Nebulizer apparatus and method

• US 20020157663A1
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Original Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Inventors: Goodwin, Evan, Blacker, Rick
• Granted Patent: US 6,929,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/007 Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/06 of the injector type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0091 mechanically breath-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/122 with dilution
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/14 by mixing different fluids, one of them being in a liquid phase
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0012 Apparatus for achieving spraying before discharge from the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2435 the carried liquid and the main stream of atomising fluid being brought together by parallel conduits placed one inside the other

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.

Claims

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an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;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.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one portion of the fluid orifice is adjustable in response to a patient'"'"'s breathing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one portion of the fluid orifice manually adjustable by an actuator positioned on an exterior portion of the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an actuator piston connected with a pressurized gas inlet cover defining a portion of the fluid orifice and positioned in the housing, the actuator piston responsive to an initial period of inhalation through the air outlet to adjust the fluid orifice to the nebulizing position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a relief piston located in the housing, the relief piston movable separately from the actuator piston and responsive to additional negative pressure in the chamber, after an initial period of inhalation, to allow increased air flow from the air inlet into the chamber, whereby the effort necessary for a patient inhaling through the air outlet is reduced.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diverter is connected with a wall of the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diverter is integrally molded with the housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid orifice comprises an opening defined by an outer diameter of the pressurized gas inlet and an inner diameter of an end of a pressurized gas inlet cover.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pressurized gas inlet comprises a cone-shaped nozzle and the pressurized gas inlet cover comprises a cone-shaped sleeve coaxially positioned around the cone-shaped nozzle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the fluid orifice comprises an entire fluid orifice.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least on portion of the fluid orifice is connected with a vane pivotally adjustable between a nebulizing and a non-nebulizing position.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid orifice is in communication with a fluid reservoir positioned inside the nebulizer.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the air inlet is configured to receive a supply of air from an air supply system.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the air inlet is configured to receive ambient air from outside the container.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the fluid orifice comprises an opening defined by an outer diameter of the pressurized gas inlet and an inner diameter of an end of a pressurized gas inlet cover.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the fluid pathway comprises at least one channel defined by a recessed longitudinal groove in at least one of the outer diameter of the pressurized gas inlet and the inner diameter of the pressurized gas inlet cover.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the pressurized gas inlet comprises a nozzle and the pressurized gas inlet cover comprises a nozzle cover coaxially positioned around the nozzle, wherein at least a portion of the nozzle cover is movable with respect to the nozzle.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising an actuator piston movably positioned adjacent the air inlet and connected with the at least a portion of the nozzle cover, wherein the actuator piston and the at least a portion of the nozzle cover are movable in response to inhalation at the air outlet.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a relief piston positioned adjacent the actuator piston and independently movable with respect to the actuator piston in response to a continued inhalation to uncover additional openings in the nebulizer and thereby reduce inhalation effort.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a diverter positioned in the chamber to divert a flow of gas from the pressurized gas outlet.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the diverter is stationary.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the fixed portion of the pressurized gas inlet cover and the pressurized gas inlet define an first portion of a fluid pathway between the fluid orifice and the fluid reservoir.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the movable portion of the pressurized gas inlet cover and the pressurized gas inlet define a second portion of the fluid pathway between the fluid orifice and the fluid reservoir when the movable portion is in the nebulizing position.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the moveable lower portion is coaxially movable with respect to the pressurized gas inlet between the nebulizing position and non-nebulizing position.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the movable portion is connected with a vane by a pivot arm and is pivotally movable between the nebulizing and non-nebulizing positions.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the fixed upper portion and the pressurized gas inlet define a fluid pathway between the fluid orifice and the fluid reservoir, and the lower portion of the pressurized gas inlet cover is movable to a nebulizing position, wherein the movable portion is spaced away from the fixed portion, and a non-nebulizing position, wherein the movable portion blocks the fluid pathway in the fixed portion.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the nebulizer further comprises a relief piston mounted in the nebulizer and independently movable with respect to the actuator piston, and wherein the method further comprises moving the relief piston independently of the actuator piston to permit greater air flow through the chamber after the fluid orifice moves to the predetermined distance from the pressurized gas inlet.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the fluid orifice is an opening defined by an outer circumference of the pressurized gas inlet and an inner circumference of an end of a coaxially positioned pressurized gas inlet cover connected with the actuator piston, and wherein moving the actuator piston comprises moving the pressurized gas inlet cover relative to the pressurized gas inlet such that the fluid orifice moves to the predetermined position.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein moving the actuator piston comprises a manually moving a portion of the actuator piston extending outside of a housing of the nebulizer.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein moving the actuator piston comprises moving the actuator piston in response to the breathing of the patient.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein adjusting a position of the fluid pathway comprises forming a continuous passage from the fluid reservoir to the fluid orifice.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the fluid pathway comprises a first portion fixedly positioned in the chamber and a second portion movably positionable relative to the first portion, and wherein forming a continuous passage comprises aligning the second portion with the first portion in response to inhalation of the patient.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising displacing the second portion from the first portion in response to an exhalation by the patient.

13. A breath actuated nebulizer for providing an aerosol to an inhaling patient, the nebulizer comprising:

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.

23. A breath actuated nebulizer for generating an aerosol for delivery to a patient, the nebulizer comprising:

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.

29. A method of providing a patient with an aerosol flow of fluid comprising:

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.

34. A method of generating an aerosol of a fluid comprising:

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.

38. 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 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.

39. A breath actuated nebulizer for providing an aerosol to an inhaling patient, the nebulizer comprising:

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.

40. A breath actuated nebulizer for providing an aerosol to an inhaling patient, the nebulizer comprising:

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.