Nebulizer apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. A nebulizer comprising:
- a housing having an ambient air inlet and a chamber for holding an aerosol;
an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;
a pressurized gas inlet adjacent a fluid orifice, the pressurized gas inlet in communication with the chamber;
a diverter positioned in the chamber in a fixed position relative to the pressurized gas inlet; and
, wherein at least one portion of the fluid orifice is adjustable between a nebulizing position and a non-nebulizing position.
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Abstract
A nebulizer for efficiently and reliably delivering aerosolized fluid to an inhaling patient is disclosed. The nebulizer includes a fixed diverter and a movable fluid orifice or fluid pathway connected with an actuator for responding to an inhalation or a manual actuation and beginning the nebulization process. Also provided is a method of providing nebulization including the steps of moving a fluid orifice or fluid pathway connected to an actuator so that the fluid orifice or fluid pathway reaches a nebulizing position during inhalation.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A nebulizer comprising:
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a housing having an ambient air inlet and a chamber for holding an aerosol;
an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;
a pressurized gas inlet adjacent a fluid orifice, the pressurized gas inlet in communication with the chamber;
a diverter positioned in the chamber in a fixed position relative to the pressurized gas inlet; and
,wherein at least one portion of the fluid orifice is adjustable between a nebulizing position and a non-nebulizing position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37)
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13. A breath actuated nebulizer for providing an aerosol to an inhaling patient, the nebulizer comprising:
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a housing having an air inlet and a chamber for holding the aerosol;
an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;
a pressurized gas inlet located in the chamber;
a fluid orifice located in the chamber adjacent the pressurized gas inlet, the fluid orifice in communication with a fluid pathway; and
wherein at least a portion of the fluid pathway is adjustable in response to a patient'"'"'s breathing between a nebulizing position, wherein a flow of fluid from a fluid reservoir to the fluid orifice is uninterrupted, and a non-nebulizing position wherein the flow of fluid from the fluid reservoir to the fluid orifice is interrupted.
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23. A breath actuated nebulizer for generating an aerosol for delivery to a patient, the nebulizer comprising:
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a housing having an air inlet and a chamber for holding the aerosol;
an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;
a pressurized gas inlet located in the chamber;
a pressurized gas inlet cover comprising a fixed portion and a movable portion, the pressurized gas inlet cover positioned substantially coaxially about the pressurized gas inlet, wherein a fixed fluid orifice is defined by an inner diameter of an end of the fixed portion and an outer diameter of the pressurized gas inlet;
a diverter positioned in the chamber in a fixed position relative to the pressurized gas inlet and fixed fluid orifice, wherein pressurized gas from the pressurized gas inlet is diverted over the fluid orifice; and
wherein the movable portion of the pressurized gas inlet cover moves in response to a patient'"'"'s breathing between a nebulizing position, where the fluid reservoir is in communication with the fluid orifice, and a non-nebulizing position, wherein the fluid reservoir is not in communication with the fluid orifice.
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29. A method of providing a patient with an aerosol flow of fluid comprising:
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providing a nebulizer having an air inlet for receiving air and an outlet for delivering the aerosol to the patient, a chamber in communication with the outlet, a diverter fixedly mounted in the chamber, and a movable fluid orifice responsive to movement of an actuator piston;
inhaling air from the chamber through the outlet;
moving the actuator piston so that the fluid orifice moves from an initial position to a predetermined distance from a pressurized gas inlet in the chamber;
creating a negative pressure over a fluid orifice by injecting pressurized gas into the chamber and deflecting the gas against the diverter; and
drawing medication through the fluid orifice with the negative pressure.
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34. A method of generating an aerosol of a fluid comprising:
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providing a nebulizer having a diverter fixedly positioned with respect to a pressurized gas inlet in a chamber, a fluid reservoir in communication with the chamber, and an adjustable fluid pathway movably positioned to communicate fluid in the fluid reservoir with a fluid orifice in response to inhalation by the patient;
inhaling through an air outlet connected to the chamber in the nebulizer; and
adjusting a position of the fluid pathway with the force of the inhalation and beginning to aerosolize a fluid in the chamber.
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38. A nebulizer comprising:
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a housing having an ambient air inlet and a chamber for holding an aerosol;
an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;
a fluid orifice movably connected with an actuator piston, the actuator piston positioned over the ambient air inlet and movable in response to an inhalation at the air outlet;
a pressurized gas inlet adjacent the fluid orifice, the pressurized gas inlet in communication with the chamber;
a diverter positioned in the chamber in a fixed position relative to the pressurized gas inlet; and
,wherein the fluid orifice is adjustable by the actuator piston between a nebulizing position and a non-nebulizing position in response to a patient'"'"'s breathing.
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39. A breath actuated nebulizer for providing an aerosol to an inhaling patient, the nebulizer comprising:
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a housing having an air inlet and a chamber for holding the aerosol;
an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;
a pressurized gas inlet located in the chamber adjacent to a gas diverter, wherein the gas diverter is maintained at a fixed distance from the pressurized gas inlet; and
fluid supply means for providing a supply of fluid from a reservoir to a position adjacent the pressurized gas inlet during a period of inhalation, and for restricting the supply of fluid to the position adjacent the pressurized gas inlet during an absence of inhalation, wherein at least a portion of the supply of fluid is nebulized during the period of inhalation.
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40. A breath actuated nebulizer for providing an aerosol to an inhaling patient, the nebulizer comprising:
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a housing having an air inlet and a chamber for holding the aerosol;
an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;
a pressurized gas inlet located in the chamber;
a fluid orifice located in the chamber adjacent the pressurized gas inlet, the fluid orifice in communication with a fluid pathway; and
means for adjusting at least a portion of the fluid pathway in response to a patient'"'"'s breathing between a nebulizing position, wherein a flow of fluid from a fluid reservoir to the fluid orifice is uninterrupted, and a non-nebulizing position wherein the flow of fluid from the fluid reservoir to the fluid orifice is interrupted.
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Specification