Piezo inhaler

• US 6,443,146 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Injet Digital Aerosols Limited
• Original Assignee: Ponwell Enterprises Limited
• Inventors: Voges, Robert Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MITCHELL, TEENA KAY
• Application Number:
  US09/513,279
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200-2-2, 128/200.18, 128/200.16, 128/200.21, 128/200.24, 128/202.21, 128/203.12, 128/203.14, 128/203.26, 128/203.27, 239/338, 239/102.1, 239/102.2
• US Class Current: 128/200.14
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/05 Devices without heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/48 Fluid transfer means, e.g. pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0023 retractable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0066 with means for varying the dose size
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0083 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 19/00 Local anaesthesia syringes therefor A61M5/00; Hypothermia A61M5/42 takes precedence; cooling blood in a bypass of the arterial system A61M1/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0607 generated by electrical means, e.g. piezoelectric transducers

Abstract

An inhaler provides a controlled delivery of an inhalant and includes an inhaler housing and a mouthpiece coupled to the inhaler housing. A piezoelectric dispenser-head is coupled to the inhaler housing and configured to be coupled to the dispensing chamber. The piezoelectric dispenser-head includes an array of dispensing channels and an array of dispensing nozzles. The array of dispensing channels are formed with actuatable walls made at least partially of a piezoelectric material. Application of an electric field to selected side walls reduces a volume in an associated channel and creates a pressure pulse of flowable substance in the associated channel through a dispensing nozzle.

Claims

1. An inhaler, comprising:

an inhaler housing;

a mouthpiece interconnected with said inhaler housing;

a flowable substance container associated with said inhaler housing;

a droplet ejection device fluidly interconnected with said flowable substance container, wherein said droplet ejection device comprises a plurality of droplet ejection orifices and a plurality of droplet ejection actuators which are independently actuatable;

a programmable controller operatively interconnected with said droplet ejection device; and

a heating means disposed within said inhaler housing.

2. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said inhaler housing comprises first and second ends, wherein said mouthpiece is disposed on said first end wherein said second end is closed.

3. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said inhaler housing comprises a plurality of air inlet slots.

4. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said inhaler housing comprises first and second ends and a sidewall extending therebetween, wherein said air inlet slots are disposed on said sidewall.

5. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said inhaler housing comprises a central, longitudinal axis, wherein said air inlet slots are disposed parallel to said central, longitudinal axis.

6. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

means for controlling airflow through said air inlet slots.

7. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said inhaler housing comprises first and second ends with a sidewall extending therebetween, wherein said mouthpiece is disposed on said first end and defines an exit from said inhaler housing, wherein said second end is closed, and wherein said inhaler housing comprises a plurality of air inlet slots disposed on said sidewall and which define an inlet to said inhaler housing.

8. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said inhaler housing comprises first and second housing sections which are detachably interconnected, wherein said flowable substance container is disposed within said inhaler housing and may be accessed by separating said first housing from said second housing.

9. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said flowable substance container comprises a protective cartridge and a collapsible bladder disposed within said protective cartridge.

10. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said flowable substance container is disposable and may be replaced by another said flowable substance container.

11. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said flowable substance container is disposed within said inhaler housing.

12. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least some of said plurality of droplet ejection orifices have different diameters.

13. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least some of said plurality of droplet ejection orifices are disposed in different orientations.

14. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said heating means is disposed between said droplet ejection device and said mouthpiece.

15. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said heating means comprises means for increasing a temperature of droplets ejected from said droplet ejection device.

16. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said heating means comprises means for reducing a size of droplets ejected from said droplet ejection device.

17. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises a programmable logic circuit.

18. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises a microprocessor.

19. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for controlling a quantity of a flowable substance ejected from said flowable substance container by said droplet ejection device.

20. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an inhalation sensor associated with said inhaler housing and operatively interconnected with said controller.

21. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for sending a dose signal to said droplet ejection device.

22. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said dose signal comprises a set of eject signals.

23. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said dose signal comprises a train of voltage pulses.

24. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said dose signal comprises a train of pulses directed serially to one of said droplet ejection actuators.

25. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said dose signal comprises a sequence of pulses directed in parallel to a plurality of said droplet ejection actuators.

26. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for programming said controller to address specific said droplet ejection actuators so as to eject droplets of a flowable substance from selected said droplet ejection orifices.

27. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for controlling a pulse spacing, pulse width, and pulse frequency of a dose signal sent to said droplet ejection device by said controller.

28. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for controlling a time interval during which droplets of a flowable substance are discharged from said droplet ejection device.

29. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for providing a dose complete signal which indicates to a user of said inhaler that a full dose has been dispensed.

30. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for preventing inadvertent, excessive use of said inhaler.

31. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for limiting a maximum dose of a flowable substance from said flowable substance container which can be discharged from said inhaler within a predetermined time period.

32. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for locking said inhaler.

33. An inhaler as claimed in claim 32, wherein:

said means for locking comprises a security code.

34. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises means for providing an alarm schedule whereby an alarm will be activated in accordance with said alarm schedule.

35. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said controller comprises a microprocessor, electronic memory, clocks, power supply, and sensors.

36. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a battery operatively interconnected with said controller.

37. An inhaler, as claimed in claim 36, wherein:

said battery is disposed within said inhaler housing.

38. A method for delivering droplets of a flowable substance from an inhaler to a patient, wherein said inhaler comprises a controller which is operatively interconnected with a droplet ejection device, wherein said droplet ejection device comprises a plurality of droplet ejection orifices and a plurality of droplet ejection actuators, and wherein said method comprises the steps of:

providing said flowable substance to said droplet ejection device;

executing a first programming step which comprises programming a controller which is operatively interconnected with said droplet ejection device, wherein said programming step comprises selecting which of said droplet ejection actuators should receive a first dose signal from said controller;

directing said first dose signal to each of said droplet ejection actuators from said selecting step;

discharging said flowable substance through said droplet ejection orifices associated with said droplet ejection actuators from said selecting step;

generating droplets of said flowable substance from said discharging step; and

inhaling said droplets provided by said generating step.

39. A method, as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said executing a first programming step comprises operatively interconnecting said inhaler with an external computer.

40. A method, as claimed in claim 38, further comprising the steps of:

executing a second programming step comprising programming said controller which is operatively interconnected with said droplet ejection device and which comprises selecting which of said droplet ejection actuators should receive a second dose signal from said controller, wherein a combination of said droplet ejection actuators from said selecting step of said executing a first programming step are different from a combination of said droplet ejection actuators from said selecting step of said executing a second programming step.

41. A method, as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said selecting step comprises selecting a single said droplet ejection actuator to receive said first dose signal from said controller.

42. A method, as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said directing step comprises directing a set of ejection signals.

43. A method, as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said directing step comprises directing a train of voltage pulses.

44. A method, as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said directing step comprises directing a train of pulses serially to one of said droplet ejection actuators.

45. A method, as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said directing step comprises directing a sequence of pulses in parallel to a plurality of said droplet ejection actuators.

46. A method, as claimed in claim 38, wherein:

said directing step comprises directing a sequence of pulses, wherein said programming step comprises programming a pulse spacing, a pulse width, and pulse frequency of said sequence of pulses.

47. A method, as claimed in claim 38, further comprising the step of:

heating said droplets after said generating step and before said inhaling step.

48. A method, as claimed in claim 47, wherein:

said heating step comprises affecting a temperature of said droplets.

49. A method, as claimed in claim 47, wherein:

said heating step comprises reducing a size of said droplets.

50. A method, as claimed in claim 38, further comprising the step of:

providing a resistance to said inhaling step.

51. A method, as claimed in claim 38, further comprising the step of:

providing a dose complete signal to said patient after a full dose has been dispensed from said inhaler.