Nebulizer unit with directly connectible ampoule

Abstract

A nebulizer unit includes a housing, which includes an aerosol generator with a feed chamber disposed at one side, an ampoule receiver, an opening device with at least one opening, which is in communication with the feed chamber, and an ampoule with liquid, which comprises at least one opening, with which it can be inserted or used in the ampoule receiver, wherein the ampoule has a connection region, which interacts with a connector of the ampoule receptacle in order to hold the ampoule firmly in the ampoule receiver and to connect the openings and such that they are leak tight.

Claims

1. A nebulizer unit with ampoule, comprising a housing, which includes an aerosol generator with a feed chamber disposed at one side, an ampoule receiver, an ampoule opening device with at least one opening, which is in communication with the feed chamber, and an ampoule with liquid, which comprises at least one opening, with which it can be inserted or used in the ampoule receiver, wherein: the ampoule has a connection region, which interacts with a connector of the ampoule receiver in order to hold the ampoule firmly in the ampoule receiver and to connect the at least one opening of the ampoule opening device and the at least one opening of the ampoule—in a leak-tight manner; the housing comprises a front part comprising the aerosol generator and a rear part comprising the ampoule receiver; and the ampoule receiver comprises a squeezing device, which is suitable for squeezing the ampoule during insertion and keeping it in the squeezed state.

2. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein the connection region and the connector are an external thread and an internal thread of a screw connection, buttons and slits of a bayonet connection, or an annular bead and annular groove of a plug connection.

3. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one opening of the ampoule opening device communicates, in the ampoule opening device, with the feed chamber via the feed channel.

4. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein the ampoule opening device comprises: a pin, and/or a pin with a curved top side, and/or more than one opening, and/or a different orientation than the aerosol generator, and/or wherein the ampoule opening device is of such a size that, when the ampoule is completely inserted, a partial volume of the ampoule opening device projecting therein equals the volume of a feed chamber and the volume of the feed channel.

5. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein on a side of the aerosol generator that is opposite to the feed chamber, there lies an aerosol chamber, which has a discharge opening on one side and, on the other side, is delimited by a portion of the housing.

6. The nebulizer unit according to claim 5, wherein the housing portion that delimits the aerosol chamber is essentially a hollow cylinder, and/or is prepared for connecting to a mouthpiece or a T-piece.

7. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein the front part and rear part are detachably connected, or non-detachably connected.

8. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein the ampoule receiver comprises ampoule guides, which define an intermediate space within the ampoule receiver that is at least partially complementary in shape and size to the ampoule.

9. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein a seal between the at least one ampoule opening and ampoule receiver or ampoule opening device is ensured by one or more sealing rings, and/or via a snug fit of the at least one opening of the ampoule on the ampoule opening device.

10. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein the ampoule: when inserted, with a prescribed optimum orientation of the nebulizer unit, only has tangential planes to the surface of the internal volume of the ampoule that form an angle of greater than 0 degrees to the horizontal, at an upper end comprises a thickening, at a lower end, comprises a table for breaking off, is made, at least in sections, of flexible material, has a circular cross-section, has a rotationally symmetrical shape, and/or has a roughly hollow-cylindrical shape when not inserted.

11. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generator is clamped between the front part and the rear part of the housing.

12. The nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein the squeezing device is a nub or a bead projecting out of the ampoule receiver into the interior space of the ampoule receiver, or a continually tapering cross-section of the ampoule receiver wherein the taper is greater than a taper of the ampoule.

13. A method of using the nebulizer unit according to claim 1, comprising: filling the ampoule at least partly with a liquid, inserting the ampoule with the connection region into the ampoule receiver of the nebulizer unit, and fastening the ampoule using the connector, wherein the at least one ampoule opening and the at least one opening of the ampoule opening device are connected with a tight seal in the ampoule opening device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising discharging a portion of the liquid from the ampoule through the at least one opening of the ampoule opening device by squeezing the ampoule using the squeezing device, or by projecting a partial volume of the ampoule opening device into an interior of the ampoule.

15. A method for producing the nebulizer unit according to claim 1, wherein; the front part with the aerosol generator, the rear part with the ampoule receiver, and the ampoule opening device are provided, assembled, and detachably or non-detachably connected to one another.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein connection of the front part and rear part is produced by means of frictional connection, or bayonet, plug or screw connection, or bonding and/or welding.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a nebulizer unit according to embodiments of the present disclosure with screw-in ampoule.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of a nebulizer unit according to embodiments of the present disclosure with ampoule fastened by bayonet closure.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of a nebulizer unit according to embodiments of the present disclosure with ampoule fastened by plug connection.

(4) FIG. 4 shows the manufacture of an embodiment of the nebulizer unit according to embodiments of the present disclosure with ampoule consisting of front part and rear part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through an embodiment of the nebulizer unit according to embodiments of the present disclosure with ampoule. Housing 10 consisting of front part 10′ and rear part 10″. The front part 10′ accommodates the aerosol generator 101, which is clamped between the front part 10″ and the rear part 10″. On the feed side of the aerosol generator 101, there is located a feed chamber 17, in which, before atomization, the medication liquid wets the rear side of the aerosol generator. At the discharge side, the aerosol chamber 15 with discharge opening 150 which is enclosed by a region of the housing part 10′, which is essentially shaped as a hollow cylinder. By means of this shape, the portion is suitable for coupling to coupling pieces, such as a mouthpiece or else a T-piece of a respiration system. The rearward delimiter of the chamber 17 is formed by an end face of the rear part 10″. In this delimiter, there opens the feed opening 180 of the opening device 18, which, like the ampoule receiver 19, is part of the rear part 10″. Ampoule receiver 19 comprising, as connection means 19, an internal thread, which intermeshes with an external thread 201 as connection region of an inserted ampoule 20, and thus keeps the ampoule firmly in the ampoule receiver. Opening device 18 a pin with a planar top side and a concentric opening is contacted on its reverse side by the inner rim of the discharge opening 200 of ampoule 20, such that a firm and tight fit is ensured.

(6) The ampoule 20 with medication liquid 30 is essentially rotationally symmetrical and, in this embodiment, comprises a thickening 202 that serves as grip at the top end and a break-off tab 203 at the bottom end. If a user removes the break-off tab 203, a discharge opening 200 is created, which corresponds in its dimensions to the outer dimensions of the opening device 18.

(7) FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through an embodiment of the nebulizer unit according to embodiments of the present disclosure with ampoule. Ampoule 20 is fastened by means of a bayonet closure, in which the pins represent the connection means 191 of the ampoule receiver 19. The pins engage in slit 201 in the ampoule 20, which in each case comprise an axial first and a tangential second section, so that the corresponding movement, which is indicated by the double arrow, for insertion and connection of the ampoule 20 is necessary. Ampoule receiver 19 is extended beyond the pins 191. This portion 192 serves for guidance and secure holding of ampoule 20. Here, too, the housing also comprises a front part 10′ and a rear part 10″.

(8) Opening device 18 is a pin with curved top side, so that the tip projects prominently and can more easily cut the wall of the end face of ampoule 20 in order to create the discharge opening 200. Squeezing device 193 presses or squeezes the front part of the ampoule together, in order to create a superatmospheric pressure in its interior, which forces a portion, corresponding to the volume of the feed chamber, of the liquid 30 outer of the interior of ampoule 20.

(9) FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the nebulizer unit according to embodiments of the present disclosure with ampoule in the longitudinal section, in which the ampoule is held by means of a plug closure. An annular bead 191 in the ampoule receiver serves as connection means, which interacts with the annual groove 201 in the connection region of the ampoule 20. Ampoule 20 possesses a thickened end in order to avoid an unpleasant point pressure load on the hand of a user during insertion of the ampoule and in addition, on pulling out, to offer a better engagement. Opening device 18 is also designed here as a pin with curved top side, however is considerably more voluminous compared to other designs. By this means it can serve as displacer, which displaces an amount of medication liquid 30 out of the interior of ampoule 20 and, via discharge opening 200, feed opening 180 and feed channel 16, into the feed chamber 17. This permits the use of ampoules made from a few or non-flexible material, such as glass or metal, in which a non-destructive squeezing is not possible. Sealing ring 194 encloses the opening 200 at the lower end of the ampoule 20 and, in addition to the snug fit on the opening device 18, additionally prevents emergence of medication liquid.

(10) FIG. 4 shows in two steps an embodiment of the production of a nebulizer unit comprising a front part and a rear part. The separately manufactured portions 10′, 10″ are assembled and welded at the contact point in order to form a tight-closing, hygienically enclosing housing 10. The front part 10′ holds aerosol generator 101 in its interior. As with all the other illustrated embodiments, the section at the discharge side of the partial housing 10′ is manufactured as an approximate hollow cylinder, and permits the connection of coupling parts such as mouthpieces or T-pieces. The rear housing part 10″ comprises the ampoule receiver with connection means 191, here in the form of an internal thread of a screw closure, which simultaneously serves as an ampoule guide 192.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(11) 1 Nebulizer unit 10 Housing 10′ front part 10″ rear part 101 Aerosol generator 15 16 Feed channel 17 Feed chamber 18 Opening device 180 Feed opening 19 Ampoule receiver 191 Connection means 192 Ampoule guide 193 Squeezing device 194 Sealing ring 20 Ampoule 200 Discharge opening 201 Connection region 202 Handle 203 Tab 30 Medication liquid

(12) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.