Medical sprayers for high-speed drug delivery

Abstract

The present invention provides a sprayer that atomizes a liquid formulation and quickly delivers an aerosol spray to the user through inhalation. [Solution] The sprayer 10 includes a jar 20 having a compressed gas passage. A jet 30 cooperating with the jar has a nozzle 32 that discharges a liquid formulation and compressed gas to form an aerosol flow. A cap 40 is connected to the jar to define an internal chamber 42. The cap includes an entrainment port 44 for ambient room air and an entrainment chimney 46 that is in fluid communication with the entrainment port and the internal chamber. Adjacent to the entrainment chimney, a deflector base 50 having an impact member is positioned at a predetermined distance below the opening 56A of the entrainment chimney to provide an ambient room airflow that entrains the aerosol flow in order to increase the spray velocity while maintaining a desired aerosol particle size.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 540,225, filed on August 2, 2017, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to aerosol delivery devices, and more particularly to medical nebulizers configured to rapidly spray a liquid formulation into an aerosol spray inhaled by a patient.

Background Art

[0003] Medical nebulizers are used to aerosolize liquid formulations that are inhaled by a user. An aerosol is generated through a spraying process that disperses fine droplets of the liquid formulation into a gaseous fluid stream. The aerosolized drug can then be delivered into the airways of the user's lungs, which can be very useful for medical treatment due to the high permeability of the lungs. Thus, the drug inhaled into the lungs can easily enter the user's bloodstream and disperse throughout the rest of the user's body.

[0004] The medicinal aerosol particles produced by medical nebulizers must be sized appropriately to provide a safe and effective treatment for the user. Typically, a user is considered able to inhale aerosol particles having an aerodynamic diameter of 1 - 5 micrometers. Many conventional medical nebulizers produce aerosol particles having an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2 micrometers, which causes the particles to deposit in the alveoli of the user's lungs. Other conventional medical nebulizers produce aerosol particles having an aerodynamic diameter of more than 5 micrometers, which causes the particles to deposit on the surface of the upper airway instead of reaching the lungs. To ensure that medicinal aerosol particles deposit within the user's lower airways during inhalation, the ideal respirable particle size range for aerosol particles is 1 micrometer to 5 micrometers.

[0005] To reduce the overall treatment time for users and maximize clinician workflows, a high spray rate is often desirable. However, conventional nebulizers that rapidly generate aerosols cannot maintain the beneficial particle size distribution of the aerosolized drug. This is because increasing the spray rate of such conventional nebulizers often results in aerosol particles that are too large for users to inhale safely and effectively. There is a significant mismatch between the spray rate of conventional nebulizers and the size of the corresponding breathable aerosol particles they produce.

[0006] Furthermore, some conventional sprayers incorporate indoor air during the spraying process, but this requires the user to make an effort to inhale the indoor air through the sprayer. The user's effort to increase the airflow into the sprayer depends on the user's health, including lung capacity and stamina, and relying on such user effort may result in varying levels of effectiveness. Consequently, users in poor health often cannot effectively incorporate a sufficient amount of indoor air into such conventional sprayers. In addition, users who rely on conventional sprayers that incorporate indoor air during the spraying process often suffer adverse effects such as a reduced rate of liquid consumption in the sprayer's jar and liquid formulations leaking through the incorporation channel and spraying onto the user's hands and face. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for improved nebulizers that have a high-speed spray delivery rate to shorten user treatment time, thus aiding user compliance and improving clinician workflow efficiency. It is even more desirable to rapidly spray aerosols from the nebulizer while maintaining a beneficial aerosol particle size distribution of 1–5 micrometers for targeted lower respiratory tract deposition. Furthermore, there is a need for medical nebulizers that do not cause adverse effects such as reduced liquid consumption in the jar and spraying of liquid formulations outside the nebulizer through accompanying pathways. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above needs are largely met by the present disclosure, which has a sprayer configured to atomize a liquid formulation inhaled by a user. The sprayer may include a jar that defines a reservoir configured to hold the liquid formulation and a compressed gas passage configured to receive a flow of compressed gas. The compressed gas passage terminates at a nozzle defined by the jar and jet, from which the liquid formulation and compressed gas are discharged to form an aerosol flow having the liquid formulation entrained in the compressed gas. The jar is connected to a cap that defines an internal chamber within the sprayer. The cap may include an entrainment port configured to provide an inlet for ambient room airflow, an entrainment chimney having a first opening that fluidly communicates with the entrainment port and a second opening that fluidly communicates with an internal chamber, and together with the entrainment port, defining an entrainment path for ambient room air, and a deflector base that is positioned at a predetermined distance below the second opening of the entrainment chimney and defines at least one entrainment vent configured to provide ambient room airflow into the internal chamber to increase the spray velocity of the atomizer, the at least one entrainment vent configured to quickly entrain ambient room air into the aerosol flow to form an ambient air-entrained aerosol spray that is inhaled by the user.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the cap may further include an impact member extending from a deflector base, configured to further atomize particles in the aerosol stream to prevent exhaled air from the user from carrying the liquid formulation out of the sprayer through the accompanying port via the accompanying pathway.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, at least one accompanying vent has a height greater than 0 inches and less than or equal to about 0.45 inches.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, at least one accompanying vent has a height of about 0.12 inches.

