| 摘要 |
<p>An improved aerosol chamber (32) for an ultrasonic nebulizer (30) which prevents relatively large medicament droplets from being inhaled by a patient. The chamber (32) has a housing (56) formed from a polycarbonate resin and is generally cylindrically shaped with a spherical top surface (38). The chamber includes an air inlet (39) formed in the top surface (39) and an aerosol outlet (40) formed in a side surface. A centrally located mist tube (42) extends coaxial from the air intake downardly past the aerosol outlet (40). A longitudinally extending slot (45) is formed in the mist tube (42) facing the side surface of the housing (56) diametrically opposite the outlet (40). The slot (45) extends from a lower edge of the tube (42) upwardly toward the air intake (39). A geyser baffle (43) is disposed at an angle within the mist tube (42) above the slot (45) to deflect larger droplets away from the slot (45). The baffle (43) includes an upper edge (47) spaced from an adjacent inner surface (49) of the mist tube (42) to define a relatively small gap (50) to allow inlet air to flow through the mist tube (42). The air flow entrains nebulized medicament droplets, flows through the slot (45) and through an annular space between the mist tube (42) and the housing (56) to the outlet (40). The annular space creates a cyclone effect which causes larger droplets to condense on the interior walls (55) of the housing (56). <IMAGE></p> |
