Nebulizer
OwnerAntonio Rojasinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The nebulizer includes a housing, a compressed gas inlet, an orifice ejecting the gas as a gas jet and liquid medicament entrained into the gas jet and forming a spray. The spray is directed to a spheroidal diffuser (preferably a ball) mounted beneath a cap forming a substantially cylindrical space within which swirls or spins the deflected spray jet. An opposing diffuser plate, opposite the downwardly open end of the cap, provides additional deflection as does specially shaped legs spacing the cap form the deflector-diffuser plate. The diffuser plate has a deflection edge about its periphery (either a full deflector edge, or several 45 degree arcuate edges, or small arcuate segments) which edge causes additional deflection and diffusion of the aerosol.
Claims25
A nebulizer for conversion of a solute into an aerosol for inhalation delivery of solute medication comprising:
- a nebulizer housing;
- a compressed gas inlet in communication with a source of compressed gas coupled to said nebulizer;
- an orifice through which said compressed gas passes from the gas inlet to form a gas jet;
- a supply of liquid containing solute medication which is entrained into said gas jet to form a spray;
- a spheroidal diffuser having a spheroidal surface upon which said spray is caused to impinge to form an aerosol;
- a cap forming a substantially cylindrical space both about and above said spheroidal diffuser, said cap having an interior surface further deflecting said aerosol;
- a diffuser plate through which passes said spray, said spheroidal diffuser and said cap disposed above said diffuser plate such that additional deflection of said aerosol occurs thereon;
- said diffuser plate having a deflection edge about its periphery which is substantially co-extensive with respect to said cap and said cylindrical space;
- and,
- a plurality of legs spacing said diffuser plate away from said cap, said legs providing supplemental deflection of said aerosol.
A nebulizer for conversion of a solute into an aerosol for inhalation delivery of solute medication comprising:
- a nebulizer housing;
- a compressed gas inlet in communication with a source of compressed gas coupled to said nebulizer;
- an orifice through which said compressed gas passes from the gas inlet to form a gas jet;
- a supply of liquid containing solute medication which is entrained into said gas jet to form a spray;
- a spheroidal diffuser having a spheroidal surface upon which said spray is caused to impinge to form an aerosol;
- a cap defining a substantially cylindrical space about and above said spheroidal diffuser further deflecting said aerosol;
- a diffuser plate below said spheroidal diffuser and said substantially cylindrical space additionally deflecting said aerosol;
- a deflection edge about a periphery of said diffuser plate substantially co-extensive with said cylindrical space;
- and,
- a plurality of legs mounting said cap above said diffuser plate.
A method for nebulizing a solute into an aerosol for inhalation delivery of solute medication comprising:
- feeding compressed gas into an inlet in a nebulizer;
- forming a gas jet via an orifice through which passes said compressed gas;
- forming a spray by entraining a supply of liquid containing solute medication into said gas jet;
- diffusing said spray in substantially 360 degrees in substantially three dimensions by impinging said spray on a spheroidal diffuser and forming an aerosol thereat;
- further deflecting said aerosol in a defined cylindrical space both about and above said spheroidal diffuser;
- additionally deflecting said spray with a diffuser plate disposed blow said cylindrical space;
- causing edge deflection of said spray at the periphery of said diffuser plate;
- and
- supplementally deflecting said spray with a plurality of legs peripherally spaced about said diffuser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.