Portable heated mist inhaler

[0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which a claim for copyright is made. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but reserves all other copyright rights whatsoever.

[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to mist inhalers.

[0003] FIG. 1 is a photograph of prior art ambient mist inhaler 100. The mist inhaler is battery operated portable mist inhaler made by Aura Medical LLC. The mist inhaler comprises a supply tank 102 disposed above an atomizer 104. The atomizer can be any device for generating a fine mist from a liquid in the supply tank. A suitable atomizing device is a vibrating mesh technology. A suitable vibrating mesh technology is described in U.S. patent application US2010/0319685 A1, “Medical Liquid Droplet Apparatus” by Neng-Chih Yu, Dec. 23, 2010. Said patent application is incorporated herein by reference with specific reference to FIG. 4. The mist inhaler comprises a body 108 below the supply tank. The body comprises an on/off switch 112. Batteries (not shown) are provided in the body to power the vibrating mesh. A nozzle 106 is disposed in front of the vibrating mesh. In operation, a liquid in the supply tank flows down to the atomizer. The atomizer is adapted to eject the liquid in an atomized state into the nozzle. The atomized liquid entrains air to form a mist that the user inhales. The liquid can be water or any other liquid suitable for inhalation by a user.

[0004] One of the drawbacks of the prior art is that, as the atomized liquid mixes with the ambient air, a portion of it evaporates thus causing a drop in the temperature of the mist. This can cause discomfort, particularly when the ambient air is very dry with a low dewpoint or frost point. Experiment has shown that heating the liquid before atomizing does not help increase the temperature of the mist. There is need, therefore, for a hand-held battery operating mist inhaler that can deliver a warm mist for user comfort.

[0005] The summary of the invention is provided as a guide to understanding the invention. It does not necessarily describe the most generic embodiment of the invention or the broadest range of alternative embodiments.

[0006] FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing of a portable heated mist inhaler 200. The portable heated mist inhaler comprises a supply tank 202 for liquid, an atomizer 204 (inside the body) for generating atomized liquid and a body 208 that can be used to hold the portable heated mist inhaler. The body may also house a battery power supply and associated electronics. A heated nozzle 206 proceeds from the front of the portable heated mist inhaler. The heated nozzle comprises an inlet orifice (item 324 FIG. 3) located at a nozzle inlet (item 334 FIG. 3), a thermostatically controlled heating element (item 322 FIG. 3) located inside of the heated nozzle, an outlet orifice 220 located at a nozzle outlet 224, and an air orifice 210 located at a nozzle base 222. The nozzle base is the portion of the nozzle adjoining the inhaler face 223. The body further comprises an on/off switch 212, a variable temperature switch 214, 218 and a temperature indicator 216.

[0007] In operation, fluid flows from the supply tank to the atomizer. The atomizer creates a stream of atomized fluid that flows into the inlet of the heated nozzle. The stream of atomized fluid entrains air through the air orifice to form a mist. The mist passes over the thermostatically controlled heating element where its temperature is raised to the temperature set by the variable temperature switch. The heated mist then proceeds out through the outlet orifice where it is then inhaled by a user. The temperature can be increased by activating the upper variable temperature switch 214. The temperature can be decreased by activating the lower variable temperature switch 218. Any control means, however, may be used. The setpoint temperature is indicated by the temperature indicator. The temperature indicator may simply be a series of lights where more lights indicate a higher set point. Any indicator means, however, may be used.

[0013] The detailed description describes non-limiting exemplary embodiments. Any individual features may be combined with other features as required by different applications for at least the benefits described herein. As used herein, the term “about” means plus or minus 10% of a given value unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0014] As used herein, the term “shaped” means that an item has the overall appearance of a given shape even if there are minor variations from the pure form of said given shape.

[0015] As used herein, the term “generally” when referring to a shape means that an ordinary observer will perceive that an object has said shape even if there are minor variations from said shape.

[0016] As used herein, relative orientation terms, such as “up”, “down”, “top”, “bottom”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “distal” and “proximal” are defined with respect to an initial presentation of an object and will continue to refer to the same portion of an object even if the object is subsequently presented with an alternative orientation, unless otherwise noted.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section drawing 300 of the portable heated mist inhaler 200 of FIG. 2 through section A-A. The portable heated mist inhaler comprises:

• • [0018] a) a body 208;
  • [0019] b) a supply tank 202 for holding a liquid to be atomized;
  • [0020] c) an atomizer 204 for atomizing said liquid; and
  • [0021] d) a heated nozzle 206 comprising:
    • [0022] i) an inlet 334;
    • [0023] ii) an outlet 224;
    • [0024] iii) a base 222 proximate to said inlet;
    • [0025] iv) an inlet orifice 324 located at said inlet of said nozzle;
    • [0026] v) an outlet orifice 220 located at said outlet of said nozzle;
    • [0027] vi) an air orifice 210 located at said base of said nozzle; and
    • [0028] vii) a thermostatically controlled heating element 322 located at said base of said nozzle wherein:
  • [0029] e) said supply tank is adapted to convey said liquid to said atomizer;
  • [0030] f) said atomizer is adapted to eject said liquid in an atomized state through said inlet orifice;
  • [0031] g) said air orifice is adapted to allow ambient air to mix with said ejected atomized liquid to form a mist which flows out of said outlet orifice;
  • [0032] h) said thermostatically controlled heating element is adapted to heat said flowing mist to a preset temperature; and
  • [0033] i) said preset temperature is a temperature safe for inhalation.

[0034] The nozzle may further comprise a heat sink 316. The heat sink may be made of a thermally conductive material, such as a metal alloy, such as an alloy of aluminum or copper. The heat sink may comprise one or more internal fins 318 adapted to contact said mist as said mist flows through said nozzle. The heating element may be in thermal contact with said heat sink such that heat is conducted to said internal fins and hence into the mist. This helps insure a uniform temperature of the mist. A temperature sensor 325 may be provided at the inlet to the nozzle to control the heating element.

[0035] The portable heated mist inhaler may further comprise:

• • [0036] a) an accumulator tank 335;
  • [0037] b) a nozzle drain tube 323 connecting said base of said nozzle to said accumulator tank such that fluid that condenses from said mist onto said vertical fins can flow down and drain into said accumulator tank;
  • [0038] c) a drain port 328 at about the bottom of said body;
  • [0039] d) an accumulator drain tube 326 adapted to convey fluid in said accumulator tank to said drain port; and
  • [0040] e) a drain plug 332 adapted to:
    • [0041] i) prevent said fluid in said accumulator tank from flowing out of said drain port when said drain plug is in place on said drain port; and
    • [0042] ii) allow said fluid in said accumulator tank to flow out of said drain port when said drain plug is removed from said drain port.

[0043] The portable heated mist inhaler may further comprise:

• • [0044] a) a rechargeable battery 306;
  • [0045] b) a control and power circuit 304;
  • [0046] c) a variable temperature switch (collectively items 214, 218 of FIG. 2); and
  • [0047] d) a charging port 308
  • [0048] wherein:
  • [0049] e) said variable temperature switch is adapted to receive input from a user to vary said preset temperature; and
  • [0050] f) said charging port is adapted to connect an external power supply to said rechargeable battery in order to recharge said rechargeable battery.

[0051] The portable heated mist inhaler may have a set point that is limited to a temperature for safe inhalation of the mist. Said set point may be in the range of 103° F. to 122° F. The control and power circuit 304 may be adapted to limit said preset temperature to a range of 103° F. to 122° F.

[0052] A removable disposable sheath 312 or other attachment or extension may be provided on the outside of the heated nozzle for sanitary, user comfort, or other purposes. An insulating gasket 314 may be provided around the heat sink to insulate the outside of the nozzle from the heat sink. The insulating gasket may be made of an elastomer, such as rubber. A tank release button 302 may be provided to allow easy removal and cleaning of the supply tank. A sump 310 may be provided in the bottom of the supply tank and proximate to the atomizer to allow the atomizer to get full contact with liquid in the supply tank even when the supply tank is almost empty and/or when the portable heated mist inhaler is tilted.

[0053] FIG. 4 is a lateral cross section drawing 400 of the portable heated mist inhaler of FIG. 2 through section B-B. Different elements of the portable heated mist inhaler are shown. A plurality of vertical equally spaced internal fins 404 can be seen. The cross section of various screw mounts 402 can be seen. The drain tube 326 is not shown on the drain port 328 for clarity.

[0054] FIG. 5 is a drawing of a user using the portable heated mist inhaler 200 of FIG. 2. The user tips the body 208 back at a tipping angle 502 so that warmed mist 504 will emerge from the heated nozzle directly into the user's nose 506. The insulating gasket (314 FIG. 3) keeps the user's nose from getting heated. The removable disposable sheath 312 keeps the heated nozzle sanitary.

[0055] While the disclosure has been described with reference to one or more different exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation without departing from the essential scope or teachings thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention.