Visual indicator for an aerosol medication delivery apparatus and system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A delivery system comprising:
- a chamber that contains a substance in an interior volume of space formed within said chamber;
an opening that receives said substance located in said volume of space and introduces said substance to a downstream path upon which said substance primarily flows along;
an interface that receives said substance from said opening, said interface comprising a viewing port that substantially prevents non-ambient atmosphere gases and substances from escaping therefrom and allows visualization of an internal portion of said interface; and
a flow indicator that is positioned within said interface so as to be viewed via said viewing port and is positioned so as to not substantially interfere with a flow of said substance along said path, said flow indicator moveable between at least an at-rest position and an inhalation position, wherein one or both of said flow indicator and said interface prevent entrainment of ambient air into said flow of said substance along said path when said flow indicator is in said inhalation position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flow indicating system that includes a conduit that contains a substance, wherein the conduit defines a path along which the substance primarily flows and a viewing port attached to the conduit and the viewing port prevents substantially non-ambient atmosphere gases and substances from escaping therefrom and allows visualization of an internal space defined by the viewing port. A flow indicator that is positioned within the conduit so as to be viewed via the viewing port and is positioned so as to not to substantially interfere with a flow of the substance along the path.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A delivery system comprising:
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a chamber that contains a substance in an interior volume of space formed within said chamber;
an opening that receives said substance located in said volume of space and introduces said substance to a downstream path upon which said substance primarily flows along;
an interface that receives said substance from said opening, said interface comprising a viewing port that substantially prevents non-ambient atmosphere gases and substances from escaping therefrom and allows visualization of an internal portion of said interface; and
a flow indicator that is positioned within said interface so as to be viewed via said viewing port and is positioned so as to not substantially interfere with a flow of said substance along said path, said flow indicator moveable between at least an at-rest position and an inhalation position, wherein one or both of said flow indicator and said interface prevent entrainment of ambient air into said flow of said substance along said path when said flow indicator is in said inhalation position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A delivery system comprising:
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a chamber that contains a substance in an interior volume of space formed within said chamber;
an opening that receives said substance located in said volume of space and introduces said substance to a downstream path upon which said substance primarily flows along;
an interface that receives said substance from said opening, said interface comprising a viewing port that substantially prevents non-ambient atmosphere gases and substances from escaping therefrom and allows visualization of an internal portion of said interface;
a valve positioned downstream of said opening so as to receive said substance along said path; and
a flow indicator that is positioned within said interface so as to be viewed via said viewing port and is positioned so as to not substantially interfere with a flow of said substance along said path, wherein said flow indicator is attached to said valve.
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18. A delivery system comprising:
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a chamber that contains a substance in an interior volume of space formed within said chamber;
an opening that receives said substance located in said volume of space and introduces said substance to a downstream path upon which said substance primarily flows along;
an interface that receives said substance from said opening, said interface comprising a viewing port that substantially prevents non-ambient atmosphere gases and substances from escaping therefrom and allows visualization of an internal portion of said interface;
a flow indicator that is positioned within said interface so as to be viewed via said viewing port and is positioned so as to not substantially interfere with a flow of said substance along said path; and
a retaining disc positioned downstream of said opening so as to receive said substance along said path. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A delivery system comprising:
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a chamber means for introducing a substance to a downstream path upon which said substance primarily flows;
an interface means for receiving said substance from said chamber means, said interface means comprising a viewing port means for allowing visualization of an internal portion of said interface means;
means for substantially preventing non-ambient atmosphere gases and substances from escaping from said interface means;
a flow indicator means for being viewed and indicating that inhalation is occurring, and for not substantially interfering with a flow of said substance along said path; and
means for preventing entrainment of ambient air in said path while said flow indicator means is indicating that said inhalation is occurring. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of determining whether a patient is inhaling or exhaling when using a delivery system, said method comprising:
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dispensing a substance located within an interior volume of a delivery system so that said substance will primarily flow along a path within said delivery system after being dispensed;
moving a flow indicator from at least an at-rest position to an inhalation position;
observing a position of said flow indicator located within said delivery system and located so as not to substantially interfere with said substance flowing along said path;
preventing entrainment of ambient air past said flow indicator when said flow indicator is moved to said inhalation position;
substantially preventing non-ambient atmosphere gases and substances from escaping past said flow indicator; and
determining whether a user of said delivery system is inhaling from said delivery system based on said observed position of said flow indicator.
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28. A flow indicating system comprising:
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a conduit adapted to contain a substance, wherein said conduit defines a flow path along which the substance is adapted to primarily flow;
a viewing port connected to said conduit, said viewing port adapted to substantially prevent non-ambient atmosphere gases and substances from escaping therefrom, wherein said viewing port allows visualization of an internal space defined by said viewing port; and
a flow indicator positioned within and visible through said viewing port, wherein said flow indicator is positioned substantially outside of said flow path, said flow indicator moveable between at least an at-rest position and an inhalation position, one or both of said viewing port and said flow indicator adapted to prevent entrainment of ambient air into said flow path when said flow indicator is in said inhalation position. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A flow indicating system comprising:
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a conduit adapted to contain a substance, wherein said conduit defines a flow path along which the substance is adapted to primarily flow;
a viewing port connected to said conduit, said viewing port adapted to substantially prevent non-ambient atmosphere gases and substances from escaping therefrom, wherein said viewing port allows visualization of an internal space defined by said viewing port; and
a flow indicator positioned within and visible through said viewing port, wherein said flow indicator is positioned substantially outside of said flow path, wherein said flow indicator is attached to a valve. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A delivery system comprising:
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a chamber having an interior volume of space formed within said chamber and an opening communicating with said interior volume and defining at least in part a flow path;
an interface communicating with said opening;
a viewing port connected to at least one of said interface and said chamber, wherein at least a portion of said viewing port is see-through; and
a flow indicator positioned within said viewing port and visible through said see-through portion of said viewing port, wherein said flow indicator is positioned substantially outside of said flow path and is moveable between at least an at-rest position and an inhalation position in response to an inhalation pressure being applied thereto, wherein said flow indicator is biased toward said at-rest position in the absence of the inhalation pressure. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification