US2840417A - Nebulizing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1958 J. w. DORSAK ETAL 2,840,417

NEBULIZINGAPPARATUS Filed Feb. 12, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOHN W. RSAK' BY THOMAS F. N DENBERG June 24, 1958 v J, w. DORSAK ETAL 2,840,417

NEBULIZING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v @r- I w '1 INVENTOR.

JOHN w. DORSAK THOMAS E VAN DENBERG 1 BY v I ogimomsfi o o I THEIR ATTO EYS 2,340,417 NEBULIzING APPARATUS John W. Dorsak, Lyndhurst, and Thomas F. Van Denherg, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, assignors to The Gordon Armstrong" Company, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, at corporation of Ohio Application February 12, 1957, Serial No. 639,662

4 Claims. 01. 299-86) The present invention relates to a nebulizing apparatus and, more particularly, to improvements in a nebulizer for introducing a fine liquid mist or spray into a gas being admitted to an incubator holding an infant;

Nebulizing means has been previously used for admixing a water spray with oxygen as it flows into an incubator, but none to our knowledge has the advantages of the present nebulizer. It is possible with the nebulizer of this invention to elfect a separation between the finer or lighter globules or particles "and the'heavier particles of the nebulized mist, so that only the finer globules are entrained in the oxygen or other gas passing to the incubator. Additionally, the oxygen maybe diluted with another gas in order that the amount of oxygen ultimately reaching the incubator may be varied.

The present nebulizing apparatus has simplified construction, the entire nebulizing mechanism bein carried on or forming part of a head assembly which thereby facilitates a quick assembly and disassembly of the entire nebulizing apparatus. Our nebulizing apparatus also has a safety provision to insure a continuous liquid supply for the nebulizing means, the failure of which might otherwise result in possible serious harm to an'infant in the incubator. I The present nebulizer does not require recirculation of the atmosphere of the incubator in order to obtain a desired composition of oxygen and/ or water in theatmosph'ere. Further, the present nebulizer is adapted for secure, non-rotatable attachment to an incubator. g t

In one form, for example, our nebulizing apparatus includes a cup-shaped container having a detachable, nebulizing head assembly. The head assembly has an aspirating nozzle through which oxygen or another gas is discharged into the container. The action of the nozzle attracts a liquid from a reservoir in the container through a plurality of conduits to the nozzle toprovide a nebulized or atomized spray. The sameaction may also inducea flow of air or other gas through a regulated opening in the head assembly to dilute the oxygen in the container as desired; In any event, the discharge of the nozzle impinges against a curvedbaffle to scatter the globules or particles of the nebulized mist throughout the container; The finer globules pass through 'an outlet :in the nebulizer head assembly, and the heavier particles settle in the container to mix with the supply liquid in the reservoir.

ired States Patent The principal object of the present invention is to on a head assembly which is adapted toseat in an openended container of generally cup-shaped construction. 3

Other objects and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description which is directed to one embodiment of the invention and limit the claims. 7

On the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present nebulizing apparatus attached to an incubator;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the nebulizing apparatus of Figure l; g i V Figure 3 is a section of Figure 2. on the line 3-3; Figure 4 is a section of Figure 3 on the line 4-4;

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of a plate cover of the head assembly and show a regulator in difierent positions in order to vary the admission of a diluting gas to the nebulizer;

Figure 7 is a section of Figure3 on the line 7--7; Figure 8 is a perspective view in an atomizer nozzle; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the nebulizing apparatus secured to another type of incubator.

Referring to the drawings, the nebulizing apparatus generally indicated at 10 may be secured to any type of incubator, such as the incubator 11 in Figure l or the knurled bolts 17 which bear against the sides of the i container 14 and hold the head 13 and container 14 together. 'A raised portion 18 on the head assembly defines an outlet or exit 19 which preferably communicates with a pair of outlet openings 20 (Figure 7). The head assembly 13 also has a generally cylindrical recess 21 provided with a circular opening 22.which leads into the container 14. A wire 23 extendin gthrough a rubber ball 24 has its ends turned and embedded in a circumferential rim 25 about the opening 22.

