise in accordance with the flow rate range of the gas. , the present invention has been achieved. In other words, the humidifier of the present invention prevents condensation from occurring even when the gas flow rate is low by changing the area of the water surface in the bubble rising region according to the required flow rate range of humidified gas. This makes it possible to stably perform appropriate humidification that is unlikely to occur.

As described above, the humidifier of the present invention is characterized by having an area changing means for changing the area on the water surface of the filled water in the region through which the gas to be humidified passes, depending on the flow rate of the gas. This area changing means may be of any type, but it is preferable that it has a simple structure and is easy to change. A specific example thereof is a combination of a plurality of core means as shown in FIG.

That is, a plurality of core means having different cross-sectional areas (hereinafter referred to as cross-sectional areas) perpendicular to the axial direction in the inner space of the cylindrical part are provided, and the core means having a predetermined cross-sectional area depending on the range of gas flow rate are housed. It is designed to be used as The storage format includes, for example, a format in which the core means 7 with a predetermined cross-sectional area is replaced and stored, or a state in which the core means 7 with a large cross-sectional area is stored, and a small There is a type in which a core means having a cross-sectional area 7a is inserted. The latter is preferred in practice because it allows the core means with a smaller cross-sectional area to be easily accommodated with a simpler structure. The number of these core means may vary depending on the range of the gas flow rate, but in the case of a medical oxygen-enriched gas supply apparatus, it is generally preferable for practical use to have two or three core means.

Regarding the core means for low IT, it is better to make the bottom part a sealed structure to prevent convection between the bottom surface of the humidifier and the inside of the core means, as shown in 7a in FIG. It is preferable because it is easy to keep constant.

In the humidifier of the present invention, the gas to be humidified may be made to flow into the filling liquid and rise in the form of bubbles as shown in Fig. 1, but in some cases, at least part or all of the gas may be filled. It may also be of a type in which it is brought into contact with the water surface by being blown onto the water surface. Note that it is preferable to use a method in which at least a portion of the gas flows out into the filled water and rises as bubbles because it is easier to confirm that the gas is flowing. Alternatively, a part of the gas to be humidified may flow out into the filled water or onto the surface of the filled water, and the remaining gas may be bypassed so as not to be substantially humidified and mixed with the humidified gas.

In the humidifier of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, it is more preferable that an opening 9 is also provided at the bottom of the core means so that the inside and outside of the core means communicate with each other. As shown in Fig. 1, by filling the outer region of the core means, that is, the region where air bubbles are not dispersed, with multiple layers of water, the water level decreases due to humidification, and the degree of decrease in water level can be reduced for a long period of time. Continuous and extremely stable humidification operation is possible.

From this point of view, by increasing the diameter of the upper portion of the receiver 1 and decreasing the diameter of the lower portion, stable continuous humidification operation for a longer period of time becomes possible at the same liquid depth.

Regarding the position of the opening 8.9 of the core means mentioned above,
The opening 9 may be located at the upper or lower end as long as the opening 9 substantially functions as the base, but it is preferable for the opening 9 to be at the lowermost end from the viewpoint of function. Further, as will be described later, when the core means is porous, the porous portions may correspond to the respective frontage portions.

Preferably, the movement of the core means is restrained by the lid means and/or the receiver means.

Optionally, it may be fixed to the lid means and/or the receiver means, or by both the lid means 2 and the receiver means 1. Fixing methods in this case include a method in which the core means is positioned above and below or below and installed on the bottom of the receiver, and a method in which it is directly fixed. Furthermore, as a restraining means including fixing if necessary, it is better to install or fix it on the lid means and/or receiver means through a member such as a backing made of a material that does not allow sound to propagate, such as a rubber material, for better sound deadening effect. Very preferred. Further, if the core means can be removed from the receiver means, it is easier to clean and more sanitary.

Furthermore, if the core means is made of a gas-impermeable member and is attached to the upper part of the humidifier and the upper space is partitioned into regions 12 and 13 as shown in FIG. It is desirable to provide an opening 11 in a part of the core means to equalize the pressure in the space.

The core means may have any shape and material as long as it fulfills its function. Its more preferred shape is cylindrical, particularly cylindrical. The region where the bubbles rise can be either inside or outside the core means, but as shown in FIG. 1, the inside of the cylindrical core means produces less bubbles.

This is a desirable embodiment because it makes it difficult for the sound generated by destruction etc. to be transmitted to anything other than the core means, and the overall sound emitted to the outside is extremely small. Further, the member constituting the core means may be a porous material that does not substantially allow air bubbles to pass through, but it is more practical to use a non-porous material in terms of ease of cleaning. The material of the core means may be any material as long as it maintains its shape, but transparent materials such as glass and plastic are preferable for use, and acrylic resin and polycarbonate are particularly preferred in terms of weight and sturdiness. Transparent plastics such as nate resins, styrene resins, and polypropylene resins are preferred. Coloring at least one of the plurality of core means makes it easier to check the surface position of the filled water, which is very convenient in practice.

Further, it is preferable that each core means has a tapered shape that slightly widens upward or downward because it is easier to mold, but in this case, the cross-sectional area means the average value of the entire cylindrical portion.

In addition, the lid means and the receiver means may be attached by law by flange type, screw type, one-touch type bottom stand type, or any other type of attachment, but in practice, screw type or one-touch type is acceptable. A mold base type is preferable, and a one-touch type base type is particularly convenient.

The oxygen-enriched gas supply device of the present invention is equipped with a humidifier as described above in addition to the oxygen-enriched gas generation means and the supply means for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas. The oxygen-enriched gas generating means is oxygen-enriched air with a higher oxygen concentration than air or a gas mainly composed of oxygen, and the relative humidity at room temperature is, for example, about 50% or less or about 30% or less. A means of generating oxygen-enriched gas with low humidity.

Specific examples include oxygen enrichers that obtain oxygen-enriched air from the air, such as adsorption-type oxygen enrichers, 11-element cylinders, and devices that use one type of means to obtain oxygen gas from liquid oxygen. A combination of these can be mentioned. In this way, the term "oxygen-enriched gas" in the present invention refers to oxygen-enriched air, oxygen gas, etc. - Adsorption-type oxygen enrichers use adsorbents that have different adsorption capacities for oxygen and nitrogen. Oxygen-enriched air is obtained from the air, but when the enriched air from which moisture has also been separated is dried, it is necessary to further enrich the humidifier. Furthermore, when obtaining oxygen gas from an oxygen cylinder, liquid oxygen, etc., it is usually necessary to provide a humidifier.

As a specific example of an adsorption type oxygen enricher, which is one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, one or more adsorption beds filled with an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs nitrogen gas are installed, and compressed air is fed into the adsorption bed. compressor means driven by the power of an electric motor for the inflow, conduit means within the enricher for extracting oxygen-enriched air from the adsorption bed and passing it to the outlet, and air flow for cooling the electric motor and the compressor means. Examples include pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen enrichers which are equipped with fan means for generating oxygen and are operated such that one or more adsorption beds repeat cycles of pressurization and depressurization either singly or alternately. The adsorbent is usually zeolite 5A or zeolite 1.
3X etc. are used, but other types may be used. It is desirable for any oxygen-enriched gas generation means to have means for adjusting the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched air used.

The oxygen-enriched gas supply device of the present invention is characterized by being equipped with a humidifier having the above-described unique configuration, and as a means for changing the area of filled water in the humidifier, as shown in FIG. When using a plurality of core means with different cross-sectional areas, for example, less than 1.5i/win and 1.5i/win
Two flow rate ranges above Jl/min or e.g. 0
．． Less than 75 sentences/1n.

0.75 to 1,541/1n, and 1.517w1n
It is practically preferable to use two or three core means each having a predetermined cross-sectional area corresponding to the above three types of flow rate ranges. In practice, two core means are preferred because they are easy to operate. More specifically, for example, the cross-sectional areas of the two core means corresponding to the above two types of flow ranges are 2 to 7 d and 8 d to 8 d, respectively.
It is desirable that the range is about ~25Cd, especially 3~6i and 10~15C!, respectively. A range of about A is preferable.

In particular, in the case of a device using an adsorption type oxygen enricher, which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, heat generated from the electric motor and/or compressor means housed inside the device is prevented from being transmitted to the humidifier. It is particularly effective to provide a heat transfer prevention means for properly humidifying when the flow rate is small. Note that heat transfer here includes not only direct heat transfer to the humidifier, but also indirect heat transfer via hot air or the like. Specific examples of such heat transfer prevention means include ducts and exhaust air shields that direct the airflow heated by heat radiation from the electric motor and compressor to the outside of the oxygen enricher in a direction away from the humidifier. Some examples include those equipped with an air passage means that actively directs air flow around the humidifier before it is heated.

In addition, it is preferable to house the humidifier inside the box that forms the outer shell of the oxygen enricher in order to reduce noise. It is desirable to have a structure in which the part is thermally substantially subjected to MrIFT. In addition, in some cases, at least when the flow rate of oxygen-enriched gas is low, the humidifier may be placed somewhere with heat insulating material, etc.
It is also possible to use one designed to have fI.

Furthermore, in the device of the present invention, the humidifier can be attached to the outlet of the obtained oxygen-enriched gas using a one-touch joint in the oxygen-enriched gas generating means, especially the oxygen enricher. By making removal easier, the operability of driving can be further improved.

Furthermore, the supply means for supplying oxygen-enriched gas in the device of the present invention may be of any type, and specific examples thereof include a nasal cannula type in which the tip of a thin tube is inserted into the phlebotomy cavity, and a mask type. can be given. In some cases, the humidifier may have a tube attached to the gas outlet of the humidifier, or may have a joint to which a nasal cannula or the like can be further attached. That is, the supply means referred to in the present invention refers to conduit means etc. attached to the gas outlet of the humidifier. The device of the present invention also includes a conduit means between the oxygen-enriched gas generating means and the humidifier, and in some cases, the conduit means may be lengthened so as to be located in close proximity to the user of the humidifier. However, the conduit means downstream of the humidifier may be shortened to further prevent water droplet formation therein.

<Example> Two adsorption beds filled with zeolite 13X, a compressor driven by Den 8, a fan to generate a cooling air flow, and a humidifier as shown in Figures 1 and 2 were placed inside the outer box. In the housed pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen-enriched gas supply device, air is supplied and the oxygen concentration is approximately 90 vo.
0.5 fL/min of gas enriched to about 1%,
1 p/min, 3 Jl! When supplied at a flow rate of /a+in, the relative humidity of the oxygen-enriched gas obtained in the following configuration was measured. In this device, the flow path of air heated by heat radiation from the electric motor and compressor and the humidifier housing were substantially thermally isolated by a shielding plate. The humidifier of this device is housed in an outer shell box at the bottom of the front, the front of which is covered with an acrylic plate, and the humidified air flows from the exhaust port at the rear of the bottom through the casters attached to this device. Formed 1. The liquid was discharged downward into the space between the floor and the bottom of the device. Moreover, the room temperature was about 20°C.

First, in the first form, the inner diameter is 40. A humidifier containing a core means was used. As a form of the second process, as shown in FIG. In this method, a humidifier similar to that of the first method is used, and an exhaust air shielding plate is installed between the bottom of the box and the floor so that the heated exhaust air flows only to the opposite side of the location where the humidifier is installed. I did it like that.

The relative humidity of the oxygen-enriched gas obtained in each form is shown in Table 1 together with its flow rate. 3.For Q/1n, the form flI is sufficient, so form ■.

Measurements regarding (2) were not performed.

As shown in Table 1, when < 11/rin or less, it is clear that adopting form (2), and more certainly form (2), is very effective in achieving appropriate humidification.

Table 1 <Effects of the Invention> The humidifier of the present invention has the advantage that appropriately humidified gas can be stably obtained even if the flow rate of flowing gas changes greatly.
Furthermore, there is the advantage that appropriately humidified gas can be stably obtained continuously for a long period of time. Furthermore, the humidifier of the present invention has the advantage that the noise generated during the humidifying operation is very small and is unlikely to become a source of noise.

Further, according to the single oxygen enricher supply device of the present invention, even when the flow rate of oxygenated gas changes, appropriately humidified oxygen-enriched gas can be stably obtained, and its operability is also good. The device can be used continuously and safely for a long period of time. Furthermore, the humidifier makes little noise when in use, and has the advantage of allowing the humidifier to be placed close to the user in some cases.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating one embodiment of a humidifier according to the present invention. Moreover, FIG. 2 illustrates a core means suitably used in the humidifier of the present invention. In these figures, 1 is a receiving means, 2 is a mounting means, 3 is a gas inlet, 4 is a gas outlet, and 7 and 7a are core means. 11th force

Claims (10)

[Claims] (1) A gas inlet and a humidified gas outlet;
A gas humidifier comprising a reservoir means filled with water, a lid means, and a conduit means connected to the gas inlet and having an opening in the reservoir means, the gas humidifier comprising a water-filled reservoir means, and a conduit means connected to the gas inlet and having an opening in the reservoir means, the gas being discharged from the opening. A humidifier comprising area changing means for changing the surface area of the filled water in a region through which the gas passes in accordance with the flow rate of the gas passing through the region. (2) The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein the opening is located in the water filled in the receiver means. (3) The area changing means is a combination of a plurality of cylindrical core means that cross the surface of the filled water and have an opening in at least a part of the upper part thereof. humidifier. (4) The area changing means is composed of a plurality of cylindrical core means having different internal cross-sectional areas, and the inner side of the core means having the larger cross-sectional area has a lower flow rate. 2. The humidifier according to claim 1, wherein a core means having a smaller cross-sectional area is housed in the humidifier according to claim 1. (5) The humidifier according to claim 4, wherein the core means having a smaller cross-sectional area has a lower structure that is substantially sealed except for the opening for communicating the filled water. . (6) The area changing means is composed of a plurality of cylindrical core means having different internal cross-sectional areas, and the core means having the cross-sectional area suitable for the flow rate is exchanged to replace the core means having different internal cross-sectional areas. A humidifier according to claim 1, which is housed in a container means. (7) A humidifier according to claim 3, wherein said area changing means comprises two said core means having different internal cross-sectional areas. (8) Oxygen-enriched gas supply comprising means for generating oxygen-enriched gas with higher oxygen concentration and lower humidity than air, humidification means, and supply means for supplying the humidified oxygen-enriched gas for use. In the apparatus, the humidifying means includes an inlet for the oxygen-enriched gas, an outlet for the humidified oxygen-enriched gas, a receiver means filled with water, a lid means, and an inlet for the oxygen-enriched gas. conduit means connected to the inlet and having an opening in the receiver means, the surface area of the charged water in a region through which the oxygen-enriched gas exiting the opening is determined by the gas passing through the region; 1. An oxygen-enriched gas supply device comprising an area changing means for changing the area according to the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched gas. (9) The device according to claim 8, wherein the means for generating the oxygen-enriched gas is at least one of an adsorption-type oxygen enricher, an oxygen cylinder, and an oxygen generator using liquid oxygen. (10) The adsorption type oxygen enricher has a compressed air supply means driven by the power of an electric motor, and the humidifying means is housed in a box means forming an outer shell of the oxygen enrichment supply device. 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising heat transfer prevention means for preventing heat generated from the electric motor and/or the compressed air supply means from being transmitted to the humidification means.