Patent ID: 11878115
Assignee: VAPOTHERM, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A system for providing respiratory therapy to a patient comprising:
a nasal cannula comprising a cannula body, first and second inlet tubes, and a nasal prong for the delivery of a flow of breathing gas to the patient, the flow of breathing gas supplied to the cannula body via the first and second inlet tubes,
the nasal prong having a longitudinal axis, an inlet in fluid communication with the cannula body, and an outlet for insertion into the nare of the patient;
a nebulizer adapted to receive a liquid medicament and having an aerosol generator positioned along and centered on the longitudinal axis at a point at which the flow of breathing gas has a theoretical zero flow rate, the aerosol generator operable to generate a flow of aerosolized medicament from the liquid medicament along the longitudinal axis; and
a flow director having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to the cannula body and adapted to receive the flow of breathing gas from the first and second inlet tubes and direct the flow of breathing gas into the nasal prong such that the breathing gas flows along the longitudinal axis, and
the second portion secured to the nebulizer and configured such that the flow of aerosolized medicament is contained within the flow of breathing gas as it moves along the longitudinal axis of the nasal prong for delivery to the patient,
wherein the flow of breathing gas is axisymmetric about the longitudinal axis of the nasal prong up to the point of theoretical zero flow rate, after which the flow is axially orientated with respect to the longitudinal axis of the nasal prong.