Method of controlling the rate of oxygen produced by an oxygen concentrator

• US 20060174882A1
• Filed: 02/09/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VBOX, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VBOX, Incorporated
• Inventors: Lonnes, Perry B., Jagger, Theodore W., Kivisto, John A., Van Brunt, Nicholas P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,766,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/201.250
• 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

Abstract

A method of providing concentrated oxygen product gas to a patient. The method comprises producing product gas by a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process with an oxygen concentrator comprising a plurality of separation columns connected to a vacuum source driven by a motor. Separated product gas is then pumped to a product reservoir. The pressure of the reservoir is monitored and used to adjust the speed of the motor based on the reservoir pressure. The separated gas is then delivered to the patient.

Claims

5-1. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering the product gas to the patient occurs during a portion of the patients inhalation.

6. An oxygen concentrator comprising:

an oxygen reservoir;

a plurality of adsorbent columns, each having an inlet, an outlet and a bed of adsorbent material;

a vacuum pump for removing separated nitrogen rich gas from the column inlets;

a product control pump for pumping oxygen rich gas from the column outlets to the oxygen reservoir;

a control valve for controlling flow of fluids in and out of the columns;

a motor for driving the vacuum pump and control valve to produce vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) cycles in which oxygen-rich product gas is separated and accumulated in the reservoir;

a pressure sensor for providing a signal as a function of gas pressure in the oxygen reservoir; and

an electric control module (ECM) that receives a signal from the pressure sensor, and adjusts the speed of the motor based on the signal.

7. The oxygen concentrator of claim 6 wherein the oxygen concentrator has a volume of less than 1.0 liter.

8. The oxygen concentrator of claim 6 wherein the oxygen concentrator has a mass of less than 2.3 kg.

9. The oxygen concentrator of claim 6 wherein the oxygen concentrator has a mass of less than 1.4 kg.

10. The oxygen concentrator of claim 6 further comprising:

a rechargeable power source for actuating the control valve, motor, and ECM.

11. The oxygen concentrator of claim 6 wherein the adsorbent material comprises a zeolite which preferentially adsorbs nitrogen.

12. The oxygen concentrator of claim 6 wherein the control valve comprises a rotary valve.

13. The oxygen concentrator of claim 6 further comprising an oxygen conserver connected to the oxygen reservoir.

14. An oxygen concentrator comprising:

an oxygen gas separator for producing oxygen-rich product gas from air;

a reservoir for storing product gas from the separator;

a delivery system for delivering product gas from the reservoir to a patient; and

a control for controlling production of product gas by the separator as a function of product gas delivered from the reservoir.

15. The oxygen concentrator of claim 14 further comprising:

an oxygen conserver connected to the reservoir.

16. The oxygen concentrator of claim 14 wherein the oxygen gas separator utilizes vacuum swing adsorption to produce the oxygen-rich product gas.

17. The oxygen concentrator of claim 14 wherein the oxygen concentrator has a volume of less than 1.0 liter.

18. The oxygen concentrator of claim 14 wherein the oxygen concentrator has a mass of less then 2.3 kg.

19. The oxygen concentrator of claim 14 wherein the oxygen concentrator has a mass of less then 1.4 kg.

20. The oxygen concentrator of claim 14 wherein the oxygen gas separator comprises a plurality of gas separation columns, each column including a first filter, a bed of adsorbent material, and a second filter encased within the column.

21. The oxygen concentrator of claim 20 wherein the bed of adsorbent material comprises a zeolite that preferentially adsorbs nitrogen.

22. The oxygen concentrator of claim 14 and further comprising:

a pressure sensor for providing a reservoir pressure signal as a function of product gas pressure in the reservoir; and

wherein the control controls production of product gas as a function of product gas delivered based on the reservoir pressure signal.