Nebulizer apparatus and method
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
122 Citations
60 Claims
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1-40. -40. (canceled)
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41. 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an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;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 gas inlet adjacent a moveable fluid orifice, the gas inlet in communication with the chamber;
a diverter positioned in the chamber relative to the gas inlet; and
, a nebulization activation member accessible outside the housing, the nebulization activation member operably connected with the moveable fluid orifice and configured to maintain the nebulizer in a first operational mode at a first setting, and in a second operational mode at a second setting, wherein at the first setting the nebulization activation member is positioned to maintain the fluid orifice in a nebulizing position and the first operational mode comprises continuous nebulization. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A nebulizer for providing an aerosol 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an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;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 gas inlet located in the chamber;
a fluid orifice located in the chamber adjacent the gas inlet, the fluid orifice in communication with a fluid pathway from a fluid reservoir; and
a nebulization activation member accessible outside the housing, the nebulization activation member operably connected with the fluid pathway and configured to maintain the nebulizer in a first operational mode at a first setting, and in a second operational mode at a second setting, wherein in the first setting the nebulization activation member is positioned to maintain the fluid pathway in a nebulizing position and the first operational mode comprises continuous nebulization, wherein a flow of fluid from the fluid reservoir to the fluid orifice is uninterrupted. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. 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 gas inlet adjacent a fluid orifice, the gas inlet in communication with the chamber;
a diverter positioned in the chamber relative to the gas inlet; and
,a nebulization activation member accessible outside the housing, the nebulization activation member operably connected with the chamber to control forming or disrupting a fluid pathway between a fluid reservoir and a fluid orifice and configured to maintain the nebulizer in a first operational mode at a first setting, and in a second operational mode at a second setting, wherein at the first setting the nebulization activation member is positioned to maintain the fluid pathway as a continuous fluid pathway and the first operational mode comprises continuous nebulization. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification