NEBULIZER WITH INTRA-ORAL VIBRATING MESH

• US 20130267864A1
• Filed: 05/02/2013
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pneumoflex Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Pneumoflex Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Addington, W. Robert, Miller, Stuart P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,022,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/538
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/003 by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• 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 15/0003 with means for dispensing more than one drug
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0036 hollow piercing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/14 by mixing different fluids, one of them being in a liquid phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0468 non-physiological
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• 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 2205/502 : User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 : with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6036 : characterised by physical shape, e.g. array of activating switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6045 : having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8225 : using incorporated gas cartridges for the driving gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/18 : Coaxial flows, e.g. one flow within another

Abstract

A nebulizer includes a main body that has a nebulizer outlet and an air channel in communication with the nebulizer outlet. The main body supports a medicine reservoir and a mesh that engages the medicine reservoir and air channel and vibrates to atomize medicine from the medicine reservoir into the air channel for discharge through the nebulizer outlet. The nebulizer outlet and mesh are configured to be received within the oral cavity of the patient when the nebulizer is in use.

Claims

1. A nebulizer comprising:

a main body comprising,

a nebulizer outlet;

an air channel in communication with the nebulizer outlet;

a medicine reservoir; and

a mesh that engages the medicine reservoir and air channel and vibrates to atomize medicine from the medicine reservoir into the air channel for discharge through the nebulizer outlet;

wherein said nebulizer outlet and mesh are configured to be received within the oral cavity of the patient when the nebulizer is in use.

2. The nebulizer according to claim 1 wherein said mesh comprises a mesh plate having multiple apertures through which medicine passes from the medicine reservoir to be atomized into the air channel.

3. The nebulizer according to claim 2 wherein said apertures are tapered and each aperture has a larger cross-section on the medicine reservoir side and a smaller cross-section at the air channel.

4. The nebulizer according to claim 3 wherein said apertures are dimensioned at the air channel to form atomized droplets of a specific size range.

5. The nebulizer according to claim 2 comprising an actuator connected to the mesh plate to vibrate the mesh plate.

6. The nebulizer according to claim 1 comprising at least one medicine receiver configured to receive medicine, and a medicine feed line connecting the medicine receiver to the medicine reservoir to supply medicine to the medicine reservoir.

7. The nebulizer according to claim 6 wherein the at least one medicine receiver comprises a puncture tube for piercing a medicine container received within the medicine receiver.

8. The nebulizer according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of medicine receivers, each having a different shape and matched in shape to a particular shape of a medicine container to be received therein.

9. The nebulizer according to claim 1 comprising a canister support on the main body and configured to support a canister of compressed air to provide air into the air channel.

10. The nebulizer according to claim 1 wherein said nebulizer outlet and air channel are horizontally oriented when the nebulizer is in use.

11. A nebulizer comprising:

a main body comprising,

a nebulizer outlet;

an air channel in communication with the nebulizer outlet;

a medicine reservoir;

a mesh that engages the medicine reservoir and air channel and vibrates to atomize medicine from the medicine reservoir into the air channel for discharge through the nebulizer outlet;

wherein said nebulizer outlet and mesh are configured to be received within the oral cavity of the patient when the nebulizer is in use; and

an air flow sensor carried by the main body and configured to measure air flow generated by a patient'"'"'s one of at least inhaling and exhaling air.

12. The nebulizer according to claim 11 wherein said air flow sensor is positioned within the air channel.

13. The nebulizer according to claim 11 and comprising a processor connected to the air flow sensor and configured to process the measured air flow over time to determine a respiratory function of the patient.

14. The nebulizer according to claim 13 wherein said processor is configured to process measured air flow over time to determine a neurological deficiency in a patient based on air flow measurements derived from an involuntary reflex cough.

15. The nebulizer according to claim 11 comprising a wireless module carried by the main body that receives and transmits data regarding measured air flow.

16. The nebulizer according to claim 11 wherein said air flow sensor is configured to measure one of at least air velocity and air pressure.

17. The nebulizer according to claim 11 wherein said nebulizer outlet and air channel are horizontally oriented when the nebulizer is in use.

18. The nebulizer according to claim 11 wherein said mesh comprises a mesh plate having multiple apertures through which medicine passes from the medicine reservoir to be atomized into the air channel.

19. A method of administering a medicine to a patient using a nebulizer having a main body comprising, a nebulizer outlet, an air channel in communication with the nebulizer outlet, a medicine reservoir, and a mesh engaging the medicine reservoir and air channel;

receiving the nebulizer outlet and mesh within the oral cavity of the patient;

vibrating the mesh to atomize medicine from the medicine reservoir into the air channel; and

discharging atomized medicine through the nebulizer outlet.

20. The method according to claim 19 comprising measuring air flow through the air channel during one of least inhaling and exhaling of air.

21. The method according to claim 20 comprising processing the measured air flow over time to determine a respiratory function of the patient.

22. The method according to claim 19 orienting horizontally the nebulizer outlet and air channel when the nebulizer is in use.

23. The method according to claim 19 comprising passing medicine through a mesh plate having multiple apertures to atomize the medicine into the air channel.