ATOMIZER

• US 20070267015A1
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Inventors: THOEMMES, Ralf, VON BRUNN, Timo
• Granted Patent: US 8,813,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.120
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/006 operated by applying mechanical pressure to the liquid to be sprayed or atomised
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/02 operated by air or other gas pressure applied to the liquid or other product to be sprayed or atomised sprayers for horticulture A01G, A01H; killing insects A01M; air humidifying by nozzles F24F6/14, F24F6/18; cooling by spraying F28B, F28C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0026 Hinged caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0045 using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0048 the dosages being arranged in a plane, e.g. on diskettes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/005 the dosages being arranged on a cylindrical surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0061 using pre-packed dosages having an insert inside
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0075 on a disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0083 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder

Abstract

An atomizer for the delivery, and in particular, the atomization of a formulation, particularly, a powder. A simple construction and simple intuitive operation are made possible, in particular, by the fact that the atomizer has a mouthpiece with an associated cover, so that opening and/or closing of the cover causes a delivery medium, in particular air, to be taken in and/or put under pressure by a delivery device, a spring store is put under tension and/or a preferably annular reservoir containing a plurality of doses of the formulation is further rotated.

Claims

1. Atomizer for delivering a formulation from a reservoir having a plurality of annularly arranged receptacles, each of which contains a dose of the formulation, comprising:

a delivery device for delivering the formulation from the receptacles,

an end-piece or mouthpiece for delivering the formulation as an aerosol to a user, and

a manually movable cover associated with the end-piece or mouthpiece,

wherein the atomizer comprises at least one the following features;

the cover is coupled to the delivery device such that, by at least one of opening and closing of the cover, the delivery medium is taken in or put under pressure by the delivery device,

the cover is coupled to an energy store such that, by at least one of opening and closing of the cover energy is generated and stored in the energy store.

2. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the at least one said features comprises the cover being coupled to an energy store such that, by at least one of opening and closing of the cover energy is generated and stored in the energy store, wherein the energy store is a string store, and wherein the atomizer is constructed so that the spring store is put under tension for storing of energy.

3. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer is constructed so that the formulation can be delivered and atomized by means of a delivery medium being at least one of taken in and put under pressure.

10. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer is constructed so that, by opening or closing the cover, a transporting device is actuated that causes the reservoir to be advanced by one receptacle.

11. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer is constructed so that, by opening the cover, a connecting device is actuated in order to at least one of connect the next receptacle to the delivery device for atomization of the respective dose and open the receptacle.

12. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer is constructed so that the cover is movable at least one of transversally to a direction of delivery of the end-piece or mouthpiece, tangentially to a housing and along a periphery of the atomizer.

13. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the cover extends substantially peripherally along a circumferential section of the atomizer.

14. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the delivery device comprises or forms a pump.

15. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the delivery device comprises a bellows for conveying the delivery medium.

16. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the energy store forms part of the delivery device.

17. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the energy store surrounds the delivery device or is arranged or integrated therein.

18. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer is constructed so that the delivery medium can be put under pressure by the energy store in order to deliver the formulation.

19. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer comprises a transporting device for stepwise advancing of the reservoir to empty the receptacles one after another so as to atomize the respective dose.

20. Atomizer according to claim 19, wherein the reservoir has teeth in which the transporting device engages for moving or rotating of the reservoir in order to advance the receptacles.

21. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir is constructed as a rigid ring.

22. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the end-piece or mouthpiece for delivering the formulation is at least one of fixed and radially directed.

23. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer has a flat disc-shaped construction.

24. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer has a central axially pressable actuating element for triggering a delivery of a dose of the formulation.

26. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer has a counter for indicating one of the doses already dispensed and those still available.

27. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer has a clock device for providing a reminder to use the atomizer.

28. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the atomizer is constructed as a portable inhaler for medicinal aerosol therapy.

29. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the delivery device and the connecting device is movable in at least one of a linear, radial and sled-like manner.

30. Atomizer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of delivery device and the connecting device is slidable by means of a sliding guide.

4. Atomizer for delivering a formulation from a reservoir having a plurality of annularly arranged receptacles, each of which contains a dose of the formulation, comprising,

an end-piece or mouthpiece for delivering the formulation as an aerosol, and having a cover associated with the end-piece or mouthpiece that is manually movable for at least one of opening and closing thereof,

wherein the atomizer comprises a transmission or gear for producing, from at least one of the opening and closing movement of the cover, at least one of:

an axial movement to open a next receptacle,

a movement to open the next receptacle,

displacing of the reservoir,

advancing of the reservoir,

tensioning of a spring store,

actuating of a delivery device,

taking in air, and

actuating of a counter.

5. Atomizer according to claim 4, wherein the transmission or gear has different transmission ratios on a power takeoff side for driving different devices.

6. Atomizer according to claim 4, wherein the transmission or gear has a rotatable thread or threaded sleeve.

7. Atomizer according to claim 6, wherein the thread or the threaded sleeve is at least one of coupled to the cover, is arranged coaxially with a pivot axis of the cover, and forms the pivot axis of the cover.

8. Atomizer according to claim 4, wherein the transmission or gear is arranged inside an annular arrangement of the reservoir or receptacles.

9. Atomizer according to claim 4, wherein the transmission or gear comprises at least one sliding guide.

25. Atomizer for delivering a formulation in particular from a reservoir having a plurality of annularly arranged receptacles, each of which contains a dose of the formulation, wherein the atomizer has a closable chamber for accommodating medicaments independently of the reservoir.