Preservative-free single dose inhaler systems
Inventors
Patton, John S. • Patton, Ryan S. • Kuo, Mei-chang • Ivri, Yehuda
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9004061-B2
Publication Date
2015-04-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
An aerosolization system includes a container that is configured to deliver a unit dosage of a liquid when squeezed a single time. The system also includes an aerosolizer that is constructed of a housing defining a mouthpiece, and an aerosol generator disposed in the housing. The aerosol generator includes a vibratable membrane having a front face and a rear face, and a vibratable element used to vibrate the membrane. Further, the housing includes an opening that is adapted to receive a unit dosage of the liquid from the container. The opening provides a liquid path to the rear face of the vibratable membrane.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a container configured to deliver a unit dosage of a liquid from a nozzle when manually actuated a single time, with the nozzle having a central axis. An aerosolizer includes a housing defining a mouthpiece and an opening configured to receive the unit dosage, and a cover movably attached to the housing is movable between an open position exposing the opening and a closed position covering the opening.
An aerosol generator disposed entirely within the housing includes a vibratable membrane having a front face, a rear face, and a plurality of apertures extending between the front face and the rear face. A vibratable element used to vibrate the membrane is annular in geometry and surrounds the apertures, with the vibratable element being planar along a lateral plane.
The cover is moved to the open position and the nozzle is positioned over the opening using a human hand such that the nozzle central axis is perpendicular to the lateral plane. When the container is manually actuated the single time while the container is outside the housing, the unit dosage of liquid flows directly through the opening along a flow path aligned with the central axis to the rear face of the vibratable membrane where it is stored until the vibratable element is energized to aerosolize the entire unit dosage of liquid stored on the rear face.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00007, and clm-00014. Across these claims, the inventive coverage centers on a manual single-actuation unit-dosage liquid container dispensing into a housing opening aligned to deliver directly to the rear face of an entirely internal vibratable-membrane aerosol generator, where the entire unit dosage is aerosolized.
Single-actuation unit dosage dispensing aligned with aerosol generator rear face
A container configured to deliver a unit dosage of a liquid from a nozzle when manually actuated a single time, and an aerosolizer with a housing and an opening configured to receive the unit dosage, wherein the entire unit dosage flows directly through the opening along a flow path aligned with the nozzle central axis to the rear face of a vibratable membrane and is stored there until the vibratable element is energized to aerosolize the entire unit dosage.
Funnel opening and perpendicular delivery to vibratable membrane rear face
An aerosolization system comprising a container configured to deliver a unit dosage of a liquid when manually actuated a single time, an aerosolizer housing defining a mouthpiece with a funnel that defines an opening having a flow axis, and an aerosol generator disposed entirely within the housing with a vibratable membrane and an annular planar vibratable element surrounding apertures, wherein the opening provides a direct liquid path to the rear face where the unit dosage is stored until aerosolization, and the flow axis of the funnel is perpendicular to the lateral plane so that the central longitudinal axis is aligned with the flow axis and dispersed liquid is directed perpendicularly onto the rear face.
Sloped well region direct path perpendicular to lateral plane for stored unit dosage aerosolization
An aerosolization system comprising a housing defining a mouthpiece with an opening configured to receive a unit dosage of liquid dispensed from a container manually actuated a single time, a cover movable between open and closed positions, and an aerosol generator disposed entirely within the housing with a vibratable membrane and a planar lateral-plane vibratable element surrounding apertures, wherein the opening comprises a sloped well region providing a direct liquid path to the rear face perpendicular to the lateral plane upon dispensing, the container is generally external to the housing for manual actuation while outside, and the unit dosage is stored on the rear face until the vibratable element is energized to aerosolize the entire unit dosage.
The independent claims consistently require a manually actuated single-time unit-dosage container, a housing opening (opening, funnel, or sloped well region) providing a direct, axis-aligned liquid path to the rear face of a vibratable-membrane aerosol generator disposed entirely within the housing, and storage of the entire unit dosage on the membrane rear face until energization to aerosolize the entire unit dosage, with perpendicular alignment defined by the opening geometry relative to the vibratable element lateral plane.
Stated Advantages
Aerosolizes the entire unit dosage of liquid stored on the rear face of the vibratable membrane.
Documented Applications
A preservative-free single-dose inhaler/aerosolization system for delivering metered insulin or other liquids as a unit dosage.
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