A plate 26 covers the recess 21 and carries atomizing means generally indicated at 27 and a regulator 28' for controlling the admission of a second gas. The atomizing means 27 includes a tubular piece 29 which passes through an opening 30 in the plate 26 up to an enlarged threaded portion 29a. Rigid tubes 31 are bent to extend one leg through the sides of the tubular piece 29, to which the leg may be soldered, so that the bore of the piece 29 is reached as shown in Figure 4. Just above the entry of the tubes 31 in thebore of the nozzle or tubular piece 29, there is a round torus-shaped rubber seal or O ring 55 which rests within a suitable circumferential groove in the tube 34. This ringseals the annular area between the nozzle 29 and the tube 34 against leaks in an upward direction as viewed in Figure 3. Any serious leak'of gas at this upper end of the tubular piece 29 would affect the aspirating action and the proper suction and supply of the liquid to be nebulized. Since coupling nut 37 and flange 36a on the coupling 36 together with the threaded portion 29a do not usually form an airtight seal and as the bore of the nozzle 29 connects directly with this joint,

omission, of the 0 ring seal may adversely atfect the V aspiration of any liquid through the tubes 33 and 31 to the atomizing apparatus. 7

Flexible tubes 33 extend through openings 32 in the recess 21 on opposite sides of the main circular opening. 1 22 to fit over. the ends of the other legs of the rigid tubes 31. This allows removal of the plate 26 fromthe casting without making it necessary to disconnect thetwo Patented June'2 4,

is not intended to a of a tube and tip-used 4 t be hich. an spira io sin 4: ha e fi ed as-bg soldering- (Figure 8 fits concentrically within,

he ubu ar r e el h l a a li ht pacing: etween th Walls ot the tube 34 and, tubular-piece 29 for the flow .of

a, liquid aspirated;tothe atomizing means through the.

tubes 33 and 31. The tube 34 and a concentric bushing '35 are soldered to each other and to 3 coupling 36. A couplingnut; 3 7 abuts against aflange 36a on the coupling 36 and has threads to engage, the, threaded portion 29a to hold the parts inassstmbly. Similar1y,1'a threaded elbow. 38 connects at one end to an internally threaded hereof the coupling 3 6;andis internally threaded itself at the other end-to receive a hose connector 3Jover which a flexible hose 40 fits;

Theresulator 28. includes a metal strip 41 folded about and riveted to a plastic=spacer block 42. A pivot .pin 43 passes between the bight of the folded strip 41'and the blockj42. The ends, of-the pin 43 are soldered or otherw ld to the plate 26'adjacent anopening or-inlet in Figure 3,tso.that at least some air is always admitted. The, plate has a pair of openings to pass a pair or knurled thumb scr'eivs41 which screw into threaded opcnings inboss portions. 46 in the recess 21 and thereby hold the. 9161026. to the head assembly 13. The thumb screws 47 areheld to the plate 26 by retaining rings to prevent the thumb screws. from becomingjlost.

In practice, an adaptor bracket secures the nebulizing apparatus to an incubator as illustrated in Figures 1 and 9.

In each case, the bracket has an upper plate portion 48 in. which two. tubes 49 are fixed (Figure 3), a depending skirt portion 50, and two; forked legs 51;which extend from the skirt portion'to support the container 14 along its .bottom: A knurled lock screw 52 passes through a nebulizing apparatus're'latively to an incubator.

