AEROSOL CREATED BY DIRECTED FLOW OF FLUIDS AND DEVICES AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING SAME
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Abstract
A method of creating small particles by a technology referred to here as “violent focusing” is disclosed, along with devices for generating such violent focusing. In general, the method comprises the steps of forcing a first fluid out of an exit opening of the feeding channel to create a fluid stream. The exit opening is positioned such that the fluid flowing out of the channel flows toward and out of an exit orifice of a pressure chamber which surrounds the exit opening of the feeding channel, and is filled with an atomizing fluid. An atomizing fluid such as a gas is directed towards the first fluid stream in approximately orthogonal directions and surrounding the circumference of the first fluid stream from all sides. The first fluid flow is broken into particles which have dimensions which are smaller than the dimensions of this fluid stream.
29 Citations
51 Claims
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1-26. -26. (canceled)
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27. A method of generating an aerosol, comprising the steps of:
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forcing a liquid formulation comprised of a pharmaceutically active drug through a feeding supply channel and out of an exit opening;
filling a pressure chamber with a gas which chamber is in fluid connection with the exit opening of the feeding supply channel;
forcing the gas toward and into the liquid in a manner which destabilizes the liquid into particles having a diameter less than the diameter of the exit opening of the feeding supply channel; and
allowing the gas to exert force on the liquid and force particles of the liquid out of an exit orifice of the pressure chamber positioned downstream of a direction of flow of the liquid stream. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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- 40. The method of claim 40, wherein the ratio of the exit opening of the feeding supply channel width to the pressure chamber exit orifice width is in the range of about 0.7 to about 1.2.
Specification