DRUG EJECTION APPARATUS, ESTIMATION OF EJECTION PERFORMANCE THEREOF, AND METHOD OF DRUG EJECTION

• US 20090188494A1
• Filed: 01/20/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: IMAI, MITSURU, Kawahara, Keisuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,286,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.120
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/007 Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0068 Indicating or counting the number of dispensed doses or of remaining doses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/06 using ultrasonic or other kinds of vibrations

Abstract

A drug ejection apparatus comprises a drug ejection assembly having an ejection port and an element for generating energy for ejecting a drug through the ejection port, a drug container connected with the drug ejection assembly for holding the drug, a pressure sensor unit for sensing a pressure change in the inside of the drug container in correspondence with ejection of the drug through the drug ejection assembly, and a drive control unit for deciding driving conditions of the element for ejecting a prescribed amount of the drug by reference to an output level of the pressure sensor unit on driving the element under prescribed conditions.

Claims

1. A drug ejection apparatus comprising:

a drug ejection assembly having an ejection port and an element for generating energy for ejecting a drug through the ejection port,

a drug container connected with the drug ejection assembly for holding the drug,

a pressure sensor unit for sensing a change of the inside pressure of the drug container caused in correspondence with an amount of the drug ejected through the drug ejection assembly, and

a drive control unit for deciding driving conditions of the element for ejecting a prescribed amount of the drug by reference to an output level of the pressure sensor unit on driving the element under prescribed conditions.

2. The drug ejection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the apparatus comprising further a pressurizing unit for pressurization of the drug container to decrease the volume of the drug container to moderate decrease of the inside pressure caused by ejection of the drug.

3. The drug ejection apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the pressurization of the drug container by the pressurizing unit is stopped during driving of the element under prescribed conditions.

4. The drug ejection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein any of the driving conditions of the element including ejection frequency, ejection pulse width, driving voltage decided by the drive control unit is adjusted so that the ejection period is not longer than a prescribed period.

5. The drug ejection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the apparatus comprises a sensor for sensing inhalation by a user, and driving of the element is stopped when the inhalation by the user comes to be not sensed by the sensor.

6. The drug ejection apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the apparatus comprises a unit for measuring the amount of the ejected drug, and the drive control unit decides the conditions for driving the element for ejecting the drug in an amount corresponding to the difference of the amount of the ejected drug from the prescribed amount of the drug on stopping the drive of the element.

7. A method for estimating ejection performance of a drug ejection apparatus, having a drug ejection assembly having an ejection port and an element for generating energy for ejecting the drug through the ejection port, and a drug container connected to the drug ejection assembly for holding the drug,

wherein the performance of ejection of the drug is estimated from the change of the inside pressure of the drug container caused by driving of the element under prescribed driving conditions.

8. A method for ejecting a drug employing a drug ejection apparatus, having a drug ejection assembly having an ejection port and an element for generating energy for ejecting the drug through the ejection port, and a drug container connected to the drug ejection assembly for holding the drug, wherein the method comprises:

a first step of ejecting the drug through the drug ejection port with the volume of the drug container fixed,

a second step of sensing a pressure change in the drug container corresponding to the amount of the drug ejected in the first step,

a third step of deciding conditions of driving the element for ejecting the drug in a prescribed amount,

and a fourth step of ejecting the drug through the drug ejection assembly under the driving conditions decided in the third step.