Transportable inhalation device

• US 4,949,715 A
• Filed: 08/12/1988
• Issued: 08/21/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephan Brugger
• Original Assignee: Stephan Brugger
• Inventors: Brugger, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US07/231,812
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/203.13, 128/200.18, 128/204.23, 128/200.14, 417/38, 604/67, 604/123
• US Class Current: 128/204.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04

Abstract

The invention relates to a transportable inhalation device, which can be driven with an accumulator (25), independently of the electric network. In an aerosol mister (7) that is separated from the rest of the device, a medication solution is atomized by means of compressed-air, introduced to an aerosol. The compressed-air that is required for this is generated by a compressed-air generator 23. A hand-actuated valve (14), mounted on the aerosol mister (7), blocks the supply of compressed-air. The compressed air generator (23) is driven by an electric motor (24). The electric motor (23) is controlled by means of an electronic controller (31), to which a pressure sensor (30), which is arranged between the compressed-air generator (23) and the valve (14) is attached electrically. In response to this pressure sensor (30), the controller (31) automatically switches on the electric motor (24), as soon as a pre-determined minimum pressure is exceeded within the compressed-air hose (11). Thus the compressed-air generator (23) is always driven only when by actuating the valve (14) the patient lets the compressed-air flow into the aerosol mister (7). The automatically, pressure-controlled operating method completely utilizes the electric energy stored in the accumulator (25), and permits the inhalation device of the invention to be operated in an especially efficient manner.

Claims

1. Transportable inhalation device for treatment of affected respiratory passages, comprising:

a compressed-air generator,

an electric motor, which drives the compressed-air generator;

a power supply for the motor with at least one accumulator;

an aerosol mister for supplying gasses to the affected respiratory passages;

a flexible compressed-air hose having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected to the compressed-air generator and the outlet being connected to the aerosol mister;

a hand-actuated valve, which is mounted on the aerosol mister and which blocks the supply of compressed air when actuated;

a controller for controlling the electric motor; and

a pressure sensor in said housing which monitors the pressure in the compressed-air hose between the compressed-air generator and the valve and transmits an indication of the monitored pressure to the controller for controlling the motor in response to the pressure indication;

where said controller comprises a two-point regulator so that when the pressure in the compressed-air hose drops below a lower limiting value, the electric motor of the compressed-air generator is switched on and when the pressure reaches an upper limiting value, the compressor is switched off.

2. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric motor is switched on at a pressure of below 0.7 bar.

3. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 2 wherein the electric motor is swtiched off at a pressure of more than 1 bar.

4. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electric motor is a d.c. motor.

5. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressed-air generator a membrane compressor.

6. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is a piezo element.

9. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressed-air hose is connected to the compressed-air generator via a receptacle, mounted on the outside of the housing.

10. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a charger for charging the accumulator.

11. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a switch for actuating the controller is provided on the outside of the housing.

12. Inhalation device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a portable housing for containing the compressed air generator, the electric motor and the accumulator.

13. Inhalation device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the housing further contains the controller and the pressure sensor.

14. Inhalation device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the charger accepts direct current and comprising a converter for converting supplied alternating current to a direct current

7. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the valve on the aerosol mister is actuated by pressing on a push button, the push button being easily reached by a person'"'"'s hand when the hand is holding the mister.

8. Inhalation device, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the valve opens when the push button is pushed so that compressed air from the compressed-air hose flows into the aerosol mister and automatically closes again when the push button is released.