Claims
- 1. An ultrasonic pocket-size atomizer comprising:
- a first housing;
- vibration generation means mounted liquid-tight in said first housing for generating an oscillation with a frequency in the ultrasonic range said vibration generation means including a piezoelectric assembly and electronic circuit means operatively connected to said assembly for energizing said assembly and causing the piezoelectric assembly to vibrate;
- power source means disposed in said first housing for supplying electric current to said electronic circuit means;
- a second housing, removably mounted on said first housing;
- a cartridge containing liquid to be atomized, said cartridge having at least one section movably disposed in said second housing; and
- activation means for automatically activating said electronic circuit means upon motion of said section of said cartridge, said activation means including a magnet arranged and configured relative to said section of said cartridge so as to move therewith, said activation means further including a switch operatively connected to said electronic circuit means and operable by said magnet upon a shift in the position thereof during motion of said section of said cartridge.
- 2. The atomizer defined in claim 1 wherein said first portion is removably attached to said second housing via a snap-in detent lock.
- 3. The atomizer defined in claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric assembly is mounted to said first housing by silicone rubber.
- 4. The atomizer defined in claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric assembly is partially surrounded and attached to said first housing by injection molded synthetic resin material.
- 5. The atomizer defined in claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric assembly is sealed by O-rings.
- 6. The atomizer defined in claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric assembly includes a piezoceramic disk and a metal amplitude transformer connected to one another, said amplitude transformer having an atomizer plate with a concavely shaped mirrored surface for receiving a defined quantity of liquid to be atomized.
- 7. The atomizer defined in claim 1 wherein said section of said cartridge is movable by manually exerted pressure.
- 8. The atomizer defined in claim 1 wherein said second housing is provided with a window.
- 9. The atomizer defined in claim 1, further comprising alerting means operatively connected to said electronic circuit means and said storage battery for generating a detectable signal indicating that said storage battery needs to be recharged.
- 10. The atomizer defined in claim 9 wherein said alerting means includes a light emitting diode.
- 11. The atomizer defined in claim 1 wherein said switch is disposed in said first housing and said magnet is disposed with said cartridge in said second housing, said first housing being sealed to be liquid impervious.
- 12. The atomizer defined in claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric assembly is partially surrounded and attached to said first housing by injection molded synthetic resin material, said piezoelectric assembly being sealed by O-rings.
- 13. The atomizer defined in claim 11 wherein said piezoelectric assembly includes a piezoceramic disk and a metal amplitude transformer connected to one another, said amplitude transformer having at an end opposite said piezoceramic disk an atomizer plate with a concavely shaped mirrored surface for receiving a defined quantity of liquid to be atomized.
- 14. The atomizer of claim 1 wherein said vibration generation means generates an oscillation with a frequency between 1 and 5 MHz.
- 15. The atomizer of claim 1 wherein said power source means comprises a storage battery removably and rechargeably disposed in said first housing.
- 16. The atomizer of claim 1 wherein the front end of said cartridge abuts against a spring-loaded limit stop, which spring-loaded limit stop is biased against the direction of movement of said section of the cartridge.
- 17. The atomizer of claim 1, wherein the magnet is permanently attached to said section of the cartridge.
- 18. The atomizer of claim 1, wherein the magnet is slidably mounted in a groove formed in said first housing; said cartridge including a limit stop engaging and moving the magnet against a biasing spring-like element, upon movement of said section of the cartridge to activate said switch.
Priority Claims (1)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
| 3627222 |
Aug 1986 |
DEX |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 084,413 filed on Aug. 10, 1987 now abandoned.
This invention relates to an ultrasonic pocket-size atomizer. More in its place. particularly, this invention relates to such an atomizer which is especially useful for atomizing medication for asthma sufferers.
For many medications, it is frequently beneficial to have the patient inhale the active ingredients. This method of treatment is especially applicable to the treatment of bronchial ailments. For such treatment, many manually operable spraying and injection guns and mechanical hand atomizers are available on the market. Guns and hand atomizers, however, do not generate particularly fine distributions and require a large amount of power. In addition, the distributions produced are not homogenous. Disadvantages of applying medication with a spraying gun or aerosol can (dosing aerosols) include the absorption of heat from the patient (cold stimulation), harmful secondary effects of the propulsion gases, and the difficulties in coordinating the operation of the spray can and the inhalation of the medication owing to the very high velocity of the aerosol. These considerations apply particularly to the treatment of bronchial passages.
