HEATED NEBULIZER DEVICES, NEBULIZER SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR INHALATION THERAPY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A nebulizer assembly comprising:
- a reservoir for containing a liquid;
a nebulizer for producing an aerosolized gas using the liquid;
an aerosolized gas outlet coupled to the nebulizer to pass the aerosolized gas; and
a heating chamber disposed around an exterior of the reservoir, wherein the heating chamber includes a heating fluid inlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber for providing heating fluid to the heating chamber and a heating fluid outlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber for discharging the heating fluid from the heating chamber.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Nebulizer assemblies and systems are disclosed. A nebulizer assembly includes a reservoir and a nebulizer for producing an aerosolized gas. An aerosolized gas outlet passes the aerosolized gas. A breathing gas mixing chamber is coupled to an outlet port of the nebulizer to entrain nebulized medication into a breathing gas. A system and method of heating medication in a reservoir and adding medication to a gas flow is also provided.
57 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A nebulizer assembly comprising:
-
a reservoir for containing a liquid; a nebulizer for producing an aerosolized gas using the liquid; an aerosolized gas outlet coupled to the nebulizer to pass the aerosolized gas; and a heating chamber disposed around an exterior of the reservoir, wherein the heating chamber includes a heating fluid inlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber for providing heating fluid to the heating chamber and a heating fluid outlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber for discharging the heating fluid from the heating chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A method of heating a medication to be nebulized and providing the nebulized medication to a patient for inhalation, the method comprising the steps of:
-
generating a heated and humidified breathing gas; transmitting the heated and humidified breathing gas through a first lumen in a delivery tube; insulating the heated and humidified breathing gas with a fluid flowing through a second lumen in the delivery tube; discharging the heated and humidified breathing gas from the delivery tube to a chamber; providing a medication in a nebulizer reservoir; transmitting the fluid from the second lumen to a heating cavity surrounding the nebulizer reservoir;
thereby heating the medication in the nebulizer reservoir with the fluid;nebulizing the medication in the nebulizer reservoir; combining the nebulized medication with the heated and humidified breathing gas in the chamber; and transmitting the combined nebulized medication and heated and humidified breathing gas to a patient for inhalation. - View Dependent Claims (5)
-
-
6. A nebulizer system comprising:
-
a nebulizer for generating an aerosol mist of a medication, wherein the nebulizer includes a nebulizer outlet port; a breathing gas mixing chamber coupled to the nebulizer outlet port, wherein the breathing gas mixing chamber comprises; a nebulizer coupling port in fluid communication with the nebulizer outlet port; a breathing gas inlet adapted to couple to a gas delivery system; a breathing gas outlet adapted to couple to a breathing device; and an opening between the breathing gas inlet and the breathing gas outlet, the opening being in fluid communication with the nebulizer outlet port. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of adding a medication to a gas flow comprising the steps of:
-
a) nebulizing the medication; and b) entraining the nebulized medication into the gas flow. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A nebulizer adaptor for entraining a nebulized medication into a breathing gas, the nebulizer adaptor comprising:
-
a mixing chamber; a nebulizer coupling port adapted to coupled to a nebulizer outlet port; a breathing gas inlet adapted to couple to a gas delivery system; a breathing gas outlet adapted to couple to a breathing device; and an opening between the breathing gas inlet and the breathing gas outlet, the opening being in fluid communication with the nebulizer coupling port.
-
Specification