Patent ID: 6158431
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A therapeutic material delivery system comprising:a droplet dispersion chamber;a droplet generating assembly for generating droplets of a fluid containing a therapeutic material and for supplying said droplets to said dispersion chamber, wherein said droplet generating assembly comprises a droplet generator coupled to said dispersion chamber and a fluid feed assembly for supplying the fluid containing the therapeutic material to said droplet generator at a controlled rate, wherein said droplet generator generates droplets of the fluid containing the therapeutic material and supplies said droplets to said dispersion chamber, wherein said droplet generator comprises a nozzle having one or more orifices for supplying the fluid containing the therapeutic material and a piezoelectric driver for oscillating said nozzle;a gas conditioning assembly for supplying heated gas to said dispersion chamber to form a heated transport gas stream, wherein said droplets are dispersed in said transport gas stream in said dispersion chamber to provide an aerosol stream containing said droplets; anda droplet drying tube assembly located downstream of said dispersion chamber for controlled drying of said droplets and for supplying said aerosol stream to a patient in response to a negative pressure applied by the patient, wherein said delivery system is breath actuated.