JP2005006732A - Oxygen concentrator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small-sized pressure-swing absorption type oxygen concentrator of a very low noise level and a silencer for the oxygen concentrator. <P>SOLUTION: In order to reduce the noise of the pressure-swing absorption type oxygen concentrator, the oxygen concentrator is provided with the silencer having a helical sound absorbing flow path with an acoustic material as a partition wall in the intake flow path or exhaust flow path or purge flow path of a pressure-swing device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

【００３２】
最外郭にある管部を除いた、心棒および内側の管部は、適当な方法でそのすぐ外側の管部に固定可能であるが、必要なクリアランスに対して螺旋を成型する吸音材を適当な厚さのものを選択することによって、吸音材の摩擦力だけでこれら管部を保持することも可能である。また、吸音材を内管外壁、外管内壁に一様にはりつけ、螺旋状の流路面の内面すべてを吸音材で成形してもよい。
【００３３】
かかる消音器はコンプレッサの吸気側にも適用可能である。この際気体の流れる順路が反対になる。またコンプレッサ以外の気流音にも対応するため、１個、或いは複数個の吸着床からのパージ時の気流音の減音にも有効である。
【００３４】
かかる消音器は図５に示すように高周波数領域の減音に特にその能力を発揮するので、高周波領域の音源に対して有効である。また、かかる消音器によって減音させる気体は空気だけでなく、酸素ガス、濃縮酸素、その他気体でも対応可能である。
【００３５】
かかる消音器の殻は必ずしも円筒管形である必要はなく、直方体、曲がり管等の構造体をとることも可能であり、レイアウトに即した形状をとることができる。
【００３６】
【発明の効果】
上述した如く、本発明が提供する消音器、酸素濃縮装置は、小型軽量、低騒音の酸素濃縮装置を実現可能とし、この結果、酸素吸入療法患者のＱＯＬ（生活の質）向上に寄与することが出来る。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の実施の形態に係る好ましい実施例である酸素濃縮装置の構成図である。
【図２】図１の酸素濃縮装置が有する消音器の構成図である。
【図３】図２の消音器と詳細な構成が異なる、本発明の変形例の消音器の構成図である。
【図４】図２および図３の消音器と詳細な構成が異なる、本発明の変形例の消音器の構成図である。
【図５】図３の消音器の騒音低減効果を示す特性図である。
【符号の説明】
１ 酸素濃縮装置
２ 吸着筒
３ 吸着剤
４ サージタンク
５ コンプレッサ
６ コンプレッサ駆動モーター
７ 冷却ファン
８ コンプレッサ圧縮機構部
９ 流路切換弁
１０ 流量設定器
１１ 制御装置
１２ 鼻カニューラ
１３ 吸気口
１４ 排気口
１５ 排気消音器
１６ 吸気消音器
１７ 導入口
１８ 導出口
１９ 心棒
２０ 吸音材
２１ 管部
２２ 第一管
２３ 第二管
２４ 第Ｎ管
２５ 制振ポイント[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a silencer and an oxygen concentrator that separates oxygen in the air, and in particular, a medical oxygen concentrator that supplies oxygen-enriched air to a user such as a patient with respiratory disease, and when operating the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a silencer for reducing noise which is a problem.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, oxygen inhalation therapy for inhaling high concentrations of oxygen has been performed for patients with chronic respiratory diseases such as emphysema, pulmonary tuberculosis sequelae and chronic bronchitis.
[0003]
The oxygen inhalation therapy is a treatment method in which the above-mentioned diseased patient inhales a high concentration oxygen gas or oxygen enriched gas. High pressure oxygen cylinders, liquid oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, etc. can be cited as methods for supplying oxygen gas and concentrated oxygen gas to patients. However, oxygen enrichment is possible because it can withstand long-term continuous use and is easy to use. The number of cases where devices are used is increasing.
