DESC:FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
[39 of 1970]
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(Section 10; Rule 13)

MODULAR PORTABLE OXYGEN GENERATOR

O2-Matic Products Private Limited
B-450 Mahaveer Tuscan Apartments,
Basavanagar Road,
Bangalore – 560048
(An Indian Company)

The following Specification particularly describes the invention
and the method it is being performed

RELATED APPLICATION
The present invention claims benefit of the Indian Provisional Application No. 201641005614 titled "PORTABLE OXYGEN GENERATOR AND METHOD THEREOF” filed on 18th February 2016 by O2-Matic Products Private Limited, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to oxygen generators. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular portable and compact oxygen generator capable of producing the breathable oxygen on.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Air is the most indispensable element for human life. Every living animal requires air for breathing and Oxygen is the most of important constituent of the air for the purposes of breathing. However, there are certain instances or places where the percentage of oxygen in air is very less to support functional breathing in a human. For example, the mountaineers find it difficult during mountain climbing as the amount of oxygen present in the air will be less. In another example, during deep sea diving, the diver will not be able to breath as the oxygen is not present in gaseous form or simply put there is no air to breath. Further, there are certain patients or people having met with accidents may not be able to breath and inhale the oxygen properly due their physical condition. Also during medical emergency situations where supplemental oxygen is mandatory. It is difficult or sometimes even not possible to carry those heavy oxygen cylinders while transferring patients or to mountains or under water etc. There are various instances where a person will face difficulty while carrying the presently used heavy oxygen cylinders.

Thus, to provide the oxygen to a user in a required manner, the oxygen can be produced and stored in oxygen cylinders and provided to the user when and where required. The oxygen production is done using metal cylinder with mechanical regulators to reduce the pressure to ambient levels, where even it is still in use. In all the aforementioned scenarios, carrying a heavy oxygen cylinder is not always a feasible option. The sheer weight of the oxygen cylinders limits the movement of the person who is carrying it along with him. Not only weight, but even refilling of the oxygen cylinders is a tedious task.

The present state of the art provides an alternative to the oxygen cylinders in the form of oxygen generator systems which are portable. The portable oxygen generating systems overcomes the problems of metal oxygen cylinders by providing oxygen in different situations where requirement for emergency oxygen arises. This helps in supplementing normal breathing. These are sometime only means available to generate oxygen to provide a high flow rate of breathable oxygen for an extended period.

So far, the known oxygen generating systems often require a user to mix a number of chemicals in a vessel. These systems typically cannot produce required flow of oxygen because of human error in mixing the reagents or because the reagents react too quickly or too slowly. Other known systems for generating oxygen involves reagents in a cartridge format often produce too little oxygen also tends to overheat reaction vessels. What it lacks is ease of use.

In view of the foregoing, there is a great need to reduce the oxygen generator’s size, enhance the portability of the modular oxygen generator and thereby imparting flexibility in usage of the same. Further, there is a need for a modular oxygen generator that can generate oxygen at constant rate. Further, there is a need for a modular oxygen generator that can be easily refilled for subsequent uses. Thus there is need for a modular oxygen generator that solves these difficulties by minimizing the size of the modular oxygen generator making it very much compact, light-weight and portable as a kit style product.

The abovementioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The various embodiments of the present invention disclose a modular portable oxygen generator. The present invention solves the herein abovementioned difficulties by minimizing the size of the modular oxygen generator making it very much compact, light-weight and portable as a kit style product.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a modular portable oxygen generator, comprising an elongate cylindrical reactor container partially filled with water, a reactor enclosure covering top portion of the reactor container, an opening in the reactor enclosure for outlet of oxygen from the reactor container, a cartridge slot, wherein opening of the cartridge slot is provided with poke yoke mechanism for ensuring one directional placement of a cartridge, and a cartridge lid trigger to cover the opening the cartridge slot, a cartridge to be placed in the cartridge slot, comprising an elongate cartridge container, wherein the top portion of the cartridge container is adapted to fit with poke yoke mechanism of the cartridge slot, and the cartridge container being partially filled with one or more chemicals in sealed condition, a piston, having a shaft and disc portion, axially positioned in center of the cartridge container, wherein top portion of the shaft is covered with a button to be triggered by the cartridge lid trigger, and the disc portion closing the bottom of the elongate cartridge container thereby sealing the bottom opening of the cartridge container.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the elongate cylindrical reactor container is provided with a thermal insulation. According to an embodiment of the present invention, water is poured inside the reactor container through the cartridge slot. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge trigger is adapted to be attached to the cartridge slot or detached from the cartridge slot.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge being adapted to receive trigger input by pressing the button of the cartridge downwardly moving the disc portion of the piston thereby opening the seal and letting the one or more chemicals fall into the reactor container having water, and eventually react with the water generating oxygen.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the oxygen generated in the container is released out through the outlet. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more chemical are selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, sodium percarbonate, potassium superoxide, peroxide species (hydrogen peroxide), urea-hydrogen peroxide or percarbamide peroxide, and the like, without departing from the scope of the inventoin. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the chemicals used are in at least one of the forms of but not limited to, dry, powder, liquid, semi-solid, dry granular powder, tablets, pellets, powder in a pouches (tea bag style), candle stick form, and the like, without departing from the scope of the invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the modular portable oxygen generator further comprises of an intuitive flow control maintaining unidirectional flow of the oxygen. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the modular portable oxygen generator further comprises of at least one of a purifier, humidifier, and mask to administer oxygen. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge can be replaceable and refillable.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a modular portable oxygen generator, comprising an expandable and collapsible bellow shaped reactor container, a reactor enclosure covering top portion of the reactor container, an opening in the reactor enclosure for outlet of oxygen from the reactor container, a handle attached to covering top portion of the reactor container, two or more seal prongs attached to bottom side of the reactor enclosure, a cylindrical cartridge having internal compartments and a base structure sealing bottom and also acting as base of the expandable collapsible cylindrical reactor container, and a filter placed between the reactor enclosure and top portion of the cylindrical cartridge.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the internal compartments comprise two or more peripheral compartments to hold the one or more chemicals, and central compartment to hold water having two or more vertical slots through which the water seeps to the peripheral compartments passage, wherein the two more seal prongs attached to bottom side of the reactor enclosure fit tightly to seal the two or more vertical slots thereby sealing the two or more peripheral compartments and central compartment.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the handle being adapted to trigger the cartridge by breaking seals of the internal compartments of the cartridge to initiate the reaction between the one or more chemicals and water generating oxygen.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the breaking of the internal seal being achieved by one of a twisting the handle clockwise, twisting the handle anti-clockwise, pushing the handle down, pulling the handle up, and button action.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cylindrical reactor container by virtue of its bellow shape expands to accommodate oxygen generated once the reaction between the one or more chemicals and water producing oxygen is initiated. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cylindrical cartridge being one of a replaceable and refillable.

The foregoing has outlined, in general, the various aspects of the invention and is to serve as an aid to better understand the more complete detailed description which is to follow. In reference to such, there is to be a clear understanding that the present invention is not limited to the method or application of use described and illustrated herein. It is intended that any other advantages and objects of the present invention that become apparent or obvious from the detailed description or illustrations contained herein are within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cartridge of a modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating main unit of the modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating cartridge assembly of the modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a modular oxygen generator with flexible expandable/ collapsible structure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating bellow design of the expandable/ collapsible structure of the modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating block diagram of cartridge and the enclosure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating working mechanism of the modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating steps involved in generating oxygen using the modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Although specific features of the present invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is done for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a modular portable oxygen generator. In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

The specification may refer to “an”, “one” or “some” embodiment(s) in several locations. This does not necessarily imply that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments.

