SONIC NEBULIZER

• US 3,690,317 A
• Filed: 10/29/1970
• Issued: 09/12/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthdyne, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: William V. Millman
• Inventors: Millman, William V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunne, G. F.
• Application Number:
  US05/085,069
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 128/194,193,188,173,172,186,191,DIG.2 239/338 310/8.1,8.7,8.9,8.3
• US Class Current: 128/200.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0615 spray being produced at the free surface of the liquid or other fluent material in a container and subjected to the vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/48 Sonic vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/65 Vaporizers

Abstract

A sonic nebulizer having an electronic powered piezo-electric crystal to produce mechanical vibrations which are transmitted through a coupling fluid and focused on a second fluid contained in a chamber having a tangentially directed pressurized air inlet and a central opening whereby the nebulized second fluid is entrained by the vortex air flow generated in the chamber and the resulting fluid mixture carried through the outlet. The coupling fluid, electric power oscillator, piezo-electric crystal and associated control apparatus are contained by a portable casing which presents a compact, lightweight and rugged unit particularly adapted for short or long term use in supplying medicated air or oxygen to a patient undergoing medical care. The chamber containing the nebulized second fluid is made of an inexpensive, transparent material which is quickly and easily mounted to the casing and attached to inlet and outlet hoses. The inlet and outlet hoses, like the chamber, may be made from inexpensive material and together with the chamber constitute a disposable portion to avoid contamination between patients.

Claims

1. A portable sonic nebulizing apparatus for use in treating an individual with a respiratory problem requiring conditioned air, said apparatus comprising:

a first housing having an inlet port, a first outlet, a second outlet and a third outlet, said first housing having a flange around said first outlet, said housing retaining an electrical power control adjacent said first outlet;

fan means adjacent the inlet port in said first housing for moving air along a first path to said second outlet and a second path to said third outlet, said air moving in said first path removing thermal energy from said electrical power control;

a filter member located in said inlet port to remove impurities from the air received by said fan means, a second housing positioned on said first housing having a first opening, a second opening and a third opening, said second and third openings being in axial alignment with said first outlet port of the first housing, said second opening having a sleeve extending inwardly toward said third opening a predetermined distance;

sonic energy means sealed in said third opening of said second housing having an extension passing through said first outlet in the first housing connecting said sonic energy means with said electrical power control;

cylindrical container means resiliently retained in said second opening and sleeve of the second housing having a substantially flat base which is in axial alignment with said sonic energy means, said flat base extending into the sleeve a predetermined distance from said second opening, said container means retaining a fluid medicament which aids in relieving said respiratory problem, said container means having a tangential entrance passage and an axial exit passage, said tangential entrance passage being connected to said third outlet in the first housing for delivering all of the filtered air from said fan means in said second path, said tangential entrance causing the filtered air to follow a vortex flow path in said cylindrical container, a coupling fluid located in said second housing; and

control means connected to said electrical power control for activating the sonic energy means for creating a fountain shaped energy wave in said coupling fluid, said base of the cylindrical container means being located in said fountain shaped energy wave, said fountain shaped energy wave passing through said base unobstructed causing the medicament to be dispersed as droplets in said vortex flow path of the filtered air, said droplets being suspended in said air, said exit passage being connected to the patient for delivering the medicament droplets in the filtered air.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the control means further includes:

flow control means in said second path adjacent the third outlet in the first housing for regulating the quantity of filtered air delivering said tangential entrance into the cylindrical container means to selectively establish said vortex flow path corresponding to the need of the individual user.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the thickness of the base of said fluid container is less than h/4 wave length of the vibrating frequency of the sonic energy means to prevent destruction of the cylindrical container means by thermal energy.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the control means further includes:

temperature responsive means for interrupting the operation of the sonic energy means when the sensed thermal level in said sonic energy means corresponds to a predetermined value.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said third opening in said second housing and the sonic energY means are threadedly engaged to permit easy removal thereof from the sonic energy means.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 further including:

flow restricting means adjacent the third outlet in the second flow path for preventing backflow from the container means.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said container means further includes:

an additive entrance downstream from said tangential entrance passage connected to a source of oxygen to further condition the filtered air by enriching the oxygen content therein.