Abstract: A facemask includes a facemask body, a plurality of electrical contacts and a control circuit. The facemask body has an end including an opening and a skin contact perimeter extending along a periphery of the opening, with the skin contact perimeter configured to sealingly engage with a user's face. Each electrical contact is disposed at a respective region of the skin contact perimeter, and each electrical contact is configured to sense when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face. The control circuit is disposed on the facemask body, and the control circuit is configured to receive a signal from each electrical contact when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face and to initiate output of an audible stimulus and/or a visual stimulus in response to receiving a concurrent signal from all of the plurality of electrical contacts.

Abstract: A facemask includes a facemask body, a plurality of electrical contacts and a control circuit. The facemask body has an end including an opening and a skin contact perimeter extending along a periphery of the opening, with the skin contact perimeter configured to sealingly engage with a user's face. Each electrical contact is disposed at a respective region of the skin contact perimeter, and each electrical contact is configured to sense when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face. The control circuit is disposed on the facemask body, and the control circuit is configured to receive a signal from each electrical contact when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face and to initiate output of an audible stimulus and/or a visual stimulus in response to receiving a concurrent signal from all of the plurality of electrical contacts.

Abstract: A facemask includes a facemask body, a plurality of electrical contacts and a control circuit. The facemask body has an end including an opening and a skin contact perimeter extending along a periphery of the opening, with the skin contact perimeter configured to sealingly engage with a user's face. Each electrical contact is disposed at a respective region of the skin contact perimeter, and each electrical contact is configured to sense when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face. The control circuit is disposed on the facemask body, and the control circuit is configured to receive a signal from each electrical contact when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face and to initiate output of an audible stimulus and/or a visual stimulus in response to receiving a concurrent signal from all of the plurality of electrical contacts.

Abstract: A facemask includes a facemask body, a plurality of electrical contacts and a control circuit. The facemask body has an end including an opening and a skin contact perimeter extending along a periphery of the opening, with the skin contact perimeter configured to sealingly engage with a user's face. Each electrical contact is disposed at a respective region of the skin contact perimeter, and each electrical contact is configured to sense when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face. The control circuit is disposed on the facemask body, and the control circuit is configured to receive a signal from each electrical contact when the respective region of the skin contact perimeter is sealingly engaged with a user's face and to initiate output of an audible stimulus and/or a visual stimulus in response to receiving a concurrent signal from all of the plurality of electrical contacts.

Abstract: A method of determining cleanliness of a manufacturing area is disclosed. The method of determining cleanliness of a manufacturing area comprising swabbing at least one target area within the manufacturing area, placing the swab in a testing apparatus, analyzing for the presence of the at least one substance with the testing apparatus and determining in real time the cleanliness of the manufacturing area.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers include an elongate body and a disk holding a plurality of doses of a dry powder inhalable product. The inhaler also includes a cover member that is pivotably attached to the elongate body so that it remains attached to the body during normal operational periods of use and moves to a first closed position to overlie the inhalation port at the bottom end portion of the body during periods of non-use and moves to a second open position away from the inhalation port during periods of use to allow a user to access the inhalation port.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products flowably process dry powders using a non-linear vibratory signal individualized or customized to a target dry powder undergoing processing to facilitate fluidic flow through a flow channel.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers include an elongate body having opposing first and second outer primary surfaces with a cavity therebetween and having opposing top and bottom end portions and a disk holding a plurality of doses of a dry powder inhalable product located in the cavity of the elongate body. The inhaler also includes an inhalation port, the inhalation port configured to be in fluid communication with at least one of the discrete meted doses during use and a cover member that is pivotably attached to the elongate body so that it remains attached to the body during normal operational periods of use and moves to a first closed position to overlie the inhalation port at the bottom end portion of the body during periods of non-use and moves to a second open position away from the inhalation port during periods of use to allow a user to access the inhalation port.

Abstract: The present invention includes dry powder inhalers for dispensing and/or holding inhalant formulated dry powder substances and associated fabrication and dispensing methods that can employ an amplitude modulated non-linear signal comprising a plurality of superimposed frequencies, the frequencies corresponding to a priori flow characteristic frequencies of the dry powder being dispensed. The present invention also includes pocket-sized inhalers with an elastomeric flexible pivoting cover.

Abstract: Systems for flowably dispensing dry powders include means for generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation whereby first meted quantities of the first dry powder are serially dispensed to a receiving member. Related devices and computer program products for dispensing dry powders are also described.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products flowably dispense meted amounts of dry powders using a flexing piezoelectric layer to transmit a vibratory signal to the dry powder to facilitate fluidic flow through a flow channel. The apparatus for dispensing dry powders can include: (a) an elongate flow channel having a width, length, and depth, the flow channel having axially spaced apart inlet and outlet ports, wherein the elongate flow channel is configured to extend in an angular orientation of between about 10–75 degrees relative to the axial direction of flow; (b) a flexible piezoelectric layer configured to overlie the flow channel so that, in operation, the piezoelectric layer is able to flex upwardly away from the lowermost portion of the underlying flow channel; and (c) a signal generator operatively associated with the piezoelectric layer, wherein, in operation, the signal generator is configured to output a signal for flexing the piezoelectric layer in the elongate flow channel.

Abstract: Methods for flowably dispensing dry powders from a hopper having a dispensing port and a dry powder flow path can include: (a) generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; (b) applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a dispensing hopper having at least one dispensing port while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough; and (c) dispensing a first meted quantity of the first dry powder through the dispensing port to a receiving member. Related devices and computer program products for dispensing dry powders are also described.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers (FIG. 1) with integrated active energy patient assist dispersal systems are configured with control systems which provide adjustable energy output responsive to the user's inspiratory capabilities and/or the flowability of the dry powder being administered. The multi-dose dry drug package (FIG. 2) a piezoelectric polymer substrate which flexes to deform and provide mechanical oscillation in a selected region of the package corresponding to the dry powder drug which is dispersed during inhalation by a user. Control system (FIG. 12) employs fuzzy logic to relate in response to a user's inspiratory effort.

Abstract: The present invention includes dry powder inhalers and associated multi-dose dry powder packages for holding inhalant formulated dry powder substances and associated fabrication and dispensing methods. The multi-dose package can include a platform body comprising at least one thin piezoelectric polymer material layer defining at least a portion of a plurality of spatially separated discrete elongate dry powder channels having an associated length, width and height; and a metallic material attached to selected portions of the piezoelectric polymer material including each of the regions corresponding to the elongate dry powder channels to, in operation, define active energy releasing vibratory channels. In operation, the elongate channels can be selectively individually activated to vibrate upon exposure to an electrical input.

Abstract: Methods for flowably dispensing dry powders from a hopper having a dispensing port and a dry powder flow path can include: (a) generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; (b) applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a dispensing hopper having at least one dispensing port while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough; and (c) dispensing a first meted quantity of the first dry powder through the dispensing port to a receiving member. Related devices and computer program products for dispensing dry powders are also described.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers (FIG. 1) with integrated active energy patient assist dispersal systems are configured with control systems which provide adjustable energy output responsive to the user's inspiratory capabilities and/or the flowability of the dry powder being administered. The multi-dose dry drug package (FIG. 2) a piezoelectric polymer substrate which flexes to deform and provide mechanical oscillation in a selected region of the package corresponding to the dry powder drug which is dispersed during inhalation by a user. Control system (FIG. 12) employs fuzzy logic to relate in response to a user's inspiratory effort.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products flowably process dry powders using a non-linear vibratory signal individualized or customized to a target dry powder undergoing processing to facilitate fluidic flow through a flow channel.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products flowably dispense meted amounts of dry powders using a flexing piezoelectric layer to transmit a vibratory signal to the dry powder to facilitate fluidic flow through a flow channel. The apparatus for dispensing dry powders can include: (a) an elongate flow channel having a width, length, and depth, the flow channel having axially spaced apart inlet and outlet ports, wherein the elongate flow channel is configured to extend in an angular orientation of between about 10-75 degrees relative to the axial direction of flow; (b) a flexible piezoelectric layer configured to overlie the flow channel so that, in operation, the piezoelectric layer is able to flex upwardly away from the lowermost portion of the underlying flow channel; and (c) a signal generator operatively associated with the piezoelectric layer, wherein, in operation, the signal generator is configured to output a signal for flexing the piezoelectric layer in the elongate flow channel.

Abstract: The present invention includes dry powder inhalers and associated multi-dose dry powder packages for holding inhalant formulated dry powder substances and associated fabrication and dispensing methods. The multi-dose package can include a platform body comprising at least one thin piezoelectric polymer material layer defining at least a portion of a plurality of spatially separated discrete elongate dry powder channels having an associated length, width and height; and a metallic material attached to selected portions of the piezoelectric polymer material including each of the regions corresponding to the elongate dry powder channels to, in operation, define active energy releasing vibratory channels. In operation, the elongate channels can be selectively individually activated to vibrate upon exposure to an electrical input.