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US 5,848,587 AGranted
Aerosol medication delivery system
AssigneeMedi-Nuclear Corporation, Inc.
InventorRussell W. King
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aerosol medication delivery apparatus which includes a novel particle generator for generating very small particles of medicament, a valving mechanism and an expansion chamber which permits medication to be delivered to the patient through a conventional inhalation mouthpiece or face mask. The apparatus also includes a filter unit for filtering the patient's exhaled breath and a unique baffling arrangement which functions to decrease average aerosol particle size for better targeting of the desired lung area. In one form of the invention, the particle or aerosol generator operates on a direct pressure technique wherein an elastomeric delivery tube is intermittently compressed and released to generate the very small particles of medicament.
Claims12
A fluid delivery apparatus comprising:
- (a) a housing having interconnecting first and second chambers;
- (b) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling passage of fluid between said first and second chambers;
- (c) particle generator means connected to said housing for introducing a fluid into said first chamber of said housing, said particle generator means comprising:
- (i) container having a fluid reservoir;
- (ii) an elongated tube connected to said container, said tube having a side wall defining a fluid passageway and having first end connected to said container, said tube being constructed of a resiliently compressible, elastomeric material and having a second end extending into said first chamber;
- (iii) a closure means connected to said second end of said tube for partially closing said second end, said closure means comprising a wafer having a multiplicity of small apertures therethrough;
- (iv) flow actuator means for exerting intermittent forces of said side wall of said tube;
- and
- (v) valve means for controlling fluid flow between said reservoir of said container and said fluid passageway of said tube, said means comprising a normally open valve movable from first open position to a second closed position as a result of forces being exerted on said side wall of said tube by said flow actuator means.
6 more elements
An aerosol inhalation apparatus for delivering a medicament containing mist to a patient comprising:
- (a) a housing having interconnecting first and second chambers and including a wall having an opening therein, said wall being disposed between said first and second chambers;
- (b) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling passage of fluid between said first and second chambers, said flow control means comprising a valve means for opening and closing said opening in said wall;
- (c) particle generator means connected to said housing for introducing a fluid into said first chamber of said housing, said particle generator means comprising:
- (i) a container having a fluid reservoir;
- (ii) an elongated tube connected to said container, said tube having a side wall defining a fluid passageway and having first end connected to said container, said tube being constructed of a resiliently compressible, elastomeric material and having a second end extending into said first chamber;
- (iii) a closure means connected to said second end of said tube for partially closing said second end, said closure means comprising a wafer having a multiplicity of small apertures therethrough;
- (iv) valve means for controlling fluid flow between said reservoir of said container and said fluid passageway of said tube, said means comprising a normally open valve movable from first open position to a second closed position;
- and
- (v) flow actuator means for exerting intermittent forces of said side wall of said tube, said flow actuator means comprising tube compression means for alternately compressing and releasing said side wall of said tube.
6 more elements
An aerosol inhalation apparatus for delivering a medicament containing mist to a patient comprising:
- (a) a housing having interconnecting first and second chambers and including a wall having an opening therein, said wall being disposed between said first and second chambers;
- (b) flow control means carried by said housing for controlling passage of fluid between said first and second chambers, said flow control means comprising valve means for opening and closing said opening in said wall, said valve means comprising a valve member pivotally connected to said housing proximate said opening in said wall;
- (c) particle generator means connected to said housing for introducing a fluid into said first chamber of said housing, said particle generator means comprising:
- (i) container having a fluid reservoir;
- (ii) an elongated tube connected to said container, said tube having a side wall defining a fluid passageway and having first end connected to said container, said tube being constructed of a resiliently compressible, elastomeric material and having a second end extending into said first chamber;
- (iii) a closure means connected to said second end of said tube for partially closing said second end, said closure means comprising a wafer having a multiplicity of small apertures therethrough;
- (iv) valve means for controlling fluid flow between said reservoir of said container and said fluid passageway of said tube, said means comprising a normally open valve movable from first open position to a second closed position;
- and
- (v) flow actuator means for exerting in termittent forces of said side wall of said tube, said flow actuator means comprising tube compression means for alternately compressing and releasing said side wall of said tube, said tube compression means comprising a compression assembly including:
- a. a body having a chamber;
- b. a shaft extending outwardly from said body;
- and
- c. a tube engaging protuberance connected to said shaft for intermittently, pressurally engaging said tube.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.