Apparatus and methods for producing and delivering a vapour medicament
AssigneeSolaeromed Inc.
InventorsJohn H. Dennis, Ian G. Mcaffer, Stefan Dalberg, Francis Green, Andy Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for producing and delivering vapour medicament. An exemplary apparatus disclosed comprises: a gas inlet for receiving a gas from a source of pressurized gas; a chamber for receiving a liquid medicament therein, the chamber being in communication with the gas inlet for permitting entrance and expansion of the gas in the chamber in the presence of the liquid medicament to produce the vapour medicament; and a vapour outlet in communication with the chamber for delivering the vapour medicament.
Claims93
An apparatus for producing and delivering a vapour medicament, the apparatus comprising:
- a gas inlet for receiving a gas from a source of pressurized gas;
- a chamber for receiving a liquid medicament therein, the chamber being in communication with the gas inlet for permitting entrance and expansion of the gas in the chamber in the presence of the liquid medicament to produce the vapour medicament;
- a vapour outlet in communication with the chamber for delivering the vapour medicament;
- and
- a barrier disposed upstream of the vapour outlet and configured to hinder passage of at least some of the liquid medicament through the vapour outlet and permit passage of at least some of the vapour medicament through the vapour outlet.
4 The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises a liquid inlet for receiving the liquid medicament from a liquid reservoir, the liquid inlet being separate from the gas inlet.
The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the liquid reservoir comprises an outer wall containing the liquid medicament, the outer wall comprising a frangible portion having a reduced wall thickness relative to the wall thickness of another portion of the outer wall.
The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the liquid inlet is oriented substantially transversely to the gas inlet.
A method for producing and delivering a vapour medicament, the method comprising:
- receiving a gas from a source of pressurized gas;
- permitting expansion of the gas in the presence of a liquid medicament to produce the vapour medicament;
- delivering at least some of the vapour medicament through a vapour outlet while hindering delivery of at least some of the liquid medicament through the vapour outlet.
An apparatus for producing and delivering a vapour medicament, the apparatus comprising:
- a gas inlet for receiving a gas from a source of pressurized gas;
- a chamber for receiving a liquid medicament therein, the chamber being in communication with the gas inlet for permitting entrance and expansion of the gas in the chamber in the presence of the liquid medicament to produce the vapour medicament;
- a vapour outlet in communication with the chamber for delivering the vapour medicament;
- and
- a liquid-absorbing member disposed inside of the chamber in a flow path between the gas inlet and the vapour outlet, the liquid-absorbing member being at least partially permeable to the gas.
The apparatus as defined in claim 36, comprising a first body defining at least part of the chamber and a second body defining at least part of the receptacle, the first body and second body configured to be threadably engaged to each other.
A method for producing and delivering a vapour medicament, the method comprising:
- receiving a gas from a source of pressurized gas;
- permitting expansion of the gas in the presence of a liquid medicament to produce the vapour medicament;
- retaining at least some of the liquid medicament in a liquid-absorbing member while permitting passage of at least some of the gas through the liquid-absorbing member;
- and
- delivering at least some of the vapour medicament through a vapour outlet.
An apparatus for producing and delivering a vapour medicament, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber comprising a gas inlet for receiving a gas from a source of pressurized gas and a liquid inlet for receiving a liquid medicament from a liquid reservoir, the gas inlet and the liquid inlet being separate from each other, the chamber permitting expansion of the gas in the chamber in the presence of the liquid medicament to produce the vapour medicament;
- and
- a vapour outlet in communication with the chamber tor delivering the vapour medicament.
A method for producing and delivering a vapour medicament, the method comprising:
- receiving a liquid medicament into a chamber via a liquid inlet;
- receiving a gas into the chamber via a gas inlet from a source of pressurized gas, the liquid inlet being separate from the gas inlet;
- in the chamber, permitting expansion of the gas in the presence of the liquid medicament to produce the vapour medicament;
- and
- delivering at least some of the vapour medicament through a vapour outlet.
An apparatus for producing and delivering a vapour medicament, the apparatus comprising:
- a gas inlet for receiving a gas from a pressurized gas reservoir;
- a chamber for receiving a liquid medicament therein, the chamber being in communication with the gas inlet for permitting entrance and expansion of the gas in the chamber in the presence of the liquid medicament to produce the vapour medicament;
- a vapour outlet in communication with the chamber for delivering the vapour medicament;
- and
- a receptacle for receiving the pressurized gas reservoir, the receptacle having a longitudinal axis and the vapour outlet being disposed along the longitudinal axis of the receptacle.
The apparatus as defined in claim 86, wherein the chamber comprises a liquid inlet for receiving the liquid medicament from a liquid reservoir, the liquid inlet being separate from the gas inlet.
An apparatus for producing and delivering a vapour medicament, the apparatus comprising:
- a storage reservoir containing both a liquid medicament and a pressurized gas;
- a chamber comprising an inlet for receiving the liquid medicament and the gas from the storage reservoir, the chamber permitting expansion of the gas in the chamber in the presence of the liquid medicament to produce the vapour medicament;
- and
- a vapour outlet in communication with the chamber for delivering the vapour medicament.
A liquid medicament reservoir for use in an apparatus for producing and delivering a vapour medicament, the liquid medicament reservoir comprising:
- a quantity of liquid medicament;
- and
- an outer wall containing the liquid medicament, the outer wall comprising a frangible portion having a reduced wall thickness relative to the wall thickness of another portion of the outer wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.