Atomizer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An atomizer comprising:
- a head having a gas exit and at least one outlet adjacent said gas exit;
a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from said gas exit over at least one of said outlets, for drawing a substance to be atomized out from at least one of said outlets and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from said gas exit; and
said deflector mounted with respect to said head so that said deflector is movable between a first position in which said deflector is adjacent said gas exit and directly in the path of gas issuing from said gas exit so that atomization of the substance takes place, and a second position spaced from said gas exit so that no atomizing takes place.
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Abstract
An atomizer including a gas exit, an outlet adjacent the gas exit, and a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from the gas exit over the outlet for drawing a substance to be atomized out from one outlet and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from the gas exit characterised in that the deflector is movable between a first position in the path of the gas issuing from the gas exit for atomization and a second and non-atomizing position.
44 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An atomizer comprising:
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a head having a gas exit and at least one outlet adjacent said gas exit; a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from said gas exit over at least one of said outlets, for drawing a substance to be atomized out from at least one of said outlets and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from said gas exit; and said deflector mounted with respect to said head so that said deflector is movable between a first position in which said deflector is adjacent said gas exit and directly in the path of gas issuing from said gas exit so that atomization of the substance takes place, and a second position spaced from said gas exit so that no atomizing takes place. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An atomizer comprising:
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a head having a gas exit and at least one outlet adjacent said gas exit; a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from said gas exit over at least one of said outlets, for drawing a substance to be atomized out from at least one of said outlets and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from said gas exit; said deflector mounted with respect to said head so that said deflector is movable between a first position in the path of gas issuing from said gas exit for atomization, and a second, non-atomizing, position; and a vane for moving said deflector between said first and second positions. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An atomizer comprising:
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a head having a gas exit and at least one outlet adjacent said gas exit; a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from said gas exit over at least one of said outlets, for drawing a substance to be atomized out from at least one of said outlets and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from said gas exit; and said deflector pivotally mounted with respect to said head so that said deflector is pivotally movable between a first position in the path of gas issuing from said gas exit for atomization, and a second, non-atomizing, position. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. Spray forming apparatus comprising:
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a housing having an outlet for a spray of atomized substance; a head mounted within said housing and including a pressurized gas exit, and at least one outlet adjacent said gas exit; a deflector for deflecting gas issuing from said gas exit over at least one of said outlets, for drawing a substance to be atomized out from at least one of said outlets and atomizing the substance in the gas issuing from said gas exit; and said deflector mounted with respect to said head so that said deflector is movable between a first position in which said deflector is adjacent said gas exit and directly in the path of gas issuing from said gas exit so that atomization of the substance takes place, and the atomized substance is sprayed out of said housing outlet, and a second position in which said deflector is spaced from said gas exit so that no atomized substance is sprayed out of said spray outlet.
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26. An atomizer comprising:
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an atomizing chamber; a pressurized gas outlet leading to the atomizing chamber; an air outlet for enabling a flow of air and atomized substance out of the atomizing chamber to a patient; a reservoir; a substance passage having a substance inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir, and a substance outlet that opens into the atomizing chamber; and a deflector arranged to deflect gas issuing from the pressurized gas outlet, wherein a variable distance between the substance outlet and the deflector is variable between an atomizing distance and a non-atomizing distance, wherein the pressurized gas outlet, deflector, and substance outlet are positioned relative to each other such that when the deflector and substance outlet are spaced apart by the atomizing distance and a substance is in the reservoir, a flow of gas through the pressurized gas outlet draws the substance from the reservoir through the substance passage and out of the substance outlet and atomizes the substance, and the pressurized gas outlet, deflector, and substance outlet are positioned relative to each other such that when the deflector and substance outlet are spaced apart by the non-atomizing distance and the substance is in the reservoir, the flow of gas through the pressurized gas outlet does not draw the substance from the reservoir through the substance passage and out of the substance outlet or atomize the substance. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 38)
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32. An atomizer comprising:
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an atomizing chamber; a pressurized gas outlet leading to the atomizing chamber; an air inlet for enabling a flow of ambient air into the atomizing chamber; an air outlet for enabling a flow of air and atomized substance out of the atomizing chamber to a patient; an air passage extending between the air inlet and air outlet; a valve in the air passage, the valve having a variable-sized opening therethrough, the size of the opening being cyclically variable in response to cyclical inhalations by a patient through the air outlet; a reservoir; a substance passage having a substance inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir, and a substance outlet that opens into the atomizing chamber; and a deflector arranged to deflect gas issuing from the pressurized gas outlet, wherein a distance between the deflector and the substance outlet is cyclically variable in response to the cyclical inhalations. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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39. An atomizer comprising:
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an atomizing chamber; a pressurized gas outlet leading to the atomizing chamber; an air outlet for enabling a flow of air and atomized substance out of the atomizing chamber to a patient; a reservoir; a substance passage having a substance inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir, and a substance outlet that opens into the atomizing chamber; and a deflector arranged to deflect gas issuing from the pressurized gas outlet, wherein the deflector is movable relative to the substance outlet between an atomizing position and a non-atomizing position, wherein the pressurized gas outlet, deflector, and substance outlet are positioned relative to each other such that when the deflector is in the atomizing position relative to the substance outlet and a substance is in the reservoir, a flow of gas through the pressurized gas outlet draws the substance from the reservoir through the substance passage and out of the substance outlet and atomizes the substance, and the pressurized gas outlet, deflector, and substance outlet are positioned relative to each other such that when the deflector is in the non-atomizing position relative to the substance outlet and the substance is in the reservoir, the flow of gas through the pressurized gas outlet does not draw the substance from the reservoir through the substance passage and out of the substance outlet or atomize the substance.
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40. An atomizer comprising:
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an atomizing chamber; a pressurized gas outlet leading to the atomizing chamber; an air inlet for enabling a flow of ambient air into the atomizing chamber; an air outlet for enabling a flow of air and atomized substance out of the atomizing chamber to a patient; an air passage extending between the air inlet and air outlet; a valve in the air passage, the valve having a variable-sized opening therethrough, the size of the opening being cyclically variable in response to cyclical inhalations by a patient through the air outlet; a reservoir; a substance passage having a substance inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir, and a substance outlet that opens into the atomizing chamber; and a deflector arranged to deflect gas issuing from the pressurized gas outlet, wherein the deflector is cyclically movable relative to the substance outlet in response to the cyclical inhalations.
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Specification