Aerosol delivery apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for aerosol delivery comprising:
- a housing defining a chamber for holding an aerosol;
an air inlet in communication with the chamber, the air inlet configured to permit a flow of air into the chamber;
an air outlet in communication with the chamber, the air outlet configured to permit the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber; and
an indicator operatively connected with the chamber, the indicator mechanically moveable in response to inhalation of a patient and in response to exhalation during a breathing cycle of the patient independent of a level of any liquid in the chamber, wherein the indicator comprises a visible characteristic, maintains a same size during the breathing cycle, and is positioned away from an inspiration path of the aerosol.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for indicating breathing cycle of a patient using an aerosol delivery device. In one aspect, an aerosol delivery device includes a visual indicator that is moveable in response to a patient'"'"'s breathing cycle and is positioned away from an inspiration path of the aerosol. In another aspect, a method of cycling a visual indicator between a first position and a second position in response to a patient'"'"'s breathing cycle is described.
217 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for aerosol delivery comprising:
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a housing defining a chamber for holding an aerosol; an air inlet in communication with the chamber, the air inlet configured to permit a flow of air into the chamber; an air outlet in communication with the chamber, the air outlet configured to permit the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber; and an indicator operatively connected with the chamber, the indicator mechanically moveable in response to inhalation of a patient and in response to exhalation during a breathing cycle of the patient independent of a level of any liquid in the chamber, wherein the indicator comprises a visible characteristic, maintains a same size during the breathing cycle, and is positioned away from an inspiration path of the aerosol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for aerosol delivery comprising:
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means for holding an aerosol; inlet means for permitting a flow of air into the means for holding the aerosol; outlet means for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the means for holding the aerosol; and means for visually indicating to a patient a breathing cycle of the patient, the means for visually indicating having a fixed size, operatively connected with the means for holding the aerosol, mechanically moveable in response to inhalation of the patient and in response to exhalation of the patient during the breathing cycle independent of a level of any liquid in the means for holding an aerosol and positioned away from an inspiration path of the aerosol. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for delivering an aerosol from an aerosol delivery apparatus, the method comprising:
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supplying the aerosol in a chamber of the aerosol delivery apparatus; receiving a flow of air into the chamber during inhalation by a patient; supplying the aerosol along an inspiration path in the aerosol delivery apparatus to an outlet in communication with the chamber during inhalation by the patient; and visually indicating to the patient a breathing cycle of the patient with a fixed-size indicator that is associated with the aerosol delivery apparatus, positioned away from the inspiration path of the aerosol and mechanically movable in response to inhalation of the patient and in response to exhalation of the patient during the breathing cycle independent of a level of any liquid in the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification