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Breathing circuit apparatus for a nebulizer

  • US 5,584,285 A
  • Filed: 06/07/1995
  • Issued: 12/17/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In combination with a nebulizer device operative to generate an aerosol, a breathing circuit apparatus adapted for use by a user for inhaling the aerosol through an opening in a respiratory system of the user and into the user'"'"'s lungs and thereafter exhaling exhalation gas from the opening in the user'"'"'s respiratory system and through said breathing circuit apparatus, comprising:

  • (a) a container defining an interior chamber therein and coupled to said nebulizer device having an inlet orifice to provide fluid communication between said interior chamber and the nebulizer device, said interior chamber being sized and adapted to receive the aerosol generated by the nebulizer device through said inlet orifice;

    (b) an inlet valve connected to said container and including an air inlet port for one-way air flow of ambient air disposed exteriorly of said container into said interior chamber, said inlet valve operative to move between a closed condition to prevent the ambient air from entering into said interior chamber and an opened condition to permit the ambient air to enter into said interior chamber;

    (c) an outlet valve in communication with said container and including a gas exhalation port for one-way gas flow of the exhalation gas from the user'"'"'s respiratory system after inhalation, said outlet valve operative to move between a closed state and an opened state to permit exhalation gas to exit from said interior chamber; and

    (d) a user connection port connected to said container and operative to be disposed between and in fluid communication with said interior chamber and the opening into the user'"'"'s respiratory system when the user inhales and exhales whereby, as the user inhales the aerosol from said interior chamber, said inlet valve is in the opened condition while simultaneously therewith said outlet valve is in the closed state so that the aerosol is inhaled into the lungs of the user without loss of the aerosol to the exterior ambient air and, as the user exhales the exhalation gas from the user'"'"'s respiratory system and through said user connection port, said inlet valve is in the closed condition while simultaneously therewith said outlet valve is in the opened state to allow the exhalation gas to exit the interior chamber and discharge into the exterior ambient air, and said circuit including a downdraft tube extending within said interior chamber of said container to define a downdraft duct and having a first end connected to said container and surrounding said air inlet port of said inlet valve and a free second end disposed opposite of said first end so that exterior ambient air enters through said air inlet port at said first end when said inlet valve is in the opened condition and flows through said downdraft duct to said free second end.

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