WO1991008789A1

WO1991008789A1 - Electrically actuated inhaling apparatus with uniformly dosed medicines

Info

Publication number: WO1991008789A1
Application number: PCT/HU1989/000062
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ferenc Inkovics; László MISKOLCI; Péter ZOMBORY; József KOZÁRY
Original assignee: Ferenc Inkovics; Miskolci Laszlo; Zombory Peter; Kozary Jozsef
Priority date: 1989-12-08
Filing date: 1989-12-08
Publication date: 1991-06-27

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrically actuated inhaling apparatus with uniform dosage of medicines. The apparatus comprises a mask (3) fitting to the face, a closed space (6) connected thereto, which contains the printed circuit forming the electric oscillating circuit (8), furtheron a storing vessel (2) is contained. The advantage of the apparatus according to the invention lies in that in the closed space (6) fitted to the mask (3) a storing vessel (2) is built-in having been enclosed by an electric heating resistance (10), in the inside thereof a felt-insert (5) is arranged guided by the protecting rod (12) and reaching beyond the upper opening of the vessel (2), while the overhanging part of the felt-insert (5) is leaning on the oscillating head (1) actuated by the electric oscillating circuit (8) and extends simultaneously into the breathing channel (7) of the mask. A ceramic (14) - forced to mechanic oscillating motion by the electric oscillating circuit (8) - is fixed on one plate of the oscillating head (1), while the other plate is formed as a resonator disc (13) and the printed circuit (8) is connected to a pushbutton (11).

Description

ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED INHALING APPARATUS WITH UNIFORMLY DOSED MEDICINES

Technical Field

The invention relates to an electrically actu- ated inhaling apparatus with uniformly dosed medicine, comprising a mask to be fitted onto the face, of the patient, a heatable vessel connected thereto, enclosed by a casing and arranged in a closed space (glass, phial) and an electrinically actuated oscillating mass which performs evaporation by moving a felt-insert. The oscillat¬ ing mass realizing atomization of the medicine is put into motion by electronics, consisting of the oscillatory circuit known in itself, having been arranged in the closed space connected to the mask. Accordingly, the mechanic oscillation thus generated is fed back to the oscillating circuit, so in course of inhalating oscillation is taking place with a uniform steady frequency, as a consequence, medicines can be dosed in an equal way. Background art

Introduction of the medicine in liquid state (herb- -tea etc.) in an evporated or atomized state, orally or nasally, into the organism has been known long ago. For applying said therapy several methods and apparatuses have been used. So the US Patent Specification No.

4,592,348 describes an inhalator, wherein the substance to be inhaled is dosed manually in accordance with the rythm of breathing of the patient. German Patent Speci¬ fication No. 2,749,629 describes an inhaling device, which introduces atomized medicine by means of power-gas known in itself - so e.g. pressurized neutral gas - into a vessel, which is connected to a rotationally sym¬ metrical chamber, which is widening, thereafter diminish- hing in direction of the pipe placed into the mouth of the patient. From all what has been said it becomes ob- viously that in these apparatuses medicaments do not ar¬ rive in a controlled quantity into the cavity of the mouth of the patient. The German Patent Specification No. 3,316,322 spe¬ cifies another design with more accurate operation. The medicament prepared for inhalation is pre-heated in an electrically heated water bath. Outside the tank magne¬ tically actuated valves are arranged, through which the ' gaseous driving medium atomizes and carries the sprayed medicament mixed with pure air into the cavities of the mouth and nose, respectively, of the patient. The appara¬ tus can be characterized by the application of the gaseous propulsive medium, however, nowdays its application is compelled increasingly to be neglected. The other charac¬ teristic feature of the invention lies in the feeder with the magnetic valves, the realization of which is rather expensive .

The German Patent Specification No. 3 333 388 tends to a simple solution, describing the "inhalating bar", this is a bar-shaped constructions, wherein the medica¬ ment is flowing in the channel formed therein. It is quite obvious that said solution is suitable for special cases only, controlled quantities cannot be achieved. The iπhalator having been described in the Brittish Patent Specification No. 2 179 260 the pulverized medica¬ ment by means of the centrifugal force on orbital path into the organism of the patient. Introduction of the medicament cannot be controlled ,- accordingly , in more complicated cases it is considered as disadvantageous. In the British Patent Specification No. 2 170 110 an inhalator apparatus is described - in respect to sett¬ ing the objectives comes near to ours -, according to which air is pressed into the lungs through a valve actuated with overpressure. Single nozzles have different sizes, so the medicament is not atomized, so this solution does not meet the requirements as set by the invention.

A last the Hungarian Patent Application with the publication No. T/33.039 describes an electronically controlled iπhalator with chronological control. With respect to the solution it consists of two known pieces, i.e. counters with two, three bits each and two binary decoders, forming a shifting register chain. The appara¬ tus itself represents a modern development and a pro- ^• gressive solution, however, it does not aim at the in¬ troduction of atomized pharmaceutical products, althoug timely control thereof could be solved, iπspite, it differs from our application. Disclosure of Invention Taking known examples as a basis, it can be stated that said inhalators do not solve the control of the equal dosage of the medicaments resulting from the mode of introduction, at the same time not a single apparatus has been known up to now, which is able to feed back condensed medicaments in course of inhalation, however, prior to arriving to the organism into the vessel contain¬ ing the medicament, this recycling is of special import¬ ance, when using expensive pharmaceutical products.

The aim of the invention is to eliminate deficiencies of known apparatuses serving for the same purpose, simul¬ taneously dosing the atomized medicament in a uniform quantity for the patient, at the same time in course of inhalation condensed medicament could be recycled into the vessel. In course of developing our- invention we arrived at the recognition, in so far as evaporation having been produced by mechanic actuation may be rendered uniform, and so, that motion is coupled back to the actuating oscillating circuit via an oscillating ceramic and an oscillating mass.

To meet the aim set, the invention relates to an electrically actuated inhaling apparatus with uniform dosage of the medicament, comprising a mask fitting to the face, a closed space connected thereto, containing the printed circuit forming the electric oscillating circuit, as well as the storing vessel, furtheron, a storing vessel enclosed by an electrical heater resist¬ ance is built-in into the closed space fitted to the mask, in the inside thereof there is a felt insert ar¬ ranged, led with a protecting bar and reaching beyond the opening on the top of the vessel; the overhanging part of the felt insert is leaning on the oscillating head actuated by the electric oscillating circuit, simultaneously it is formed so, as to extent into the breathing channel of the mask; a ceramic is fixed onto one plate of the oscillating head, forced to a mechanic oscillation, while the other plate is formed as a resona¬ tor disc, while the printed circuit is connected to a push button.

With a preferred embo^'dimeπt of the invention the inhalator apparatus is arranged in a soft suspending casing, while between the oscillating head and the oscillating circuit there is a body-cable, between the oscillating ceramic and the oscillating circuit a cont¬ rol cable is arranged, and a connection with a re-coupl- ing cable is established.

Brief Description of Drawing

The invention will be described in detail by means of a preferred embodiment, with reference to the drawings enclosed, wherein: Fig. 1 is the sectional view of the apparatus with the closed space communicating with the mask, Fig. 2 is the sectional view of the oscillating mass and Fig. 3 the layout of the electronic oscillating circuit. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

In Fig. 1 we may follow the layout of the apparatus. The casing enclosing the closed space 6 is connected to the mask 3, said space receives the oscillating circuit having been formed in form of the printed circuit 8 and the actuating push-button 11. Oscillating head 1 of the oscillating mass 8 is arranged in the same closed space, one plate thereof is formed as a resonator disc 13. Cera¬ mic 14 - forced to a mechanic oscillating motion - is mounted with a close fitting to the mask-plate of the oscillating head 1. The oscillating head itself if ar¬ ranged in a known way with the soft suspension 16 in the casing 15 and it is provided with the closing lid 17. Body-cable T of the oscillating circuit is connected to the oscillating head 1, while the oscillating ceramic 14 is interconnected with the control connection V and the feed-back cable K. Next to the oscillating head 1, in the range of the closed space 6 facing the mask 3 there is the heatable vessel 2 (glass, phiol) arranged which is enclosed by resistance-wire 10 and contains the liquid medicine with the arnature 9 installed thereon, which is connected to the resistance-wire 10.

In the heatable vessel 2 containing the medicine the feltinsert 5 - enclosed by the protective tube 12 - is arranged, and so, that the felt-insert 5 reaches near¬ ly the bottom of the vessel 2 with the medicine, while the upper end extends from the mouth of the vessel 2 and bears up against the lower flange of the resonator disc 13 of the oscillating head. This position is achieved by the bar 4 guiding the felt-insert 5, expediently said bar is made of some synthetic material. In the inside of the mask 3 a breathing-channel 7 communicates with the closed space 6, said channel is fitting into the cylindrical flange in the wall separating the closed space 6 from the mask 3, serving just for this purpose (Breath- ing channel plays a role in case of oral application of the medicine, eventually the mask 3 may be omitted).

The plate with the printed circuit 8 of the inhal¬ ing apparatus is connected in a way known in itself with the oscillating head 1 and the actuating push-button 11. Circuit arrangement of the oscillating circuit having been formed on the sheet with the printed circuit 8 is to- be seen in Fig . 3.

The collector of the transistor Tr is connected to the positive terminal of the actuating circuit through the impedance L, while the negative terminal is connect¬ ed to the emitter. The base of the transistor Tr is connected to the feed-back cable K of the oscillating head via the resistance Rl and via the resistance R2 it is connected to the positive terminal. The control cable V is inserted between the impedance L and the Transistor Tr, which is also connected to the ceramic 14 of the oscillating head 1 forming the oscillating mass. At last a capacitor C is connected between the negative an posi- tive terminals.

The inhaling apparatus as prepared in the described way, operates, as follows:

After having switched-on by means of the push-button 11 forward current is established via the base of the transistor Tr and the resistance R2, as a consequence voltage is applied to the ceramic 14, resulting in the mechanic oscillating motion of the ceramic. Upon the effect of the displacement charge is applied onto the feed-back electrode through the feed-back cable, thus the transistor Tr is closed through the resistance Rl. Rate of operation is determined by the mass performing oscillation, which encloses essentially the ceramic 14.

As a consequence of the oscillating motion the resonator disc 13 impacts on the felt-insert 5 and it allows the liquid medicine to evaporate, which comes to the upper surface by the capillarity of the felt, the medicine will be inspired by the patient. In course of evaporation in the range of the mouth of the vessel a slight vacuum exists. Evaporation is also promoted by the vessel 2 heated by resistance heating. In course of inhalation a part of the vapour-like medicine precipita¬ tes in the range of the mouth of the vessel 1 of the storing unit 2, thereafter it becomes liquid. In order to regain the medicine dropping back - being rather valuable in certain cases - the bar guiding the felt 5 leads the drops back into the vessel 2. Recycling will be promoted by the slight vacuum formed in course of evaporation in the range of the open mouth of the vessel 2, as already mentioned before.

The main advantage of regaining of the medicine lies in that the quantity to be dosed for the patien can be weighed accurately. A further advantage lies in the uniformity of evaporation transferred by the oscillating mass, as mechanic oscillation of the ceramic 14 is back by the feed-back electrode through the feed-back cable to the control circuit.

Claims

Claims :

1. Electrically actuated inhaling apparatus with uniform dosage of medicines, comprising a mask fitting to the face, a closed space connected thereto, contain¬ ing the printed circuit forming the electric oscillat¬ ing circuit, further a storing vessel is contained, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that in the closed space (6) fitted to the mask (3) a storing vessel (2) is built in, having been enclosed by an electric heating resist¬ ance (10), in the inside thereof a felt-insert (5) is arranged guided by the protecting rod (12) and reaching beyond the upper opening of the vessel (2), while the overhenging part of the felt-insert (5) is leaning on the oscillating head (1) actuated by the electric oscillat¬ ing circuit (8) and extends simultaneously into the breathing channel (7) of the mask; a ceramic (14) forced to mechanic oscillating motion by the electric oscillating circuit (8) - is fixed on one plate of the oscillating head (1), while the other plate is formed as a resonator disc (13) and the printed circuit (8) is connected to a push-button (11).

2. Inhaling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the oscillating head (1) is arranged in a casing (15) with soft suspension, while between the oscillating head (1) and the oscillat¬ ing circuit (8) a body-cable (T) is arranged and the connection between the oscillating ceramic (14) and the oscillating circuit is established by means of the control cable (V) and the feed-back cable.