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Publication Number
US-12350422-B2
Publication Date
2025-07-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing respiratory therapy are disclosed. The system includes a nebulizer operable to aerosolize a medicament, a cylindrical mixing chamber, an impacting cap and a recirculation tube. The mixing chamber has an inlet port, an outlet port, an aerosol port in fluid communication with the nebulizer, and a drainage port. The inlet port receives a flow of breathing gas. The mixing chamber receives the aerosol via the aerosol port, entrains aerosol into the flow of breathing gas, and delivers the breathing gas entrained with aerosol to the outlet port. The impacting cap receives and coalesces a portion of the aerosol into droplets within the space defined by the mixing chamber and the impacting cap. The mixing chamber is also configured to direct rain-out resulting from the droplets to the drainage port. The system also includes a recirculation tube to return the rain-out to the nebulizer.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a machine proximate respiratory therapy system for providing respiratory therapy to a patient. The system includes a nebulizer comprising a mesh operable to aerosolize a medicament and a mixing chamber having an inlet port, a cylindrical outlet port, an aerosol port in fluid communication with the nebulizer, and a drainage port.
Breathing gas is received via the inlet port and the mixing chamber receives a flow of aerosol from the nebulizer via the aerosol port. The mixing chamber entrains aerosol into the flow of breathing gas and delivers the breathing gas entrained with aerosol to the outlet port configured to interfit with a delivery tube.
The mixing chamber receives the aerosol in a settling volume and causes a first portion of the aerosol to coalesce into droplets in or on the settling volume and on an inner cylindrical wall of the mixing chamber concentric with the first end of the outlet port. Rain-out resulting from the droplets is directed by the inner cylindrical wall toward the drainage port, and collected rain-out is returned to the nebulizer via a recirculation tube, reducing rain-out in the delivery tube and improving aerosol handling for delivery to the patient.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim covers a respiratory therapy system with four inventive features: a mesh nebulizer coupled to a mixing chamber, aerosol entrainment into breathing gas delivered via an interfitting outlet port, a settling volume with coalescence into droplets and cylindrical rain-out direction, and recirculation of rain-out back to the nebulizer.
Mesh nebulizer coupled to an aerosol port in a mixing chamber
A system comprising a nebulizer having a mesh operable to aerosolize a medicament, and a mixing chamber with an aerosol port in fluid communication with the nebulizer.
Aerosol entrainment into breathing gas delivered via an interfitting outlet port
The mixing chamber is configured to receive a flow of aerosol from the nebulizer via the aerosol port, entrain aerosol into the flow of breathing gas, and deliver the breathing gas entrained with aerosol to an outlet port having a first end extending into the mixing chamber and a second end external to the mixing chamber configured to interfit with a delivery tube for delivery to the patient.
Settling volume with coalescence into droplets and cylindrical rain-out direction
The mixing chamber is configured to receive the aerosol in a settling volume and cause a first portion of the aerosol to coalesce into droplets in or on the settling volume and an inner cylindrical wall of the mixing chamber concentric with the first end of the outlet port, where the inner cylindrical wall is configured to direct rain-out resulting from the droplets toward the drainage port.
Recirculation of rain-out to the nebulizer
A recirculation tube configured to return rain-out to the nebulizer.
Overall claim coverage centers on coupling a mesh nebulizer to a mixing chamber that entrains aerosol into breathing gas for delivery, while using a settling volume and a concentric inner cylindrical wall to coalesce aerosol into droplets and direct rain-out to a drainage port, with recirculation of collected rain-out back to the nebulizer as a further inventive refinement.
Stated Advantages
Reduce rain-out in the delivery tube/nasal cannula.
Improve inhaled fraction.
Reduce bolus risk.
Minimize medicament wastage/cost.
Documented Applications
High-flow therapy using a nebulizer, where aerosol is entrained into heated and humidified breathing gas delivered to a patient.
Continuous respiratory therapy, including an adaptor variant for continuous aerosol therapy.
Cleaning of a mesh by increased gas flow normal to the mesh surface, described in the adaptor variant context.
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