Abstract:
A cylindrical cartridge having a housing containing a replenishable water supply is employed as a water supply source for producing an aerosol with an oxygen stream for inhalation therapy through the agency of a nebulizer adapter which couples pressurized oxygen to the water cartridge. A venturi-type insert member is disposed vertically with the cartridge. The venturi draws water from the water supply and directs atomized droplets of water and oxygen into a mixing chamber located above the water level in the cartridge. The cartridge has a vertical tubular portion with a connection to a source of oxygen or air and terminates above the level of the water in the cartridge. The aerosol flows out of the cartridge through an outlet nozzle. The cartridge is an elongated housing having a capillary active cylindrical absorption surface means internally whereby water is drawn up along the cartridge&#39;s cylindrical body wall which serves as an evaporating surface.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR FILED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 826,119 filed Aug. 19, 1977 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,419 patented Aug. 29, 1978, which in turn is a continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 569,490 filed Apr. 18, 1975. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to inhalation therapy and more particularly to aerosol-producing means in the form of an improved nebulizer for attachment to a cartridge. 
     As indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,721, issued Nov. 13, 1973, inhalation therapy is the medical art of treating with oxygen or a mixture of oxygen and air having a high moisture content. Several classes of devices, including atomizers and humidifiers, are adapted for effecting such treatments. With respect to atomizers, or nebulizers as they are often called, a heretofore known system for inhalation therapy comprises a container for pure water which has means enabling operation of the container in one of several modes. An adapter fitting, comprised of a venturi-type member, when associated with the enabling means, adapts the container as a nebulizer reservoir and by itself provides nebulized water in the sense that small droplets of water are carried by oxygen. A type of improved venturi can be seen from U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,385 issued Oct. 28, 1975. This just mentioned patent and the aforementioned patent are owned by the same assignee as in the present application. 
     In U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 569,490 filed Apr. 18, 1975 of Kenneth G. Miller entitled DISPOSABLE CARTRIDGE HUMIDIFIER, now abandoned and the continuation therefore Serial No. 826,119, filed Aug. 19, 1977 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,419, there is therein disclosed an ingenious cartridge humidifier. The subject matter of these applications are incorporated by reference. The applicant discloses an elongated generally cylindrical cartridge. It has a bottom cap and a top cap, both of which may be constructed of plastic. The two caps are joined by a cylindrical body portion which, to obtain good heat exchange properties, is constructed of a metal, such as aluminum. An electrical heater is provided which has a large bore therethrough into which the aforementioned cartridge is positioned and retained. Suitable thermostatic controls are provided. Internally with respect to both the bottom cap and the cylindrical body portion cylindrical capillary active member is provided with a diameter sufficient to be in essential contact with the inner wall of the body portion whereby the capillary active member is in excellent heat exchange position with the heater. While the cartridge may be supplied with a fixed quantity of water for humidification it has been found to be particularly efficacious to supply water in a replenishable manner from a supply reservoir which may be an inverted bottle of water. The bottle and the heater may be suitably bracketed together whereby the entire thusly constructed unit may be suitably mounted. The bottom of the cartridge and the bottle containing a supply of water are fluidly connected by suitable egrees and ingress ports and a connecting time tube to provide an inverted siphon to continuously supply water from the bottle to the cartridge as it is removed therefrom. The water in the cartridge wets the capillary active member to thereby provide a larger area for evaporating water than would be possible if the member were not present. The upper cap is provided with a concentrically located tube to which a conduit supplying oxygen or air under pressure is supplied. The said tube has a downwardly depending extension that extends concentrically into the mentioned body portion but terminates above the level of the supplied water. In this manner the supplied gas is directed downwardly into the aforementioned body portion. The top cap is provided with an egress port which is located transverse to the axis of the cartridge. The port is connected to flexible conduit which is designed to distribute the humidified gas to a patient. The egress port is in communication with an annular space around the mentioned downward extending tube of the upper cap. In this manner the gases are first directed downwardly through the said tube and then upwardly through the mentioned annular space to the egress port. 
     While this arrangement of ports has been found to be enormously useful in supplying high volume of humidified gases to a patient, it has been found to be somewhat deficient under some occasions when even larger quantities of moisture must be distributed to the patient wherein the gas has also been warmed so that it is more readily acceptable by the patient and is also somewhat more beneficial. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is therefore concerned with the provision of breathable inhaled gases that are moisture laden with a great quantity of water. The water carried by the gases are both obtained as by evaporation and also nebulization if desired or by nebulization alone so that the gases possess entrained small droplets of water. This is achieved by employing a cartridge of the type mentioned in the aforementioned application for humidification and providing a nebulizer in an appropriate and novel manner. The nebulizer takes the form of a venturi adapter having a tubular member which extends into the aforementioned supply of water located in the cartridge. The venturi adapter is positioned in the top cap so that it is located in the said annular space of the cartridge. The venturi adapter includes an egress port means to be connected to a tube which in turn is connected to a supply of either air or oxygen under pressure. The venturi adapter includes a constricted downwardly facing orifice through which the gas proceeds. In association and transverse thereto is a second orifice from which the water emanates due to the aspirating effect produced by the moving gas. The water and gas then impinge against a rounded abutment to further assist in the breaking up of the water into fine droplets. 
     The gases carrying the droplets of water than pass out of the annular space through the egress port. At the same time the gas charged through the mentioned center tube will pick up additional water through evaporation which is enhanced by the fact the gases also become warmer through their sojourn through the cartridge thereby increasing the total quantity of moisture available to the patient. Of course, it may not be desirable to provide the additional gas stream or vice versa it may not be desirable to provide gas under pressure to the venturi adapter. It will be appreciated that greater selectivity of operation will be provided by the present improved invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is cross-sectional view of the device of the present invention with the adapter in place. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference is made to the drawings wherein an illustrative humidifier/nebulizer assembly is generally identified by reference numeral 11. The assembly comprises a combined greater 12 cartridge supporting means. The cartridge 13 may be disposable or semidisposable and is used in conjunction with a disposable water bottle 14. 
     The combined heater and cartridge supporting means may comprise any suitable jacket type heater such as an open end metal cylindrical sleeve 15 provided with a suitable resistance heating element, and a suitable thermostatic control (not shown) of any well known type which in turn is connected to a conventional source of electricity. The sleeve 15 may be fabricated from brass tubing or the like, having an exemplary diameter of 21/8 inches, a 0.051 wall thickness and a length range of approximately 5&#34;-7&#34; or whatever dimension may be warranted to meet certain output conditions. A 100-watt band type heater element in conjunction with the sleeve 15 was found to perform very well, and was connected in a conventionally known manner with a single bimetallic thermostat which may be suitably set to 185° F., to regulate the temperature of the humidified gases passing through the apparatus. 
     Sleeve 15 is encased in the illustrated open-ended manner within a preferably insulated housing shell 16 of any suitable rigid material. The thermostat and related heater controls (not shown) may be housed within a lateral projection on the heater, for instance. Any suitable form of an electric switch may be used therein to initially energize the heating element. The housing shell 16 is further preferably provided with suitable support means (not shown) by which the device may be suitably suspended or otherwise supported for inhalation therapy use together with a preferred form of the cartridge. 
     Additionally, housing shell 16 is preferably provided with bracket means 17 to support therewith a suitably prepared water supply thermoplastic bottle 14 in predetermined relationship to be further explained hereinafter. One type of such water supply bottle 14 with which the system hereof is designed to work, is the aseptically prefilled liquid bottle known as CONCHA® preferably the CONCHA® 1000 (1000 ml) marketed by Respiratory Care, Inc., of Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004. The manner for encasing the heater sleeve 15 in the stated open-ended manner is such that the cylindrical cartridge 13 can be readily inserted into the open top end thereof, with access provided via the open bottom end for operative connection with the bottle 14. 
     A practical form of a disposable or semi-disposable type humidifier cartridge 13, which has performed well, may have a cylindrical body comprised preferably of a metallic main body sleeve member 20, as shown in FIG. 2, which is provided with preferably a non-metallic top end cap 22 and similar non-metallic bottom end cap 24. The diameter of the assembled cartridge is such as to have a sliding fit within the heater sleeve 15. An exemplary form of body sleeve 20 may be fabricated of 2&#34; diameter aluminum tubing of appropriate length corresponding generally to the approximate proportions of the illustrative drawings. The end caps 22 and 24 may be fabricated of any suitable rigid type plastic material or the like such as polycarbonate material which will not be adversely affected by the heater sleeve 15. 
     The cartridge 13 further comprises an absorption column 26 which in one preferred mode, is of a hollow cylindrical form fabricated of an absorbant blotter-like paper material, for example, 3 mm chromatography paper. Absorption column 26 is of a size to lay closely against the inside diameter of the cartridge body, and functions to draw humidifying liquid up into the hollow center portion of the cartridge for evaporating moisture into the gas directed therethrough in a manner to be described in more detail. The vertical length of the absorption column 26 may be greater than shown and may extend substantially the full length of the heater sleeve 15, if desired, for some embodiments. 
     Upper end cap 22 has its open end mouth portion unitarily joined in any suitable manner to the upper open end of intermediate body sleeve 20, and is preferably provided with positioning means such as radial lugs or a flange 28 for limiting the insertion of the cartridge into the heater sleeve 12 in accordance with predetermined limits. Cap 22 is unitarily provided with an axially centered gas inlet tube 30 having an upwardly projecting outer end 32 designed to be connected to a flexible conduit 33 for carrying pressurized gas such as air or oxygen to the cartridge. The tube 30 is of a length so that its inner end 34 projects a substantial distance down into and preferably concentrically relative to the cartridge body sleeve 20, but terminates above the level of the water which is either introduced into the bottom portion of the cartridge, or into which the lower end of the cartridge is immersed, as described in the aforementioned pending application, depending upon the embodiment of the cartridge employed. 
     Cap 22 is further provided with a gas delivery port and connection pipe 36 extending transversely of the axis of the cartridge. Pipe 36 inwardly communicates with the inner radial space 38 defined between the gas inlet tube 30 and body sleeve 20, and operatively with lower end of said gas inlet tube 30. A flexible tube 37, shown fragmentally in broken outline, is connectable with the external end of the output pipe 36 and is adapted to deliver the treated gas to the patient. 
     Additionally, in cap 22 there is another transverse pipe connection 40 (see FIG. 1) of relatively smaller diameter than pipe 36, which is adapted to communicate by flexible vent tube 41 with a venting outlet 50 of the particular water bottle and with the aforesaid interior space 38, although the latter set up is not always necessary as the bottle may be merely vented to the atmosphere. The vent tube 41 provides for venting of the bottle during delivery of water therefrom via flexible tube 42 into the bottom of the cartridge while maintaining an aseptic assembly by use of sterile tubing and cartridge. 
     The lower end cap 24 of the cartridge is provided with liquid holding means such as an apertured and nippled transverse end wall 25, which may be made integrally therewith, or may have a slip fit assembly with the open cylindrical end of portion 24. The nipple 27 thereof is adapted to be connected with one end of the flexible delivery tube 42. 
     The liquid or water bottle means shown in the drawings is preferably one of the aforesaid sealed CONCHA® units placed in an inverted condition, which unit is a disposable sealed plastic container of aseptic water. The container comprises a principal chamber 44. When inverted as noted in the drawings the bottle at its lower end terminates in a neck-like outlet 51 provided with a breachable seal and adapted to be connected with an end of the flexible conduit tube 42. The bottle integrally embodies another neck-like outlet 50 connecting with the air space 49 above the level of the water 53, and possesses a breachable seal adapted to be connected with the flexible conduit 41. In the manner of use as depicted in the drawings, the sealed CONCHA® is invertedly disposed so that essentially all of the water 52 is confined in the principal chamber 44, from which it is adapted to flow out of outlet 51 via tube 42 and into the lower end of the cartridge via nipple 27 above or substantially coplanar with the bottom transverse wall 25 of the cartridge, in order to assure maximum use of the water during operative use of the apparatus of the present invention. 
     Preferably both caps 22 and 24 are of a viewable clear, relatively rigid plastic or plastic-like material. The manner of joining the plastic end caps 22 and 24 to the respective ends of the cylindrical sleeve 20 may be as shown, i.e., the mating ends may be complementarily grooved or shouldered so that the I. D. of the metal body sleeve 20 and that of the cap 24 are essentially the same, thereby providing a continuous smooth surface against which the O. D. of the absorption column 26 should engage. 
     In the concept disclosed herein, the end 32 is merely attached to a conduit 29 that in turn is connected to a source of air or oxygen. The cap 22 is also provided with a third transverse port means 60 to which a flexible conduit 61 is attached to carry oxygen or air. An elbow 62 is secured to the port means 60 which terminates in a venturi adapter 63 located in the aforementioned annular space 38. 
     Reference will now be made in more detail to the aforementioned venturi adapter 63 which is essentially a unitary primary venturi device as seen from FIG. 2. While some details of the venturi adapter can be seen from U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,386 incorporated by reference. The venturi adapter 63 has elongated body means 70 constructed so as to form at opposite ends thereof axially offset vertically disposed upper and lower tubular stems 72 and 74 constituting or defining oxygen and water inlet passages 76 and 78, respectively. Upper stem 72 is adapted to have a fluid tight telescopic fit within the downward projecting open end of elbow 62. The upper fully open end of passage 76 is in open fluid flow communication with the oxygen inlet stem 72 and therefore oxygen supply or elbow 62. The passage 76 of the stem 72 is constricted at its lower end to form a small orifice 80. 
     The water inlet passage or channel 78 is tapered so as to increase in cross-sectional area from its inner and upper end 82 toward its lower end which also connects telescopically in a fluid tight manner into upwardly projecting tube 79. The degree to which the tube 79 is positioned on lower tubular stem 74 is controlled by lug 77. The other end of tube 79 terminates at or near the bottom of the cartridge. This connection provides fluid communication with the water supply in the cartridge. The narrowed inner end 82 of the water passage 78 terminates generally adjacent and in communication with a horizontally disposed very narrow short venturi water channel 84. Channel 84 terminates in a small terminal orifice 86 similar to and disposed substantially at right angles adjacent to the oxygen inlet orifice 80, thereby constituting the coacting atomizing nozzle orifices. 
     The atomizing or nebulizing operation is apparent. Wherein water is adapted to be drawn up the water inlet channel 78 by the reduced pressure caused by the incoming stream of pressurized oxygen jetting from orifice 80 across the transverse water inlet orifice 86. The water emerging from the venturi channel 84 is broken up into small droplets by the jetting stream of oxygen. 
     To further assure more complete atomizing of the water droplets, there is a suitable small abutment member 88 disposed adjacently beneath the water orifice 86 and opposite the oxygen orifice 80. Abutment member 88 is depicted as projecting transversely from the side of the venturi body means 70. The incoming oxygen stream thus produces an aerosol by this nebulizer fitting by the entrainment of fine water droplets which become further intermixed within the annular space 38. As the aerosol flows through the main portion of the cartridge the gases pick up additional moisture from the absorbent tube 26 to become humidified as well as constituting an aerosol of fine water droplets. The gases thus produced are then directed upwardly into annular space 38 to tube 36 into flexible tube 37 for distribution to the patient. 
     It is apparent from the foregoing that a unique and novelly improved nebulizer adapter fitting has been evolved in accordance with the objectives set forth in the beginning portion hereof. 
     While one preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described in detail, it is apparent that other changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the inventive spirit hereof. Reference should be made to the appended claims for the inventive scope covered by this invention.