Abstract: A portable, battery powered, hand-held system for releasing a controlled dose of aerosol medication for inhalation by a patient including a durable body and a medication cassette inserted in the durable body. The cassette includes a housing for containing a canister of medication, bears an identification code, and permits the canister to be manually depressed to release a dose, e.g., a metered dose, when out of the durable body. The durable body includes an actuator mechanism for engaging an inserted cassette and its canister, and an actuator release mechanism for controlling the actuator mechanism to depress the canister for a selected period of time to release the desired dose of medication and then the release the canister. The actuator mechanism, includes a compression spring for depressing the canister and a torsion spring for reloading the compression spring. The torsion spring is reloaded by rotating the cassette from an open position for delivering aerosol to a closed position.

Abstract: A method for releasing a controlled amount of aerosol medication is disclosed. The method of the invention is preferably used in connection with a portable, battery-powered, hand-held system for releasing a controlled dose of aerosol medication for inhalation by a patient. The inhalation breath flow of the user of the apparatus is monitored and the inhalation flow rate is measured, and inhalation volume is determined as a function of the measured flow rate. The measured flow rate is compared to predetermined minimum and maximum flow rate thresholds, and the determined flow volume is compared to predetermined minimum and maximum flow volume thresholds. When both the measured flow rate and the measured flow volume are between their respective the minimum and maximum thresholds, a signal is provided to release a controlled amount of aerosol.

Abstract: A method of controlling access to a drug in an aerosol drug delivery device by an electronic lock and key means is disclosed. Access is limited to the intended user by providing the intended user with a uniquely coded, machine readable key means that matches the unique code of the lock means. Contacting matching lock and key means signals a controlling means to allow use of the device. Specifically, the method is applied to a method of pain control provided by the intrapulmonary delivery of a pharmaceutically active pain relief formulation. The formulation is automatically released from a hand-held, self-contained, portable device comprised of a means for automatically releasing a measured amount of drug into the inspiratory flow path of a patient in response to information obtained from a means for measuring and separately determining inspiratory flow rate and inspiratory volume of a patient.

Abstract: A method of controlling access to a drug in an aerosol drug delivery device by an electronic lock and key means is disclosed. Access is limited to the intended user by providing the intended user with a uniquely coded, machine readable key means that matches the unique code of the lock means. Contacting matching lock and key means signals a controlling means to allow use of the device. Specifically, the method is applied to a method of pain control provided by the intrapulmonary delivery of a pharmaceutically active pain relief formulation. The formulation is automatically released from a hand-held, self-contained, portable device comprised of a means for automatically releasing a measured amount of drug into the inspiratory flow path of a patient in response to information obtained from a means for measuring and separately determining inspiratory flow rate and inspiratory volume of a patient.

Abstract: A portable, battery powered, hand-held system for releasing a controlled dose of aerosol medication for inhalation by a patient including a durable body and a medication cassette inserted in the durable body. The cassette includes a housing for containing a canister of medication, bears an identification code, and permits the canister to be manually depressed to release a dose, e.g., a metered dose, when out of the durable body. The durable body includes an actuator mechanism for engaging an inserted cassette and its canister, and an actuator release mechanism for controlling the actuator mechanism to depress the canister for a selected period of time to release the desired dose of medication and then the release the canister. The actuator mechanism, includes a compression spring for depressing the canister and a torsion spring for reloading the compression spring. The torsion spring is reloaded by rotating the cassette from an open position for delivering aerosol to a closed position.

Abstract: A method for releasing a controlled amount of aerosol medication is disclosed. The method of the invention is preferably used in connection with a portable, battery-powered, hand-held system for releasing a controlled dose of aerosol medication for inhalation by a patient. The inhalation breath flow of the user of the apparatus is monitored and the inhalation flow rate is measured, and inhalation volume is determined as a function of the measured flow rate. The measured flow rate is compared to predetermined minimum and maximum flow rate thresholds, and the determined flow volume is compared to predetermined minimum and maximum flow volume thresholds. When both the measured flow rate and the measured flow volume are between their respective the minimum and maximum thresholds, a signal is provided to release a controlled amount of aerosol.

Abstract: A method of controlling access to a drug in an aerosol drug delivery device by an electronic lock and key means is disclosed. Access is limited to the intended user by providing the intended user with a uniquely coded, machine readable key means that matches the unique code of the lock means. Contacting matching lock and key means signals a controlling means to allow use of the device. Specifically, the method is applied to a method of pain control provided by the intrapulmonary delivery of a pharmaceutically active pain relief formulation. The formulation is automatically released from a hand-held, self-contained, portable device comprised of a means for automatically releasing a measured amount of drug into the inspiratory flow path of a patient in response to information obtained from a means for measuring and separately determining inspiratory flow rate and inspiratory volume of a patient.

Abstract: A method of calibrating the output of a transducer in a flow path through which a medication is delivered from a hand-held metered dose inhaler is disclosed. The transducer senses flow rates of human breath during inhalation and exhalation through a portion of a flow path in the inhaler. The flow rates have two non-linear flow characteristics in opposite directions. The flow path portion provides flow rate measurements representative of flow paths of the entire system. The method makes it possible to precisely calibrate so that precise doses of medication can be repeatedly delivered to a patient by inhalation.

Abstract: A method for correcting the drift offset of a transducer is disclosed which method is used in connection with a portable, battery-powered, hand-held system for releasing a controlled dose of aerosol medication for inhalation by a patient. The device includes a durable body and a medication cassette inserted in the durable body. The body includes a flow sensor having an asymmetrical orifice that is calibrated, independent of the cassette, to convert the sensed pressure due to flow into a flow rate. The orifice is separately calibrated for an inhalation flow rate range and an exhalation flow rate range over a selected number of known flow rates. The sensed pressure value is corrected for transducer offset drift and converted to a flow rate using the calibration data and piecewise linear interpolation.

Abstract: A portable, battery powered, hand-held system for releasing a controlled dose of aerosol medication for inhalation by a patient including a durable body and a medication cassette inserted in the durable body. The cassette includes a housing for containing a canister of medication, bears an identification code, and permits the canister to be manually depressed to release a dose, e.g., a metered dose, when out of the durable body. The durable body includes an actuator mechanism for engaging an inserted cassette and its canister, and an actuator release mechanism for controlling the actuator mechanism to depress the canister for a selected period of time to release the desired dose of medication and then the release the canister. The actuator mechanism, includes a compression spring for depressing the canister and a torsion spring for reloading the compression spring. The torsion spring is reloaded by rotating the cassette from an open position for delivering aerosol to a closed position.

Abstract: An agent gas analyzer that will determine the types and measure simultaneously the concentrations of a plurality of agent gases in a respiratory gas stream of an anesthetized patient, with the analyzer self-determining the agent gas types and concentrations each time gas measurements are made.

Abstract: An agent gas analyzer that will determine the types and measure simultaneously the concentrations of a plurality of agent gases in a respiratory gas stream of an anesthetized patient, with the analyzer self-determining the agent gas types and concentrations each time gas measurements are made.