Piezo inhaler
OwnerRobert Martin Vogesinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inhaler provides a controlled delivery of an inhalant and includes an inhaler housing and a mouthpiece coupled to the inhaler housing. A piezoelectric dispenser-head is coupled to the inhaler housing and configured to be coupled to the dispensing chamber. The piezoelectric dispenser-head includes an array of dispensing channels and an array of dispensing nozzles. The array of dispensing channels are formed with actuatable walls made at least partially of a piezoelectric material. Application of an electric field to selected side walls reduces a volume in an associated channel and creates a pressure pulse of flowable substance in the associated channel through a dispensing nozzle.
Claims43
An inhaler for dispensing a flowable substance, said inhaler comprising:
- an inhaler housing;
- a mouthpiece coupled to the inhaler housing;
- and
- a piezoelectric dispenser-head coupled to the inhaler housing and configured to be coupled to a dispensing chamber, the piezoelectric dispenser-head including an array of dispensing channels and an array of dispensing nozzles, wherein each said dispensing channel comprises first and second side walls which are disposed in spaced relation, wherein said first side wall of each said channel comprises a piezoelectric material, wherein application of an electric field to said piezoelectric material of said first side wall of any of said channels reduces a volume of its corresponding said channel, wherein when a flowable substance is disposed within any of said channels, such a flowable material directly interfaces with said piezoelectric material of its corresponding said first side wall and said application of said electric field to said piezoelectric material of its corresponding said first side wall creates a pressure pulse within such a flowable substance so as to direct such a flowable substance through at least one of said dispensing nozzles.
A method for dispensing a flowable substance, comprising the steps of:
- providing a flowable substance to a channel, wherein said channel comprises first and second side walls which are disposed in spaced relation, wherein at least part of said first side wall comprises a piezoelectric material which directly interfaces with said flowable substance;
- applying an electric field across at least said first side wall;
- deforming said first side wall in response to said applying step;
- reducing a volume of said channel in response to said deforming step;
- and
- discharging said flowable substance from said channel using said reducing step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.