Vibration systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12409282-B2
Application number	US-202217807085-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2022
Priority date	May 25, 2005
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

In one arrangement, a vibration system includes a vibratable plate, a support member surrounding the vibratable plate, and a vibration-inducing member surrounding the support member. The vibration-inducing member is configured to radially expand and contract against the support member so as to produce axial vibration of the vibratable plate. In another arrangement, the vibratable plate has an outer circumference; a tubular member is concentrically disposed about the outer circumference of the plate, and an annular vibration-inducing member is concentrically disposed about the outer circumference of the tubular member. The vibration-inducing member is preferably a piezoelectric ring that is radially expandable and contractable against the wall of the tubular member to cause the plate to vibrate in the axial direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerosol generator comprising:
an upper housing member having an upstream reservoir portion configured to receive liquid for aersolization;
a lower housing member forming a downstream portion of the aerosol generator;
a vibration system including:
a vibratable member including a center portion having a plurality of apertures therein and an annular flange surrounding the center portion;
a support member including a central hole and an annular mounting portion for receiving the annular flange of the vibratable member;
a ring-shaped piezoelectric member, wherein the vibratable member, support member, and piezoelectric member are separate elements bonded together and secured between the upper housing and the lower housing members;

a pair of electric lines in electrical communication with the piezoelectric member;
an upper ring-shaped seal on an upstream side of the vibration system; and
a lower ring-shaped seal on a downstream side of the vibration system;
wherein the piezoelectric member is configured to vibrate the vibratable member in response to the pair of electric lines transmitting an electric current to the piezoelectric member; and
wherein the upper and lower ring-shaped seals are configured to seal the piezoelectric member from liquid in the reservoir.

2. The aerosol generator of claim 1 , wherein the ring-shaped piezoelectric member has an outer diameter that is larger than an opening in an upstream end of the lower housing member.

3. The aerosol generator of claim 2 , wherein the central hole of the support member and a central opening in the piezoelectric member share a common central axis, and the central opening is larger than the central hole.

4. The aerosol generator of claim 3 , wherein the center portion of the vibratable member extends in a downstream direction with respect to the annular flange.

5. The aerosol generator of claim 4 , wherein the upper housing member and the lower housing member overlap one another when secured together.

6. The aerosol generator of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of apertures of the vibratable member are tapered.

7. The aerosol generator of claim 6 , wherein the support member is metal.

8. The aerosol generator of claim 7 , wherein the vibratable member is configured to aerosolize the liquid in response to oscillation of the vibratable member.

9. The aerosol generator of claim 8 , wherein the vibratable member is configured to eject the liquid as aerosol droplets via the plurality of apertures.

10. The aerosol generator of claim 9 , wherein the upper housing is detachably engaged with the piezoelectric member.

11. An aerosol generator comprising:
a plate including a dome-shaped center portion with one or more apertures and an outer portion surrounded by a support structure engaging the outer portion of the plate to suspend the dome-shaped center portion concentric with the support structure;
a ring-shaped piezoelectric member in physical communication with the plate and configured to oscillate the plate;
a pair of electric lines in electrical communication with the ring-shaped piezoelectric member;
an upper housing forming a fluid reservoir for holding a fluid in fluid communication with the one or more apertures of the plate;
a lower housing member forming a downstream portion of the aerosol generator, wherein the ring-shaped piezoelectric member has an outer diameter that is larger than an opening in an upstream end of the lower housing member; and
a gasket forming a seal preventing the fluid from contacting the piezoelectric member, wherein the ring-shaped piezoelectric member is configured to oscillate the dome-shaped center portion in response to the pair of electric lines transmitting an electric current to the ring-shaped piezoelectric member;
wherein the plate and the support structure are disposed downstream of the fluid reservoir.

12. The aerosol generator of claim 11 , wherein the plate is configured to receive the fluid along the dome-shaped center portion of the plate such that the medicament is disposed over the one or more apertures.

13. The aerosol generator of claim 12 , wherein the plate is configured to aerosolize the fluid in response to the ring-shaped piezoelectric member oscillating the dome-shaped center portion.

14. The aerosol generator of claim 13 , wherein the plate is configured to eject the fluid through the dome-shaped center portion as aerosol droplets via the one or more apertures.

15. The aerosol generator of claim 14 , wherein the gasket comprises an elastomer seal or O-ring.

16. The aerosol generator of claim 15 , wherein the plate and the support structure are surrounded by a wall that extends from the upper housing to a position below the plate and the support structure with respect to the upper housing.

17. An aerosol generator comprising:
a vibratable plate including a center portion and an outer supporting portion for supporting the center portion disposed about the center portion, the center portion having a plurality of apertures,
a piezoelectric member in physical communication with the vibratable plate through the outer supporting portion;
a pair of electric lines in electrical communication with the piezoelectric member;
an upper housing and a lower housing, the upper housing and the lower housing forming a fluid reservoir and a fluid outlet with respect to the apertures, such that a fluid can flow through the apertures to the fluid outlet from the fluid reservoir;
a first gasket between the upper housing and the vibratable plate; and
a second gasket between the lower housing and the vibratable plate the second gasket located downstream of the first gasket,
wherein the piezoelectric member is configured to move the supporting portion to thereby oscillate the vibratable plate in response to the pair of electric lines transmitting an electric current to the piezoelectric member, such that the fluid received along the vibratable plate from the fluid reservoir is ejected as aerosolized droplets via the plurality of apertures to the fluid outlet in response to the vibratable plate oscillating, and
wherein the piezoelectric member is isolated from contact with liquids.

18. The aerosol generator of claim 17 , wherein the first gasket or the second gasket is an elastomer seal.

19. The aerosol generator of claim 17 , wherein the first gasket is disposed on an upstream side of the vibratable plate and the second gasket is disposed on a downstream side of the vibratable plate.

Assignees

• Stamford Devices Ltd

Inventors

• Ivri Yehuda

Classifications

• B05B17/0646 Primary

  Vibrating plates, i.e. plates being directly subjected to the vibrations, e.g. having a piezoelectric transducer attached thereto · CPC title

• B05B17/04

  operating with special methods · CPC title

• A61M15/00

  Inhalators {(drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04)} · CPC title

• A61M15/009

  using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans (pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08) · CPC title

• Y10T29/42

  Piezoelectric device making · CPC title