Nebulizer Membrane Fluid Detection Using Multi-Frequency Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol delivery devices struggle to reliably and efficiently detect the presence of fluid for aerosolization, particularly in inhalation nebulizers, due to sensitivity to structural and environmental factors affecting electrical parameters, which can lead to inaccurate detection and potential damage to piezoelectric elements.
Innovation Solution
An aerosol delivery device with a vibratable membrane and a vibrator that operates at multiple frequencies, using a sensor to detect electrical parameters and analyze their frequency dependence to reliably determine fluid presence, minimizing signal variations from structural and environmental factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single-frequency electrical parameter detection method is used, then the detection process is simple, but the detection accuracy is low due to sensitivity to structural and environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from a static single-frequency detection method to a dynamic multi-frequency detection approach. The system sequentially operates the vibrator at multiple different vibration frequencies and analyzes the frequency dependence of electrical parameters, allowing the detection method to adapt to varying structural and environmental conditions through frequency variation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the vibration frequency parameter during detection. Instead of using a fixed frequency, the system changes the operating frequency across multiple values and analyzes how electrical parameters respond to these frequency changes, thereby identifying fluid presence more reliably despite structural and environmental variations.
2Reliability
If the vibrator operates continuously at high power, then complete aerosol delivery is ensured, but power consumption increases and battery lifetime decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing fluid presence detection before initiating aerosol generation. This preliminary check ensures that the vibrator only operates when fluid is actually present, preventing unnecessary power consumption and battery drain while maintaining reliable aerosol delivery when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using detected electrical parameter frequency dependence to control vibrator operation. The detection results feed back into the control logic to determine whether to activate and sustain aerosol generation, optimizing power usage based on actual fluid presence conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and efficient detection of fluid presence, ensuring complete aerosol delivery and preventing device damage, while optimizing power usage and patient adherence.
Implementation Method 1
an oscillation generator, for example, a piezocrystal
Implementation Method 2
an ultrasonic liquid nebuliser having a piezocrystal which is caused to oscillate electrically by an oscillator circuit
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An aerosol delivery device (A) comprising an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol in the aerosol delivery device, the aerosol generator comprising a membrane (1), and a vibrator (7), which is configured to vibrate a fluid and to aerosolise the fluid by the membrane (1), a fluid reservoir (2) for receiving the fluid (3) to be aerosolised, the fluid reservoir (2) being arranged in fluid communication with the membrane (1), a controller (10) which is configured to sequentially operate the vibrator (7) at a plurality of different vibration frequencies, a sensor (13) which is configured to detect at least one electrical parameter of the vibrator (7) for each of the plurality of different vibration frequencies, and a detector (13a) which is configured to detect the presence of fluid (3) in contact with the membrane (1) and/or in the fluid reservoir (2) on the basis of the dependence of the detected values of the at least one electrical parameter on the vibration frequency, wherein the detector (13a) is configured to detect the presence of fluid (3) in contact with the membrane (1) and/or in the fluid reservoir (2) on the basis of the area under a curve of the detected values of the at least one electrical parameter as a function of the vibration frequency, and/or a Fourier transform of a curve of the detected values of the at least one electrical parameter as a function of the vibration frequency.