JP3054044B2 - Oxygen concentrator inspection system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an oxygen concentrator for separating and using an oxygen-enriched gas from the atmosphere. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, and provides an apparatus and a system for efficiently performing a periodic inspection.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it is said that the number of patients suffering from respiratory tract diseases such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and the like tends to increase. There is an oxygen inhalation method. In the oxygen inhalation method, a patient inhales oxygen gas or oxygen-enriched air, and an oxygen gas cylinder has been conventionally used as a supply source of the oxygen gas or oxygen-enriched air. Since the development of an oxygen concentrator that separates oxygen-enriched gas from water, it has become increasingly popular because of its convenient use and easy maintenance.

[0003] As the oxygen concentrator, there are mainly two types: a membrane type oxygen concentrator using an oxygen selective permeable membrane, and an adsorption type oxygen concentrator using an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen or oxygen.
Although there are types, the present invention seeks to improve the maintenance of the adsorption-type oxygen concentrator.

[0004] In these oxygen concentrators, it is necessary to maintain the performance at the user's home for a long period of time. To that end, it is necessary to correctly grasp the state of the machine in a periodic inspection and take appropriate measures. It is important. In a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, operation data such as adsorption pressure, oxygen concentration, and flow rate are important items for managing a machine. However, ordinary inspection methods only provide information at that point. Inspection personnel also need to know the internal structure of the machine and the electrical handling. Therefore, only those skilled in inspection and the like have been able to do so far.

[0005]

As described above, in order to properly maintain the pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, it is necessary to not only correctly grasp the operation data at the time of the periodic inspection, but also to obtain the past data and the time data. Change data is an effective means. For example, the machine operation status can be predicted until the next periodic inspection, and more reliable maintenance can be performed. For example, the maximum value of the adsorption pressure (the pressure immediately before the end of the adsorption cycle) undergoes seasonal fluctuation, and tends to increase in summer from the rainy season, and tends to decrease in winter. This is an important barometer for observing the state of deterioration of the adsorbent.

[0006]

The inventor of the present invention has made intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, and as a result, the oxygen concentrator is provided with a function of detecting and storing information relating to the operation status, and the information is provided. It has been found that it is effective to combine this with a means for transmitting and receiving the data.

That is, the present invention relates to (1) an oxygen concentrator for concentrating and separating oxygen from air, and detects information relating to the operating state of the oxygen concentrator and converts the information into digital information as necessary. Information detecting means for converting, means for storing and storing the detected information, and an oxygen concentrator comprising a first communication means for transmitting the information,
(2) Second communication means for receiving and storing information transmitted from the oxygen concentrator, and (3) third communication means for further receiving, storing, and processing information from the second communication means. Another object of the present invention is to provide an oxygen concentrator inspection system. Here, the information storage means in the oxygen concentrator is preferably a means for selectively storing and storing detected information. Further, it is preferable that the first communication means transmits the information collectively.

[0008] In the system of the present invention, the oxygen concentrator includes an adsorbent bed filled with an adsorbent capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen rather than oxygen, and compressor means for supplying compressed air to the adsorbent bed. An oxygen concentrator which is a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator, comprising: a surge tank means for receiving and storing the oxygen-enriched gas from the adsorption bed; and an oxygen-enriched gas supply means for providing the oxygen-enriched gas for use. An inspection system is included.

[0009] In the apparatus of the present invention, the second communication means is an independent apparatus, and is one-to-one signal with the oxygen concentrator body in order to retrieve information stored in the oxygen concentrator. An oxygen concentrator inspection system comprising means to be connectable and further comprising means for processing and storing data from the plurality of oxygen concentrators according to established criteria.
In addition, as a specific means of the signal connection, in addition to the electrical connection, for example, there is a method of optically connecting using an optical fiber, or a method of connecting by infrared communication or the like.

Further, in the apparatus of the present invention, the second communication means is an independent apparatus, which can erase or rewrite at least a part of information electrically stored in the oxygen concentrator. Includes an oxygen concentrator inspection system characterized by having available operating means.

Further, the apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the second communication means is an independent apparatus and is incorporated together with means for directly measuring at least one kind of current operating data of the oxygen concentrator. Oxygen concentrator inspection system was included.

Further, in the apparatus according to the present invention, the second communication means is an independent apparatus, and is supplied with electric power by a branch power supply from the oxygen concentrator body during operation. System included.

According to the present invention, for example, the operation data of the pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator is arranged over time based on a predetermined standard, stored in the microcomputer system of the concentrator body, and can be called up as needed. It is something to keep. In addition, the use of the inspection handy terminal, which is the second communication means for extracting the data, eliminates individual differences among inspectors and allows an amateur to easily handle the data. Furthermore, by storing and managing the obtained data in the central main computer, which is the third communication means, it is possible to carry out appropriate maintenance and efficient inspection plans for many machines.

As described above, in order to efficiently operate the inspection system for the pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator according to the present invention, it is necessary to (1) provide the oxygen concentrator body with the function and operate the apparatus in accordance with the function. It is necessary to have three computer systems: (2) a computer system for connecting and communicating with a dedicated inspection handy terminal and extracting data; and (3) organizing and storing the extracted data.

For the oxygen concentrator main body, computer means such as a microcomputer automatically organizes and stores, for example, adsorption pressure, oxygen concentration, used flow rate, operation time, presence / absence of abnormality, and the like. The handy terminal for inspection not only has the function of extracting the above data as an electric signal from the main body of the apparatus, but also has a function that allows the inspector to directly input keys for simple items necessary for maintenance management. In addition, it is desirable that the input operation of the inspection items can be easily performed according to the guidance screen, and that the inspection items are not leaked.

In addition, if the handy terminal is provided with an integrated device such as a flow meter and a concentration meter for directly obtaining data at the time of the inspection, the usability can be improved. This makes it possible to check the accuracy of the internal instrument by directly comparing it with that measured by a measuring instrument incorporated in the machine base.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 schematically show a specific example of the oxygen concentrator inspection system of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, for example, a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator O installed in each home of n home patients
E ₁ , OE ₂ ... OE _n are described, but each oxygen concentrator requires detection means such as adsorption pressure, oxygen concentration, use flow rate, operation time, presence / absence of abnormality, and their detected values. Microcomputer means for selectively storing and organizing according to the conditions.

The handy terminal 3 in FIG. 1 represents a second communication means for receiving and storing information transmitted from each oxygen concentrator via the connection cable 2.

The main computer 5 in FIG. 2 transmits the information transmitted from the handy terminal 3
The third communication means receives and stores the data via the connection cable 4, performs necessary processing, and organizes the data.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the oxygen concentrator inspection system of the present invention, the handy terminal 3 as the second communication means includes a plurality of oxygen concentrators OE.
₁ ... OE _n can be connected to any of the machines as needed to retrieve data. The data in the oxygen concentrators OE ₁ ... OE _n can be erased after the data taken out by the handy terminal 3 is used up. Preferably, these functions are performed by a microcomputer or the like in the handy terminal 3.

When the data of at least one machine is taken out from the handy terminal 3, it is brought back and transmitted to the main computer 4 in the same manner. The main computer 4 has a function of receiving and storing data from a plurality of handy terminals 3, and a function of organizing and extracting data as needed.

[0023]

According to the oxygen concentrator inspection system of the present invention, the operation data of the oxygen concentrator can be easily taken out as required, so that the maintenance and management of a large number of oxygen concentrators can be performed efficiently. Inspection becomes very easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an oxygen concentrator and a second communication means in the oxygen concentrator inspection system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a second communication means and a third communication means in the inspection system of the present invention.

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61M 16/00 B01D 53/04

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] (1) An oxygen concentrator for concentrating and separating and recovering oxygen from air, for detecting information relating to an operation state of the oxygen concentrator and converting the information into digital information as necessary. An oxygen concentrator comprising: an information detecting means for storing the detected information; a means for storing and storing the detected information; and a first communication means for transmitting the information; and (2) current operating data of the oxygen concentrator. An independent device independent of the oxygen concentrator, comprising means for directly measuring the oxygen concentrator, and second communication means for receiving and storing information transmitted from the oxygen concentrator ;
(3) An oxygen concentrator inspection system further comprising third communication means for receiving, storing, and processing information from the second communication means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said independent device includes means for connecting one-to-one with said oxygen concentrator in a signal manner to retrieve information stored in said oxygen concentrator. 2. The oxygen concentrator inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising means for processing and storing the data according to predetermined criteria. 3. The information detecting means includes at least one of a high-pressure side pressure sensor and a low-pressure side pressure sensor in a pressure fluctuation adsorption operation and an oxygen concentration sensor in an oxygen-enriched gas used for use. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information can be extracted together with an associated past time element.
Oxygen concentrator inspection system. 4. The oxygen concentrator inspection system according to claim 1, wherein said independent device has an operation means capable of erasing or rewriting at least a part of information stored in the oxygen concentrator. . 5. The oxygen concentrator inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the independent device is supplied with electricity by a branch power supply from the oxygen concentrator main body during operation.