Small step size and high resolution aerosol generation system and method
Inventors
Rapp, Gregory • Miller, Jeffrey • Wang, Shi-Bo • Clements, Judson Sidney
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-12161795-B2
Publication Date
2024-12-10
Expiration Date
Abstract
An aerosol generation device includes a circuit or microcontroller for automatically detecting and adjusting vibration frequency of an electronic transducer to a determined resonance frequency that changes during operation of the device whereby the circuit or microcontroller provides a plurality of tuning signal waves at each of a plurality of time intervals during operation of the electronic transducer from comparison of the current measured for each signal wave during each time interval.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an aerosol generation device in which a piezoelectric transducer having an initial resonant frequency generates a droplet from fluid, with an ejector mechanism coupled to the piezoelectric transducer to receive the fluid. During operation, an auto-tuning circuit or microcontroller provides a plurality of tuning signal waves based on measurement of temperature of the piezoelectric transducer, and the tuning signal wave frequency is only lower than the initial resonant frequency during operation to compensate for resonant frequency drift.
The auto-tuning circuit or microcontroller adjusts a first driving frequency of the piezoelectric transducer to a second driving frequency to compensate for resonant frequency drift. The frequency difference between consecutive tuning signal waves is from 1 Hz to 200 Hz, enabling the tuning to track changes associated with the temperature of the piezoelectric transducer.
In an additional configuration, an aerosol generation device includes a reservoir supplying a volume of fluid to a mesh of an ejector mechanism. An electronic transducer operates based on a signal wave generated by a microcontroller or circuit, where the signal wave has a step size smaller than about 200 Hz, and the transducer vibrates the mesh to generate at least one droplet. During a tuning mode initiated based on measurement of temperature of the electronic transducer, the microcontroller or circuit measures current provided at a constant voltage, determines a detected resonance frequency at which a highest current draw is detected, and selects the detected resonance frequency to drive the electronic transducer.
Claims Coverage
The partial set provides two independent claims, each describing an aerosol generation device with an auto-tuning approach to compensate for resonant frequency drift using temperature measurement and tuning signal waves. Across the independent claims, the inventive features are the constrained tuning frequency sequence, the specified tuning step size/frequency-difference range, and selecting the resonance frequency based on detecting the highest current draw at constant voltage.
Temperature-based auto-tuning with constrained lower tuning frequencies
An auto-tuning circuit or microcontroller provides during operation a plurality of tuning signal waves based on measurement of temperature of the piezoelectric transducer, wherein the frequency of a tuning signal wave is only lower than the initial resonant frequency during operation and adjusts a first driving frequency to a second driving frequency to compensate for resonant frequency drift.
Tuning frequency step/difference constraint for resonance drift compensation
The frequency difference between consecutive tuning signal waves is from 1 Hz to 200 Hz to adjust a first driving frequency of the piezoelectric transducer to a second driving frequency to compensate for resonant frequency drift.
Mesh ejector driven by electronic transducer with small signal-wave step size
A reservoir supplies fluid to a mesh of an ejector mechanism; an electronic transducer operates at a first frequency based upon a signal wave generated by a microcontroller or circuit, wherein the signal wave has a step size smaller than about 200 Hz, and wherein the transducer vibrates the mesh and generate at least one droplet from fluid supplied by the reservoir to the mesh.
Select detected resonance frequency from highest current draw at constant voltage
During a tuning mode initiated based on measurement of temperature of the electronic transducer, the microcontroller or circuit provides a plurality of signal waves to the electronic transducer, measures a current provided at a constant voltage, determines a detected resonance frequency at which a highest current draw is detected from providing the plurality of signal waves, and selects the detected resonance frequency to drive the electronic transducer.
Overall, the independent claims cover aerosol generation devices that compensate for resonant frequency drift using temperature measurement with a constrained tuning sequence and specified frequency-step/difference limits, and selecting the operating resonance based on the detected highest current draw at constant voltage while driving a mesh through small signal-wave steps.
Stated Advantages
Compensates for resonant frequency drift by adjusting driving frequency using temperature-based auto-tuning.
Allows resonance tracking by constraining tuning signal wave frequencies relative to the initial resonant frequency.
Documented Applications
A droplet delivery device configured for inhalation using a mouthpiece or nosepiece.
Interested in licensing this patent?