As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes”, “comprises”, “including” and/or “comprising” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations and arrangements of one or more of the associated listed items.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

The embodiments herein and the various features and advantages details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein can be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a portable oxygen generator is described herein. According to the present invention, the portable oxygen generator comprises of an elongate cylindrical reactor container partially filled with water, a reactor enclosure covering top portion of the reactor container, an opening in the reactor enclosure for outlet of oxygen from the reactor container, a cartridge slot, and a cartridge. According to the present invention, the cartridge slot comprises of an opening of the cartridge slot is provided with poke yoke mechanism for ensuring one directional placement of a cartridge, and a cartridge lid trigger to cover the opening the cartridge slot.

According to the present invention, the cartridge is to be placed in the cartridge slot that comprises of an elongate cartridge container, wherein the top portion of the cartridge container is adapted to fit with poke yoke mechanism of the cartridge slot, the cartridge container being partially filled with one or more chemicals in sealed condition, a piston, having a shaft and disc portion, axially positioned in center of the cartridge container, wherein top portion of the shaft is covered with a button to be triggered by the cartridge lid trigger, and the disc portion closing the bottom of the elongate cartridge container thereby sealing the bottom opening of the cartridge container.

According to the present invention, the portable oxygen generator comprises of the elongated cylindrical reactor container (or also called as “reactor container” herein after). The reactor container comprises of the reactor enclosure operatively coupled to the reactor container, wherein the reactor enclosure covers the top portion of the reactor container. In an embodiment of the present invention, the reactor enclosure can be independent of the reactor container, and the person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand that any type of the known reactor enclosure can cover be used to cover the top of the reactor container, without departing from the scope of the invention.

According to the present invention, the reactor enclosure comprises of the opening for outlet of oxygen from the reactor container. Further, the reactor enclosure comprises of the cartridge slot. The cartridge slot comprises of the opening with poke yoke mechanism for ensuring one directional placement of the cartridge. Further, the cartridge slot comprises of the cartridge lid trigger operatively coupled to the cartridge slot to cover the opening the cartridge slot. In an embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge lid trigger can be attached or detached of the cartridge slot, without departing from the scope of the invention.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the elongate cylindrical reactor container is provided with a thermal insulation, and the person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand that any of the known thermal insulation material such as, but not limited to, polystyrene, silicon, rubber, Styrofoam and the like, without departing from the scope of the invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, water is poured inside the reactor container through the cartridge slot.

Further, the cartridge to be placed in the reactor container comprises of the elongate cartridge container, the top portion of the cartridge, and the piston. The top portion of the cartridge comprises of the mechanism that fits with the poke yolk mechanism of the cartridge slot. In another embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge slot and the top portion of the cartridge are provided with corresponding helical grooves for positioning of the cartridge in the cartridge slot. The person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand that any of the known fitting mechanism can be used for placing the cartridge in the cartridge slot, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Further, the cartridge comprises of the cartridge container, wherein the cartridge container comprises of one or more chemicals. The chemicals in the cartridge container can be in sealed condition. In another embodiment of the present invention, the chemicals in the cartridge container can be in non- sealed condition.

Further, the cartridge comprises of the piston with the top portion, elongated shaft and the disc portion positioned in the center of the cartridge. The top portion of the shaft is covered with a button to be triggered by the cartridge lid trigger. Further, the disc portion is positioned at the bottom of the cartridge thereby closing and sealing the bottom opening of the cartridge container. The shaft of the piston connects the top portion and the disc portion, thereby forming the elongated functional shaft in the cartridge. In an embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge can be a refillable cartridge or replaceable after single use only, without departing from the scope of the invention.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge being adapted to receive trigger input by pressing the button of the cartridge downwardly moving the disc portion of the piston thereby opening the seal and letting the one or more chemicals fall into the reactor container having water, and eventually react with the water generating oxygen.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the oxygen generated in the container is released out thought the outlet, wherein the oxygen generator further comprises of an intuitive flow control that maintains flow of the oxygen unidirectional. In another embodiment of the present invention, the portable oxygen container can comprises of additional units such as, but not limited to, intuitive flow controls, purifiers, humidifier, mask to administer oxygen, and the like without departing from the scope of the invention.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a cartridge 100 of a modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the Figure 1, the cartridge 100 comprises of an elongated cartridge container 102, a piston shaft 104, one or more cartridge groves 106, a button 108, and a disc portion 110. The cartridge 100 comprises of one or more chemicals stored and sealed inside it. In an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more chemicals stored in the cartridge 100 can be in one of the states that include, but not limited to, dry, powder, liquid, semi-solid, dry granular powder, tablets, pellets, powder in a pouches (tea bag style), candle stick form, and the like, without departing from the scope of the invention. In another embodiment of the present invention, the one or more chemicals can be candle shaped construction placed in elongated position within the cartridge, and the person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand that chemicals can be used in the cartridge in any of the known form, without departing from the scope of the invention. The one or more chemicals can be stored in the cartridge for chemical reaction. The cartridge groves 106 can be externally protruded shapes helpful in positioning the cartridge in reactor of container.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge container can be a single use container, which can be disposed after depletion of the one or more chemicals filled in it. In another embodiment of the present invention, the cartridge container can be a refillable cartridge container, wherein the refillable cartridge container is designed to enclose one or more chemicals and can be used again after refilling the container with the one or more chemicals. In an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more chemicals can be stored in the same cartridge in a single compartment. In another embodiment of the present invention, one or more chemicals can be placed in one or more separate compartments within the same cartridge. The person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand that any combination of chemicals can be stored separately or together in the compartments of the cartridge, before chemical reaction, so that when mixed together in water release oxygen, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating main unit 200 of a fixed volume modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to Figure 2, the main unit 200 comprises of a container 202 and an enclosure 204, wherein the enclosure 204 of the main unit 200 comprises of a cartridge slot 206, a cartridge lid trigger 208, and an outlet 210. Figure 2 also comprises of a cartridge 212, wherein the cartridge 212 comprises of poke yolk mechanism to fit with the cartridge slot 206.

According to the present invention, the cartridge slot 206 of the enclosure 202 comprises of poke yoke mechanism that ensures safe and one directional placement of the cartridge on the enclosure of the main unit 200. The cartridge slot 206 comprises of groves matching with the groves of the cartridge 212 such that upon placing and twisting the cartridge in pre-defined direction, the cartridge 212 gets locked to the enclosure 204 of the main unit 200.

Further, the main unit 200 comprises of the cartridge lid trigger 208, wherein the cartridge lid trigger 208 can be attached to the cartridge slot 206 or can detached from the cartridge slot 206. The cartridge lid trigger 208 can press the button of the cartridge 212 such that chemicals can be released to mix with the water and generate oxygen. Upon inserting the cartridge in the cartridge slot 206, and pressing button of the cartridge by the cartridge lid trigger 208, the piston shaft of the cartridge gets triggered to open the flow of the chemicals into the container 202, where the chemicals react with water to produce oxygen. Further, the main unit 200 comprises of the outlet 210, wherein the oxygen generated in the container is released out.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the structure can be made of non-reactive, non-corrosive materials such as, but not limited to, plastic, silicon, and the like, and the person having ordinarily skilled in the art can use the structure made up any of the material which is non-corrosive, non-reactive material, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating cartridge assembly 300 of the modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the Figure 3, the cartridge 300 comprises of the button 302, a piston shaft 304, a disc portion 306, and a cartridge container 308 comprising one or more chemicals. Initially, as shown in 310, the cartridge 300 can be in sealed condition, wherein the disc portion 306 will be covering the base of the cartridge and the enclosure covering on the top. Upon triggering the button 302 by pressing of the cartridge lid, the piston shaft 304 gets triggered and pushed downwards. As the piston shaft 304 is pushed down, as shown in 312, the disc portion 306 on the bottom side of the cartridge 300 gets opened and the chemicals start flowing into the reactor, and thereby reacting with water to generate oxygen.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a modular portable oxygen generator, comprising an expandable and collapsible bellow shaped reactor container, a reactor enclosure covering top portion of the reactor container, an opening in the reactor enclosure for outlet of oxygen from the reactor container, a handle attached to covering top portion of the reactor container, two or more seal prongs attached to bottom side of the reactor enclosure, a cylindrical cartridge having internal compartments and a base structure sealing bottom and also acting as base of the expandable collapsible cylindrical reactor container, and a filter placed between the reactor enclosure and top portion of the cylindrical cartridge.

According to the present embodiment, the top portion of the elongate cylindrical reactor container can be an expandable collapsible structure which could expand and deflate accommodating the oxygen released from the outlet.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the handle being adapted to trigger the cartridge by breaking seals of the internal compartments of the cartridge to initiate the reaction between the one or more chemicals and water, and thus generating oxygen. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the breaking of the internal seal being achieved by at least one of, but not limited to, twisting the handle clockwise, twisting the handle anti-clockwise, pushing the handle down, pulling the handle up, button action, and the like, without departing from the scope of the invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cylindrical reactor container, by virtue of its bellow shape, expands to accommodate oxygen generated once the reaction between the one or more chemicals and water producing oxygen is initiated.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the cylindrical cartridge can be replaceable or refillable, without departing from the scope of the invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the internal compartments of the modular portable oxygen generator comprise of two or more sealed peripheral compartments to hold the one or more chemicals, and central sealed compartment to hold water having two or more vertical slots through which the water seeps to the peripheral compartments, and wherein the two more seal prongs attached to bottom side of the reactor enclosure fit tightly to seal the two or more vertical slots.

According to the present invention, water is poured inside the reactor container through the cartridge slot before inserting the cartridge in the cartridge slot and kept ready. Upon pouring the water, the cartridge is inserted in the cartridge slot and fitted using the fitting mechanism. Upon fitting the cartridge, the user closes the cartridge trigger, wherein the cartridge trigger in turn presses the top button of the cartridge. Upon pressing the top button, the shaft of the cartridge moves down, in turn pushing the disc portion of the cartridge down. As the disc portion moves down, one or more chemicals present in the cartridge is released in the reactor container having water, thereby causing the reaction of the one or more chemicals with water and generating oxygen.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a modular oxygen generator 400 with flexible expandable / collapsible structure, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The modular oxygen generator 400 comprises of a handle 402 to trigger with a push/pull button to break internal seals (details of trigger mechanism is provided later in the disclosure), such that the chemicals react with water to generate oxygen. The modular oxygen generator 400 further comprises of the flexible expandable/ collapsible structure 404 that can change volume to maintain a steady flow rate of oxygen. The modular oxygen generator comprises of an internal compartment where reaction takes place and the oxygen is generated. As the oxygen generated due to chemical reaction, the modular oxygen generator 400 expands and as the oxygen is released, the modular oxygen generator 400 collapses back to deflated shape. The modular oxygen generator 400 further comprises of an outlet 406 that is used for letting generated oxygen out of the modular oxygen generator 400.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating bellow design of the expandable/ collapsible structure 500 of the modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The expandable/ collapsible structure 500 can be of bellow design, which minimizes the size of the modular oxygen generator making it very much compact, light-weight and portable. The expandable/ collapsible structure 500 expands, as shown in 504, during production of oxygen and collapses, as shown in 502, when oxygen is used up. The whole collapsible structure 500 comprises of a refillable cartridge style design that can be replaced once complete usage of oxygen produced, and thereby ensuring continuous supply of oxygen. A top cover of the structure comprises of handle 506 to trigger push/pull/ button action to break the internals seals. The structure further comprises of a filter 508 that can filter the oxygen coming out of the structure. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the modular oxygen generator can comprise of one or more other units, such as, but not limited to, intuitive flow controls for controlling oxygen flow, purifiers, humidifier, mask to administer oxygen and the like.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating block diagram 600 of cartridge and the enclosure, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the diagram 600, the cartridge comprises of chemical compartments 602 for storing one or more chemicals in the cartridge. The cartridge further comprises of a water compartments 604 that store the water. According to the present invention, the water can be added by the user for generating oxygen, or can be the bi-product obtained during the chemical reaction. Further, the cartridge comprise of one or more slots through which the water can be added to the container for reacting with the chemical. The shape and form of the cartridge system controls the rate of the chemical reaction, and the person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand different types of shapes that can be formed to control the chemical reaction, without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, the enclosure lid comprises of seals prongs 606 that isolates the chemicals from water when in closed or un-triggered condition.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram 700 illustrating working mechanism of the modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the diagram 700, at step 702, the modular oxygen generator is in closed or un-triggered condition, wherein the water is inside the container and the chemical is present inside the cartridge and both are in closed condition. The slot of the enclosure is in sealed condition by the seal prong. At step 704, the modular oxygen generator is in open or triggered condition, wherein the pull/ push/ button action has been performed by using the handle. As the handle is triggered, the handle opens the seal and chemicals are allowed to react with the water in a controlled way to generate oxygen.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the modular oxygen generator comprises of a reusable reactor container, a cartridge, a reactor enclosure, a cartridge slot, a cartridge trigger, and an outlet. The reusable reactor container can be a non-flexible reactor/container that has a fixed volume. The cartridge comprises of a container, one or more chemicals for reaction, a piston, and a button. The one or more chemicals can be stored in the cartridge for chemical reaction. The form and styling of the modular oxygen generator is intuitive in design where the water is poured into the reactor through the cartridge slot, then the cartridge with poke-yoke mechanism is plugged on to the cartridge slot in the enclosure that’s acts as first level seal in the modular oxygen generator.

The reactor enclosure can cover the reusable reactor container and creates covered zone for chemical reaction to generate oxygen. The modular oxygen generator further comprises of the cartridge slot, wherein the cartridge slot comprises of groves matching with the groves of the cartridge such that upon placing and twisting the cartridge in pre-defined direction, the cartridge gets locked to the reactor enclosure of the reusable reactor container. Further, the modular oxygen generator comprises of the cartridge trigger, wherein the cartridge trigger can be attached to the cartridge slot or can detached from the cartridge slot. The cartridge trigger can press the button of the cartridge such that chemicals can be released to mix with the water and generate oxygen. Further, the modular oxygen generator comprises of the outlet, wherein the oxygen generated in the container is released out. The complete modular oxygen generator is modular in design, where once used can be dismantled to enable cleaning.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram 800 illustrating steps involved in generating oxygen using the modular oxygen generator, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the diagram 800, at step 802, water can be poured into the container through the cartridge slot. At step 804, the cartridge can be inserted into the cartridge slot, and twisted and locked to the cartridge slot using poke yoke mechanism. At step 806, the cartridge lid can be closed, wherein upon closing the cartridge lid, the cartridge can be triggered. As the cartridge gets triggered, the piston opens inside the container and thereby releasing the chemicals into the container. The chemicals released in the container react with the water present inside the container and produces oxygen. The oxygen can be outlet from the outlet port of the container.

In one of the embodiment of the present invention, the chemical involved in the present invention for generating oxygen can be sodium percarbonate. The sodium percarbonate naturally decomposes, very slowly, to form sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide further decomposes to form water and oxygen and liberate some heat (exothermic reaction). The chemical reaction is as follows:

According another embodiment of the present invention, any of the other suitable chemical and catalyst can be used to generate oxygen in a controlled rate, without departing from the scope of the invention. According to the present invention, the chemical and the water can be taken in predefined ratios for optimum generation of oxygen.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more chemical are selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to, sodium percarbonate, potassium superoxide, peroxide species (hydrogen peroxide), urea-hydrogen peroxide or percarbamide peroxide, and the like, without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. ,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:

1. A modular portable oxygen generator, comprising:
an elongate cylindrical reactor container partially filled with water;
a reactor enclosure covering top portion of the reactor container;
an opening in the reactor enclosure for outlet of oxygen from the reactor container;
a cartridge slot, wherein
opening of the cartridge slot is provided with poke yoke mechanism for ensuring one directional placement of a cartridge, and
a cartridge lid trigger to cover the opening the cartridge slot;
a cartridge to be placed in the cartridge slot, comprising
an elongate cartridge container, wherein
the top portion of the cartridge container is adapted to fit with poke yoke mechanism of the cartridge slot, and
the cartridge container being partially filled with one or more chemicals in sealed condition;
a piston, having a shaft and disc portion, axially positioned in center of the cartridge container, wherein
top portion of the shaft is covered with a button to be triggered by the cartridge lid trigger, and
the disc portion closing the bottom of the elongate cartridge container thereby sealing the bottom opening of the cartridge container.

2. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongate cylindrical reactor container is provided with a thermal insulation.

3. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein water is poured inside the reactor container through the cartridge slot.

4. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cartridge trigger is adapted to be attached to the cartridge slot or detached from the cartridge slot.

5. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cartridge being adapted to receive trigger input by pressing the button of the cartridge downwardly moving the disc portion of the piston thereby opening the seal and letting the one or more chemicals fall into the reactor container having water, and eventually react with the water generating oxygen.

6. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oxygen generated in the container is released out through the outlet.

7. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more chemical are selected from a group consisting of Sodium percarbonate, potassium superoxide, and peroxide based compounds.

8. The modular portable oxygen generator of claim 1, wherein the chemicals used are in one of a form of granular powder, pellets, powder in pouches, and candle stick form.

9. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 1 further comprises of an intuitive flow control maintaining unidirectional flow of the oxygen.

10. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one of a purifier, humidifier, and mask to administer oxygen.

11. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cartridge being one of a replaceable and refillable.

12. A modular portable oxygen generator, comprising:
an expandable and collapsible bellow shaped reactor container;
a reactor enclosure covering top portion of the reactor container;
an opening in the reactor enclosure for outlet of oxygen from the reactor container;
a handle attached to covering top portion of the reactor container;
two or more seal prongs attached to bottom side of the reactor enclosure;
a cylindrical cartridge having internal compartments and a base structure sealing bottom and also acting as base of the expandable collapsible cylindrical reactor container; and
a filter placed between the reactor enclosure and top portion of the cylindrical cartridge.

13. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the internal compartments comprise
two or more peripheral compartments to hold the one or more chemicals, and
central compartment to hold water having two or more vertical slots through which the water seeps to the peripheral compartments passage,
wherein the two more seal prongs attached to bottom side of the reactor enclosure fit tightly to seal the two or more vertical slots thereby sealing the two or more peripheral compartments and central compartment.

14. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the handle being adapted to trigger the cartridge by breaking seals of the internal compartments of the cartridge to initiate the reaction between the one or more chemicals and water generating oxygen.

15. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the breaking of the internal seal being achieved by one of a twisting the handle clockwise, twisting the handle anti-clockwise, pushing the handle down, pulling the handle up, and button action.

16. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the cylindrical reactor container by virtue of its bellow shape expands to accommodate oxygen generated once the reaction between the one or more chemicals and water producing oxygen is initiated.

17. The modular portable oxygen generator as claimed in claim 12, the cylindrical cartridge being one of a replaceable and refillable.

Dated this the 17th day of February 2017
Signature

KEERTHI J S
Patent agent
Agent for the applicant