Reduced-oxygen breathing device
First Claim
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1. A reduced-oxygen breathing apparatus comprising:
- (a) a thermal mass flow controller for regulating the release of nitrogen gas, wherein said nitrogen gas release is for the purpose of contributing to a gas mixture;
(b) a thermal mass flow controller for regulating the release of ambient air, wherein said ambient air release is for the purpose of contributing to said gas mixture;
(c) a nitrogen gas inlet, said inlet being in fluid communication with said nitrogen mass flow controller;
(d) an ambient air inlet, said inlet being in fluid communication with said mass flow controller;
(e) an outlet from said nitrogen mass flow controller, said outlet being in fluid communication with said nitrogen mass flow controller on one end and providing said controlled release of nitrogen gas to a common hose at the opposite end;
(f) an outlet from said ambient air mass flow controller, said outlet being in fluid communication with said ambient air mass flow controller on one end and providing said controlled release of ambient air to said common hose at the opposite end;
(g) a nitrogen gas supply, said nitrogen gas supply being in fluid communication with said nitrogen gas inlet;
(h) an ambient air supply, said ambient air supply being in fluid communication with said ambient air inlet;
(i) a back pressure regulator, said back pressure regulator being in fluid communication with said common hose, wherein said back pressure regulator controls the pressure differential to said mass flow controllers; and
(j) a microprocessor for controlling said releases of said mass flow controllers and thereby regulating the gas component make-up of said gas mixture.
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Abstract
The Reduced Oxygen Breathing Device (ROBD2) is an apparatus that dilutes the oxygen present in air to concentrations below 21% by mixing the air with nitrogen. The purpose of this dilution is to simulate the reduced oxygen concentration available as one ascends in altitude. The ROBD2 is unique and different from previous devices that reduce the concentration of oxygen in room air via dilution with nitrogen gas in that it uses sophisticated gas regulating devices known as mass flow controllers. The ROBD also employs a gas extraction device as an independent component of the system that can separate nitrogen gas from air for use in the device.
93 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A reduced-oxygen breathing apparatus comprising:
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(a) a thermal mass flow controller for regulating the release of nitrogen gas, wherein said nitrogen gas release is for the purpose of contributing to a gas mixture;
(b) a thermal mass flow controller for regulating the release of ambient air, wherein said ambient air release is for the purpose of contributing to said gas mixture;
(c) a nitrogen gas inlet, said inlet being in fluid communication with said nitrogen mass flow controller;
(d) an ambient air inlet, said inlet being in fluid communication with said mass flow controller;
(e) an outlet from said nitrogen mass flow controller, said outlet being in fluid communication with said nitrogen mass flow controller on one end and providing said controlled release of nitrogen gas to a common hose at the opposite end;
(f) an outlet from said ambient air mass flow controller, said outlet being in fluid communication with said ambient air mass flow controller on one end and providing said controlled release of ambient air to said common hose at the opposite end;
(g) a nitrogen gas supply, said nitrogen gas supply being in fluid communication with said nitrogen gas inlet;
(h) an ambient air supply, said ambient air supply being in fluid communication with said ambient air inlet;
(i) a back pressure regulator, said back pressure regulator being in fluid communication with said common hose, wherein said back pressure regulator controls the pressure differential to said mass flow controllers; and
(j) a microprocessor for controlling said releases of said mass flow controllers and thereby regulating the gas component make-up of said gas mixture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A reduced-oxygen breathing apparatus comprising:
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(n) a thermal mass flow controller for regulating the release of nitrogen gas, wherein said nitrogen gas release is for the purpose of contributing to a gas mixture;
(o) a thermal mass flow controller for regulating the release of ambient air, wherein said ambient air release is for the purpose of contributing to said gas mixture;
(p) a nitrogen gas inlet, said inlet being in fluid communication with said nitrogen mass flow controller;
(q) an ambient air inlet, said inlet being in fluid communication with said mass flow controller;
(r) an outlet from said nitrogen mass flow controller, said outlet being in fluid communication with said nitrogen mass flow controller on one end and providing said controlled release of nitrogen gas to a common hose at the opposite end;
(s) an outlet from said ambient air mass flow controller, said outlet being in fluid communication with said ambient air mass flow controller on one end and providing said controlled release of ambient air to said common hose at the opposite end;
(t) an oxygen concentration sensor, said sensor being in fluid communication with said common hose;
(u) a nitrogen gas supply, said nitrogen gas supply being in fluid communication with said nitrogen gas inlet;
(v) an ambient air supply, said ambient air supply being in fluid communication with said ambient air inlet;
(w) a back pressure regulator, said back pressure regulator being in fluid communication with said common hose, wherein said back pressure regulator controls the pressure to said oxygen concentration sensor and pressure differential to said mass flow controllers;
(x) a microprocessor for controlling said releases of said mass flow controllers and thereby regulating the gas component make-up of said gas mixture;
(y) a back-up system for checking said regulation of said gas component make-up of said gas mixture, wherein;
said oxygen concentration sensor sends a signal to said microprocessor;
said microprocessor manipulates said signal;
said microprocessor provides an output signal to a display panel that will alert an operator if said gas mixture is not within predetermined limits set by said microprocessor; and
(z) a gas extraction system using molecular sieve technology to deliver said nitrogen gas supply and an air compressor in fluid communication with said gas extraction system to deliver said ambient air gas supply.
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25. A method of inducing hypoxia in a subject in an isobaric environment to simulate various altitudes comprising:
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a. fitting said subject with a delivery unit of a reduced-oxygen breathing device wherein the subject can breathe a controlled gas mixture;
b. choosing a concentration of oxygen to be administered via the control means of a microprocessor, wherein a set point is created by an operator, wherein actual and expected oxygen concentrations are compared at a operator-selectable frequency, and wherein adjustments to said controlled gas mixture are made by way of software in said control means to drive mass flow controllers which release nitrogen and ambient air to said controlled gas mixture in said device.
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Specification