Respiratory equipment spacer assembly
First Claim
1. A spacer assembly for attachment to a breathing circuit of respiratory equipment, said spacer assembly comprising:
- a hollow body member defining a medicament expansion chamber, said body member having an inlet and an outlet contiguous with said expansion chamber that are dimensioned for attachment to the breathing circuit;
a first aperture in said expansion chamber for cooperating with a metered dose inhaler; and
a second aperture in said expansion chamber for cooperating with a nebulizer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spacer assembly for a ventilator or other respiratory equipment for dispensing aerosol drugs from metered dose inhaler (MDI) canisters or nebulized drugs from a nebulizer into a respiratory gas stream delivered from a ventilator or other respiratory equipment connected to a patient. The improvements involve optimizing the shape of the spacer assembly body member and providing an efficient MDI nozzle assembly to allow maximal evaporation of the propellant before the propellant droplets impact the walls of the body member while providing a compact volume for directing the output of an MDI canister or a nebulizer into the gas stream.
38 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A spacer assembly for attachment to a breathing circuit of respiratory equipment, said spacer assembly comprising:
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a hollow body member defining a medicament expansion chamber, said body member having an inlet and an outlet contiguous with said expansion chamber that are dimensioned for attachment to the breathing circuit;
a first aperture in said expansion chamber for cooperating with a metered dose inhaler; and
a second aperture in said expansion chamber for cooperating with a nebulizer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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- 4. In a metered dose inhaler nozzle assembly adapted for use with a spacer assembly connectable to a breathing circuit of respiratory equipment, the improvement comprising port means arranged around said nozzle assembly for discharging a generally annular plume of medicine containing propellant around said nozzle assembly.
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6. A metered dose inhaler nozzle assembly adapted for use with a spacer assembly connectable to a breathing circuit of respiratory equipment, said nozzle assembly comprising:
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a circumferential wall;
a bottom contiguous with said wall;
at least three ports in said wall arranged around said nozzle assembly for discharging a generally annular plume of medicine containing propellant around said nozzle assembly; and
a passageway having at least one shoulder adapted for abutting contact by a discharge stem of a metered dose inhaler canister, said passageway including a product delivery portion in communication with said at least three ports. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A spacer assembly for attachment to a breathing circuit of respiratory equipment, said spacer assembly comprising:
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a hollow body member having an inlet and an outlet dimensioned for attachment to the breathing circuit;
an aperture in said body member for cooperating with a metered dose inhaler; and
a metered dose inhaler nozzle assembly operably connected to said aperture, said nozzle assembly comprising;
a circumferential wall;
a bottom contiguous with said wall;
at least three ports in said wall arranged around said nozzle assembly for discharging a generally annular plume of medicine containing propellant around said nozzle assembly; and
a passageway having at least one shoulder adapted for abutting contact by a discharge stem of a metered dose inhaler canister, said passageway including a product delivery portion in communication with said at least three ports.
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Specification