Mouthpiece for a nebulizer

• US 6,176,234 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Salter Labs
• Original Assignee: Salter Labs
• Inventors: Chua, James, Salter, Peter W., Van Horn, Walter, Kazal, Duane D., McGann, Laurence
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEISS JR, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US09/130,643
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.17, 128/200.18, 128/200.21, 128/200.23, 128/203.12, 128/203.16, 128/203.23, 128/204.14, 128/207.14, 128/863, 239/343, 239/338, 239/352, 239/370, 239/390, 239/396, 137/849, 137/845, 222/844, 490/845, 491/846, 491/850, 491/908, 491/859
• US Class Current: 128/200.18
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/06 of the injector type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0018 with exhalation check valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0023 retractable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/14 Static flow deviators in tubes disturbing laminar flow in tubes, e.g. archimedes screws
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1471 slits arranged along multiple axes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7879 Resilient material valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/788 Having expansible port
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7881 Apertured plate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7885 Multiple slit

Abstract

A mouth piece exhalation valve for a nebulizer or breathing circuit. The nebulizer has an internal passageway containing an offset causing an inspiration mist flow to bypass the exhaust valve without impingement. The offset includes a deflector which aids in the deflection of the inspiration mist flow away from the exhaust valve. The deflector is also utilized for directing the exhaust flow upon expiration by a patient through the exhaust valve. The exhaust valve design includes a flap or disc having leaves formed by peripheral arcuate cuts to facilitate the opening and the closing of the leafs in accordance with the expiration and inhalation of a patient respectively. The cuts also aid in the re-introduction of any accumulation of fluid on the external surface of the disc and valve back into the inspirational cycle so as to minimize any external buildup of fluid.

Claims

1. A mouthpiece device for inspiration of a mist from a nebulizer comprising:

an inlet connector adapted to engage an outlet port of the nebulizer;

a hollow mouthpiece for insertion into a patient'"'"'s mouth;

a conduit forming a fluid passageway between the inlet connector and the hollow mouthpiece;

an exhaust valve for removing exhalation gases and fluids exhaled into the mouthpiece device, to outside the device, said exhaust valve being positioned on the conduit between the inlet connector and the hollow mouthpiece;

exhaust valve support means positioned below, when in use, and in contact with a valve disc and integral with the hollow mouthpiece so as to prevent opening of said exhaust valve during patient inhalation; and

a deflector positioned in the conduit between the exhaust valve and the inlet connector to deflect inspiration mist flowing into the inlet connector away from the exhaust valve, and to deflect exhalation gases emanating from the hollow mouthpiece toward the exhaust valve;

wherein the exhaust valve comprises a valve disc housing securing an annular outer peripheral edge portion, in its entirety, of the valve disc between a support ring and a retaining ring, the valve disc having a plurality of radial cuts, each radial cut being joined with a circumferential cut arranged adjacent the peripheral edge and radially inward of the secured edge portion, to form a plurality of hingeable flaps facilitating the opening of the valve in response to pressure in the fluid passageway resulting from exhalation therethrough by a patient and return of rainout exhausted through the exhaust valve to the fluid passageway of the mouthpiece.

2. The mouthpiece device according to claim 1, wherein said circumferential cuts are arcuate circumferential cuts and circumferentially closely spaced.

3. The mouthpiece device according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust valve support means are thin support elements positioned under the disc to prevent an inward opening of said hingeable flaps of the exhaust valve disc during patient inhalation and enable the hingeable flaps to open outwardly upon patient exhalation.

4. The mouthpiece device according to claim 1, wherein, when in use the inlet connector is positioned below the hollow mouthpiece and the conduit extends upwardly from the inlet connector to the hollow mouthpiece.

5. The mouthpiece device according to claim 4, wherein, when in use, the deflector is positioned in conduit in a region where the conduit extends upwardly from the inlet connector to the hollow mouthpiece.

6. The mouthpiece device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of radial cuts have a common radially inner end point located substantially centrally on the valve disk.

7. The mouthpiece device according to claim 1, wherein a radially outer end of each radial cut joins a circumferential cut intermediate opposed ends of that circumferential cut.

8. The mouthpiece device according to claim 1, wherein a radially outer end of each radial cut is joined with a circumferential cut at an end of that circumferential cut.

9. The mouthpiece according to claim 8, wherein each opposed end of each circumferential cut is joined with a said radial cut.

10. The mouthpiece device according to claim 1, wherein the radially inner ends of the radial cuts are separated and terminate adjacent the center of the valve disk.