Nebulization device

Abstract

This invention discloses an atomizing device, comprising a cup body, an atomizing module, and a detection module. The cup body has an opening and a through hole, the opening and through hole being respectively located at the top and bottom of the cup body. The cup body has an internal reservoir for containing liquid medicine, and the reservoir communicates with the opening and the through hole. The atomizing module and the detection module are disposed inside the cup body. The atomizing module is located directly above the through hole, and the detection module is located above the atomizing module. The detection module has a detection area, the vertical projection of which lies entirely within the range of the vertical projection of the through hole.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an atomizing device, and more particularly to an atomizing device with the function of detecting residual trace amounts of medicine. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Existing nebulizers typically have a detection element inside their medicine cup to detect the residual dose of the medicine in the cup. However, in the prior art, the detection element is often offset to one side (e.g., the right side) inside the medicine cup. This causes the residual medicine to concentrate in a position far from the detection element when the medicine cup is tilted (e.g., tilted to the left) and thus cannot be effectively detected. This leads to inaccurate determination of the residual dose and reduces the accuracy and reliability of medicine use.

[0003] Therefore, how to overcome the above-mentioned defects through structural design improvements has become one of the important issues to be addressed in this field. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a nebulizing device to address the shortcomings of the prior art, thereby solving the technical problem that the detection element inside the existing nebulizing device is often biased to one side inside the medicine cup, which leads to misjudgment of the residual dose in the medicine cup.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted by the present invention is to provide an atomizing device, which includes a cup body, an atomizing module, and a detection module. The cup body has an opening and a through hole, which are respectively disposed at the top and bottom of the cup body. The cup body has a liquid storage tank for containing liquid medicine, and the liquid storage tank is connected to the opening and the through hole. The atomizing module and the detection module are disposed inside the cup body. The atomizing module is located directly above the through hole, and the detection module is located above the atomizing module. The detection module has a detection area, and the vertical projection of the detection area is completely within the range of the vertical projection of the through hole.

[0006] One of the beneficial effects of the present invention is that the atomizing device provided by the present invention can, through the technical solution that "the vertical projection of the detection area is completely located within the range of the vertical projection of the through hole", ensure that the detection area is basically located in the middle of the liquid storage tank, rather than offset to one side. By using a structural design that aligns the detection area and the through hole coaxially, the sensing accuracy of the detection module for changes in the liquid level in the storage tank can be improved, ensuring consistency in the amount of residual medication to be retained, and avoiding misjudgments or signal distortion caused by module misalignment, thereby ensuring the stability and safety of the atomization operation.

[0007] To further understand the features and technical content of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings of the present invention. However, the drawings provided are for reference and illustration only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

Implementation Method

[0015] The following describes the implementation of the "atomizing device" disclosed in this invention through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can understand the advantages and effects of this invention from the content disclosed in this specification. This invention can be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified and changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the concept of this invention. In addition, the accompanying drawings of this invention are only simple illustrations and are not depictions based on actual dimensions, as stated in advance. The following embodiments will further describe the relevant technical content of this invention in detail, but the disclosed content is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. In addition, it should be understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are mainly used to distinguish one element from another element. In addition, the term "or" used herein may include any combination of one or more of the associated listed items, depending on the actual situation.

[0016] [Example]

[0017] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the atomizing device of the present invention, and Figure 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of the atomizing device of the present invention. An embodiment of the present invention provides an atomizing device D, which mainly includes: a cup body 1, a main unit 2, a housing 3, an atomizing module 4, and a detection module 5.

[0018] Referring to Figures 2 to 4, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cup body of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the cup body of the present invention. The housing 3 is used to connect the main unit 2 and the cup body 1. The housing 3 has an air chamber 30 inside, and the housing 3 includes a nozzle 31 for communicating with the air chamber 30. The cup body 1 has an opening 10 and a through hole V, which are respectively disposed at the top and bottom of the cup body 1. The cup body 1 has a liquid storage tank C inside, for containing liquid medicine Q (see Figure 4). The liquid storage tank C communicates with the opening 10 and the through hole V, and the liquid storage tank C communicates with the air chamber 30 below through the through hole V. As shown in Figure 2, the cup body 1 also includes a cover 11, which is pivotally connected to one side of the cup body 1 in a rotatable manner and is used to cover the opening 10. It should be noted that, for ease of illustration, the cover 11 is omitted in Figure 3.

[0019] As shown in Figure 4, the liquid storage tank C has a first inner wall C1 and a second inner wall C2 arranged in sequence. The first inner wall C1 is located between the opening 10 and the second inner wall C2, while the second inner wall C2 is located between the first inner wall C1 and the through hole V. The first inner wall C1 is funnel-shaped, and its inner diameter gradually decreases from the opening 10 towards the second inner wall C2, so as to guide the poured liquid medicine Q to flow into the through hole V below. The second inner wall C2 is roughly cylindrical, and its inner diameter is relatively consistent, so as to stably control the flow rate and direction of the liquid medicine Q through the through hole V, and further improve the atomization efficiency.

[0020] The atomizing module 4 and the detection module 5 are disposed in the internal space of the cup body 1. The atomizing module 4 is positioned directly above the through hole V, while the detection module 5 is further positioned above the atomizing module 4. As shown in Figure 4, the liquid storage tank C contains liquid medicine Q.

[0021] Please refer to Figures 3, 4, and 5 together. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the vertical projection correspondence between the detection area and the through hole of the present invention. The detection module 5 includes a detection area 5R, which is disposed in the area above the through hole V. In other words, if the detection area 5R and the through hole V are vertically projected along a vertical direction (i.e., the Z-axis direction) onto an imaginary horizontal projection plane (not shown), the vertical projection A1 of the detection area 5R and the vertical projection A2 of the through hole V can be obtained.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, the area of ​​vertical projection A1 is smaller than the area of ​​vertical projection A2, and vertical projection A1 is completely located within the range of vertical projection A2, that is, the vertical projection A1 of the detection area 5R does not exceed the boundary of the vertical projection A2 of the through hole V. Preferably, vertical projection A1 is further disposed at the center of vertical projection A2, that is, the detection area 5R is coaxially aligned with the through hole V. This coaxial alignment design helps to improve the sensing accuracy of the detection module 5 for changes in liquid level in the storage tank C, so that the detection area 5R can accurately detect the amount of liquid directly above the through hole V, avoiding misjudgment or signal distortion caused by module offset, thereby ensuring the consistency of residual drug amount and the stability and safety of atomization operation.

[0023] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the atomizing module 4 can be composed of an atomizing plate and piezoelectric material. It mainly utilizes the principle of ultrasonic oscillation to drive the atomizing plate, converting the liquid Q in the storage tank C into mist particles for the user to inhale. On the other hand, the detection module 5 is a liquid level sensor designed to detect the liquid level of the liquid Q, thereby controlling the start, stop, or replenishment prompts of the atomization program, and thus controlling the residual amount of liquid Q. For example, the detection module 5 can employ capacitive or resistive liquid level detection methods; this invention is not limited to these methods.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention, the detection module 5 may include a metal component 51 and a sensing circuit (not shown), and the sensing circuit is electrically connected to the metal component 51. For example, the sensing circuit may include components such as a microcontroller and a signal processing unit, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The metal component 51 extends laterally and crosses above the through hole V, and its two ends are fixed to the second inner wall C2 for stable positioning. Furthermore, the metal component 51 is covered with an insulating material P, with only a small portion of it exposed as a sensing point for electrical contact with the liquid drug Q, and this exposed area constitutes the detection area 5R.

[0025] Furthermore, the detection area 5R is located directly above the through hole V, and a first distance H1 between the detection area 5R and the through hole V is smaller than a second distance H2 between the detection area 5R and the opening 10. When the medicine Q is poured into the reservoir C of the cup body 1 during treatment, and the liquid level Q1 is at a certain height, the medicine Q will come into contact with the detection area 5R, causing the sensing circuit to generate a change in resistance (or capacitance). At this time, the liquid level of the medicine Q can be determined by detecting the change in resistance (or capacitance). When the control circuit determines that the liquid level Q1 has reached the activation condition, it can drive the atomizing module 4 to start the atomization action; conversely, when the liquid level Q1 is lower than the detection area 5R, the sensing circuit can stop the atomizing module 4 from starting the atomization function, and may even issue a low liquid warning to remind the user to replenish the liquid.

[0026] In this invention, by adjusting the first distance H1 between the detection area 5R and the through hole V, the residual amount of drug Q in the reservoir C, especially the residual trace amount of drug Q, can be controlled. When the amount of drug Q poured into the reservoir C by the user during treatment is fixed, and it can be ensured that the residual amount of drug Q in the reservoir C after nebulization treatment is also fixed, the amount of drug Q that has been nebulized can be calculated, and the amount of drug Q that has been nebulized can be used to estimate the user's aerosol inhalation volume.

[0027] Referring to Figure 6, Figure 6 is a functional block diagram of the atomizing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The main unit 2 may include a control module 21, which is electrically connected to the atomizing module 4 and the detection module 5 for integrated control of liquid level detection and atomization operation.

[0028] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, when the liquid level Q1 of the drug solution Q rises above the detection area 5R, the detection area 5R comes into contact with the drug solution Q. At this time, the detection module 5 detects that the liquid level has reached the target and outputs a detection signal to the control module 21. The control module 21 determines that the drug solution Q is sufficient based on the signal, and then activates the atomizing module 4 to atomize the drug solution Q. Next, referring to Figure 2, after the drug solution Q is atomized by the atomizing module 4, it is converted into a fine mist and diffuses into the air chamber 30 through the through hole V. Finally, when the user inhales through the nozzle 31, the mist can be introduced into the nozzle 31 from the air chamber 30 and inhaled into the body, completing the inhalation administration of the drug solution Q.

[0029] On the other hand, when the liquid level Q1 of the drug solution Q drops below the detection area 5R (not shown in the figure), the detection area 5R is no longer in contact with the drug solution Q. In this case, the detection module 5 will no longer output a detection signal to the control module 21. Based on this, the control module 21 determines that the drug solution Q has reached the expected residual amount, and thus stops controlling the atomizing module 4, while preventing the atomizing module 4 from continuing to perform atomization operation in the state of insufficient liquid.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 7, in another embodiment of the present invention, the metal part 51 of the detection module 5 may also have a shape that extends only from one side of the inner wall of the cup body 1 to above the through hole V. The metal part 51 is also covered by insulating material P and a portion is exposed, and the exposed portion forms the detection area 5R. The detection method of the detection area 5R is the same as that in the aforementioned embodiment, and will not be described in detail here.

[0031] This invention, by setting the detection area 5R of the detection module 5 directly above the through hole V, ensures that the vertical projection A1 of the detection area 5R is completely within the range of the vertical projection A2 of the through hole V, and preferably, the vertical projection A1 of the detection area 5R is positioned at the center of the vertical projection A2. This coaxial design ensures that the detection area 5R is directly opposite the main flow area where the liquid Q is to enter the through hole V. With this configuration, when the atomizing device D tilts due to being held or placed during actual use, regardless of the tilt direction or angle, the detection area 5R can still maintain its position corresponding to the area directly above the through hole V, thereby accurately detecting the residual amount of liquid Q in that area.

[0032] Furthermore, even if the user operates the atomizing device D in different postures or environments, causing the cup 1 to tilt to different positions, when the liquid Q is used to the preset residual amount, the detection module 5 can accurately determine the residual amount located directly above the through hole V and maintain the consistency of the residual amount. In other words, when the liquid level Q1 is lower than the detection area 5R, and the sensing circuit stops the operation of the atomizing module 4, the amount of liquid Q initially poured into the storage tank C is subtracted from the consistent residual amount, which is the amount of liquid Q that has been atomized. This alignment design, which places the detection area 5R directly above the through hole V, can effectively improve the reliability and consistency of liquid level detection, avoid detection errors or misjudgments of insufficient liquid due to tilting, and thus ensure the accuracy of atomization control.

[0033] [Beneficial Effects of the Embodiments]

[0034] The present invention, through the structural design of the detection area 5R of the detection module 5 being located in the area directly above the through hole V, ensures that the vertical projection A1 of the detection area 5R is completely within the range of the vertical projection A2 of the through hole V, and preferably is positioned at the center of the vertical projection A2. With this configuration, when the atomizing device D tilts due to being held or placed during actual use, regardless of the tilt direction or angle, the detection area 5R will still correspond to the area directly above the through hole V, thereby accurately detecting whether the liquid Q in that area has reached the preset residual amount.

[0035] Furthermore, since the detection area 5R focuses on detecting the liquid residue area above the through-hole V, the efficiency of liquid usage can also be improved. In addition, the design of this invention can also avoid the situation where the system prematurely determines that the liquid is insufficient due to improper configuration of the detection area, thereby interrupting the atomization operation, thus reducing liquid waste and extending the effective usage time after each liquid addition, achieving the dual effect of saving liquid and improving device efficiency.

[0036] The content disclosed above is only a preferred and feasible embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the patent application of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent technical changes made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings are included in the scope of the patent application of the present invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the atomizing device of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of the atomizing device of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cup body of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the cup body of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the vertical projection correspondence between the detection area and the through hole of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 6 is a functional block diagram of the atomizing device of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the cup body according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An atomizing device, comprising: A cup body has an opening and a through hole, the opening and the through hole being respectively located at the top and bottom of the cup body. The inside of the cup body has a liquid storage tank for holding liquid medicine, and the liquid storage tank is connected to the opening and the through hole. An atomizing module is located inside the cup body and directly above the through hole. And a detection module is disposed inside the cup body and above the atomizing module. The detection module has a detection area, and a vertical projection of the detection area is completely within the range of a vertical projection of the through hole.

2. The atomizing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The detection module includes a metal component that extends over the through-hole and is partially exposed by being covered by an insulating material, the exposed portion forming the detection area.

3. The atomizing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The detection module includes a metal component that extends from one side of the inner wall of the cup to above the through hole and is partially exposed while being covered by an insulating material. This exposed portion forms the detection area.

4. The atomizing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The liquid storage tank has a first inner wall and a second inner wall. The first inner wall is disposed between the opening and the second inner wall, and the second inner wall is disposed between the first inner wall and the through hole. The inner diameter of the liquid storage tank on the first inner wall gradually decreases from the opening toward the second inner wall.

5. The atomizing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, A first distance between the detection area and the through hole is less than a second distance between the detection area and the opening.

6. The atomizing device as claimed in claim 1 further includes a cover pivotally connected to one side of the cup body, the cover being used to close the opening.

7. The atomizing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The vertical projection of the detection area is located at the center of the range of the vertical projection of the through hole.

8. The atomizing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, It also includes a main unit and a housing for connecting the main unit and the cup body. The housing has an air chamber inside and includes a nozzle for communicating with the air chamber. The liquid storage tank communicates with the air chamber through the through hole.

9. The atomizing device as described in claim 8, wherein, The host includes a control module electrically connected to the atomizing module and the detection module; wherein, when the liquid level of the medicine is higher than the position of the detection area, the detection area contacts the medicine and outputs a detection signal to the control module, so that the control module controls the atomizing module to atomize the medicine.

10. The atomizing device as described in claim 8, wherein, The host includes a control module electrically connected to the atomizing module and the detection module; when the liquid level of the medicine is lower than the position of the detection area, the detection area cannot contact the medicine and stops outputting detection signals to the control module, so that the control module stops controlling the atomizing module to atomize the medicine.

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