# US 2020/0221973 A1 · New System for Collecting Exhaled Particles

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2020/0221973 A1
- Document ID: US20200221973A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/628,844
- Filed: 2018-07-04
- Published: 2020-07-16
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-10
- Assignees: Pexa AB
- Applicants: Pexa AB
- Inventors: Svante HÖJER
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200221973A1

## CPC

- A61B 5/097: Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
- A61B 5/082: {Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath (A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence)}
- G01N 33/497: of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
- A61B 2560/02: Operational features
- A61B 2560/04: Constructional details of apparatus
- G01N 33/4975: {other than oxygen, carbon dioxide or alcohol, e.g. organic vapours}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2

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).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

A system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a first flow meter (118) arranged to measure said gas stream flow through said impactor and said pump (115).

### Claim 4

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first flow meter (118) is arranged downstream of said pump (115).

### Claim 5

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).

### Claim 6

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.

### Claim 7

A system according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a particle counter.

### Claim 8

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reservoir (114) is replaceable.

### Claim 9

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said mouthpiece (110) is a two-way mouthpiece.

### Claim 10

A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said mouthpiece (110), said impactor (10) and/or said reservoir (114) are thermostatted.

### Claim 11

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).

### Claim 12

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).

### Claim 13

Use of a system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims for determining a biomarker associated with a medical condition.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

Use according to claim 13, wherein said biomarker is at least one of proteins, phospholipids, bacteria, RNA, DNA.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

Use according to claim 13, wherein said medical condition is selected from the group consisting of asthma bronchiale, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung-disease, sarcoidosis, pulmonary engagement in systemic disease, pulmonary infections such as pneumonia, bacterial colonization, viral infections, heart failure, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, condition associated with organ transplant rejection, and increased genetic susceptibility to disease or exposure.