Product pump for an oxygen concentrator

• US 7,171,963 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2005
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VBOX, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VBOX, Incorporated
• Inventors: Lonnes, Perry B., Jagger, Theodore W., Kivisto, John A., Van Brunt, Nicholas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett; Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh; Jasveer
• Application Number:
  US11/054,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 128/201.21, 951/02, 951/28, 951/38, 961/21, 921/35, 921/26, 921/27
• US Class Current: 128/201.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• 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 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

Abstract

A product pump for pumping separated product gas from an oxygen concentrator which produces oxygen-rich product gas by utilizing a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process. The oxygen concentrator comprises a cartridge containing an adsorbent material for separating the product gas from ambient air, a vacuum pump which provides a vacuum source, a valve for selectively connecting the vacuum pump to the cartridge and product pump, and a reservoir. The product pump comprises a pumping chamber having a product gas inlet and a product gas outlet, a piston movable in the chamber, a vacuum inlet in the chamber on an opposite side of the piston from the product gas inlet and outlet for providing a vacuum to cause the piston to draw product gas through the product gas inlet into the chamber, and a spring for providing a spring force to force the product gas out the product gas outlet.

Claims

1. A method of providing oxygen-rich gas separated from ambient air to a patient, the method comprising:

performing vacuum swing adsorption cycles in each of a plurality of adsorbent beds containing an adsorbent selective for nitrogen, each cycle including a feed phase, an evacuation phase, and a repressurization phase;

pumping separated oxygen to a reservoir, wherein the pumping comprises;

a) applying a vacuum to move a piston in a first direction to draw product gas into a pumping chamber while compressing a spring connected to the piston;

b) interrupting the vacuum to release the compression on the spring and drive the piston in a second direction to push the product gas from the pumping chamber into the storage reservoir; and

delivering product gas from the reservoir to the patient.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

controlling cycle rate of the vacuum swing adsorption cycles as a function of the product gas delivered to the patient.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein delivering product gas comprises delivering a pulse of product gas in response to inhalation by the patient.

4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

storing product gas produced by the cycles in the reservoir.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the product gas is stored in the reservoir at a pressure of about 1.0 atm to about 2.0 atm.