Combination inhaler and peak flow rate meter
First Claim
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1. A personal portable respiratory care device comprising:
- a spacer component having a hollow substantially cylindrical shaped body, and an interior of the body being divided into a flow sensor housing for housing a peak expiratory flow rate meter, and an aerosol chamber into which a dose of an inhaler'"'"'s content is dispensed before or during an act of inhalation by a user and which retains a portion of the dispensed dose that would otherwise rain-out in the user'"'"'s mouth and throat, and the spacer body including a first mouthpiece end having two openings that separately communicate with the flow sensor housing and the aerosol chamber, and a second aerosol inlet end sealed with a second end cap having an aerosol inlet aperture, which communicates the aerosol chamber with an inhaler component;
an inhaler component having a canister containing a pharmaceutical formulation and a metering valve that controls the dose of formulation dispersed during a single actuation of the valve, a holder for housing the canister, a nozzle fitting for receiving and directing the dose expelled from the canister on activation into the aerosol chamber and adapting the dose to an aerosol cloud for inhalation by the user;
a peak expiratory flow rate meter component housed within the flow sensor housing of the spacer body for measuring the maximum rate at which air is expelled out of the user'"'"'s lungs during the course of an explosive exhalation, and the housing having a calibrated scale, a mouthpiece port an indicator, and an expiratory port for exhausting expired air; and
a mouthpiece at the mouthpiece end of the spacer body having a passage therethrough, and adapted for positioning the passage to be in selected communication with either one of the flow sensor housing or the aerosol chamber of the spacer body while sealing the other off.
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Abstract
The utility and elements of a metered dose inhaler, a spacer device and a peak respiratory flow rate meter are combined in a single personally portable device. The present device provides a tool for improving compliance of patients with asthma and other pulmonary disorders with their prescribed treatment regimens. This is accomplished in by combining therapeutic and diagnostic devices in a single personal device.
158 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A personal portable respiratory care device comprising:
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a spacer component having a hollow substantially cylindrical shaped body, and an interior of the body being divided into a flow sensor housing for housing a peak expiratory flow rate meter, and an aerosol chamber into which a dose of an inhaler'"'"'s content is dispensed before or during an act of inhalation by a user and which retains a portion of the dispensed dose that would otherwise rain-out in the user'"'"'s mouth and throat, and the spacer body including a first mouthpiece end having two openings that separately communicate with the flow sensor housing and the aerosol chamber, and a second aerosol inlet end sealed with a second end cap having an aerosol inlet aperture, which communicates the aerosol chamber with an inhaler component; an inhaler component having a canister containing a pharmaceutical formulation and a metering valve that controls the dose of formulation dispersed during a single actuation of the valve, a holder for housing the canister, a nozzle fitting for receiving and directing the dose expelled from the canister on activation into the aerosol chamber and adapting the dose to an aerosol cloud for inhalation by the user; a peak expiratory flow rate meter component housed within the flow sensor housing of the spacer body for measuring the maximum rate at which air is expelled out of the user'"'"'s lungs during the course of an explosive exhalation, and the housing having a calibrated scale, a mouthpiece port an indicator, and an expiratory port for exhausting expired air; and a mouthpiece at the mouthpiece end of the spacer body having a passage therethrough, and adapted for positioning the passage to be in selected communication with either one of the flow sensor housing or the aerosol chamber of the spacer body while sealing the other off. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification