Hypoxia training device
Inventors
Reeh, Jonathan • Waje, Mahesh • Kesmez, Mehmet • Salinas, Carlos • Varughese, Jibi • Zbranek, John • Cocking, Seth • Balasubramanian, Ashwin • Teurman, Cory • Netherland, James • Hitchens, Geoffrey Duncan
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11071840-B2
Publication Date
2021-07-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention includes a device for hypoxia training comprising: one or more electrochemical cells each comprising: a cathode and an anode separated by a proton exchange membrane, each of the anode and cathode in communication with an input and an output, wherein the input of the cathode is in fluid communication with ambient air, and wherein the input of the anode is in fluid communication with a source of liquid water; a power supply connected to the one or more electrochemical cells; and a mask in fluid communication with the output from the cathode of the one or more electrochemical cells, wherein oxygen is removed from the ambient air during contact with the cathode when hydrogen ions separated from liquid water by a catalyst on the anode convert oxygen in the ambient air into water.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a device for controlling oxygen to a mask using an oxygen separator that includes one or more electrochemical cells separated by a proton exchange membrane. Atmospheric air is contacted with a cathode while hydrogen ions separated from liquid water by a catalyst on an anode convert oxygen in the atmospheric air into water, and an oxygen-containing output is provided to the mask in fluid communication with the cathode output.
The device integrates air inlet flow and oxygen removal control using measured flows and pressures. An air inlet pump provides atmospheric air to an inlet air flow meter, and the oxygen separator output is connected to a pressurized accumulator having a pressure sensor. An outlet flow meter measures an oxygen flow rate to the mask while the mask is being used, and a system inlet flow rate control automatically controls a flow rate of the air inlet pump based on calculated user air consumption from the accumulator pressure sensor and the outlet flow meter.
The invention further provides oxygen removal control to simulate a target altitude by calculating an electrical current for the electrochemical cells. An oxygen removal control processor accepts input for a target altitude set point, calculates an electrical current required to remove an amount of oxygen from the atmospheric air to simulate a target altitude from at least the target altitude set point and input from the inlet flow meter, and automatically controls the amount of oxygen removed using the calculated electrical current. In related refinements, oxygen may be monitored with an oxygen sensor output to a processor that determines oxygen amounts and controls power based on hypoxia training settings, and oxygen removal may be reduced in a pressure-on-demand manner based on air intake at the mask.
Claims Coverage
The partial content explicitly identifies two independent claims: clm-00001 and clm-00020. Across these independent claims, the inventive features center on electrochemical oxygen separation for a mask, accumulator-based pressure sensing with flow metering, and closed-loop oxygen removal control to simulate a target altitude by calculating electrical current based on measured air flow.
Electrochemical oxygen separation for a mask with cathode hydrogen-ion driven conversion
One or more oxygen separators include one or more electrochemical cells each comprising a cathode and an anode separated by a proton exchange membrane, wherein oxygen is removed from atmospheric air during contact with the cathode when hydrogen ions separated from liquid water by a catalyst on the anode convert oxygen in the atmospheric air into water, and the mask is in fluid communication with the output from the cathode.
Accumulator pressure sensing and outlet flow metering for oxygen flow control while the mask is used
A pressurized accumulator connected to the output from the one or more oxygen separators and having a pressure sensor measures a pressure of a fluid within the pressurized accumulator while the mask is being used, and an outlet flow meter connected to the pressurized accumulator measures an oxygen flow rate to the mask while the mask is being used.
Automatic inlet pump flow-rate control using calculated user air consumption
A system inlet flow rate control connected to the pressure sensor of the pressurized accumulator, to the outlet flow meter, and to the air inlet pump automatically controls a flow rate of the air inlet pump, and comprises an inlet flow rate control processor with programmed instructions to calculate a user air consumption from input from the pressure sensor and input from the outlet flow meter, calculate a pump set point from the calculated user air consumption, and automatically control the flow rate of the air inlet pump using the calculated pump set point.
Oxygen removal control to simulate a target altitude set point by electrical-current calculation
An oxygen removal control connected to the inlet flow meter and directly connected to the one or more oxygen separators controls the amount of oxygen removed from the atmospheric air at the one or more electrochemical cells, and comprises an oxygen removal control processor with programmed instructions to accept input for a target altitude set point, to calculate an electrical current to the one or more oxygen separators required to remove an amount of oxygen from the atmospheric air to simulate a target altitude from at least the target altitude set point and input from the inlet flow meter, and to automatically control the amount of oxygen removed using the calculated electrical current.
Pressure-regulated gas path to the mask with forward and back pressure regulators and conduit pressure sensing
An accumulator is in fluid communication with a gas inlet and a back pressure regulator at a first output and a forward pressure regulator at a second output, where hypoxic air from the one or more oxygen separators is received, the mask is connected via conduits including a unidirectional valve at the mask and a unidirectional output valve, and a conduit pressure sensor in communication with an interior of the conduit is connected to and controls the forward pressure regulator to control the flow of a gas from the accumulator to the mask.
Together, the independent claims cover an electrochemical-oxygen-separation device for delivering oxygen to a mask using a proton exchange membrane cell stack, with accumulator pressure sensing and outlet flow metering, an automatic inlet pump flow-rate control processor that calculates user air consumption, and an oxygen removal control processor that calculates electrical current to remove oxygen and simulate a target altitude. A second independent claim additionally specifies a pressure-regulated gas path including forward and back pressure regulators, conduit pressure sensing, and valves to deliver gas from the accumulator to the mask.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
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