Aerosol apparatus for inhalation therapy

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AN AERROSAL FOR INHALATION THERAPY, A COMPARATIVELY LARGE CASING PROVIDED WITH AN OUTLET AND A RELATIVELY SMALL TUBULAR INLET HAVING AN INTAKE END WHICH IS COMMUNICATIVE WITH THE ATMOSPHERE; SAID CASING ENCLOSING THE TUBULAR INLET AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING ADJACENT SAID INLET FOR ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTION TO ATMOSPHERE, A NOZZLE EXTENDING INTO SAID TUBULAR INLET AND POSITIONED TO DISCHARGE TOWARD SAID CASING; THERE BEING A SPACE BETWEEN THE DISCHARGE END LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF SAID NOZZLE AND THE TUBULAR INLET, FOR THE FLOW OF AIR THERETHROUGH AND INTO THE CASING; THE POSITION OF THE NOZZLE BEING SUCH THAT PARTICLES OF LIQUID ISSUING THEREFROM WILL IMPINGE ALL AROUND THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID TUBULAR INLET BEFORE ENTERING SAID CASING, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING ONLY A LIQUID INTO THE NOZZLE SO ONLY LIQUID PASSES THROUGH THE NOZZLE FOR DISCHARGE INTO THE TUBULAR INLET; SAID LIQUID SUPPLYING MEANS INCLUDING A POWER-DRIVEN PUMP CONNECTED WITH A LIQUID SUPPLY CONTAINER, FORCIBLY DELIVERING LIQUID FROM SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID NOZZLE AND INTO SAID TUBULAR INLET THEREBY DRAWING A SUPPLY OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR INTO THE INTAKE END OF THE TUBULAR INLET AND THROUGH SAID TUBULAR INLET AND INTO SAID CASING; SAID DRAW OF AIR PRODUCING AN AIR FLOW WHICH DRIVES AND CARRIES THE SPRAY THROUGH THE CASING, BAFFLE MEANS IN THE SPACE INSIDE SAID CASING BETWEEN SAID TUBULAR INLET AND THE OUTLET AND IN A POSITION TO NEBULIZE THE PARTICLES OF LIQUID SPRAY ENTERING SAID CASING THROUGH SAID TUBULAR INLET FROM SAID SPRAYING NOZZLE AND CARRIED THROUGH SAID CASING BY SAID AIR FLOW; THE SPACE BETWEEN THE DISCHARGE END LONGITUDINAL PORTION OF THE NOZZLE AND THE TUBULAR INLET, BEING OF SUCH SIZE THAT THE AIR FLOW IS OF SUCH FORCE THAT IT WILL DRIVE AND CARRY THE SPRAYED LIQUID PARTICLES THROUGH THE BAFFLE-OCCUPIED CASING AND OUT OF THE OUTLET, AND A DRAIN PIPE LEADING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE LOWEST PART OF THE CASING AND COMMUNICATIVELY CONNECTING THE CASING WITH THE LIQUID SUPPLY CONTAINER.