Methods and apparatus to generate liquid ambulatory oxygen from an oxygen concentrator
First Claim
1. A home liquid oxygen ambulatory system for supplying a portable supply of oxygen, where a portion of the gaseous oxygen output obtained from an oxygen concentrator a pressure swing adsorption system is condensed into liquid oxygen, comprising:
- (a) an oxygen concentrator a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed which separates oxygen gas from receives the ambient air as an input and provides an output of oxygen-enriched gas;
(b) a condenser in communication with said oxygen concentrator pressure swing adsorption system for receiving and liquefying the oxygen gas flow the output from the pressure swing adsorption system;
(c) a cryocooler associated with said condenser; and
(d) a first storage dewar in fluid communication with said condenser and adapted to store the oxygen liquefied by the condenser, the first storage dewar including means for transferring liquid oxygen from the first dewar to a second dewar for storing a quantity of oxygen suitable for moveable oxygen treatment, wherein said liquid oxygen transferring means is adapted to increase the pressure in said first dewar.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a much safer and less expensive way of providing portable oxygen from a gas concentrator for patients who do not want to be tied to a stationary machine or restricted by present oxygen technology. The present invention involves a home liquid oxygen ambulatory system for supplying a portable supply of oxygen, where a portion of the gaseous oxygen output obtained from an oxygen concentrator is condensed into liquid oxygen. The system includes an oxygen concentrator which separates oxygen gas from the ambient air, a condenser in communication with the oxygen concentrator for receiving and liquefying the oxygen gas flow, a cryocooler associated with the condenser, and a first storage dewar in fluid communication with the condenser and adapted to store the oxygen liquefied by the condenser, the first storage dewar including means for transferring liquid oxygen from the first dewar to a second dewar for storing a quantity of oxygen suitable for moveable oxygen treatment.
214 Citations
76 Claims
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1. A home liquid oxygen ambulatory system for supplying a portable supply of oxygen, where a portion of the gaseous oxygen output obtained from an oxygen concentrator a pressure swing adsorption system is condensed into liquid oxygen, comprising:
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(a) an oxygen concentrator a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed which separates oxygen gas from receives the ambient air as an input and provides an output of oxygen-enriched gas; (b) a condenser in communication with said oxygen concentrator pressure swing adsorption system for receiving and liquefying the oxygen gas flow the output from the pressure swing adsorption system; (c) a cryocooler associated with said condenser; and (d) a first storage dewar in fluid communication with said condenser and adapted to store the oxygen liquefied by the condenser, the first storage dewar including means for transferring liquid oxygen from the first dewar to a second dewar for storing a quantity of oxygen suitable for moveable oxygen treatment, wherein said liquid oxygen transferring means is adapted to increase the pressure in said first dewar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for generating liquid oxygen in a home from a home liquid oxygen ambulatory system having an oxygen concentrator a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed, a condenser, and cryocooler, a storage dewar and means for transferring liquid oxygen from the first dewar to a second dewar, comprising:
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(a) generating a gaseous supply of oxygen using the oxygen concentrator pressure swing adsorption system which receives the ambient air as an input and provides an output of oxygen-enriched gas; (b) splitting off at least a portion of the gaseous supply to be liquefied; (c) cooling said supply of oxygen using the condenser and cryocooler to transform the gaseous oxygen to liquid oxygen; (d) storing the liquid oxygen in the storage dewar; (e) transferring the liquid oxygen in the storage dewar with the liquid oxygen transferring means to a second dewar by increasing the pressure in said first dewar for storing a quantity of liquid oxygen from which smaller quantities can be transferred for moveable oxygen treatment. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A liquefier for a home liquid oxygen ambulatory system that is resistant to plugging, the home liquid oxygen ambulatory system having an oxygen concentrator a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed for delivering gaseous flow to the liquefier and a storage dewar having an inner vessel for storing liquid oxygen produced by the liquefier, comprising:
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a condenser; a refrigerating mechanism associated with said condenser; means for communicating incoming gaseous flow from the oxygen concentrator pressure swing adsorption system which receives the ambient air as an input and provides an output of oxygen-enriched gas to the condenser, said communicating means having an inner surface with a dimension D; means for venting gaseous flow not condensed from the inner vessel, said venting means having an outer surface with a dimension d and disposed within said communicating means; and whereby the dimension D of the inner surface of the communicating means is significantly larger than the dimension d of the outer surface of the venting means to allow for the build-up of solid contaminants on the outer surface of the venting means without plugging up the communicating means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for generating liquid oxygen in a home from a home liquid oxygen ambulatory system having an oxygen concentrator a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed, a condenser, a cryocooler, a recuperator and a storage dewar, comprising:
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(a) generating a gaseous supply of oxygen, which includes some trace impurities, using the oxygen concentrator pressure swing adsorption system which receives the ambient air as an input and provides an output of the gaseous supply of oxygen; (b) splitting off at least a portion of the gaseous supply to be liquefied; (c) cooling said supply of oxygen using the condenser and cryocooler to transform the gaseous oxygen to liquid oxygen; (d) condensing less than all of the gaseous oxygen supply flowing into the condenser; (e) freezing out the trace impurities of the gaseous supply of oxygen and venting the excess gaseous oxygen with said recuperator; (f) storing the liquid oxygen in the storage dewar; and (g) periodically removing accumulated frozen impurities on said recuperator by boiling-off any stored liquid oxygen and then flow purging the system until the system has reached room temperature.
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26. A generally vertically oriented, gravity assisted condenser for use with a refrigerating mechanism to liquefy gaseous oxygen in a home liquid oxygen ambulatory system, comprising:
a generally vertically oriented tubular member adapted to conduct heat axially to said refrigerating mechanism, the tubular member having a geometric center and outer and inner surfaces, at least one of said outer and inner surfaces having a plurality of generally vertically oriented flutes and convex fins adapted to increase the condensation rate per unit area by thinning the liquid film and drain the condensate to keep the condensate from flooding the condensation surfaces, wherein the flutes and convex fins are circumferentially spaced with respect to each other and not radially aligned with each other relative to the geometric center of the tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A generally vertically oriented, gravity assisted condenser for use with a refrigerating mechanism to liquefy gaseous oxygen in a home liquid oxygen ambulatory system, comprising:
a generally vertically oriented tubular member adapted to conduct heat axially to said refrigerating mechanism, the tubular member having outer and inner surfaces, at least one of said outer and inner surfaces includes means for enhancing the condensation rate per unit area by maintaining a small liquid film thickness on the condensation surfaces, said condensation enhancing means including a plurality of generally vertically oriented flutes and convex fins located on both said outer and inner surfaces.
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31. An apparatus for supplying oxygen-enriched gas to a patient in a home environment and for use in an ambulatory environment, comprising:
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a compressor adapted to receive ambient air and produce compressed air; a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed adapted to produce oxygen-enriched gas, the pressure swing adsorption system having an inlet adapted to receive the compressed air from the compressor and an outlet adapted to provide the oxygen-enriched gas; a first outlet flow line operatively coupled to the outlet and adapted to deliver a first portion of the oxygen-enriched gas to a patient; a second outlet flow line operatively coupled to the outlet and adapted to deliver a second portion of the oxygen-enriched gas to a storage vessel; and a valve positioned and operable to terminate the delivery of the second portion of the oxygen-enriched gas to the storage vessel responsive to an oxygen concentration of the oxygen-enriched gas being below a predetermined value, wherein the first outlet flow line remains substantially unimpeded so as to maintain the delivery of the first portion of the oxygen-enriched gas to the patient even during termination of the second portion of the oxygen-enriched gas to the storage vessel. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A process for supplying oxygen-enriched gas to a patient and to a storage vessel comprising the steps of:
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generating an oxygen product utilizing a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed; directing a first portion of the oxygen product to a patient; directing a second portion of the oxygen product to a storage vessel; monitoring an oxygen concentration of the oxygen product; and interrupting delivery of the second portion of the oxygen product to the storage vessel responsive to the oxygen concentration being below a predetermined value, wherein directing the first portion of the oxygen product to the patient continues while the delivery of the second portion of the oxygen product is interrupted. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. An apparatus for providing oxygen-enriched gas to a patient in a home environment and an ambulatory environment comprising:
