Pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer

• US 9,849,254 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caddo Medical Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Caddo Medical Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Faram, Joseph Dee
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lyddane, Kathrynn
• Application Number:
  US11/748,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20080283050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,878 Days
• Field of Search: 12820014, 12820021, 12820024, 12820321, 12820414, 12820521, 12820523, 128913, 239339
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/002 by flow deviation causing inertial separation of transported particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/02 operated by air or other gas pressure applied to the liquid or other product to be sprayed or atomised sprayers for horticulture A01G, A01H; killing insects A01M; air humidifying by nozzles F24F6/14, F24F6/18; cooling by spraying F28B, F28C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/06 of the injector type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0003 with means for dispensing more than one drug
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0016 located downstream of the dispenser, i.e. traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/004 with fixed piercing or cutting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/123 with incorporated reservoirs

Abstract

The invention relates to a small-volume nebulizer that is pre-filled with at least one unit-dose of medicine and hermetically sealed until use. The nebulizer may be sealed at the top with a removable cap that may be detached at the time of use and replaced with a patient connector. Likewise, the nebulizer may be sealed at the bottom with a bottom cap that is replaced with a gas source at the beginning of a therapeutic aerosol treatment.

Claims

1. A pre-filled small-volume nebulizer ready for a patient to administer for respiratory care comprising:

a small-volume nebulizer body comprising a housing bottom, a housing top and a hermetic seal created between said housing bottom and said housing top, wherein contained within said small-volume nebulizer body is at least one of a siphon, a jet, and a baffle;

an outlet opening;

a first cap removably engaged with said outlet opening;

an inlet opening;

a second cap removably engaged with said inlet opening;

a unit-dose of medication contained within said small-volume nebulizer body.

2. The pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer according to claim 1, further comprising a means for preventing egress of said unit-dose of medication through said inlet opening.

3. The pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said unit-dose of medication is a first component of a multi-component medication, and said apparatus further includes a first compartment containing a second component of said multi-component medication.

4. The pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer according to claim 1, further comprising one or more labels identifying said unit dose of medication.

5. The pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer according to claim 1, further comprising a means of preventing retrograde movement into said nebulizer housing.

6. The pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said unit-doses of medication.

7. The pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer according to claim 6, further comprising unit-dose completion demarcation marks.

8. The pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said first cap is comprised of a piercable seal.

9. The pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said outlet-opening is cylindrical.

10. The pre-filled, small-volume nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said hermetic seal, said first cap and said second cap prevent said unit-dose of medication from spilling from said small-volume nebulizer body.

11. A small-volume, pre-filled nebulizer ready for a patient to administer for respiratory care comprising:

a small-volume nebulizer body, wherein contained within said small-volume nebulizer body is at least one of a siphon, a jet, and a baffle;

an outlet opening;

a first cap removably engaged with and sealing said outlet opening;

an inlet opening;

a second cap removably engaged with and sealing said inlet opening;

a plurality of unit-doses of medication sealed within said small-volume nebulizer body.

12. The small-volume, pre-filled nebulizer according to claim 11, further including a means for preventing egress of said unit-dose of medication through said inlet opening.

13. The small-volume, pre-filled nebulizer according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of unit-doses of medication are a plurality of first components of a multi-component medication, and said apparatus further includes a first compartment containing a plurality of unit-doses of a second component of said multi-component medication.

14. The small-volume, pre-filled nebulizer according to claim 11, further comprising one or more labels identifying said plurality of unit-doses of medication.

15. The small-volume, pre-filled nebulizer according to claim 11, further comprising a means of preventing retrograde movement into said small-volume nebulizer housing.

16. The small-volume, pre-filled nebulizer according to claim 11, further comprising unit-dose completion demarcation marks.

17. The small-volume, pre-filled nebulizer according to claim 11, wherein said first cap is comprised of a piercable seal.

18. The small-volume, pre-filled nebulizer according to claim 11 wherein said outlet opening is cylindrical.

19. The small-volume, pre-filled nebulizer according to claim 11, wherein said small-volume nebulizer body comprises a housing bottom, a housing top and a hermetic seal created between said housing bottom and said housing top.

20. A method of administering aerosolized medicine utilizing a small-volume nebulizer pre-filled with medicine ready for a patient to administer comprising the steps of:

providing said small-volume nebulizer, pre-filled with at least one unit-dose of medicine sealed within said small-volume nebulizer, wherein contained within said small-volume nebulizer is at least one of a siphon, a jet, and a baffle;

removing an outlet cap removably engaged with said small-volume nebulizer;

replacing said outlet cap with a patient interface;

removing an inlet cap removably engaged with said small-volume nebulizer;

connecting a source of gas under pressure to said small-volume nebulizer;

delivering aerosolized medicine to a patient.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said nebulizer further comprises pre-filled first and second compartments containing first and second components of a multi-component medicine, further comprising the step of breaking open at least said first compartment to cause mixing of said first and second components of a multi-component medicine.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said small-volume nebulizer includes a medication label affixed to said small-volume nebulizer which identifies said at least one unit-dose of medicine contained within said small-volume nebulizer.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein said inlet cap is removably engaged with an inlet opening of said small-volume nebulizer and said source of gas under pressure is connected to said inlet opening of said small-volume nebulizer.