FR2591490A1 - Electrical inhaler - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical inhaler comprises a luminous indicator 14 which prompts the user to a rate of 15 inhalations per minute. There are provided a mask 4 with a double wall 5, 6 bearing on the edge of the heating vessel 2, an air intake orifice 12 being situated on the external wall 5 of the mask near the edge of the vessel 2 and an air outlet orifice 13 being situated on the internal wall 6 of the mask near the edge of the vessel 2 so as to allow preheating of the inhaled air.

Description

Electric inhaler
The invention relates to an electric inhaler, in particular an inhaler of the type known from document FR-A-1492214.

 Such an inhaler is intended for the inhalation of a hot air-vapor mixture, allowing the fractional administration of a drug, or serving as such, in well-defined temperature enditions, for the cure of colds (cf. FR-A2399851).

 r, e object of the invention is to provide improvements to known inhalers.

 A first improvement consists in providing the inhaler with a pilot indicator of respiratory rate. This indicator, which could be audible, is more advantageously bright and may consist of a flashing light-emitting diode. Although the rhythm could be adjustable, it is more advantageous to fix the period of the indicator at 4 seconds: the user is thus controlled to stabilize his respiratory rhythm at fifteen breaths per minute, which is the average optimum rhythm. The light-emitting diode is advantageously placed inside the enclosure constituted by the double wall of the anatomical mask which equips the inhaler: this double wall, generally made of translucent plastic, diffuses the light emitted by the diode, giving the user a discreet but necessarily visible indication for the user.

 A second improvement consists in providing an air inlet opening on the outside wall of the double-walled mask, near the edge of the heating tank on which the mask rests and an air outlet opening on the wall. inside, near the edge of the tank and in a zone diametrically opposite the inlet. Thus the air coming from outside can undergo a preheating in the enclosure of the mask on a course corresponding to half of the periphery of the double-wall. This preheating is very useful for maintaining the temperature of the inhaled mixture as constant as possible, despite the relatively sudden and significant arrival of a volume of air coming from outside during a user inspiration.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows of a preferred embodiment. Reference will be made to the attached drawing, on which
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the inhaler of the invention,
- Figure 2 is an electrical diagram of said inhaler.

 The apparatus of the invention consists of a container 1 of the bottle warmer type comprising a heating tank into which about 200 g of water are poured. This tank is heated by a two-power collar, embedded in the walls of the container. Ti is provided with two heating powers: one high (200W) for initial heating allowing the tank water to reach the temperature of 80-830C, the other lower (1OOW) for operation proper allowing the water in the tank to maintain said temperature of 80-830C. ra switching is done automatically by means of a shunt limiter 15, the opening of which places an additional resistor 16 in series with the resistor 17 of the collar 18 which operates at the start.

Naturally any other equivalent heating device is suitable for the invention.

 A bulb thermostat 19 whose sensor is fixed in the tank 2 regulates the temperature. It controls an indicator light 3, the first extinction of which indicates that the device has reached the operating temperature.

 The anatomical mask 4 has a double wall 5-6 which can fit into the tank 2 thanks to the short cylindrical sleeve 7 ending the inner wall 6. The outer wall 5 is supported on the outer edge 8 of the container 1. The shape of the opening 9 of the mask is adapted to the shape of the face of an adult, but a shoulder 10 is provided on the edge of the opening of the mask so as to be able to fit there a smaller adapter 11 intended for a face d 'child.

 The external wall 5 of the mask comprises, preferably on the side opposite the user, an air inlet orifice 12, while the internal wall 6 comprises, preferably on the side of the user, an outlet orifice 13 of air <"outlet" relative to the enclosure formed by the mask). These orifices are placed near the edge of the container 1 so that each time the user breathes the air inside the mask follows a relatively long path (half the circumference of the mask in its lower part) by licking the edge of the container 1, brought to a temperature of about 100 ° C.

 The volume 23 of air and vapor limited by the water surface 22, the upper internal edge of the tank 2, the internal wall 6 of the mask and the user (not shown) is in a ratio of 10 cm with the surface 22.

 The smallest air intake section (12 or 13) is in a ratio of 0.02 to the surface 22.

 At the cost of a slight complication in the construction of the mask, one could possibly lengthen the air path for example by providing inlet and outlet openings in the same area but separated by a partition which forces the air to make a full turn in the mask enclosure.

 A lamp 14 (luminescent diode) indicative of respiratory rate, controlled by a flashing circuit 20, is placed on the edge of the container, within the enclosure of the mask. This is advantageously made of a transparent or translucent polycarbonate, of easy maintenance .

 The electrical circuit, supplemented by a series 21 safety limiter is included in the walls of the container. An adequate electrical connection is provided to connect the device to the mains.

Claims (7)

REVENDIQTIONS  1. Electric inhaler, characterized in that it includes an indicator (14) for pilot breathing rate.  2. Inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the indicator is a light indicator (14).  3. Inhaler according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the rate given by the indicator (14) is about 15 breaths per minute.  4. Inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a mask (4) with double wall (5,6), in the enclosure of which is placed a luminescent diode (14) constituting the indicator light.  5. Inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a mask (4) with double wall (5,6) bearing on the edge of a heating tank (2), a air inlet orifice (12) being provided on the outer wall (5) of the mask near the edge of the tank (2) and an air outlet orifice (13) being provided on the inner wall (6) mask near the edge of the tank (2) so as to allow preheating of the inhaled air.  6. Inhaler according to claim 5, characterized in that the air inlet (12) and outlet (13) orifices are located in diametrically opposite zones.  7. Inhaler according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the double-walled mask (4) comprises means (10) for adapting a smaller inner mask (11).