Oxygen concentrator apparatus and method having variable operation modes
AssigneeInova Labs, Inc.
InventorsWilliam R. Wilkinson, Allan Sten Westersten, H. David Shockley, JR.
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Abstract
An oxygen concentrator may rely on a pressure swing adsorption process to produce an oxygen enriched gas stream from canisters filled with granules capable of separation of oxygen from an air stream. The adsorption process uses a cyclical pressurization and venting of the canisters to generate an oxygen enriched gas stream. The oxygen concentrator system may operate in multiple modes, automatically determined or selected by the user, to take into account the different activity levels of the user.
Claims24
1-156. (canceled)
An oxygen concentrator apparatus, comprising:
- at least two canisters;
- separation material disposed in at least two canisters, wherein the separation material separates at least some nitrogen from air in the canister to produce oxygen enriched gas;
- a compression system coupled to at least one canister, wherein the compression system compresses air during operation;
- an airway delivery device coupled to one or more canisters through one or more conduits and positionable on the face of a user;
- a pressure sensor coupled to the airway delivery device;
- wherein the pressure sensor is operable to detect a change in pressure at the airway delivery device;
- a processor coupled to the pressure sensor, wherein the processor is operable to execute program instructions, wherein the program instructions are operable to:
- direct oxygen enriched gas from one or more of the canisters through one or more of the conduits to the airway delivery device in response to detecting a change in pressure at the airway delivery device;
- implement a first mode, wherein during the first mode a sensitivity of the pressure sensor is set at a default sensitivity;
- and
- implement a second mode, wherein during the second mode the sensitivity of the pressure sensor is reduced below the default sensitivity.
A method of providing oxygen enriched gas to a user of an oxygen concentrator, the oxygen concentrator comprising:
- at least two canisters;
- separation material disposed in at least two canisters, wherein the separation material separates at least some nitrogen from air in the canister to produce oxygen enriched gas;
- a compression system coupled to at least one canister, wherein the compression system compresses air during operation;
- an airway delivery device coupled to one or more canisters through one or more conduits and positionable on the face of a user;
- a pressure sensor coupled to the airway delivery device;
- wherein the pressure sensor is operable to detect a change in pressure at the airway delivery device;
- the method comprising:
- operating the compression system to compress air;
- passing the compressed air into one or more of the canisters, wherein oxygen is at least partially separated from air in one or more of the canisters to produce oxygen enriched gas;
- directing oxygen enriched gas from one or more of the canisters through one or more of the conduits to the airway delivery device in response to detecting a change in pressure at the airway delivery device;
- implementing a first mode, wherein during the first mode a sensitivity of the pressure sensor is set at a default sensitivity;
- and
- implementing a second mode, wherein during the second mode the sensitivity of the pressure sensor is reduced below the default sensitivity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.