Nozzle unit and dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446207-B2
Application number	US-201313748810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2013
Priority date	Jan 27, 2012
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A nozzle unit for discharge of a pharmaceutical medium and a dispenser equipped therewith. The nozzle unit includes a common supply channel for supply of the medium and first and second discharge nozzles each having a discharge orifice for discharge of the medium supplied through the common supply channel. The nozzle unit is configured for atomized delivery of the medium and includes a first vortex chamber assigned to the first discharge nozzle and a second vortex chamber assigned to the second discharge nozzle for the purpose of atomizing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A nozzle unit for atomized discharge of a pharmaceutical medium, said nozzle unit comprising:
a first component including a common supply channel;
first and second discharge nozzles including respective first and second discharge orifices through which medium supplied from the common supply channel is discharged, the first discharge orifice and the second discharge orifice defining respective first and second central discharge axes along which medium is discharged from the nozzle unit, the first and second central discharge axes forming an angle having a value greater than zero degrees and a maximum of 150 degrees;
a first vortex chamber in communication with the first discharge orifice of the first discharge nozzle for atomizing delivery of the medium from the nozzle unit and a second vortex chamber in communication with the second discharge orifice of the second discharge nozzle for atomizing delivery of the medium from the nozzle unit, the first and second vortex chambers each having a shape which induces rotation in the medium about respective first and second vortex chamber axes, the first and second vortex chamber axes forming an angle having a value of zero degrees; and
a second component including the first and second discharge orifices of the first and second discharge nozzles, the first and second vortex chambers being delimited by walls of the first and second components.

2. The nozzle unit according to claim 1 , wherein the value of the angle defined by the first and second central discharge axes is between at least 45 degrees and a maximum of 90 degrees.

3. The nozzle unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second component has oppositely facing exterior and interior sides, and the first and second vortex chambers each include a flow-deflecting geometry defined on the interior side of the second component.

4. The nozzle unit according to claim 3 , wherein the first component includes an elongate tubular portion, the tubular portion having an annular end face disposed immediately adjacent and in opposed relation with the interior side of the second component, the annular end face defining a portion of at least one of: the first vortex chamber and the second vortex chamber.

5. The nozzle unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second component has oppositely facing exterior and interior sides, and the first and second vortex chambers each include a flow-deflecting geometry defined on the interior side of the second component, the first component including an elongate tubular portion having an annular end face disposed immediately adjacent and in opposed relation with the interior side of the second component, the annular end face defining boundary portions of the first and second vortex chambers.

6. The nozzle unit according to claim 5 , wherein the second component is substantially sleeve-shaped and is fixed to a terminal end of the tubular portion, the second component including a projection which extends into an interior of the terminal end of the tubular portion, the first discharge orifice of the first discharge nozzle extending within the second component so as to open outwardly at one end through the exterior side of the second component and so as to open inwardly at an opposite end into the first vortex chamber, the second discharge orifice of the second discharge nozzle extending within the second component so as to open outwardly at one end through the exterior side of the second component and so as to open inwardly at an opposite end into the second vortex chamber.

7. The nozzle unit according to claim 3 , wherein the interior side of the second component defines a first inlet channel having a first end in communication with the common supply channel and a second end terminating at and communicating with the first vortex chamber, and a second inlet channel having a first end in communication with the common supply channel and a second end terminating at and communicating with the second vortex chamber.

8. The nozzle unit according to claim 7 , wherein the interior side of the second component defines a first annular channel surrounding the first vortex chamber and a second annular channel surrounding the second vortex chamber, the first and second annular channels being in communication with and fed medium by the supply channel, the first end of the first inlet channel terminating at and communicating with the first annular channel and the first end of the second inlet channel terminating at and communicating with the second annular channel.

9. The nozzle unit according to claim 8 , wherein the interior side of the second component defines a third inlet channel having a first end terminating at and in communication with the first annular channel and a second end terminating at and communicating with the first vortex chamber, and a fourth inlet channel having a first end terminating at and in communication with the second annular channel and a second end terminating at and communicating with the second vortex chamber.

10. A dispenser for atomized discharge of pharmaceutical medium, comprising:
a reservoir configured for storing medium to be discharged;
a nozzle unit configured for discharging medium from the reservoir, the nozzle unit comprising:
a first component including a common supply channel;
first and second discharge nozzles including respective first and second discharge orifices through which medium supplied from the common supply channel is discharged, the first discharge orifice and the second discharge orifice defining respective first and second central discharge axes along which medium is discharged from the nozzle unit, the first and second central discharge axes forming an angle having a value greater than zero degrees and a maximum of 150 degrees;
a first vortex chamber in communication with the first discharge orifice of the first discharge nozzle for atomizing delivery of the medium from the nozzle unit and a second vortex chamber in communication with the second discharge orifice of the second discharge nozzle for atomizing delivery of the medium from the nozzle unit, the first and second vortex chambers each having a shape which induces rotation in the medium about respective first and second vortex chamber axes, the first and second vortex chamber axes forming an angle having a value of zero degrees; and
a second component including the first and second discharge orifices of the first and second discharge nozzles, the first and second vortex chambers being delimited by walls of the first and second components.

11. The dispenser according to claim 10 , wherein the dispenser is configured as a pharyngeal spray dispenser and a pharmaceutical medium for treatment of the common cold is disposed in the reservoir, the first component including a tubular section having a length of at least 20 mm for introduction into the mouth of a user.

12. A nozzle unit for atomized discharge of a pharmaceutical medium, said nozzle unit comprising:
a first component defining therein a supply channel;
a second component fixed to the first component and defining therein first and second discharge nozzles including respective first and second discharge orifices in communication with the supply channel for discharging pharmaceutical medium from the supply channel to an environment, the first discharge orifice and the second discharge orifice defining respective first and second central discharge axes along which pharmaceutical medium is discharged from the nozzle unit to the environment, the first and second central discharge axes together forming an angle having a value greater than zero degrees and a maximum of 150 degrees; and
a first

Assignees

• Jung Timo
• Aptar Radolfzell Gmbh

Inventors

• Jung Timo

Classifications

• A61M11/06

  of the injector type · CPC title

• A61M11/00 Primary

  Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes (in general B05B; {aerosol containers B65D83/14}) · CPC title

• A61M2206/16

  Rotating swirling helical flow, e.g. by tangential inflows · CPC title

• A61M11/08

  Pocket atomisers of the injector type {(aerosol cans A61M15/009)} · 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