Atomizer
AssigneeProfile Respiratory Systems Limited
InventorJonathan Stanley H. Denyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An atomizer including a gas exit, an outlet adjacent the gas exit, and a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from the gas exit over the outlet for drawing a substance to be atomized out from one outlet and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from the gas exit characterised in that the deflector is movable between a first position in the path of the gas issuing from the gas exit for atomization and a second and non-atomizing position.
Claims70
An atomizer comprising:
- a head having a gas exit and at least one outlet adjacent said gas exit;
- a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from said gas exit over at least one of said outlets, for drawing a substance to be atomized out from at least one of said outlets and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from said gas exit;
- and
- said deflector mounted with respect to said head so that said deflector is movable between a first position in which said deflector is adjacent said gas exit and directly in the path of gas issuing from said gas exit so that atomization of the substance takes place, and a second position spaced from said gas exit so that no atomizing takes place.
An atomizer comprising:
- a head having a gas exit and at least one outlet adjacent said gas exit;
- a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from said gas exit over at least one of said outlets, for drawing a substance to be atomized out from at least one of said outlets and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from said gas exit;
- said deflector mounted with respect to said head so that said deflector is movable between a first position in the path of gas issuing from said gas exit for atomization, and a second, non-atomizing, position;
- and
- a vane for moving said deflector between said first and second positions.
An atomizer comprising:
- a head having a gas exit and at least one outlet adjacent said gas exit;
- a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from said gas exit over at least one of said outlets, for drawing a substance to be atomized out from at least one of said outlets and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from said gas exit;
- and
- said deflector pivotally mounted with respect to said head so that said deflector is pivotally movable between a first position in the path of gas issuing from said gas exit for atomization, and a second, non-atomizing, position.
Spray forming apparatus comprising:
- a housing having an outlet for a spray of atomized substance;
- a head mounted within said housing and including a pressuzied gas exit, and at least one outlet adjacent said gas exit;
- a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from said gas exit over at least one of said outlets, for drawing a substance to be atomized out from at least one of said outlets and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from said gas exit;
- and
- said deflector mounted with respect to said head so that said deflector is movable between a first position in which said deflector is adjacent said gas exit and directly in the path of gas issuing from said gas exit so that atomization of the substance takes place, and the atomized substance is sprayed out of said housing outlet, and a second position in which said deflector is spaced from said gas exit so that no atomized substance is sprayed out of said spray outlet.
An assembly comprising:
- an atomizer having an atomizing chamber, and an air inlet and an air outlet for enabling flow of air through the atomizing chamber, an air passage being defined between the air inlet and air outlet, the atomizer being constructed to atomize liquid in response to inhalations by a patient;
- and
- a first structure movable relative to the air passage between a first position that at least substantially prevents air flow through the air passage and a second position that permits air flow through the air passage, the first structure being constructed and arranged to be movable between the first and second positions in response to the inhalations by the patient,
- wherein the atomizer is constructed such that when the patient inhales, the atomizer begins atomization before the first structure moves into its second position.
An assembly comprising:
- an atomizer having an atomizing chamber, and an air inlet and an air outlet for enabling flow of air through the atomizing chamber, an air passage being defined between the air inlet and air outlet, the atomizer being constructed to atomize a liquid in response to inhalations by a patient;
- and
- a first structure movable relative to the air passage between a sealed position that at least partially seals the air passage and an unsealed position that unseals the air passage, the first structure being constructed and arranged to move between the sealed position and the unsealed position in response to the inhalations by the patient,
- wherein the atomizer is constructed such that when the patient inhales, the atomizer begins atomizing before the first structure moves into its second position.
An assembly comprising:
- an atomizer having an atomizing chamber, the atomizer being constructed to atomize liquid in response to inhalations by a patient;
- an air inlet fluidly connected to the chamber;
- and
- a first structure movable relative to the air inlet between a first position that at least substantially prevents air flow through the air inlet and a second position that permits air flow through the air inlet, the first structure being constructed and arranged to move between the first and second positions in response to the inhalations by the patient,
- wherein the atomizer is constructed such that when the patient inhales, the atomizer begins atomization before the first structure moves into its second position.
An assembly comprising:
- an atomizer having an atomizing chamber, the atomizer being constructed to atomize liquid in response to inhalations by a patient;
- an air inlet fluidly connected to the chamber;
- and
- a first structure movable relative to the air inlet between a sealed position that at least partially seals the air inlet and an unsealed position that unseals the air inlet, the first structure being constructed and arranged to move between the sealed position and the unsealed position in response to the inhalations by the patient,
- wherein the atomizer is constructed such that when the patient inhales, the atomizer begins atomization before the first structure moves into the unsealed position.
An atomizer comprising:
- an atomizing chamber;
- a pressurized gas outlet disposed in the atomizing chamber;
- an air inlet for enabling flow of ambient air into the atomizing chamber;
- an air outlet for enabling flow of air out of the atomizing chamber to a patient;
- an air passage defined between the air inlet and air outlet;
- a deflector movable relative to the pressurized gas outlet, the deflector being constructed and arranged to move between an atomizing position and a non-atomizing position in response to inhalations by the patient;
- and
- a variable size orifice in the air passage, wherein the orifice is constructed and positioned so as to change in size in response to the inhalations by the patient.
A method of atomizing liquid with an atomizer comprising an atomizing chamber, a pressurized gas outlet disposed in the atomizing chamber, an air inlet extending from an ambient environment to the atomizing chamber, a variable size orifice disposed in the air inlet, an air outlet fluidly connected to the atomizing chamber, and a deflector movable relative to the pressurized gas outlet, the method comprising:
- moving the deflector from a non-atomizing position to an atomizing position in response to an inhalation by a patient of air through the air outlet;
- and
- varying the size of the orifice in response to the inhalation.
A method of atomizing liquid with an atomizer comprising an atomizing chamber, and an air inlet and an air outlet for enabling flow of air through the atomizing chamber, an at least partially sealable air passage being defined between the air inlet and air outlet, the method comprising, sequentially:
- (a) starting atomization of the liquid by the atomizer in response to a patient inhaling through the air outlet;
- (b) after starting atomization, unsealing the air passage;
- and
- (c) passing air from the air inlet to the air outlet to carry atomized liquid through the air outlet.
A method of atomizing liquid with an atomizer having an atomizing chamber, an air inlet and an air outlet for enabling flow of air through the atomizing chamber, an air passage defined between the air inlet and air outlet, and a structure disposed in the air passage in a first position that at least substantially prevents air flow through the air passage, the method comprising, sequentially:
- (a) starting atomization of the liquid by the atomizer in response to a patient inhaling through the air outlet;
- (b) moving the structure into a second position in response to the inhaling by the patient, the second position permitting air flow through the passage;
- and
- (c) passing air from the air inlet to the air outlet to carry atomized liquid through the air outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.