SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUSES FOR PULMONARY DRUG DELIVERY

• US 20080142010A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Next Safety, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Next Safety, Inc.
• Inventors: Hebrank, Jack, Duvall, Lyndell, Weaver, Philip
• Application Number:
  US11/950,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20080142010A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/002 by flow deviation causing inertial separation of transported particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/041 using heaters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/044 with electrodes immersed in the liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/02 with activated or ionised fluids, e.g. electrohydrodynamic [EHD] or electrostatic devices; Ozone-inhalators with radioactive tagged particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0808 Condensation traps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1075 by influencing the temperature A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/108 before being humidified or mixed with a beneficial agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/161 with means for measuring the humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/209 Relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0033 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 : remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 : local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 : using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 : using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/75 : with filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 : battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/14 : Static flow deviators in tubes disturbing laminar flow in tubes, e.g. archimedes screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/06 : Heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 : Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 : partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/30 : Blood pressure A61M2230/04 takes precedence

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system for pulmonary drug delivery includes a portable air supply unit comprising an air mover configured to generate a positive pressure airflow, a drug delivery unit configured to inject droplets of medication into the airflow generated by the air supply unit, and a user interface configured to deliver the airflow and droplets to a user.

Claims

1. A portable system for pulmonary drug delivery, the system comprising:

a portable air supply unit comprising an air mover configured to generate a positive pressure airflow;

a drug delivery unit configured to inject droplets of medication into the airflow generated by the air supply unit; and

a user interface configured to deliver the airflow and droplets to a user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable air supply unit is configured to be carried or worn by the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the air mover is configured to generate airflow of approximately 50 to 500 slm such that the airflow is low enough so as not to disturb the user'"'"'s normal breathing patterns.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable air supply unit further comprises a particle filter configured to purify the airflow generated by the air mover.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the particle filter is configured to filter out particles having a size of 10 nanometers or more.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the particle filter has a usable surface area of approximately 2700 cm³ to 5400 cm³.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the drug delivery unit comprises a body portion that defines an inner passage through which the generated airflow flows, a medication containment element configured to hold medication to be injected into the airflow, and a droplet ejection device configured to inject the medication held by the medication containment element into the inner passage.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the droplet ejection device comprises an ejection head that includes droplet ejection elements that are activated to generate the droplets.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the droplet ejection elements comprise heater resistors.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a face mask configured to fit over the user'"'"'s nose and mouth.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a supply hose that extends between the drug delivery unit and the user interface.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a second supply hose that extends between the portable air supply unit and the drug delivery unit.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a medication heating element configured to heat the medication before it is injected into the airflow.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising an air heating element configured to heat the airflow before it reaches the user.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a humidity control element configured to adjust the humidity of the airflow before it reaches the user.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a turbulence element configured to increase turbulence of the airflow.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring unit configured to collect patient data and respiration data measured by the drug delivery unit.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to transmit the collected data to another component.

19. A portable system for pulmonary drug delivery, the system comprising:

a portable air supply unit configured to be carried or worn by a user, the unit comprising a housing that defines an interior space in which is provided a fan configured to generate a positive pressure airflow and a particle filter configured to remove particulate matter from the airflow to purify the airflow;

a first supply hose extending from the portable air supply unit configured to receive the generated airflow;

a drug delivery unit connected to the first supply hose, the drug delivery unit comprising a medicine containment unit configured to hold medicine and a droplet ejection device that includes heater resistors configured to eject droplets of the medication into the generated airflow;

a second supply hose extending from the drug delivery unit configured to receive the generated airflow and ejected droplets of medication; and

a face mask connected to the second supply hose configured to surround the user'"'"'s nose and mouth and deliver the airflow and droplets to the user'"'"'s respiratory system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the fan is configured to generate airflow of approximately 50 to 500 slm such that the airflow is low enough so as not to disturb the user'"'"'s normal breathing patterns.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the particle filter is configured to filter out particles having a size of 10 nanometers or more.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising a medication heating element configured to heat the medication before it is injected into the airflow.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising an air heating element configured to heat the airflow before it reaches the user.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising a humidity control element configured to adjust the humidity of the airflow before it reaches the user.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising a turbulence element configured to increase turbulence of the airflow.