US 12,251,211 B2
Disposable combined device with antimicrobial filter and flowmeter, for use in spirometry
Paolo Brugnoli, Pavona di Albano (IT); and Simone Chiorboli, Pavona di Albano (IT)
Assigned to COSMED S.R.L., Rome (IT)
Filed by COSMED S.r.l., Rome (IT)
Filed on Aug. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/393,906.
Claims priority of application No. 20189563 (EP), filed on Aug. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0039688 A1, Feb. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 5/087 (2006.01); B01D 46/00 (2022.01); B01D 46/54 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 5/087 (2013.01) [B01D 46/0028 (2013.01); B01D 46/543 (2013.01); A61B 2560/0285 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A combined antimicrobial filter and flowmeter device, entirely disposable, the device comprising:
a tubular body, defining a cavity for the passage of an airflow, the tubular body having
an inlet end portion configured to engage the mouth of a user,
an opposite outlet end portion that is substantially coaxial with the inlet end portion, and
an intermediate portion having an enlarged diameter with respect to the inlet end portion and the outlet end portion;
a filtering membrane disposed inside said intermediate portion of enlarged diameter, to filter the entire airflow that passes through said tubular body;
a pressure differential generator member that is a membrane parallel to and spaced apart from said filtering membrane, inside said intermediate portion of enlarged diameter, said pressure differential generator member being configured to generate a pressure differential, in the entire airflow that passes through said tubular body, between an upstream side and a downstream side of said pressure differential generator member, with reference to the direction of the airflow; and
two outlets defined by said tubular body and communicating, respectively, with two chambers defined in the cavity of said tubular body, respectively, upstream and downstream of said pressure differential generator member,
wherein said intermediate portion of enlarged diameter is a discoidal shell comprising an outer cylindrical wall and two opposed bell-shaped portions, connecting the outer cylindrical wall, respectively, with the two inlet and outlet end portions of said tubular body,
said membrane defining said pressure differential generator member is a discoidal pressure differential generating network of plastic material and is located, together with said filtering membrane, inside said discoidal shell of enlarged diameter,
the tubular body comprises
a first element of plastic material comprising, in one piece, the inlet end portion and one of the conical bell-shaped portions, and
a second element of plastic material comprising, in one piece, the outlet end portion and the other of the conical bell-shaped portions,
said filtering membrane has an outer peripheral edge fixed to said cylindrical wall of the discoidal shell, while said pressure differential generating network has an outer peripheral edge fixed to an inner annular lip of the other bell-shaped portion of the discoidal shell, the inner annular lip extending into the cavity from an inner surface of the other bell-shaped portion, inner annular lip being coaxial to said cylindrical wall.