Gas production module and oral cavity gas treatment device

Abstract

The invention provides a gas production module. The gas production module comprises a cylindrical container, a water absorption part, a plurality of porous carriers and reactants, wherein the water absorption piece and the plurality of porous carriers are arranged in the cylindrical container, the reactant is arranged on micropores of the plurality of porous carriers, and one part of the water absorption piece protrudes from the opening end of the cylindrical container. The invention also provides an oral cavity gas treatment device which comprises a hollow body and a gas generating module detachably coupled with the hollow body. The hollow body comprises an occlusion part and an extension part, and is coupled with the gas generation module through the extension part to form a gas channel, so that gas enters the oral cavity of a user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a gas generating module. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a gas generating module capable of reacting with water vapor to generate therapeutic gas, and an oral gas therapy device that uses the gas generating module to provide the required gas.

Background Art

[0002] Gas therapy is a widely used medical technology, and among them, therapeutic gas inhalation therapy is the most widely used and most promising respiratory therapy item in clinical practice. Common therapeutic gases include oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen oxides, etc., and appropriate gas therapy can be provided to patients through medical devices such as breathing masks, nasal intubation, endotracheal intubation, and ventilators.

[0003] However, the medical devices required for gas therapy are expensive and require regular maintenance and inspection, which greatly increases the use cost. In addition, the use of high-pressure gas containers or gas generators may cause gas leakage, fire or explosion if used carelessly, posing potential safety risks, resulting in great limitations in the practical application of gas therapy.

[0004] In view of this, there is an urgent need in the art for a medical device that is simple and safe to operate and can stably provide gas therapy anytime and anywhere.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The summary of the invention aims to provide a simplified summary of the present disclosure so that readers can have a basic understanding of the present disclosure. This summary of the invention is not a complete overview of the present disclosure, and its purpose is not to point out the important / critical elements of the embodiments of the invention or to define the scope of the invention.

[0006] A first aspect of the present disclosure relates to a gas generating module that can be used to react with surrounding water vapor to generate gas. According to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the gas generating module includes a cylindrical gas container, a water absorbent, a plurality of porous carriers, and a reactant. One end of the cylindrical container has an opening, and the opposite end has a closed end; the water absorbent is disposed inside the cylindrical container, and a part of the water absorbent protrudes from the opening of the cylindrical container; a plurality of porous carriers are dispersed inside the cylindrical container, and each porous carrier has a plurality of micropores; and the reactant is respectively disposed in the micropores, wherein the reactant includes metal peroxide and metal hydroxide. The surrounding water vapor enters the cylindrical container through the water absorbent, and thus reacts with the reactant to generate gas that diffuses towards the opening.

[0007] According to certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the metal peroxide is selected from the group consisting of lithium peroxide, sodium peroxide, potassium peroxide, magnesium peroxide, calcium peroxide, and barium peroxide; and the metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and barium hydroxide. In an exemplary embodiment, the metal peroxide is calcium peroxide, and the metal hydroxide is calcium hydroxide.

[0008] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the reactant further comprises a carbonate, a nitrite, and combinations thereof.

[0009] In an optional embodiment of the present disclosure, the water-absorbing member is made of a water-absorbing material, wherein the water-absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cotton, diatomaceous earth, and lignocellulose. According to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the water-absorbing material is cellulose acetate.

[0010] A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to an oral gas treatment device for delivering a gas into a user's oral cavity, comprising a hollow body and the gas-generating module of the present disclosure, wherein the hollow body comprises a biting portion having a plurality of holes respectively disposed along the edge of the biting portion, and an extending portion extending from one side of the biting portion to form a gas channel; and the gas-generating module is detachably coupled to the extending portion for reacting with surrounding water vapor to generate the gas. The gas enters the user's oral cavity from the gas-generating module through the gas channel and the holes. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the surrounding water vapor is the water vapor contained in the user's exhaled gas, which contacts the gas-generating module through the holes and the gas channel.

[0011] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the hollow body is provided with a first thread at one end of the extending portion away from the biting portion, and the gas-generating module is provided with a second thread near the opening, wherein when the extending portion is coupled to the gas-generating module, the first thread and the second thread are screwed together to achieve fixation.

[0012] In an optional embodiment of the present disclosure, the biting portion is semi-circular, having a convex side and a concave side, wherein the extending portion extends from the convex side, and each of the holes is respectively disposed along the edge of the convex side.

[0013] After referring to the following embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily understand the basic spirit and other inventive purposes of the present invention, as well as the technical means and implementation aspects adopted by the present invention.

Description of the Drawings

[0014] To make the above and other purposes, features, advantages, and implementation aspects of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the description of the accompanying drawings is as follows.

[0015] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the gas generation module 10 shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 2 is Figure 1 Partial cross-sectional view of the gas generation module 10;

[0017] Figure 3 Exploded view of the oral gas treatment device 300 shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 4 Usage schematic diagram of the oral gas treatment device 300 of the present disclosure.

[0019] According to the usual operating mode, various features and elements in the figures are not drawn to scale. The drawing method is to present the specific features and elements related to the present invention in the best way. In addition, between different figures, the same or similar element symbols are used to refer to similar elements / components.

Detailed implementation manners

[0020] In order to make the description of the present disclosure more detailed and complete, the following presents an illustrative description of the implementation aspects and specific embodiments of the present invention; however, this is not the only form for implementing or applying the specific embodiments of the present invention. The implementation manners cover the features of multiple specific embodiments and the method steps and their sequences for constructing and operating these specific embodiments. However, other specific embodiments can also be used to achieve the same or equivalent functions and step sequences.

[0021] I. Definitions

[0022] For convenience, the specific technical terms used in this specification, embodiments, and the appended patent application scope are concentrated here. Unless otherwise defined in this specification, the meanings of the scientific and technical terms used here are the same as those understood and commonly used by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. And, in the case of no conflict with the context, the singular nouns used in this specification cover the plural forms of the nouns, and the plural nouns used also cover the singular forms of the nouns. Specifically, in this specification and the patent application scope, the singular forms "a" and "an" include plural reference values, unless otherwise indicated according to the context. In addition, in this specification and the patent application scope, the expressions "at least one" and "one or more" have the same meaning, both representing including one, two, three, or more.

[0023] Although the numerical ranges and parameters used to define the broader scope of the present invention are approximate values, the relevant numerical values in the specific embodiments have been presented as precisely as possible herein. However, any numerical value inherently and inevitably contains standard deviations resulting from individual testing methods. Herein, "about" generally means that the actual value is within plus or minus 10%, 5%, 1%, or 5% of a specific numerical value or range. Alternatively, the term "about" represents that the actual value falls within the acceptable standard error of the average value, depending on the considerations of those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Except for experimental examples or unless otherwise clearly stated, it is to be understood that all ranges, amounts, numerical values, and percentages (such as those used to describe material amounts, time durations, temperatures, operating conditions, quantity ratios, and others similar) used herein are modified by "about". Therefore, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, the numerical parameters disclosed in this specification and the appended patent application scope are approximate values and can be varied as needed. At a minimum, these numerical parameters should be understood as the indicated significant digits and the values obtained by applying ordinary rounding methods. Herein, a numerical range is expressed as extending from one endpoint to another endpoint or being between two endpoints; unless otherwise stated, the numerical ranges described herein include the endpoints.

[0024] In the present disclosure, the term "ambient water" generally refers to water existing in the environment in gaseous form, which can refer to water vapor present in the air or water vapor emitted by organisms. For example, the water vapor formed by the evaporation of sweat produced by an organism in a hot environment or after activity. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, "ambient water" refers to the water vapor contained in the gas exhaled by an organism.

[0025] II Specific Embodiments

[0026] Currently, a breathing mask is the most common device used to deliver gas to a patient's respiratory system (e.g., the mouth or nose) for treatment. The user can inhale the inhaled gas through breathing. Generally, a pipeline is used to connect the breathing mask and a high-pressure gas cylinder to provide the required gas, resulting in inconvenience and safety concerns in the application of gas therapy. To improve the defects of the prior art, the present disclosure aims to provide a gas generation module that uses a specific combination of reactants to generate gas to replace a traditional gas cylinder, thereby enhancing the applicability and operational safety of gas therapy.

[0027] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 wherein Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the gas generation module 10 shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is Figure 1Partial cross-sectional view of the gas generation module 10. As shown in the figure, the gas generation module 10 includes a cylindrical container 11, a water absorbing member 12, a porous carrier 13, and a reactant 14. One end of the cylindrical container 11 has an opening (open end 11a), and the other end is a closed end 11b, forming a receiving space for accommodating the porous carrier 13. The water absorbing member 12 is disposed inside the cylindrical container 11, and one end protrudes from the open end 11a. A plurality of porous carriers 13 are dispersedly disposed inside the cylindrical container 11, and each porous carrier 13 has a plurality of micropores (not shown in the figure); and the reactant 14 is disposed in these micropores.

[0028] In addition to accommodating the porous carrier 13, the cylindrical container 11 also serves as a reaction space for the gas generation reaction to occur. Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment, the cylindrical container 11 is made of a water-impermeable and air-impermeable material to prevent the desired gas from directly escaping from the cylindrical container 11 into the air. For example, the cylindrical container 11 can be made of polymer polymers such as polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polypropylene (PP).

[0029] Since the gas generation module 10 of the present disclosure uses the surrounding water vapor to contact the reactant 14 to generate gas, in order to control the reaction rate and prevent excessive water vapor from entering the cylindrical container 11 and contacting the reactant 14 for reaction, a cover 15 is provided at a position near the open end 11a inside the cylindrical container 11 to block the direct entry of water vapor into the cylindrical container 11. According to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover 15 has a perforation in the center, so that the water absorbing member 12 can pass through the perforation and be placed inside the cylindrical container 11.

[0030] Based on this, in order to enable the gas generation reaction to proceed smoothly, the water absorbing member 12 is used to guide the moisture outside the gas generation module (i.e., the surrounding water vapor) into the cylindrical container 11. Specifically, as Figure 2As shown, the water-absorbing member 12 is in a long strip shape. One end of it is disposed inside the cylindrical container 11, and the other end protrudes from the opening end 11a of the cylindrical container 11, so that the surrounding water vapor can enter the module along the water-absorbing member 12 to carry out a gas generation reaction. Based on this, the water-absorbing member 12 needs to be made of a material with good water absorption performance. In addition, the generated gas also escapes from the module along the water-absorbing member 12 through the pores in the water-absorbing member 12, so as to deliver the gas to the target position. The materials applicable to prepare the water-absorbing member 12 of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, pulp (virgin pulp, recycled paper), rayon, cotton, jute, bagasse, silk, wool, wood pulp cotton, polyolefins (such as: polyethylene, polypropylene), polyester, acrylic, diatomaceous earth, lignocellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and cellulose acetate. According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the water-absorbing member 12 is a synthetic fiber bundle made of cellulose acetate.

[0031] The porous carrier 13 is made of any natural or artificial porous material known in the art that will not react with the reactant 14 of the present disclosure. Utilizing the characteristics of the porous material having many micropores and the micropores communicating with each other, the reactant 14 for gas generation is loaded, so that the reactant 14 aggregates in a pile to facilitate a series of gas generation reactions. The porous carrier 13 can be selected from any natural or artificial porous material known in the art that will not react with the reactant 14 of the present disclosure. In an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the porous carrier 13 is made of diatomaceous earth, PE, vinyl acetate copolymer, or a combination thereof.

[0032] According to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the reaction mechanisms for the reactant 14 to generate gas are shown in Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, or Formula IV respectively, where X is a divalent metal such as calcium and magnesium, and Y is a monovalent metal such as sodium and potassium. 2XO2 + 2H2O → 2X(OH)2 + O2 (Formula I) 2Y2O2 + 2H2O → 4Y(OH) + O2 (Formula II) X(OH)2 + 2Al + 6H2O → X(Al(OH)4)2 + 3H2 (Formula III) 2Y(OH) + 2Al + 2H2O → 2YAlO2 + 3H2 (Formula IV)

[0033] As shown in Formula I or Formula II, the metal peroxide reacts with water vapor to generate oxygen; as shown in Formula III or Formula IV, the metal hydroxide reacts with water vapor and aluminum powder to generate hydrogen.

[0034] Accordingly, the reactant 14 includes a metal peroxide and a metal hydroxide, which are respectively used to react with surrounding water vapor to generate oxygen and hydrogen. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the metal peroxide is selected from the group consisting of lithium peroxide, sodium peroxide, potassium peroxide, magnesium peroxide, calcium peroxide, and barium peroxide, and the metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and barium hydroxide. According to an example of the present disclosure, the metal peroxide and the metal hydroxide are calcium peroxide and calcium hydroxide respectively.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the gases that can be generated by the gas generation module 10 of the present disclosure are hydrogen and oxygen respectively. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, in addition to generating hydrogen and oxygen, the reactant 14 can further generate carbon dioxide and / or nitric oxide. Those skilled in the art can also select a specific reactant 14 according to actual usage requirements (such as the type of disease to be treated and individual conditions), and provide appropriate catalysts and reaction conditions (such as pH) so that the gas generation module 10 can generate the desired gas. For example, nitrous oxide, helium, nitrogen dioxide, etc.

[0036] When storing the gas generation module 10 of the present disclosure, in order to prevent the moisture in the air from coming into contact with the reactant 14 in advance, a top cover can be provided to be detachably coupled to the opening of the cylindrical container 11. When in use, the top cover is removed, and the water absorbent starts to absorb the water vapor in the air, so that the reactant 14 in the cylindrical container 11 can come into contact with the water vapor to generate gas. According to an example of the present disclosure, a thread 16 is provided at the opening end 11a of the cylindrical container 11 to be screwed with the top cover ( Figure 1 ). In view of this, those skilled in the art can design a channel on the gas treatment device that can be coupled to the gas generation module 10, and thus can use the gas generation module 10 of the present disclosure to provide gas to achieve the purpose of providing gas treatment.

[0037] Please also refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 . Figure 3 is an exploded view of the oral gas treatment device 300 shown according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the use of the oral gas treatment device 300. As Figure 3 shown, the oral gas treatment device 300 structurally includes a gas generation module 310 and a hollow body 320 that are detachably coupled to each other, wherein the hollow body 320 includes a biting portion 321 and an extension portion 322 extending from one side of the biting portion 321. The gas generation module 310 described here is the same as Figure 1 and Figure 2The gas generation modules 10 are substantially the same and structurally include a cylindrical container 311, a water-absorbing member 312, and a porous carrier and a reactant (not shown in the figure) disposed within the cylindrical container 311, which can react with surrounding water vapor to generate the desired gas.

[0038] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the hollow body 320 and the gas generation module 310 are screwed together with each other to form a gas passage. Specifically, threads (i.e., a first thread 324 and a second thread 317) are correspondingly provided at one end of the extension portion 322 of the hollow body 320 away from the engaging portion 321 and at the gas generation module 310 near the opening; thus, when the extension portion 322 is coupled to the gas generation module 310, the first thread 324 and the second thread 317 are screwed together to achieve fixation. Based on this, when the reactant in the gas generation module 310 has completely reacted and can no longer generate gas, it can be disassembled from the hollow body 320, and a new gas generation module 310 can be replaced to continue the treatment. The hollow body 320 can also be sterilized additionally for reuse.

[0039] When the gas generation module 310 is fixed to the hollow body 320, one end of the water-absorbing member 312 of the gas generation module 310 protruding from the cylindrical container 311 is placed in the gas passage, thereby guiding the moving direction of the water vapor (i.e., the surrounding water vapor) in the gas passage. Specifically, it is guided into the gas generation module 310 through the water-absorbing member 312.

[0040] When in use, the engaging portion 321 of the hollow body 320 is held in the user's U's mouth (as Figure 4 shown). Since a plurality of holes 323 are provided at the edge of the engaging portion 321 of the hollow body 320, the gas exhaled by the user can be sequentially sent to the gas generation module 310 through the holes 323 and the gas passage to contact the reactant in the gas generation module 310 to generate gas. Then, the gas enters the user's mouth as the user inhales or by gas partial pressure.

[0041] As Figure 4 shown, in actual use, the user U holds the engaging portion 321 of the hollow body 320 of the oral gas treatment device 300 in the mouth; thus, in order to conform to the internal space of the user's mouth in configuration, the engaging portion 321 is provided with a convex side 321a and a concave side 321b, making it generally semi-circular, and the holes 323 are arranged along the edge of the convex side 321a, and the extension portion 324 extends from the convex side 321a.

[0042] According to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the concave side 321b of the engaging portion 321 to the central portion protrudes relative to the edge of the convex side 321a, forming a gas storage and buffer space for concentrating the gas generated by the gas generating module 310 to form a high-concentration gas to produce a therapeutic effect.

[0043] With the arrangement of the oral gas treatment device 300 according to the present disclosure, the user can operate the device by himself / herself at home or any place. Only by installing and fixing the gas generating module 310 on the hollow body 320, and by holding or biting the hollow body 320 and exhaling and inhaling normally, the gas generating module 310 can be driven to operate (i.e., generate gas and deliver it to the oral cavity) to perform gas treatment on the oral cavity.

[0044] In summary, the present disclosure provides a gas generating module that replaces a traditional gas cylinder and can react with surrounding water vapor to generate gas, improving the inconvenience and safety of gas treatment with a traditional gas cylinder. In addition, the present disclosure also provides an oral gas treatment device for performing gas treatment on the oral cavity, which can generate gas and deliver it to the oral cavity in a targeted manner through the hollow body and the aforementioned gas generating module to produce a therapeutic effect.

[0045] It should be understood that the foregoing description of the embodiments is only given by way of examples, and those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can make various modifications. The above specification, embodiments and experimental results provide a complete description of the structure and use of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Although various specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the above embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can make various changes and modifications without departing from the principles and spirits of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be defined by the scope of the appended patent application.

Symbol Explanation

Claims

1. A gas generating module for reacting with surrounding water vapor to generate a gas, comprising: A cylindrical container having an opening at one end and a closed end at the opposite end; A water absorbent member disposed within the cylindrical container, with a portion thereof protruding from the opening; A plurality of porous carriers dispersedly disposed within the cylindrical container, each of the porous carriers having a plurality of micropores; and A reactant respectively disposed within each of the micropores, wherein the reactant comprises a metal peroxide and a metal hydroxide; Among them, The surrounding water vapor enters the cylindrical container through the water absorbent member, thereby reacting with the reactant to generate the gas which diffuses towards the opening.

2. The gas generating module according to claim 1, wherein the metal peroxide is selected from the group consisting of lithium peroxide, sodium peroxide, potassium peroxide, magnesium peroxide, calcium peroxide and barium peroxide; and the metal hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and barium hydroxide.

3. The gas generating module according to claim 2, wherein the metal peroxide is calcium peroxide and the metal hydroxide is calcium hydroxide.

4. The gas generating module according to claim 1, wherein the reactant further comprises a carbonate, a nitrite and combinations thereof.

5. The gas generating module according to claim 1, wherein the water absorbent member is made of a water absorbent material selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cotton, diatomaceous earth and wood cellulose.

6. The gas generating module according to claim 5, wherein the water absorbent material is cellulose acetate.

7. An oral gas treatment device for delivering a gas into a user's oral cavity, comprising: A hollow body, comprising A biting portion having a plurality of holes, each of the holes being respectively disposed along the edge of the biting portion; and An extending portion extending from one side of the biting portion to form a gas passage; and A gas generating module as claimed in claim 1 detachably coupled to the extending portion for reacting with surrounding water vapor to generate the gas, Among them, The gas enters the user's oral cavity from the gas generating module through the gas passage and the holes.

8. The oral gas treatment device according to claim 7, wherein the surrounding water vapor is a water vapor contained in the user's exhaled gas, which contacts the gas generating module through the holes and the gas passage.

9. The oral gas treatment device according to claim 7, wherein the hollow body is provided with a first thread at an end of the extending portion remote from the biting portion, and the gas generating module is provided with a second thread near the opening, wherein when the extending portion is coupled to the gas generating module, the first thread and the second thread are screwed together to achieve fixation.

10. The oral gas treatment device according to claim 7, wherein the biting portion is semi-circular, having a convex side and a concave side, wherein the extending portion extends from the convex side, and each of the holes is respectively disposed along the edge of the convex side.

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