# US 11,305,075 B2 · Nasal medication delivery device

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- Number: US 11,305,075 B2
- Document ID: US11305075B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/553,801
- Filed: 2016-01-08
- Published: 2018-02-08
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-09
- Assignees: AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited
- Applicants: AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited
- Inventors: Hartley Campbell Atkinson; Brendon John Woodhead
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305075B2

## CPC

- A61M 15/0098: {Activated by exhalation}
- A61M 11/005: {using ultrasonics (spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06)}
- A61M 15/0085: {using ultrasonics (spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06)}
- A61M 15/08: Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
- B05B 17/0638: {spray being produced by discharging the liquid or other fluent material through a plate comprising a plurality of orifices}
- A61M 2205/3375: Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
- A61M 2205/502: User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
- A61M 2205/6018: providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
- A61M 2205/6054: Magnetic identification systems
- A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated
- A61M 2205/8237: Charging means
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)

## Abstract

The invention relates to a delivery device for nasal medication. It addresses need for delivering medication to the nose of a patient. In a preferred embodiment the device has: •A transducer 10 adapted to create an ultrasonic focal zone; •a feeder chamber 13 holding medication; •an energising chamber 14 smaller than the feeder chamber; •a mesh 15; and •an exit 17. The device is formed so that when it is activated the feeder chamber 13 continuously fills the energising chamber 14 with medication (until the feeder chamber has insufficient medication left to achieve this) so that there is a substantially constant supply of medication within the focal zone able to be energised and forced from the energising chamber so as to contact the mesh, become an aerosol, and leave the device by way of the exit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A delivery device for nasal medication, the device comprising:
an ultrasonic energy generator comprising a concave transducer;
a feeder chamber holding medication;
an energizing chamber, smaller than the feeder chamber, holding a charge of the medication;
an ultrasonic energy transmission medium located between the concave transducer and the energizing chamber;
a mesh; and
a nasal prong;
wherein when the device is activated:
the concave transducer causes ultrasonic energy to travel through the ultrasonic energy transmission medium towards the mesh and create a tapered focal zone of concentrated ultrasonic energy within the energizing chamber such that the charge of the medication in the energizing chamber is energized and forced from the energizing chamber so as to contact the mesh to become an aerosol and leave the device by way of the nasal prong; and
the feeder chamber replenishes the energizing chamber with the medication so that the energizing chamber has a constant charge of the medication therewithin, but wherein when the feeder chamber is empty and the energizing chamber has an insufficient amount of the medicine from the feeder chamber to be energized and delivered via the nasal prong the insufficient amount is wastage, and wherein the smaller size of the energizing chamber relative to the feeder chamber serves to substantially limit the wastage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, further comprising
a mouthpiece for a human user to place their mouth on and blow into; and
a breath sensor for detecting the user blowing into the mouthpiece and in response thereto causing the medication to be energized and the aerosol to form.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the energizing chamber has a volume of 0.1 cm3 to 0.8 cm3.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the energizing chamber has a volume of 0.2 cm3 to 0.4 cm3.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the medication in the energizing chamber becomes acoustically energized such that an acoustic radiation pressure is produced on an inner face of the mesh, resulting in oscillation of the mesh to produce a micro-pumping action with respect to the medication.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the mesh vibrates as the medication contacts the mesh to assist in creating the aerosol.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the mesh is integral with the nasal prong.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device according to claim 7, wherein the nasal prong includes an exit, and the mesh is immediately adjacent to the exit and is configured to minimize condensation of the aerosol inside the device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device according to claim 8, wherein the energizing chamber, the ultrasonic energy generator and the exit are at an angle of about 40° to about 80° with respect to the mouthpiece.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device according to claim 8, wherein the energizing chamber, the ultrasonic energy generator and the exit are at an angle of about 50° to about 70° with respect to the mouthpiece.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the medication is a pharmaceutical or saline solution.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the feeder chamber has a funnel or flume that naturally encourages the medication into the energizing chamber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the energizing chamber has a tapered floor that urges the medication to gather at the tapered focal zone.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the energizing chamber has a well that urges the medication to gather at the tapered focal zone.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the feeder chamber plus the energizing chamber collectively have sufficient medication for one of:
only 5 or fewer patient doses;
only 4 or fewer patient doses;
only 3 or fewer patient doses;
only 2 or fewer patient doses; and
only 1 patient dose.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein the feeder chamber is at one side of the device only, detachably cantilevers outwardly, and is tilted upwardly from, a location between the nasal prong and the ultrasonic energy generator.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The device according to claim 1, wherein:
the tapered focal zone extends from a floor of the energizing chamber to a roof of the energizing chamber;
the concave transducer acoustically energizes the charge of the medication within the tapered focal zone to produce an acoustic radiation pressure on an inner face of the mesh so that the mesh oscillates to cause a micro-pumping action of the medication as it moves through the mesh; and
the feeder chamber is at one side of the device only, detachably cantilevers outwardly from a location between the nasal prong and the ultrasonic energy generator.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the feeder chamber is located between the nasal prong and the concave transducer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the feeder chamber replenishes the energizing chamber with the medication by way of gravity acting on the medication.

### Claim 20

A delivery device for nasal medication, the device comprising:
a mouthpiece to contact a mouth of a user;
a breath sensor;
an ultrasonic energy generator comprising a concave transducer;
a feeder chamber holding medication;
an energizing chamber smaller than the feeder chamber;
a mesh; and
a nasal prong;
wherein when the device is activated:
the concave transducer causes ultrasonic energy to travel toward the mesh and create a tapered focal zone of concentrated ultrasonic energy within the energizing chamber such that a charge of the medication in the energizing chamber is energized and forced from the energizing chamber so as to contact the mesh to become an aerosol and leave the device by way of the nasal prong;
the feeder chamber replenishes the energizing chamber with the medication so that the energizing chamber has a substantially constant charge of the medication therewithin, but wherein when the feeder chamber is empty and the energizing chamber has an insufficient amount of medicine from the feeder chamber to be energized and delivered via the nasal prong this insufficient amount is wastage, and wherein the smaller size of the energizing chamber relative to the feeder chamber serves to substantially limit the wastage; and
the breath sensor detects a user blowing into the mouthpiece and in response thereto causes the medication in the energizing chamber to be energized while the mesh oscillates to produce a micro-pumping action to assist in creating the aerosol.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The device according to claim 20, wherein the medication in the energizing chamber is acoustically energized within the tapered focal zone such that an acoustic radiation pressure is produced on an inner face of the mesh, resulting in the oscillation of the mesh to produce the micro-pumping action with respect to the medication.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The device of claim 20, wherein the feeder chamber is cantilevered outwardly between the nasal prong and the concave transducer.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The device of claim 20, wherein the feeder chamber is located between the nasal prong and the concave transducer and is angled upward from the energizing chamber towards the nasal prong to prevent bubbles from forming.

### Claim 24

A delivery device for nasal medication, the device comprising:
an ultrasonic energy generator that creates a tapered ultrasonic focal zone of concentrated ultrasonic energy;
an ultrasonic energy transmission medium;
an energizing chamber holding medication at the tapered ultrasonic focal zone, wherein the energizing chamber is remote from the ultrasonic energy generator;
a feeder chamber larger than the energizing chamber and capable of holding more of the medication, wherein the feeder chamber continuously fills the energizing chamber with medication so that there is a substantially constant supply of the medication within the tapered ultrasonic focal zone;
a mesh; and
a nasal prong;
wherein the feeder chamber detachably cantilevers outwardly from one side of the device at a location between the nasal prong and the ultrasonic energy generator; and
wherein when the device is activated:
ultrasonic energy travels through the ultrasonic energy transmission medium towards the tapered ultrasonic focal zone; and
the medicine within the tapered ultrasonic focal zone is energized and forced from the energizing chamber so as to contact the mesh, become an aerosol, and leave the device by way of the nasal prong.