Using capillary wave driven droplets to deliver a pharmaceutical product

• US 20020073989A1
• Filed: 12/18/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hadimioglu, Babur B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,622,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.14
• 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 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• 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 inhaler that uses capillary effects to output droplets of pharmaceutical product is described. The inhaler includes transducers and lenses to generate focused acoustic waves. The frequency and pulse width output of the transducers are set to cause capillary action in a reservoir of pharmaceutical product. The capillary action results in the ejection of small droplets of pharmaceutical product at low frequencies.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering a pharmaceutical product comprising:

a driver element to generate acoustic energy;

an acoustic lens to focus the acoustic energy generated by the driver;

a delivery system to maintain the pharmaceutical product in a position to receive the acoustic energy from the acoustic lens and cause ejection of a droplet of pharmaceutical product.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a source of electrical power coupled to the driver element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the acoustic lens is a fresnel lens.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the acoustic lens is a plastic spherical lens.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second acoustic lens to focus the energy generated by the driver element and cause ejection of a second droplet of pharmaceutical product.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a portable energy source to provide energy to the driver element;

a second driver element coupled to the portable energy source; and

a second acoustic lens to focus the energy generated by the second driver element, acoustic energy from the second acoustic lens to cause ejection of a second droplet of pharmaceutical product.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

a multiplexing circuit that directs RF energy from the portable energy source to the second driver element only when energy is not provided by the portable energy source to the first driver element.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the driver element is programmed to generate acoustic energy in pulses that are of a short duration and low frequency such that the droplet of pharmaceutical product is output due to capillary action.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the driver element is programmed to output acoustic energy at a frequency below 15 Mhz.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the droplets of pharmaceutical product output due to capillary action are less than 10 micrometers in diameter.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the delivery system further comprises:

a pressurization system that controls the pressure of the pharmaceutical product.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a sterilization mechanism that outputs ultraviolet energy to sterilize the acoustic lens.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a MEMS cover to that protects the driver element from contamination when the driver is not outputting acoustic energy.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each lens in the plurality of lenses is a Fresnel lens.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each lens in the plurality of lenses is a spherical plastic lens.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a circuit that detects a flow of air going into a patient'"'"'s lungs and couples the transducer to the portable energy supply when a critical air speed is reached.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein a distance from a top surface of a lens and a surface of the reservoir of pharmaceutical product is less than 150 micro meters.

14. An apparatus to output pharmaceutical product for inhalation into the respiratory system of a patient, the apparatus comprising:

a portable energy supply;

at least one transducer coupled to the portable energy supply, the at least one transducer to output acoustic energy;

a plurality of lenses to receive and focus energy from the at least one transducer;

a delivery system to maintain a reservoir of pharmaceutical product, the reservoir of pharmaceutical product to receive energy from the plurality of lenses the received energy to cause ejection of a plurality of droplets.