Oxygen flow control system and method
First Claim
1. An oxygen control system for supplying a predetermined rate of flow from an oxygen source to a person in need of supplemental oxygen comprising:
- an input manifold, an output manifold and a plurality of gas conduits interconnecting said input manifold to said output manifold, wherein said oxygen source is arranged in flow communication with said input manifold and said person is in oxygen flow communication with said output manifold;
a needle valve positioned in flow control relation to each of said plurality of gas conduits so as to control the flow of oxygen from said input manifold to said output manifold;
a plurality of solenoid valves each having a first closed state and a second open state wherein one of said plurality of solenoid valves is positioned in flow control relation to each but one of said plurality of gas conduits;
means for monitoring the level of physical activity of said person; and
means responsive to said physical activity monitoring means for sequentially switching said solenoid valves between said first state and said second state.
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Abstract
The present invention provides an oxygen control system for supplying a predetermined rate of flow from an oxygen source to a person in need of supplemental oxygen comprising an input manifold, an output manifold and a plurality of gas conduits interconnecting the input manifold to the output manifold. The oxygen source is arranged in flow communication with the input manifold, and a needle valve is positioned in flow control relation to each of the conduits so as to control the flow of oxygen from the input manifold to the output manifold. A plurality of solenoid valves, each having a first fully closed state corresponding to a preselected level of physical activity of the person and a second, fully open state corresponding to another preselected level of physical activity of the person, are positioned in flow control relation to all but one of the conduits. Sensors for monitoring the level of physical activity of the person are provided, along with a control system that is responsive to the monitored level of physical activity, for switching the solenoids between the first state and the second state. A method for supplying supplemental oxygen to a person according to the level of physical activity under taken by that person is also provided.
22 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An oxygen control system for supplying a predetermined rate of flow from an oxygen source to a person in need of supplemental oxygen comprising:
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an input manifold, an output manifold and a plurality of gas conduits interconnecting said input manifold to said output manifold, wherein said oxygen source is arranged in flow communication with said input manifold and said person is in oxygen flow communication with said output manifold;
a needle valve positioned in flow control relation to each of said plurality of gas conduits so as to control the flow of oxygen from said input manifold to said output manifold;
a plurality of solenoid valves each having a first closed state and a second open state wherein one of said plurality of solenoid valves is positioned in flow control relation to each but one of said plurality of gas conduits;
means for monitoring the level of physical activity of said person; and
means responsive to said physical activity monitoring means for sequentially switching said solenoid valves between said first state and said second state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16)
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6. An oxygen control system for supplying a predetermined rate of flow from an oxygen source to a person in need of supplemental oxygen comprising:
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an input manifold, an output manifold and at least one gas conduit interconnecting said input manifold to said output manifold, wherein said oxygen source is arranged in flow communication with said input manifold and said person is in oxygen flow communication with said output manifold;
at least one needle valve positioned in flow control relation to said at least one gas conduit so as to control the flow of oxygen from said input manifold to said output manifold;
at least one solenoid valve having a first closed state and a second open state wherein said at least one solenoid valve is positioned in flow control relation to at least one of said at least one conduits;
means for monitoring the level of physical activity of said person; and
means responsive to said physical activity monitoring means for sequentially switching said at least one solenoid valve between said first state and said second state.
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15. An oxygen control system for supplying a predetermined rate of flow from an oxygen source to a person in need of supplemental oxygen comprising:
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an input manifold, an output manifold and a plurality of gas conduits interconnecting said input manifold to said output manifold, wherein said oxygen source is arranged in flow communication with said input manifold and said person is in oxygen flow communication with said output manifold;
a needle valve positioned in flow control relation to each of said plurality of gas conduits so as to control the flow of oxygen from said input manifold to said output manifold;
a plurality of solenoid valves each having a first closed state and a second open state wherein one of said plurality of solenoid valves is positioned in flow control relation to each but one of said plurality of gas conduits; and
a hand control module interconnected to said solenoids for manually sequentially switching said solenoid valves between said first state and said second state.
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17. An oxygen control system for supplying a predetermined rate of flow from an oxygen source to a person in need of supplemental oxygen comprising:
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an input manifold, an output manifold and three gas conduits interconnecting said input manifold to said output manifold, wherein said oxygen source is arranged in flow communication with said input manifold and output manifold is in oxygen flow communication with said person;
a needle valve positioned in flow control relation to each of said conduits so as to control the flow of oxygen from said input manifold to said output manifold;
a plurality of solenoid valves each having a first closed state corresponding to a preselected level of physical activity of said person and a second, open state corresponding to another preselected level of physical activity of said person, wherein said solenoid valves are positioned in flow control relation to two of said conduits and are disposed in said second state when said system is unpowered so that supplemental oxygen is free to flow to said person;
a pressure actuated switch located in a portion of foot wear worn by said person so that when said person walks, said pressure switch is actuated thereby sending signals to a programmable controller for switching said solenoid valves between said first state and said second state. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An oxygen control system for supplying a predetermined rate of flow from an oxygen source to a person in need of supplemental oxygen comprising:
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an input manifold, an output manifold and three gas conduits interconnecting said input manifold to said output manifold, wherein said oxygen source is arranged in flow communication with said input manifold and a nasal cannula is in oxygen flow communication with said output manifold;
a needle valve positioned in flow control relation to each of said three gas conduits so as to control the flow of oxygen from said input manifold to said output manifold;
two solenoid valves each having a first closed state and a second open state wherein one of said solenoid valves is positioned in flow control relation to a first one of said three gas conduits and one of said solenoid valves is positioned in flow control relation to a second one of said three gas conduits;
a sensor capable of detecting the physical activity level of said person and providing a signal that corresponds to said detected physical activity level; and
a programmable controller responsive to said signals for sequentially switching said solenoid valves between said first state and said second state.
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21. A method for supplying supplemental oxygen to a person according to the level of physical activity under taken by that person comprising the steps of:
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(A) providing a minimum flow of oxygen to said person and at least one clock to measure sequential time periods;
(B) monitoring said person during each of said sequential time periods so as to detect an increase in said physical activity level;
(C) providing an additional flow of oxygen to said person for a discrete period of time in response to an increased level of physical activity detected during one or more of said monitored sequential time periods; and
(D) withdrawing said additional flow of oxygen from said person after the termination of said discrete period of time in response to a reduction in the detected level of physical activity.
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22. A method for supplying supplemental oxygen to a person according to the level of physical activity under taken by that person comprising the steps of:
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(A) providing a minimum flow of oxygen to said person and at least one clock to measure sequential time periods;
(B) monitoring said person during each of said sequential time periods so as to detect an increase in said physical activity level;
(C) providing a first additional flow of oxygen to said person for a first period of time in response to an increased level of physical activity detected during one or more of said monitored sequential time periods;
(D) monitoring said person during each of said sequential time periods following the provision of said first additional flow of oxygen so as to detect a continuation of said increased physical activity level;
(E) providing a second additional flow of oxygen to said person for a second period of time in response to a detected continuation in the increased level of physical activity detected during one or more of said monitored sequential time periods; and
(F) withdrawing said first and second additional flows of oxygen from said person after the sequential termination of said first and second periods of time in response to a reduction in the detected level of physical activity.
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Specification