Microfluidic delivery cartridges and methods of connecting cartridges with microfluidic delivery systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10780192-B2
Application number	US-201514966231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2015
Priority date	Sep 16, 2015
Publication date	Sep 22, 2020
Grant date	Sep 22, 2020

Abstract

A method of connecting a cartridge comprising a fluid composition with a microfluidic delivery system is provided. The method includes the steps of: providing a housing comprising electrical contacts, wherein the electrical contacts of the housing are disposed on a first plane; providing a cartridge comprising a reservoir for containing a fluid composition, a die comprising a nozzle, and electrical contacts that are in electrical communication with the die, wherein the electrical contacts of the cartridge are disposed along a second plane that is parallel with the first plane; and connecting the cartridge with the housing by moving the cartridge in a direction parallel with the second plane toward the housing until the electrical contacts of the cartridge are in electrical communication with the electrical contacts of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of connecting a cartridge comprising a fluid composition with a housing, wherein the fluid composition comprises perfume mixture, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a housing comprising electrical contacts, wherein the electrical contacts of the housing are disposed on a first plane, wherein the housing comprises a fan;
providing a cartridge comprising a reservoir for containing a fluid composition, a die comprising a nozzle, and electrical contacts that are in electrical communication with the die, wherein the electrical contacts of the cartridge are disposed along a second plane, wherein the cartridge comprises an outer cover that is connected with the reservoir such that a gap is formed between the outer cover and the reservoir forming an air flow path between the outer cover and the reservoir;
connecting the cartridge with the housing by moving the cartridge in a single direction parallel with the first and second planes toward the housing until the electrical contacts of the cartridge are in electrical communication with the electrical contacts of the housing, wherein the cartridge is spring-loaded with the housing, wherein the fan is configured to be in fluid communication with the air flow path, and
wherein the die is disposed on the cartridge along a third plane that is substantially perpendicular to the second plane,
wherein the die comprises a heater that is configured to atomize the fluid composition through micro-thermal nucleation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge or the housing comprises a sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die comprises a circuit board selected from the group consisting of: a semi-flex printed circuit board, a rigid printed circuit board, a flexible circuit board, or combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising the step of removing the cartridge from the housing by moving the cartridge in only a second direction that is parallel with the first direction.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the die delivers a fluid composition into the air.

6. A method of connecting a cartridge comprising a fluid composition with a housing, wherein the fluid composition comprises perfume mixture, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a housing comprising electrical contacts, wherein the electrical contacts of the housing are disposed on a first plane, wherein the housing comprises a fan;
providing a cartridge comprising a reservoir for containing a fluid composition, a die comprising a nozzle, and electrical contacts that are in electrical communication with the die, wherein the electrical contacts in electrical communication with the die are disposed along a second plane, and wherein the die is disposed on a third plane that intersects the second plane, wherein the cartridge comprises an outer cover that is connected with the reservoir such that a gap is formed between the outer cover and the reservoir forming an air flow path between the outer cover and the reservoir; and
connecting the cartridge with the housing by moving the cartridge in a single direction parallel with the first and second plans toward the housing until the electrical contacts of the die are in electrical communication with the electrical contacts of the housing, wherein the cartridge is spring-loaded with the housing, wherein the fan is configured to be in fluid communication with the air flow path,
wherein the die comprises a heater that is configured to atomize the fluid composition through micro-thermal nucleation.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the die comprises a circuit board selected from the group consisting of: a semi-flex printed circuit board, a rigid printed circuit board, a flexible circuit board, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the die delivers a fluid composition into the air.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Gruenbacher Dana Paul
• Dodd Simon
• Hunt David S
• Scheffelin Joseph Edward
• Sherman Faiz Feisal

Classifications

• A61L9/14 Primary

  using sprayed or atomised substances {including air-liquid contact processes} · CPC title

• B05B17/0638

  spray being produced by discharging the liquid or other fluent material through a plate comprising a plurality of orifices · CPC title

• A61L2209/132

  Piezo or ultrasonic elements for dispensing · CPC title

• B41J2/17553

  Outer structure · CPC title

• A61L2209/133

  Replaceable cartridges, refills · CPC title