[0004]
The oxygen concentrator is an apparatus that makes it possible to separate and concentrate oxygen in the air. As an apparatus for separating and concentrating oxygen, an adsorption type oxygen concentrating apparatus in which one or a plurality of adsorbents capable of selectively adsorbing nitrogen is packed is widely known from the viewpoint of obtaining high concentration oxygen. It has been. Among them, a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator using a compressor as a pressure fluctuation device is widely spread in the world.
[0005]
Such an apparatus normally supplies compressed air from a compressor to one or a plurality of adsorbent beds filled with an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs nitrogen to adsorb nitrogen by pressurizing the inside of the adsorbent bed. This is an apparatus for obtaining a high concentration of oxygen by repeating an adsorption process for obtaining a high concentration of oxygen and a desorption process for desorbing nitrogen by depressurizing the inside of the adsorption bed. Such a device is basically used continuously throughout the day regardless of whether the patient is eating or drinking, and at bedtime, and the device is relatively close to the patient.
[0006]
Therefore, the noise generated from such a device may directly enter the ears of the patient, the patient's family, etc. and cause discomfort. Especially when sleeping, the influence of noise is large, and there is a concern that the patient or the family of the patient may be disturbed and adversely affect mental health. Noise generating elements of the pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator include pressure fluctuation compressor solid sound, same intake sound, same exhaust sound, compressor drive motor, adsorption bed purge air flow sound, air cooling fan. Above all, compressor noise is roughly divided into its own solid sound, compressor intake sound or exhaust sound, and the ratio of the noise to the whole is large.
[0007]
In conventional oxygen concentrators, a silencer called a hollow type or an expansion type is used to reduce the noise of airflow such as intake sound, exhaust sound, and various purge sounds from a compressor.
[0008]
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-120661 describes an application example of an expansion silencer for a purge sound. This technique consists of an inflow pipe, an expansion chamber, and an outflow pipe as described, and is reduced due to the difference in acoustic impedance between the sudden expansion portion that enters the expansion chamber from the inflow tube and the sudden reduction portion that enters the outflow tube from the expansion chamber. This is a sound effect. The greater the ratio of the inlet and outlet pipe diameters to the expansion chamber cross-sectional area, the greater the decay rate of the discharged sound and the length of the expansion chamber is related to the frequency of the sound to be silenced. Therefore, the physical size of the expansion chamber is determined by the frequency band to be silenced and the attenuation rate. Therefore, it has been one of the factors that hinder the reduction in size and weight of the low-concentration oxygen concentrator body.
[0009]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-120661
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention is intended to solve the problems of such a conventional silencer, and at the same time, the silencer itself is downsized, and at the same time, the oxygen concentrator main body is reduced in size and weight. A silencer and an oxygen concentrator for realizing an oxygen concentrator are provided.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a result of diligent studies on the problem, the present inventors have found the following silencer and oxygen concentrator.
That is, the present invention relates to an oxygen concentrator that separates oxygen in the air using pressure fluctuations and supplies oxygen enriched air to a user. An intake passage, an exhaust passage, and a purge passage of means for performing the pressure fluctuations At least one of them is equipped with a silencer, and the silencer is provided with a spiral member and a pipe portion surrounding the spiral member, and a gas inlet provided so that a spiral space between the two becomes a gas flow path. And an oxygen concentrator characterized in that the helical member is made of a sound absorbing material.
[0012]
The present invention also provides an oxygen concentrating device, wherein the spiral member is composed of a mandrel part and a sound absorbing material part spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel part. To do.
[0013]
In the present invention, the pipe portion includes a plurality of pipes arranged concentrically, and includes a second sound absorbing material portion wound spirally from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion, Provided is an oxygen concentrating device characterized in that a spiral space is formed between tubes and a folded connection portion for sequentially connecting the spaces to each other is provided.
[0014]
Further, the present invention is inserted into an intake path, an exhaust path, or a purge flow path of a device that performs at least one of gas compression supply, suction, and purge, and an intake sound, an exhaust sound, And a silencer for reducing at least one of purge airflow sound,
The silencer has a spiral member and a tube portion surrounding the spiral member, a gas introduction port and a discharge port provided so that a spiral space between them is a gas flow path, and the spiral shape The present invention provides a silencer characterized in that a member is made of a sound absorbing material, and in particular, the spiral member is spirally wound from one end to the other end of a mandrel portion and the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel portion. The present invention provides a muffler characterized by comprising a sound absorbing material portion formed.
[0015]
In the present invention, the pipe portion includes a plurality of pipes arranged concentrically, and includes a second sound absorbing material portion wound spirally from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion, The present invention provides a silencer that forms a spiral space between tubes and includes a folded connection portion that sequentially connects the spaces to each other.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An oxygen concentrator which is a preferred example according to an embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus that separates nitrogen in air and supplies high-concentration oxygen. For example, as an adsorbent that can selectively adsorb nitrogen from oxygen This is a pressure fluctuation adsorption type oxygen concentrator that takes out oxygen by filling molecular sieve zeolite 5A, 13X or lithium-based zeolite into an adsorption cylinder and supplying pressurized air produced by an air compressor.
[0017]
The oxygen concentrator of this embodiment which is a pressure fluctuation type adsorption oxygen concentrator will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the oxygen concentrator of this embodiment.
[0018]
Pressurized air compressed from the atmosphere by the compressor 5 is supplied to the adsorption cylinder 2 filled with the adsorbent 3 that selectively adsorbs nitrogen rather than oxygen through the intake silencer 16 to pressurize the inside of the adsorption cylinder 2. In this state, nitrogen is adsorbed and oxygen that has not been adsorbed is taken out. The oxygen extracted from the adsorption cylinder 2 is stored in the surge tank 4, and then the oxygen supply flow rate is set by the flow rate setting device 10 and supplied to the user via the nasal cannula 12.
[0019]
Here, since the amount of nitrogen that can be adsorbed in one step is determined by the amount and type of the adsorbent 3, the adsorbent 3 is switched before the amount of nitrogen adsorbed on the adsorbent 3 is saturated. By switching the valve 9, the adsorption cylinder 2 is opened to the atmosphere, the inside of the adsorption cylinder 2 is decompressed, and nitrogen is desorbed to regenerate the adsorbent 3. Further, the flow path switching valve 9 is controlled by the control device 11 so as to be switched at a preset time. In order to increase the amount of adsorption / desorption in one process, the pressure inside the adsorption cylinder 2 in the desorption process may be evacuated using a vacuum pump. An exhaust silencer 15 is provided on the purge side of the flow path switching valve 9.
[0020]
The compressor 5 includes a compressor drive motor 6 for driving the compressor 5, and the compressor drive motor 6 rotates at the rotation speed set by the control device 11 to drive the compressor 5 to rotate. The compressor compression mechanism unit 8 compresses air by the rotational force obtained by the compressor drive motor 6, and there are various types depending on the compression method. As the compressor 5 used in the oxygen concentrator 1, a reciprocating piston type, a rotary scroll type, or the like is generally used, but any type can be used as long as it can compress air in the atmosphere. You may use.
[0021]
Next, the silencer included in the oxygen concentrator of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an example in which such a silencer is applied to the compressor exhaust sound.
[0022]
The air discharged from the compressor is connected to the inlet 17 directly or through a suitable tube or the like. The air inlet is drawn into the pipe. A mandrel 19 having an appropriate thickness is provided inside the tube, and a sound absorbing material 20 such as urethane foam is spirally wound from one end of the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel to the other end. Therefore, a space is spirally formed between the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel, the sound absorbing material, and the inner wall (inner peripheral surface) of the pipe. Air (exhaust, intake air, or purge airflow) travels in the spiral space and travels through one or more holes provided at the other end, or from a fully open tube end face outlet tube Discharged.
[0023]
The air with a large sound pressure discharged from the compressor is exposed to the sound absorbing material layer while traveling through the long flow path by taking a spiral shape, and during that time, the energy of the sound that collided with the sound absorbing material layer is heated. The rate of conversion to energy increases, and a higher sound absorption effect is exhibited. In addition, some of the sound does not move along the spiral, but travels linearly toward the outlet, but this component is divided into many layers by the number of turns of the sound absorbing material. Since it is transmitted directly, a great sound reduction effect can be obtained from this.
[0024]
Such a silencer includes a mandrel part, N pipe parts arranged coaxially and concentrically with the mandrel part, an outer peripheral surface of each pipe part or mandrel part, and a tube part surrounding the pipe part. N sound-absorbing material portions arranged spirally from one end to the other end in the thick cylindrical space sandwiched between the inner peripheral surface of each of the outer peripheral surface, each outer peripheral surface, each inner peripheral surface, and each sound absorption An inlet for introducing gas so that a concentric and N-layered spiral space surrounded by the material portion serves as a flow path for intake, exhaust, or purge airflow, a connecting portion for connecting the spiral spaces, and gas It is also possible to use a silencer having a discharge port for discharging (N is a natural number of 2 or more).
[0025]
FIG. 3 shows an example of a two-stage shape when N = 2 (hereinafter also referred to as a two-stage type), and FIG. 4 shows an example of a three-stage shape when N = 3. In FIG. 3, a double structure consisting of two tubes, a first tube 22 and a second tube 23 coaxial with the mandrel portion, is employed. A sound absorbing material such as urethane foam is wound around the outer periphery of the first pipe, and a spiral space is created between the first pipe outer wall, the sound absorbing material, and the second pipe inner wall. Air taken from an air inlet having one or a plurality of holes or a completely open tube end surface travels along a spiral space formed between the mandrel, the sound absorbing material, and the inner wall of the inner tube. , Proceed to the other end. The gas then travels along a spiral space formed between the outer wall of the first tube and the sound absorbing material, and the inner wall of the outer tube, proceeds to the other end, and opens one or more holes or is completely opened. It is discharged from the pipe end face.
[0026]
In other words, these mufflers are configured to receive intake, exhaust, or purge airflow sequentially in a space that is continuously disposed so that at least some of the parts are in contact with each other via a partition formed of a sound absorbing material. By providing a flow path configured to flow, (1) absorption of an intake sound, exhaust sound, or purge airflow sound that travels in the direction along the flow path, and (2) intake sound travels in a direction that passes through the partition wall. , A silencer that can perform both exhaust sound and purge airflow sound absorption.
[0027]
By attaching an appropriate tube to the pipe end face of the outlet, it is possible to introduce the discharged air to an arbitrary place. Since the discharged air collides at a speed with the end face portion 25 after the second pipe, vibration may occur. Therefore, it is desirable to attach an appropriate vibration absorbing material or the like.
[0028]
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, by increasing the overall length L of the silencer, further extending the spiral flow path, and increasing the number of sound-absorbing material layers, a greater sound reduction effect can be obtained and a lower frequency region can be reduced. Sound is also possible. FIG. 5 shows noise reduction characteristics of an example in which the two-stage silencer shown in FIG. 2 is used and the length L is changed and applied to the exhaust flow path of the pressure fluctuation device. The measurement was performed at a location 1 m away from the object to be measured.
[0029]
As such a two-stage silencer, one with a total length of 100 mm and one with 200 mm were prepared. Acrylic tubes with outer diameters of 15 mm and 21 mm are used as double tubes, and a VD foam is spirally wound around a wooden mandrel as a sound absorbing material (first spiral), and VD foam is similarly applied to the outer periphery of the first inner tube. Was used as a sound absorbing material (second spiral). The first spiral has a width of 10 mm, a height of 5 mm, and the number of windings is 2 (L = 100 mm) and 4 (L = 200 mm). The second spiral has a similar width and height 3 times (L = 100 mm). ), The number of windings was 6 (L = 200 mm).
[0030]
In this case, if the muffler with the above-mentioned shape having a two-stage length of 200 mm is applied from the measured value of 46.7 dBA when no action is taken, it is possible to realize a significant sound reduction of 33.7 dBA. done.
[0031]
[Table 1]

[0032]
The mandrel and the inner tube, except for the outermost tube, can be secured to the outer tube in an appropriate manner, but a sound-absorbing material that molds the helix for the required clearance is adequate. By selecting the thickness, it is possible to hold these pipe portions only by the frictional force of the sound absorbing material. Further, the sound absorbing material may be uniformly attached to the outer wall of the inner tube and the inner wall of the outer tube, and the entire inner surface of the spiral flow path surface may be molded with the sound absorbing material.
[0033]
Such a silencer can also be applied to the intake side of the compressor. At this time, the route through which the gas flows is reversed. In addition, since it corresponds to airflow sound other than the compressor, it is also effective for reducing airflow sound when purging from one or a plurality of adsorption beds.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 5, such a silencer is particularly effective for sound reduction in a high frequency region, and is effective for a sound source in a high frequency region. Further, the gas to be reduced by the silencer can be not only air but also oxygen gas, concentrated oxygen, and other gases.
[0035]
Such a silencer shell does not necessarily have a cylindrical tube shape, and can take a structure such as a rectangular parallelepiped or a bent tube, and can take a shape in accordance with the layout.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the silencer and the oxygen concentrator provided by the present invention can realize a small, light and low-noise oxygen concentrator, and as a result, contribute to improving the quality of life (QOL) of oxygen inhalation therapy patients. I can do it.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an oxygen concentrator as a preferred example according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a configuration diagram of a silencer included in the oxygen concentrator in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a silencer according to a modification of the present invention, the detailed configuration of which is different from the silencer of FIG.
4 is a configuration diagram of a silencer according to a modification of the present invention, the detailed configuration of which is different from that of the silencer of FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG.
5 is a characteristic diagram showing the noise reduction effect of the silencer of FIG. 3. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Oxygen concentrator 2 Adsorption cylinder 3 Adsorbent 4 Surge tank 5 Compressor 6 Compressor drive motor 7 Cooling fan 8 Compressor compression mechanism part 9 Flow path switching valve 10 Flow rate setting device 11 Controller 12 Nasal cannula 13 Inlet 14 Outlet 15 Exhaust Silencer 16 Intake silencer 17 Inlet 18 Outlet 19 Mandrel 20 Sound absorbing material 21 Pipe 22 First pipe 23 Second pipe 24 Nth pipe 25 Damping point

Claims (6)

In an oxygen concentrator that separates oxygen in air using pressure fluctuations and supplies oxygen-enriched air to a user, at least one of an intake path, an exhaust path, and a purge path of a means for performing the pressure fluctuations The silencer is provided with a silencer, and the silencer has a spiral member and a pipe portion surrounding the spiral member, and a gas inlet and outlet provided so that the spiral space between the two becomes a gas flow path. The oxygen concentrator is characterized in that the spiral member is made of a sound absorbing material. 2. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, wherein the spiral member is composed of a mandrel part and a sound absorbing material part spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel part. The pipe part is composed of a plurality of pipes arranged concentrically, and includes a second sound absorbing material part spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe part. 3. The oxygen concentrator according to claim 1, further comprising a folded connection portion that forms a spiral space between the spaces and sequentially connects the spaces to each other. 4. Inserted into the intake path, exhaust path, or purge flow path of a device that performs at least one of gas compression supply, suction, and purge, and the intake sound, exhaust sound, and purge airflow sound generated by the device A silencer for reducing at least one of
The silencer has a spiral member and a tube portion surrounding the spiral member, a gas introduction port and a discharge port provided so that a spiral space between them is a gas flow path, and the spiral shape A silencer characterized in that the member is made of a sound absorbing material. 5. The silencer according to claim 4, wherein the spiral member includes a mandrel part and a sound absorbing material part spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel part. The pipe part is composed of a plurality of pipes arranged concentrically, and includes a second sound absorbing material part spirally wound from one end to the other end of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe part. The silencer according to any one of claims 4 and 5, further comprising a folded connection portion that forms a spiral space between the spaces and sequentially connects the spaces to each other.

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