Apparatus and methods for delivering a predetermined amount of a pressurized fluid
First Claim
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1. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising:
- a valve housing;
a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said valve stem in said first position occupying substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally external to said valve housing and a second portion which is generally internal to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said second position being configured so as to occupy substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber when said valve stem is in the first position, said first portion being configured such that, when said valve stem is in the second position, at least a part of said first portion is positioned within said valve housing so as to form said metering chamber between said valve stem and said valve housing;
means for supplying fluid to said metering chamber as said metering chamber is formed; and
means for releasing the fluid from said metering chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to metering valves and methods for repeatedly delivering a precise amount of a pressurized fluid such as an aerosol. Each metering valve is configured such that the metering chamber exists only upon actuation of the valve stem to dispense a dosage. Thus, the metering chamber is created, filled with aerosol formulation, and emptied during the brief moment that the valve stem is depressed and subsequently released by the user to dispense a dosage. Alternative embodiments of the present invention also include mechanisms for pressure filling an aerosol container through such a metering valve.
186 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said valve stem in said first position occupying substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally external to said valve housing and a second portion which is generally internal to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said second position being configured so as to occupy substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber when said valve stem is in the first position, said first portion being configured such that, when said valve stem is in the second position, at least a part of said first portion is positioned within said valve housing so as to form said metering chamber between said valve stem and said valve housing; means for supplying fluid to said metering chamber as said metering chamber is formed; and means for releasing the fluid from said metering chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position, a second position, and a third position such that said valve stem moves sequentially from the first position to the second position to the third position as the valve stem is depressed in a single direction, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said valve stem in said first position occupying substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber; means for supplying fluid to said metering chamber; and means for releasing the fluid from said metering chamber when said valve stem arrives at the third position. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position, a second position, and a third position, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally external to said valve housing and a second portion which is generally internal to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said valve stem being configured such that, when said valve stem is in the second position, at least a part of said first portion is positioned within said valve housing so as to define a metering chamber between said valve stem and said valve housing, said metering chamber being dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said second portion of said valve stem being configured so as to occupy substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber when said valve stem is in the first position; means for supplying fluid to said metering chamber as said metering chamber is formed; and means for releasing the fluid from said metering chamber, said releasing means comprising a bore formed in said first portion of said valve stem, said bore being configured so as to provide fluid communication between said metering chamber and the area outside of said first portion when said valve stem is in the third position. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally external to said valve housing and a hollow second portion which is generally internal to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said valve stem being configured such that, when said valve stem is in the second position, at least a part of said first portion is positioned within said valve housing so as to form a metering chamber between said valve stem and said valve housing, said metering chamber being dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said second portion being configured so as to occupy substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber when said valve stem is in the first position; means for supplying fluid to said metering chamber including means for providing fluid communication between the hollow of said second portion and said metering chamber while said metering chamber is being filled with fluid; and means for releasing the fluid from said metering chamber. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem hving a first portion which is generally external to said valve housing and a second portion which is generally internal to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said valve stem being configured such that, when said valve stem is in the second position, at least a part of said first portion is positioned within said valve housing so as to form a metering chamber between said valve stem and said valve housing, said metering chamber being dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said second portion being configured so as to occupy substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber when said valve stem is in the first position, said first portion of said valve stem being detachable from said second portion of said valve stem so as to allow for pressure filling of the valve; means for supplying fluid to said metering chamber; and means for releasing the fluid from said metering chamber.
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47. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally external to said valve housing and a second portion which is generally internal to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said valve stem being configured such that, when said valve stem is in the second position, at least a part of said first portion is positioned within said valve housing so as to form a metering chamber between said valve stem and said valve housing, said metering chamber being dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said second portion being configured so as to occupy substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber when said valve stem is in the first position; a filling port formed in a wall of said second portion of said valve stem, said filling port allowing for pressure filling of the valve; means for sealing said filling port when the valve is not being pressure filled; means for supplying fluid to said metering chamber; and means for releasing the fluid from said metering chamber.
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48. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a pressurized fluid, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem which is movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of pressurized fluid, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally internal to said valve housing and a second portion which is generally external to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said first portion of said valve stem being configured substantially the same as the wall of said valve housing defining said metering chamber such that, when in the first position, said first portion of said valve stem occupies substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber, said first portion of said valve stem having a larger circumference than said second portion of said valve stem such that, when said valve stem is in the second position so that at least a part of said second portion is positioned within said valve housing, said metering chamber is formed between said valve stem and said valve housing; means for supplying pressurized fluid to said metering chamber; and means for releasing the pressurized fluid from said metering chamber after said metering chamber is filled.
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49. A valve for repeatably delivering a precise amount of an aerosol formulation, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem which is movably mounted within said valve housing between a first, second, and third position, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said precise amount of aerosol formulation, said valve stem comprising; a first portion extending through said valve housing so as to be generally exterior to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position; a second portion which is generally interior to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said second portion having a hollow interior, said second portion being adjacent said first portion and being configured substantially the same as the wall of said valve housing defining said metering chamber such that, when in the first position, said second portion occupies substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber, said second portion of said valve stem having a larger circumference than said first portion of said valve stem such that, when said valve stem is in the second position so that at least a part of said first portion is positioned within said valve housing, said metering chamber is formed between said valve stem and said valve housing; and a third portion which is interior to said valve housing, said third portion having a hollow interior, said third portion being adjacent said second portion such that the hollow of said third portion is in fluid communication with the hollow of said second portion, said third portion having a larger circumference than said second portion; at least one passageway formed in a wall of said second portion, said passageway providing for fluid communication between the hollow of said second portion and said metering chamber while said metering chamber is being filled with aerosol formulation; a passageway seal mounted within said valve housing, said passageway seal being capable of occluding said passageway when said valve stem is in the second position; means for supplying aerosol formulation to said metering chamber, said supplying means comprising a piston mounted within said valve housing, said third portion being configured so as to receive said piston as said valve stem is moved theretowards and thereby create a positive filling pressure within said meterig chamber; and a bore formed in said first portion for releasing the aerosol formulation from said metering chamber after said metering chamber is filled, said bore being configured so as to provide fluid communication between said metering chamber and the area outside of said first portion when said valve stem is in the third position. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising the steps of:
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providing a valve having a valve housing and a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally external to said valve housing and a second portion which is generalaly internal to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said valve stem in said first position occupying substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber; positioning the valve stem in the first position such that the valve stem occupies substantially the entire volume of the metering chamber; moving the valve stem from the first position to the second position so as create said metering chamber; filling the metering chamber with fluid as it is created; and expelling the fluid from the metering chamber. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A method for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising the steps of:
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providing a valve having a valve housing and a valve stem movably mounted with said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally external to said valve housing and a second portion which is generally internal to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid; forming a fluid inlet port in the wall of the second portion and positioning an inlet port seal around the circumference of the second portion such that the inlet port reaches the inlet port seal when the valve stem arrives at the second position, thereby precluding further fluid from entering the metering chamber and thereby allowing the amount of fluid within the metering chamber to be precisely determined at the second position; positioning the valve stem in the first position such that the valve stem occupies substantially the entire volume of the metering chamber; moving the valve stem from the first position to the second position so as to create said metering chamber; filling the metering chamber with fl uid; and expelling the fluid from the metering chamber.
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58. A method for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising the steps of:
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providing a valve having a valve housing and a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position, a second position, and a third position, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally external to said valve housing and a second portion which is generally internal to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, a fluid outlet port being formed through said first portion, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said valve stem in said first position occupying substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber; positioning the valve stem in the first position such that the valve stem occupies substantially the entire volume of the metering chamber; moving the valve stem from the first position to the second position so as to create said metering chamber; filling the metering chamber with fluid as it is created; and expelling the fluid from the metering chamber by moving the valve stem from the second position to the third position, whereby the fluid outlet port comes into fluid communication with the metering chamber when the valve stem arrives at the third position, thereby effecting release of the fluid in the metering chamber through the fluid outlet port.
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59. A method for delivering a predetermined amount of a pressurized fluid, comprising the steps of:
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providing a valve having a valve housing and a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of pressurized fluid, said valve stem having a first portion which is generally internal to said valve housing and a second portion which is generally external to said valve housing when said valve stem is in the first position, the first portion having a larger circumference than the second portion; positioning the valve stem in the first position such that the first portion occupies substantially the entire volume of the metering chamber; moving the valve stem from the first position to the second position so as to insert at least a part of the second portion into the valve housing and thereby create the metering chamber between the valve stem and the valve housing; filling the metering chamber with pressurized fluid immediately upon its creation; and expelling the pressurized fluid from the metering chamber after the volume within the metering chamber has reached the predetermined amount.
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60. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said valve stem in said first position occupying substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber; means for biasing said valve stem in a direction towards the first position, said biasing means comprising a spring positioned within the interior of said valve stem; means for supplying fluid to said metering chamber as said metering chamber is formed; and means for releasing the fluid from said metering chamber.
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61. A valve for delivering a predetermined amount of a fluid, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve stem movably mounted within said valve housing between a first position and a second position, said valve stem in said second position defining with said valve housing a metering chamber dimensioned to receive said predetermined amount of fluid, said valve stem in said first position occupying substantially the entire volume of said metering chamber; means for supplying fluid to said metering chamber as said metering chamber is formed; means for releasing the fluid from said metering chamber; and a discharge piece positioned around said releasing means so as to receive fluid discharged from said releasing means, said discharge piece being configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient to whom the fluid is to be administered.
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Specification