Collapsible, disposable MDI spacer and method

Inventors

Hyde, Joel • Strickland, James • Johnson, Jennifer

Assignees

Thayer Medical Corp

Abstract

A medication inhalation apparatus formed of a single, unitary sheet of stock, includes an outer housing, movable between collapsed and expanded states, encompassing a first volume. An inner barrier within the outer housing delineates a second volume. An inhaler opening to the first volume is within a sidewall of the outer housing at a first location. A mouth opening to the second volume is within a sidewall of the outer housing at a second location. A one-way inhalation valve connecting the first volume and the second volume is formed from a sidewall of the inner barrier. A one-way exhalation valve connecting the second volume and the exterior of the outer housing is formed from a sidewall of the outer housing and inner barrier at a third location. In the expanded state, gas flows from the inhaler to the first volume, the first volume to the second volume, and the second volume to a user's mouth.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a medication inhalation apparatus that is a disposable, collapsible MDI spacer/valved chamber formed from a single, unitary sheet of stock. The outer housing is movable between a collapsed state with a substantially flat configuration and an expanded state, and in the expanded state the outer housing encompasses a first volume defined in cooperation with a mouth opening end and an inner barrier.

An inner barrier is positioned within the outer housing and, together with a mouth opening end of the outer housing, delineates a second volume. The apparatus includes an inhaler opening formed at least partially within a wall of the outer housing at a first location, with the inhaler opening in fluid communication with the first volume to allow a mouth opening of a metered dose inhaler to be insertable therein, and a mouth opening positioned within a wall of the outer housing at a second location in fluid communication with the second volume.

The apparatus further provides one-way flow control by a one-way inhalation valve positioned within a wall of the inner barrier and connecting the first volume and the second volume, with the inhalation valve formed from the inner barrier. A one-way exhalation valve is positioned within a wall of the outer housing and the inner barrier at a third location, connecting the second volume and the exterior of the outer housing, with the exhalation valve formed from the outer housing.

Claims Coverage

The document provides two independent claims. Each independent claim centers on the same core structure: a collapsible outer housing, an inner barrier defining first and second volumes, an inhaler opening for an MDI mouthpiece, a user mouth opening, and integrally formed one-way inhalation and exhalation valves, combined with single, unitary sheet construction; the second independent claim further specifies a substantially flat bottom side and at least two scored or perforated fold lines along that bottom side.

Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage is directed to a collapsible disposable medication inhalation apparatus with an outer housing between a substantially flat collapsed state and an expanded state, an inner barrier defining first and second volumes, an inhaler opening sized for a metered dose inhaler mouthpiece insert, a user mouth opening, and one-way inhalation and exhalation valves formed from the inner barrier and outer housing, respectively, with the apparatus formed from a single, unitary sheet of stock; one independent claim additionally requires a substantially flat bottom side at the mouth-opening end and at least two scored or perforated fold lines along that bottom side.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications