Liquid reservoir for nebulizer

• US 6,868,851 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Instrumentarium Dental Incorporated (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Instrumentarium Dental Incorporated (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Heinonen, Erkki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US10/062,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20030140919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.12, 128/200.22, 128/200.21, 128/200.14, 222/321.1, 222/321.8, 222/383.1, 222/384, 239/321, 239/518, 239/524, 239/543, 239/544, 239 79- 85, 239/102.2, 239/327, 239/330, 239/331, 239/338
• US Class Current: 128/200.22
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch

Abstract

A liquid reservoir for a nebulizer is comprised of a pair of membranes formed of resilient material and sealed about their edges to form a closed chamber between them for containing a liquid to be nebulized. When the chamber is filled with liquid and thereby expanded, the resilient membranes are distended to apply pressure to the liquid in the chamber. A discharge valve controls the discharge of liquid from the reservoir to the nebulizer under the pressure applied by the membranes. The reservoir is mounted on the nebulizer so that one of the membranes abuts a surface of the nebulizer that concavely deforms the membrane to increase the pressure applied to the liquid in the chamber to reduce or eliminate any residual volume of liquid in the chamber at the end of the discharging operation.

Claims

1. Liquid reservoir means for supplying liquid to a nebulizer for atomization, said liquid reservoir means comprising the combination of:

a liquid reservoir formed of first and second membranes positioned in a generally opposing relationship to form a closed chamber between the membranes for containing liquid, said first and second membranes being formed of a resilient material, said first and second membranes having opposing surfaces which are contiguous when the chamber is empty and spaced when said chamber is filled with liquid and thereby expanded, the expansion of the chamber distending said resilient material membranes to cause said resilient material membranes to apply pressure to liquid in the said chamber;

flow control means in communication with the chamber for controlling the discharge of liquid from the reservoir to the nebulizer under the pressure applied to the liquid by the distended resilient material membranes; and

a member in the nebulizer having a surface on which one of said first and second membranes is contiguous and which receives said flow control means, said surface of said member being formed to deform at least one of said first and second membranes as a result of the contiguity of the membrane on the member to further increase the pressure on the liquid in said chamber.

2. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 1 wherein said surface of said member is formed to cause said membranes to progressively contact each other, commencing at a periphery of the membranes and extending toward a center of the membranes.

3. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 2 wherein said surface is formed so that a radius of curvature of said surface increases from a periphery of said surface to a center of said surface.

4. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 1 wherein said surface is formed to concavely deform at least one of said first and second membranes when viewed from the exterior of the chamber.

5. Liquid reservoir mans according to claim 1 wherein said flow control means is mounted in one of said first and second membranes.

6. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 5 wherein said surface concavely deforms said one of said first and second membranes.

7. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 1 further comprising means for retaining said liquid reservoir on the nebulizer.

8. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 7 wherein a filling means is mounted on said retaining means.

9. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 1 further including filling means in fluid communication with said chamber by which liquid may be supplied to said chamber.

10. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 9 wherein said filling means is mounted on a membrane.

11. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 9 wherein said filling means contains a valve.

12. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 9 wherein said filling means comprises means engagable with a syringe.

13. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 9 wherein said filling means comprises means mounted on a membrane for applying a force to the membrane for drawing the membranes apart to create an underpressure in the chamber formed between said membranes and means mounted on a membrane to admit liquid to said chamber responsive to said underpressure.

14. Liquid reservoir means of claim 13 wherein said means for drawing said membranes apart comprises a means engagable by a hand of a user to draw the membranes apart.

15. Liquid reservoir means of claim 14 wherein said means engageable by a hand of a user is removable.

16. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 13 wherein said means to admit liquid comprises said flow control means.

17. Liquid reservoir means of claim 16 wherein said flow control means has an end formed to engage a container for the liquid.

18. Liquid reservoir means according to claim 16 wherein said flow control means comprises a valve.

19. Liquid reservoir means of claim 18 wherein said valve has an inoperative state in which said valve operates as a check valve to prevent discharge of liquid from said chamber and an operative state for allowing the passage of liquid through the valve when said membranes are drawn apart.

20. Liquid reservoir means of claim 1 further defined as a liquid drug reservoir means.