Granted Patent B2

US 12,427,272 · App. 18/512,906 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Inventors: Adam Meyer (London, CA); Bart Nowak (London, CA); Ronak Sakaria (London, CA); Heather Young (London, CA); Cameron Roadhouse (London, CA); Michael Lavdas (London, CA)

Assignee: Trudell Medical International Inc.

A61M15/0086A61M15/009A61M16/202A61M2016/0024A61M2016/0033A61M2205/0272A61M2205/331A61M2205/3375A61M2205/3584A61M2205/3592A61M2205/52

Abstract

Claims (33)

1. A valved holding chamber assembly comprising:

a chamber housing defining an interior space, an input end and an output end;

a backpiece connected to the input end comprising:

an opening shaped to receive a portion of a metered dose inhaler;

a flow channel communicating between the interior space of the holding chamber and atmosphere;

a two-way flow sensor in communication with the flow channel, wherein the two-way flow sensor is configured to detect an actuation of the metered dose inhaler and an inhalation by a user through the output end;

an auxiliary sensor configured to detect the actuation of the metered dose inhaler; and,

a controller in communication with the two-way flow sensor and the auxiliary sensor, wherein based on data collected from the two-way flow sensor and the auxiliary sensor, the controller is configured to determine the occurrence of:

the inhalation by a user, without the actuation of the metered dose inhaler;

the actuation of the metered dose inhaler, without the inhalation by the user; and,

the actuation of the metered dose inhaler during inhalation by the user.

2. The valved holding chamber assembly of claim 1 wherein the two-way flow sensor comprises a micro-electro-mechanical-systems flow sensor.

3. The valved holding chamber assembly of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary sensor comprises a microphone.

4. The valved holding chamber assembly of claim 1 wherein the backpiece is removably connected to the input end.

5. The valved holding chamber assembly of claim 1 wherein the backpiece comprises an indicator configured to provide feedback to a user.

6. The valved holding chamber assembly of claim 5 wherein the indicator comprises an LED.

7. The valved holding chamber assembly of claim 5 wherein the feedback comprises indicia that a predetermined number of actuations have been completed.

8. The valved holding chamber assembly of claim 7 wherein the feedback further comprises indicia that a predetermined number of inhalations have been completed.

9. A backpiece configured for use with valved holding chamber having an input end and an output end, the backpiece comprising:

a housing configured for connection to the input end;

an opening in the housing shaped to receive a portion of a metered dose inhaler;

a flow channel in the housing communicating between an interior space of the holding chamber and atmosphere; and

a two-way flow sensor in communication with the flow channel, wherein the two-way flow sensor is configured to detect an actuation of the metered dose inhaler and an inhalation by a user through the output end;

an auxiliary sensor configured to detect the actuation of the metered dose inhaler; and,

a controller in communication with the two-way flow sensor and the auxiliary sensor, wherein based on data collected from the two-way flow sensor and the auxiliary sensor, the controller is configured to determine the occurrence of:

the inhalation by a user, without the actuation of the metered dose inhaler;

the actuation of the metered dose inhaler, without the inhalation by the user; and,

the actuation of the metered dose inhaler during inhalation by the user.

10. The backpiece of claim 9 wherein the two-way flow sensor comprises a micro-electro-mechanical-systems flow sensor.

11. The backpiece of claim 9 wherein the auxiliary sensor comprises a microphone.

12. The backpiece of claim 9 wherein the backpiece comprises an indicator configured to provide feedback to a user.

13. The backpiece of claim 12 wherein the indicator comprises an LED.

14. The backpiece of claim 12 wherein the feedback comprises indicia that a predetermined number of actuations have been completed and/or that a predetermined number of inhalations have been completed.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (307)