Method and apparatus for filling portable high pressure cylinders with respiratory oxygen

1. A method of providing oxygen-enriched gas from a concentrator to a patient for use outside of the patient's home, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a portable tank suitable for the patient to use outside of the patient's home;

directing oxygen-enriched gas from a concentrator to a compressor;

compressing the oxygen-enriched gas;

storing the compressed oxygen-enriched gas in a reservoir;

filling the portable tank with compressed oxygen-enriched gas from the reservoir at a first transfer rate;

depleting the portable tank by directing oxygen-enriched gas from the portable tank to the patient;

charging the reservoir with compressed oxygen-enriched gas from the compressor at a second transfer rate less than the first transfer rate; and

re-filling the portable tank with compressed oxygen-enriched gas from the reservoir at a third transfer rate greater than the second transfer rate.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said steps of filling the portable tank and charging the reservoir and refilling the portable tank are performed in the patient's home.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of charging the reservoir is performed at least partially at the same time as said step of depleting the portable tank.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of disconnecting the portable tank from the reservoir for use by the patient at a location remote from the reservoir, this step being performed after the step of re-filling the portable tank.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the third transfer rate is substantially the same as the first transfer rate.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first transfer rate is sufficient to fill the portable tank in about one minute or less.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of providing a coupling for connecting portable tank with the reservoir, and the wherein said steps of directing oxygen-enriched gas from a concentrator to a compressor, compressing the oxygen-enriched gas, storing the compressed oxygen-enriched gas in a reservoir, and providing a coupling, are performed in one home-sized unit.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the portable tank has a capacity in the range of from about 100 standard liters to about 300 standard liters and is filled to a pressure of at least about 1,800 psi,

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of directing a second portion of the oxygen-enriched gas from the concentrator to a patient device, performed simultaneously with said step of directing oxygen-enriched gas from a concentrator to a compressor.

10. A method of providing oxygen-enriched gas for use by a patient in the form of a portable tank of the oxygen-enriched gas, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an oxygen concentrator and a compressor;

preferentially directing a first portion of oxygen-enriched gas from the oxygen concentrator to a patient device;

optionally directing a second portion of oxygen-enriched gas from the oxygen concentrator to the compressor;

compressing the second portion of oxygen-enriched gas in the compressor;

directing compressed gas from the compressor to a reservoir;

providing a coupling such that when a portable tank is connected with the coupling oxygen-enriched gas can flow through the coupling into the portable tank;

connecting the portable tank to the coupling; and

opening a valve between the portable tank and the reservoir to enable the portable tank pressure and the reservoir pressure to equalize.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said step of opening a valve is performed with said step of connecting the portable tank to the coupling.

12. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said step of directing compressed gas from the compressor to the reservoir is performed before said filling step.

13. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said step of directing compressed gas from the compressor to the reservoir is performed after said filling step.

14. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said step of optionally directing a second portion of oxygen-enriched gas from the oxygen concentrator to the compressor is performed in response to sensing the oxygen concentration of the first portion of oxygen-enriched gas.

15. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said method steps are performed in the patient's home.