EMERGENCY OXYGEN SYSTEM FOR AIRCRAFT PASSENGERS

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an emergency oxygen system (1) for an aircraft passenger with an oxygen mask (7), a controllable oxygen feed for the oxygen mask (7), and a control unit (5) for the control of the oxygen feed to the oxygen mask (7),
wherein the control unit (5) is configured to control the oxygen feed in a manner such that a demand oxygen pulse (21) flows into the oxygen mask (7) if a draw of breath (20) of the aircraft passenger is registered and that safety oxygen pulses (23) regularly flow into the oxygen mask (7) if no draw of breath of the aircraft passenger has been registered within a certain time window (T).

Claims

1. An emergency oxygen system (1) for an aircraft passenger, with an oxygen mask (7), a controllable oxygen feed for the oxygen mask (7), and a control unit (5) for the control of the oxygen feed to the oxygen mask (7), wherein the control unit (5) is configured to control the oxygen feed in a manner such that a demand oxygen pulse (21) flows into the oxygen mask (7) if a draw of breath (20) of the aircraft passenger is registered and that safety oxygen pulses (23) regularly flow into the oxygen mask (7) if no draw of breath of the aircraft passenger has been registered within a certain time window (T).

2. An emergency oxygen system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the time window (T) has a defined length and resets by way of an activating of the emergency oxygen system (1) as well as by a demand oxygen pulse (21).

3. An emergency oxygen system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (5) is configured to control the oxygen feed in a manner such that after completion of the time window (T), safety oxygen pulses (23) regularly flow into the oxygen mask (7) until a draw of breath of the aircraft passenger is registered.

4. An emergency oxygen system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the time window (T) is longer than a period of the regular safety oxygen pulses.

5. An emergency oxygen system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a demand oxygen pulse (21) comprises a greater oxygen quantity than one of the safety oxygen pulse (23).

6. An emergency oxygen system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit is configured to control the oxygen feed in a manner such that the period of the safety oxygen pulse (23) and/or the oxygen quantity per safety oxygen pulse (23) depends on the altitude or the cabin pressure.

7. A method for the control of the oxygen feed for an oxygen mask (7) of an emergency oxygen system (1) for air aircraft passenger, with the steps: feeding a demand oxygen pulse (21) into the oxygen mask (7) if a draw of breath (20) of the aircraft passenger is registered and feeding regular safety oxygen pulses (23) into the oxygen mask (7) if no draw of breath of the aircraft passenger has been registered within a certain time window (T).

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the time window (T) has a certain length and resets by way of activating an emergency oxygen system (1) as well as by way of a demand oxygen pulse.

9. A method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein after the completion of the time window (T), safety oxygen pulses (23) are regularly feed to the oxygen mask (7) until a draw of breath (20) of the aircraft passenger is registered.

10. A method according to one of the claims 7 to 9, wherein the time window (T) is longer than a period of the regular safety oxygen pulses.

11. A method according to one of the claims 7 to 10, wherein a demand oxygen pulse (21) comprises a greater oxygen quantity than one of the safety oxygen pulses (23).

12. A method according to one of the claims 7 to 11, wherein the period of the safety oxygen pulses (23) and/or the oxygen quantity per safety oxygen pulse (23) is dependent on the altitude or the cabin pressure.

13. A computer-readable medium with stored instructions for carrying out the method according to one of the claims 7 to 12.

Description

[0029] The disclosure is hereinafter explained in more detail by way of embodiment examples which are represented in the drawings. There are shown in:

[0030] FIG. 1 a schematic view of the components of an exemplary emergency oxygen system with a control unit, according to the present disclosure; and

[0031] FIG. 2 a diagram of the oxygen flow into the emergency oxygen masks as a function over time on the basis of the breathing and the oxygen feed, according to an exemplary embodiment of the control method which is disclosed herein.

[0032] Components of an emergency oxygen system 1 are shown in FIG. 1, with which system, in the case of an aircraft cabin pressure loss, aircraft passengers can be supplied with oxygen over a certain time period whilst the aircraft is at altitudes, at which the surrounding air pressure does not ensure an adequate oxygen supply of the aircraft passengers. The emergency oxygen system 1 comprises an oxygen pressure tank 3 which comprises breathing gas which is enriched with oxygen compressed under pressure. Alternatively or additionally, a chemical oxygen generator with a buffer container device could also be provided in the emergency oxygen system 1, in order to generate oxygen when required.

[0033] The emergency oxygen system 1 further comprises a control unit 5 and four emergency oxygen masks 7. The control unit 5 comprises a distribution module 9 which with a pipe-like or tube-like fluid connection 11 is connected to the oxygen pressure tank 3, wherein the flow of oxygen through the fluid connection 11 can be adjusted by a shut-off element 12 and a regulation valve 13. The four emergency oxygen masks 7 are each connected with a tube-like fluid connection 15 to the distribution module 9 of the control unit 5. The oxygen feed into the respective tube-like fluid connection 15 is controlled via an electrically controllable valve 17 in the distribution module 9. The control unit 5 further comprises control electronics 19 for the control of the valves 17.

[0034] In FIG. 2 it is shown how the control unit 5 regulates the oxygen flow into the emergency oxygen masks 7. The relative pressure in the respective emergency oxygen mask 7 here is plotted over time in seconds on an arbitrary scale. In a first time section A, draws of breath 20 of a passenger who breathes through one of the emergency oxygen masks 7 lead to a relative pressure fluctuation in the respective emergency oxygen mask 7 (see dashed line). This pressure fluctuation is registered by the control unit 5 and a demand oxygen pulse 21 is delivered (see unbroken line) when the relative pressure in the emergency oxygen mask 7 drops below a threshold and/or the rate of the pressure drop falls below a threshold.

[0035] If however no draw of breath 20 is registered in a second time section B, then safety oxygen pulses 23 are regularly delivered after a certain time window T. The frequency of the safety oxygen pulses 23 here is more than five times higher than the typical frequency of the demand oxygen pulses 21. The pulse duration of the safety oxygen pulses 23 in contrast is less than half the pulse duration of the demand oxygen pulses 21. Herewith, on the one hand the probability of enough oxygen being available in the emergency oxygen mask 7 given a non-registered draw of breath is increased, but on the other hand oxygen for the safety oxygen pulses 23 is not unnecessarily wasted if there is little or even no breathing demand. The time window T here at approx. 10 seconds is selected larger than the typical period duration of the demand oxygen pulses 21, so that no safety oxygen pulses 23 are delivered between normally registered draws of breath 20.

[0036] The safety oxygen pulses 23 are delivered until a breath is again registered 20. In a third time section C, demand oxygen pulses 21 which are activated by way of registered draws of breath 20 are again delivered.

[0037] The numbered indications of the components or movement directions as “first”, “second”, “third” etc. have herein been selected purely randomly so as to differentiate the components or the movement directions amongst one another, and can also be selected in an arbitrarily different manner. Hence these entail no hierarchy of significance.

[0038] Equivalent embodiments of the parameters, components or functions which are described herein and which appear to be evident to a person skilled in the art in light of this description are encompassed herein as if they were explicitly described. Accordingly, the scope of the protection of the claims is also to include equivalent embodiments. Features which are indicated as optional, advantageous, preferred, desired or similarly denoted “can”-features are to be understood as optional and as not limiting the protective scope.

[0039] The described embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples and no not represent an exhaustive list of possible alternatives. Every feature which has been disclosed within the framework of an embodiment can be used alone or in combination with one or more other features independently of the embodiment, in which the features have been described. Whilst at least one embodiment is described and shown herein, modifications and alternative embodiments which appear to be evident to a person skilled in the art in the light of this description are included by the protective scope of this disclosure. Furthermore the term “comprise” herein is neither to exclude additional further features or method steps, nor does “one” exclude a plurality.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0040] 1 emergency oxygen system [0041] 3 oxygen pressure tank [0042] 5 control unit [0043] 7 emergency oxygen masks [0044] 9 distribution module [0045] 11 fluid connection [0046] 17 valves [0047] 19 control electronics [0048] 20 draws of breath [0049] 21 demand oxygen pulses [0050] 23 safety oxygen pulses [0051] T time window [0052] A first time section [0053] B second time section [0054] C third time section