Emergency oxygen supply system

• US 5,123,409 A
• Filed: 06/05/1990
• Issued: 06/23/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Progressive Medical Applications Corp.
• Original Assignee: Scott Specialty Gases, Inc. (Air Liquide SA)
• Inventors: Boyles, Richard J., Sheffield, David P., McMenamy, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asher, Kimberly L.
• Application Number:
  US07/533,602
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/202.27, 128/205.22, 128/205.21, 128/205.24, 128/205.25, 220/581, 220/582, 137/376, 206/0.6
• US Class Current: 128/204.18
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/02 with compressed oxygen or air
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/02 Valves non-return valves mounted in breathing masks or helmets A62B18/10
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/04 Couplings; Supporting frames
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/04 Arrangement or mounting of valves valves per se F16K ; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/084 for small-sized storage vessels, e.g. compressed gas cylinders or bottles, disposable gas vessels, vessels adapted for automotive use
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0119 with flat end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0385 in blocks or units
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/011 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/025 Breathing

Abstract

An emergency oxygen supply system is disclosed in which a oxygen tank and valve body are mounted on a bracket including a pin maintaining a valve within the valve body in a position blocking fluid flow from the tank to an oxygen mask. Flow of oxygen from the oxygen tank to the oxygen mask is automatically actuated upon removal of the tank and valve body from the bracket, since the pin remains with the bracket, and the valve no longer blocks fluid flow. The valve also provides pressure regulation to prevent overly high pressures from passing from the oxygen tank to the oxygen mask.

Claims

1. An oxygen supply system comprising:

an oxygen tank containing pressurized oxygen;

a bracket for mounting said tank in a storage position;

said bracket including a pin element, means mounting said pin element such that said pin element normally remains with said bracket;

a valve body having an inlet connected to said tank, an outlet leading to an oxygen tube, and a valve controlling flow between said inlet and said outlet, means in said valve body to receive said pin element when said tank is mounted on said bracket, said pin element when received in said valve body blocking movement of said valve from a closed position to an open position;

said tank and said valve body being removable as a unit from said bracket, said pin element remaining with said bracket thereby enabling said valve to be moved from position blocking flow to a position permitting flow, such that oxygen can flow from said inlet to said outlet.

2. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 1, wherein said valve comprises a valve seal at a first end, said valve seal being engageable with a valve seat in said valve body, spring means biasing said valve and said valve seal away from said valve seat, said bracket portion contacting a second end, and forcing said valve against said spring means to maintain said valve seal in contact with said valve seat, blocking flow from said inlet to said outlet.

3. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 2, wherein said valve also regulates the pressure of oxygen supplied to said outlet.

4. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 3, wherein said valve comprises a pair of pistons, a first of said pair being a regulator piston formed with said valve seal, and said spring means including first spring means forcing said regulator piston away from said valve seat, a second of said pair being a shut-off piston mounted intermediate said regulator piston and said aperture, a second spring means disposed intermediate said regulator piston and said shut-off piston, said bracket portion forcing said shut-off piston against said second spring means such that upon removal of said tank and said valve body from said bracket, said second spring means moves said shut-off piston upwardly into said aperture away from said regulator piston, and defines a fluid chamber intermediate said regulator piston and said shut-off piston.

5. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 4, wherein oxygen is communicated into said fluid chamber from said inlet and acts against the force of said first spring means such that said regulator piston regulates the pressure of oxygen supplied to said outlet.

6. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 1, wherein said pin is connected to a ring, and said bracket further includes a hook, said ring being received upon said hook.

7. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 1, wherein said pin is formed integrally with said bracket.

8. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 7, wherein a second pin is maintained in the vicinity of said bracket, such that said second pin may be inserted into said aperture when said tank and said valve body are removed from said bracket.

9. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 1, wherein said pin has a ramped portion at an end which initially enters said aperture, said valve has a ball member normally engaged with said pin at one end, said ramped portion forcing said ball downwardly against said spring means as said pin is guided into said aperture.

10. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 1, wherein said bracket is mounted on a wall.

11. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 1, wherein said bracket supports said tank at both bottom and central locations.

12. An oxygen supply system comprising:

an oxygen tank containing pressurized oxygen;

a valve body having an inlet connected to said tank and an outlet leading to an oxygen tube, a valve received within said valve body for controlling flow between said inlet and said outlet, a removable pin maintaining said valve in a position blocking flow from said inlet to said outlet; and

said valve also regulating the pressure of oxygen supplied to said outlet when said pin is removed;

said valve comprising a valve seal at a first end, said valve seal being engageable with a valve seat in said valve body, spring means biasing said valve and said valve seal away from said valve seat, said pin forcing said valve against said spring means to maintain said valve seal in contact with said valve seat blocking flow from said inlet to said outlet; and

said valve comprising a pair of pistons, a first of said pair being a regulator piston formed with said valve seal, said spring means including first spring means forcing said regulator piston away from said valve seat, a second of said pair being a shut-off piston mounted intermediate said regulator piston and said aperture, a second spring means disposed intermediate said regulator piston and said shut-off piston, said pin forcing said shut-off piston against said second spring means such that upon removal of said pin, said second spring means moves said shut-off valve upwardly into said aperture away from said regulator piston and defines a fluid chamber intermediate said regulator piston and said shut-off piston.

13. An oxygen supply system as recited in claim 12, wherein oxygen is communicated into said fluid chamber from said inlet and acts against the force of said first spring means such that said regulator piston regulates the pressure of oxygen supplied to said outlet.

14. A method of supplying emergency oxygen to a user comprising the steps of:

providing an oxygen tank having a valve body which contains a valve that controls flow from an inlet to an outlet in said valve body;

providing a mounting bracket having a first blocking portion;

mounting said tank and said valve body as a unit on said bracket;

engaging said first blocking portion in said valve body so as to prevent flow of oxygen from said inlet to said outlet;

removing said tank and said valve body as a unit from said mounting bracket;

disengaging said first blocking portion from said valve body, and initiating flow of oxygen from said inlet to said outlet;

providing a second blocking portion in the vicinity of said bracket;

removably inserting said second blocking portion into said valve body when said tank and valve body are removed form said bracket and said first blocking portion so as to stop flow of oxygen from said inlet and said outlet; and

removing said second blocking portion from said valve body and supplying oxygen to a user when desired.