Aerosol enhancement device
First Claim
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1. An aerosol enhancement device, comprising:
- a mouthpiece;
a spacer member fluidly attached to said mouthpiece through a mouthpiece port, said spacer member having interior walls which define an interior volume, said interior volume comprising a mixing chamber;
an inlet port disposed in said spacer member for receiving a medicated aerosol from an exterior source into said mixing chamber;
an air inlet port disposed in said spacer member for receiving air into said mixing chamber;
wherein said interior walls which define said interior volume comprise a plurality of generally planar wall segments and angled transition zones are disposed between adjacent ones of said wall seaments; and
an adapter disposed in said inlet port for receiving a medicated aerosol, said adapter comprising a universal fitting which is capable of attaching said spacer member to either a nebulizer or a metered dose inhaler (MDI);
wherein said adapter is reversible, being disposable in a first orientation for attachment of said spacer member to a nebulizer, and being disposable in a second orientation for attachment of said spacer member to an MDI.
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Abstract
An aerosol medication delivery apparatus includes a fixed volume holding chamber which is constructed to allow for a uniformly mixed, concentrated bolus of medicated aerosol to be delivered with each breath. The device further includes a universal inlet, so that any standard small volume nebulizer, as well as any standard metered dose inhaler (MDI), may be utilized therewith. Also filtration can be added to address contaminated patient air and aerosol. A one-way valve is positioned in the patient mouthpiece, to help control the loss of aerosol, and thereby reduce waste.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An aerosol enhancement device, comprising:
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a mouthpiece; a spacer member fluidly attached to said mouthpiece through a mouthpiece port, said spacer member having interior walls which define an interior volume, said interior volume comprising a mixing chamber; an inlet port disposed in said spacer member for receiving a medicated aerosol from an exterior source into said mixing chamber; an air inlet port disposed in said spacer member for receiving air into said mixing chamber; wherein said interior walls which define said interior volume comprise a plurality of generally planar wall segments and angled transition zones are disposed between adjacent ones of said wall seaments; and an adapter disposed in said inlet port for receiving a medicated aerosol, said adapter comprising a universal fitting which is capable of attaching said spacer member to either a nebulizer or a metered dose inhaler (MDI); wherein said adapter is reversible, being disposable in a first orientation for attachment of said spacer member to a nebulizer, and being disposable in a second orientation for attachment of said spacer member to an MDI. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An aerosol enhancement device, comprising:
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a mouthpiece; a spacer member fluidly attached to said mouthpiece via a mouthpiece port, said spacer member having an outer body which defines an interior volume; an inlet port disposed in said spacer member for receiving a medicated aerosol from an exterior source into said interior volume; and an adapter associated with said inlet port for receiving a medicated aerosol, said adapter comprising a universal fitting which is capable of attaching said spacer member to either a nebulizer or a metered dose inhaler (MDI); wherein said adapter is reversible, being disposable in a first orientation for attachment of said spacer member to a nebulizer, and being disposable in a second orientation for attachment of said spacer member to an MDI; said adapter comprising a first rigid Connector end and a second flexible connector end, said first rigid connector end being adapted for attachment to a nebulizer and said second flexible connector end being adapted for attachment to an MDI. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An aerosol enhancement device, comprising:
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a mouthpiece; a spacer member fluidly attached to said mouthpiece through a mouthpiece port, said spacer member having interior walls which define an interior volume, said interior volume comprising a mixing chamber; an inlet port disposed in said spacer member for receiving a medicated aerosol from an exterior source into said mixing chamber; and an air inlet port disposed in said spacer member for receiving air into said mixing chamber; wherein said interior walls defining said interior volume comprise a plurality of generally planar wall segments and angled transition zones are disposed between adjacent ones of said wall segments; and wherein the inlet port for receiving a medicated aerosol and the air inlet port are interchangeable. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification