US 12,331,732 B2
Simulated respiratory tract
Pierre Herve, Daillens (CH); Shoaib Majeed, Neuchatel (CH); and Sandro Steiner, Schonbuhl (CH)
Assigned to Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchatel (CH)
Appl. No. 16/631,312
Filed by PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS S.A., Neuchatel (CH)
PCT Filed Jul. 13, 2018, PCT No. PCT/EP2018/069091
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 15, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/016094, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 24, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 17181667 (EP), filed on Jul. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0209219 A1, Jul. 2, 2020
Int. Cl. F04B 39/10 (2006.01); A61M 16/00 (2006.01); F04B 25/00 (2006.01); F04B 39/00 (2006.01); F04B 41/06 (2006.01); G09B 23/28 (2006.01); G09B 23/30 (2006.01); G09B 23/32 (2006.01)
CPC F04B 39/10 (2013.01) [A61M 16/0057 (2013.01); A61M 16/006 (2014.02); A61M 16/0072 (2013.01); F04B 25/00 (2013.01); F04B 39/0016 (2013.01); F04B 41/06 (2013.01); G09B 23/288 (2013.01); G09B 23/30 (2013.01); G09B 23/32 (2013.01); A61M 2016/0027 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3368 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for determining the interaction between a test atmosphere and a simulated respiratory tract, said system comprising:
(a) a first pump comprising:
(i) a chamber configured for containing a first volume of gas comprising a test atmosphere;
(ii) a first port adapted for receiving and outputting gas and comprising a valve for regulating the flow of gas through the first port, said valve being moveable between open and closed positions, wherein in the open position said valve is openable towards a test atmosphere or surrounding air;
(iii) a second port adapted for outputting and receiving gas and comprising a valve for regulating the flow of gas through the second port, said valve being moveable between open and closed positions;
(iv) a piston plate in the chamber, said piston plate comprising one or more apertures for the uptake or inflow of gas into the chamber wherein one or more, or each, of the apertures include a valve that is movable between open and closed positions and is capable of regulating the uptake or inflow of gas; and
(v) a motor for controlling the operation of the first pump;
(b) a second pump comprising:
(i) a chamber configured for containing a second volume of gas, wherein the first and second volumes of gas are different;
(ii) a port adapted for receiving and outputting gas; and
(iii) a motor for controlling the operation of the second pump;
(c) a connecting structure operable to transmit the gas from the first pump into the second pump; and
(d) one or more openings in the first pump or the second pump or the walls of the connecting structure or a combination of two or more thereof, said one or more openings being capable of receiving a module for containing a cell culture medium or for monitoring conditions in the chamber or for gas sampling or for gas characterization.