Nebulizer attachment

• US 4,253,468 A
• Filed: 08/14/1978
• Issued: 03/03/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steven Lehmbeck
• Original Assignee: Steven Lehmbeck
• Inventors: Lehmbeck, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Application Number:
  US05/933,202
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 128/194, 128/201, 128/208, 128/188, 128/145.6, 128/145.8, 128/185, 128/173 R, 128/193, 128/195, 128/196, 128/197, 128/202, 128/205, 128/206, 128/207, 128/209 , 128/210, 128/727, 128/726, 128/725, 128/716, 128/187, 128/200.21, 128/200.22, 128/200.14, 128/203.28
• US Class Current: 600/539
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/09 using an element rotated by the flow toys actuated by air current A63H33/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0086 Inhalation chambers

Abstract

Two attachments are provided for a nebulizer which is used to administer a liquid medication in aerosol form to the respiratory tract of a patient by inhalation. One attachment is a reservoir which is interposed between the nebulizer and the patient'"'"'s mouth for trapping and returning to the nebulizer liquid medication which separates from the aerosol. The other attachment is for use when the nebulizer is used in combination with a spirometer. The spirometer comprises a conduit containing a rotor. The inhaled air causes the rotor to spin, the air then mixes with the aerosol produced by the nebulizer and the mixture of air and aerosol is inhaled by the patient. The second attachment is a one-way valve interposed between the spirometer rotor and the point at which the aerosol is introduced into the air stream and is arranged to permit the passage of air only in the direction of inhalation whereby contamination of the spirometer rotor by the medication is prevented. An especially desirable apparatus is attained when the nebulizer is used in conjunction with both of the aforementioned attachments.

Claims

1. In combination with a nebulizer for converting liquid medication into aerosol, the nebulizer having an outlet for the aerosol, the nebulizer when used by a patient being adapted to be oriented substantially vertically with the outlet at the top, the improvement comprising a reservoir, the reservoir including a chamber having an inlet for communication with the ambient for supplying air for inhalation by the patient together with the aerosol, an outlet in substantial axial alignment with the inlet for communication with the patient'"'"'s mouth, an inlet formed in the chamber floor intermediate the inhalation inlet and outlet and substantially perpendicular thereto, the intermediate inlet being connected to the nebulizer outlet and thereby being in communication with the nebulizer, end walls through which said inhalation inlet and outlet are formed, the intermediate inlet being above the nebulizer outlet when the nebulizer is being used by a patient and the end walls extending upwardly from the entire chamber floor to heights substantially above the chamber floor, the chamber floor between the end walls defining an unobstructed path for draining of liquid medication from said chamber floor into said intermediate inlet, whereby the reservoir is adapted for trapping liquid medication which separates from the aerosol, preventing the liquid medication from entering said inhalation inlet and outlet and permitting the liquid medication to drain back into the nebulizer through said intermediate inlet, a first conduit communicating with the inhalation inlet and a spirometer rotor mounted in the conduit for rotation by air drawn through the conduit by inhalation by the patient, a second conduit communicating at one end with the first conduit and communicating at the other end with the inhalation inlet, whereby the first conduit communicates with the inhalation inlet through the second conduit, and a one-way valve mounted in the second conduit, the one-way valve being arranged to permit the passage of air only in the direction from the ambient toward the inhalation inlet, whereby contamination of the spirometer rotor by the medication is prevented.

2. In combination with a nebulizer for converting liquid medication into aerosol, the nebulizer having an outlet for the aerosol, the nebulizer when used by a patient being adapted to be oriented substantially vertically with the outlet at the top, the improvement comprising a reservoir, the reservoir including a chamber having an inlet opening for communication with the ambient for supplying air for inhalation by the patient together with the aerosol, an outlet opening in substantial axial alignment with the inlet opening, an outlet conduit in axial alignment with the outlet opening, the outlet conduit having one end connected to the outlet opening and another end remote from the chamber, the outlet conduit being of smaller cross sectional area than the chamber and being adapted to be received in a patient'"'"'s mouth, a chamber floor, a permanently open inlet formed in the chamber floor intermediate the inhalation inlet opening and outlet opening and substantially perpendicular thereto, the intermediate inlet being connected to the nebulizer outlet and thereby being in communication with the nebulizer, end walls through which said inhalation inlet and outlet openings are formed, the intermediate inlet being above the nebulizer outlet when the nebulizer is being used by a patient and the end walls extending upwardly from the entire chamber floor to heights substantially above the chamber floor, the chamber floor between the end walls defining an unobstructed path for draining of liquid medication from said chamber floor into said intermediate inlet, whereby the reservoir is adapted for trapping liquid medication which separates from the aerosol, preventing the liquid medication from entering said inhalation inlet and outlet and at all times permitting the liquid medication to drain back into the nebulizer through said intermediate inlet.

3. In combination with a nebulizer for converting liquid medication into aerosol, the nebulizer having an outlet for the aerosol, the nebulizer when used by a patient being adapted to be oriented substantially vertically with the outlet at the top, a T-connector conduit having an inlet for communication with the ambient for supplying air for inhalation by the patient together with the aerosol, an outlet in substantial axial alignment with the inlet for communication with the patient'"'"'s mouth and an inlet intermediate the inhalation inlet and outlet and substantially perpendicular thereto for communication with the nebulizer, and a first conduit communicating with the inhalation inlet and a spirometer rotor mounted in the conduit for rotation by air drawn through the conduit by inhalation by the patient, the improvement comprising a second conduit communicating at one end with the first conduit and communicating at the other end with the inhalation inlet, whereby the first conduit communicates with the inhalation inlet through the second conduit, and a one-way valve, mounted in the second conduit, the one-way valve being arranged to permit the passage of air only in the direction from the ambient toward the inhalation inlet, whereby contamination of the spirometer rotor by the medication is prevented.