OXYGEN BREATHING DEVICE WITH REDUNDANT SIGNAL TRANSMISSION

• US 20100078019A1
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Aerotechnics
• Original Assignee: Intertechnique SA (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Glosekotter, Peter, Bauer, Christoph, Rittner, Wolfgang, Meckes, Rudiger
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/202.260
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/02 with compressed oxygen or air
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/08 containing chemicals producing oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/14 for high-altitude aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/00 Component parts for respiratory or breathing apparatus A62B19/00, A62B21/00, A62B23/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49769 Using optical instrument [excludes mere human eyeballing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement of a plurality of oxygen breathing devices, in particular for providing oxygen to passenger or crew of an aircraft, each oxygen breathing device comprising an oxygen source, wherein oxygen is stored, in particular in chemically bound form or compressed form, an oxygen guiding device for guiding oxygen from the oxygen source to a person. According to the invention, an arrangement of a plurality of oxygen breathing devices is provided, wherein a first one of said plurality of oxygen breathing devices further comprises an integrated transmitter comprising a sender adapted for wireless communication with a receiver of a second one of said oxygen breathing devices and a receiver adapted for wireless communication with a sender of said second oxygen breathing device, wherein said second oxygen breathing device is arranged in a distance from the first oxygen breathing device, wherein the sender and receiver of said integrated transmitter are adapted to receive and send at least a decompression signal signalising the need to activate oxygen supply from said oxygen source via said oxygen guiding device, and wherein preferably said transmitter is connected to said oxygen source to activate oxygen supply via said oxygen guiding device upon receipt of such decompression signal.

Claims

1. An arrangement of a plurality of oxygen breathing devices, in particular for providing oxygen to passenger or crew of an aircraft, each oxygen breathing device comprising:

an oxygen source, wherein oxygen is stored, in particular in chemically bound form or compressed form,

an oxygen guiding device for guiding oxygen from the oxygen source to a person,

wherein a first one of said plurality of oxygen breathing devices further comprises an integrated transmitter comprising;

a sender adapted for wireless communication with a receiver of a second one of said oxygen breathing devices and

a receiver adapted for wireless communication with a sender of said second oxygen breathing device,

wherein said second oxygen breathing device is arranged in a distance from the first oxygen breathing device,

wherein the sender and receiver of said integrated transmitter are adapted to receive and send at least a decompression signal signalising the need to activate oxygen supply from said oxygen source via said oxygen guiding device, and

wherein preferably said transmitter is connected to said oxygen source to activate oxygen supply via said oxygen guiding device upon receipt of such decompression signal.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said first oxygen breathing device further comprises a control unit adapted to monitor connection between said integrated transmitter and a transmitter of said second oxygen breathing device, wherein said control unit is further adapted to detect partial or total failure of said wireless communication path and to switch to a wireless communication between said integrated transmitter and another transmitter, preferably a transmitter of a third oxygen breathing device in case of such failure.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said first oxygen breathing device further comprises a control unit adapted to automatically detect a presence of another transmitter, in particular said transmitter of said second oxygen breathing device and to establish wireless connection between said integrated transmitter and said other transmitter.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of oxygen breathing devices, wherein each oxygen breathing device comprises an integrated transmitter for wireless communication with another transmitter of another oxygen breathing device and wherein preferably each oxygen breathing device comprises a control unit.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising one or more isolated transmitter units adapted to wirelessly receive a decompression signal and to wirelessly transmit said decompression signal to another transmitter.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensor and a control unit adapted to receive a pressure signal from said pressure sensor and including a comparator adapted to compare said pressure signal to a predetermined pressure range, wherein said control unit is coupled to a transmitter to send said decompression signal to at least one transmitter of an oxygen breathing device, wherein said pressure sensor is preferably integrated into one of said oxygen breathing devices.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein each oxygen breathing device comprises a light sensitive element coupled to said integrated transmitter of the respective oxygen breathing device, wherein said light sensitive element is adapted to send a signal to said transmitter if a light event is detected and wherein said transmitter is adapted to send a light event reception signal in case of receipt of such signal from the light sensitive element.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7 further comprising a position detection device comprising a position sensor to determine its position in space and a light source for emitting light in a certain direction or sector, said position detection device further comprising a receiver adapted to receive said light event reception signal from a transmitter coupled to a light sensitive element having received light from said light source and a control unit and a memory adapted to register and store at least a coordinate of the position of said light sensitive element, preferably the position of said light sensitive element.

9. An oxygen breathing device, in particular for providing oxygen to passenger or crew of an aircraft, the device comprising:

an oxygen source, wherein oxygen is stored, in particular in chemically bound form or compressed form,

an oxygen guiding device for guiding oxygen from the oxygen source to a person,

further comprising an integrated transmitter comprising;

a sender adapted for wireless communication with another receiver and

a receiver adapted for wireless communication with another sender,

wherein the sender and receiver of said integrated transmitter are adapted to receive and send at least a decompression signal signalising the need to activate oxygen supply from said oxygen source via said oxygen guiding device, and

wherein said transmitter is connected to said oxygen source to activate oxygen supply via said oxygen guiding device upon receipt of such decompression signal.

10. The oxygen breathing device according to claim 9 comprising a control unit for controlling pressure and/or flow rate of the oxygen flowing through the guiding device and an energy conversion and supply device which is adapted to:

convert energy stored or produced within the oxygen breathing device into an energy required by the control unit, and

provide said energy required by the control unit to the control unit.

11. The oxygen breathing device according to claim 9 wherein said oxygen source is a chemical oxygen source comprising at least one or two components, said component(s) producing oxygen in a chemical reaction and wherein said energy conversion and supply device is adapted to convert heat energy generated by said chemical reaction the oxygen source into said energy required by the control unit to the control unit, wherein said energy conversion and supply device preferably is a peltier element in thermal contact with the oxygen source or wherein

said energy conversion and supply device is adapted to convert energy produced by oscillatory motion of the oxygen breathing device or parts of it.

12. A method for installing an emergency oxygen supply arrangement in an aircraft, the method comprising:

Installing a plurality of passenger oxygen breathing devices, each comprising a sender and a receiver for wireless communication with another sender and receiver,

Establishing a network among these plurality of oxygen breathing devices by self configuring and maintaining wireless connectivity between said senders and receivers,

Further including in said network at least one pressure signal coupled to a sender to wirelessly transmit an emergency decompression signal to at least one receiver in said network.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising:

positioning a locating device in a line of sight to at least one light sensitive element associated to one of said oxygen breathing devices,

emitting a light event from said locating device to said light sensitive element,

detecting said light event in said light sensitive element and sending a receipt signal to a sender coupled to said light sensitive element,

sending a receipt signal from said sender to said locating device to register the position of said oxygen breathing device within a storage unit inside said locating device.

14. A method of providing oxygen to passengers of an aircraft, comprising:

a. sending an emergency decompression signal from a pressure sensor to a transmitter within a first oxygen breathing device via wireless communication,

b. providing oxygen masks and/or activating oxygen supply within said first oxygen breathing device,

c. sending said emergency decompression signal from said transmitter of said first oxygen breathing device to a transmitter of a second oxygen breathing device via wireless communication,

d. providing oxygen masks and/or activating oxygen supply within said second oxygen breathing device,

e. sending said emergency decompression signal from said transmitter of said second oxygen breathing device to a transmitter of a third oxygen breathing device via wireless communication,

f. providing oxygen masks and/or activating oxygen supply within said third oxygen breathing device,

wherein said emergency decompression signal is transmitted to said third oxygen breathing via direct wireless communication of said transmitters of said first and third oxygen breathing device or via a transmitter of a fourth oxygen breathing device in case of failure of said transmitter of said second oxygen breathing device.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising:

controlling the flow and/or pressure of the oxygen flow in a control unit, which is part of the oxygen breathing device,

supplying drive energy to said control unit for driving said control of the flow and/or pressure,

guiding said oxygen flow with said controlled flow and/or pressure to said person,

converting energy stored or generated within said oxygen breathing device or parts of it into said drive energy of said control unit.