Systems and methods for real-time analysis of inhaled particles
AssigneePneumax S.P.A.
InventorsKambez Hajipouran Benam, Alexander Kaiser, Bob Alvarenga, Cassie Salem
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Abstract
A system for analyzing fluid-borne particles includes a reservoir for storing a fluid with fluid-borne particles, a fluid intake module coupled to the reservoir by a fluidical conduit, the fluid intake module having a container with a changeable volume, wherein when the volume increases, the fluid intake module receives fluid, and when the volume decreases, the fluid intake module expels fluid, and a particulate matter (PM) sensor disposed in the fluidical conduit between the reservoir and the fluid intake module for detecting fluid-borne particles in the fluidical conduit.
Claims21
A system for analyzing fluid-borne matters, the system comprising:
- a first reservoir for storing a fluid with fluid-borne matters, wherein the fluid is air or gas;
- inhalation exposure chamber fluidically coupled to the first reservoir, wherein the inhalation exposure chamber includes temperature, humidity, and gas level controls to emulate physiologically or clinically relevant exposure;
- a pressure-regulated pump fluidically coupled to the first reservoir for creating a negative pressure in the first reservoir;
- a fluid intake syringe coupled to the first reservoir by a fluidical conduit, the fluid intake syringe having a container with a changeable volume, wherein the fluid intake syringe is configured to emulate breathing, when the volume increases, the fluid intake syringe receive fluid when a volume of the fluid intake syringe increases, and when the volume decreases, the fluid intake syringe expel fluid when the volume of the fluid intake syringe decreases;
- an airborne particle generator fluidically coupled to the first reservoir;
- and a sensor disposed in the fluidical conduit between the first reservoir and the fluid intake syringe for detecting fluid-borne matters in the fluidical conduit.
A system for analyzing airborne particles in real-time, the system comprising:
- an inhalation exposure chamber receiving ambient air or gas;
- an airborne particle generator configured to generate airborne particles;
- a reservoir fluidically connected to the inhalation exposure chamber during a first time period and fluidically connected to the airborne particle generator during a second time period not overlapping the first time period, the reservoir configured for storing the air mixed with the airborne particles;
- a pressure-regulated pump fluidically coupled to the reservoir for creating a negative air pressure in the reservoir during the first and second time period;
- a breath-emulating fluid intake syringe coupled to the reservoir by a fluidical conduit, the breath-emulating fluid intake syringe having a container with a changeable volume, wherein when the volume increases, the breath-emulating fluid intake syringe emulates an inhale, and when the volume decreases, the breath-emulating fluid intake syringe emulates an exhale;
- a dilution robot fluidically connected to the reservoir for controllably diluting a concentration of the airborne particles in the reservoir;
- and
- a particulate matter (PM) sensor disposed in the fluidical conduit between the reservoir and the breath-emulating fluid intake syringe for detecting airborne particles in the fluidical conduit.
A method for analyzing fluid-borne particles, the method comprising:
- filling a reservoir with clean fluid;
- sucking fluid-borne particles into the reservoir to mix with the clean fluid;
- increasing volume of a container when the container is fluidically connected to the reservoir by a fluidical conduit;
- detecting fluid-borne particles by a particulate matter (PM) sensor disposed in the fluidical conduit during the volume increase;
- decreasing volume of the container when the container is fluidically connected to an ambience by the fluidical conduit;
- and
- detecting fluid-borne particles by the PM sensor during the volume decrease.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.