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a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed adapted to generate oxygen-enriched gas; a first outlet flow line operatively coupled to the pressure swing adsorption system to direct a first portion of the oxygen-enriched gas from the pressure swing adsorption system to a patient; a storage vessel; a second outlet flow line operatively coupled to the pressure swing adsorption system to direct a second portion of the oxygen-enriched gas from the pressure swing adsorption system to the storage vessel; a compressor in fluid communication with the second outlet flow line, wherein the compressor is adapted to compress the second portion of oxygen-enriched gas prior to delivery to the storage vessel; and a coupling operatively coupled to the storage vessel, wherein the coupling is adapted to be connected with a portable tank to enable filling of the portable tank from the storage vessel. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. A process for supplying oxygen-enriched gas to a patient and to a portable storage container comprising the steps of:
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generating an oxygen product utilizing a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed; directing a first portion of the oxygen product to a patient; directing a second portion of the oxygen product to a storage vessel; and filling a portable storage container with a content of the storage vessel. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An apparatus for filling a portable tank with an oxygen product, comprising:
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a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed adapted to generate oxygen-enriched gas; a storage vessel; an outlet flow line operatively coupled to the pressure swing adsorption system to direct at least a portion of the oxygen-enriched gas from the pressure swing adsorption system to the storage vessel; a compressor to receive the oxygen-enriched gas from the pressure swing adsorption system from the outlet flow line, wherein the compressor is adapted to compress the portion of the oxygen-enriched gas prior to delivery to the storage vessel; and a coupling operatively coupled to the storage vessel, wherein the coupling is adapted to be connected with a portable tank suitable for human transport to enable filling of the portable tank with a content from the storage vessel. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60)
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61. A method of filling a portable tank for portable transport by a patient with an oxygen product, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating an oxygen product gas utilizing a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed which receives the ambient air as an input and provides an output of the oxygen product gas at a first pressure; pressurizing the oxygen product gas to a second pressure subsequent to the generation, the second pressure being greater than the first pressure; directing the oxygen product at the second pressure to a storage vessel; and filling a portable tank of sufficient size for portability by a patient with a content of the storage vessel. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64)
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65. A method of producing and storing liquid oxygen in an oxygen patient'"'"'s residence, comprising:
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providing a liquid oxygen producing apparatus; placing the liquid oxygen producing apparatus in a location at which a user of liquid oxygen resides; producing liquid oxygen at the location utilizing a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed which receives the ambient air as an input and provides an output of oxygen-enriched gas; and delivering oxygen-enriched gas produced by the pressure swing adsorption system to a patient. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A home liquid oxygen ambulatory system for supplying an ambulatory portable supply of oxygen comprising:
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a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed adapted to separate oxygen from ambient air for human consumption; a liquefier adapted to receive oxygen from the pressure swing adsorption system and liquefying the oxygen; a first storage dewar in fluid communication with the liquefier and adapted to store oxygen liquefied by the liquefier; a second portable storage dewar adapted to store a quantity of oxygen suitable for ambulatory moveable oxygen treatment; a monitor for measuring an oxygen concentration of oxygen from the pressure swing adsorption system; and a controller receiving signals from the monitor, and adapted to terminate the liquefying of the oxygen responsive to the oxygen concentration being below a predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. A method for generating liquid oxygen in a home comprising:
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generating a gaseous supply of oxygen for human consumption using a pressure swing adsorption system comprising a molecular sieve bed which receives the ambient air as an input and provides an output of the gaseous supply of oxygen; monitoring a purity of the gaseous oxygen supply to determine if the level of purity is suitable for human consumption; liquefying the gaseous supply of oxygen responsive to the level of purity being above a predetermined level; storing the liquid oxygen in a first storage dewar; transferring the liquid oxygen in the first storage dewar to a portable second storage. - View Dependent Claims (76)
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Specification