Vibration systems and methods

• US 9,108,211 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stamford Devices Limited
• Original Assignee: Nektar Therapeutics Incorporated
• Inventors: Ivri, Yehuda
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Victoria J
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, BRANDON LEE
• Application Number:
  US11/920,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20090134235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,410 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.13, 128/200.16, 128/200.14, 128/200.15, 128/200.17, 128/200.18, 128/203.12, 128/203.15, 128/203.19, 736/62, 736/63, 736/68, 737/21, 737/27, 374/117, 374/118, 239/4, 239/102.1, 239/102.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/04 operating with special methods
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0646 Vibrating plates, i.e. plates being directly subjected to the vibrations, e.g. having a piezoelectric transducer attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0676 Feeding means
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/20 with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/88 Mounts; Supports; Enclosures; Casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making

Abstract

In one arrangement, a vibration system includes a vibratable plate, a support member surrounding the vibratable plate, and a vibration-inducing member surrounding the support member. The vibration-inducing member is configured to radially expand and contract against the support member so as to produce axial vibration of the vibratable plate. In another arrangement, the vibratable plate has an outer circumference; a tubular member is concentrically disposed about the outer circumference of the plate, and an annular vibration-inducing member is concentrically disposed about the outer circumference of the tubular member. The vibration-inducing member is preferably a piezoelectric ring that is radially expandable and contractable against the wall of the tubular member to cause the plate to vibrate in the axial direction.

Claims

1. A vibration system comprising:

a circular vibratable plate having an outer circumference;

a tubular member concentrically disposed about and in contact with the outer circumference of the plate, the tubular member aligning the circular vibratable plate, wherein the tubular member has an outer circumference;

a mounting structure disposed inside the tubular member, the mounting structure supporting the circular vibratable plate; and

an annular vibration-inducing member concentrically disposed about the outer circumference of the tubular member, wherein the vibration-inducing member is radially expandable and contractable against the tubular member to cause the plate to vibrate in the axial direction.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the vibration-inducing member comprises a piezoelectric ring.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein the tubular member includes at least one resilient segment disposed therein.

4. A system as in claim 3, wherein a ring is disposed around the outer circumference of the piezoelectric ring to adjust the operating frequency of the piezoelectric ring.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the plate includes a plurality of tapered apertures.

6. A system as in claim 5, wherein the plate has a thickness in the range from about 20 microns to about 100 microns.

7. A system as in claim 5, wherein the plate is dome-shaped.

8. A system as in claim 5, further comprising a reservoir of liquid which is adapted to supply the liquid to the plate.

9. A system as in claim 5, wherein the tubular member includes a sharpened end adapted to extract liquid from a vial of liquid by piercing a membrane covering an opening in said vial.

10. A system as in claim 1, wherein the tubular member has a wall thickness in the range from about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm.

11. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a controller for controlling the radial expansion and contraction of the vibration-inducing member and wires connecting the controller to the vibration-inducing member.

12. A system as in claim 1 wherein the vibration-inducing member is removable from the tubular member.

13. A vibration system comprising:

a vibratable plate having an outer circumference;

a support member surrounding and in contact with the outer circumference of the vibratable plate, the support member aligning the vibratable plate; and

a vibration-inducing member that is a piezoelectric ring surrounding the support member, wherein the vibration-inducing member is configured to radially expand and contract against the support member so as to produce axial vibration of the vibratable plate.

14. A vibration system as in claim 13 wherein the vibratable plate is circular, the support member has a circular cross-section into which the circular vibratable plate is disposed, and the vibration-inducing member is an annular disc having a central opening into which the support member is disposed.

15. A vibration system as in claim 14 wherein the support member comprises a thin-walled tubular member.

16. The vibration system of claim 13 wherein the vibration inducing member is in co-planar alignment with a periphery of the vibratable plate.

17. An aerosol generating system, comprising:

a piezoelectric ring having a center hole with an inner circumference adapted to expand and contract radially when electrically activated;

at least one electrical connection to said piezoelectric ring for electrical actuation thereof a tubular member disposed within the center hole of the piezoelectric ring, said tubular member having an outer circumference in contact with the inner circumference of said center hole and a cylindrical wall defining an internal lumen extending the length of the tubular member;

a circular vibratable aperture plate adapted to aerosolize a liquid upon axial vibration thereof;

wherein the aperture plate is disposed across the internal lumen of the tubular member and in contact with the inner circumference of the lumen at a location coinciding with the inner circumference of the center hole of the piezo electric ring, the tubular member including a mounting structure for supporting the aperture plate; and

a reservoir of liquid coupled to the tubular member so as to supply liquid to the vibratable aperture plate, whereby radial expansion and contraction of the piezo electric ring against the wall of the tubular member causes the aperture plate to vibrate in the axial direction and aerosolize the liquid.

18. An aerosol generating system as in claim 17 wherein the vibratable plate is domed-shaped and has a plurality of tapered apertures.

19. An aerosol generating system as in claim 17 wherein the piezoelectric ring comprises piezoelectric ceramic material.

20. An aerosol generating system as in claim 17 further comprising a circuit of a ventilator system operably connected to the tubular member so as to dispense aerosol generated by said vibratable aperture plate into said circuit.

21. An aerosol generating system as in claim 17 wherein said piezoelectric ring, said tubular member, said vibratable aperture plate and said reservoir are disposed within the housing of a nebulizer having a mouthpiece.

22. A vibration system comprising:

a tubular alignment member having a cylindrical wall defining a longitudinal lumen;

a vibratable plate secured to a mounting structure of the cylindrical wall and disposed across the lumen with the outer circumference of the vibratable plate being surrounded by and in contact with the cylindrical wall; and

means for imparting radial vibration to the cylindrical wall of the tubular member so as to produce axial vibration in the vibratable plate.

23. A vibration system as in claim 22 wherein the vibratable plate is an aperture plate having a rear surface in contact with a liquid and a front surface opposed thereto, wherein liquid droplets are ejected from the front surface to form an aerosol upon said axial vibration of the aperture plate.

24. An aerosol generator device comprising:

a vibratable plate,

an alignment member for receiving and holding the vibratable plate in a predetermined position, wherein the alignment member surrounds an is in contact with an outer circumference of the vibratable plate, and

a vibration-inducing member in communication with the alignment member, wherein the vibration inducing member is a piezoelectric ring having a center hole with an inner circumference, and wherein the piezoelectric ring surrounds the alignment member with the inner circumference of the piezoelectric ring in contact with the alignment member.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein a portion of the device is disposable.

26. A method for vibrating a plate, comprising:

providing a plate having an outer circumference and a tubular member disposed about and in contact with the outer circumference of the plate, said tubular member having an outer circumference;

aligning the plate using the tubular member;

providing a piezoelectric ring concentrically positioned about the outer circumference of the tubular member at a location coinciding with the outer circumference of the plate; and

radially expanding and contracting the piezoelectric ring against the tubular member so as to cause the plate to vibrate in the axial direction.

27. A method as in claim 26, wherein the plate includes a plurality of apertures, and further comprising supplying a liquid to the plate to aerosolize the liquid as liquid droplets.

28. A method as in claim 27, wherein the droplets have a size in the range from about 3 micrometers to 6 micrometers, and wherein the liquid is aerosolized at a rate of about 5 microliters/second to about 20 microliters/second.

29. A method as in claim 27, further comprising coupling a reservoir to the tubular member to supply the liquid to the plate.

30. A method as in claim 26, wherein the piezoelectric ring is vibrated at a frequency in the range from about 20 Khz to about 500 Khz.

31. A method of making a vibration system comprising:

providing a tubular member having a lengthwise lumen;

aligning and securing a circular vibratable plate within the lumen so that the plate is perpendicular to and covers the lumen of the tubular member, and is in contact with an inner circumference of the lumen;

positioning the tubular member within the center hole of a piezoelectric ring so that the vibratable plate within the lumen of the tubular member is surrounded by the piezoelectric ring in contact with the outer circumference of the tubular member; and

securing the piezoelectric ring to the tubular member.

32. A method of making a vibration system as in claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

bonding a ridge around the inner circumference of the tubular member;

positioning the vibratable plate on the ridge; and

brazing or welding the vibratable plate to the ridge.

33. A method of making a vibration system as in claim 31 wherein the piezoelectric ring is bonded to the tubular member with an adhesive capable of efficiently transferring vibration from piezoelectric ring to the tubular member.

34. A method of treating a patient comprising:

providing a vibration system comprising a vibratable aperture plate having an outer circumference, providing a tubular alignment member concentrically disposed about and in contact with the outer circumference of the vibratable plate, the tubular alignment member having a mounting structure for holding the vibratable plate, wherein the tubular alignment member has an outer circumference, and a piezoelectric ring concentrically disposed about the outer circumference of the tubular alignment member at a location coinciding with the outer circumference of the aperture plate, supplying a liquid medicament to the aperture plate;

electrically actuating the piezoelectric ring to radially expand and contract the wall of the tubular alignment member around the outer circumference of the aperture plate, thereby causing the aperture plate to vibrate in the axial direction and aerosolize the medicament; and

supplying the aerosol to the patient'"'"'s respiratory system.

35. A method of treating a patient as in claim 34 wherein the aerosol is supplied to the patient'"'"'s respiratory system through the circuit of a ventilator or CPAP system.

36. A method of treating a patient as in claim 34 wherein the aerosol is supplied to the patient'"'"'s respiratory system through a nebulizer having a mouthpiece.

37. A method of vibrating a plate comprising the steps of:

inserting a vibratable plate having an outer circumference into a support structure that surrounds the plate;

aligning the vibratable plate using the support structure, the support structure being in contact with the outer circumference of the vibratable plate;

surrounding the support structure including vibratable plate with a vibration-inducing member that is configured to expand and contract radially; and

actuating the vibration-inducing member to produce radial expansion and contraction against the support member to cause axial vibration of the vibratable plate;

wherein the support structure filters out vibration other than axial vibration.

38. A method of making a vibration system comprising:

aligning a vibratable plate within a support member that surrounds the vibratable plate; and

placing around the support member a vibration-inducing member configured to radially expand and contract against the support member to produce axial vibration of the vibratable plate;

wherein the support member is tubular and the aligning includes placing the vibratable plate within the tubular support member and in contact with a mounting structure of the tubular support member such that an outer circumference of the vibratable plate is in contact with an inner circumference of the tubular support member.