High efficiency liquid oxygen system

• US 6,742,517 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caire Incorporated (Niterra Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Davis, Richard A., Frye, Mark R., Toma, Leonardo S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, MITAL B
• Application Number:
  US09/696,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 128/201.21, 128/205.22, 128/DIG.27, 62/501, 62/502, 62/507, 62/481
• US Class Current: 128/201.21
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0114 with interiorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0119 with flat end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0391 by vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0146 with details of the manifold
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0332 Safety valves or pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/011 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/043 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/072 Action when predefined value is reached
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/025 Breathing
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 7/02 Discharging liquefied gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/27 Cryogenic

Abstract

A high-efficiency liquid oxygen, (LOX) storage/delivery system utilizes a portable LOX/delivery apparatus with a portable LOX container. A portable-unit LOX transfer connector is connected to the portable LOX container and is connectable to a main source of LOX in a primary reservoir LOX container. A portable-unit oxygen gas transfer connector is provided for transferring oxygen gas from the portable LOX container to an oxygen gas delivery device for delivering oxygen gas to a patient. An inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector also is provided for connecting the portable apparatus to a stationary source of oxygen gas in the primary reservoir container, for transferring oxygen gas to the portable apparatus. A portable-unit primary relief valve is connected to the portable LOX container for venting oxygen gas out of the portable LOX container when pressure in the portable LOX container reaches a predetermined level. When the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector of the portable container is connected to the stationary source of oxygen in the primary reservoir container, oxygen gas can be transferred to the oxygen gas delivery device for delivery to the patient from the portable LOX container while oxygen gas is transferred to the portable container from the stationary source of gas in the primary reservoir LOX container.

Claims

1. A high-efficiency liquid oxygen (LOX) storage/delivery system, comprising:

a portable LOX/delivery apparatus comprising a portable LOX container, and including a portable-unit LOX transfer connector connected to the portable LOX container and connectable to a main source of LOX in a primary reservoir LOX container for transferring LOX to said portable container;

a portable-unit oxygen gas transfer connector for transferring oxygen gas from said portable LOX container to an oxygen gas delivery device for delivering oxygen gas to a patient;

an inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector for connecting the portable apparatus to a stationary source of oxygen gas in said primary reservoir container for transferring oxygen gas to said portable container;

wherein, when the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector of the portable container is connected to said stationary source of oxygen in said primary reservoir container, oxygen gas can be transferred to the oxygen gas delivery device for delivery to the patient from the stationary source of gas in the primary reservoir LOX container through the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector is configured such that, when the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector of the portable container is connected to said stationary source of oxygen in said primary reservoir container, oxygen gas can be transferred to the oxygen gas delivery device for delivery to the patient from the portable LOX container and gaseous oxygen is permitted to be transferred-to the oxygen gas delivery device from the stationary source of gas in the primary reservoir LOX container.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a primary reservoir LOX storage/delivery apparatus comprising said primary reservoir LOX container;

the primary reservoir LOX apparatus including a main LOX transfer connector connected to the primary reservoir LOX container for inputting LOX into said primary reservoir LOX container and connectable to the portable-unit LOX transfer connector for outputting LOX from said primary reservoir LOX container to said portable LOX container;

a main-unit oxygen gas transfer connector for transferring oxygen gas from said primary reservoir LOX container, the main-unit oxygen gas transfer connector being connectable to said inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector, for said transfer of said oxygen gas from said stationary source of oxygen to said portable apparatus wherein said gaseous oxygen is permitted to be transferred to the oxygen gas delivery device from said stationary source of oxygen.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a portable-unit primary relief valve connected to the portable LOX container for venting oxygen gas out of said portable LOX container when pressure in said portable LOX container reaches a predetermined level for said portable LOX container; and

a main-unit primary relief valve connected to the primary reservoir LOX container for venting oxygen gas out of said primary reservoir LOX container when pressure of oxygen gas in said primary reservoir LOX container reaches a predetermined level.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising a primary indicator device connected to the primary reservoir LOX container for indicating the LOX contents of the primary reservoir LOX container.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said system is adapted for functioning within an operating cycle in which said withdrawal period is at least about 10 hours per day.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said oxygen gas is withdrawn from the primary reservoir container for a withdrawal period of at least about 5 hours per day, then said portable LOX apparatus is filled with LOX from said primary reservoir LOX apparatus, whereby oxygen gas pressure in said primary reservoir LOX apparatus is reduced to a level such that pressure may increase within said primary reservoir container for a gas pressurizing period of about 5-15 hours per day without LOX or oxygen gas being withdrawn from said primary reservoir container and without oxygen gas being vented from said primary reservoir container during said gas pressurizing period.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector of said portable LOX apparatus is connected to said main-unit oxygen transfer connector of said primary reservoir container so that oxygen gas can be transferred from the portable container to the oxygen gas delivery device while oxygen gas is transferred to the portable apparatus from the primary reservoir container through the first oxygen transfer connector during said withdrawal period.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein said oxygen gas delivery device is connectable to said main-unit oxygen gas transfer connector for transferring oxygen gas from said primary reservoir LOX container for delivery to said patient.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a flexible gas conduit is connectable between the main-unit oxygen gas transfer connector to said oxygen gas delivery device.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein a flexible gas conduit is capable of connecting the main-unit oxygen gas transfer connector to the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector for transferring oxygen gas from said primary reservoir container to said portable apparatus.

12. The system of claim 3, further including a gas conserving device, so that when said patient exhales, oxygen gas accumulates in said conserving device, and when said patient inhales, oxygen gas is delivered to said patient from said conserving device.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein said primary reservoir LOX apparatus further includes a pressure indicator device for indicating an internal gaseous oxygen pressure within said primary reservoir LOX container.

14. A method for utilizing a high-efficiency liquid oxygen (LOX) storage/delivery system as in claim 3, said method comprising connecting said inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector of said portable container to said main-unit oxygen transfer connector of said primary reservoir container, and withdrawing oxygen gas from said portable container through said portable-unit oxygen gas transfer connector while oxygen gas is transferred to the portable container from the primary reservoir container through the main-unit oxygen transfer connector.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of withdrawing oxygen gas from the primary reservoir container for a withdrawal period of at least about 5 hours per day, then filling said portable LOX apparatus with LOX from said primary reservoir LOX apparatus through said portable-unit LOX transfer connector connected to said main-unit LOX transfer connector, disconnecting said portable LOX apparatus from said primary reservoir LOX apparatus, and withdrawing oxygen gas from said portable LOX apparatus, whereby during said withdrawal period, oxygen gas pressure in said primary reservoir LOX apparatus is reduced to a level such that thereafter, pressure may increase within said primary reservoir container for a gas pressurizing period of about 5-15 hours per day without LOX or oxygen gas being withdrawn from said primary reservoir container and without oxygen gas being vented from said primary reservoir container during said gas pressurizing period.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein during said withdrawal period, said inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector of said portable LOX container is connected to said main-unit oxygen transfer connector of said primary reservoir LOX container, and oxygen gas is transferred from the portable container to the oxygen gas delivery device while oxygen gas is transferred to the portable LOX apparatus from the primary reservoir LOX container through the main-unit oxygen transfer connector.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein during said withdrawal period, the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector is connected to the main-unit oxygen gas transfer connector by a flexible gas conduit.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein prior to complete withdrawal of oxygen gas from said portable LOX container while said portable LOX container is partially filled with LOX, the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector of said portable LOX container is connected to said main-unit oxygen transfer connector of said primary reservoir LOX container, and oxygen gas is withdrawn from the portable LOX container while oxygen gas is transferred to the portable LOX apparatus from the primary reservoir LOX container through the main-unit oxygen transfer connector.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein during said withdrawal period, the main-unit oxygen gas transfer connector is connected to said oxygen gas delivery device by a flexible gas conduit.

20. The method of claim 14, further including a gas conserving device, so that when said patient exhales, oxygen gas accumulates in said conserving device, and when said patient inhales, oxygen gas is delivered to said patient from said conserving device.

21. A high-efficiency liquid oxygen (LOX) storage/delivery system, comprising:

a portable LOX/delivery apparatus including a portable LOX container, a portable-unit LOX transfer connector connected to the portable LOX container and connectable to a main source of LOX in a primary reservoir LOX container for transferring LOX to said portable container, and a portable-unit oxygen gas transfer connector for transferring oxygen gas from said portable LOX container to an oxygen gas delivery device for delivering oxygen gas to a patient; and

said portable LOX/delivery apparatus being configured to provide gas at a typical patient use rate with an LOX use rate of at most about {fraction (1/10)} pounds per hour.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said typical patient use rate is about 2 liters per minute.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said portable LOX/delivery apparatus is configured to provide gas at a typical patient use rate with an LOX ruse rate of at most about {fraction (1/12)} pounds per hour.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said portable LOX/delivery apparatus has weight that is at most about 3.5 pounds.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said weight includes LOX in said portable LOX container.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said portable LOX/delivery apparatus has a weight that is at most about 2.5 pounds.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said weight is without LOX in said portable LOX container.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein said portable LOX/delivery apparatus is sized to be carried by a patient while lasting at least approximately 10 hours.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein said portable LOX/delivery apparatus is sized to be carried by a patient while lasting at least approximately 10 hours at a gas withdrawal rate of about 2 liters per minute.

30. The system of claim 21, further including an inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector for connecting the portable apparatus to a stationary source of oxygen gas in said primary reservoir container for transferring oxygen gas to said portable container;

wherein, when the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector of the portable container is connected to said stationary source of oxygen in said primary reservoir container, oxygen, gas can be transfer red to the oxygen gas delivery device for delivery to the patient from the stationary source of gas in the primary reservoir LOX container through the inter-unit oxygen gas transfer connector.

31. The system of claim 21, wherein said portable LOX/delivery apparatus has a weight that is at most about 2.5 pounds.

32. The system of claim 21, wherein said portable LOX/delivery apparatus is sized to be carried by a patient while lasting at least approximately 10 hours.

33. A high-efficiency liquid oxygen (LOX) storage/delivery system, comprising:

a portable LOX/delivery apparatus including a portable LOX container, a portable-unit LOX transfer connector connected to the portable LOX container and connectable to a main source of LOX in a primary reservoir LOX container for transferring LOX to said portable container, and a portable-unit oxygen gas transfer connector for transferring oxygen gas from said portable LOX container to an oxygen gas delivery device for delivering oxygen gas to a patient; and

said portable LOX/delivery apparatus including means for delivering gas at a patient use rate of about 2 liters per minute with an LOX use rate of at most about {fraction (1/10)}pounds per hour.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said means delivers gas at a patient use rate of about 2 liters per minute with an LOX use rate of at most about {fraction (1/12)}pounds per hour.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein said portable LOX/delivery apparatus has weight that is at most about 3.5 pounds.