Medicant delivery system
Inventors
Goodman, Jack • O'Neill, William • Chong, Alexander ChinHak • Bartkowski, William P • Kovach, Peter Joseph • Linde, Larry Gawain • Berg, Randy Eugene
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10842953-B2
Publication Date
2020-11-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
An improved medicant delivery system is disclosed wherein the carrier for the medicant is a fluid that can be atomized or vaporized by exposure to heat. The system provides for repeatable dose of medicant, can be stored in any orientation, and/or has an ability to maximize energy efficiency.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a hand-held medicant delivery device that combines a fluid delivery system with a vaporization system. The fluid delivery system includes a fluid reservoir inside the housing and a pressure generator positioned inside the fluid reservoir at the proximal end, advancing towards the distal end at a fixed and discrete distance to consistently meter a precise volume of liquid from the fluid reservoir.
To ensure repeatable metered delivery, the device uses a fluid discharge actuator operatively connected to the piston, where each actuation advances the piston closer to the distal end by the fixed and discrete distance. A drive nut and plunger convert fixed rotational movement of the drive nut into advancement of the plunger through the drive nut into the piston, with the fixed rotational movement causing the piston to advance the fixed and discrete distance.
The metered liquid is coupled to a vaporization system that comprises a heating element adjacent to the cap or adjacent to the fluid reservoir. A control system delivers power to the vaporization system, supporting vaporization of the medicant using the heating element. In refinements, droplet delivery from an outlet under positive pressure and the relative positioning of the outlet and heating element allow a droplet to contact the heating element while still on the outlet, and a permeable membrane allows vapor molecules of a predetermined size to pass through adjacent to the heating element.
Claims Coverage
The document contains three independent claims. Across these independent claims, the core coverage is a hand-held medicant delivery device with a fixed-and-discrete-distance piston-based metering fluid delivery system coupled to a vaporization system with a heating element and a control system delivering power.
Fixed-distance metering fluid delivery with pressure generator
A fluid reservoir inside the housing with a pressure generator positioned inside the fluid reservoir at the proximal end and configured to advance towards the distal end at a fixed and discrete distance to consistently meter a precise volume of a liquid, wherein the pressure generator comprises a piston housed inside the fluid reservoir configured to push the liquid towards the distal end.
Actuator-driven piston advancement with drive nut and plunger
A fluid discharge actuator operatively connected to the piston, wherein actuation of the fluid discharge actuator causes the piston to advance the fixed and discrete distance towards the distal end, and wherein a drive nut and a plunger convert the fixed rotational movement of the drive nut into the fixed advancement of the piston, with the plunger operatively connected to the drive nut and the piston.
Heating element adjacent vaporization system with power control
A vaporization system comprising a heating element adjacent to the cap or adjacent to the fluid reservoir, and a control system to deliver power to the vaporization system.
Outlet droplet dispensing under positive pressure with heating contact
A cap with an outlet opposite a fluid reservoir, where stored liquid exits the outlet as a droplet when positive pressure is applied to the reservoir, with the outlet and the heating element spaced by a distance smaller than the droplet so the droplet can reach the heating element while still exiting the outlet.
Permeable membrane for predetermined vapor molecule size
A permeable membrane at the first end of the housing next to the heating element, where the membrane is permeable to vapor molecules of a predetermined size.
Anti-rotation tang and plunger groove seating
An anti-rotation tang on the housing, and the plunger has a groove such that the plunger seats onto the anti-rotation tang.
Claim coverage centers on a hand-held medicant delivery device that meters a precise liquid volume by advancing a piston at a fixed and discrete distance and vaporizes the metered medicant using a heating element powered by a control system. Dependent refinements further specify droplet dispensing and droplet-to-heating-element positioning, vapor molecule permeation via a permeable membrane with predetermined size, and mechanical constraints using an anti-rotation tang and plunger groove.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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