초록 ▼

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 45 is e

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 45 is equal to or less than a continuous base flow rate (3 liters/min). When the set flow rate is a low flow rate of not greater than 3 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 3 liters/min, breath-synchronized operation is to be performed, and therefore, in step 120, the orifice is set to an opening that enables supply at 5 liters/min. In step 140, in order to perform breath-synchronized operation, control for opening and closing an electromagnetic valve 47 is performed. Through this operation, the oxygen-enriched gas is supplied at a high flow rate (5 liters/min) in the inhalation period of each breathing cycle and at a low flow rate (2 liters/min) in the exhalation period via a bypass flow passage 50.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An oxygen enriching apparatus which enriches oxygen contained in air to thereby obtain oxygen-enriched gas, and which supplies the oxygen-enriched gas to a user having a breathing cycle including an inhalation period and an exhalation period synchronously with inhalation of t

What is claimed is: 1. An oxygen enriching apparatus which enriches oxygen contained in air to thereby obtain oxygen-enriched gas, and which supplies the oxygen-enriched gas to a user having a breathing cycle including an inhalation period and an exhalation period synchronously with inhalation of the user by means of a breath synchronization function, which comprises: an oxygen outlet for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas to an inhalator of the user, and a breath detection port provided separately from the oxygen outlet and connected to the inhalator for detecting the user's state of breathing; a sensor for detecting the user's state of breathing disposed on a flow passage reaching the breath detection port;and a main passage extending to the oxygen outlet and adapted to supply the oxygen-enriched gas thereto, said main passage comprising a control member for adjusting the opening of the main passage, and a bypass flow passage for bypassing the control member. 2. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which comprises means for detecting the state of inhalation or exhalation by use of the 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 1, which comprises means for detecting the state of inhalation or exhalation one time or a plurality of number of times based on 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. 4. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which comprises a flow-rate adjuster provided in the bypass flow passage for adjusting the flow rate of the oxygen-enriched gas flowing through the bypass flow passage. 5. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which comprises 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, which comprises a plurality of tanks provided in series in an oxygen-enriched-gas supply passage, on the downstream side of the 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, which comprises a check valve for preventing reverse flow toward the oxygen enriching section disposed between the plurality of tanks. 9. A controller for controlling operation of the oxygen enriching apparatus claimed in claim 1. 10. A recording medium having recorded thereon means for executing the function of the controller claimed in claim 9. 11. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein oxygen-enriched gas is not supplied to the breath detection port. 12. An oxygen enriching apparatus which enriches oxygen contained in air to thereby obtain oxygen-enriched gas and which supplies the oxygen-enriched gas to a user having a breathing cycle including an inhalation period and an exhalation period synchronously with inhalation of the user by means of a breath synchronization function, which comprises: an oxygen outlet for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas to an inhalator of the user, and a breath detection port provided separately from the oxygen outlet and connected to the inhalator for detecting the user's state of breathing, and means for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas at a first flow rate during the inhalation period of each breathing cycle and at a second flow rate during the exhalation period of each breathing cycle when breath-synchronized operation is performed, wherein the first flow rate is greater than a continuous base flow rate at which the oxygen enriching apparatus can supply the oxygen-enriched gas continuously, and the second flow rate is less than the continuous base flow rate. 13. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 12, which comprises means for supplying the oxygen-enriched gas at a third flow rate equal to or less than the continuous base flow rate when the breath-synchronized operation is not performed. 14. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 13, which comprises a switch for setting a flow rate of the oxygen-enriched gas, when the flow rate is set by use of the switch to a third 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 first 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. 15. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inhalation period has a length 25 to 40% that of the user's breathing cycle. 16. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the continuous base flow rate is 4 liters/min or less. 17. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 12, which comprises 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. 18. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 12, which comprises a plurality of tanks provided in series in an oxygen-enriched-gas supply passage, on the downstream side of the oxygen enriching section, for stably supplying of the oxygen-enriched gas. 19. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of two tanks connected in series has a capacity of at least 500 ml. 20. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 18, which comprises a check valve for preventing reverse flow toward the oxygen enriching section disposed between the plurality of tanks. 21. A controller for controlling operation of the oxygen enriching apparatus claimed in claim 12. 22. A recording medium having recorded thereon means for executing the function of the controller claimed in claim 21. 23. The oxygen enriching apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein oxygen-enriched gas is not supplied to the breath detection port.