Inhalation System

• US 20190151577A1
• Filed: 10/31/2018
• Published: 05/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Presspart GmbH & Co., KG
• Original Assignee: Presspart GmbH & Co., KG
• Inventors: Jung, Benjamin, Sarda, Arun
• Granted Patent: US 11,331,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0025 with caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/003 with a flowmeter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3327 Measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• 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 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• 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 2205/581 : by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 : by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/702 : automatically during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 : battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/40 : Respiratory characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 : Rate
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 : relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients

Abstract

An inhalation system comprising a metered dose inhaler (2) for dispensing an aerosol dose during use and a separate computing device for computing signals received from the metered dose inhaler. The metered dose inhaler (2) comprises a flow rate sensor (16) for detecting an inhalation flow through the actuator housing (4) during use of the metered dose inhaler (2) upon inhalation by a patient and a transmitting unit (20) for transmitting a signal of the at least first switch (10a) as well as of the flow rate sensor (16) to the computing device (3). The computing device (3) is configured to generate visual and/or acoustic messages independently of the signals of the at least one switch (10a) and the flow rate sensor (16) in order to guide the patient through multiple steps of the use of the metered dose inhaler (2). The computing device is further configured to evaluate the use of the metered dose inhaler (2) by comparing the transmitted signals of the at least first switch (10a) and of the flow rate sensor (16) with the visual and/or acoustic messages. The transmitting unit (20) is configured to transmit the signals of the at least first switch (10a) and the flow rate sensor (15a) to the computing device (3) after the use of the metered dose inhaler (2).

Claims

1. Inhalation system comprising:

a metered dose inhaler for dispensing an aerosol dose during use and

a separate computing device for computing signals received from the metered dose inhaler,

the metered dose inhaler comprising;

an actuator housing adapted to receive an aerosol container with an activation valve at a valve end of the container, the container being configured to move in a longitudinal direction (A) from a rest position to an activation position in which the valve is depressed against a bottom portion of the actuator housing such that an aerosol dose is released,

a triggering unit comprising at least a first trigger member configured to interact with the container when the container moves in the longitudinal direction (A) from the rest position to the activation position and

an electronic unit having a substrate with at least a first switch thereon, the first switch being configured to interact with the first trigger member when the container moves from the rest position to the activation position such that the first trigger member triggers the first switch when the container reaches a first longitudinal position during movement of the container from the rest position to the activation position,

wherein

the metered dose inhaler further comprises

a flow rate sensor for detecting an inhalation flow through the actuator housing during use of the metered dose inhaler upon inhalation by a patient and

a transmitting unit for transmitting a signal of the at least first switch as well as of the flow rate sensor to the computing device,

wherein the signal of the first switch indicates a first time when the first switch is triggered by the first trigger member and,

wherein the signal of the flow rate sensor indicates a presence and/or a flow rate of the inhalation flow and,

wherein the computing device for computing signals received from the metered dose inhaler is configured

to generate visual and/or acoustic messages independently of the signals of the at least first switch and the flow rate sensor in order to guide the patient through multiple steps of the use of the metered dose inhaler, and

to evaluate the use of the metered dose inhaler by comparing the transmitted signals of the at least first switch and of the flow rate sensor with the visual and/or acoustic messages and/or with predefined data,

wherein the transmitting unit is configured to transmit the signals of the at least first switch and the flow rate sensor to the computing device after the use of the metered dose inhaler.

2. Inhalation system according to claim 1 wherein the transmission unit is configured to check during and/or subsequently to the use of the metered dose inhaler whether a connection is established between the transmitting unit and the computing device and, given that a connection is established, to transmit the signals of the at least first switch and of the flow rate sensor to the computing device.

3. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to generate visual and/or acoustic messages independently of the signals of the at least one switch and the flow rate sensor in order to guide the patient through the steps of starting inhalation, moving the container from the rest position into the activation position and holding breath for a predefined period of time subsequent to inhalation.

4. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to generate visual and/or acoustic messages independently of the signals of the at least first switch and the flow rate sensor in order to guide the patient through the steps of shaking and/or priming of the metered dose inhaler prior to inhalation.

5. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to evaluate the use of the metered dose inhaler by comparing the timing of the transmitted signals of the at least first switch and of the flow rate sensor with the timing of the visual and/or acoustic messages and/or with predefined data such as predefined time intervals.

6. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to evaluate the use of the metered dose inhaler by analyzing the amount of the inhalation flow and/or preferably its run measured by the flow rate sensor.

7. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a display, wherein the visual and/or acoustic messages are contained in a video clip which is shown on the display of the computing device.

8. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the first trigger member is designed as a flexible tongue having an end portion configured to interact with the container moving from the rest position to the activation position.

9. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the triggering unit comprises a second trigger member and, that the electronic unit has a substrate with a second switch thereon, the second switch being configured to interact with the second trigger member when the container moves from the rest position to the activation position such that the second trigger member triggers the second switch when the container reaches a second longitudinal position that is different from the first longitudinal position during movement of the container from the rest position to the activation position.

10. Inhalation system according to claim 9, wherein the first and the second trigger member are designed as flexible tongues each having an end portion configured to interact with the container moving from the rest position to the activation position.

11. Inhalation system according to claim 8 wherein the flow rate sensor is configured to be brought from a sleep mode into an active mode by triggering the first switch when the container reaches the first longitudinal position during movement of the container from the rest position to the activation position or by the computing device when generating a visual and/or acoustic message, wherein in the sleep mode the flow rate sensor is deactivated and, wherein in the active mode the flow rate sensor is capable of sensing an inhalation flow.

12. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate sensor is configured to be brought from a sleep mode into an active mode by the computing device when generating a visual and/or acoustic message wherein in the sleep mode the flow rate sensor is deactivated and, wherein in the active mode the flow rate sensor is capable of sensing an inhalation flow.

13. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a sensor for measuring temperature, humidity and/or a sensor for taking a reading of amount and size of dust particles in ambient air, or hazardous gases.

14. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate sensor is a differential pressure sensor.

15. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate sensor is positioned in the actuator housing.

16. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to combine data of different sensors and/or data of different sensors with data stored or data of different sensors with data which is entered by a patient and/or data of different sensors with data captured by other devices used by the patient in order to evaluate the use of the metered dose inhaler or to evaluate compliance of the patient with a medication plan.

17. Inhalation system according to claim 1, wherein the metered dose inhaler comprises a sensor for measuring temperature, humidity and/or a sensor for taking a reading of amount and size of dust particles in ambient air or hazardous gases.

18. The inhalation system according to claim 15, wherein the flow rate sensor is positioned in the actuator housing in proximity to a mouthpiece of the metered dose inhaler.

19. The inhalation system according to claim 15, wherein the flow rate sensor is positioned in the actuator housing on the substrate of the electronic unit.

20. The inhalation system of claim 16, wherein the data is stored on a cloud based server system.