Gas generation module and oral cavity gas treatment device

Abstract

To provide a gas generation module including a cylindrical container, a water absorbing member, a plurality of porous carriers, and a reactant.SOLUTION: There is provided a gas generation module including a cylindrical container 11, a water absorbing member 12, a plurality of porous carriers 13, and a reactant 14. The water absorbing member and the plurality of porous carriers are both provided in the cylindrical container, and the reaction agent is provided in a pore of the plurality of porous carriers. Part of the water absorbing member protrudes from an opening end of the cylindrical container. There is also provided an oral cavity gas treatment device including a hollow body and the gas generation module removably connected to the hollow body. The hollow body includes an occlusion part and an extension part, and forms a gas passage by being connected to the gas generation module by the extension part so that gas enters the oral cavity of a user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas generation module. Specifically, the present invention relates to a gas generation module capable of generating a therapeutic gas by reacting with moisture, and an oral gas treatment device that provides a necessary gas using this gas generation module. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Gas therapy is a widely used medical technology. Among them, therapeutic gas inhalation therapy is the most widely used and has the greatest development potential respiratory therapy project in the clinical field. General therapeutic gases include oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen oxides, etc., and can provide appropriate gas therapy to patients through medical devices such as respiratory masks, nasal cannulas, endotracheal tubes, and ventilators.

[0003] However, medical devices for providing gas therapy are expensive and require regular maintenance and overhaul, so the usage cost increases significantly. In addition, if high-pressure gas containers or gas generators are used carelessly, gas leakage, fire, and explosion may occur, resulting in potential safety risks and severely limiting the actual application of gas therapy.

[0004] In view of such circumstances, in this technical field, there is a need for a medical device that is easy to operate, safe, and can stably provide gas therapy anytime and anywhere. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] This summary is intended to provide a simplified overview of the present disclosure to provide the reader with a basic understanding of the present disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of the present disclosure and is not intended to identify key / essential elements of the embodiments of the present invention or to delineate the scope of the present invention.

[0006] The first aspect of the present invention relates to a gas generation module capable of generating gas by reacting with ambient water. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the gas generation module includes a cylindrical container, a water absorption member, a plurality of porous carriers, and a reactant. One end of the cylindrical container has an opening, and the other end has a closed end. The water absorption member is provided inside the cylindrical container, and a part of the water absorption member protrudes from the opening of the cylindrical container. The plurality of porous carriers are dispersed inside the cylindrical container, and each porous carrier has a plurality of pores. The reactant is provided inside the pores respectively, and the reactant includes a metal peroxide and a metal hydroxide. The ambient water enters the cylindrical container through the water absorption member, reacts with the reactant to generate gas, and the generated gas diffuses to the opening.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the metal peroxide is selected from the group consisting of lithium peroxide, sodium peroxide, potassium peroxide, magnesium peroxide, calcium peroxide, and barium peroxide. 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 invention, the reactant further includes carbonates, nitrites, and combinations thereof.

[0009] In any embodiment of the present invention, the water absorption member is made of a water absorption material. The water absorption material is selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cotton, diatomaceous earth, and lignocellulose. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the water absorption material is cellulose acetate.

[0010] The second aspect of the present invention relates to an oral gas treatment device for administering gas to a user's oral cavity. The oral gas treatment device includes a hollow body and the gas generation module of the present invention. The hollow body includes a bite portion having a plurality of holes and an extension portion. The plurality of holes are provided along the edge of the bite portion respectively. The extension portion extends from one side of the bite portion to form a gas passage. The gas generation module is removably connected to the extension portion and is for generating the gas by reacting with ambient moisture. The gas enters the user's oral cavity from the gas generation module through the gas passage and these holes. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ambient moisture is the moisture contained in the user's exhaled gas and contacts the gas generation module through these holes and the gas passage.

[0011] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the hollow body is provided with a first screw at the end of the extension portion far from the bite portion, and a second screw is provided at a position close to the opening of the gas generation module. When the extension portion and the gas generation module are connected, the first screw and the second screw are screwed together to achieve fixation.

[0012] According to any embodiment of the present invention, the bite portion is semi-circular, has a convex side and a concave side, the extension portion extends from the convex side, and each hole is provided along the edge of the convex side respectively.

[0013] Referring to the following embodiments, those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can easily understand the basic spirit, other objectives, technical means and embodiments adopted by the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] In order to make the above content, other objectives, features, advantages and embodiments of the present invention clearer, the accompanying drawings will be described below.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

[0015] In accordance with general convention, the various features and components in the figures are not drawn to a fixed scale and are drawn in a manner intended to best illustrate the specific features and components relevant to the present invention. Further, the same or similar reference numerals are used to denote similar members / components in different drawings. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] To more fully and completely describe the present invention, embodiments and specific examples of the present invention will be illustratively described below, but this is not the only form for implementing or using the specific examples of the present invention. The embodiments include the features of many specific examples, as well as the steps and sequences for constructing and operating these specific examples. However, the same or equivalent functions and steps can also be achieved by other examples.

[0017] I Definitions For convenience, the specific terms used in this specification, examples, and the appended claims are collectively described herein. Unless otherwise defined herein, scientific and technical terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood and used by those skilled in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. Note that singular nouns used in this specification include the plural form of the noun as long as there is no contradiction in the context, and plural nouns used include the singular form of the noun. Specifically, in this specification and the claims, unless otherwise indicated in the context, the singular forms "a" and "an" include multiple reference values. Also, in this specification and the scope of the patent application, the expressions "at least one" and "one or more" are synonymous and both represent one, two, three or more, or a large number.

[0018] The numerical ranges and parameters used to define the broader scope of the present invention are approximations, although the relevant numerical values in specific embodiments are shown as accurately as possible. However, every numerical value inherently includes a standard deviation resulting from the individual test method used. Here, "about" generally means that the actual value is within plus or minus 10%, 5%, 1%, or 5% of the specified value or range. Alternatively, the term "about" means that the actual value falls within the acceptable standard error of the average value determined by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Except for experimental examples or unless otherwise specified, all ranges, amounts, numerical values, and percentages (such as for describing the amount of materials, the length of time, temperature, operating conditions, quantitative ratios, and other similar things) used herein are all modified by "about". Therefore, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, the numerical parameters disclosed in this specification and the appended claims are approximations and can be changed as needed. At least, these numerical parameters should be understood to mean the values obtained by applying the significant digits shown and ordinary rounding. The numerical ranges here represent from one endpoint to the other endpoint or between both endpoints, and unless otherwise stated, the numerical ranges mentioned here include the endpoints.

[0019] As used herein, "ambient water" refers to water that exists as a gas in the environment, which may be water vapor present in the air or water vapor emitted by organisms. For example, it may refer to the water vapor generated by the evaporation of sweat emitted from organisms in a hot environment or after activity. In one embodiment of the present invention, "ambient water" refers to the moisture contained in the exhaled gas of organisms.

[0020] II Specific Embodiments

[0021] Conventional breathing masks are the most common devices for transporting and treating gases to a patient's respiratory system (e.g., the mouth or nose), allowing the user to inhale the gas by breathing. Generally, connecting a breathing mask to a high-pressure gas cylinder via a pipe to provide the necessary gas is inconvenient for gas treatment and poses a safety risk. To improve the deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a gas generation module that generates gas by a specific combination of reactants instead of a conventional gas cylinder, thereby improving the applicability of gas treatment and the safety of operation.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a gas generation module 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the gas generation module 10 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the gas generation module 10 includes a cylindrical container 11, a water-absorbing member 12, a porous carrier 13, and a reactant 14. The cylindrical container 11 has an open end (open end 11a) at one end and a closed end 11b at the other end, forming an accommodation space for accommodating the porous carrier 13. The water-absorbing member 12 is provided inside the cylindrical container 11, and one end protrudes from the open end 11a. A plurality of porous carriers 13 are dispersedly provided inside the cylindrical container 11. Each porous carrier 13 has a plurality of pores (not shown) and a reactant 14 provided in these pores.

[0023] In addition to accommodating the porous carrier 13, the cylindrical container 11 is also a reaction space where a gas generation reaction occurs. Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment, the cylindrical container 11 is made of a material that does not allow water or gas to permeate, thereby avoiding the desired gas from escaping from the cylindrical container 11 into the air. For example, the cylindrical container 11 can be made of a polymer such as polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polypropylene (PP).

[0024] In the present invention, the gas generation module 10 generates gas by the contact of ambient moisture with the reactant 14. In order to control the reaction rate and avoid excessive moisture from entering the cylindrical container 11 and contacting the reactant 14 to react, a lid 15 is provided at a position close to the open end 11a in the cylindrical container 11, whereby moisture can be prevented from directly entering the cylindrical container 11. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is a through hole at the center of the lid 15, and the water absorption member 12 can be inserted into the cylindrical container 11 through the through hole.

[0025] Therefore, in order to allow the gas generation reaction to proceed smoothly, the water absorption member 12 introduces the moisture outside the gas generation module (i.e., ambient moisture) into the cylindrical container 11. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the water absorption member 12 is elongate, one end of which is provided inside the cylindrical container 11 and the other end protrudes from the open end 11a of the cylindrical container 11, whereby ambient moisture can enter the module along the water absorption member 12 to carry out the gas generation reaction. Therefore, the water absorption member 12 needs to be made of a material having good water absorption. Further, the generated gas escapes from the module along the water absorption member 12 through the pores in the water absorption member 12, whereby the gas is administered to the target site. The materials applicable to the water absorption member 12 of the present invention include, but are not limited to, pulp (virgin pulp, recycled paper), rayon, cotton, kenaf, bagasse, silk, wool, wood pulp cotton, polyolefin (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene), polyester, acrylic, diatomaceous earth, lignocellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and cellulose acetate. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water absorption member 12 is a synthetic fiber bundle made of cellulose acetate.

[0026] The porous carrier 13 is made of a natural or artificial porous material that is known in the art and does not react with the reactant 14 of the present invention. Utilizing the characteristics that the porous material has many pores and the pores communicate with each other, it supports the reactant 14 for gas generation, aggregates the reactant 14, and thereby is advantageous for the progress of a series of gas generation reactions. The porous carrier 13 may be arbitrarily selected from natural or artificial porous materials that are known in the art and do not react with the reactant 14 of the present invention. In any embodiment of the present invention, the porous carrier 13 is made of diatomaceous earth, PE, vinyl acetate copolymer, or a combination thereof.

[0027] According to specific examples of the present invention, the reaction mechanisms for generating gas from the reactant 14 are shown in Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, or Formula IV respectively. In the formulas, X is a divalent metal such as calcium or magnesium, and Y is a monovalent metal such as sodium or 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)

[0028] As shown in Formula I or Formula II, the metal peroxide generates oxygen gas by reacting with moisture. As shown in Formula III or Formula IV, the metal hydroxide generates hydrogen gas reactively with moisture and aluminum powder.

[0029] Therefore, the reactant 14 includes metal peroxides and metal hydroxides, which react with surrounding moisture to generate oxygen gas and hydrogen gas respectively. According to an embodiment of the present invention, 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 invention, the metal peroxide and the metal hydroxide are calcium peroxide and calcium hydroxide respectively.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, hydrogen gas and oxygen gas can be respectively produced by the gas generated by the gas generation module 10 of the present invention. In another embodiment of the present invention, in addition to hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, the reactant 14 can also generate carbon dioxide and / or nitric oxide. Those skilled in the art can select a specific reactant 14 and provide appropriate catalysts and reaction conditions (such as hydrogen ion index) according to actual needs (for example, the type of disease to be treated and the individual's condition) so that the gas generation module 10 of the present invention can generate a desired gas (such as nitrous oxide, helium, nitrogen dioxide, etc.).

[0031] When storing the gas generation module 10 of the present invention, in order to prevent the moisture in the air from contacting the reactant 14 prematurely, a removable upper cover can be provided at the opening of the cylindrical container 11. When in use, when the upper cover is removed, the water absorption member begins to absorb the moisture in the air, whereby the reactant 14 in the cylindrical container 11 can contact the moisture to generate gas. According to an example of the present invention, a screw 16 for screwing the upper cover is provided at the opening end 11a of the cylindrical container 11 (Figure 1). Therefore, those skilled in the art can design a passage connectable to the gas generation module 10 in the gas treatment device to provide gas by the gas generation module 10 of the present invention and achieve the purpose of providing gas treatment.

[0032] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an oral gas treatment device 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the use of the oral gas treatment device 300. As shown in FIG. 3, the oral gas treatment device 300 structurally includes a gas generation module 310 and a hollow body 320 that are removably connected to each other. The hollow body 320 includes a bite part 321 and an extending part 322 extending from one side of the bite part 321. Here, the gas generation module 310 structurally includes a cylindrical container 311, a water absorption member 312, a porous carrier provided in the cylindrical container 311, and a reactant (not shown), and can react with surrounding moisture to generate a desired gas.

[0033] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the hollow body 320 and the gas generation module 310 are screwed together via screws to form a gas passage. Specifically, the first screw 324 and the second screw 317 are respectively provided at a position far from the bite part 321 of the extending part 322 in the hollow body 320 and at a position close to the opening in the gas generation module 310. Therefore, when the extending part 322 is connected to the gas generation module 310, the first screw 324 and the second screw 317 are screwed together to achieve fixation. In this way, when the reactant in the gas generation module 310 has completely reacted and gas can no longer be generated, it can be removed 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 and reused.

[0034] When the gas generation module 310 is fixed to the hollow body 320, the water absorption member 312 of the gas generation module 310 protrudes from one end of the cylindrical container 311 and enters the gas passage. Thereby, the moving direction of the moisture (i.e., the surrounding moisture) in the gas passage can be guided. Specifically, moisture is introduced into the gas generation module 310 through the water absorption member 312.

[0035] When in use, the occlusal part 321 of the hollow body 320 is placed in the oral cavity of the user U (Fig. 4). Since a plurality of holes 323 are provided at the edge of the occlusal part 321 of the hollow body 320, the exhaled gas of the user is sequentially transported into the gas generation module 310 through these holes 323 and the gas passage, and can generate gas by contacting the reactant in the gas generation module 310. Next, the gas enters the user's oral cavity along with the user's inhalation or due to the gas partial pressure.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 4, when actually in use, the user U puts the occlusal part 321 of the hollow body 320 of the oral gas treatment device 300 into the oral cavity. Therefore, in order to structurally adapt to the space inside the user's oral cavity, the occlusal part 321 is provided with a convex side 321a and a concave side 321b so as to be semi-circular as a whole. These holes 323 are provided along the edge of the convex side 321a, and the extending part 324 extends from the convex side 321a.

[0037] According to any embodiment of the present invention, the concave side 321b of the occlusal part 321 protrudes towards the edge of the convex side 321a to the central part, forming a gas temporary storage space, concentrating the gas generated by the gas generation module 310 to form a high-concentration gas, and achieving a therapeutic effect.

[0038] According to the installation method of the oral gas treatment device 300 of the present invention, the user can operate this device by himself at home or anywhere. The gas generation module 310 is attached and fixed to the hollow body 320, and the hollow body 320 is put into or bitten in the oral cavity and simply exhales and inhales normally, and the gas generation module 310 can be operated (that is, gas is generated and administered to the oral cavity) to treat the oral cavity with gas.

[0039] From the above, the present invention provides a gas generation module that reacts with ambient moisture to generate gas instead of the conventional gas cylinder, and improves the inconvenience and safety problems of gas treatment by the conventional gas cylinder. Further, the present invention further provides an oral gas treatment device for treating the oral cavity, which generates gas by means of a hollow body and the gas generation module and is directionally administered to the oral cavity to achieve a therapeutic effect.

[0040] The foregoing description of the embodiments is presented by way of example only, and it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes can be made. The above specification, examples and experimental results provide a complete description of the structure and use of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Although various examples of the present invention have been 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 spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be defined by the appended patent application.

[0041] Description of Reference Numerals 10, 310 Gas Generation Module 11, 311 Cylindrical Container 11a Open End 11b Closed End 12, 312 Water Absorbing Member 13 Porous Carrier 14 Reagent 15 Cover 16 Screw 300 Oral Gas Treatment Device 317 Second Screw 320 Hollow Body 321 Biting Portion 321a Convex Side 321b Concave Side 322 Extending Portion 323 Hole 324 First Screw

Claims

1. A gas generation module for generating gas by reacting with ambient moisture, comprising: a cylindrical container having an open end and a closed end; a water-absorbing member provided in the cylindrical container and partially protruding from the open end; a plurality of porous carriers dispersed in the cylindrical container, each of the porous carriers having a plurality of pores; a reactant provided in each of the pores and containing a metal peroxide and a metal hydroxide; and wherein the ambient moisture enters the cylindrical container through the water-absorbing member, reacts with the reactant to generate gas, and the generated gas diffuses to the open end.

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

4. The gas generation module according to claim 1, wherein the reactant further comprises carbonates, nitrites, and combinations thereof.

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

6. The gas generation module according to claim 5, wherein the water-absorbing material is cellulose acetate.

7. An oral gas treatment device for administering gas into a user's oral cavity, comprising: a hollow body and the gas generation module according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body includes a biting portion and an extending portion, the biting portion has a plurality of holes, each of the holes being provided along an edge of the biting portion, the extending portion extends from one side of the biting portion to form a gas passage, the gas generation module is removably connected to the extending portion and is used to generate gas by reacting with ambient moisture, and the gas enters the user's oral cavity through the gas passage and the plurality of holes from the gas generation module.

8. The surrounding moisture is moisture contained in the exhaled gas of the user, and the oral gas treatment device according to claim 7, which contacts the gas generation module through the plurality of holes and the gas passage.

9. A first screw is provided at a distal end of the extending portion far from the occlusal portion of the hollow body, and a second screw is provided at a position close to the opening of the gas generation module. When the extending portion is connected to the gas generation module, the first screw and the second screw are screwed together to achieve fixation. The oral gas treatment device according to claim 7.

10. The occlusal portion is semi-circular and has a convex side and a concave side. The extending portion extends from the convex side, and each of the holes is provided along the edge of the convex side. The oral gas treatment device according to claim 7.

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