Devices and methods for delivering powdered agents
A device for delivering an agent may comprise a chamber for receiving agent through an agent inlet; and a body received within the chamber. The body may be movable in first and second directions along a longitudinal axis of the chamber. In a first configuration of the body, an amount of the agent may flow into the chamber via the agent inlet. In a second configuration of the body, the agent is prevented from flowing into the chamber via the agent inlet. When the body is transitioned from the first configuration to the second configuration, the amount of the agent may be moved from a first position along the longitudinal axis of the chamber to a second position along the longitudinal axis of the chamber.
1 . A device for delivering an agent, comprising
an outlet;
a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid, and in fluid communication with the outlet;
a chamber for receiving the agent through an agent inlet, and in fluid communication with the outlet; and
a body received within the chamber, wherein the body is movable in first and second directions along a longitudinal axis of the chamber;
wherein, in a first configuration of the body, a plurality of particles of the agent flows into the chamber via the agent inlet, wherein, in a second configuration of the body, the agent is prevented from flowing into the chamber via the agent inlet, and wherein, when the body is transitioned from the first configuration to the second configuration, the plurality of particles of the agent is moved from a first position along the longitudinal axis of the chamber to a second position along the longitudinal axis of the chamber; and
wherein, when in the first configuration, the body is positioned to obstruct the plurality of particles received in the chamber from moving towards the fluid inlet, when transitioning from the first configuration towards the second configuration the body is positioned relative to the chamber such that only a first amount of the fluid from the fluid inlet is delivered via the outlet prior to delivering the plurality of particles of the agent from the chamber when the body arrives to the second configuration, and when in the second configuration, the body is repositioned to unobstruct the plurality of particles from moving towards the fluid inlet via gravity such that a mixture of a second amount of the fluid from the fluid inlet and the plurality of particles of the agent from the chamber is generated inside the device after delivering the first amount of the fluid and prior to the mixture exiting the outlet.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein, when the body is in the second configuration, the second amount of the fluid flows into the outlet via the fluid inlet in combination with the plurality of particles of the agent.
3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the fluid inlet is located between (a) the outlet for delivering the second amount of the fluid combined with the plurality of particles of the agent from the chamber and (b) the agent inlet.
4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator coupled to the body, wherein the body transitions from the first configuration to the second configuration due to a force applied to the body in response to actuation of the actuator.
5 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a source of the agent, wherein the source is coupled to the chamber.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is a first chamber, further comprising a second chamber, wherein the body defines a body opening, wherein, in the first configuration, the body opening is in fluid communication with the agent inlet, and wherein, in the second configuration, the body opening is in not in fluid communication with the agent inlet and is in fluid communication with a chamber opening between the first chamber and the second chamber.
7 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the body is connected to an arm via a hinge.
8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the arm is connected to a trigger, wherein depressing the trigger causes the arm to pivot and causes the body to move in the first direction.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to deliver:
the mixture of the second amount of the fluid and the plurality of particles of the agent when the body is in the second configuration.
10 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator that is configured to transition the body to each of the first configuration and the second configuration upon a single actuation.
11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein, in response to the single actuation, the actuator is configured to release (1) the first amount of the fluid when transitioning the body from the first configuration towards the second configuration and (2) the mixture when the body is in the second configuration.
12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein, in response to ceasing the single actuation, the actuator is configured to transition the body from the second configuration to a final configuration and terminate release of the mixture through the outlet.
13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein in the final configuration, the body is not positioned in the first configuration, is incapable of delivering any fluid from the device, and blocks the plurality of particles of the agent from flowing into the chamber via the agent inlet.
14 . A device for delivering an agent, comprising
an outlet;
a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the outlet;
a chamber in fluid communication with the agent in a first configuration and the outlet in a second configuration; and
a body that is configured to move relative to the chamber between the first configuration and the second configuration;
wherein, in the first configuration, the body is positioned relative to the chamber such that the body is configured to receive the agent, and in the second configuration, the body is positioned relative to the chamber such that the body is configured to release the agent;
wherein the body is positioned relative to the chamber to obstruct the agent stored in the chamber from moving towards the fluid inlet when in the first configuration, and the body is positioned such that only a first amount of a fluid from the fluid inlet without the agent is delivered via the outlet when the body is moved from the first configuration towards the second configuration, and the body is repositioned relative to the chamber to unobstruct the agent from moving towards the fluid inlet via gravity such that a mixture of a second amount of the fluid from the fluid inlet with the agent from the chamber is generated inside the device when the body is in the second configuration and prior to the mixture exiting the outlet.
15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the body includes a channel having a longitudinal length that extends through an entirety of the body, and the channel is configured to receive the agent when the body is in the first configuration and release the agent when the body is in the second configuration.
16 . A device for delivering an agent, comprising:
an outlet;
a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the outlet; and
a body that is movable relative to a chamber for selectively receiving the agent;
wherein the body is configured to be transitioned from a first configuration towards a second configuration, such that:
in the first configuration the body is positioned relative to the chamber to block the agent from exiting the chamber and moving towards the fluid inlet;
when transitioning from the first configuration towards the second configuration the body is positioned such that only a first amount of a fluid from the fluid inlet is deliverable to the outlet without the agent; and
upon arriving to the second configuration the body is repositioned relative to the chamber to release the agent received within the chamber towards the fluid inlet via gravity, such that a mixture of a second amount of the fluid from the fluid inlet and the agent from the chamber is created inside the device after delivering the first amount of the fluid to the outlet and prior to the mixture exiting the outlet.
17 . The device of claim 16 , further comprising an actuator that is configured to transition the body between the first configuration, the second configuration, and a final configuration;
wherein, upon an actuation, the actuator is configured to release the first amount of the fluid without the agent and position the body relative to the chamber to receive the agent when transitioning the body to the first configuration.
18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein, upon the actuation, the actuator is configured to position the body relative to the chamber to release the mixture of the second amount of the fluid with the agent when the body is in the second configuration.
19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein, upon ceasing the actuation, the actuator is configured to terminate release of the mixture of the second amount of the fluid with the agent and position the body relative to the chamber to block receipt of the agent within the body when transitioning the body from the second configuration to the final configuration.
20 . The device of claim 19 , wherein in the final configuration, the body is not positioned in the first configuration or the second configuration, is incapable of delivering any fluid from the device, and blocks additional agent from flowing into the chamber.