Granted Patent B2

US 12,465,705 · App. 17/968,291 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Inventors: Stephen Costella (London, CA); Andrew Dittmer (Woodstock, CA); Luke Kilroy (London, CA); Alanna Kirchner (London, CA); Robert Morton (London, CA); James N. Schmidt (London, CA)

Assignee: Trudell Medical International Inc.

A61M16/0051A61M11/02A61M11/06A61M15/0021A61M15/0086A61M15/0091A61M16/14A61M16/161A61M2016/0021A61M2016/0027A61M2016/0039A61M2205/332A61M2205/3327A61M2205/3334A61M2205/3358A61M2205/3368A61M2205/3375A61M2205/3379A61M2205/3569A61M2205/3584A61M2205/3592A61M2205/505A61M2205/581A61M2205/582A61M2205/583A61M2230/63

Abstract

Claims (33)

1 . A nebulizer comprising:

a housing comprising:

an internal surface defining a chamber and a medication reservoir configured to hold a fluid to be aerosolized;

an external surface;

an ambient air inlet in flow communication with the chamber; and

an air outlet in flow communication with the chamber and configured to permit an aerosolized fluid to be withdrawn from the chamber; and

a sensor applied to the external surface of the housing and configured to measure properties of the fluid or aerosolized fluid in the chamber.

2 . The nebulizer of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a thin film sensor.

3 . The nebulizer of claim 2 wherein the thin film sensor comprises a thermal sensor configured to measure a flow rate in the housing.

4 . The nebulizer of claim 3 , wherein the thermal sensor comprises a wire extending at least in a direction of flow between the mediation reservoir and the air outlet.

5 . The nebulizer of claim 4 , wherein the wire comprises a zig-zag orientation.

6 . The nebulizer of claim 2 wherein the thin film sensor comprises a capacitive sensor configured to measure a volume of the fluid in the reservoir.

7 . The nebulizer of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer configured to measure a flow rate in the housing.

8 . The nebulizer of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises an inner housing disposed in a bottom housing, wherein the bottom housing comprises the external surface.

9 . The nebulizer of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is positioned on an external surface of the housing between the medication reservoir and the air outlet.

10 . The nebulizer of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is positioned on an external surface of the housing above the medication reservoir.

11 . The nebulizer of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is positioned on an external surface of the housing adjacent the medication reservoir.

12 . The nebulizer of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to measure a flow rate in the housing.

13 . The nebulizer of claim 12 , wherein the sensor is not in flow communication with the chamber through the external surface of the housing.

14 . A method of using a nebulizer comprising:

inhaling through an air outlet communicating with a chamber defined by an internal surface of a housing;

flexing a biasing member coupled to the housing in response to the inhaling;

moving an actuator coupled to the biasing member while flexing the biasing member;

introducing a gas into the chamber;

aerosolizing a fluid held in a reservoir defined by the housing in response to the moving of the actuator;

inhaling an aerosolized fluid through the air outlet; and

measuring a property of the aerosolized fluid or the fluid with a sensor disposed on a surface of the housing.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the sensor comprises a thin film sensor.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the thin film sensor is applied to an external surface of the housing and comprises a thermal sensor, wherein the measuring the property of the aerosolized fluid and/or the fluid comprises measuring a flow of the aerosolized fluid in the housing by sensing a change in temperature of the housing with the thermal sensor.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the thin film sensor is applied to an external surface of the housing and comprises a capacitive sensor, wherein the measuring the property of the aerosolized fluid and/or the fluid comprises measuring a volume of the fluid held in the reservoir by sensing a change in capacitance with the capacitive sensor.

18 . The method of claim 14 wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer coupled to the surface of the housing, wherein the measuring the property of the aerosolized fluid and/or the fluid comprises measuring a flow of the aerosolized fluid in the housing by sensing a vibration of the housing with the accelerometer.

19 . The method of claim 14 wherein the sensor comprises a flex sensor coupled to the diaphragm, wherein the measuring the property of the aerosolized fluid and/or the fluid comprises measuring a flow of the aerosolized fluid in the housing by sensing a flexing of the diaphragm with the flex sensor.

20 . The method of claim 14 wherein the sensor comprises a strain gauge sensor coupled to the diaphragm, wherein the measuring the property of the aerosolized fluid and/or the fluid comprises measuring a flow of the aerosolized fluid in the housing by sensing a flexing of the diaphragm with the strain gauge sensor.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)