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Flow measuring apparatus and inhalation apparatus comprising the same

  • US 10,639,435 B2
  • Filed: 08/28/2014
  • Issued: 05/05/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An inhalation apparatus comprising an inhalation chamber and a flow measuring apparatus in a section of the inhalation apparatus, the inhalation chamber receiving a metered-dose inhaler, and comprising a valve opposed to the metered-dose inhaler, the flow measuring apparatus for measuring a flow rate of gas comprising an aerosol through the section of the inhalation apparatus, the flow measuring apparatus comprising:

  • a set of Pitot tubes only in a single longitudinal axis traversing a lumen of the inhalation apparatus and comprising a first Pitot tube longitudinally aligned with and contacting a second Pitot tube,said set of Pitot tubes traversing entirely the lumen of said section of the inhalation apparatus only in the single longitudinal axis;

    said first and second Pitot tube being respectively fluidly connected to a differential pressure sensor, for measuring a difference between a stagnation pressure and a static pressure within said flow measuring apparatus;

    said first Pitot tube comprising at least one opening facing a direction of said flow; and

    said second Pitot tube comprising at least one opening facing a direction opposed to said flow;

    wherein the set of Pitot tubes is in the section of the inhalation apparatus which is located downstream of the inhalation chamber, adjacent to the valve to measure the flow rate of the gas comprising the aerosol through the valve between the inhalation chamber and a mouthpiece, wherein the valve is a duckbill valve and defines a plane of a laminar flow for the flow of the gas comprising the aerosol, and the set of Pitot tubes crosses the flow of the gas comprising the aerosol with the single longitudinal axis thereof being perpendicular to the plane.

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