# US 2017/0281897 A1 · Device for providing supplemental oxygen to a subject

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- Number: US 2017/0281897 A1
- Document ID: US20170281897A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/512,656
- Filed: 2015-08-18
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-19
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: TEUNIS JOHANNES VINK; RAINER HILBIG; ACHIM GERHARD ROLF KOERBER; DENNY MATHEW; EDWIN VAN RUTTEN; JULIANA PAULINE KELLY
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170281897A1

## CPC

- A61M 16/101: {using an oxygen concentrator}
- A61M 16/0066: {Blowers or centrifugal pumps}
- A61M 16/0866: {Passive resistors therefor}
- A61M 16/204: {used for inhalation control}
- A61M 16/205: {used for exhalation control}
- A61M 16/208: {Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves}
- B01D 53/0415: {Beds in cartridges}
- A61M 16/202: {electrically actuated}
- A61M 2016/1025: {the O2 concentration}
- A61M 2202/0208: Oxygen
- A61M 2202/0266: Nitrogen (N)
- A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow
- A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate
- A61M 2205/3368: Temperature
- A61M 2205/3576: with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
- A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated
- A61M 2209/086: Docking stations
- A61M 2230/205: partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
- B01D 2253/108: Zeolites
- B01D 2253/204: Metal organic frameworks (MOF's)
- B01D 2256/12: Oxygen
- B01D 2257/102: Nitrogen
- B01D 2259/40086: by using a purge gas (B01D2259/4009 takes precedence)
- B01D 2259/4533: for medical purposes
- B01D 2259/4541: for portable use, e.g. gas masks
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

According to one aspect, there is provided a device (4) for providing supplemental oxygen to a subject (8), the device (4) comprising a subject interface (10) through which the subject (8) can inhale; a container (12) that has a first outlet (18) connected to the subject interface (10) to allow gas with an elevated oxygen level stored in the container (12) to be inhaled by the subject (8), a first inlet (24), and a material (15) for removing a specific gas from air passing through the container (12) to increase the oxygen content of the air passing through the container (12); and an air blower (14) that is connected to the first inlet (24) of the container (12) and that is configured to supply air into the container (12) as the subject (8) uses the device (4).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device (4) for providing supplemental oxygen to a subject (8), the device (4) comprising:
a subject interface (10) through which the subject (8) can inhale;
a container (12) that has:
a first outlet (18) connected to the subject interface to allow gas with an elevated oxygen level stored in the container (12) to be inhaled by the subject (8),
a first inlet (24), and
a material (15) for removing a specific gas from air passing through the container (12) to increase the oxygen content of the air passing through the container (12);
an air blower (14) that is connected to the first inlet (24) of the container (12) and that is configured to supply air into the container (12) as the subject (8) uses the device (4);
a first valve (20) located between the container (12) and the subject interface (10) for enabling a flow of supplemental oxygen to the subject (8).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A device (4) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device further comprise a control unit (16) for controlling the operation of the handheld device (4).

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A device (4) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the container (12) is configured to store gas with an elevated oxygen level at a pressure above atmospheric pressure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A device (4) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the air blower (14) is configured to be activated by the control unit (16) to supply air into the container (12) when the pressure of the gas with an elevated oxygen level stored in the container (12) is at or close to atmospheric pressure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A device (4) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the air blower (14) is configured to be deactivated by the control unit (16) when any one of the following conditions is satisfied:
(i) when the material (15) is saturated with the specific gas;
(ii) after a predetermined time from a first inhalation by the subject (8);
(iii) after the subject (8) has used the device (4) for a predetermined time from the last recharge of the device (4);
(iv) after a predetermined number of inhalations by the subject (8);
(v) when there is an increase in the temperature of the gas supplied to the subject (8); or
(vi) when the oxygen content of the gas supplied to the subject (8) is below a threshold.

### Claim 6

A device (4) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first inlet (24) and the first outlet (18) are arranged with respect to each other such that air blown into the container (12) through the first inlet (24) by the air blower (14) pushes out gas with an elevated oxygen level stored in the container (12) through the first outlet (18).

### Claim 7

A device (4) as claimed in any preceding claim, the device (4) further comprising a check valve (26) positioned between the air blower (14) and the first inlet (24), the check valve (26) being configured to close when the pressure of the gas with an elevated oxygen level stored in the container (12) is above atmospheric pressure in order to prevent gas in the container (12) from flowing through the air blower (14) when the air blower (14) is deactivated, and being configured to open when the pressure of the gas with an elevated oxygen level stored in the container (12) is at or below atmospheric pressure in order to allow air to be supplied into the container (12) by the air blower (14).

### Claim 8

A device (4) as claimed in any preceding claim, the device (4) further comprising:
a second inlet (31) that is configured to receive gas with an elevated oxygen level during a recharging process; and
a second outlet (32) that is configured to exhaust waste gas during the recharging process.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A device (4) as claimed in claim 8, the device (4) further comprising:
a load valve (36) connected to the second inlet (31) that is configured to be opened at the start of a recharging process to allow gas with an elevated oxygen level to be supplied into the container (12) in order to purge the material of the specific gas; and
an exhaust valve (42) connected to the second outlet (32) that is configured to be opened at the start of the recharging process to allow waste gas to exit the container (12).

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A device (4) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the exhaust valve (42) is configured to be closed during the recharging process while gas with an elevated oxygen level is supplied into the container (12) through the load valve (36) and second inlet (31) in order to store gas with an elevated oxygen level in the container (12).

### Claim 11

A device (4) as claimed in any preceding claim, the device (4) further comprising:
means (64) for applying a positive air pressure to the subject (8) when the subject (8) exhales through the subject interface (10).

### Claim 12 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)

A supplemental oxygen system (2) comprising:
a device (4) as claimed in any of claims 1-11; and
a source (6) of gas with an elevated oxygen level that can be selectively coupled to the device (4) in order to recharge the device with gas with an elevated oxygen level and/or to purge the material of the specific gas.

### Claim 13

A method of providing supplemental oxygen to a subject, the method comprising:
providing a device that comprises a subject interface through which a subject can inhale; a container that has a first outlet connected to the subject interface to allow gas with an elevated oxygen level stored in the container to be inhaled by the subject, a first inlet, and a material for removing a specific gas from air passing through the container to increase the oxygen content of the air passing through the container; an air blower that is connected to the first inlet of the container and that is configured to supply air into the container; and a valve for controlling the flow of supplied air, said valve being positioned between the air blower and the first inlet;
dispensing (101) gas with an elevated oxygen level to the subject through the first outlet and subject interface; and
activating (103) the air blower to supply air into the container during use of the device by the subject.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein, prior to the step of dispensing (101), the container stores gas with an elevated oxygen level at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, and wherein the step of activating the air blower (103) is performed when the pressure of the gas with an elevated oxygen level stored in the container is at or close to atmospheric pressure.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11, 12)

A method as claimed in claim 11 or 12, the method further comprising the step of recharging the device, which comprises:
connecting (121) a second inlet of the container to a source of gas with an elevated oxygen level;
supplying (123) gas with an elevated oxygen level from the source through the container to purge the material of the specific gas; and
allowing (123) the purged specific gas to exit the container through an outlet of the container.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step of recharging the device further comprises:
preventing (125) gas from exiting the container once the material has been purged of the specific gas so that gas with an elevated oxygen level from the source is stored in the container; and
continuing (125) to supply gas with an elevated oxygen level into the container until the gas with an elevated oxygen level stored in the container is at a required pressure.