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US 4,907,581 AGranted
Radioactive aerosol inhalation apparatus
AssigneeMedi-Nuclear Corporation, Inc.
InventorRussell W. King
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for use in respiratory diagnostic procedures and respiratory therapy in the field of medicine. The apparatus of the inventions generates sub-micron size radioactive particles for use in performing ventilation studies of the lungs in a novel manner using a nebulizer and a combination of baffles and a settling chamber which function to remove larger radioactive particles from the mist generated by the nebulizer through impaction, turbulence and sedimentation.
Claims9
A radioactive aerosol inhalation apparatus comprising:
- (a) lung aerosol apparatus including a housing having a first and second adjacently disposed chambers, said first chamber having interconnected side and bottom walls;
- (b) nebulizing means including an upper collar and a lower liquid reservoir portion defined by the inner walls of an outer shell mounted laterally of said first chamber for nebulizing a fluid containing radioactive particles to produce a fine particulate laden spray having large and small radioactive particles, said nebulizing means having exhaust means for causing said particulate laden spray to flow toward said second chamber, said outer shell of said nebulizing means cooperating with said side and bottom walls of said first chamber to define a lower sump portion adapted to function as a settling chamber and separating said reservoir from said lower sump portion;
- (c) a source of gas containing a gas under pressure and conduit means for conducting said gas to said nebulizing means;
- (d) baffle means disposed intermediate said exhaust means of said nebulizing means and said second chamber for interaction with said particulate laden spray flowing toward said second chamber to impede the flow of large radioactive particles toward said second chamber, whereby said large radioactive particles will fall by force of gravity into said settling chamber for entrapment therein;
- and
- (e) inhalation means in communication with said second chamber for permitting inhalation of spray reaching said second chamber.
3 more elements
A radioactive aerosol inhalation apparatus comprising:
- (a) lung aerosol apparatus including a housing having first, second and third adjacently disposed, side by side chambers, said first chamber having interconnected side and bottom walls and said third chamber having an inlet passageway in communication with said second chamber and an outlet passageway in communication with said second chamber and an outlet passageway in communication with atmosphere;
- (b) nebulizing means including an upper collar and a lower liquid reservoir portion defined by the inner walls of an outer shell mounted internally of said first chamber for nebulizing a fluid containing radioactive particles to produce a fine particulate laden spray having large and small radioactive particles, said nebulizing means having exhaust means for causing said particulate laden spray to flow toward said second chamber, said outer shell of said nebulizing means cooperating with said side and bottom walls of said first chamber to define a lower sump portion adapted to function as a settling chamber and separating said reservoir from said lower sump portion;
- (c) a source of gas containing a gas under pressure and conduit means for conducting said gas to said nebulizing means;
- (d) a baffle wall disposed above said lower sump portion and intermediate said exhaust means of said nebulizing means and said second chamber for interaction with said particulate laden spray flowing toward said second chamber to impede the flow of large radioactive particles toward said second chamber, whereby said large radioactive particles will fall by force of gravity into said settling chamber for entrapment therein;
- and
- (e) inhalation means in communication with said second chamber for permitting inhalation of spray reaching said second chamber.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.