Portable oxygen concentrator with integrated manifold

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9321001-B2
Application number	US-201214343392-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2012
Priority date	Sep 13, 2011
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

Methods and system for concentrating oxygen include a plurality of sieve beds configured to absorb nitrogen from air, at least one reservoir configured to store oxygen-enriched gas exiting from the plurality of sieve beds, a compressor configured to deliver air at one or more desired pressures to the plurality of sieve beds, a support member positioned in housing and configured to support the compressor, the plurality of sieve beds and the reservoir, an air manifold providing a plurality of channels therein that at least partially define passages communicating between the compressor and the plurality of sieve beds, and an oxygen delivery manifold providing a plurality of channels therein that at least partially define passages for delivering the oxygen-enriched to a user. The air manifold and the oxygen delivery manifold are integrally formed with the support member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable oxygen concentrator, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of sieve beds configured to absorb nitrogen from air, wherein the plurality of sieve beds includes a first sieve bed and a second sieve bed, wherein the first sieve bed includes a first upstream port and a first downstream port, wherein the second sieve bed includes a second upstream port and a second downstream port;
a reservoir configured to store oxygen-enriched gas exiting from the first downstream port and the second downstream port;
a compressor configured to deliver air at one or more desired pressures to the first upstream port and the second upstream port, wherein the compressor includes a compressor outlet;
a support member positioned in the housing and configured to support the compressor, the plurality of sieve beds and the reservoir, wherein the plurality of sieve beds and the reservoir are on opposite sides of the support member;
an air manifold providing a first plurality of channels therein define at least a portion of a plurality of passages communicating between the compressor outlet and the plurality of sieve beds, wherein the plurality of passages includes a first passage between the compressor outlet and the second upstream port of the second sieve bed; and
an oxygen delivery manifold providing a second plurality of channels therein that define at least a portion of one or more passages for delivery of the oxygen-enriched gas to a user, wherein the support member, air manifold, and the oxygen delivery manifold are integrally injection molded and constructed from the same material.

2. The portable oxygen concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the air manifold is integrally formed at a lower portion of the support member and the oxygen delivery manifold is integrally formed at an upper portion of the support member.

3. The portable oxygen concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the one or more passages defined in the oxygen delivery manifold for delivery of the oxygen-enriched gas from the plurality of sieve beds to the user include a first reservoir passage between the first downstream port and the reservoir, and a second reservoir passage between the second downstream port and the reservoir, and an oxygen delivery passage between the reservoir and a device for delivery of oxygen-enriched gas to the user.

4. The portable oxygen concentrator of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of passages defined in the air manifold further includes an exhaust passage to exhaust nitrogen into atmosphere from the first upstream port and from the second upstream port.

5. The portable oxygen concentrator of claim 1 , further comprising an air manifold cover member configured to cooperate with the support member to define the plurality of passages of the air manifold.

6. The portable oxygen concentrator of claim 1 , further comprising an oxygen delivery manifold cover member configured to cooperate with the support member to define at least a portion of the one or more passages for delivery of oxygen-enriched gas to the user.

7. A system configured to concentrate oxygen, the system comprising:
compressing means for generating a supply of compressed air from a supply of air;
separating means for providing a supply of oxygen-enriched gas from the supply of compressed air;
oxygen storing means for storing the oxygen-enriched gas;
supporting means for supporting the compressing means, the separating means and the oxygen storing means wherein the separating means and the oxygen storing means are on opposite sides of the supporting means;
air delivery means for communicating air through a first plurality of channels that define at least a portion of a plurality of passages communicating between the compressing means and the separating means; and
oxygen delivery means for communicating the oxygen-enriched gas through a second plurality of channels that define at least a portion of one or more passages for delivery of the oxygen-enriched gas to a user, wherein the supporting means, air delivery means, and the oxygen delivery means are integrally injection molded and constructed from the same material.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the air delivery means is integrally formed at a lower portion of the supporting means and the oxygen delivery means is integrally formed at an upper portion of the supporting means.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of passages defined in the air delivery means include one or more passages between the separating means and atmosphere to exhaust nitrogen, and wherein the one or more passages defined in the oxygen delivery means for delivery of the oxygen-enriched gas from the separating device to the user include a first passage between the separating means and the oxygen storing means and a second passage between the oxygen storage means and a device for delivery of oxygen-enriched gas to the user.

10. A method of manufacturing a portable oxygen concentrator, the portable oxygen concentrator comprising a housing; a plurality of sieve beds, wherein the plurality of sieve beds includes a first sieve bed and a second sieve bed, wherein the first sieve bed includes a first upstream port and a first downstream port, wherein the second sieve bed includes a second upstream port and a second downstream port, a reservoir storing oxygen-enriched gas exiting from the first downstream port and the second downstream port, and a compressor, the method comprising:
forming a support member configured to support the compressor, the plurality of sieve beds and the reservoir, the support member configured to be positioned in the housing wherein the plurality of sieve beds and the reservoir are on opposite sides of the support member;
integrally injection molding an air manifold with the support member, the air manifold comprising a first plurality of channels therein that define at least a portion of a plurality of passages communicating between the compressor and the plurality of sieve beds; and
integrally injection molding an oxygen delivery manifold with the support member, the oxygen delivery manifold comprising a second plurality of channels therein that define at least a portion of one or more passages for delivery of the oxygen-enriched gas to a user, wherein the support member, air manifold, and oxygen delivery manifold are constructed from the same material.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the air manifold is integrally formed at a lower portion of the support member and the oxygen delivery manifold is integrally formed at an upper portion of the support member.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising attaching the compressor and the plurality of sieve beds to a first side surface of the support member and attaching the reservoir to a second side surface of the support member.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of passages defined in the air manifold includes an exhaust passage to exhaust nitrogen into atmosphere from the sieve beds.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising attaching an air manifold cover member to the air manifold on the support member, wherein the air manifold cover member cooperates with the support member to define the plurality of passages of the air manifold.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising attaching an oxygen delivery manifold cover member to the oxygen delivery manifold on the support member, wherein the oxygen delivery manifold cover member cooperates with the support member to define the one or more passages of the oxygen delivery manifold.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more passages defined in

Assignees

• Whitcher Douglas Adam
• Koeppel Bradley Stewart
• Blair Jeremy Webster
• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Whitcher Douglas Adam
• Koeppel Bradley Stewart
• Blair Jeremy Webster

Classifications

• B01D2259/40009

  using sensors or gas analysers · CPC title

• A61M2016/1025

  the O2 concentration · CPC title

• A61M2205/8212

  with means or measures taken for minimising energy consumption · CPC title

• A61M16/101

  using an oxygen concentrator · CPC title

• B01D53/0454

  Controlling adsorption (controlling temperature swing adsorption B01D53/0462, controlling pressure swing adsorption B01D53/047) · CPC title