초록 ▼

The present apparatus includes a metered dose inhaler (MDI) portion housed with a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) portion. The MDI portion and the HME portion share an inlet. The MDI portion and the HME portion share an outlet. The MDI portion and the HME portion are in parallel to each other and

The present apparatus includes a metered dose inhaler (MDI) portion housed with a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) portion. The MDI portion and the HME portion share an inlet. The MDI portion and the HME portion share an outlet. The MDI portion and the HME portion are in parallel to each other and are immediately lateral of one another. The present MDI/HME apparatus includes a valve to direct fluid flow to or away from the HME portion and to or away from the MDI portion. The present MDI/HME apparatus includes a valve arm to communicate to the caregiver whether fluid is passing through the MDI portion or the HME portion and to structurally close off an MDI port when the valve is open relative to the HME portion. The valve is structured such that fluid flow to the patient is never obstructed.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. An HME/MDI apparatus for being placed in a circuit of a mechanical ventilator, comprising: a) a housing that comprises: i) an inlet having laterally opposing sections, with the inlet being adapted for engagement with the circuit of the mechanical ventilator; ii) an outlet having lateral

I claim: 1. An HME/MDI apparatus for being placed in a circuit of a mechanical ventilator, comprising: a) a housing that comprises: i) an inlet having laterally opposing sections, with the inlet being adapted for engagement with the circuit of the mechanical ventilator; ii) an outlet having laterally opposing sections, with the outlet being adapted for engagement with the circuit of the mechanical ventilator, with the outlet being in fluid communication with the inlet; iii) a sidewall having laterally opposing sidewall portions, with a length between the laterally opposing sidewall portions being greater than a length between the laterally opposing sections of the inlet and being greater than a length between the laterally opposing sections of the outlet; iv) a first interior section between the inlet and outlet and being in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet, with the first interior section further being between said laterally opposing sidewall portions; and v) a second interior section between the inlet and outlet and being in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet, with the second interior section further being between said laterally opposing sidewall portions; b) an HME medium in the first interior section in the housing; c) an MDI port on the housing and being adapted for receiving an MDI, with the MDI port being in fluid communication with the second interior section of the housing such that medication from the MDI can be conveyed into the second interior section of the housing; and d) wherein the housing further comprises an arm and a valve, with the valve being operable to minimize fluid flow into at least one of the first and second interior sections, with said fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet, with the arm being engaged to the valve such that movement of the arm moves the valve, with the arm having an arm portion confronting the MDI port, with said arm portion having a first position that renders the MDI port inoperable, with said arm portion having a second position that permits operation of the MDI port, with said first and second positions defining a position of said valve. 2. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first interior section is lateral of at least a portion of the second interior section. 3. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first interior section is immediately lateral of at least a portion of the second interior section. 4. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first interior section is disposed in parallel with the second interior section. 5. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 1, with at least a portion of the arm being disposed outside of the housing such that positions of the arm can communicate to a caregiver open and closed positions of the valve in the housing relative to said at least one of the first and second interior sections. 6. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve confronts one of the inlet and outlet. 7. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion, with the first and second housing portions being rotatable relative to each other, with at least one of the first and second housing portions comprising a valve portion that is operated when the first and second housing portions are rotated relative to each other, with the valve portion being operable to minimize fluid flow into one of the first and second interior sections when said fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet. 8. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a nebulizer, with the nebulizer being in fluid communication with the inlet of the housing, with the nebulizer discharging medication into the inlet, through the second interior section, and out of the outlet. 9. An HME/MDI apparatus for being placed in a circuit of a mechanical ventilator, comprising: a) a housing comprising an inlet, an outlet, an HME section, and an MDI section, with the HME section and MDI section being disposed in parallel in the housing; b) HME media in the HME section; c) an MDI port on the housing and leading to the MDI section; d) a valve in the housing, with the valve being operable to minimize fluid flow to at least one of the HME and MDI sections; and e) an arm comprising an arm portion disposed outside of and confrontable with the housing, with the arm being engaged to the valve such that movement of the arm portion moves the valve, with said arm portion having a first position that renders the MDI port inoperable, with said arm portion having a second position that permits operation of the MDI port, with said first and second positions defining respective positions of said valve. 10. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 9, wherein said arm portion confronts the MDI port in the first position, and wherein said arm portion is out-of-the-way of the MDI port in the second position. 11. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 10, and further comprising a warning on an exterior of the housing about the MDI port such that, when the arm portion is out-of-the-way of the MDI port, said warning is exposed to alert a caregiver that valve position is directing fluid through the MDI section of the housing. 12. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 9, with the housing having longitudinal and lateral directions, with the longitudinal direction being defined by a flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet, with the lateral direction being defined as traverse to the longitudinal direction, and with the valve turning on a lateral axis. 13. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 9, with the housing having longitudinal and lateral directions, with the longitudinal direction being defined by a flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet, with the lateral direction being defined as traverse to the longitudinal direction, and with the valve turning on a longitudinal axis. 14. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 9, wherein the valve is open at all times relative to the inlet and outlet such that, regardless of a position of the valve and regardless of a position of the arm, fluid flow can be had at all times from the inlet to the outlet and from the outlet to the inlet such that fluid flow to a patient is never cut off. 15. An HME/MDI apparatus for being placed in a circuit of a mechanical ventilator, comprising: a) a housing comprising an inlet, an outlet, an HME section, and an MDI section; b) HME media in the HME section; c) an MDI port on the housing and leading to the MDI section; d) a valve in the housing, with the valve being operable to minimize fluid flow to at least one of the HME and MDI sections when said fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet; e) wherein the valve is open at all times relative to the inlet and outlet such that, regardless of a position of the valve, fluid flow can be had at all times from the inlet to the outlet and from the outlet to the inlet such that fluid flow to a patient is never cut off; and f) an arm engaged to the valve, with at least a portion of the arm disposed outside of the housing, with the arm controlling an opening and closing of the valve relative to at least one of the HME and MDI sections, with the arm including a portion confronting the MDI port when the valve is in one of the open and closed positions, with the MDI port being confronted by said portion of the arm when the valve is closed relative to the MDI section, and with said portion of the arm being out-of-the-way of the MDI port when the valve is open relative to the MDI section. 16. An HME/MDI apparatus for being placed in a circuit of a mechanical ventilator, comprising: a) a housing comprising an inlet, an outlet, an HME section, and an MDI section; b) HME media in the HME section; c) an MDI port on the housing and leading to the MDI section; d) a valve in the housing, with the valve being operable to minimize fluid flow into at least one of the HME and MDI sections when said fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet; and e) an arm engaged to the valve, with at least a portion of the arm disposed outside of the housing, with the arm controlling an opening and closing of the valve relative to at least one of the HME and MDI sections, with the arm including a portion confronting the MDI port when the valve is in one of the open and closed positions, with the MDI port being confronted by said portion of the arm when the valve is closed relative to the MDI section, and with said portion of arm being out-of-the-way of the MDI port when the valve is open relative to the MDI section. 17. The HME/MDI apparatus of claim 16, wherein the HME section is disposed in parallel to the MDI section in the housing.