Aerosol generating device and method of use thereof
First Claim
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1. An aerosol generating device, comprising:
- a liquid source;
a flow passage in fluid communication with the liquid source, the flow passage including a heated portion and an outlet section disposed downstream of the heated portion and having an outlet end;
a heater disposed to heat liquid in the heated portion of the flow passage to produce a vapor;
a cower supply; and
a controller operable to deliver power from the power supply to the heater to maintain the heater at a temperature range effective to vaporize the liquid in the heated portion of the flow passage to produce the vapor which flows from the heated portion into the outlet section;
wherein the outlet section is configured to change the velocity of the vapor in the flow passage such that vapor exits the outlet end of the outlet section at a controlled exit velocity and forms an aerosol.
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Abstract
An aerosol generating device generates an aerosol having a desired particle size by passing a liquid through a flow passage heated to convert the liquid into a vapor. The flow passage includes an outlet section that controls the exit velocity of the vapor and produces an aerosol with a desired particle size. The aerosol generator can be incorporated in a hand held inhaler, and the liquid can include a medicament, which is delivered to a targeted portion of the lung using the inhaler.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. An aerosol generating device, comprising:
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a liquid source; a flow passage in fluid communication with the liquid source, the flow passage including a heated portion and an outlet section disposed downstream of the heated portion and having an outlet end; a heater disposed to heat liquid in the heated portion of the flow passage to produce a vapor; a cower supply; and a controller operable to deliver power from the power supply to the heater to maintain the heater at a temperature range effective to vaporize the liquid in the heated portion of the flow passage to produce the vapor which flows from the heated portion into the outlet section; wherein the outlet section is configured to change the velocity of the vapor in the flow passage such that vapor exits the outlet end of the outlet section at a controlled exit velocity and forms an aerosol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 43)
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18. A method of generating an aerosol, comprising:
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(a) supplying a liquid from a liquid source to a flow passage including a heated portion and an outlet section disposed downstream of the heated portion and having an outlet end; (b) controlling delivery of power from a power supply to a heater to maintain the heater at a selected temperature range to vaporize the liquid in the heated portion of the flow passage to produce a vapor which flows from the heated portion into the outlet section; (c) changing the velocity of the vapor in the outlet section such that the vapor exits the outlet end of the outlet section at a controlled exit velocity; and (d) admixing the vapor with air to produce an aerosol. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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36. An aerosol generating device, comprising:
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a capillary sized flow passage adapted to be in fluid communication with a liquid source, the flow passage including a first section upstream from an outlet section having an outlet end; a heater disposed to heat liquid in the first section of the flow passage to produce a vapor; a power supply; and a controller operable to deliver power from the power supply to the heater to maintain the heater at a temperature range effective to vaporize the liquid in the first section of the flow passage to produce a vapor which flows from the first section into the outlet section; wherein the outlet section has a cross-sectional flow area that is smaller than a cross-sectional flow area of the first section, the outlet section changing the velocity of the vapor in the flow passage such that vapor exits the outlet end at a controlled exit velocity and forms an aerosol. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification