# US 2017/0281880 A1 · Aerosol or spray device, spray nozzle unit and method of manufacturing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0281880 A1 - Document ID: US20170281880A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/320,371 - Filed: 2015-06-19 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-20 - Assignees: Medspray B.V. - Applicants: Medspray B.V. - Inventors: Henri Van Egmond; Wilhelmus Petrus Johannes De Kruijf; Wietze Nijdam; Jeroen Mathijn Wissink; Cornelis Johannes Maria Van Rijn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170281880A1 ## CPC - A61M 11/007: {Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers} - A61M 11/003: {by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters} - A61M 35/00: Devices for applying media, e.g. remedies, on the human body (devices for handling toiletry or cosmetic substances A45D; absorbent pads, e.g. swabs, A61F13/15) - B05B 1/14: with multiple outlet openings (B05B1/02, B05B1/26 take precedence); with strainers in or outside the outlet opening - B05B 1/169: {having three or more selectively effective outlets} - B05B 15/40: Filters located upstream of the spraying outlets - B29C 53/84: Heating or cooling - B29C 65/568: {using a swaging operation, i.e. totally deforming the edge or the rim of a first part to be joined to clamp a second part to be joined} - A61M 11/006: {operated by applying mechanical pressure to the liquid to be sprayed or atomised} - A61M 2207/00: Methods of manufacture, assembly or production - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract A method for manufacturing an spray device includes assembling at least one spray nozzle plate into a thermoplastic holder, while controlling the temperature of the spray nozzle plate and/or the holder and as a result at least locally plastically deforming the holder permanently. After the thermoplastic deformation of a seat of the holder, a diameter of the seat of the holder upstream of the spray nozzle plate exceeds a diameter of the seat of the holder downstream of the nozzle plate. The thermoplastic holder may have a tapered seat, where the smallest cross section of the tapered seat is smaller than the spray nozzle plate, where a widest side of the tapered seat is pointing towards a supply side of the liquid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spray device comprising: a nozzle plate having an spray nozzle orifice, and a holder having a seat, the seat holding the nozzle plate, wherein the holder is made of a thermoplastic material and wherein the seat comprises a first rim, the first rim being formed of the thermoplastic material and being an integral part of the holder, the first rim sealingly engaging a downstream surface of the nozzle plate and extending along a circumferential edge of the downstream surface of the nozzle plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spray device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the first rim in a direction parallel to the downstream surface of the nozzle plate is at least 25% of a thickness of the nozzle plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The spray device according to claim 1, wherein, in a direction perpendicular to the downstream surface of the nozzle plate, the first rim has a thickness of minimum 50% and maximum 250% of a thickness of the nozzle plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spray device according to claim 1, further comprising an adapter having an inner surface that fittingly holds an outer surface of the holder, preferably a stiffness of the adapter exceeding a stiffness of the holder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The spray device according to claim 4, wherein the adapter comprises an adapter rim extending at a downstream side of the holder and substantially parallel to the downstream surface of the nozzle plate so as to support the first rim of the holder during operation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The spray device according to claim 5, wherein a width of the adapter rim as seen in a direction along the downstream surface of the nozzle plate is between 50% and 200% of a width of the first rim of the holder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The spray device according to claim 5, wherein in a direction perpendicular to the downstream surface of the nozzle plate, the adapter rim has a thickness between 50% and 200% of the holder rim. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The spray device according to claim 4, wherein the outer surface of the holder and the inner surface of the adapter both have a tapering section that tapers positive in a downstream direction, preferably a tapering angle being between 5° and 45°. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The spray device according to claim 1, wherein the seat tapers in a downstream direction from a cross section which is larger than the nozzle plate to the thermoplastic material that sealingly engages the nozzle plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The spray device according to claim 1, further comprising a prefilter plate, the prefilter plate being placed in the holder at a distance from the nozzle plate and at an upstream side of the nozzle plate, the holder comprising a second rim, the second rim extending along and fitting along a circumferential edge of a downstream surface of the prefilter plate in between the nozzle and the prefilter plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The spray device according to claim 10, wherein in a direction perpendicular to the downstream surface of the nozzle plate, the second rim has a thickness of at least 50% and maximum 250% of a thickness of the prefilter plate, in particular with a thickness of minimum 100 and maximum 500 micrometer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The spray device according to claim 10, wherein the holder, at an upstream side of the prefilter plate comprises a fixation rim to fixate the prefilter plate in the holder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The spray device according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the nozzle plate and the prefilter is provided with a coating having molecules with endgroups that have a strong interaction with molecules of the holder. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The spray device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one of the nozzle plate and the prefilter plate is provided with anisotropic locking features on the downstream or upstream surface thereof, the anisotropic locking features to mechanically anchor the at least one of the nozzle plate and the prefilter plate in the holder, preferably the anisotropic locking features having a width between 2 and 20 micrometer and a depth/width aspect ratio of at least 2, more preferably at least 5. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The spray device according to claim 10, wherein the prefilter plate has a pore size less than 450 nanometer, in particular 220 nanometer, or in particular 100 nanometer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The spray device according to claim 1, wherein the spray nozzle unit has at least one track and trace feature. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The spray device according to claim 1, comprising an identification feature having a dimension between 0.01 and 10 microns, the identification feature being identifyable with microscopy or fluorescence methods. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The spray device according to claim 17, further comprising a prefilter plate, the prefilter plate being placed in the holder at a distance from the nozzle plate and at an upstream side of the nozzle plate, the holder comprising a second rim, the second rim extending along and fitting along a circumferential edge of a downstream surface of the prefilter plate in between the nozzle and the prefilter plate, wherein the prefilter comprises a plurality of pores, wherein at least one of the pores of the prefilter has a different size than the remaining pores, preferably about 10-50 nanometer smaller or larger than the other pores, a location of the at least one of the pore having the different size providing the identification feature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The spray device according to claim 1, wherein the components are assembled in the holder with a thermoplastic deformation process. ### Claim 20 A method for manufacturing a spray device, the method comprising: providing a nozzle plate and a thermoplastic holder having a tapered seat, wherein a smallest cross section of the tapered seat is smaller than the nozzle plate, the method comprising: heating the nozzle plate; pressing the nozzle plate into the tapered seat of the holder by bringing the nozzle plate towards a smallest side of the tapered seat, thereby thermoplastically deforming a wall of the tapered seat; and forming a spray device from an assembly of the nozzle plate and the thermoplastic holder, whereas a widest side of the tapered seat is pointing towards a supply side of the liquid. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method for manufacturing a spray device according to claim 20, featuring two or more nozzle plates, wherein a first one of the nozzle plates has a smaller surface area than a second one of the nozzle plates, the method comprising: placing the first one of the nozzle plates in a seat of the thermoplastic holder, and placing the second one of the nozzle plates under controlled temperature in the seat of the thermoplastic holder, the thermoplastic holder thereby being locally thermoplastically deformed into a flange, thereby fixating the first one of the nozzle plates. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of manufacturing a spray device according to claim 20, wherein the thermoplastic holder is heated before assembling the nozzle plate(s) and cooled again after assembly, to improve the sealing around the nozzle plate(s). ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of manufacturing a spray device according to claim 22, wherein a rivet like flange or rim is created by heating and deforming the wider end of the tapered seat of the thermoplastic holder, in order to fixate the position of the nozzle chip. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of manufacturing a spray device according to claim 23, wherein the described rivet-like flange or rim is created by temperature controlled placement of an object other than an nozzle plate, e.g. such as a metal ring, which stays in the assembled spray device. ### Claim at position 25 (depends on 21) 25: The method of manufacturing a spray device according claim 21, using 3 or more nozzle plates in the spray device assembly, thus forming a balanced functional stack, e.g. a stack of a prefilter, a last chance filter and a spray nozzle. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of manufacturing a spray device according to claim 25, whereas an antimicrobial agent is present in one of the cavities in the assembled spray device. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of manufacturing a spray device according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the nozzle plates is coated. Such a coating may be applied on wafer scale. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of manufacturing a spray device according to claim 26, wherein the agent is an antimicrobial coating. ### Claim 29 (depends on 20) The method of manufacturing a spray device according to claim 20, wherein the at least one nozzle plate has tapered sides or has local protrusions for anchoring purposes. ### Claim 30 (depends on 20) The method of manufacturing a spray device according to claim 20, the method comprising: providing an nozzle plate having a diameter; providing a thermoplastic holder having a seat, wherein the diameter of the nozzle plate exceeds a diameter of the seat at an intended position of the nozzle plate in the seat, heating at least one of the nozzle plate and the thermoplastic holder; placing the nozzle plate into the seat of the holder at the intended position, thereby providing a thermoplastic deformation of at least a part of the seat, and forming a spray nozzle unit from an assembly of the nozzle plate and the thermoplastic holder. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The method according to claim 29, wherein the nozzle plate is placed into the holder in a direction of movement of the nozzle plate relative to the holder, which corresponds to a flow direction relative to the holder, the flow direction of liquid from which the spray is to be generated in use of the spray device ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The method according to claim 29, wherein after the thermoplastic deformation of the seat, a diameter of the seat upstream of the nozzle plate exceeds a diameter of the seat of the holder downstream of the nozzle plate. ### Claim 33 (depends on 20) A spray device manufactured according to the method claimed in of claim 20. ### Claim 34 (depends on 20) A spray device for generating a spray from a medicinal fluid manufactured according to the method claimed in claim 20. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) A liquid administration device for spraying a liquid, the administration device comprising: a container for holding the liquid, the spray device according to claim 1, and a pressurizing device for propagating the liquid under pressure from the container to the spray device. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The administration device according to claim 35, wherein the liquid comprises a substantially sterile liquid. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The administration device according to claim 35, wherein the liquid comprises a medicinal liquid.