LIQUID O XYGEN SYSTEMS

Feder al (U .S.) law restricts these devices to sale by or on the order of a physician.

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Companion Liquid Oxygen Systems
TABLE OF CONTENTS
General Safety Precautions .................................................................... 1
Companion Liquid Oxygen Systems ..................................................... 4
Stationary Units .................................................................................. 4
Portable Units ..................................................................................... 5
Companion Stationary Units.................................................................. 6
Sationary Unit Components................................................................ 6
Using the Stationary Units.................................................................. 8
Companion Portable Units ................................................................... 11
Companion 1000/1000 Transport Unit Components........................ 11
Companion 500/550 Unit Components ............................................ 13
Companion 550 Portable Unit Components ONLY ......................... 14
Filling the Portable Units.................................................................. 15
For Companion 550 Only ................................................................. 21
Using the Portable Units................................................................... 22
Cleaning and Maintenance................................................................... 23

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IMPORTANT NOTICE
Be sure to read and understand this instruction manualcompletely before attempting to operate your Companion®
Liquid Oxygen system. Do not permit anyone who has notread these instructions to handle or operate this equipment.
The Companion Liquid Oxygen systems are intended only
for the delivery of medical grade oxygen as prescribed byyour physician.

Oxygen supplied from this equipment is for
supplemental use and is not intended to be life
supporting or life sustaining. This equipment is notintended for use by patients who would suffer
immediate, permanent, or serious healthconsequences as a result of an interruption in theiroxygen supply.
This manual is provided to assist in the safe operation of the Companion
Liquid Oxygen system and to ensure maximum benefit from its use. If
you have any questions about the operation of the equipment, please
consult your liquid oxygen supplier.

Companion is a registered trademark of CAIRE Inc.
Velco is a registered trademark of Crown Packaging.
©2016 CAIRE Inc. All rights reserved.
Printed in the U.S.A.
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General Safety Precautions
Throughout this manual you will see three kinds of special information:
warnings, cautions, and notes. Make sure you carefully read andunderstand this information. Each is important and related to thesurrounding text.

A warning identifies a hazard and is boxed in andaccompanied by a symbol. Warnings describe
conditions that concern your personal safety and thesafety of others. They are followed by the actions
required to prevent injury. Ignoring warnings canlead to injury or death.

A caution informs you about possible damage to theequipment or other property. Ignoring cautions may
cause damage to the equipment or make it unusable.

Note: Notes are italicized and provide important information
about using the equipment properly.

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Do not smoke near this equipment. Keep cigarettes
or burning tobacco away from the area where
equipment is operated.

Keep flammable materials away from thisequipment. Oils and grease, including facial creams
and petroleum jelly, ignite easily and may burnrapidly in the presence of oxygen. Never lubricate
any part of this equipment.
Do not touch liquid oxygen or parts that have been incontact with liquid oxygen. Liquid oxygen is
extremely cold (–297°F / –183°C). When touched,liquid oxygen, or parts of the equipment that havebeen carrying liquid oxygen, can freeze skin andbody tissue.
Increased fire risk. High concentrations of oxygencan cause rapid burning of other substances.

Keep and use this equipment in an upright positionat all times. If the Stationary or Portable unit isturned over, gaseous or liquid oxygen will escape.
Should a liquid spill occur, ventilate the area by
opening doors and windows and call your liquid
oxygen supplier immediately. Restore your Portable
to the upright position, avoiding contact with coldparts. Do not attempt to upright an overturned
Stationary unit.
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Keep this equipment away from electrical appliances.
Use and store Stationary and Portable units at least
five feet from electrical appliances that may cause
heat or sparks.

Keep oxygen equipment away from open flames.
Equipment such as furnaces, water heaters, andstoves may contain open flames.

Keep equipment in a well-ventilated area at all times.
These units periodically release small amounts ofoxygen gas that must be ventilated to prevent
buildup. Do not store liquid oxygen equipment in acloset, car trunk, or other confined area. Do not place
blankets, draperies, or other fabrics over equipment.
Do not carry the Portable unit under your clothing.
These units normally vent oxygen. Wearing a
Portable unit under clothing may saturate fabrics
with oxygen and cause them to burn rapidly if
exposed to sparks or flame. It may take several hours
for oxygen levels in fabric to return to normal.
Never tamper with the equipment. Doing so could
create a hazardous condition and possibly cause theequipment to work improperly.

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COMPANION LIQUID OXYGEN SYSTEMSThe Companion Liquid Oxygen System is designed to store and deliver
oxygen at a prescribed rate. The system consists of two units: theStationary and the Portable.

Stationary Units
Each Stationary is a liquid oxygen reservoir you may use to fill yourPortable unit. There are two basic types of Stationary units: a standard
unit that you may use to supply breathing oxygen in the home (including
Companion 21, Companion 31, and Companion 41); and a Low Loss unit
(Companion 31LL) that allows liquid oxygen to be held for much longer
periods of time than a standard Stationary unit but does NOT provide a
direct source of oxygen for breathing purposes.
Your liquid oxygen supplier must periodically refill your Stationary unit.
The frequency of refill will depend upon your rate of oxygen use.

Standard Unit

Low Loss Unit

Figure 1: Companion Stationary

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Portable Units:
The Companion Portable is a compact, lightweight device that provides
you with a portable supply of oxygen. You will fill the Portable from theCompanion Stationary unit.
Portable units include the Companion 1000 (a one-liter model with amaximum flow rate of 6 liters per minute [L/min]) and the Companion
1000 Transport (a one-liter model with a maximum flow rate of
15 L/min).
Smaller portable units include the Companion 500 (a half-liter model) andthe Companion 550 (a half-liter model with a pneumatic demand valvethat can roughly double your available use time by allowing oxygen toflow only when you breathe in).

1 — C1000 Transport
2 — C1000

3 — C550
4 — C500

Figure 2: Companion Portable Units
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COMPANION STATIONARY UNIT
Stationary Unit Components
Become familiar with the various parts of the Stationary unit shown in
Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5.
•

Contents Indicator: (optional) displays the amount of liquid
oxygen remaining in the Stationary unit. The contents indicator isvisible through the top of the unit.

•

Pressure Gauge: (optional) indicates the status of the pressure
inside the Stationary unit. The Stationary is at an acceptablepressure when the needle is in the shaded region.

•

Flow Control Knob: (except Low Loss) adjusts oxygen flowfrom the breathing oxygen supply. Set the flow control knob tothe oxygen flow rate prescribed by your physician.
Note: Set the flow control to “0” to turn the unit off.

•

Breathing Oxygen Supply: (except Low Loss) this is where you
attach a cannula or other type of breathing device for breathing
directly from the Stationary unit. You may also attach abubble-type humidifier to this connection before connecting the
supply tubing.

Figure 3: Stationary Unit Components
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6•Fill Connector: located in the top center of the Stationary unit.
When filling a Portable, attach the female fill connector in thebottom of the Portable (Figure 8 and Figure 10) to the male fillconnector on the Stationary.
Note: On Dual-Fill Stationary units, a second connector on
the side of the unit allows you to fill a side-fill type Portable
unit. Follow the Portable unit manufacturer’s instructions
for filling this type of equipment.

•

Fill Connector Cover: (optional on standard units) protects the
top fill connector when not in use. Always replace the fillconnector cover, if present, after filling your Portable unit.

Extreme cold hazard. Do not press or
disturb the fill connector poppet (Figure 4).
This can cause a release of liquid oxygenfrom the fill connector.
•

Portable Release Button: used to remove bottom-fill typePortable units from a Stationary unit after completing a fill.

Figure 4: Stationary Components

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Using the Stationary UnitYour liquid oxygen supplier will deliver a filled Stationary unit to you
and then refill or exchange your unit as required by your individual
usage. You may then use the Stationary unit to fill your Portable oxygen
unit. For filling procedures, see “Filling the Portable” (page 15).
You can use the Companion Stationary directly as a source of breathingoxygen (except for Companion Low Loss units). For this application,connect a humidifier (optional) and a nasal cannula or other breathing
device directly to the Stationary’s breathing oxygen supply outlet as
follows:
1. If a humidifier is used, fill it with distilled water to the level indicatedin the humidifier’s instructions. Attach the humidifier to thebreathing oxygen supply fitting on the Stationary unit (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Preparing the Stationary Unit for Breathing
2. Attach the oxygen tubing from the cannula to the breathing oxygen
supply connection or to the humidifier connection, as appropriate.
Adjust the cannula to your face (Figure 6).

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8Figure 6: Attaching a Nasal Cannula
3. Turn the flow control knob on the top of the Stationary to the settingprescribed by your physician.
Note: Use only marked settings; oxygen will not flow if thecontrol is set between flow settings. If you use a humidifier,check for a steady stream of bubbles. This indicates thatoxygen is flowing.
4. The contents indicator will show approximately how much liquid
oxygen remains in the unit. To ensure you have enough oxygen tomeet your needs, check the indicator periodically.
5. During use, moisture will condense on the internal parts of the unit.
There are two styles of drain bottles designed to collect this moisture(Figure 7). As needed, remove the drain bottle from the spout, discard
the water, and reattach the bottle to the side of your Stationary unit.

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9Figure 7: Drain Bottle Attachment

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COMPANION PORTABLE UNITS
C1000/C1000 Transport Unit Components
Become familiar with the various parts of the unit described below andshown in Figure 8 and Figure 9.
•

Vent Valve: used to fill the unit. Pull down the vent valve lever tofill the Portable when it is connected to a Stationary unit. Returnthe vent valve lever to its original position to stop the fill.

•

Fill Connector: used to connect to a Stationary unit. The female
fill connector is located on the bottom of the Portable.

Figure 8: C1000/C1000 Transport Portable Unit
Components
See Figure 9 for the following items:•

Flow Control Knob: used to set the correct oxygen flow to yourprescribed rate.

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11•Contents Indicator: located on top of the Portable. Unsnap theplastic buckle and lift the unit by theend of the carrying strap thatis closest to the indicator. The pointer indicates approximately
how much oxygen remains in the unit.

•

Oxygen Outlet: the connection point for the cannula thatdelivers oxygen for breathing.

•

Moisture Cup and Pad: (Companion 1000 Transport only)
helps contain moisture that forms when liquid oxygen is warmed
to a gaseous state.

•

Carrying Strap: an adjustable strap that enables you to wear theunit over the shoulder. You may also engage the plastic buckle inthe carrying strap to create a short carrying handle. Use the strap
to measure the contents of the Companion 1000/1000 Transport(see contents indicator).

Figure 9: C1000/C1000 Transport Portable Unit
Components

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12Companion 500/550 Unit Components
Become familiar with the various parts of the Portable described below
and shown in Figure 10.
•

Vent Valve: a lever-operated valve used to fill the unit. Upon
connecting the Companion 500/550 to the Stationary, begin thefilling sequence by opening the vent valve and end the fill byclosing the valve.

•

Flow Control Knob: an adjustable, rotary valve that controls theoxygen flow rate from the unit. Set the flow control knob to theoxygen flow rate prescribed by your physician.

•Oxygen Outlet Connector: the point where you attach theoxygen supply tube to receive oxygen flow from the Portable
unit.

•

Contents Indicator: an internal, weight scale mechanism thatmeasures the amount of liquid oxygen in the unit. Unsnap theplastic buckle and lift the unit from the end of the carrying strap
closest to the contents indicator. The pointer indicatesapproximately how much oxygen remains in the unit.

•

Fill Connector: allows transfer of liquid oxygen from theStationary unit to the Companion 500/550.

•

Carrying Strap: an adjustable strap that enables you to wear theunit over your shoulder. You may also engage the plastic buckle
in the carrying strap to create a short carrying handle. Use thestrap to measure the oxygen contents of the Companion 500/550(see contents indicator).

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13Companion 550 Portable Unit Components ONLY•

Continuous/Demand Flow Switch: a toggle switch that sets thePortable for either continuous flow or flow only when you inhale.

•

Sensor Connector: used to sense your inhalation effort. Attach
either tube of the dual-lumen cannula to this connector.

•

Dual-Lumen Cannula: a special cannula with two connecting
tubes for use with the Companion 550. One cannula tube
connects to the unit’s oxygen outlet connector and delivers
oxygen to you. The second tube connects to the unit’s sensor
connector and monitors your breathing pattern. You may attach
either of the cannula tubes to either connector.

Figure 10: C500/C550 Portable Unit Components

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Filling the Portable Unit
Fill the Companion Portable unit from the Stationary as follows:

Clean and dry the fill connectors on both theStationary and Portable units to prevent freezing andpossible equipment failure.
1. Check the contents indicator on the Stationary to ensure there isenough liquid oxygen for filling purposes.
For Companion 1000 Transport only: Remove the moisture cup by
rotating the thumb nut (located on the bottom of the moisture cup) aquarter turn counterclockwise. The moisture pad is held in place with
Velcro. Remove the pad, wring it out, and replace.
2. Using a clean, dry, lint-free cloth, dry the male fill connector (Figure4) and female fill connector (Figure 8 and Figure 10).
3. Hold the Companion Portable with both hands and position thecontoured case over the matching recessed area in the top of theStationary (Figure 11).

Figure 11: Positioning the Portable Unit for Filling

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4. Carefully lower the Portable into place, ensuring that the fillconnectors are properly engaged.
5. Place one hand on top of the Portable directly over the fill connector
and press straight down. This will lower the Portable unit
approximately 3/8 inch (10 mm) and ensure the fill connectors engage
correctly.
6. While holding the Portable unit in the fill position (Figure 12), movethe vent valve lever to the open position (90° from the normal “off”
position). This will result in a loud hissing noise.

Figure 12: Filling the Portable Unit

Do not leave the Companion Portable unattended
during the filling operation.

Note: During filling, maintain a slight downward pressure
on the unit with one hand to keep the unit steady andmaintain proper filling position. About 20 to 30 seconds into
the filling procedure, close and reopen the vent valve one ormore times to break up any ice that may begin to formaround the valve stem. This will help prevent the vent valve
from freezing open.
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7. When you notice a change in the sound of venting gas followed by adense, white vapor coming from the Stationary cover, close the ventvalve. Fill times may vary according to the temperature of thecontainer being filled.
Note: If the vent valve fails to close and the hissing
continues, remove the Portable unit by depressing the
Portable release button (Figure 12 and Figure 13) on theStationary unit. The Portable will stop venting in a few
minutes. Allow the unit to warm until you can close the ventvalve. The Portable may require two to three hours at noflow to restore adequate pressure for accurate oxygen flow.
8. Disengage the Portable from the Stationary unit by holding thecarrying strap above the unit and depressing the release button(Figure 13). Always hold the Portable unit with at least one handwhen attempting to disengage it.

Figure 13: Disengaging the Portable Unit
If the units will not disengage easily, they may have become frozen.
DO NOT USE FORCE. Simply allow a few moments for the frozen
parts to warm, then disengage the Portable when the ice has melted.

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If a minor liquid oxygen leak occurs when you
disengage the Portable, re-engage and disengage theunit to help dislodge any ice or other obstruction. If
the liquid leak persists, re-engage the unit and notify
your liquid oxygen supplier.
If a major liquid oxygen leak occurs when you
disengage the Portable unit (that is, a steady streamof liquid oxygen), stay away from the unit andimmediately notify your liquid oxygen supplier.
9. Check the liquid oxygen contents indicator (Figure 14) to make surethe Portable unit is filled to the desired level. The amount of liquidcontained in the Portable is measured by an internal scale that is built
into the unit.
The scale is actuated by lifting the Companion Portable unit by
the strap nearest the indicator. The liquid contents level is indicated on the color-coded gauge.
Note: You must disengage the plastic buckle in the carrying
strap to check liquid oxygen contents.

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Figure 14: Checking Contents Indicator
Note: For shorter planned use times, you can partially fill
the Portable by closing the vent valve sooner than normal.
The Portable will then be lighter and you will waste lessoxygen.
For Companion 1000 Transport only: Attach the moisturecup by inserting the fastener and rotating the thumb nut
clockwise until it snaps into position.
10. Place the oxygen tube on the Portable oxygen outlet connector andadjust the cannula or other breathing device to comfortably fit yourface (Figure 15). When the cannula is in place, turn the flow control
knob to the prescribed rate.

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Figure 15: Adjusting the Nasal Cannula
For Companion 550 only: (See Figure 10) Place one of the tubes
from the dual-lumen oxygen cannula on the Companion 550 oxygen
outlet connector (upper connector). Place the other tube on the unit’s
sensor connector (lower connector). Adjust the cannula to comfortably fit your face.
Note: You may attach the dual-lumen cannula tubes to either
Companion 550 connector.
11. Turn the Companion Portable unit flow control knob to theprescribed rate (Figure 16).

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Figure 16: Flow Control Knob Set for 2 L/min
Note: Do not set the flow above the flow rate prescribed byyour physician. Do not attempt to set the flow control
between settings. Oxygen will flow from the unit only when
the flow control is set to one of its marked settings.

For Companion 550 Only
Set the continuous/demand flow switch for the desired oxygen delivery— continuous oxygen flow or flow only during the inhalation part of eachbreath (Figure 17).

Figure 17: Continuous/Demand Flow Switch
When using the Companion 550 in the demand flow mode, oxygen
delivery occurs when the unit senses your inhalation effort. You may
notice an initial “puff” of oxygen followed by oxygen flow during theremainder of the inhalation. No oxygen flow occurs when you exhale.
When the unit is set for the continuous flow mode, oxygen flows during
the entire breathing cycle.
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At flow settings of 1 to 6 L/min, the demand flow mode can significantly
increase the planned use time while reducing the drying effect that
continuous flow oxygen has on the nasal passages.
Note: Use the demand flow mode at flow settings of 1 to
6 L/min only. At flow settings below 1 L/min, you should use
the continuous flow mode to extend your use time.
Note: With the Companion 550 in the demand flow mode,
you may experience continuous flow from the oxygen outlet
when using the unit immediately after filling. If this is thecase, you should notice normal demand flow operation
within about 10 minutes.

Using the Portable Unit
You may wear the Companion Portable on your right or left side, either
over your shoulder or across your body. An adjustable shoulder strap andpad provide maximum comfort. In addition, you may engage the plastic
buckle in the shoulder strap to create a short carrying handle.

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CLEANING AND MAINTENANCEDo NOT use alcohol, solvents, polishes, or any oily substance on oxygen
equipment. if cleaning is necessary, use only warm water and a mild dishwashing detergent. Dampen a cloth in the detergent and water solution
and wipe the outside surface of the equipment until clean.

Do not allow water into any of the controls, the fillconnector, or the oxygen supply connector.

Never attempt to repair or disassemble thisequipment. You could create a hazardous conditionor cause equipment failure. If you have problems,
questions, or are unsure if equipment is operating
properly, call your liquid oxygen system supplier.

Never apply cleaning agents or disinfectants to thecontents indicator. These agents attack the plastic,
which can result in leaking or cracking of theindicator. Use only a cloth dampened with water toclean the indicator as needed.

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