559 results about "Aerosol generator" patented technology

An aerosol generator includes a flow passage having an inlet and an outlet, a heater arranged relative to the flow passage for heating the flow passage, a source of material to be volatilized in communication with the inlet of the flow passage, a valve to open and close communication between the source of material and the inlet of the flow passage, and a pressurization arrangement for causing material in the source of material to be introduced into the flow passage when the valve is in an open position. The aerosol generator further includes a source of power for operating the heater and the valve, and a control device for controlling supply of power from the source of power to the heater and the valve. A metering device in an inhaler includes a pressurized source of medicated fluid and a metering chamber configured to deliver a predetermined volume of fluid to a heated flow passage in the inhaler. The metering chamber can be part of a rotary valve having a bore and a displacement member moveable within the bore from a first position where the fluid is loaded into the bore to a second position where the predetermined volume is ejected out of the bore. Another metering chamber has an elastic portion of a delivery passage in fluid communication with the pressurized source of liquid and the elastic portion of the delivery passage is deformed to eject the predetermined volume.

An inhalation nebulizer (1) includes an aerosol generator (2) that has a diaphragm (22) vibrated by a vibration generator (23). The inhalation nebulizer (1) includes a liquid storage container (21) that is in fluid contact with the diaphragm (22). A liquid contained in the storage container (21) is atomized into a mixing chamber (3) through openings in the diaphragm and can subsequently be inhaled by a patient.

A method of treating a patient with a pulmonary disease, where the method includes delivering a dose of aerosolized medicament intermittently to a ventilator circuit coupled to the respiratory system of the patient. Also, a method of treating a patient with a pulmonary disease, where the method includes taking the patient off a ventilator, and administering to the patient, a nebulized aerosol comprising from about 100 μg to about 500 mg of a medicament. Additionally, an aerosolized medicament for the treatment of a pulmonary disease, where the medicament includes amikacin mixed with an aqueous solution having an adjusted pH from about 5.5 to about 6.3. The pH is adjusted by adding hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide to the aqueous solution.

A nebuliser to deliver a medicament that includes a housing having a reservoir for the medicament, an aerosol generator that can be supplied the medicament from the reservoir, where the generator aerosolizes at least a portion of the medicament into an aerosol, a gas venting inlet to permit a gas to enter the nebuliser and form a mixture with the aerosol, and a passage through which the mixture of the aerosol and the gas is delivered to an outlet port of the nebuliser.

An aerosol transfer device (10) for medical aerosol generators comprises a body (12), fluidically coupled to a nebulizer (14) and to a patient interface (16). An ambient air intake (20) is formed into a lower body (12C). The body is shaped and configured to optimize mixing of ambient air from the ambient air intake and the aerosol generated by the nebulizer, resulting in the formation of an aerosol plume having optimum characteristics for delivery of the aerosol to the patient's pulmonary system, such as the central or deep lung regions. The shape and dimensions of the body are further designed to minimize aerosol deposition, thus improving delivery efficiency.

A method and system is disclosed which is capable of delivering at a high dose rate, respirable solid aerosols derived from aqueous- or nonaqueous-based solutions containing the desired therapeutic agent(s). The method and system comprises the integration of an aerosol generator, an aerosol evaporator, an aerosol concentrator, and an aerosol flow regulator. The aerosol generator generates 10-30 μm droplets, with a narrow size distribution. The aerosol jet is arrested by a coaxial counter-flow heated air jet, and evaporated rapidly by annular swirling heated air. Most of the air, together with the unwanted solvent vapor, is removed from the aerosol stream during the process of aerosol concentration. The output aerosol carries the dry particles to be inhaled by the patient. The respiratory-governed control of aerosol fluid generation system delivers fluid containing the test agent of interest (drug or toxin) to the aerosol generator throughout inhalation.

An aerosol generator includes a fluid supply which supplies fluid to a fluid passage and a heater which heats the fluid into a gaseous state, the fluid passage being located between opposed layers of a laminate. The fluid passage can be a capillary sized passage formed by locating a mandrel between opposed layers of the laminate, bonding the layers together and removing the mandrel such that the space previously occupied by the mandrel forms the fluid passage. The opposed layers of the laminate can be copper sheets and ceramic layers can be provided on the outside of the copper layers. The aerosol generator can be used to generate aerosols containing medicated materials.

A disposable aerosol generator for use with an inhaler device which includes a heater adapted to volatilize fluid stored in the disposable aerosol generator and method of using the inhaler. The disposable body includes a sealed chamber and an outlet, the chamber being located between first and second layers of material. The chamber holds a predetermined volume of a fluid which is expelled through the outlet when the fluid in the chamber is volatilized by the heater. The disposable body can include a series of spaced apart aerosol generators, each of which can be advanced to a release position at which the heater can heat one of the fluid containing chambers. Prior to heating the fluid, the outlet can be formed by severing the first and / or second layer with a piercing element and the volatilized fluid can be expelled from the outlet into a passage of a dispensing member.

A temperature and flow rate controlled capillary aerosol generator includes two heating zones optionally separated by a region in which a pressure drop is induced. Power is metered or applied to the downstream, second zone to achieve a target resistance, and therefore a target temperature, while power is metered or applied to the upstream, first zone to achieve a target mass flow rate exiting the second zone. A target temperature is achieved in the second zone to generate an aerosol from the liquid flowing through the generator at the desired mass flow rate.

A method of treating a patient with a pulmonary disease, where the method includes delivering a dose of aerosolized medicament intermittently to a ventilator circuit coupled to the respiratory system of the patient. Also, a method of treating a patient with a pulmonary disease, where the method includes taking the patient off a ventilator, and administering to the patient, a nebulized aerosol comprising from about 100 μg to about 500 mg of a medicament. Also a method of treating a patient with a pulmonary disease, the method comprising administering an aerosolized first medicament comprising amikacin to the patient and administering, systemically a second medicament comprising an antibiotic to the patient that also treats the pulmonary disease, wherein a resulting amikacin concentration in the lung and / or pulmonary system is therapeutically-effective, and an amount of the systemically administered antibiotics is reduced.

A method for humidifying gas in a ventilator circuit 100, 101, 102, 105, 106 comprises aerosolising a humidifying agent such as water or saline using an aerosol generator 2 and delivering the aerosolised humidifying agent to the inspiration line 101 of the ventilator circuit coupled to the respiratory system of a patient. The aerosol generator 2 comprises a vibratable member 40 having a plurality of apertures extending between a first surface and a second surface. A controller 3 controls the operation of aerosol generator 2, for example in response to the flow of air in the inspiration line 101 as detected by a sensor 11.

An aerosolization device comprises a housing having a mouthpiece, an aerosol generator, a flow sensor and a controller. The controller is configured to begin operation of the aerosol generator upon receipt of a signal from the flow sensor indicating that a threshold flow rate has been achieved by a user when inhaling a tidal breath through the mouthpiece, and to stop operation after the passage of an operation time period that is selected such that continuation of the tidal breath delivers substantially all of the aerosol to the lungs.

A disposable aerosol generator for use with an inhaler device which includes a heater adapted to volatilize fluid stored in the disposable aerosol generator and method of using the inhaler. The disposable body includes a sealed chamber and an outlet, the chamber being located between first and second layers of material. The chamber holds a predetermined volume of a fluid which is expelled through the outlet when the fluid in the chamber is volatilized by the heater. The disposable body can include a series of spaced apart aerosol generators, each of which can be advanced to a release position at which the heater can heat one of the fluid containing chambers. Prior to heating the fluid, the outlet can be formed by severing the first and / or second layer with a piercing element and the volatilized fluid can be expelled from the outlet into a passage of a dispensing member.

The invention provides an inhalation device comprising a base unit, a mouthpiece, and an aerosol head. The base unit comprises an air inlet, an air outlet opening, a groove for receiving the mouthpiece, and key lock member(s). The mouthpiece comprises a first segment, comprising an air inlet opening and a lateral opening for receiving an aerosol generator, the first segment being insertable into the groove of the base unit, and a second segment comprising an aerosol outlet. The aerosol head comprises an aerosol generator, a liquid reservoir, and key lock member(s) complementary to the key lock member(s) of the base unit. The base unit, mouthpiece and aerosol head are connectable with one another such that when engaging the members of the key lock with the complementary members, the aerosol generator is inserted into the lateral opening of the mouthpiece.

Apparatus and methods are provided for delivery of a medicament to a respiratory system. A reservoir is provided for a liquid medicament with the reservoir having a liquid medicament inlet port and a medicament outlet. An aerosol generator is provided at the medicament outlet of the reservoir for aerosolizing the liquid medicament. A connector entrains the aerosolized medicament from the aerosol generator with a gas.

An aerosol generator includes a fluid supply which supplies fluid to a fluid passage, a main heater which heats the fluid into a gaseous state and a preheater which delivers a volume of fluid to the main heater. The preheater can be located in or adjacent a metering chamber which receives a predetermined volume of fluid, the preheater heating a portion of the fluid so as to form a vapor bubble which ejects the remaining fluid from the chamber. An outlet of the aerosol generator is arranged to receive the volatilized fluid formed by the main heater and direct the volatilized fluid out of the fluid passage. The aerosol generator can be used to generate aerosols containing medicated materials.

A method of treating a disease involving surfactant deficiency or dysfunction in a patient's lungs is disclosed comprising the steps of providing a liquid lung surfactant composition; aerosolizing the lung surfactant composition with a vibrating aperture-type aerosol generator to form a surfactant aerosol; and introducing the surfactant aerosol into the gas flow within a circuit of a pressure-assisted breathing system coupled to the patient's respiratory system, whereby a therapeutically effective amount of said surfactant is delivered to the patient's lungs. Apparatus is also disclosed that increases the efficiency of delivery of aerosolized medicaments such as aerosolized lung surfactant.

An aerosol generator includes a flow passage having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a constriction in the flow passage at the outlet end. A heater is operable to heat liquid in the flow passage to produce a vapor, which is expelled from the outlet end of the flow passage.

A pressure-assisted breathing system comprises a flow generator, a circuit connecting the flow generator to a patient's respiratory system and an aerosol generator for emitting aerosol particles into the circuit, wherein the circuit defines a path for the emitted aerosol particles having a change in angle no greater than 15°.

An aerosol generator comprises a vibratable member having a front, a rear, an outer periphery and a plurality of apertures extending between the front and the rear. A support element is disposed about the outer periphery of the vibratable member, and a vibratable element is coupled to the support element. The vibratable element is configured to vibrate the vibratable member at ultrasonic frequencies. An isolating structure is coupled to the support element and is configured to couple the aerosol generator to a support structure. The isolating structure has a mechanical vibrational impedance that is sufficient to substantially vibrationally isolate the aerosol generator from the support structure.

A method for controlling the supply of liquid to an aerosol generator comprises operating a liquid supply system to supply a liquid to a vibratable aperture plate of an aerosol generator which senses an amount of liquid adhering to the vibratable aperture plate, and controls operation of the liquid supply system to adjust the amount of liquid adhering to the vibratable aperture plate.

An aerosol generator includes a heater arrangement having multiple heating sections and corresponding flow paths for volatilization of a fluid in liquid form. The flow paths can include first and second flow paths which are parallel to each other and sized such that the first flow path is smaller than the second flow path. During delivery of liquid to the flow paths, a smaller amount of vaporized liquid can be ejected from the first flow path, and the bulk of the vaporized liquid can be ejected from the second flow path.

An ultrasonic aerosol generator for delivering a liquid formulation in an aerosolized form at a high output rate of greater than 0.5 mL / minute, preferably greater than 1.0 mL / minute, and with diameters in a respirable size range, methods of using this device and kits including the device are described herein. The ultrasonic aerosol generator (10) contains at least (a) a liquid reservoir / aerosolization chamber (11), (b) a piezoelectric engine (12), (c) a relief aperture (13), and (d) an aerosol delivery element (20). Preferably the aerosolized particles that are delivered to the user through the aerosol delivery element have an average aerodynamic diameter of between 1 and 20 μm, more preferably between 1 and 10 μm, and most preferably between 1 and 5 μm. Optionally, the ultrasonic aerosol generator is designed to deliver more than one formulation simultaneously, preferably a low cost and / or stable formulation is administered simultaneously with a more expensive and / or labile formulation. In the preferred embodiment, the ultrasonic aerosol generator is a hand-held device designed for a single user.

In an aerosolization device, an aerosol generator is installed a position proximate to an opening at the bottom of a liquid container for aerosolizing a supplied liquid in the container and a sensor is provided to detect a variation of electric characteristic according to a condition whether or not the liquid in the container is in contact with the aerosol generator and the variation of electric characteristic is sent to a controller for computation, so as to control whether to continue operating or stop operating the aerosol generator. If the aerosol generator is controlled to stop its operation, the controller will drive an alarm device to send out an alarm signal at the same time.

An aerosolization system includes a squeezable container having a resilient container body. The container is configured to deliver a unit dosage of a liquid when squeezed a single time. The system also includes an aerosolizer that is constructed of a housing defining a mouthpiece, and an aerosol generator disposed in the housing. The aerosol generator comprises a vibratable membrane having a front face and a rear face, and a vibratable element used to vibrate the membrane. Further, the housing includes an opening that is adapted to receive a unit dosage of the liquid from the container. The opening provides a liquid path to the rear face of the vibratable membrane.