Inhaler
Inventors
Minami, Yuki • KUDO, Takahisa • Inagaki, Michihiro • INOUE, Jumpei • Abe, Yuki • Geernaert, Adam • Rubiconi, Franck • Cox, Simon • Jobanputra, Rishi
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12089632-B2
Publication Date
2024-09-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
An inhaler includes an atomizing unit including a piezoelectric element substrate having a first IDT including a pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes. The atomizing unit is configured to atomize liquid by a surface acoustic wave generated by applying a high-frequency voltage to the pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes, and a controller is configured to monitor a resonant frequency of the pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes and apply a voltage to the pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes at a frequency determined based on the monitored resonant frequency.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an inhaler that atomizes liquid using a surface acoustic wave generated by applying a high-frequency voltage to a piezoelectric element substrate. The atomizing unit includes a first IDT consisting of a pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes configured to generate the surface acoustic wave for atomization, and a controller monitors a resonant frequency of the pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes and applies a voltage at a frequency determined based on the monitored resonant frequency.
The controller monitors resonant frequency using reflected power and a second IDT, and selects a resonant frequency based on measured values such as voltage arising at the second IDT. The disclosure also includes scanning behaviors and selection criteria such as reflected power trends or lowest reflected power, together with initialization before liquid atomization, estimation from the temperature of the piezoelectric element substrate, and choosing the frequency closest to the resonant frequency from the previous inhalation.
The disclosure further includes control of atomization by using sensor electrodes with convex projections that detect liquid quantity via electrical conductivity and provide feedback to control a liquid supply speed and/or liquid amount through a controller and motors. It also describes periodic modulation of a high-frequency drive amplitude and/or frequency, control of surface acoustic wave output and liquid supply timing during puffing, and resonant-frequency-to-range mapping using a memory unit storing a correspondence between a resonant frequency and a frequency range.
Claims Coverage
The provided claim coverage identifies one independent claim with the core inventive feature of surface acoustic wave atomization and controller-based resonant-frequency driven operation, together with dependent refinements that further specify resonance detection and frequency selection.
Surface acoustic wave atomizing unit with interlocking comb-shaped electrodes
An atomizing unit comprising a piezoelectric element substrate having a first IDT consisting of a pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes, configured to atomize liquid by a surface acoustic wave generated by applying a high-frequency voltage to the pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes.
Resonant-frequency monitoring and frequency-determined SAW drive
A controller configured to monitor a resonant frequency of the pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes and apply a voltage to the pair of interlocking comb-shaped electrodes at a frequency determined based on the monitored resonant frequency.
Resonance detection using a second IDT and selecting highest voltage
A second IDT on a piezoelectric substrate and a controller that monitors resonant frequency by applying voltages at selected different frequencies to interlocking comb-shaped electrodes and selecting the applied voltage frequency that produces the highest voltage at the second IDT.
Reflected-power scan stopping at trend reversal and selecting lowest reflected power
A controller that monitors reflected power while discretely adjusting the applied voltage frequency, stops scanning when the reflected power trend changes from decreasing to increasing, and selects the resonant frequency as the frequency at which reflected power is lowest.
Multi-frequency resonance selection using lowest reflected power
A controller that monitors resonant frequency by applying voltages at multiple selected frequencies to interlocking comb-shaped electrodes and selecting the applied voltage frequency that yields the lowest reflected power.
Initial resonant frequency selection prior to atomization or estimated from temperature or previous inhalation
A controller that selects an initial frequency by determining a resonant frequency prior to liquid atomization, estimating it from the temperature of the piezoelectric element substrate, or choosing the frequency closest to the resonant frequency from the previous inhalation.
Frequency-range determination using stored correspondence between resonant frequency and range
A memory unit storing a correspondence between a resonant frequency and a frequency range, and a controller that determines the frequency range from the monitored resonant frequency using that correspondence.
Across the identified claim set, the inventive theme is surface acoustic wave atomization via interlocking comb-shaped electrodes on a piezoelectric element substrate, combined with controller-based resonant-frequency monitoring and selection of an applied drive frequency based on the monitored resonant behavior. The refinements further specify resonance detection using a second IDT and/or reflected power scanning rules, initialization using prior temperature or previous inhalation information, and limiting or deriving frequency variation using a stored resonant-frequency-to-range correspondence.
Stated Advantages
Improves atomization and reduces overheating and scattering.
Prevents overly large aerosol particles by maintaining an appropriate liquid amount.
Documented Applications
Inhaler atomization control, including resonant-frequency monitoring and control before and during inhalation and during puffing.
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