Directional flow sensor inhaler

• US 9,162,031 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MicroDose Therapeutx, Inc. (Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: MicroDose Therapeutx, Inc. (Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Gumaste, Anand V., Bowers, John
• Primary Examiner(s): MATTER, KRISTEN CLARETTE
• Application Number:
  US13/913,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20130291864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.21, 128/203.12, 128/204.23, 128/204.26, 128/203.25, 128/203.14, 128/203.19, 128/203.21, 128/203.15, 600/529, 600/533, 600/537, 600/538, 600/586, 600/587
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0083 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0091 mechanically breath-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/02 with activated or ionised fluids, e.g. electrohydrodynamic [EHD] or electrostatic devices; Ozone-inhalators with radioactive tagged particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means

Abstract

An fluid sensor to activate and control various components of an inhalation device. The fluid sensor includes an acoustic element, such as a microphone, positioned within said inhalation device to detect fluid within the device and output signals representative of the frequency, direction and/or amplitude of the fluid. These signals control and activate an electrostatic plate and/or a high frequency vibrator.

Claims

1. An inhalation device for delivering powdered medicament to a user comprising:

an air flow passage;

an acoustic controller including an acoustic sensing element positioned within said air flow passage, said controller being configured to detect air flow around said acoustic sensing element and to produce signals representative of a frequency, amplitude and direction of said air flow; and

a high frequency vibrator for inducing said powdered medicament into said airflow,

wherein said high frequency vibrator is adapted to be activated when said signal indicates inhalation and to be deactivated when said signal indicates inhalation has ceased.

2. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said high frequency vibrator is turned on and off a plurality of times until a prescribed amount of powdered medicament is delivered.

3. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signals control activation of a timer, said timer tracks cumulative inhalation time.

4. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said medicament is delivered from a container.

5. An airflow directional inhalation sensor comprising:

an acoustic sensing element configured to create a signal when air flows around said acoustic sensing element and

a conversion circuit to convert said signal into information regarding direction and amplitude of said airflow, wherein said conversion circuit processes said signal to identify a rising edge on a waveform of the signal and determines a direction of the airflow from the identification of the rising edge.

6. A directional inhalation sensor device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said conversion circuit includes a comparator circuit for detecting an initial direction of said airflow.

7. A directional inhalation sensor device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said conversion circuit includes a rectification circuit for detecting presence of said air flow.

8. An air inhalation device for delivering medicament to a user, said device comprising:

an acoustic controller, said acoustic controller including an acoustic sensing element configured to detect airflow around said acoustic sensing element and to produce signals that identify a direction and amplitude of said airflow;

a high frequency vibrator configured for inducing said medicament into said airflow when said signals indicate inhalation by said user; and

a conversion circuit configured to convert said signals into information regarding direction and amplitude of said airflow, wherein said conversion circuit includes a rectification circuit for detecting presence of airflow in said inhalation device, and wherein said conversion circuit processes said signal to identify a rising edge on a waveform of the signal and determines a direction of the airflow from the identification of the rising edge.

9. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said acoustic controller is adapted to stop the vibration of said high frequency vibrator when said signal indicates inhalation has stopped.

10. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said high frequency vibrator is adapted to turn off and on with amplitude of airflow.

11. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said signals control activation of a timer, and said timer tracks cumulative inhalation time.

12. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said timer is adapted to provide feedback to said user when cumulative inhalation time exceeds a predetermined level.

13. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said acoustic sensing element comprises an acoustic microphone element.

14. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said acoustic sensing element comprises an air pressure transducer.

15. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said medicament comprises a dry powder medicament.

16. An inhalation device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said medicament is delivered from a container.