Atomizer and inhalator using same

• US 6,676,034 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Shinya, Terada, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Ganey, Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US10/007,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20020074426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 239/102.1, 239/102.2, 239/4, 239/600, 128/200.14, 128/200.16, 310/314-316
• US Class Current: 239/102.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0615 spray being produced at the free surface of the liquid or other fluent material in a container and subjected to the vibrations

Abstract

An atomizer has a liquid container containing a liquid to be atomized and an oscillator having a cylindrically shaped top part and protruding from the bottom of the liquid container. A pipe or a portion of the inner wall of the liquid container is sufficiently close to the outer surface of the top part of the oscillator so as to form a gap of 3 mm or less such that when the oscillator is caused to oscillate, its vibratory energy causes the liquid to reach the top surface of the oscillator and to be atomized. An inhalator is formed with such an atomizer made detachably attachable to a main housing. A coupling unit with two couplers connected with a cable may be used to attach the atomizer to the inhalator'"'"'s main housing. A mouthpiece and a mask may be made attachable to the atomizer.

Claims

1. An atomizer comprising:

a liquid container containing a liquid;

an oscillator having a cylindrically shaped top part, said top part having a top surface and protruding into said liquid container;

a gap-forming member disposed proximally to said top part of said oscillator to provide a gap in between for allowing said liquid to pass through;

means for causing said oscillator to oscillate and said liquid to thereby reach said top surface through said gap and to be atomized; and

a casing containing said liquid container and said oscillator therein.

2. The atomizer of claim 1 further comprising a mesh placed on said top part of said oscillator.

3. The atomizer of claim 1 wherein said gap-forming member is a pipe which covers said top part of said oscillator.

4. The atomizer of claim 3 wherein said pipe has a flange extending outward.

5. The atomizer of claim 1 wherein said gap-forming member is a portion of an inner wall of said liquid container.

6. The atomizer of claim 5 wherein said gap is less than 3 mm.

7. An inhalator comprising a housing and an atomizer which are connected to each other, said atomizer comprising:

a liquid container containing a liquid;

an oscillator having a cylindrically shaped top part, said top part having a top surface and protruding into said liquid container;

a gap-forming member disposed proximally to said top part of said oscillator to provide a gap in between for allowing said liquid to pass through;

means for causing said oscillator to oscillate and said liquid to thereby reach said top surface through said gap and to be atomized; and

a casing containing said liquid container and said oscillator therein.

8. The inhalator of claim 7 further comprising a coupling unit having couplers connected to each other by a cable, one of said couplers being detachably attachable to said housing, the other of said couplers being detachably attachable to said atomizer.

9. The inhalator of claim 8 wherein said housing and said atomizer are directly attachable to each other without said coupling unit.

10. The inhalator of claim 9 wherein said gap-forming member is a pipe which covers said top of part of said oscillator.

11. The inhalator of claim 9 wherein said pipe has a flange extending outward.

12. The inhalator of claim 9 wherein said gap-forming member is a portion of an inner wall of said liquid container.

13. The inhalator of claim 9 further comprising a coupling unit including a first coupler, a second coupler and an electrical cable connecting said first and second couplers, said first coupler being detachably attachable to said housing and said second coupler being detachably attachable to said atomizer.

14. The inhalator of claim 7 further comprising a mesh placed on said top part of said oscillator.

15. The inhalator of claim 7 wherein said gap-forming member is a pipe which covers said lop of part of said oscillator.

16. The inhalator of claim 13 wherein said gap is less than 0.3 mm.

17. The inhalator of claim 7 wherein said pipe has a flange extending outward.

18. The inhalator of claim 7 wherein said gap-forming member is a portion of an inner wall of said liquid container.

19. The inhalator of claim 18 wherein said gap is less than 3 mm.

20. The inhalator of claim 7 further comprising a coupling unit including a first coupler, a second coupler and an electrical cable connecting said first and second couplers, said first coupler being detachably attachable to said housing and said second coupler being detachably attachable to said atomizer.