Intra-Oral Nebulizer With Rainfall Chamber

• US 20070107725A1
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pneumoflex Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Pneumoflex Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Miller, Stuart, Briganti, Mary, Addington, W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.150
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/02 operated by air or other gas pressure applied to the liquid or other product to be sprayed or atomised sprayers for horticulture A01G, A01H; killing insects A01M; air humidifying by nozzles F24F6/14, F24F6/18; cooling by spraying F28B, F28C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/06 of the injector type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/11 Laminar flow

Abstract

An improved nebulizer places a venturi in a rainfall chamber and in close proximity to or inside a patient'"'"'s oral cavity. One or more medicine feed lines feeds the medicine to a location proximate to a venturi. The rainfall chamber contains a sump communicating with the venturi for collecting medication not delivered to the patient and for recycling that medication for delivery to the patient. A medicine receiver may be pre-filled with a standard unit dose of medication.

Claims

1. A nebulizer having a venturi positioned in a rainfall chamber to be located in or adjacent the oral cavity of a patient when used.

2. The nebulizer of claim 1 having a main body including at least one medicine receiver for receiving medicine.

3. The nebulizer of claim 2 in which the medicine receiver receives a reservoir containing a unit dose of medicine.

4. The nebulizer of claim 3 in which the unit dose is a standardized dose.

5. The nebulizer of claim 2 in which the medicine receiver has a cap.

6. The nebulizer or claim 5 in which the cap screws onto the medicine receiver.

7. The nebulizer of claim 5 in which the cap snaps onto the medicine receiver.

8. The nebulizer of claim 5 in which the cap permits medicine to be injected into the medicine receiver.

9. The nebulizer of claim 2 in which the medicine receiver is filled with medicine.

10. The nebulizer of claim 1 in which the venturi is provided with a source of gas from an air line.

11. The nebulizer of claim 1 in which the venturi and a medicine feed line communicate with a rainfall chamber.

12. The nebulizer of claim 1 in which the rainfall chamber contains a diffuser.

13. The nebulizer of claim 11 in which the rainfall chamber contains a sump communicating with the venturi for collecting medication not delivered to the patient and for recycling that medication for delivery to the patient.

14. A nebulizer comprising:

a. a main body having at least an air line, a medicine line and a medicine receiver communicating with said medicine line;

b. in which the air line terminates in a venturi and the medicine line permits medicine from said medicine receiver to combine with air from the venturi in a rainfall chamber, and

d. a diffuser in the rainfall chamber upon which droplets from the venturi impact as part of nebulization.

15. The nebulizer of claim 14 in which the rainfall chamber contains a sump communicating with the venturi for collecting medication not delivered to the patient and for recycling that medication for delivery to the patient.

16. A method of administering a medicine to a patient, comprising the step of nebulizing the medicine using a venturi placed within a rainfall chamber.

17. The nebulizer of claim 16 in which the rainfall chamber contains a sump communicating with the venturi for collecting medication not delivered to the patient and for recycling that medication for delivery to the patient.