Abstract:
The present invention is a nebulizer for infants which provides a respirable gas to an infant while the infant is suckling. The respirable gas may be oxygen or a respirable gas containing a medication. In a first series of embodiments, a feeding bottle is provided so that the infant may bottle feed. In a second preferred embodiment, a pacifier is provided so that the infant may suckle while the respirable gas is administered.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a nebulizer, and more particularly to a nebulizer having a nipple, such as found in a pacifier or feeding bottle, for suckling infants. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Delivery of a respirable gas to a newborn infant and toddler can pose difficulties, especially during times of illness. In addition, infants of ten need supplemental oxygen during periods of activity such as feeding. Oxygen consumption is known to increase during feeding, and infants with low oxygen saturation often cannot feed adequately. 
     Thus, it is desirable to supplement the infant&#39;s oxygen level to ensure proper feeding. Since infants tend to breathe through the nose until three to six months of age, a smooth, constant flow of respirable gas, directed in front of the infant&#39;s nose, is a preferred way to administer a respirable gas. However, providing a source of supplemental oxygen as well as food has here before been considered to be a difficult task for a single individual. Nonetheless, the ability to hold and feed a baby is an important need and an integral part of the parent-child bonding process. 
     Further, the problem that infants are highly distressed by the use of ordinary nebulizers and that a much felt need to calm and sooth an infant during the use of the nebulizer has been long sought in order to have an efficacious administration of a respiratory gas. This problem is addressed and solved by the invention, particularly with the novel and unique use of the pacifier and/or feeding nipple according to the present invention. 
     Accordingly, the present invention addresses the above-mentioned concerns, as well as others, with a device that provides a simple, safe, and effective means for delivering a respirable gas to an infant at all times, including at times of feeding. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a nebulizer for infants which provides a respirable gas to an infant while the infant is suckling. The respirable gas may be oxygen or a respirable gas containing a medication. In a first series of embodiments, a feeding bottle is provided so that the infant may bottle feed. In a second preferred embodiment, a pacifier is provided so that the infant may suckle while the respirable gas is administered. 
     Each of the embodiments include a nebulizer, preferably a nebulizer designed according to the present invention, for providing respirable gas. The outlet of the nebulizer is attached to a gas delivery guide, where the gas delivery guide directs the flow of the respirable gas to the nose of the suckling infant. The gas delivery guide includes a generally cylindrical sleeve for receiving and retaining the nebulizer. The cylindrical sleeve further permits gas flow from the nebulizer into the main portion of the gas delivery guide. A generally curved surface of the gas delivery guide directs the respirable gas to the nose of the infant. 
     A feeding bottle is attached to the gas delivery guide to permit the infant to bottle nurse while being nebulized. A first preferred embodiment of the feeding bottle includes a partition that divides the interior of the feeding bottle into two separate chambers. The partition is preferably inclined to encourage air introduced during nursing to reside away from the nipple area. Further, the neck and/or nipple of the feeding bottle is oriented at an angle to further encourage the air to reside away from the nipple area. A second preferred embodiment of the feeding bottle includes a collapsible bladder that collapses as the liquid is consumed and thus limits the introduction of air into the bladder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing summary and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be best understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the suckling nebulizer of the present invention having a feeding bottle. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevational view of a second preferred embodiment of the suckling nebulizer of the present invention having a feeding bottle. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of the suckling nebulizer of the present invention having a pacifier. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 an illustration of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention for both feeding and nebulizing an infant. Suckling nebulizer  10  includes a nebulizer  19 , a gas delivery guide  22 , and a feeding bottle  16 . The nebulizer  19  provides a source of respirable gas, such as oxygen or a medicated gas. The nebulizer  19  maybe a standard nebulizer which is sufficiently compact and lightweight to facilitate ease of handling of the suckling nebulizer  10 . A cylindrical neck  21  of the nebulizer  19  connects an outlet (not shown) of the nebulizer  19  to a cylindrical sleeve  23  of the gas delivery guide  22 . The cylindrical sleeve  23  has an internal diameter sized to receive the cylindrical neck  21  and preferably forms a gas-sealed connection between the cylindrical sleeve  23  and the cylindrical neck  21 . The cylindrical sleeve  23  is open to the interior of the gas delivery guide  22  and permits gas flow between the nebulizer  19  and the gas delivery guide  22 . The nebulizer  19  may be held within the cylindrical sleeve  23  by methods commonly known in the art. For example, the cylindrical sleeve  23  may contain threads on its interior surface which mate with complementary threads on the exterior of the cylindrical neck  21 . Alternatively, the cylindrical sleeve  23  and the cylindrical neck  21  may attach via a bayonet style mount. 
     The gas delivery guide  22  is formed to receive the gas flow from the nebulizer  19  through the cylindrical sleeve  23 , and includes a curved upper surface  17  to direct the flow of gas toward the nose of a suckling infant (not shown). The gas delivery guide  22  is attachable to the feeding bottle  16 . Preferably, the delivery guide  22  attaches to the feeding bottle  16  at the neck  15  of feeding bottle  16 . The delivery guide  22  is designed to orient specially designed feeding bottle  16  and the gas delivery guide  17  so that an infant is correctly positioned to simultaneously breath the respirable gas and feed from the bottle  16 . 
     The specially designed feeding bottle  16  of the first preferred embodiment includes a hollow interior which is divided into a first chamber  28 , and a second chamber  29  by a partition  18 . The partition  18  prevents fluid communication between the first and second chambers  28 ,  29 . The first chamber  28  is designed to hold a liquid for feeding to an infant and is in fluid communication with a nipple  12  which is attached to the feeding bottle  16  by a cap  14 . The cap  14  attaches to the neck  15  of the feeding bottle  16  by any suitable method. The angle of tilt of the nipple  12 , the neck  15 , and the partition  18  are selected to minimize the possibility of ingestion of air by a feeding infant. 
     As an infant feeds and liquid is removed from the first chamber  28 , air is introduced into the first chamber  28  to replace the consumed liquid. The relative dispositions of the nipple  12 , neck  15 , and partition  18  are designed to keep this air away from the nipple  12 . Specifically, the partition  18  is tilted with respect to a longitudinal axis of the feeding bottle  16 , such that the edge of the partition  18  closest to the nebulizer  19  is positioned furthest away from the nipple  12 . As a consequence of this tilting, the edge of the partition  18  farthest away from the nebulizer  19  is closest to the nipple  12 . Preferably, the angle of tilt γ(gamma) is between 0 degrees and 90 degrees. Preferably, the angle of tilt is about 45 (+/−20) degrees. This creates an air capture region  25  into which the introduced air may reside. To encourage the introduced air to rise and reside in the air capture region  25 , the neck  15  of the feeding bottle  16  is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the feeding bottle  16 . Preferably the neck  15  is tilted in a direction to orient the sidewall  13  of the neck  15  to be more parallel to the plane of the partition  18 . More preferably, the neck  15  is tilted at an angle, α (alpha) of 0 degrees to 90 degrees. Most preferably the neck  15  is tilted at an angle of 40 (+/−20) degrees. In addition, the nipple  12  may be tilted in the same direction as the neck  15 . The nipple  12  is tilted at an angle, β (beta), of 0 degrees to 10 degrees, and preferably at an angle of 5 (+/−5) degrees. 
     A second embodiment  20 , for both feeding and nebulizing an infant, is shown in FIG.  2 . This second preferred embodiment is similiar to the first preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 with the exception of a feeding bottle  24 . Specifically, feeding bottle  24  does not include a partition  18  but rather includes a collapsible bladder  26 . The collapsible bladder  26  is in fluid communication with the nipple  12 , and is capable of holding a liquid  27  for feeding to an infant. As liquid is removed from the collapsible bladder  26 , the collapsible bladder  26  collapses inhibiting the introduction of air into the collapsible bladder  26 . The nipple  12  and the neck  15  are oriented with respect to the feeding bottle  24  in analogous manner as they are with respect to the feeding bottle  16 . In an alternate embodiment, the feeding bottle  24  includes a collapsible bladder where the nipple  12  and neck  15  are tilted with respect to the longitudinal axis of the feeding bottle, the neck or the nipple  12 . 
     A third preferred embodiment for nebulizing an infant is shown in FIG. 3 in which a pacifier  32  replaces the feeding bottle  16 . The nebulizer  19  and gas delivery guide  22  may substantially identical to these shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In place of the feeding bottle  16 , a pacifier  32  provides a nipple  34  for suckling an infant. As the infant suckles on the pacifier  32 , a respirable gas provided by the nebulizer  19  is directed to the nose of the infant by the gas delivery guide  22 . 
     These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing specification. Accordingly, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It should therefore be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is intended to include all changes and modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims.