| abstract |
The present invention provides a linear form droplet delivery device and related methods for administering accurate and reproducible pulmonary doses to a subject. The linear form droplet dispenser includes a housing, a mouthpiece, a reservoir, an ejector mechanism, and at least one differential pressure sensor. The droplet delivery device is automatically actuated by the user's breathing when the differential pressure sensor detects a predefined pressure change within the housing. The droplet delivery device is then actuated to generate a cloud of droplets having an average diameter of ejected droplets located in a particle size spectrum of respirable particles, for example, less than about 5 μm, so as to target the pulmonary system of the user. The droplet delivery device is designed in a linear form providing a substantially linear or parallel orientation of the housing, its internal components, and various components of the device (e.g., the mouthpiece, the flow element). air inlet, etc., for example, along the air flow path), so that a small portable device can be obtained. |