DRUG DELIVERY APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20120266870A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Denyer, Jonathan Stanley Harold, Dyche, Anthony, Petherbridge, Ian Thomas, Schipper, Alphonsus Tarcisius Jozef Maria, Leppard, Michael James Robbert
• Granted Patent: US 9,744,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems

Abstract

A nebulizer (1) comprises one or more removable components (5,7,9,13), for example a mesh assembly (9), mouthpiece, plunger assembly (7) and medication chamber (13), each having an associated data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a). The data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a) can be used to store information indicating the type of removable component (5,7,9,13) that is fitted to the nebulizer (1). A removable component (5,7,9,13) may be from a set of such removable components. For example, a mouthpiece (5) fitted to the nebulizer (1) may be from a set of mouthpieces having different flow rates. The data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a) may also be used to control operation of the nebulizer (1). A data carrier (9a) attached to a mesh (9) may be used to prevent the nebulizer (1) from being used when the mesh (9) has been used a predetermined number of times.

Claims

1. A nebulizer (1) comprising:

a removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) comprising a data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a); and

a data reader (11) for communicating with the data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a) of the removable component (5, 7, 9, 13).

2. A nebulizer (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) is one of a set of associated removable components.

3. A nebulizer (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the data reader (11) is adapted to identify a particular removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) from its associated set of removable components using information contained in the data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a) of the removable component (5, 7, 9, 13).

4. A nebulizer (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the operation of the nebulizer (1), wherein the control means is adapted to control the operation of the nebulizer based on information provided by the data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a).

5. A nebulizer (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nebulizer comprises at least one further removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) comprising a data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a).

6. A nebulizer (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control means is configured such that the operation of the nebulizer is only possible once a predetermined number of removable components (5, 7, 9, 13) are detected as being attached to the nebulizer (1).

7. A nebulizer (1) as claimed claim 1, wherein the data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a) and the data reader (11) comprise a radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging system.

8. A nebulizer (1) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a) comprises an RFID tag and the data reader (11) comprises an antenna.

9. A nebulizer (1) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the range of the RFID tagging system is restricted such that the antenna (11) is suited to communicate with RFID tags (5a, 7a, 9a) mounted in removable components (5, 7, 9, 13) attached to the nebulizer.

10. A nebulizer (1) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) is one or more of a mesh assembly (9), a mouthpiece (5), a plunger assembly (7) or a medication chamber (13).

11. A mesh assembly (9) for use in a nebulizer, the mesh assembly (9) comprising a data carrier (9a) for communicating, in use, with a data reader (11) provided in the nebulizer.

12. A mesh assembly (9) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data carrier (9a) is adapted to store information for preventing a mesh (9b) from being used in a nebulizer after a predetermined number of uses.

13. A mesh assembly (9) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data carrier (9a) stores a count value, the count value being incremented or decremented after each use of the mesh.

14. A removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) for use in a nebulizer, the removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) comprising a data carrier (5a 7a, 9a) for communicating, in use, with a data reader provided in the nebulizer.

15. A removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) forms part of a set of interchangeable removable components for use with the nebulizer, and wherein the data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a) provides, in use, information relating to which removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) from the set of interchangeable removable components is being used with the nebulizer.

16. A removable component as claimed in claim 14, wherein the removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) comprises a mouthpiece (5), a plunger assembly (7), a mesh assembly (9) or a medication chamber (13).

17. A method of operating a nebulizer (1), the method comprising the steps of:

receiving information from a data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a) associated with a removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) of the nebulizer; and

controlling the operation of the nebulizer based on the information received from the data carrier (5a, 7a, 9a).

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) is a mesh assembly (9), and further comprising the step of preventing the nebulizer from being used when the mesh assembly (9) has been used a predetermined number of times.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the removable component (5, 7, 9, 13) is a mouthpiece (5), a plunger assembly (7) or a medication chamber (13), and further comprising the steps of controlling the operation of the nebulizer based on the type of mouthpiece (5) and/or plunger assembly (7) and/or medication chamber (13) fitted to the nebulizer.