Ambulatory oxygen concentrator containing a power pack

• US 20060174875A1
• Filed: 02/09/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VBOX, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VBOX, Incorporated
• Inventors: Lonnes, Perry B., Jagger, Theodore W., Kivisto, John A., Van Brunt, Nicholas P.
• Application Number:
  US11/054,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174875A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/201.210
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/10 Preparation of respiratory gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/101 using an oxygen concentrator
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0007 introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/03 Gases in liquid phase, e.g. cryogenic liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/086 Docking stations

Abstract

An oxygen concentrator for providing ambulatory oxygen containing a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) oxygen separator powered by a power pack. The separator has a plurality of nitrogen-selective adsorbent beds, each operating in VSA cycles including feed, evacuation and repressurization phases. The concentrator also contains a reservoir for storing oxygen-rich product gas produced by the VSA oxygen separator.

Claims

1. An oxygen concentrator comprising:

a portable power pack;

a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) oxygen separator powered by the power pack and having a plurality of nitrogen-selective adsorbent beds, each operating in VSA cycles including feed, evacuation and repressurization phases, the VSA cycles operating with vacuum levels within in a range between about 0.1 atm and about 1.0 atm; and

a reservoir for storing oxygen-rich product gas produced by the VSA oxygen separator.

2. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 wherein the power pack, the VSA oxygen separator, and the reservoir have a combined mass of less than 2.3 kg.

3. The oxygen concentrator of claim 2 wherein the combined mass is less than about 1.4 kg.

4. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 wherein the power pack, the VSA oxygen separator, and the reservoir have a combined volume of less than 1 liter.

5. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 wherein the adsorbent beds comprise an LiLSX adsorbent.

6. The oxygen concentrator of claim 1 wherein the VSA oxygen separator comprises:

an ambient air inlet;

a vacuum pump;

a product control pump; and

a valve for selectively connecting the ambient air inlet, the vacuum pump and the product control pump to the adsorbent beds during different phases of the VSA cycles.

7. The oxygen concentrator of claim 6 wherein the VSA oxygen concentrator further comprises:

a motor for driving the valve and the vacuum pump.

8. An oxygen concentrator which produces a product gas containing at least about eighty-five percent oxygen by utilizing a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process comprising:

a gas input system for supplying ambient air;

a VSA gas separation system in communication with the gas input system, the gas separation system comprising a cartridge containing an adsorbent material for producing oxygen;

a gas storage and delivery system for receiving oxygen produced by the gas separation system;

a drive which actuates the gas storage and delivery system and the gas separation system;

a power pack connected to the drive; and

wherein the oxygen concentrator has a weight of less than 2.3 kg and a volume of less than 1 liter.

9. The oxygen concentrator of claim 8 wherein the VSA gas separation system further comprises a vacuum pump which evacuates nitrogen rich gas from the adsorbent material.

10. The oxygen concentrator of claim 8 wherein the power pack comprises a battery.

11. The oxygen concentrator of claim 8 wherein the gas storage and delivery system includes an oxygen conserver.

12. A method of providing oxygen separated from ambient air to a patient, the method comprising:

performing vacuum swing adsorption cycles in each of a plurality of adsorbent beds containing an adsorbent selective for nitrogen, each cycle including a feed phase, an evacuation phase, and a repressurization phase; and

delivering product gas containing oxygen separated by the vacuum swing adsorption cycles to the patient.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein vacuum levels in the beds during cycles are between about 0.1 atm and about 1.0 atm.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein each of the beds has a first end and a second end.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein during the feed phase ambient air at about 1.0 atm is introduced into the first end of the bed and product gas is removed from the bed through the second end of the bed.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the feed cycle is terminated when a mass transfer zone has reached a specific position in the column.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein during the repressurization phase, the bed is partially repressurized by product gas introduced through the second end.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein during the repressurization phase the bed is repressurized to near 1.0 atm with ambient air introduced through the first end.

19. The method of claim 12 and further comprising:

controlling cycle rate of the vacuum swing adsorption cycles as a function of the product gas delivered to the patient.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein delivering product gas comprises delivering a pulse of product gas in response inhalation by the patient.

21. The method of claim 12 and further comprising:

storing product gas produced by the cycles in a reservoir.

22. The method of claim 21 and further comprising:

pumping product gas from the beds to the reservoir.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the product gas is stored in the reservoir at a pressure of about 1.0 atm to about 2.0 atm.

24. The method of claim 12 wherein plurality of adsorbent beds comprises three adsorbent beds, each in a different phase at any given instant.

25. The method of claim 12 wherein the adsorbent is LiLSX adsorbent.