Nebulizer apparatus
First Claim
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1. A nebulizer apparatus for atomizing a liquid into an aerosol of fine droplets, said nebulizer apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a cavity with an opening;
a thin mesh plate positioned across the opening of the cavity, said mesh plate having an exposed front surface and a rear surface facing into said cavity, said mesh plate having holes extending through said mesh plate from the front surface to the rear surface;
a liquid transport line opening into said cavity for supplying a volume of liquid to the rear surface of said mesh plate;
a vibration generator energizable to establish vibrations in one of the mesh plate or liquid to cause the liquid to pass through the holes in the mesh plate and to be discharged from the front surface of the plate as an aerosol of fine droplets;
a sensor located in said cavity, said sensor measuring the extent of a physical dimension of the volume of liquid supplied to the rear surface of said mesh plate; and
means for controlling a supply of liquid from said liquid transport line to said cavity, responsive to said sensor, to maintain a desired volume of liquid on the rear surface of said mesh plate.
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Abstract
A nebulizer apparatus to atomize liquid solutions or suspensions. The nebulizer is typically used in conjunction with a breathing circuit to deliver atomized medicine to a patient. A housing with an opening covered by a thin mesh plate is supplied with the liquid to be nebulized on an “on-demand” basis. The mesh plate or liquid is vibrated at ultrasonic frequencies to atomize the liquid as it passes through the plate into breathing gases flowing through the breathing tube.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A nebulizer apparatus for atomizing a liquid into an aerosol of fine droplets, said nebulizer apparatus comprising:
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a housing having a cavity with an opening;
a thin mesh plate positioned across the opening of the cavity, said mesh plate having an exposed front surface and a rear surface facing into said cavity, said mesh plate having holes extending through said mesh plate from the front surface to the rear surface;
a liquid transport line opening into said cavity for supplying a volume of liquid to the rear surface of said mesh plate;
a vibration generator energizable to establish vibrations in one of the mesh plate or liquid to cause the liquid to pass through the holes in the mesh plate and to be discharged from the front surface of the plate as an aerosol of fine droplets;
a sensor located in said cavity, said sensor measuring the extent of a physical dimension of the volume of liquid supplied to the rear surface of said mesh plate; and
means for controlling a supply of liquid from said liquid transport line to said cavity, responsive to said sensor, to maintain a desired volume of liquid on the rear surface of said mesh plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification