Internal nebulizer seal and method of use

• US 10,576,221 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2019
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caddo Medical Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Caddo Medical Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Faram, Joseph Dee
• Primary Examiner(s): Philips, Bradley H
• Application Number:
  US16/422,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20190314584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/002 by flow deviation causing inertial separation of transported particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/02 operated by air or other gas pressure applied to the liquid or other product to be sprayed or atomised sprayers for horticulture A01G, A01H; killing insects A01M; air humidifying by nozzles F24F6/14, F24F6/18; cooling by spraying F28B, F28C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/04 operated by the vapour pressure of the liquid to be sprayed or atomised air-humidification, e.g. "room humidifiers" F24F6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/06 of the injector type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/08 Pocket atomisers of the injector type aerosol cans A61M15/009
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0013 with inhalation check valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0016 located downstream of the dispenser, i.e. traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0028 using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0038 Cutting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/004 with fixed piercing or cutting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0091 mechanically breath-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0095 Preventing manual activation in absence of inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0866 Passive resistors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/14 by mixing different fluids, one of them being in a liquid phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/18 for improving respiratory function

Abstract

The invention relates to an internal seal system. The internal seal may be incorporated into a pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer assembly with a T-connector. The small-volume nebulizer may be pre-filled with at least one unit-dose of medicine and hermetically sealed until use by an input port seal and the internal seal. The internal seal may operate as a valve when the assembly is changed into a second configuration.

Claims

1. A pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer assembly comprising:

a small-volume nebulizer body comprising;

an aerosolizing chamber having an output port on top and a seal in the output port, wherein contained within said aerosolizing chamber is a siphon, a jet, a baffle and a unit-dose of medication, wherein said output port includes a first connector component on an exterior surface;

a T-connector attached to the output port, wherein the T-connector includes a patient interface tube at a top of a vertical tube, wherein the patient interface tube includes a patient opening and a secondary opening, and wherein the vertical tube includes a valve proximate to the top of the vertical tube, an interior surface having a second connector component to correspond with said first connector component, and an interior tube within the vertical tube below the valve, wherein said interior tube is shorter than the vertical tube and includes a series of teeth at a bottom edge of said interior tube;

wherein said small-volume nebulizer assembly has a first configuration and a second configuration, and said T-connector is rotatable relative to said small-volume nebulizer body to change said small-volume nebulizer assembly from said first configuration to said second configuration,

in said first configuration, said seal prevents said unit-dose of medication from exiting said small-volume nebulizer body, and

during said change from said first configuration to said second configuration, said teeth cause the seal to open, and

in said second configuration, when said seal is open, airflow from said small-volume nebulizer body is able to pass into said interior tube, wherein, during operation of the small-volume nebulizer assembly by a user, the valve opens with an inhalation by the user and closes with an exhalation by the user.

2. The small-volume nebulizer assembly of claim 1, wherein said secondary opening is a flow restrictor.

3. The small-volume nebulizer assembly of claim 1, wherein said valve includes a valve gate that is a flexible membrane.

4. The small-volume nebulizer assembly of claim 1, wherein said valve includes a valve gate that is attached to a mount structure by a center pivot.