A gas such as oxygen passes through the flexible hose and the described coupling parts, through the tube 34, and then outthe lower tip of the tubular piece 29. In accordance with known principles, the rarified atmosphere between the walls of the tubular piece 29 and the tube 34 causes a liquid 53such as water to rise from a reservoirin the container 14 through the tubes 33 and 31 and to pass concurrently with the direction of the {low ofoxygen around the tube 34 and out the lower tip of .the tubular piece*29 as an atomized mist. The discharge of the atomizing'me'ans strikes the convexly curved surface of the baflle ball 24 which has theefiect of nebulizing 26 by locating the tubular piece or nozzle 29 in the opening 22 of the head assembly 13. This action is thus a secondary aspiration created by the discharge from the tubular piece 29 through the opening 22. The amount of aspiration is controlled mainly by the location of the convexly curved surface of the ball 24 with reference to the opening 22 and the discharging nozzle or tubular piece 29. Within limits aspiration efliciency may be increased by moving the ball 24 closer to the openthreaded. opening in the. raised portion 18 of the-head assembly .to bear against the tubes 49 (Figure 7) and thereby secure the parts to eachjothcr. The use of the two tubes 49 prevents turning or other movement'of the ay b ta 0 Pe e the regulator28may be marked to show this value when ing 22 and nozzle 29. The variation at this point is critical. Aspirating etficiency may also be increased within limits by reducing the opening 22 or opening 44 or by changing the location of the nozzle 29 with respect to the opening 22. Variations at these points are not critical as a large change, is required to produce a very small change in aspirating efficiency. It is this secondary aspiration which is used and controlled to produce a proper dilution of the gas-mist mixture with a second gas. The apparatus is designed so that the dilution is within controllable limits, for example, a predetermined minimum ofjoxy gen inthe mist passed to the incubator One side of the plate 41 of the regulator is turned back as illustrated in Figure 6. For certain emergenci es, however, it is necessary greatly to increase the. oxygen content. In the present apparatus, the regulator 28 ismerely flipped about the pin 43 to at least partially cover the opening 44 so that the admission of the diluting gas. is decreased. The strip 41 may be marked with suitable indicia to indicate this position of, Operation as illustrated in Figure 5. In each case the efficiency ofthe present nebulizing apparatus is such. that a single one-pass flow of oxygen through the nebulizer achieves the concentration of water and oxygen desired in the admixture which passes to the incubator. It is, therefore, not necessary to recirculate the atmosphere of theineubator to. obtain desired concentrations.

If at anytime a. tube 33 conducting water to the nebuliz'ing means becomes plugged, no emergency is created. in the. present nebulizer since the remaining tube 23is of a sulficient capacity to provide enough liquid to .insure a safe; continued supply of a nebulized mist for Between periods of use, the nebulizer is elements are on the head-assembly 13, and the apparatus T quickly reassembled for further use.

The apparatus described herein is susceptible ofconsiderable variation without departing from the spirit of ourcinvention, and' therefore the invention is claimed broadly. asindicated by the appended claims.

and scattering the globules or particles thrcughout' the container 14,-above the liquid level andbelow the outlet 19 The heavy" particles gravitate or settlejback to. the.

, liquid 53; tobe-renebulized, while thefincr or lighter particlespasswith the oxygen throughthe outlets 19 and 20 into an incubator. Placing the, baiilc 2r-lbelow the outlet 19 improves the nebulizirig and the degree of separation between the lighter and heavier particles. 1

Duringthis time, theopening 44 may be uncovered,

i that is, the regulator-"28 may occupy the position shown in Figure 6. Accordingly; a second gas such as airmay be-induced into the containerz14 bythe described fiow of oxygen so that the oxygen becomes diluted' within the container. 1 When a mixture of gas and atomized mist HavingZthus described our invention, what we claim open end of the cup-shaped receptacle, said head having ariloutlet opening an aspirating nozzle carried by the head assembly. pointed into the receptacle and having a passage for the travel of afirst gas therethrough, means to conduct liquid from said reservoir to the aspirating nozzle undert he action of said travel of the gas to discharge intotlie receptacle a nebulized stream of globules of the liquid in the gas, ar inlet opening provided in the remoyable headassembly to admita second gas induced into thfe receptacle by the-action of the nozzle to dilute the first gas in the receptacle, and a battle supported by said headassembly below the nozzle and in the path of said stream, said jbaifie having a spherical surface-against which the streamimpinges to distribute the nebulized globules throu'ghout'thecontainer and allow the finer V 5 globules to pass together with said first and second gases through the outlet opening of the head and to allow the heavier globules to gravitate back to the liquid reservoir to be renebulized.

2. Nebulizing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to conduct liquid from the reservoir to the aspirating nozzle includes a plurality of tubes so that clogging of one tube does not interfere with the continuous action of the nebulizer.

3. Nebulizing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including means to regulate the size of said inlet opening to vary the amount of dilution of the first gas by the second gas.

4. Nebulizing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including means to regulate the size of said inlet opening comprising a cover mounted on the head assembly for pivoting about an axis adjacent said inlet opening so that the cover may expose the entire inlet opening or at least partially overlie said opening to vary the amount of dilution of the first gas by the second gas.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,274,669 Curry Mar. 3, 1942 2,709,577 Pohndorf et al May 31, 1955 2,720,387 Dorsak Oct. 11, 1955

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