Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Other

Harvard College

Constantinos Sioutas

Petros Koutrakis

Jack M Wolfson

Peng-Yau Wang

Robert K Schultz

Methods and apparatus for the continuous monitoring of ambient particulate mass in a gas sample encompassing the monitoring of PM.sub.10, (particulate matter greater than 10 .mu.m) and coarse particles (2.5 to 10 .mu.m), the determination of the size distribution of particles, the determination of particle density and the determination of particle-bound water, utilizing such laboratory equipment as an inertial impactor, a virtual impactor, diffusion dryer(s), HEPA filter(s), particulate matter collector(s), and pressure transducer(s).

Methods and apparatus for continuous ambient particulate mass monitoring

A hand held aerosol actuator involving an aerosol source and a chamber having walls defining a constriction aperture. The aerosol source communicates with the chamber and directs an aerosol dose along an axis into the chamber. The constriction aperture is coaxial with the exit orifice and is dimensioned such that the respirable mass of the aerosol dose is increased relative to the respirable mass of an aerosol dose expelled through a like actuator not having the constriction aperture.

Aerosol actuator

An actuator for use in inhalation therapy comprising a nozzle .block having an orifice and at least one bleed hole, a deagglomeration chamber, and an exit chamber, together configured as a means for increasing the respirable fraction of an aerosol formulation. This invention also provides an actuator as described above in combination with an aerosol canister comprising a pharmaceutical formulation, and a method of administering a pharmaceutical formulation via inhalation therapy. The actuator finds particular use in improving the respirable fraction of drug in aerosol formulations. The actuator also retains non-respirable particles, thus reducing the amount of drug that is inadvertently administered orally.

Aerosol actuator having a linearly arranged canister receiving cavity,

Apparatus for measuring the amount of particulate matter in a gas having a gas supply, a first particulate matter collector downstream of the gas supply and in gaseous communication with the gas supply, and a second particulate matter collector downstream of the gas supply and in gaseous communication with the gas supply. Gas from the gas supply to the second particular matter collector is passed through a particle remover to remove particulate matter prior to contact of gas from the gas supply with the second particulate matter collector. A pressure sensor is provided to measure differential pressure between the first particulate matter collector and the second particulate matter collector, and at least one pump to cause gas to pass from the gas supply to the first particulate matter collector and the second particulate matter collector.

Method and apparatus to measure particulate matter in gas

An actuator for use in inhalation therapy comprising a nozzle block having an orifice and at least one bleed hole, a deagglomeration chamber, and an exit chamber, together configured as a means for increasing the respirable fraction of an aerosol formulation. This invention also provides an actuator as described above in combination with an aerosol canister comprising a pharmaceutical formulation, and a method of administering a pharmaceutical formulation via inhalation therapy. The actuator finds particular use in improving the respirable fraction of drug in aerosol formulations. The actuator also retains non-respirable particles, thus reducing the amount of drug that is inadvertently administered orally.

An actuator for use in inhalation therapy comprising a nozzle block having an orifice and at least one bleed hole, a conduit chamber, a deagglomeration chamber, and an exit chamber, together configured as a means for increasing the respirable fraction of an aerosol formulation. This invention also provides an actuator as described above in combination with an aerosol canister comprising a pharmaceutical formulation, and a method of administering a pharmaceutical formulation via inhalation therapy. The actuator finds particular use in improving the respirable fraction of drug in aerosol formulations. The actuator also retains non-respirable particles, thus reducing the amount of drug that is inadvertently administered orally.

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Boston, MA, United States of America

Constantinos Sioutas