Nebulizer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9962505-B2
Application number	US-201514730572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2015
Priority date	Jul 22, 2009
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

A nebulizer comprises a head detachably coupled to a body. The head comprises a nebulizer, an air channel and a flow sensor. A nebulized liquid is released in an air channel that ends in a mouth piece through which a user inhales and exhales. The inhaling and exhaling causes a flow in the air channel which is detected with the flow sensor. The nebulizer is controlled by a controller included in the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nebulizer assembly comprising:
a head comprising:
a medication chamber configured to hold a liquid;
a vibration source configured to nebulize the liquid, the vibration source comprising a mesh;
an air channel in which the nebulized liquid is released, the air channel being arranged to guide a flow caused by an inhaled and exhaled breath of a user, wherein the flow is guided along the mesh, and wherein the air channel has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the air channel ends at the first side in a mouthpiece configured to deliver the nebulized liquid to the user, and wherein the second side is in communication with ambient air; and
a sensor configured to generate output signals that convey information related to the flow; and

a body detachably coupled to the head, the body comprising a controller configured to control the vibration source, the controller including driving circuitry for controlling the vibration source, wherein, the sensor is a thermal flow sensor comprising an electrically driven thermal element configured to sense flow in the air channel.

2. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to energize the vibration source based on a signal received from the sensor.

3. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the signal corresponds to a direction of the flow in the air channel.

4. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising: a pressure sensor arranged to sense the flow based on a pressure measurement.

5. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the thermal flow sensor comprises an electrically driven thermal element disposed on a front side of the thermal flow sensor device, the front side facing the interior of the air channel.

6. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal flow sensor comprises an integrated circuit die that includes an electrically driven thermal element disposed on the front side and one or more bondpads at a backside of the thermal flow sensor opposite the front side, the one or more bondpads being electrically coupled to the thermal element.

7. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal element comprises a heating element and at least two temperature sensing elements.

8. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the air channel comprises a wall having a recess defined therein in which the thermal flow sensor is mounted with the electrically driven thermal element facing the air channel.

9. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the mesh is detachably coupled to the medication chamber.

10. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the medication chamber is formed such that the mesh is separated from the vibration source by a gap, the vibration source being configured to vibrate at a frequency f, the mesh being separated from the vibration source by the gap forming a distance between the mesh and the vibration source of substantially Lambda/2, wherein Lambda=v/f, v being the speed of a wave in the liquid caused by the vibration at frequency f.

11. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrical energy source arranged to transfer energy from the body to the head to energize the vibration source, the flow sensor, or both using a magnetic field coupling between the head and the body.

12. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the signal from the sensor is transferred from the head to the body using a magnetic field, an optical coupling, or both.

13. A method of detecting an inhaled or exhaled breath of a person using a nebulizer, the method comprising the step of:
generating vibrational energy with a vibration source disposed within a head of the nebulizer to nebulize a liquid, wherein the vibrational energy is provided to the liquid while the liquid is held in a medication chamber, the medication chamber being within the head of the nebulizer;
generating with a sensor disposed within the head of the nebulizer, output signals that convey information related to a flow in the air channel of the nebulizer, the flow being caused by an inhaled or exhaled breath of a user, the air channel being configured to guide the flow along a mesh in the vibration source, and wherein the air channel has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the air channel ends at the first side in a mouthpiece configured to deliver the nebulized liquid to the user, and wherein the second side is in communication with ambient air,
controlling with a controller the vibration source, the controller being disposed in a body of the nebulizer that is detachably coupled to the head, wherein the controlling includes driving a circuit to control vibration of the vibration source, and wherein the sensor is a thermal flow sensor comprising an electrically driven thermal element configured to sense flow in the air channel.

14. A nebulizer assembly comprising:
a head comprising:
a medication chamber configured to hold a liquid;
a vibration source configured to nebulize the liquid, the vibration source comprising a mesh;
an air channel in which the nebulized liquid is released, the air channel being arranged to guide a flow caused by an inhaled and exhaled breath of a user, wherein the flow is guided along the mesh; and
a sensor configured to generate output signals that convey information related to the flow; and

a body detachably coupled to the head using a magnetic field coupling, wherein:
the magnetic field coupling comprises two U shaped cores, the U shapes cores having legs configured to align when the body is detachably coupled to the head;
the body comprises a controller configured to control the vibration source, the controller including driving circuitry for controlling the vibration source; and
the sensor is a thermal flow sensor comprising an electrically driven thermal element configured to sense flow in the air channel.

15. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to energize the vibration source based on a signal received from the sensor.

16. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the signal corresponds to a direction of the flow in the air channel.

17. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor arranged to sense the flow based on a pressure measurement.

18. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 17 , wherein the thermal flow sensor comprises an electrically driven thermal element disposed on a front side of the thermal flow sensor device, the front side facing the interior of the air channel.

19. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the thermal flow sensor comprises an integrated circuit die that includes an electrically driven thermal element disposed on the front side and one or more bondpads at a backside of the thermal flow sensor opposite the front side, the one or more bondpads being electrically coupled to the thermal element.

20. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the thermal element comprises a heating element and at least two temperature sensing elements.

21. The nebulizer assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the air channel comprises a wall having a recess defined therein in which the thermal flow sensor is mounted with the electrically driven thermal element facing the air channel.

22. The nebulizer assembly accordin

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Schipper Alphonsus Tarcisius Jozef Maria
• Leppard Michael James Robbert
• Denyer Jonathan Stanley Harold
• Dyche Anthony
• Lulofs Klaas Jacob
• Haartsen Jacob Roger

Classifications

• A61M11/003

  by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters · CPC title

• A61M11/005 Primary

  using ultrasonics (spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06) · CPC title

• A61M2205/50

  with microprocessors or computers · CPC title

• A61M16/104

  specially adapted for anaesthetics (A61M16/18 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2562/0271

  Thermal or temperature sensors · CPC title