Accessory for nebulizer inhaler system

• US 20060021613A1
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Overlander
• Original Assignee: Robert Overlander
• Inventors: Overlander, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/910,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20060021613A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.140
• 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 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path

Abstract

An accessory for an inhaler unit may be retrofit into a conventional nebulizer system having a manifold or an inlet air tube. The accessory includes a one-way air valve that closes except when air is being inhaled. The one-way valve closes to prevent exhaled air/gas from flowing through the manifold and inlet air tube and out to the surrounding atmosphere. Thus, exhaled air/gas does not flow out of the system and does not carry medicine with it, greatly reducing medicine waste. Because the preferred inhaler system does not include any exhale/exhaust valve or any other outlet for exhaled air/gas, the user may loosen his lips, for example, to exhale. The accessory may be provided simply as a single one-way valve retrofit into an existing air tube of a conventional nebulizer system, as an air tube-valve combination that may be attached to a nebulizer system manifold, or as original equipment manufacture (OEM) for a nebulizer system.

Claims

1. An inhaler system comprising:

a nebulizer unit;

a manifold connected to the nebulizer unit having a first opening connected to the nebulizer unit, and second and third opposing openings that are generally coaxial and on an axis perpendicular to the first opening, wherein said second opening holds and communicates with a mouthpiece and said third opening holds and communicates with an inlet air tube;

a single one-way valve connected to the manifold, said single one-way valve being provided in the inlet air tube;

wherein said single one-way valve is adapted to open when a user inhales through the mouthpiece, and wherein said single one-way valve is adapted to close when a user exhales through the mouthpiece, so that exhaled air and medicine do not flow out of the inhaler system.

2. An inhaler system as in claim 1, comprising no exhalation valves.

3. An inhaler system as in claim 1, comprising only one valve, which only one valve is said single one-way valve.

4. An inhaler system as in claim 1, wherein said single one-way valve comprises a swing valve.

5. An inhaler system as in claim 1, wherein said single one-way valve comprises a flapper having a flap portion and a hinge portion, the hinge portion being anchored to an outer surface of said inlet air tube.

6. An inhaler system as in claim 5, further comprising a cap on an outer end of said inlet air tube, said cap extending over said outer end and capturing the hinge portion between the cap and the outer surface of the inlet air tube.

7. An inhaler as in claim 6, wherein said cap has an inner radial surface with an aperture for allowing inhaled air into the inlet air tube, and wherein said flap portion seats against said inner radial surface to close-off said aperture when said one-way valved closes.

8. An inhaler system as in claim 1, wherein said single one-way valve comprises a flapper having a flap portion and a hinge portion, the hinge portion being anchored to an inner surface of said inlet air tube.

9. An inhaler system as in claim 8, further comprising a cup member inserted into the outer end of the inlet air tube and adapted to capture said hinge portion between the cup member and said inner surface of said inlet air tube.

10. An inhaler system as in claim 9, wherein said cup member has a bottom radial surface with a cup aperture for allowing inhaled air into the inlet air tube, and wherein said flap portion seats against said bottom radial surface to close-off said cup aperture when said one-way valved closes.

11. An inhaler system as in claim 10, further comprising a cap installed over the outer end of the inlet air tube and over an outer end of the cup member.

12. An inhaler system as in claim 10, wherein said cup member has an interior space and the inhaler system further comprises a filter inside said cup member interior space.

13. An inhaler system as in claim 11, wherein said cup member has an interior space and the inhaler system further comprises a filter inside said cup member interior space between the cup member and the cap.

14. An inhaler system as in claim 1, wherein said single one-way valve is adapted only to open fully upon a user inhaling and to close fully upon cessation of said inhaling.

15. An inhaler system comprising:

a dispensing unit adapted to dispense a medicine into air to be breathed by a patient;

a manifold connected to the dispensing unit and having two opposing and generally coaxial openings;

a mouthpiece connected to one of said openings and an inlet air tube connected to the other of said two openings;

a one-way valve provided in said inlet air tube that is adapted to allow air to be inhaled into the manifold via the one-way valve and the inlet air tube and into the mouthpiece, and the one-way valve also adapted to prevent any air or exhaled air from exiting the inhaler system.

16. An inhaler system as in claim 15, wherein the one-way valve is either fully-open or fully-closed.

17. An inhaler system as in claim 15, comprising no exhalation valves.

18. An inhaler system as in claim 15, comprising only one valve, which only one valve is said one-way valve.

19. An inhaler system as in claim 15, wherein said one-way valve comprises a swing valve.

20. An inhaler system as in claim 15, wherein said one-way valve comprises a flapper having a flap portion and a hinge portion, the hinge portion being anchored to an outer surface of said inlet air tube.

21. An inhaler system as in claim 20, further comprising a cap on an outer end of said inlet air tube, said cap extending over said outer end and capturing the hinge portion between the cap and the outer surface of the inlet air tube.

22. An inhaler as in claim 21, wherein said cap has an inner radial surface with an aperture for allowing inhaled air into the inlet air tube, and wherein said flap portion seats against said inner radial surface to close-off said aperture when said one-way valved closes.

23. An inhaler system as in claim 15, wherein said single one-way valve comprises a flapper having a flap portion and a hinge portion, the hinge portion being anchored to an inner surface of said inlet air tube.

24. An inhaler system as in claim 23, further comprising a cup member inserted into the outer end of the inlet air tube and adapted to capture said hinge portion between the cup member and said inner surface of said inlet air tube.

25. An inhaler system as in claim 24, wherein said cup member has a bottom radial surface with a cup aperture for allowing inhaled air into the inlet air tube, and wherein said flap portion seats against said bottom radial surface to close-off said cup aperture when said one-way valved closes.

26. An inhaler system as in claim 25, further comprising a cap installed over the outer end of the inlet air tube and over an outer end of the cup member.

27. An inhaler system as in claim 25, wherein said cup member has an interior space and the inhaler system further comprises a filter inside said cup member interior space.

28. An inhaler system as in claim 26, wherein said cup member has an interior space and the inhaler system further comprises a filter inside said cup member interior space between the cup member and the cap.

29. An inhaler system as in claim 15, wherein said one-way valve is adapted only to open fully upon a user inhaling and to close fully upon cessation of said inhaling.