Oxygen enriching apparatus, controller for the oxygen enriching apparatus, and recording medium for the controller

• US 6,837,244 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NGK Spark PLUG Company Limited (Niterra Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NGK Spark PLUG Company Limited (Niterra Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kojima, Takahito, Akiyama, Junichi, Yagi, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ragonese, Andrea M.
• Application Number:
  US09/956,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20020038656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 128/205.11, 128/204.26, 128/204.21, 128/204.23, 128/204.18, 128/204.76
• US Class Current: 128/205.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/00 Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration; Tracheal tubes stimulating the respiratory movement by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical means, iron lungs combined with gas breathing means A61H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0063 Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0677 Gas-saving devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/101 using an oxygen concentrator
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1055 bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen

Abstract

A small oxygen enriching apparatus which can supply oxygen-enriched gas at high flow rate without imparting unnatural sensation to a user, as well as a controller and recording medium therefore. In step 100, a judgment is made as to whether a flow rate set by use of a flow-rate setting unit 47 is equal to or less than a continuous base flow rate (2 liters/min). When the set flow rate is a low flow rate of not greater than 2 liters/min, breath-synchronized operation is not performed (continuous supply is to be performed), and therefore, in step 110, oxygen-enriched gas is supplied continuously at the set flow rate. When the set flow rate is a high flow rate of greater than 2 liters/min, breath-synchronized operation is to be performed (supply during the inhalation period only of each breathing cycle), and therefore, in step 120, oxygen-enriched gas is continuously supplied at the continuous base flow rate. In step 140, in order to perform breath-synchronized operation, control for opening and closing an electromagnetic valve 45 is performed. That is, oxygen-enriched gas is supplied during the inhalation period only of each breathing cycle, and supply of oxygen-enriched gas is stopped during the exhalation period.

Claims

1. An oxygen enriching apparatus which enriches oxygen contained in the air to thereby obtain oxygen-enriched gas, and which supplies the oxygen-enriched gas to a user synchronously with inhalation of the user by means of a breath synchronizing function, which comprises:

means for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas at a first flow rate of up to 4 liters/min equal to or less than a continuous base flow rate when a breath-synchronized operation is not performed, wherein the continuous base flow rate is a flow rate at which the oxygen enriching apparatus can supply the oxygen-enriched gas continuously; and

means for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas at a second flow rate of 5 to 7 liters/min greater than the continuous base flow rate over an inhalation period having a length 25 to 40% that of a breathing cycle of the user when a breath-synchronized operation is performed.

2. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which comprises means for detecting the state of inhalation or exhalation including a sensor, and for controlling supply of the oxygen-enriched gas based on a signal output from the sensor.

3. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 2, which comprises means for determining a timing for starting or ending supply of the oxygen-enriched gas in the breathing cycle, based on the sensor signal.

4. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 3, which comprises means for detecting the state of inhalation or exhalation one time or a plurality of number of times on the basis of a signal output from the sensor, and for determining the timing for starting or ending subsequent supply of the oxygen-enriched gas based on the thus-detected state of inhalation or exhalation.

5. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a tank provided in an oxygen-enriched-gas supply passage on the downstream side of an oxygen enriching section, for accumulating oxygen-enriched gas supplied during the exhalation period of each breathing timing.

6. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of tanks provided in series in an oxygen-enriched-gas supply passage, on the downstream side of an oxygen enriching section, for stably supplying the oxygen-enriched gas.

7. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of two tanks connected in series has a capacity of at least 500 ml.

8. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 6, comprising a check valve for preventing reverse flow toward the oxygen enriching section disposed between the plurality of tanks.

9. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a switch for setting a flow rate of the oxygen-enriched gas, wherein when the flow rate is set by use of the switch to the first flow rate equal to or less than the continuous base flow rate, the oxygen enriching apparatus supplies the oxygen-enriched gas continuously, and when the flow rate is set by use of the switch to the second flow rate greater than the continuous base flow rate, the oxygen enriching apparatus supplies the oxygen-enriched gas by means of the breath-synchronized operation.

10. A controller for controlling operation of an oxygen enriching apparatus which enriches oxygen contained in the air to thereby obtain oxygen-enriched gas, and which supplies the oxygen-enriched gas to a user synchronously with inhalation of the user by means of a breath synchronizing function, which oxygen-enriching apparatus comprises:

means for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas at a first flow rate of up to 4 liters/min equal to or less than a continuous base flow rate when a breath-synchronized operation is not performed, wherein the continuous base flow rate is a flow rate at which the oxygen enriching apparatus can supply the oxygen-enriched gas continuously; and

means for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas at a second flow rate of 5 to 7 liters/min greater than the continuous base flow rate over an inhalation period having a length 25 to 40% that of a breathing cycle of the user when a breath-synchronized operation is performed.

11. A recording medium having recorded thereon means for executing the function of a controller for controlling operation of an oxygen-enriching apparatus which enriches oxygen contained in the air to thereby obtain oxygen-enriched gas, and which supplies the oxygen-enriched gas to a user synchronously with inhalation of the user by means of a breath synchronizing function, which oxygen-enriching apparatus comprises:

means for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas at a first flow rate of up to 4 liters/min equal to or less than a continuous base flow rate when a breath-synchronized operation is not performed, wherein the continuous base flow rate is a flow rate at which the oxygen enriching apparatus can supply the oxygen-enriched gas continuously; and

means for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas at a second flow rate of 5 to 7 liters/min greater than the continuous base flow rate over an inhalation period having a length 25 to 40% that of a breathing cycle of the user when a breath-synchronized operation is performed.