Oxygen generator and nitrogen discharge control module of air inlet thereof

Abstract

The utility model relates to a ventilation therapy equipment field discloses an oxygen generator and its air intake nitrogen discharge control module, including air intake nitrogen discharge control valve (10), this air intake nitrogen discharge control valve (10) has the compressed air import (P) for receiving compressed air, the first working port (A1) for supplying compressed air to first oxygen generating unit, the second working port (A2) for supplying compressed air to second oxygen generating unit and the nitrogen discharge port (T) that communicates to external environment, and can be controlled to: when the compressed air import (P) communication to any one of first working port (A1) and second working port (A2), make the nitrogen discharge port (T) communication to another of first working port (A1) and second working port (A2), install the sound attenuation filter piece (15) at the nitrogen discharge port (T). The air intake nitrogen discharge control module makes that air intake nitrogen discharge control valve itself has the noise reduction function, improves the space utilization, and the oxygen generator's portability is convenient to realize.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to ventilation therapy equipment, specifically to an intake and nitrogen removal control module for an oxygen concentrator. Furthermore, this utility model also relates to an oxygen concentrator including the intake and nitrogen removal control module. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of living standards and the advancement of medical technology, people are paying more and more attention to health. This is especially true for those suffering from chronic respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, for whom a continuous supply of oxygen is crucial. Portable oxygen concentrators, as a novel medical device, provide convenience for oxygen therapy in daily life. The core of a portable oxygen concentrator lies in the principle of pressure swing adsorption (PSA). Using ambient air as raw material, under normal temperature and low pressure conditions, it utilizes the characteristic that the adsorption capacity of molecular sieves increases when pressurized and decreases when depressurized, forming a rapid cycle of pressurized adsorption and depressurized desorption, thus separating oxygen and nitrogen from the air.

[0003] Portable oxygen concentrators offer numerous advantages. First, their small size and light weight make them easy to carry, allowing patients to access oxygen anytime, anywhere, whether at home, on short trips, or during long journeys. Second, they are simple to use, providing a stable oxygen flow with minimal effort, making them suitable for the elderly and those with limited mobility. Furthermore, portable oxygen concentrators are typically equipped with rechargeable batteries, offering extended battery life and significantly increasing flexibility. Therefore, portable oxygen concentrators are particularly suitable for patients requiring long-term oxygen therapy. Beyond price and oxygen delivery performance, comfort, durability, and quietness are generally considered the three key factors most important to users.

[0004] For patients requiring prolonged use or a quiet environment, the noise level of portable oxygen concentrators is a particularly important technical indicator. Noise can not only affect sleep quality and comfort but also place an additional burden on patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In oxygen concentrators, besides the compressor noise, the nitrogen removal process in the oxygen generation unit, such as the molecular sieve adsorption tower, is also a major source of noise during operation. Specifically, during operation, air is delivered to the oxygen generation unit for oxygen-nitrogen separation. The resulting oxygen is delivered to the user, while nitrogen is released into the external environment. For the commonly used dual-tower adsorption-desorption cycle oxygen generation process, nitrogen removal needs to be completed quickly during the desorption step to ensure stable oxygen supply. However, the rapid release of nitrogen generates significant pressure, producing noise and popping sounds. If not handled properly, frequent noise can severely impact the user experience.

[0005] Existing technologies typically reduce nitrogen emission noise by increasing airflow resistance and adding sound insulation materials along the nitrogen emission path. However, silencers and sound-absorbing cotton placed separately along the nitrogen emission path will occupy additional space in the oxygen concentrator, which is not conducive to the development requirements of portable oxygen concentrators and is not suitable for portable oxygen concentrators with limited layout space.

[0006] Furthermore, noise reduction methods that increase airflow resistance are constrained by the need for rapid nitrogen removal; the resistance should not be set too high, otherwise it will affect subsequent adsorption cycles, thereby impacting oxygen production capacity and the stability of oxygen production. Moreover, the aforementioned noise reduction methods are only effective for noise of specific frequencies, and may not be very effective for broadband noise. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the problem that existing sound insulation and noise reduction components are inconvenient to arrange on the nitrogen emission path of portable oxygen generators, and to provide an intake and nitrogen discharge control module for oxygen generators. This intake and nitrogen discharge control module integrates at least some sound insulation and noise reduction components into the intake and nitrogen discharge control valve, which is beneficial to the realization of portability of oxygen generators.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides an intake and exhaust nitrogen control module for an oxygen generator, including an intake and exhaust nitrogen control valve. The intake and exhaust nitrogen control valve has a compressed air inlet for receiving compressed air, a first working port for supplying the compressed air to a first oxygen generating unit, a second working port for supplying the compressed air to a second oxygen generating unit, and an exhaust nitrogen port connected to the external environment. It can be controlled such that when the compressed air inlet is connected to either the first or the second working port, the exhaust nitrogen port is connected to the other of the first and the second working ports. A silencer filter is installed at the exhaust nitrogen port.

[0009] Preferably, the noise-absorbing filter is a sheet-like element with micron-sized pores manufactured by a sintering process.

[0010] Preferably, the intake nitrogen discharge control valve includes a control valve seat and a valve seat cover plate that is sealed to the control valve seat. The nitrogen discharge port is formed on the valve seat cover plate. The first working port and the second working port are formed on the control valve seat. A filter mounting groove is formed on the control valve seat facing the nitrogen discharge port. The silencer filter is installed in the filter mounting groove and is pressed and fixed by the valve seat cover plate.

[0011] Preferably, the valve seat cover has a support boss extending from the nitrogen discharge port toward the filter plate mounting groove, and the noise-reducing filter plate is pressed and fixed into the filter plate mounting groove by the support boss.

[0012] Preferably, the compressed air inlet is formed on the valve seat cover plate, and the air intake and nitrogen exhaust control valve further includes a sealing gasket clamped and fixed between the control valve seat and the valve seat cover plate, the sealing gasket being configured to seal the gap between the control valve seat and the valve seat cover plate at least around the compressed air inlet and the nitrogen exhaust port.

[0013] Preferably, the control valve seat has an intake chamber connected to the compressed air inlet, the compressed air inlet being controlled to selectively connect to either the first working port or the second working port through the intake chamber, and causing the airflow to change direction when flowing into and / or out of the intake chamber.

[0014] Preferably, the intake and exhaust control valve further includes a first control valve core and a second control valve core that are respectively sealed and fitted with the control valve seat, so as to control the on / off state of the first working port and the second working port with the compressed air inlet and the exhaust port respectively by the first control valve core and the second control valve core.

[0015] Preferably, the intake nitrogen exhaust control module further includes a silencer assembly communicating with the nitrogen exhaust port, and the silencer assembly is fixedly or detachably connected to the intake nitrogen exhaust control valve.

[0016] Preferably, the silencing assembly includes a mounting base, and the intake nitrogen exhaust control valve is mounted to the mounting base. The mounting base is provided with a silencing element and / or a silencing structure, which is located on the nitrogen exhaust passage connecting the nitrogen exhaust port to the external environment and has a silencing frequency different from that of the silencing filter.

[0017] Preferably, the silencing element includes silencing cotton covering the nitrogen vent, and / or the silencing structure includes a plurality of exhaust holes formed on the mounting base and arranged in an array, so that the nitrogen vent is connected to the external environment through the silencing cotton and / or the exhaust holes.

[0018] Preferably, the mounting base has an exhaust chamber that opens toward the intake and exhaust control valve and is used to place the sound-absorbing cotton. The exhaust port is formed on the bottom wall and / or peripheral wall of the exhaust chamber and is at least partially offset relative to the exhaust port, so that the airflow discharged from the exhaust port changes its flow direction when it flows toward the exhaust port.

[0019] Preferably, the mounting base is integrally formed on the main frame of the oxygen generator.

[0020] Preferably, the exhaust port is positioned directly opposite the compressor of the oxygen generator used to generate the compressed air.

[0021] A second aspect of this utility model provides an oxygen generator, which includes the aforementioned air intake and nitrogen exhaust control module.

[0022] Through the above technical solution, the intake and nitrogen discharge control module of this utility model can be controlled by the intake and nitrogen discharge control valve to allow the first oxygen generating unit and the second oxygen generating unit to alternately perform oxygen generation and nitrogen discharge steps, thereby facilitating stable oxygen supply from the oxygen generator. Furthermore, by installing a silencer filter at the nitrogen discharge port of the intake and nitrogen discharge control valve, the noise generated during the nitrogen discharge process is eliminated, thus integrating noise reduction functionality into the intake and nitrogen discharge control valve itself, improving space utilization and facilitating the portability of the oxygen generator. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of an oxygen generator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the arrows indicate the path of compressed air supplied by the compressor to one of the oxygen generating units through the intake and exhaust nitrogen control module and the path of nitrogen discharged from the other oxygen generating unit through the intake and exhaust nitrogen control module.

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A 3D view of the intake nitrogen exhaust control valve of the intake nitrogen exhaust control module;

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Cross-sectional view of the inlet nitrogen exhaust control valve;

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Exploded view of the intake nitrogen exhaust control valve;

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A 3D view of one of the control valve cores of the central intake nitrogen exhaust control valve;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the intake and nitrogen discharge control valve, which controls the valve core to be in an energized state.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the intake and nitrogen discharge control valve when the control valve core is in a de-energized state.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a top view of the main frame of an oxygen generator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a top view of the main frame of an oxygen generator according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a top view of the main frame of an oxygen generator according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0034] 10-Intake and nitrogen exhaust control valve; 11-Control valve seat; 111-Filter plate mounting slot; 12-Control valve core; 12a-First control valve core; 12b-Second control valve core; 13-Sealing gasket; 14-Valve seat cover plate; 141-Support boss; 15-Silence filter; 16-Fastening screw; 17-Spring; 18-Rubber plug; 20-Silence cotton; 30-Mounting base; 31-Exhaust port; 32-Silence cotton mounting slot; 100-Main frame; P-Compressed air inlet; T-Nitrogen exhaust port; A1-First working port; A2-Second working port. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 As shown, one aspect of this utility model provides an oxygen concentrator, which includes a main frame 100, a compressor 200 installed within the main frame 100, an oxygen-generating unit (e.g., a molecular sieve adsorption tower, not shown), and a ventilation control module. During operation, the compressor 200 draws in ambient air from the external environment, pressurizes the air, and supplies it to the adsorption tower. The adsorption tower then separates oxygen and nitrogen from the ambient air to produce oxygen for oxygen therapy. The oxygen concentrator may include a first oxygen-generating unit and a second oxygen-generating unit. Typically, the first and second oxygen-generating units can be respectively configured as molecular sieve adsorption towers, employing a dual-tower adsorption-desorption cycle oxygen generation process. The two units alternately perform oxygen generation and nitrogen removal steps, thereby facilitating a stable oxygen supply from the oxygen concentrator. The molecular sieve adsorption towers serving as the first and second oxygen-generating units can be integrated and assembled within the main frame 100 of the oxygen concentrator. In this case, the first and second oxygen-generating units can be two sieves in the adsorption tower of the oxygen concentrator.

[0037] Another aspect of this utility model provides an intake and exhaust nitrogen control module for use in the aforementioned oxygen generator. This module is configured to control the connection / disconnection between the compressor 200 and the intake ports of the first and second oxygen generating units, as well as between these intake ports and the external environment. Specifically, the intake and exhaust nitrogen control module includes an intake and exhaust nitrogen control valve 10. The valve 10 has a compressed air inlet P for receiving compressed air, a first working port A1 for supplying compressed air to the first oxygen generating unit, a second working port A2 for supplying compressed air to the second oxygen generating unit, and an exhaust nitrogen port T connected to the external environment. It can be controlled such that when the compressed air inlet P is connected to either the first working port A1 or the second working port A2, the exhaust nitrogen port T is connected to the other of the first and second working ports A1 and A2. A silencer filter 15 is installed at the exhaust nitrogen port T.

[0038] Therefore, when installed in the oxygen generator, the compressed air inlet P of the intake and exhaust control valve 10 can be connected to the outlet of the compressor 200, and the first working port A1 and the second working port A2 are respectively connected to the intake ports of the first and second oxygen generating units. When the intake and exhaust control valve 10 is controlled such that its compressed air inlet P is connected to the first working port A1 and the exhaust port T is connected to the second working port A2, the first oxygen generating unit performs the oxygen generating step, while the second oxygen generating unit performs the exhaust step; when the intake and exhaust control valve 10 is controlled such that its compressed air inlet P is connected to the second working port A2 and the exhaust port T is connected to the first working port A1, the first oxygen generating unit performs the exhaust step, while the second oxygen generating unit performs the oxygen generating step. This alternation ensures a stable supply of oxygen from both the first and second oxygen generating units.

[0039] By installing a silencer filter 15 at the nitrogen discharge port T, the intake and nitrogen discharge control module of this invention integrates noise reduction functionality into its intake and nitrogen discharge control valve 10, improving space utilization and facilitating the portability of the oxygen concentrator. Thus, this invention integrates the intake and nitrogen discharge control valve 10 and the nitrogen discharge silencer element within the limited space of a portable oxygen concentrator. This not only improves the overall structural integrity of the portable oxygen concentrator's core but also enhances space utilization, resulting in a more compact structure that facilitates component production and assembly processes, thereby increasing product assembly efficiency.

[0040] The aforementioned silencer filter 15 can be a sheet-like element with micron-sized pores manufactured through a sintering process. Compared to the silencers and sound-absorbing cotton commonly used in traditional oxygen concentrators, the silencer filter 15 manufactured through a sintering process can have a large number of micron-sized pores. These pores can slow down the exhaust flow rate and filter and rectify the airflow without significantly increasing exhaust resistance, effectively preventing the rapid release of nitrogen and the generation of "pop noise," thus effectively improving the user experience.

[0041] Figures 2 to 4 This invention illustrates an intake and nitrogen discharge control valve 10 according to a preferred embodiment. The intake and nitrogen discharge control valve 10 includes a control valve seat 11 and a valve seat cover 14 sealed to the control valve seat 11. A compressed air inlet P and a nitrogen discharge port T are formed on the valve seat cover 14, and a first working port A1 and a second working port A2 are formed on the control valve seat 11. To facilitate connection to the compressor and oxygen generator unit, the control valve seat 11 and valve seat cover 14 may have connectors for connecting pipelines at corresponding air inlet positions. Additionally, the valve seat cover 14 may integrate a pagoda connector for connecting to the compressor outlet at the compressed air inlet P. This not only reduces the number of parts in the oxygen generator and saves assembly time, but also reduces the possibility of air leakage at the connector connection point.

[0042] A filter mounting groove 111 is formed on the control valve seat 11 facing the nitrogen discharge port T. A silencer filter 15 is installed in this groove and pressed and fixed by the valve seat cover plate 14. Nitrogen gas discharged from the oxygen generation unit must pass through the silencer filter 15 before it can be discharged to the external environment through the nitrogen discharge port T on the valve seat cover plate 14, thus ensuring a good noise reduction effect. By forming the filter mounting groove 111 on the control valve seat 11 and pressing and fixing the silencer filter 15 within it by the valve seat cover plate 14, the nitrogen discharge silencer element is integrated within the intake nitrogen discharge control valve 10, achieving a high degree of integration.

[0043] To facilitate the pressing and fixing of the silencer filter 15 into the filter mounting groove 111 of the control valve seat 11, the valve seat cover plate 14 may also have a support boss 141 extending from the nitrogen discharge port T toward the filter mounting groove 111. This support boss 141 presses and fixes the silencer filter 15 into the filter mounting groove 111. This allows the circumferential position of the silencer filter 15 to be defined by the inner wall of the filter mounting groove 111, while the support boss 141 defines the position of the silencer filter 15 in the nitrogen discharge direction. This prevents nitrogen from escaping through the gap between the silencer filter 15 and the filter mounting groove 111, or prevents the silencer filter 15 from shaking and generating additional noise within the filter mounting groove 111. Furthermore, by firmly pressing and fixing the silencer filter 15 in the above manner, it is also possible to prevent the silencer filter 15 from loosening or even being squeezed out of the filter mounting groove 111 due to the high pressure of the discharged nitrogen, thus ensuring high reliability.

[0044] Among them, such as Figure 1As shown, an intake chamber PA can be formed within the control valve seat 11, communicating with the compressed air inlet P. The compressed air inlet P is controlled to selectively communicate with either the first working port A1 or the second working port A2 through the intake chamber PA, causing the airflow to change direction when flowing into and / or out of the intake chamber PA. Thus, compressed air from the compressor 200 needs to pass through the intake chamber PA during its entry into the intake nitrogen discharge control valve 10. By changing the airflow direction and altering the flow space, the noise reduction effect can be further improved.

[0045] Furthermore, the intake and exhaust control valve 10 may also include a sealing gasket 13 clamped and fixed between the control valve seat 11 and the valve seat cover 14. This sealing gasket 13 is configured to seal the gap between the control valve seat 11 and the valve seat cover 14 at least around the compressed air inlet P and the exhaust port T, thereby isolating the gas passages corresponding to the compressed air inlet P and the exhaust port T from each other. Figure 4 As shown, a gasket mounting groove for mounting a gasket 13 can be formed on the side of the valve seat cover 14 facing the control valve seat 11. The depth of the gasket mounting groove can be slightly less than the thickness of the gasket 13. During installation, the gasket 13 can be pre-installed in the gasket mounting groove, and then the gasket 13 is pressed together when the valve seat cover 14 is connected to the control valve seat 11 by the fastening screws 16. In addition, the gasket 13 can also prevent leakage of compressed air supplied by the compressor through the compressed air inlet P, thereby avoiding pressure loss and preventing gas leakage into the system, which would affect the oxygen production cycle and disrupt the system balance. This provides a basis for the oxygen generator to continuously output high concentrations of oxygen and maintain stability.

[0046] In other embodiments, the compressed air inlet P of the intake and exhaust control valve 10 may also be formed on the control valve seat 11, instead of being provided on the valve seat cover plate 14, which may only have an exhaust port T and press and fix the silencer filter 15 into the filter mounting groove 111 of the control valve seat 11 as described above.

[0047] The intake and nitrogen exhaust control valve 10 also includes a control valve core 12 that is sealed to the control valve seat 11. This control valve core 12 can be configured in various ways to change the on / off relationship between the air inlets by actuating relative to the control valve seat 11. For example, the intake and nitrogen exhaust control valve 10 can employ a single control valve core 12, forming a two- or three-position four-way valve that allows selective communication between the compressed air inlet P and the nitrogen exhaust port T with the first working port A1 and the second working port A2. In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the intake and nitrogen exhaust control valve 10 includes a first control valve core 12a and a second control valve core 12b that are sealed to the control valve seat 11. The first control valve core 12a and the second control valve core 12b have energized and de-energized states, respectively, and are driven by electromagnetic force. Thus, the intake and nitrogen exhaust control valve 10 can integrate two two-position three-way direct-acting solenoid valves with a common air inlet, thereby achieving logical control of the oxygen generator's adsorption and nitrogen exhaust cycles by switching the air path direction. Multiple sets of O-rings can be provided on the control valve core 12 to cooperate with the stepped holes in the control valve seat 11 to form a multi-stage seal, thereby achieving mutual isolation between the gas paths such as air intake, nitrogen discharge and air outlet.

[0048] Figure 5 A control valve core 12 in the intake and exhaust nitrogen control valve 10 is shown. This control valve core 12 can be controlled to move axially relative to the control valve seat 11 to control the on / off state of the air passage. This allows selective connection to either the first working port A1 of the first oxygen generating unit or the second working port A2 of the second oxygen generating unit to one of the compressed air inlet P and the nitrogen exhaust port T, while isolating it from the other. For this purpose, the control valve core 12 can be formed with portions of different shapes and sizes to cooperate with the control valve seat 11 and control the on / off state. The control valve core 12 may also be provided with a rubber plug for sealing contact with the control valve seat 11 to isolate the airflow passage.

[0049] Figure 6 and Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the intake and nitrogen exhaust control valve 10 in different on / off states. Figure 6 As shown, the control valve core 12 is in an energized state. Under the action of electromagnetic force, the control valve core 12 is driven to move to the right side of the figure, so that the rubber plug 18 on it seals against the control valve seat 11 (while the spring 17 is compressed) to block the air inlet chamber connected to the compressed air inlet P, so that the first working port A1 of the first oxygen generating unit or the second working port A2 of the second oxygen generating unit is connected to the nitrogen discharge port T. Thus, the first oxygen generating unit or the second oxygen generating unit enters the nitrogen discharge step. The nitrogen gas generated by the desorption of the first oxygen generating unit or the second oxygen generating unit is discharged through the nitrogen discharge port T until the desorption process is completed. Figure 7The diagram shows the control valve core 12 in a de-energized state. Under the action of spring 17, the control valve core 12 moves to the left as shown, causing the rubber plug 18 on it to seal against the control valve seat 11, thus blocking the exhaust chamber connected to the nitrogen vent T. This allows the first working port A1 of the first oxygen generating unit or the second working port A2 of the second oxygen generating unit to connect to the compressed air inlet P, allowing air to be introduced into the first or second oxygen generating unit. The first or second oxygen generating unit then enters the adsorption step until the adsorption process is complete. When corresponding control valve cores 12 are provided for the first and second oxygen generating units, the intake and nitrogen vent control valve 10 can be controlled to simultaneously drive both control valve cores 12, causing the first and second oxygen generating units to continuously and alternately perform the adsorption and nitrogen venting steps, thereby ensuring a stable oxygen supply.

[0050] Refer again Figure 1 As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the nitrogen intake and exhaust control module of this utility model, at least one other noise reduction element or structure is provided on the nitrogen exhaust path, such as noise reduction cotton 20 and exhaust hole 31. The noise reduction frequency corresponding to the noise reduction element or structure is different from that of the aforementioned noise reduction filter 15, thereby forming a multi-level composite noise reduction, which can reduce noise in a wider frequency range, filter out the airflow noise generated by nitrogen exhaust during the oxygen generation process, reduce the noise discharged outside the oxygen generator, and bring users a quieter and more comfortable "oxygen therapy" experience.

[0051] Specifically, the intake nitrogen venting control module also includes a silencer assembly connected to the nitrogen venting port T, which is fixedly or detachably connected to the intake nitrogen venting control valve 10. For example, in the intake nitrogen venting control valve 10 of the preferred structure described above, the silencer assembly can be connected to the valve seat cover plate 14, so that the nitrogen gas discharged from the nitrogen venting port T needs to pass through the silencer assembly before being discharged to the external environment.

[0052] In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the silencing assembly includes a mounting base 30 to which the intake and exhaust control valve 10 is mounted. The mounting base 30 is provided with a silencing element and a silencing structure, which are located on the exhaust passage connecting the exhaust port T to the external environment and have a silencing frequency different from that of the silencing filter 15. More specifically, the silencing element includes sound-absorbing cotton 20 disposed on the mounting base 30 and covering the exhaust port T, and the silencing structure includes a plurality of exhaust holes 31 formed on the mounting base 30 and arranged in an array, so that the exhaust port T is connected to the external environment through the sound-absorbing cotton 20 and / or the exhaust holes 31. The mounting base 30 may have a sound-absorbing cotton mounting groove 32 for mounting the sound-absorbing cotton 20, the distribution area of ​​which is larger than the opening size of the exhaust port T, and the plurality of exhaust holes 31 are arrayed on the bottom wall of the sound-absorbing cotton mounting groove 32.

[0053] Therefore, the sound-absorbing cotton 20 can form a secondary silencing effect for the nitrogen venting process. Through the expansion of sound waves by the cavity, which is relatively large compared to the nitrogen vent T, and the numerous refractions and reflections by the small pores of the sound-absorbing cotton, the energy of the sound waves is continuously consumed and reduced. The arrayed exhaust holes 31 form a tertiary silencing effect for the nitrogen venting process. Sound waves passing through the sound-absorbing cotton 20 are output outward through the exhaust holes 31. This dispersed arrangement of exhaust holes 31 distributes the nitrogen venting pressure to different locations, effectively reducing exhaust pressure and noise. Due to the aforementioned multi-stage and multi-layered energy consumption, the output sound wave energy is greatly reduced, thus achieving a noise reduction effect for exhaust silencing. Through the above-mentioned multi-stage and multi-method combination of silencing methods, it is possible to effectively eliminate noise across a wide frequency band, rather than just targeting noise at a specific frequency, thereby providing users with a more comfortable user experience and a quieter operating environment.

[0054] In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the mounting base 30 has an exhaust chamber TA that opens toward the intake nitrogen exhaust control valve 10 and is used to place the sound-absorbing cotton 20. An exhaust port 31 is formed on the bottom wall of the exhaust chamber TA (or possibly on the peripheral wall), and is at least partially offset relative to the nitrogen exhaust port T, so that the airflow discharged from the nitrogen exhaust port T changes its flow direction as it flows toward the exhaust port 31. Therefore, the nitrogen discharged from the intake nitrogen exhaust control valve 10 needs to pass through the exhaust chamber TA. By changing the airflow direction and the flow space, the sound-absorbing effect can be further improved. Figure 1 As shown, when nitrogen is discharged from the nitrogen discharge port T of the intake nitrogen discharge control valve 10, the airflow is guided to flow through the sound-absorbing cotton 20 in the exhaust chamber TA, and then discharged through the exhaust port 31 on the mounting base 30. During this process, the airflow changes direction at least twice, and the airflow space changes significantly when entering and exiting the exhaust chamber TA, which can effectively improve the noise reduction effect.

[0055] Among them, the vent 31 can be a tapered hole arranged in an array in various ways, such as Figures 8 to 10 The arrangement shown can be matrix, ring array, or variable aperture array, or it can be formed into other array distributions. The exhaust port 31 can be set to face the compressor 200 of the oxygen generator for generating compressed air. This can utilize the discharged nitrogen flow to carry away some of the heat generated during the operation of the compressor 200, without exposing the exhaust port 31 to the outside.

[0056] In the aforementioned intake and exhaust nitrogen control module, the mounting base 30, serving as the installation foundation, can be integrated onto the main frame 100 of the oxygen generator, allowing the intake and exhaust nitrogen control valve 10 to be mounted to the mounting base 30. For example, in the illustrated preferred embodiment, the mounting base 30 is integrally formed on the main frame 100, and has a sound-absorbing cotton mounting groove 32 for mounting the sound-absorbing cotton 20 and multiple exhaust holes 31 for dispersing exhaust pressure. In other embodiments, the intake and exhaust nitrogen control module of this invention can be configured as a component relatively independent of the main frame 100. For instance, the mounting base 30 can be fixed to a valve seat formed independently of the main frame 100, and the intake and exhaust nitrogen control module can be installed in the oxygen generator by assembling the valve seat onto the main frame 100.

[0057] This invention integrates the exhaust silencing element into the intake nitrogen discharge control valve, making more efficient use of limited space and facilitating the miniaturization, integration, and lightweight development of portable oxygen concentrators. Furthermore, by utilizing the impedance composite silencing principle combined with multi-stage silencing, it effectively filters out nitrogen discharge noise across a wide frequency range, providing users with a more comfortable experience and a quieter operating environment under various conditions.

[0058] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. Within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of the present invention, including combinations of various specific technical features in any suitable manner. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately. However, these simple modifications and combinations should also be considered as the content disclosed in the present invention and are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intake and nitrogen exhaust control module for an oxygen generator, characterized in that, The system includes an intake and exhaust nitrogen control valve (10), which has a compressed air inlet (P) for receiving compressed air, a first working port (A1) for supplying the compressed air to a first oxygen generating unit, a second working port (A2) for supplying the compressed air to a second oxygen generating unit, and an exhaust nitrogen port (T) connected to the external environment. The system is controllable such that when the compressed air inlet (P) is connected to either the first working port (A1) or the second working port (A2), the exhaust nitrogen port (T) is connected to the other of the first working port (A1) and the second working port (A2). A silencer filter (15) is installed at the exhaust nitrogen port (T).

2. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The noise-absorbing filter (15) is a sheet-like element with micron-sized pores, manufactured by a sintering process.

3. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intake and exhaust nitrogen control valve (10) includes a control valve seat (11) and a valve seat cover plate (14) that is sealed to the control valve seat (11). The exhaust port (T) is formed on the valve seat cover plate (14). The first working port (A1) and the second working port (A2) are formed on the control valve seat (11). A filter mounting groove (111) is formed on the control valve seat (11) facing the exhaust port (T). The silencer filter (15) is installed in the filter mounting groove (111) and pressed and fixed by the valve seat cover plate (14).

4. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The valve seat cover (14) has a support boss (141) extending from the nitrogen discharge port (T) toward the filter plate mounting groove (111), and the noise-reducing filter (15) is pressed and fixed into the filter plate mounting groove (111) by the support boss (141).

5. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The compressed air inlet (P) is formed on the valve seat cover plate (14), and the intake and exhaust control valve (10) further includes a sealing gasket (13) clamped and fixed between the control valve seat (11) and the valve seat cover plate (14). The sealing gasket (13) is configured to seal the gap between the control valve seat (11) and the valve seat cover plate (14) at least around the compressed air inlet (P) and the exhaust port (T).

6. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control valve seat (11) has an intake chamber (PA) connected to the compressed air inlet (P), the compressed air inlet (P) is controlled to selectively connect to either the first working port (A1) or the second working port (A2) through the intake chamber (PA), and the airflow direction is changed when it flows into and / or out of the intake chamber (PA).

7. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The intake and exhaust control valve (10) further includes a first control valve core (12a) and a second control valve core (12b) that are respectively sealed and fitted with the control valve seat (11), so that the first control valve core (12a) and the second control valve core (12b) respectively control the on / off state of the first working port (A1) and the second working port (A2) with the compressed air inlet (P) and the exhaust port (T).

8. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The intake nitrogen discharge control module also includes a silencer assembly connected to the nitrogen discharge port (T), which is fixedly or detachably connected to the intake nitrogen discharge control valve (10).

9. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The silencing assembly includes a mounting base (30), to which the intake and exhaust nitrogen control valve (10) is mounted. The mounting base (30) is provided with a silencing element and / or a silencing structure, which is located on the nitrogen exhaust passage connecting the nitrogen exhaust port (T) to the external environment and has a silencing frequency different from that of the silencing filter (15).

10. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 9, characterized in that, The silencing element includes silencing cotton (20) covering the nitrogen vent (T), and / or the silencing structure includes a plurality of exhaust holes (31) formed on the mounting base (30) and arranged in an array, so that the nitrogen vent (T) is connected to the external environment through the silencing cotton (20) and / or the exhaust holes (31).

11. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 10, characterized in that, The mounting base (30) has an exhaust chamber (TA) that opens toward the intake and exhaust control valve (10) and is used to place the sound-absorbing cotton (20). The exhaust port (31) is formed on the bottom wall and / or peripheral wall of the exhaust chamber (TA) and is at least partially offset relative to the exhaust port (T) so that the airflow discharged from the exhaust port (T) changes its flow direction when it flows toward the exhaust port (31).

12. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 10, characterized in that, The exhaust port (31) is positioned directly opposite the compressor (200) of the oxygen generator used to generate the compressed air.

13. The intake nitrogen exhaust control module according to claim 9, characterized in that, The mounting base (30) is integrally formed on the main frame (100) of the oxygen generator.

14. An oxygen generator, characterized in that, The oxygen generator includes an intake and exhaust nitrogen control module according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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