MEDICINE DISCHARGE DEVICE AND CARTRIDGE MOUNTABLE THERETO

• US 20080023001A1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 7,896,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/003 with a flowmeter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/123 with incorporated reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/128 with incorporated valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/70 with testing or calibration facilities
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated

Abstract

A medicine discharge device configured to discharge medicine to be administered to a user, includes a mount portion configured to mount a medicine discharge cartridge, the medicine discharge cartridge having at least a medicine reservoir and a medicine discharge portion and being removable from the device; and a receiving circuit configured to receive an output signal sent from a sensor, the sensor being provided at the cartridge mounted at the mount portion and detecting an inhalation state.

Claims

1. A medicine discharge device configured to discharge medicine to be administered to a user, said device comprising:

a mount portion configured to mount a medicine discharge cartridge, said medicine discharge cartridge having at least a medicine reservoir and a medicine discharge portion and being removable from said device; and

a receiving circuit configured to receive an output signal sent from a sensor, said sensor being provided at said cartridge mounted at said mount portion and detecting an inhalation state.

2. An inhalation-training cartridge mountable onto a medicine discharge device configured to supply a discharge signal for discharging medicine to be administered to a user, said cartridge comprising a sensor configured to detect an inhalation state.

3. The inhalation-training cartridge according to claim 2, wherein said sensor is a pressure sensor.

4. The inhalation-training cartridge according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a protrusion having a profile that allows an inhalation channel to be narrowed when said cartridge is mounted on the device.