Patent ID: 11875886
Assignee: APTARGROUP, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  A | IPC A  G

Claim 19:
20. A method of monitoring the use of an inhaler, the inhaler having a hollow inhaler body that is L-shaped and which includes a mouthpiece section at a first end of the inhaler body and an opening at a second end of the inhaler body with an opening diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of a canister thereby accepting a canister in the inhaler body, the canister containing an inhaler medication that is actuated by pressing a top of the canister to move the canister inwards into the inhaler body to provide a medication dose, wherein the length of the inhaler body is selected such that the canister top and a length of the canister adjoining the canister top protrude from the inhaler body opening, the inhaler body further including an internal inhaled-air passage located from the inhaler body opening and extending through the mouthpiece, wherein the inhaled-air passage is located in a space between the inhaler body and a canister mounted in the inhaler body, wherein the inhaler is configured so that both the inhaler medication and the inhaled-air passage are connected to the mouthpiece at a point of convergence whereby a user who inhales through the mouthpiece will inhale both the medication dose and air through the inhaled-air passage, the method comprising:
sensing the administration of a dose of inhaler medication by a tracking module that comprises a shell that has a shell body mounted around the inhaler body between the mouthpiece and the inhaler body opening, the shell not covering the inhaler body opening, the shell having a tracking module processor to which are connected a tracking module non-transient memory, and a tracking module communications component, the shell also including a tracking module battery, wherein the battery is connected to provide electrical power to the processor, the memory, and the communications component;
wherein the shell further includes a dose sensor connected to the flex shell and extending to the top of the canister to sense pressure applied to the top of the canister to actuate the canister to provide a medication dose through the mouthpiece of the inhaler, the dose sensor providing a dose signal when it has sensed said actuation pressure, wherein the dose sensor does not cover the opening of the inhaler body;
receiving and storing dose signals as dose data representative of sensed doses in the tracking module memory,
sensing air flow through the inhaled-air passage during an inhalation by an air flow sensor, the shell further comprising an extension portion to which is mounted the air flow sensor, the extension portion having a length so that the air flow sensor is located within the inhaled-air passage of the inhaler body when the dose sensor is mounted in contact with the top of the canister;
wherein the air flow sensor senses a flow of air in the inhaled-air passage when a user inhales through the inhaler for a medication dose and the air flow sensor provides air flow data in response to sensing air flow;
storing in the tracking module memory the air flow data, and
programming a local device that is in communication with the tracking module to receive the stored dose data and air flow data.