Droplet delivery device using push discharge

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved droplet delivery device that delivers droplets within an appropriate size range, avoids surface fluid deposition and opening blockage, avoids the generation of undesirable chemical byproducts via heating, and delivers a constant and reproducible quantity. [Solution] The droplet delivery device includes a housing having a mouthpiece port or outlet from a nasal device for releasing droplets of fluid, a fluid reservoir, and an ejector bracket having a membrane positioned between a mesh with multiple openings and a vibrating member connected to an electronic transducer such as an ultrasonic transducer. The transducer vibrates the vibrating member, causing the vibrating member to push the fluid supplied by the reservoir through the membrane through the mesh, thereby generating droplets in an exhaust stream released through the outlet.

Claims

1. A container assembly equipped with a mouthpiece port, A reservoir disposed within the container assembly or in fluid communication with the container assembly, configured to supply a certain volume of fluid, An ejector bracket having fluid communication with the reservoir, wherein the ejector bracket includes a mesh comprising a membrane operably connected to a vibrating member connected to an electronic transducer, the membrane being between the vibrating member and the mesh, and the mesh including a plurality of openings formed to pass through the thickness of the mesh, the transducer being connected to a power source and operable to vibrate the vibrating member and the membrane, thereby generating an ejection stream of droplets through the mesh, Discharge channels within the container assembly are configured to guide the discharge stream of droplets from the mesh to the outlet, A droplet delivery device equipped with the following features.

2. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic transducer is an ultrasonic transducer.

3. The droplet delivery device according to claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric material.

4. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the container assembly is releasably detachable from the ejector bracket, or is releasably detachable integrally with the ejector bracket to one or more other detachable parts of the delivery device.

5. The droplet delivery device according to claim 4, wherein the container assembly includes the reservoir.

6. The droplet delivery device according to claim 5, further comprising the ejector bracket configured to be releasably connected to the container assembly, wherein the ejector bracket is further configured to be releasably connected to an enclosure system including the vibrating member, transducer, and power supply.

7. The droplet delivery device according to claim 6, further comprising a magnet configured to releasably connect the ejector bracket and the enclosure assembly.

8. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir includes a self-sealing pairing mechanism configured to be connected to the fluid discharge pairing mechanism of the ejector bracket.

9. The droplet delivery device according to claim 8, wherein the fluid discharge pairing mechanism includes a fluid conduit configured to be inserted into the self-sealing pairing mechanism.

10. The droplet delivery device according to claim 9, wherein the fluid conduit includes a spike-shaped structure having a hollow interior configured to enable fluid communication between the reservoir and the membrane.

11. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the membrane is configured not to come into contact with the mesh.

12. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the membrane includes an inclined upper surface configured to contact the fluid supplied from the reservoir.

13. The vibrating member has an inclined tip portion that contacts the opposing lower layer surface of the inclined upper surface of the film. A droplet delivery device according to claim 12, including the above.

14. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating member includes a ring-shaped, tapered tip.

15. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating member includes a ring-shaped, non-gradient tip.

16. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the mesh has a top surface that is parallel to the flat surface of the tip of the vibrating member.

17. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating member includes a rod-shaped tip.

18. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the mesh has a bottom surface that is non-parallel to the upper surface of the film.

19. The droplet delivery device according to claim 18, wherein the mesh has a bottom surface that is inclined at a certain angle with respect to the upper surface of the film.

20. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, further having the discharge channel and a central axis of the droplet delivery device through which the droplet passes, wherein the vibrating member includes a tip portion connected to the membrane at a position offset from the central axis.

21. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising in the reservoir a fluid containing at least one of a non-therapeutic agent, nicotine, and a cannabinoid.

22. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising in the reservoir a fluid containing a therapeutic agent for treating or preventing a disease or injury.

23. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a laminar flow element disposed in the discharge port of the container assembly prior to the mouthpiece port of the delivery device.

24. The droplet delivery device according to claim 23, wherein the laminar flow element includes a plurality of porous openings.

25. The droplet delivery device according to claim 24, wherein the laminar flow element includes a blade-shaped wall defining the plurality of porous openings.

26. The droplet delivery device according to claim 25, wherein one or more of the plurality of porous openings include a triangular prism shape, a quadrangular prism shape, a pentagonal prism shape, a hexagonal prism shape, a heptagonal prism shape, or an octagonal prism shape.

27. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a breath-operated sensor operably connected to the power supply, wherein the breath-operated sensor is configured to activate the electronic transducer when it senses a predetermined pressure change in the discharge channel or in a passage of the droplet delivery device that is in fluid communication with the discharge channel.

28. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the mesh comprises at least one material selected from palladium nickel, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyimide.

29. The mesh is made of polyetherketone, polyetherimide, polyvinylidene fluoride, A droplet delivery device according to claim 1, comprising at least one material selected from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, Ni, NiCo, Pd, Pt, NiPd, and metal alloys.

30. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises at least one material selected from polyethylene naphthalate, polyethyleneimine, and polyetherketone.

31. The aforementioned film is a metal film, a metallized polymer, a threaded polymer, a threaded nylon, a threaded polymer coated with a polymer or metal, a threaded nylon coated with a polymer or metal, a threaded metal, threaded SiC, a threaded graphite composite, a metallized graphite composite, a polymer coated with a graphite composite, a polymer sheet filled with carbon fibers, a polyetherketone filled with carbon fibers, a polymer sheet filled with SiC fibers, a polymer sheet filled with ceramic fibers or metal fibers, an ULPA filter medium, a Nitto Denko Temic Grade filter medium, Nitto A droplet delivery device according to claim 1, comprising at least one material from among a Denko polymer sheet, a threaded polymer bonded to a polymer sheet, a nylon fabric bonded to a polyetherketone or polyimide, a graphite composite bonded to a polymer sheet, a polymer fiber fabric having a metallized coating, and nylon sputtered on Al or vapor-deposited aluminum.

32. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic transducer is connected to a vibrating member which includes a tip portion composed of at least one of Grade 5 titanium alloy, Grade 23 titanium alloy, and titanium of a purity of about 99% or higher.

33. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic transducer is connected to a vibrating member which includes a tip portion made of titanium with a purity of about 99% or more, sputtered onto an outer layer, providing a smooth tip surface configured to contact the lower bottom surface of the film opposite the outer top surface of the film which is located closest to the mesh.

34. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the film, which is opposite to the surface in the lower layer of the film that contacts the vibrating member, includes a hydrophobic coating.

35. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the film, which is opposite to the surface in the lower layer of the film that contacts the vibrating member, includes a hydrophilic coating.

36. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the mesh includes a hydrophobic coating on one or more surfaces of the mesh.

37. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the mesh includes a hydrophilic coating on one or more surfaces of the mesh.

38. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the mesh includes a hydrophobic coating on a first surface of the mesh and a hydrophilic coating on a second surface of the mesh.

39. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the film has an operational lifespan of 55,000 or more aerosol generation activations by the transducer.

40. The droplet delivery according to claim 1, further comprising at least one superhydrophobic vent, which is in fluid communication with the reservoir and is covered with a removable aluminum-treated polymer tab. Devices.

41. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a removable aluminum-treated polymer tab connected to the outer surface of the membrane adjacent to the mesh.

42. A method for assembling the droplet delivery device according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: removing a sealed package containing aluminum and / or an aluminum coating that incorporates the reservoir having a fluid to be stored in the reservoir; and connecting the container assembly to an enclosure system including the power supply.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the reservoir is disposed within the container assembly.

44. The droplet delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a snap mechanism and / or magnet configured to releasably connect the ejector bracket and the container assembly.

45. A droplet delivery device, A film supported within the droplet delivery device and connected to an electronic transducer via a vibrating member, A mesh supported within the droplet delivery device between the membrane and a port in the mouthpiece or nasal insertion element, wherein the membrane, the mesh, and the port are all in fluid communication with each other. A droplet delivery device equipped with the following features.

46. A method for creating a droplet stream from a fluid, comprising the steps of: delivering a constant volume of fluid between a membrane and a mesh; electronically activating an ultrasonic transducer connected to the membrane via a vibrating member; and creating a droplet stream by pushing the constant volume of fluid through an opening in the mesh.

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