"AEROSOL THERAPY APPARATUS"

[0001] The present invention concerns an aerosol therapy apparatus of the type comprising an aerosol body and a motor-compressor group housed in the aerosol body and suitable for drawing air from the environment and sending compressed air into a delivery conduit connectable to a connection tube to a mouthpiece for aerosol therapy.

[0002] Especially in the pediatric field, aerosol therapy apparatuses are already known, having one portion, usually a top wall, configured to receive bricks that may be interlocked together, such as Lego® bricks, so as to distract the child with a playful activity while the therapy is performed.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to propose an aerosol therapy apparatus of the type described above which is even more attractive to children without sacrificing the performance typical of a traditional apparatus .

[0004] Such object is achieved by means of an aerosol therapy apparatus according to claim 1. The dependent claims describe preferred or advantageous embodiments of the apparatus .

[0005] The features and advantages of the device according to the invention will, however, become evident from the description hereinafter of their preferred embodiments, provided by way of indicative and non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

- figure 1 is a perspective view of parts of the aerosol therapy apparatus according to the invention, at the assembly stage;

- figure 2 is a perspective view of only the compressor module of the apparatus;

figure 3 is a perspective view of the assembled apparatus;

- figure 4 is another perspective view of the apparatus, in a configuration with the accessory compartment open; and

- figure 5 is another perspective view of the apparatus, to which an aerosol therapy mouthpiece is connected.

[0006] In said drawings, an aerosol therapy apparatus according to the invention has been indicated collectively at 1.

[0007] In accordance with a general embodiment, the apparatus 1 comprises an aerosol body 10 and a motor- compressor module 20 housed in a module seat 102 obtained in the aerosol body 10.

[0008] The motor-compressor module 20 comprises an electric motor and a compressor member actuatable by an electric motor to draw air from the environment through an intake conduit 202 and to send compressed air into a delivery conduit 204 connectable to a connection tube 206 for connection to a mouthpiece for aerosol therapy 207.

[0009] The motor-compressor module 20 is therefore a monobloc device that integrates, in a module body 208, all the pneumatic and electrical functions necessary for the operation of the aerosol apparatus.

[0010] Advantageously, the motor-compressor module 20 has a very compact shape, for example parallelepipedal , of small dimensions.

[0011] In one embodiment, the module body 208 provides a water- and dust-tight seal to protect the internal components .

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, the aerosol body 10 is made exclusively of interlocking bricks 30, for example those produced by Lego®.

[0013] Each of such bricks 30 has at least one male side provided with at least one coupling stud 31 and at least one female side provided with coupling cavities 32 suitable to receive with calibrated interference one or more studs of at least one adjacent brick.

[0014] For example, the aerosol body 10 has a substantially parallelepipedal shape comprising a base 110, side walls 114, 118 and a top wall 112.

[0015] In one embodiment, the side walls 114, 118 are connected to each other by vertical uprights 122, for example of a rounded shape so as to avoid sharp edges, which are also made from one or more interlocking bricks 30.

[0016] In the module body 208 of the motor-compressor module 20 at least one coupling portion 210 is made, shaped so as to interlock into a corresponding portion of the module seat 102.

[0017] In other words, even the motor-compressor module 20 is configured as an interlocking brick element that may be interlocked to other bricks 30 of the aerosol body 10 that delimit the module seat 102.

[0018] For example, the module body 208 has a substantially parallelepipedal shape defining a module base 208' and a top wall 208". In one embodiment, the coupling portion of the module body 208 is made in the module base 208' and/or in the top wall 208".

[0019] For example, the base 110 of the aerosol body defines a bottom wall of the module seat 102 and has a top end provided with coupling studs 31; the module body 208 has a module base 208' in at least one portion of which coupling cavities 32 are made suitable to receive the coupling studs 31 of the base 110.

[0020] In one embodiment, the aerosol body 10 has a top wall 112 that defines an upper wall of the module seat 102 and that has a lower side equipped with coupling cavities 32. As an alternative, or in addition, to the coupling portion obtained in the bottom wall, the module body 208 has a top wall 208" at least one portion of which is equipped with coupling studs 31 suitable for inserting into the coupling cavities 32 of the upper wall of the module seat 102.

[0021] Naturally, the coupling between the motor-compressor module 20 and the aerosol body 10 may also be obtained, alternatively or additionally, through the respective side walls.

[0022] In one embodiment, at least one air inlet/outlet window 116 is obtained in an external wall 114 of the aerosol body 10. The motor-compressor module 20 is positioned in the module seat 102 in such a way that the intake conduit 202 and the delivery conduit 204 flow into and flush with such air inlet/outlet window 116. In other words, the wall of the motor-compressor module into which the intake and delivery conduits flow is substantially coplanar with the outer wall 114 of the aerosol body 10.

[0023] It should be noted that, in one embodiment, the intake conduit 202 is equipped with a filter 202' .

[0024] In one embodiment, the motor-compressor module 20 is provided with a user-operated electric on/off switch 210. In a wall 118 of the aerosol body 10, a switch window 120 is obtained, which allows access to the electrical switch 210. Also, in this case, preferably the electrical switch 210 completely engages the switch window 120 in order to prevent the passage of external agents inside the aerosol body.

[0025] In one embodiment, in the aerosol body 10 an accessory compartment 130 is obtained suitable to house the connection tube and the mouthpiece when not in use. The accessory compartment 130 may be closed by a door 132 hinged to the aerosol body 10, for example, to the top wall 112.

[0026] In one embodiment, the motor-compressor module 20 is powered by the mains voltage. For such object, a further opening may be made in the aerosol body for the passage of the power cable 211 connected to the motor-compressor module 20.

[0027] In one variant embodiment, the electric motor is powered by batteries.

[0028] It should be noted that, with the exception of windows for the pneumatic connection and for switching the motor-compressor module on/off, the aerosol body 10 is completely closed externally. This aerosol body 10 is therefore configured as a shell that encloses and protects the motor-compressor module 20.

[0029] The aerosol body 10 may be assembled by the child like any other brick toy that may be interlocked together. Therefore, the young patient sees the medical device as a toy and has less resistance to undergoing treatment .

[0030] Nevertheless, the motor-compressor module 20 has performance comparable to that offered by a traditional aerosol apparatus.

[0031] The motor-compressor module 20, once coupled to the aerosol body, remains fixed in position.

[0032] To the embodiments of the device according to the invention, one skilled in the art may, to satisfy contingent needs, make modifications, adaptations and replacements of elements with others that are functionally equivalent, without departing from the scope of the following claims. Each of the features described as belonging to a possible embodiment may be implemented independently from the other described embodiments.