Litton Systems, Inc.

Carleton Life Support Systems Inc.

Charles Bradley Hager

Russell F Hart

Tuan Q Cao

Victor P Crome

Kevin Michael Dailey

Richard Kent Frantz

William David Molis

A slide type valve (V) for regulating a gas generating system () that has at least a first and a second gas concentrating bed unit () includes an outer body () with a slide face () having at least three open ports () communicating with an interior cavity () formed in the outer body (). A vent port () and at least two bed ports () are adapted to communicate an air flow with a gas concentrating bed unit (). The vent port () is formed between two bed ports. A slide block () having an essentially flat face () slides along the slide face interior surface () of the outer body () and has an interior cavity () and a first and a second opening (). The slide block slide face () has a closing portion () positioned between the first and second openings (). A controller (C) moves the slide block () between a first state (S) and a second state (S) for desired air flow.

Air conserving slide valve

A controller system for a molecular sieve device controls a product gas generated by n molecular sieve beds for separating a gas from an input gas supply. A valve assembly with n states has an input receiving the input gas and n outlets. Each valve state in a first position creates an open passageway from the input of the slide valve to an outlet. Transitioning a valve from the first to a second position creates a variable amount of restriction in the flow of gas between the input and a selected outlet.

Variable inlet air restriction for composition control of product gas

The present invention relates to detecting the state of a slide block positioned in a linear valve and using the position of the slide block to predict the health of a linear valve and provide information to a controller/monitor. An operator is provided with information before failure occurrence to allow preventative maintenance of the linear valve. The linear valve is constructed with two canister ports and a vent port. The slide block can be constructed to block the two canister ports and vent port simultaneously. The system can control the position of the block, when provided with position information, hence, using the slide block as a shutoff valve. The typical slide valve can be used as an integral slide shutoff valve, reducing system complexity and reducing system weight, which is critical to airborne applications.

Linear gas valve cycle control, shut-off-valve and self test

A method of controlling an oxygen concentrator having a first sieve bed operated over successive control periods according to a duty cycle for alternately pressurizing and flushing the first sieve bed and a second sieve bed operated over the successive control periods according to a reciprocal of the duty cycle is disclosed. The duty cycle and the reciprocal duty cycle are adjusted during every second one of the successive control periods to change the pressurizing relative to the flushing of the first sieve bed and to change the flushing relative to the pressurizing of the second sieve bed, for reducing concentration of oxygen produced. The duty cycle and the reciprocal duty cycle are adjusted during remaining control periods to change the flushing relative to the pressurizing of the first sieve bed and to change the pressurizing relative to the flushing of the second sieve bed, such that water vapor is purged from the first and second sieve beds after pressurizing thereof. A pressure-swing adsorption (PSA) subsystem performance check is disclosed. This test is performed as part of a maintenance BIT (Built-In-Test) function. After verifying that the oxygen sensor accuracy is acceptable using prior art techniques, a set of bleed valves are opened to load the oxygen concentrator at a specific flow. The oxygen concentration is then checked via the sensor to determine whether the PSA subsystem is operating to within a predetermined concentration level.

Growing community of inventors

Davenport, IA, United States of America

Charles Bradley Hager