Nebulizer apparatus and method
AssigneeTrudell Medical International
InventorsNeritan Alizoti, Andrew Dittmer, Luke Kilroy, Robert Morton, Jennifer Pevler, James N. Schmidt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for providing a nebula or aerosol to a patient is described. In one aspect, the nebulizer is composed of a minimum number of parts to reduce complexity for automated or human assembly. The nebulizer may include an inhalation valve, exhalation valve and biasing member integrated into a single diaphragm structure that may be connected with an actuator and inserted into a housing for controlling nebulization of a medicine to a patient in response to the patient's breathing or in a continuous nebulization mode.
Claims20
A nebulizer comprising:
- a housing having a chamber for holding an aerosol;
- an air outlet communicating with the chamber;
- a liquid outlet located in the chamber;
- a pressurized gas outlet located in the chamber adjacent to the liquid outlet;
- an actuator movably disposed along a central axis of the housing, the actuator connected to a diaphragm comprising an inhalation valve, an exhalation valve and a biasing member integrated in a single piece of material;
- wherein the biasing member is configured to move a diverter positioned on the actuator between a nebulizing position and a non-nebulizing position with respect to the pressurized gas outlet in response to a patient's breathing.
A nebulizer comprising:
- a housing having a chamber for holding an aerosol;
- an air outlet communicating with the chamber;
- a liquid outlet located in the chamber;
- a pressurized gas outlet located in the chamber adjacent to the liquid outlet;
- a diaphragm positioned in the housing, the diaphragm comprising a inhalation valve, an exhalation valve and a biasing member formed in a single piece of material;
- an actuator attached to a central opening of the diaphragm and moveably disposed along an axis parallel to a central axis of the housing, the actuator having a diverter portion positioned at a first end;
- wherein the biasing member is configured to move the diverter portion on the actuator between a nebulizing position and a non-nebulizing position with respect to the pressurized gas outlet in response to a patient's breathing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.