Ultrasonic MHz oscillator, in particular for liquid atomization

• US 4,912,357 A
• Filed: 09/19/1988
• Issued: 03/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Van der Linden, Klaus, Drews, Wolf-Dietrich
• Primary Examiner(s): BUDD, MARK OSBORNE
• Application Number:
  US07/248,314
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 36/321-323, 36/325, 36/328, 239/102.1, 239/102.2, 134/1
• US Class Current: 310/323.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0623 coupled with a vibrating horn
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 3/02 involving a change of amplitude

Abstract

An ultrasonic MHz oscillator, in particular for liquid atomization, where at the upper, widening end of the upwardly decreasingly tapering amplitude transformer fastened on a planar piezoceramic disk, a continuously concave surface adapted to the liquid quantity and liquid surface tension is disposed comprising a concave mirror. The mirror cavity is adapted to receive the liquid to be atomized. With the oscillator, smallest droplets can be produced without coupling liquid, so that the oscillators find use above all in pocket inhalators.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic MHz oscillator for operation in the range from approximately 1 MHz to 5 MHz and operating in a power range of ≦

30 watts, for the atomization of a dosed amount of liquid into an aerosol spray inhalable into the human lung, comprising a piezoceramic, a metal amplitude transformer having a concavely curved plate, said amplitude transformer comprising an upwardly tapering amplitude transformer which comprises at an upper widening end a continuous concave surface without an opening in said surface adapted to the dosed liquid quantity to be atomized and liquid surface tension, said concave surface comprising a concave mirror for receiving the dosed liquid quantity to be atomized, and further comprising at a lower end, said piezoceramic comprising a planar piezoceramic disk, said piezoceramic disk being operated without a counter-mass on a side of said piezoceramic disk opposite said amplitude transformer, the total height of the ultrasonic atomizer being 4 to 6 times the half wavelength of the amplitude transformer and the total height of the amplitude transformer to the diameter of the piezoceramic being in the ratio of 1;

2.

4. The ultrasonic MHz oscillator recited in claim 1, wherein the taper of the amplitude transformer forms a neck, the diameter of which is adapted to the operating frequency of the atomizer.

5. The ultrasonic MHz oscillator recited in claim 4, wherein the operating frequency of the atomizer corresponds to the wavelength of the ultrasound in the amplitude transformer.

6. The ultrasonic MHz oscillator recited in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the concave mirror at an outer edge thereof corresponds to one half wavelength of the ultrasound in the amplitude transformer.

7. The ultrasonic MHz oscillator recited in claim 1 wherein the height of the amplitude transformer is 4 to 6 times the half wavelength in the amplitude transformer.

8. The ultrasonic MHz oscillator recited in claim 4 wherein the diameter of the concave mirror is 3.5 times the neck diameter and the neck diameter is 1/2 to 2 times that of the wavelength in the amplitude transformer.

9. The ultrasonic MHz oscillator recited in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the piezoceramic corresponds to the half wavelength in the ceramic.

2. An ultrasonic MHz oscillator for operation in the range from approximately 1 MHz to 5 MHz, for the atomization of liquids into an aerosol spray inhalable into the human lung, comprising a piezoceramic, a metal amplitude transformer having a concavely curved plate, said amplitude transformer comprising an upwardly tapering amplitude transformer which comprises at an upper widening end a continuous concave surface adapted to the liquid quantity to be atomized and liquid surface tension, said concave surface comprising a concave mirror for receiving the defined liquid quantity to be atomized, and further comprising at a lower end, said piezoceramic comprising a planar piezoceramic disk, said piezoceramic disk being operated without a counter-mass on a side of said piezoceramic disk opposite said amplitude transformer, the distance of a focus of the mirror from the intersection of an axis of symmetry of the oscillator with the concave mirror corresponding to double the diameter of the concave mirror.

3. An ultrasonic MHz oscillator for operation in the range from approximately 1 MHz to 5 MHz, for the atomization of liquids into an aerosol spray inhalable into the human lung, comprising a piezoceramic, a metal amplitude transformer having a concavely curved plate, said amplitude transformer comprising an upwardly tapering amplitude transformer which comprises at an upper widening end a continuous concave surface adapted to the liquid quantity to be atomized and liquid surface tension, said concave surface comprising a concave mirror for receiving the defined liquid quantity to be atomized, and further comprising at a lower end, said piezoceramic comprising a planar piezoceramic disk, said piezoceramic disk being operated without a counter-mass on a side of said piezoceramic disk opposite said amplitude transformer, the distance of a focus of the mirror from the intersection of an axis of symmetry of the oscillator with the concave mirror corresponding to the diameter of a neck portion of the transformer below the mirror.

10. An ultrasonic MHz oscillator for operation in the range from approximately 1 MHz to 5 MHz, for the atomization of liquids into an aerosol spray inhalable into the human lung, comprising a piezoceramic, a metal amplitude transformer having a concavely curved plate, said amplitude transformer comprising an upwardly tapering amplitude transformer which comprises at an upper widening end a continuous concave surface adapted to the liquid quantity to be atomized and liquid surface tension, said concave surface comprising a concave mirror for receiving the defined liquid quantity to be atomized, and further comprising at a lower end, said piezoceramic comprising a planar piezoceramic disk, said piezoceramic disk being operated without a counter-mass on a side of said piezoceramic disk opposite said amplitude transformer, the total height of the ultrasonic atomizer being 4 to 6 times the half wavelength of the amplitude transformer and the total height of the amplitude transformer to the diameter of the piezoceramic being in the ratio 1:

2.