초록 ▼

An oxygen concentrator is disclosed which utilizes two molecular sieves to adsorb nitrogen out of compressed atmospheric air flowing therethrough so as to discharge oxygen enriched air for breathing purposes. Two such molecular sieves are used, one of which is operated in a regenerating mode while t

An oxygen concentrator is disclosed which utilizes two molecular sieves to adsorb nitrogen out of compressed atmospheric air flowing therethrough so as to discharge oxygen enriched air for breathing purposes. Two such molecular sieves are used, one of which is operated in a regenerating mode while the other is operated in its adsorbing mode so a continuous supply of oxygen will be available to the patient. Periodically, the molecular sieves are automatically switched between their adsorbing and regenerating modes in such manner that the molecular sieve operating in its regenerating mode is incipiently recharged with high pressure, high oxygen quality gas prior to switching to its adsorbing mode. A method of operating the oxygen concentrator of this invention is also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for producing oxygen-enriched air for breathing comprising an air compressor for pressuring air to a super atmospheric pressure, at least a first and a second adsorbent means for adsorbing nitrogen from the super atmospheric air passing therethrough and for discharging oxygen-enriche

1. An apparatus for producing oxygen-enriched air for breathing comprising an air compressor for pressuring air to a super atmospheric pressure, at least a first and a second adsorbent means for adsorbing nitrogen from the super atmospheric air passing therethrough and for discharging oxygen-enriched air, each said adsorbent means including a closed container having inlet and outlet ports and having a bed of adsorbent material therein, and means for controlling the flow of super atmospheric air and oxygen-enriched air through said first and second adsorbent means so as to selectively operate the adsorbent means either in an adsorbtion mode for capturing and retaining nitrogen from the super atmospheric air flowing from the inlet to the outlet ports thereof, or in a regenerating mode for removal of the nitrogen from the adsorbent bed therein, said flow control means for each of the adsorbent means comprising first and second remotely operated two-positional valves, said first valve of each flow control means for each of said adsorbent means having an open position in which air may flow therethrough and a closed position in which the flow of air therethrough is blocked, said first valve of each flow control means of said adsorbent means having an inlet connected to said compressor and an outlet connected to its respective adsorbent means container such that super atmospheric air is directed to the inlet of a respective adsorbent means when its first respective valve therefor is open, said second valve of each flow control means for each of said adsorbent means having an inlet port connected to the inlet of its respective said adsorbent means container and an outlet port vented to the atmosphere, said control means further including a third three-connection, two-position valve having its inlet and outlet ports connected between the outlets of each of said adsorbent means, said third valve being selectively shiftable between an open position in which flow therethrough is permitted and a closed position in which the flow therethrough is blocked, a throttling orifice in each of the lines in communication with the outlet of each of said respective adsorbent means containers, and an outlet container for receiving enriched oxygen air from said throttling orifices, each throttling orifice permitting oxygen enriched air to flow under pressure from the adsorbent means in its adsorption mode to the outlet container and also to continuously exert pressure of the enriched oxygen air from the outlet container and against the outlet of its respective adsorbent means container, and to allow said air to flow to the other adsorbent means container during its regenerative mode, the inlet and outlet ports of said third valve being connected to said adsorbent means containers' outlets intermediate said containers and said orifices, said flow control means further including means for selectively actuating said pair of first valves, the pair of second valves, and the third valve, so that with said first adsorbent means in its adsorbent mode, and with said second adsorbent means in its regenerative mode, said first valve for said first adsorbent means is open thereby to permit super atmospheric air to flow into said first adsorbent means and to permit enriched oxygen air to be discharged out of said first adsorbent means, said second valve for said first adsorbent means being closed, said first valve for said second adsorbent means being closed, said second valve for said second adsorbent means being open, and said third valve being closed whereby enriched oxygen air from said first adsorbent means flows from the outlet thereof and is metered by at least one of said throttling orifices as it flows to the said second adsorbent means thereby to purge said second adsorbent means and to be discharged to the atmosphere via the outlet of said second valve for said second adsorbent means, and upon said control system effecting a change of operating mode of said first absorbent means from its adsorbing mode to its regenerating mode and effecting changing of said second adsorbent means from its regenerative mode to its adsorbing mode, said control means first effecting momentary opening of said third valve thereby to permit oxygen-enriched super atmospheric air from the outlet of said first adsorbent means to enter the outlet of said second adsorbent means thereby to precharge said second adsorbent means with oxygen-enriched air, and then effecting closing of said first valve for said first adsorbent means, opening said second valve for said first adsorbent means, opening said first valve of said second adsorbent means, closing said second valve for said second adsorbent means, and closing said third valve.