Method and Apparatus for a Controlled Delivery of Particles

• US 20160139165A1
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluestone Technology GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bluestone Technology GmbH
• Inventors: Grgen, Frank, Sehlinger, Torsten
• Granted Patent: US 9,817,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0043 Non-destructive separation of the package, e.g. peeling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0051 the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/02 Equipment for testing the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/045 for filling, e.g. for filling reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/02 Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/40 Packages formed by enclosing successive articles, or increments of material, in webs, e.g. folded or tubular webs, or by subdividing tubes filled with liquid, semi-liquid, or plastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1009 Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids

Abstract

In a method and in an apparatus for the controlled delivery of particles, said particles are supplied to a measurement station in which the quantity of particles is detected. The particles are subsequently transferred by the measurement station to a dispensing device and are dispensed.

Claims

1. A method for the controlled delivery of allergenic particles, comprising the following steps:

continuously supplying stored particles (12) to a measurement station (30);

continuously detecting the quantity of supplied particles in the measurement station (30);

transferring the detected particles from the measurement station (30) to a dispensing device (40); and

delivering the transferred particles from the dispensing device (40), in particular into a space.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the particles are supplied to the measurement station (30) in a strip-shaped arrangement.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the particles are supplied to the measurement station (30) in one layer.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the particles are supplied to the measurement station (30) in a packaging (14, 24).

5. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the particles are conducted through the measurement station (30) in a packaging (14, 24).

6. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the particles are introduced into the dispensing device (40) in a closed packaging (14, 24);

and in that the packaging is opened in the dispensing device.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the particles are supplied in a strip-shaped packaging (14, 24) which in particular comprises two film strips, preferably transparent or translucent film strips.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the particles are sucked off from the inner side of an opened packaging in the dispensing device (40).

9. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the particles are isolated by means of compressed air in the dispensing device (40) and are delivered from the dispensing device.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the speed at which the particles are transferred to the dispensing device (40) is controlled in dependence on the detected quantity of particles.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

the particles are counted in the measurement station (30).

12. A method in accordance with claim 1,

characterized in that

image data of the particles are acquired in the measurement station (30).

20. A packaging with stored allergenic particles for use in a method and/or in an apparatus in accordance with at least one of the preceding claims, comprising two film strips (14, 24), in particular film strips which are transparent or translucent and are connected to one another, between which allergenic particles (12) are located in a strip-shaped arrangement.

21. A packaging in accordance with claim 20,

characterized in that

the particles (12) are randomly distributed in the strip-shaped arrangement.

22. A packaging in accordance with claim 20,

characterized in that

the particles (12) are substantially arranged in one layer in the strip-shaped arrangement.

13. An apparatus for the controlled delivery of allergenic particles, comprising:

a feed apparatus (36) for the continuous supply of stored particles to a measurement station (30);

a measurement station (30) in which the quantity of supplied particles (12) is continuously detected;

a dispensing device (40) for delivering the detected particles, in particular into a space.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

the measurement station (30) has a microscope (32).

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

the measurement station (30) has a counting device (34) with which the particles are counted.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

the dispensing device (40) has an opening mechanism for opening a packaging (14, 24) of the particles (12).

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

the dispensing device (40) has a suction device which sucks the particles from the inner side of an opened packaging (14, 24).

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

a control device (37) is provided which controls the speed of the feed apparatus (36) in dependence on the detected quantity of particles.

19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13,

characterized in that

the dispensing device (40) has a nozzle arrangement (42) with which particles are sucked up and are delivered in isolated form by means of compressed air.

23. A method for manufacturing a packaging with stored allergenic particles, in which allergenic particles (12) are arranged in strip shape or in linear shape between two film strips or foil strips (14, 24), which are in particular transparent or translucent, whereupon the two film strips or foil strips (14, 24) are connected to one another at least at their margins so that the particles are enclosed between the film strips or foil strips (14, 24).