Product pump for an oxygen concentrator

Abstract

A product pump for pumping separated product gas from an oxygen concentrator which produces oxygen-rich product gas by utilizing a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process. The oxygen concentrator comprises a cartridge containing an adsorbent material for separating the product gas from ambient air, a vacuum pump which provides a vacuum source, a valve for selectively connecting the vacuum pump to the cartridge and product pump, and a reservoir. The product pump comprises a pumping chamber having a product gas inlet and a product gas outlet, a piston movable in the chamber, a vacuum inlet in the chamber on an opposite side of the piston from the product gas inlet and outlet for providing a vacuum to cause the piston to draw product gas through the product gas inlet into the chamber, and a spring for providing a spring force to force the product gas out the product gas outlet.

1 . A product pump for pumping separated product gas from an oxygen concentrator which produces oxygen-rich product gas by utilizing a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process, the oxygen concentrator comprising a cartridge containing an adsorbent material for separating the product gas from ambient air, a vacuum pump which provides a vacuum source, a valve for selectively connecting the vacuum pump to the cartridge and product pump, and a reservoir, the product pump comprising: 
 a pumping chamber having a product gas inlet and a product gas outlet;    a piston movable in the chamber;    a vacuum inlet in the chamber on an opposite side of the piston from the product gas inlet and outlet for providing a vacuum to allow the piston to draw product gas through the product gas inlet into the chamber; and    a spring for applying a spring force to the piston to force the product gas out the product gas outlet.    
   
   
       2 . The product pump of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a check valve at the product gas inlet.    
   
   
       3 . The product pump of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a check valve at the product gas outlet.    
   
   
       4 . The product pump of  claim 3  wherein the check valve is located between the pumping chamber and the reservoir.  
   
   
       5 . The product pump of  claim 1  wherein the pump is capable of creating a pressure in the reservoir of 1.5 atm.  
   
   
       6 . A product pump for pumping separated product gas from an oxygen concentrator which produces oxygen-rich product gas by utilizing a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process, the oxygen concentrator comprising a cartridge containing an adsorbent material for separating the product gas from ambient air, a vacuum pump which provides a vacuum source, a valve for selectively connecting the vacuum pump to the cartridge and product pump, and a reservoir, the product pump comprising: 
 a pumping chamber having a product gas inlet and a product gas outlet;    a piston movable in the chamber; and    an actuation system for moving the piston.    
   
   
       7 . The product pump of  claim 6  wherein the actuation system is propelled by the vacuum pump.  
   
   
       8 . The product pump of  claim 7  wherein the actuation system comprises a resilient member connected to the piston.  
   
   
       9 . The product pump of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 a check valve at the product gas inlet.    
   
   
       10 . The product pump of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 a check valve at the product gas outlet.    
   
   
       11 . An integral unit for pumping separated product gas from an oxygen concentrator which produces oxygen-rich product gas by utilizing a vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) process, the oxygen concentrator comprising a cartridge containing an adsorbent material for separating the product gas from ambient air, a vacuum pump which provides a vacuum source, a valve for selectively connecting the vacuum pump to the cartridge and integral unit, the integral unit comprising: 
 a pumping chamber having a product gas inlet and a product gas outlet;    a piston movable in the chamber;    a vacuum inlet in the chamber on an opposite side of the piston from the product gas inlet and outlet for providing a vacuum to allow the piston to draw product gas through the product gas inlet into the chamber; and    a spring for applying a spring force to the piston to force the product gas out the product gas outlet; and    a reservoir for storing the separated product gas.    
   
   
       12 . The integral unit of  claim 11  wherein the pumping chamber is connected to the reservoir through the product gas outlet.  
   
   
       13 . The integral unit of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 a check valve between the reservoir and pumping chamber.    
   
   
       14 . The integral unit of  claim 11  wherein the reservoir has a volume of at least four times a volume of the pumping chamber.  
   
   
       15 . The integral unit of  claim 11  wherein the reservoir is capable of storing product gas at a pressure above 1.0 atm.