Portable oxygen concentrator

• US 20070227360A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips RS North America LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Halperin, Scott, Bliss, Peter, Murdoch, Robert, Atlas, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,753,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/121
• 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 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/1025 the O2 concentration
• 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 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/108 Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/12 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/102 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/402 using two beds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/406 using more than four beds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4146 Contiguous multilayered adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4533 for medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4541 for portable use, e.g. gas masks
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0407 Constructional details of adsorbing systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0446 Means for feeding or distributing gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0454 : Controlling adsorption controlling temperature swing adsorption B01D53/0462, controlling pressure swing adsorption B01D53/047
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/047 : Pressure swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/0259 : by adsorption on solids
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2210/0046 : Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2210/0062 : Water
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A portable oxygen concentrator includes a pressure swing absorption system defined by a relatively rigid housing adapted to generate a flow of oxygen enriched gas and a battery adapted to provide power to the pressure swing absorption system. The oxygen concentrator has a total weight of less than about 10 lbs, has a maximum flow of 100% O₂ equivalent gas of about 0.9 lpm, has a total volume less than about 800 in³, and gas a battery life of at least about 8 hours. The present invention also using a liquefaction or transfill system in combination with such an oxygen concentrator.

Claims

1. An ambulatory oxygen concentrator comprising:

a pressure swing absorption system adapted to generate a flow of oxygen enriched gas;

a battery adapted to provide power to the pressure swing absorption system, wherein the oxygen concentrator has a total weight of less than about 10 lbs, has a maximum flow of 100% O₂ equivalent gas of about 0.9 lpm, has a total volume less than about 800 in³, and gas a battery life of at least about 8 hours.

2. The concentrator of claim 1, further comprising a carrying bag adapted to enclose the pressure swing absorption system.

3. The concentrator of claim 1, further comprising an oxygen conserver coupled to an output of the pressure swing absorption system, wherein the oxygen conserver is adapted to control the flow of oxygen enriched gas delivered to a patient such that a bolus of oxygen enriched gas is provided to a patient during at least a portion of an inspiratory phase of a breathing cycle.

4. The concentrator of claim 1, further comprising a cryogenic cooling system operatively coupled to the pressure swing absorption system so as to receive at least a portion of the flow of oxygen enriched gas, and wherein the cryogenic cooling system is adapted to generate liquid oxygen using the received oxygen enriched gas.

5. The concentrator of claim 4, further comprising a portable storage dewer adapted to be coupled to the cryogenic cooling system and to store the liquid oxygen for user consumption.

6. The concentrator of claim 4, further comprising an outlet port provided between the pressure swing absorption system and the cryogenic cooling system to enable a user to consume the oxygen enriched gas from the pressure swing absorption system.

7. The concentrator of claim 6, wherein the outlet port is configured such that the user is capable of consuming the oxygen enriched gas from the pressure swing absorption system simultaneous with the oxygen enriched gas being provided to the cryogenic cooling system.

8. The concentrator of claim 1, further comprising a compressor operatively coupled to the pressure swing absorption system so as to receive at least a portion of the flow of oxygen enriched gas oxygen, wherein the compressor is adapted to increase a pressure of the received oxygen enriched gas.

9. The concentrator of claim 8, wherein the compressor is a piston compressor that increases the pressure of the flow of oxygen enriched gas to at least 1500 psi.

10. The concentrator of claim 8, further comprising a portable storage vessel adapted to be coupled to the compressor and to store the pressurized oxygen enriched gas for user consumption.

11. The concentrator of claim 8, further comprising an outlet port provided between the pressure swing absorption system and the compressor to enable a user to consume the oxygen enriched gas from the oxygen concentrator.

12. The concentrator of claim 11, wherein the outlet port is configured such that the user is capable of consuming the oxygen enriched gas from the pressure swing absorption system simultaneous with the oxygen enriched gas being provided to the compressor.

13. An oxygen concentrator comprising:

a pressure swing absorption system adapted to generate a flow of oxygen enriched gas;

a first battery adapted to provide power to the pressure swing absorption system, wherein a ratio R_ODW is determined as;

R_ODW=(O₂ output*duration)/total weight,

where O₂ output is the 100% oxygen output, duration is the operating life of the oxygen concentrator for a given amount of batteries, and weight is a total weight of the oxygen concentrator, and wherein the R_ODW for the oxygen concentrator is not less than about 0.43 (lpm-hr)/lb.

14. The concentrator of claim 13, further comprising a second battery, wherein the R_ODW for the oxygen concentrator including the first battery and the second battery is not less than about 0.73 (lpm-hr)/lb.

15. The concentrator of claim 14, further comprising a third battery, wherein the R_ODW for the oxygen concentrator including the first battery, the second battery, and the third battery is not less than about 0.95 (lpm-hr)/lb.

16. An oxygen concentrator comprising:

a pressure swing absorption system adapted to generate a flow of oxygen enriched gas;

a first battery adapted to provide power to the pressure swing absorption system, wherein a ratio of duration to sound produced during operation the oxygen concentrator (R_DS) is defined as duration/sound level, and wherein and R_DS for the oxygen concentrator is not less than about 0.073 duration/sound.

17. The concentrator of claim 16, further comprising a second battery, wherein the R_DS for the oxygen concentrator including the first battery and the second battery is not less than about 0.145 duration/sound.

18. The concentrator of claim 17, further comprising a third battery, wherein the R_DS for the oxygen concentrator including the first battery, the second battery, and the third battery is not less than about 0.218 duration/sound.