As disclosed in German Pat. No. 20 32 433, ultrasonic devices with piezoelectric vibration systems can be used for the atomization of liquids. Such ultrasonic devices can achieve large vibration amplitudes with relatively small amounts of electric energy and are supposed to generate very fine droplets with a relatively homogenous distribution of particle size. German Pat. No. 22 39 950 discloses the use of a piezoelectric vibration system, employing an electric excitation circuit, in a hand-held and -operated design.
German Auslegeschrift No. 25 37 765 relates to medical inhalation equipment with a piezoelectric vibration system for treating illnesses of the bronchial passages. The piezoelectric vibration system is disposed, together with low-voltage excitation electronics, in a liquid-tight housing, a sound transmitter being disposed on a vibration node line.
Presently known ultrasonic devices for the treatment of bronchial illnesses do not yet meet requirements as to dimensions, weight, energy consumption, and the distribution of droplet sizes, as well as accurate dosing of the medication.
Conventional dosing aerosols operate with a gas propellant, which is undesirable. Inhalators are also known in which capsules are filled with medicine powder ejected via an air transport stream. Such inhalators cannot be filled with several individual does. A further disadvantage of dosing aerosols operating with gas propellants in that a certain portion of the medicine particles do not enter the lungs but instead enter the esophagus, for example, Mechanical hand-operated atomizers have the particular disadvantage that a large amount of power is required for operating the pumping bulb. Moreover, preservatives are frequently added to the medication.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved hand-held or pocket atomizer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an atomizer for generating an aerosol suspension in which at least 50% of the aerosol droplets produced have a diameter of less than 20 .mu.m while the majority of the droplets have a diameter in the range of 1 to 5 .mu.m. With such particle sizes, the active ingredient of the aerosol can be effective in the tracheo-bronchial tract.
Further objects of the present invention are to provide such an atomizer in which atomization occurs with a gas propellant and without accurate dosing.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an atomizer in which heat is not absorbed from tissue surfaces to which the atomized treatment medium is applied.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an atomizer is which the aerosol has little or no exit velocity.
An ultrasonic pocket-size atomizer comprises, in accordance with the present invention, a housing including a first portion and a second portion, and a vibration generation mechanism mounted liquid-tight in the first portion of the housing for generating an oscillation with a frequency between 1 and 5 MHz, the vibration generation mechanism including a piezoelectric assembly and an electronic circuit operatively connected to the assembly for energizing the assembly and causing the assembly to vibrate. A power source including a storage battery is removably and rechargeably disposed in the first portion of the housing for supplying electric current to the electronic circuit. A cartridge is provided for containing liquid to be atomized, the cartridge having at least one section movably disposed in the second portion of the housing. An activation mechanism is provided for automatically activating the electronic circuit upon motion of the movable section of the cartridge, the activation mechanism including a magnet attached to the movable section of the cartridge so as to move therewith. The activation mechanism further includes a switch operatively connected to the electronic circuit and operable by the magnet upon a shift in the position thereof during motion of the movable section of the cartridge.
An ultrasonic pocket-size atomizer in accordance with the present invention enables an application of atomized substances with little noise, without cold stimulation and without the use of a gas propellant. The substance to be atomized can be dosed or measured out prior to atomization with an accuracy of greater than 95%. Such accuracy is particularly important in medical applications. An atomizer in accordance with the present invention generates an aerosol capable of suspension with a majority of the aerosol particles generated having a diameter of less than 20 .mu.m. Moreover, the active ingredients are effective in the tracheo-bronchial tract. An atomizer in accordance with the present invention is light weight, operable independently of position or orientation, very handy and easily transportable. Refilling is accomplished simply by the exchange of cartridges. The storage battery is easily removable and rechargeable.
Pursuant to further particular features of the present invention, the first portion of the housing is removably attached to the second portion via a snap-in detent lock, and the piezoelectric assembly is mounted to the first portion by silicone rubber or is partially surrounded and attached to the first portion by injection molded synthetic resin material. In addition, the piezoelectric assembly is advantageously sealed by O-rings.
Pursuant to yet further features of the present invention, the second portion of the housing is provided with a window and an alert or alarm signal generator is operatively connected to the electronic circuit and the storage battery for generating a detectable signal indicating that the storage battery needs to be recharged. Preferably, the the alert signal generator includes a light emitting diode.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
| 2557958 |
Jun 1977 |
DEX |
| 2101500 |
Jan 1983 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
84413 |
Aug 1987 |
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Patent Grant
4877989
