Device for dosing of liquid

• US 5,881,716 A
• Filed: 09/20/1996
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pelikan Produktions AG
• Original Assignee: Pelikan Produktions AG
• Inventors: Wirch, Alfred, Kretschmer, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh X.
• Application Number:
  US08/717,247
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.14, 128/200.21, 128/200.16, 239/102.1, 239/102.2
• US Class Current: 128/200.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• 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 15/0066 with means for varying the dose size
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/02 with activated or ionised fluids, e.g. electrohydrodynamic [EHD] or electrostatic devices; Ozone-inhalators with radioactive tagged particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1409 in series, e.g. first substance passing through container holding second substance, e.g. reconstitution systems needle sets A61M5/162
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/00 Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/02 for controlling time, or sequence, of delivery
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/06 using ultrasonic or other kinds of vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/08 Apparatus to be carried on or by a person, e.g. of knapsack type B05B9/0426, B05B11/00 take precedence ; details or components, e.g. casings, bodies of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00

Abstract

The device has a current supply (1) connected to a control unit (2) including operating keys (3). The operating keys (3) provide for the inputting of a selectable dose amount or dosage per time unit or dose period. A liquid reservoir (5) stores fluid to be expelled. A droplet generator (8) includes a plurality of jets (13) connected to piezo-electrical or thermo-electrical converters which generate heat. Each jet and associated converter is individually controlled by the control unit. The device provides exact dosing of extremely small amounts of liquid, for example in the medicinal field, specifically with respect to inhalators or infusion instruments.

Claims

1. A device for selectively administrating a dose of fluid including a liquid medicament, comprising:

a liquid reservoir for storing the fluid;

a plurality of jets for expelling droplets of the fluid into an inhalator;

means for generating predetermined droplets from the fluid stored in the liquid reservoir and expelling the droplets from the plurality of jets in a selected fluid amount and a selected frequency, the means for generating the droplets including one of a thermo-electrical and piezo-electrical converter, and including one converter connected to each of the plurality of jets for individually controlling fluid expellsion from each of the plurality of jets;

a control unit for selectively controlling the generating means to generate the predetermined droplets; and

a current supply unit electrically connected to the control unit for supplying electrical power.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid reservoir is attachable and detachable to the means for generating droplets.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the control unit generates a frequency and impulse form for controlling each of the converters to generate droplets having a size between 1-10 nanograms.