New System for Collecting Exhaled Particles
AssigneePexa AB
InventorSvante HÖJER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure pertains to a system 100 and method for collecting and measuring particles in exhaled air. The system 100 is arranged to allow for examination of the full or substantially the full volume of each exhalation of a subject.
Claims15
A system (100) for collecting exhaled particles, said system comprising:
- a) a reservoir (114) having first opening (112) and a second opening (113);
- b) a mouthpiece (110),
- c) an inertial impactor (10) having an inlet (12) and an outlet (14), said impactor being arranged to pass a gas stream (A) comprising particles (P) between said inlet (12) and said outlet (14), said inlet (12) of said inertial impactor (10) being connected to said first opening (112) of said reservoir (114),
- d) a pump (115) having an inlet and an outlet, said pump (115) being arranged to maintain a constant gas stream flow through said impactor (10), and
- e) a first valve (116),
- wherein
- said first opening (112) of said reservoir (114) is connected to said mouthpiece (110) via said first valve (116),
- said pump (115) is located downstream of said impactor (10), and
- said second opening (113) of said reservoir (114) is connected to said outlet of said pump.
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a second valve (117),
- wherein
- said second opening (113) of said reservoir (114) is connected to said outlet of said pump upstream of said second valve (117).
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first flow meter (118) is arranged downstream of said pump (115).
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first flow meter (118) further is arranged to control said gas stream flow passing through the impactor (10).
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a second flow meter (119) arranged to measure a total volume of an exhalation by a subject.
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a particle counter.
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reservoir (114) is replaceable.
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said mouthpiece (110) is a two-way mouthpiece.
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said mouthpiece (110), said impactor (10) and/or said reservoir (114) are thermostatted.
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a valve (124) arranged to be operated manually or being a one-way valve, said valve being located downstream of said first valve (116).
A system according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a line for gas including a particle filter (121), a one-way valve (123) and optionally a flow meter (122).
Use of a system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims for determining a biomarker associated with a medical condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.