[0012] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a plurality of support fins connect the deflector base to the accompanying chimney.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, each of at least one accompanying vent is provided between adjacent support fins.

[0014] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the impact member includes a hemispherical surface.

[0015] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the center of the impact member is aligned with the axis of the nozzle.

[0016] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the flow axis of the accompanying port is substantially perpendicular to the flow axis of the accompanying chimney.

[0017] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the accompanying port is further configured to provide an inhalation path.

[0018] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the accompanying port is further configured to provide an exhalation pathway.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the cap may further include an aerosol outlet configured to connect to a user interface for outputting an aerosol flow to the user.

[0020] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the aerosol outlet is configured to be detachably connected to a user interface.

[0021] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the user interface is a mouthpiece or a breathing mask.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the aerosol outlet further includes a saliva capture unit configured to capture saliva from the user's mouth during inhalation and exhalation.

[0023] According to another aspect of this disclosure, the cap is detachably connected to the jar.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the deflector base can include a disk.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the companion port is configured to connect to a PEEP valve or a filter.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the companion chimney includes a longitudinal axis that aligns with the longitudinal axis of the injection port.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the companion chimney is generally tubular.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the particles in the aerosol stream have an aerodynamic diameter of 1 to 5 microns for targeted deposition in the lower airway.

[0029] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the nebulizer is configured to continuously spray a liquid formulation during the user's inhalation and exhalation.

[0030] As described above, some embodiments of the present disclosure in this specification have been outlined to better understand the detailed description of some embodiments of the present disclosure and to better understand the contribution of the present invention to the art. Hereinafter, further embodiments of the present disclosure that form the subject matter of the claims appended to this specification will be described.

[0031] In this regard, before describing in detail at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of the structures and the arrangements of the components shown in the following description or drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and can be implemented and executed in various forms. Also, the expressions and terms used in this specification, as well as the summary, are for the purpose of explanation and should not be construed as limiting.

[0032] Accordingly, those skilled in the art will understand that the underlying concepts of this disclosure can be readily used as a design basis for other structures, methods, and systems to achieve the purposes of this disclosure. Therefore, it is important to consider that the claims include such equivalent structures, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0033] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing an apparatus according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the apparatus in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing the apparatus of Figure 2 in one or more further embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3a] Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing the apparatus in Figure 2 along line 4-4. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing the apparatus in Figure 2 along line 5-5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0034] The present disclosure will be described below with reference to drawings in which the same parts are indicated by the same reference numerals throughout. One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide a respiratory-enhanced medical nebulizer 10 for rapid drug delivery, as shown through Figures 1 to 5. The nebulizer 10 is configured to aerosolize a liquid formulation into an aerosol spray or mist for safe and effective inhalation by a user, such as a patient. The nebulizer 10 includes a jar 20 configured to hold the liquid formulation, a jet 30 configured to work in cooperation with the jar 20, and a cap 40 configured to be detachably connected to the jar 20.

[0035] The jar 20 includes an outer wall 21 and defines a reservoir 22 configured to hold a liquid 24, such as a liquid formulation. The jar further defines a compressed gas passage 26 configured to receive a flow of compressed gas. Specifically, the jar 20 includes a compressed gas nozzle 23 having a first portion extending outside the outer wall 21 and a second portion extending into the reservoir 22. The compressed gas nozzle 23 includes a compressed gas passage 26 having a gas inlet 27 and a gas outlet 28. A jet 30 is detachably connected to the jar 20 and may be further configured to be detachably connected by a press-fit to the second portion of the compressed gas nozzle 23 extending into the reservoir 22. The compressed gas nozzle 23 and the jet 30 may both be generally tubular in shape.

[0036] The jet 30 is configured to work in cooperation with the jar 20 to create a gap between the jet 30 and a second portion of the compressed gas nozzle 23 that defines a fluid passage 34. The jet 30 includes a jet wall that forms an internal cavity configured to receive the second portion of the compressed gas nozzle 23 extending into the reservoir 22. The fluid passage 34 includes a vertical flow portion and a horizontal flow portion. The first portion of the compressed gas nozzle 23, having a compressed gas inlet 27, is configured to connect to a pressurized gas source or a gas supply pipe. The compressed gas passage 26 terminates at a gas outlet 28 having an outlet plane positioned substantially perpendicular to the fluid passage 34 so that the output of the compressed gas is distributed.

[0037] The jet 30 further includes an injection port 32 located at the end of the internal cavity of the jet, which is in fluid communication with both the compressed gas passage 26 and the fluid passage 34. Specifically, the gas outlet 28 of the compressed gas passage 26 terminates at the injection port 32, through which the liquid formulation and compressed gas are discharged to form an initial aerosol flow having the liquid formulation encompassed with the compressed gas.

[0038] The compressed gas outlet 28 and the nozzle 32 are configured to control the pressure-flow relationship of the sprayer 10 by creating a Venturi effect that causes a pressure drop in the compressed gas flowing through the gas outlet 28 and the nozzle 32. Thus, during the operation of the sprayer 10, the compressed gas exits the gas outlet 28 and enters the nozzle 32, creating a local vacuum that draws the liquid 24 from the fluid reservoir 22 into the fluid flow path 34 due to the negative pressure generated within the flow path 34. The diameter of the gas outlet 28 can be approximately 0.010 to 0.025 inches. The nozzle 32 is configured to ensure that sufficient vacuum is maintained so that the liquid formulation 24 drawn into the fluid flow path 34 is further drawn through the nozzle 32 and completely mixed with the compressed gas received from the gas outlet 28. This process atomizes the liquid formulation so that an aerosol flow is discharged from the nozzle 32. The aerosol flow then entrains the ambient room airflow, resulting in an ambient room air-entrained aerosol spray that the user inhales, as further described below. In some implementations, as will be further explained below, the impactor can further atomize the liquid particles in the aerosol flow either before or simultaneously with the entrainment of the ambient room airflow.

[0039] The cap 40 is connected to the jar 20 to define an internal chamber 42 within the sprayer. The cap 40 and the jar 20 can be configured to connect to each other detachably. In some implementations, the cap 40 includes a cap fastener 41 configured to reliably engage with a jar fastener 29 on the jar 20. The cap fastener 41 may include a cap thread, and the jar fastener 29 may include a jar thread that engages with the cap thread to screw the cap 40 to the jar 20. For example, the proximal end of the enclosure 21 of the jar 20 may include a jar thread that screw engages with a corresponding cap thread provided on an annular connecting collar 43 extending from the distal end of the cap 40. In other implementations, the cap fastener 41 may include a flange and the jar fastener 29 may include a projection, or the cap fastener 41 may include a projection and the jar fastener 29 may include a flange, so that the flange and projection matingly engage with each other, in order to snap the cap 40 to the jar 20.

[0040] The cap includes an accompanying port 44 that extends into an internal chamber 42 and is configured to function as an inlet for ambient room airflow, an accompanying chimney 46 located within the internal chamber 42 and configured to provide an accompanying path for ambient room airflow to be accompanied by the aerosol flow, and an aerosol port 56 configured to be detachably attached to a user interface such as a mouthpiece or mask for delivering ambient room air-accompanied aerosol spray to the user. The chimney includes a first opening 46A that is in fluid communication with the accompanying port 44 and a second opening 46B that is in fluid communication with the internal chamber 42. Each of the accompanying port 44, the accompanying chimney 46, and the aerosol port 56 can be generally tubular.

[0041] The accompanying port 44 is configured to serve as an inlet port for ambient chamber airflow into the internal chamber 42 and an outlet port for expelling the user's exhaled airflow. In some implementations, a secondary flow path (second flow path) separate from the accompanying flow path can be included, allowing the user's exhaled air to flow through the secondary flow path by a valve element communicating with the secondary flow path or by a lower resistance to the exhaled airflow. Furthermore, the accompanying port 44 is configured to be detachably connected to various breathing circuit accessories such as PEEP valves and filters. Specifically, the outer diameter of the accompanying port 44 can be made approximately 15 mm to accommodate such breathing circuit accessories.

[0042] The cap 40 also includes a deflector base 50, such as a spaced disc or baffle, below the second opening 46B of the accompanying chimney 46. The deflector base 50 is supported by at least one support fin and can be supported by multiple support fins, such as three support fins 48A, 48B, 48C as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Each support fin 48A, 48B, 48C can extend from the accompanying chimney 46, the enclosure of the cap 40, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, the multiple support fins 48A, 48B, 48C can be radially spaced at equal intervals around the periphery of the accompanying chimney 46 or around the enclosure of the cap 40.

[0043] The cap 40 further includes an impact member 52 extending from the center of the deflector base 50 toward the nozzle 32. The impact member 52 can be dome-shaped and configured to partially block the second opening 46B, thereby preventing the user's exhaled breath from carrying the liquid formulation out of the sprayer through the accompanying chimney 46. The dome can have a radius of about 0.125 inches. The apex of the dome can be spaced a predetermined distance D from the deflector base 50, D can be about 0.18 inches. This arrangement helps prevent the liquid from being sprayed out of the sprayer through the accompanying channel and onto the user's hands or face. Additionally, the longitudinal axis of the accompanying port 44 is positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the accompanying chimney 46 to further protect against adverse effects such as the liquid being blown out of the sprayer through the accompanying channel by redirecting the user's exhaled breath away from the user through the accompanying port 44.

[0044] As described above, the liquid formulation 24 and compressed gas disperse from the nozzle 32 during the operation of the sprayer to form an aerosol flow. The nozzle 32 further atomizes the particles in the aerosol flow by aligning itself adjacent to the center of the impact member 52 so that the liquid particles in the aerosol flow can impact the surface of the impact member 52. The nozzle 32 and the center of the impact member 52 can be spaced by a predetermined distance G, which can be about 0.010 inches, so that the aerosol flow discharged from the nozzle 32 impacts the curved surface of the dome-shaped impact member, forming an aerosol flow containing breathable aerosol particles having an aerodynamic diameter of 1 to 5 micrometers that accumulate in the lower airways of the target user's lungs.

[0045] At least one accompanying vent 54 is spaced between the deflector base 50 and the second opening 46B of the accompanying chimney 46. In implementations having multiple support fins 48A, 48B, 48C, a corresponding number of accompanying vents 54 are provided between the deflector base 50 and the second opening 46B of the accompanying chimney 46, with each accompanying vent 54 positioned between adjacent support fins. Each accompanying vent 54 is configured to quickly entrain ambient room air supplied into the aerosol flow through the accompanying chimney 46 to form an ambient air-entrained aerosol spray for the user to inhale.

[0046] During use, high-pressure compressed gas enters the sprayer 10 from the compressed gas inlet 27 and moves into the compressed gas passage 26. The compressed gas flowing through the gas passage 26 is converted into high-speed gas as it flows through the gas outlet 28. This high-speed gas passes through a portion of the fluid passage 34 and enters the nozzle 32, creating a vacuum that draws the liquid formulation 24 from the reservoir 22 into the nozzle 32 through the fluid passage 34, where the liquid formulation is mixed with the compressed gas. As described above, this combined flow of liquid formulation 24 and compressed gas is then discharged from the nozzle 32 as an aerosol flow. Once the liquid formulation is aerosolized by the high-pressure gas through the nozzle 32, replacement liquid formulation 22 is continuously drawn up from the reservoir 22 through the fluid passage 34. When the aerosol flow comes into contact with the impact member 52, the particles in the aerosol flow are further atomized in the internal chamber 42.

[0047] Furthermore, the Venturi effect generated at the gas outlet 28 and injection port 32 also draws ambient room air from outside into the internal chamber 42 via the entrainment path defined by the entrainment port 44 and entrainment chimney 46. This ambient room air is drawn into the internal chamber 42 of the sprayer and entrained in the aerosol flow to increase the spray velocity, and therefore the processing time or speed at which the resulting ambient air-entrained aerosol spray is delivered to the user. The ambient room air is automatically drawn into the internal chamber 42 through the entrainment path of the entrainment port 44 and the entrainment chimney 46 due to the pressure difference created between the internal chamber 42 of the sprayer and the outside ambient room air caused by the Venturi effect. Therefore, the user does not need to expend any additional effort to increase the ambient room air flow into the sprayer 10 while breathing.

[0048] Each accompanying vent 54 is positioned near the nozzle 32 and sized to automatically draw in ambient room airflow accompanied by the aerosol flow through the Venturi effect described above, thereby increasing the overall velocity of the sprayer. If the accompanying vent 54 is too large, ambient room air will not be automatically drawn into the sprayer via the Venturi effect. Conversely, if the accompanying vent 54 is too small, it may become difficult for the user to exhale, potentially leading to the loss of chemicals due to harmful fluid buildup. Therefore, the deflector base 50 is spaced a predetermined distance H from the second opening 46B of the accompanying chimney 46 to increase the spray velocity while also introducing ambient air-accompanied aerosol particles with an aerodynamic diameter of 1 to 5 microns. To ensure that the particles in the ambient air-accompanied aerosol spray have an aerodynamic diameter of 1 to 5 microns, the height H of each accompanying vent is greater than 0 inches and less than or equal to approximately 0.45 inches. In some implementations, each entrainment vent 54 has a height H of approximately 0.12 inches to ensure that ambient room air is quickly entrained by the venturi generated from the jar while continuing to deliver aerosol spray particles having an aerodynamic diameter of 1 to 5 microns. To further ensure that ambient room air is quickly entrained into the aerosol flow, the second opening 46B of the entrainment chimney 46 may have a diameter of approximately 0.59 inches and a cross-sectional area of ​​approximately 0.27 square inches, and the entrainment port 44 may have a diameter of approximately 0.52 inches and a cross-sectional area of ​​approximately 0.21 square inches.

[0049] Each accompanying vent 54 is positioned adjacent to the impact member 52 and opens in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the accompanying chimney 46. This allows ambient room air to be entrained with the aerosol flow generated in the impact member and to be quickly delivered through the accompanying port 56 towards the opening 56A on the outer circumference of the internal chamber 42 for inhalation by the user. In some implementations where the sprayer is configured to be used continuously during the user's inhalation and exhalation, the aerosol port 56 may include a saliva catch 58 located inside it and configured to collect any saliva produced from the user's mouth during inhalation or exhalation, in order to prevent contamination of the liquid formulation 24 held in the sprayer's reservoir 22.

[0050] When ambient room air is entrained in the aerosol flow within the internal chamber 42 of the sprayer, the delivery speed of the resulting ambient room air-entrained aerosol spray, which is discharged to the user through the aerosol port 56, is increased. Specifically, when ambient room air is entrained in the aerosol flow formed in the impact member 52, the resulting room air-entrained aerosol spray is accelerated toward the aerosol port 56, which is inhaled by the user, thus quickly delivering breathable medication to the user. In addition, the ambient room air entrains the aerosol flow without requiring any effort from the user, thereby increasing the airflow into the sprayer.

[0051] As described above, the aerodynamic diameter of the resulting room air-entrained aerosol particles discharged to the user through the aerosol port 56 is 1–5 microns, which is the ideal breathable range for target lower airway deposition in the lungs. The entrainment of ambient room air into the aerosol flow increases the delivery rate of the resulting room air-entrained aerosol spray through the aerosol port 56 inhaled by the user, while the position of the deflector base 50 relative to the second opening 46B of the entrainment chimney 46, and the position of the impactor member 52 relative to the nozzle 32, prevent the aerosol spray from entering the entrainment path and blowing out of the entrainment port 44 of the sprayer. The sprayer 10's ability to rapidly spray liquid formulations while maintaining a beneficial particle size distribution can reduce the user's treatment time and therefore the time caregivers spend with the user during treatment, thereby helping to improve clinical workflow efficiency. Shorter treatment times also mean less time required to hold the sprayer 10 during use, resulting in even better user compliance.

[0052] Many of the features and advantages of this disclosure are evident from the detailed specifications, and therefore the appended claims are intended to cover all such features and advantages of this disclosure that are included in the actual spirit and scope of this disclosure. Numerical ranges indicated by endpoints include all numbers and subranges within and on their boundaries (for example, 1 to 4 includes 1, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.3, 2.6, 2.9, etc., and 1 to 1.5, 1 to 2, 1 to 3, 2 to 3.5, 2 to 4, 3 to 4, etc.). Furthermore, since numerous modifications and variations will readily come to mind for those skilled in the art, it is not desirable to limit this disclosure to the exact structure and operation illustrated and described, and therefore all suitable modifications and equivalents can be included in the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0053] 10 sprayer 20 jars 21 Outer wall 22 Reservoir 23 Compressed gas nozzle 24. Liquid (Liquid Formulation) 26 Compressed gas passage 27 Gas Inlet 28 Gas outlet 29 Jar fasteners 30 Jet 32 Nozzle 34 Fluid flow channels 40 caps 41 Cap fasteners 42 Internal Chamber 43 Ring-shaped connection color 44 Companion Port 46 Companion Chimney 46A First opening 46B Second opening 48A Support Fins 48B Support Fins 50 Deflector Base 52 Collision members 54 Companion vent 56 Companion Port 56A opening 58 Saliva capture section

Claims

1. A sprayer configured to atomize a liquid formulation to be inhaled by a user, A jar is provided, comprising a reservoir configured to hold the liquid formulation and a compressed gas passage configured to receive the flow of compressed gas, A cap connected to the aforementioned jar and defining an internal chamber within the sprayer, Equipped with, The compressed gas passage terminates at an injection port determined by the jar, and the liquid formulation and the compressed gas are discharged from the injection port to form an aerosol flow containing the liquid formulation entrained with the compressed gas. The aforementioned cap is An accompanying port configured to provide an inlet for ambient indoor airflow, An accompanying chimney having a first opening that communicates fluidly with the accompanying port and a second opening that communicates fluidly with the internal chamber, and together with the accompanying port, defining an accompanying path for the ambient room air, A deflector base is provided, which is positioned at a predetermined distance below the second opening of the accompanying chimney and comprises at least one accompanying vent configured to provide the ambient room airflow into the internal chamber in order to increase the spraying speed of the sprayer. A sprayer comprising, wherein the at least one accompanying vent is configured to quickly entrain the ambient room air into the aerosol flow to form an ambient air-entrained aerosol spray that is inhaled by the user.

2. The sprayer according to claim 1, wherein the at least one accompanying vent has a height greater than 0 inches and less than or equal to about 0.45 inches.

3. The sprayer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one accompanying vent has a height of about 0.12 inches.

4. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a plurality of support fins connecting the deflector base to the accompanying chimney.

5. The sprayer according to claim 4, wherein each of the at least one accompanying vents is provided between adjacent support fins.

6. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an impact member extending from the deflector base, configured to further atomize particles in the aerosol stream to prevent exhaled breath from the user from carrying the liquid formulation out of the sprayer through the accompanying path and the accompanying port.

7. The sprayer according to claim 6, wherein the impact member includes a hemispherical surface.

8. The sprayer according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the center of the impact member is aligned with the axis of the nozzle.

9. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the flow axis of the accompanying port is substantially perpendicular to the flow axis of the accompanying chimney.

10. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the accompanying port is further configured to provide an inhalation path.

11. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the accompanying port is further configured to provide an exhalation pathway.

12. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the cap further comprises an aerosol outlet configured to be connected to a user interface for outputting the aerosol flow to the user.

13. The sprayer according to claim 12, wherein the aerosol outlet is configured to be detachably connected to the user interface.

14. The sprayer according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the user interface is a mouthpiece or a breathing mask.

15. The sprayer according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the aerosol outlet further comprises a saliva capture unit configured to capture saliva from the user's mouth during inhalation and exhalation.

16. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the cap is detachably connected to the jar.

17. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the deflector base includes a disc.

18. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the accompanying port is configured to be connected to a PEEP valve or filter.

19. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the accompanying chimney includes a longitudinal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the nozzle.

20. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the accompanying chimney is generally tubular.

21. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the particles in the aerosol stream have an aerodynamic diameter of 1 to 5 microns for target lower respiratory tract deposition.

22. The sprayer according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the sprayer is configured to continuously spray the liquid formulation during the user's inhalation and exhalation.

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