Inhalation device

• US 4,060,074 A
• Filed: 02/11/1976
• Issued: 11/29/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sherwood Medical Company (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Chesebrough-Pond's USA Company (Unilever PLC)
• Inventors: Russo, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Application Number:
  US05/657,242
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.08, 128/2.05 V, 128/2.05 F, 128/142 R, 128/185, 128/202, 128/205, 128/145.8, 128/276, 128/277, 128/278, 272/99 R, 73/419, 73/205 R, 73/147, 116/117 B, 116/117 C, 116/117 R
• US Class Current: 128/200.18
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0875 using means carried by the fluid stream, e.g. free floating balls
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/06 of the injector type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/003 with a flowmeter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/075 Bulb type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/084 Supporting bases, stands for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/18 for improving respiratory function
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/22 by variable-area meters , e.g. rotameters

Abstract

An incentive inhalation device which induces respiratory exercise and which is inexpensive, safe and easy to handle and operate. The device includes a container having a plurality of flow measurement chambers which are vertical when the device is in its upright position. In each chamber is housed a flow rate indicator, such as a light-weight article and ball, that normally rests at the bottom thereof. The bottom of each chamber is open to surrounding atmosphere and the top of each chamber is open to a common passageway. In operation, the patient or user withdraws air from the common air passageway and chambers. When the patient achieves a precalibrated flow rate the indicators sequentially rise to the top of each chamber. To prevent disruption of air flow into the passageway and surprise or shock to the user, means are provided in the last chamber to prevent the indicator from closing the last chamber to the common air passageway.

Claims

1. A self-supporting incentive inhalation device for inducing respiratory exercise, comprising:

a container having a plurality of transparent compartments in alignment along an axis of said container,

said compartments each having a top wall, a bottom wall, a vertical wall therebetween, and a chamber therewithin which extends from said bottom wall to said top wall,

a light-weight article in each of said chambers which is normally in the lower portions thereof,

a slot in each of said compartments which extends through the lower portion thereof and connects each of said chambers to the surrounding atmosphere at a point at least partially below each of said articles,

a passageway in said container which extends over said compartment top walls and has an outlet adjacent one of the outer of said chambers,

a restricted port in each compartment which extends through said top wall thereof and connects said chambers to said passageway,

a ridge in said last compartment depending from the top wall thereof to prevent said article therein from closing said last top port,

means connected to said outlet to allow a person to withdraw air from said chambers through said passageway, whereupon said article is said chamber adjacent said outlet rises to the top thereof and closes said top port when a person inspires air at a precalibrated flow rate, said article in each intermediate chamber sequentially rises to the top thereof and closes each intermediate top port when a person inspires predetermined additional amounts of air at a precalibrated flow rate, and said article in the last of said chamber rises to the top thereof and contacts said depending ridge therein when a person inspires still an additional predetermined amount of air at a precalibrated flow rate.

2. The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein

said container has three compartments with three vertical chambers aligned along the longitudinal axis of the device,

said passageway outlet is adjacent to the first chamber, and

said last said means is tubing connected at one end to said outlet and at its other end to a mouthpiece.

3. The inhalation device according to claim 2 in which said passageway is within a channel which extends over said top walls and alongside said first compartment where said channel is connected to said passageway outlet.

4. The inhalation device according to claim 2, wherein said container is mounted on a base upon which the device stands in an upright position.

5. The inhalation device according to claim 2, wherein said articles are light-weight balls.

6. The inhalation device of claim 2 in which a medicinal dispenser is connected between said outlet and said tubing for dispensing medicine upon inhalation.

7. The inhalation device of claim 1 in which said precalibrated flow rate is about 1000 cubic centimeters per second.

8. The inhalation device of claim 1 in which the device is made of polystyrene and is formed from a plurality of pieces ultrasonically welded together into a single, integral unit.

9. The inhalation device of claim 1 in which said device includes means for maintaining said container at a predetermined angle to reduce the flow rate necessary to cause said articles to rise and be maintained at the top of said container.

10. The inhalation device of claim 9 in which said device includes a platform into which said container is slidable at predetermined acute angles to reduce the flow rate necessary to cause said articles to rise and be maintained at the top of said container.

11. An incentive inhalation device for inducing respiratory exercise, comprising:

a container having a plurality of see-through compartments therein, in each of which is a chamber,

flow rate indicator means in each chamber which normally rests in the lower portion thereof and having a clearance between each indicator means and its chamber wall which allows free movement of the indicator means but restricts air flow thereabout to cause said indicator means to rise towards the top of its chamber when the inhalation effort by a patient reaches a precalibrated rate of air flow,

an opening in the lower portion of each chamber connecting the chamber, to the surrounding atmosphere for lifting the flow indicator means therein,

an opening in the top portion of each chamber,

a passageway connected to each chamber through said opening in the top portion of each chamber, and

outlet means connected to said passageway to allow a person to withdraw air from each chamber and to cause air to be drawn into each chamber through said opening therein for lifting said flow indicator means to the top of each chamber when the inhalation effort is at least the precalibrated rate of air flow for each chamber.

12. The inhalation device according to claim 11, wherein said chambers are adjacent one another and vertical when the device is in an upright position, and said outlet means has an outlet connected to said passageway adjacent one of said chambers.

13. The inhalation device according to claim 11, wherein each of said lower openings extends through the front and back of each of said vertical chambers at a point at least partially below each of said indicators.

14. The inhalation device according to claim 13, wherein a port extends through the top of each compartment for connecting each of said chambers to said passageway, and said passageway extends over the top of each compartment to said outlet.

15. The inhalation device according to claim 14, wherein means are provided in the last of said chambers which prevents said article therein from closing the last of said top ports.