Medicated vapor production method and apparatus
AssigneeSchick Incorporated
InventorEdward Shanbrom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Improved method and apparatus for the treatment of respiratory, skin, eye and related ailments and conditions wherein steam or a related vapor at a reduced temperature is admixed with particulate medicament and exposed to an afflicted area within a confined space.
Claims9
Apparatus for applying a particulate medicament of a type subject to decomposition when heated above a predetermined temperature to an afflicted area comprising, in combination:
- steam generating means having a discharge orifice for generating a vapor mist whereby the initial temperature of said generated vapor mist at said orifice is above said predetermined temperature;
- conduit means defining a flow path for said vapor mist from said discharge orifice to the afflicted area whereby the temperature of said vapor mist progressively decreases as said mist progresses along said flow path and eventually falls below said predetermined temperature at a first predetermined location along said flow path;
- and
- medicament introducing means for injecting the medicament in particulate form into said flow path at a second predetermined location along said flow path substantially downstream from said first predetermined location whereby the medicament intermingles with said vapor mist after the temperature of said mist has fallen below said predetermined temperature to reduce the likelihood of temperature-induced decomposition of the medicament.
Apparatus for applying a particulate medicament subject to thermal decomposition when heated above a predetermined temperature to an afflicted area comprising, in combination:
- steam generating means including a discharge orifice for generating a vapor mist whereby the initial temperature of said generated vapor mist at said discharge orifice is above said predetermined temperature;
- conduit means defining a flow path for said vapor mist from said discharge orifice to the afflicted area, a portion of said conduit means downstream of said orifice comprising a hood of progressively increasing cross-sectional area opening onto said afflicted area, the temperature of said vapor mist progressively decreasing as said vapor mist proceeds through said hood and falling below said predetermined temperature at a predetermined location therein;
- and
- medicament injection means for injecting the medicament as a spray of fine particles into said flow path at a location substantially downstream of said predetermined location and in a direction at least partially coincident with the direction of flow of said vapor mist through said hood whereby said medicament is uniformly intermixed with said vapor mist within said hood after the temperature of said mist has fallen below said predetermined temperature to avoid thermal decomposition of the medicament.
The method of treating an afflicted area with a medicament subject to thermal decomposition when heated above a predetermined temperature comprising the steps of:
- forming a vapor mist;
- directing said vapor mist through a discharge orifice and along a conduit defining a flow path whereby said vapor mist has an initial temperature at the orifice sufficiently high to subject the medicament to thermal decomposition, and whereby the temperature of said mist progressively decreases as said mist flows along said flow path and falls below said predetermined temperature at a predetermined location along said flow path;
- injecting the medicament in particulate form into said flow path at a location substantially downstream of said predetermined location to avoid thermal decomposition of said medicament;
- maintaining the resulting admixture in a confined space;
- and
- exposing the afflicted area to the the resulting admixture within said confined space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.