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Continuous flow nebulizer apparatus and method, having means maintaining a constant-level reservoir

  • US 5,277,175 A
  • Filed: 07/12/1991
  • Issued: 01/11/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for delivering an aerosolized medication to a patient for administration, comprising:

  • (a) a non-ultrasonic nebulizer assembly, comprising;

    (i) a nebulizer vial including a vertically extending housing comprising at least one side wall and defining a reservoir for holding liquid medication therein in a volume defining a gas-liquid interface within the housing;

    (ii) a nebulization mechanism constructed and arranged to effect gas-liquid contacting of gas with liquid medication from the volume of liquid medication held in the reservoir, and produce said aerosolized medication;

    (iii) a liquid medication feed passage member extending transversely through a side wall of said vertically extending housing for transverse introduction of liquid medication into the reservoir, said liquid medication feed passage member being disposed at an elevation above the gas-liquid interface defined by liquid medication held in the reservoir; and

    (iv) a gas feed passage member for feeding gas to the nebulization mechanism;

    (b) means for supplying gas to the nebulizer assembly including the gas feed passage member thereof;

    (c) means for monitoring the rate of flow of gas supplied to the gas feed passage member of the nebulizer assembly;

    (d) means for discharging aerosolized medication from the nebulizer assembly and delivering same to a patient for administration;

    (e) a supply vessel for containing a source volume of the liquid medication wherein said source volume is greater than the volume of liquid medication held in said reservoir of said nebulizer vial;

    (f) a liquid medication flow circuit interconnecting said supply and said liquid medication feed passage member, for flowing liquid medication from the supply vessel to the liquid medication feed passage member for introduction of liquid medication into the reservoir; and

    (g) liquid medication flow control means disposed in said liquid medication flow circuit for controlling the flow rate of liquid medication from the supply vessel to the liquid medication feed passage member during operation of said treatment apparatus involving delivery of aerosolized medication to a patient for administration, and arranged for controlling the flow rate of liquid medication from the supply vessel to the liquid medication feed passage member, with respect to the rate of flow of gas supplied to the nebulizer assembly, and in accordance with a nomogramic relationship between the flow rate of gas and the flow rate of liquid medication. the liquid medication flow control means controlling the flow rate of liquid medication from the supply vessel to the liquid medication feed passage member to be substantially equal to the rate of loss of liquid medication from the reservoir in the aerosolized medication discharged from the nebulizer assembly and delivered to the patient for administration and continuously maintaining the gas-liquid interface at a selected position and continuously maintaining a constant volume of liquid medication in the reservoir of the nebulizer vial during said operation.

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