GB1575887A

GB1575887A - Inhalation apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB1575887A
Application number: GB22486/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-05-27
Filing date: 1978-05-25
Publication date: 1980-10-01
Also published as: DE2724175C3; DE2724175B2; FR2391736A1; IT1095916B; JPS53148893A; IT7823855A0; SE7805931L; CA1124151A; DE2724175A1; NL7805722A

Description

(54) AN INHALATION APPARATUS (71) We, BOSCH-SIEMENS HAusGERäTE GMBH, seated in Stuttgart, the address for communication being Hochstrasse 17, 8000 München 80, Federal Republic of Germany, a limited liabiity company organised under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to an inhalation apparatus. Such an apparatus finds use in the treatment of the breathing passages.

It is known to provide an inhalation appliance comprising a distributor element in the shape of a mesh formation arrangement immediately in front of an atomiser plate and acted on by ultra-sonic flexural vibrations. The distributor element receives its liquid from a liquid container arranged thereover, the liquid container at the container bottom displaying a downwardly directed liquid channel as well as an outlet opening disposed immediately above the mesh formation. The liquid gets, solely under the effect of gravity, from the liquid container to the outlet opening and from there to the distributor element, where it is distributed, as a result of capillary effect, uniformly over the surface of the atomiser plate and is atomised in the direction of the inhalation funnel by the high-frequency vibrations.

According to the present invention there is provided an inhalation apparatus comprising container means in use containing liquid and arraged to be air-tight, the container means being connected by duct means with a distributor element, which is disposed at a lower level than the container means, and with an air pump operable by compression and arranged to initiate siphoning of liquid through the duct means from the container means to the distributor element, and vibration generator means so associated with the distributor element as in use to produce vibrations to cause atmisation of the siphoned liquid.

The vibration generator means may be arranged to produce ultra-sonic vibrations.

The air pump may comprise a housing, a pressure piston movable against a resilient force in a cylinder space of the housing to provide a compressed air pulse to initiate th siphoning of liquid, and valve means arranged to connect the cylinder space with atmospheric pressure. The pressure piston may be constructed as a manually actuable switch knob.

The air pump may comprise a detent device arranged to maintain the pressure piston in its actuated pressed position, the detent device being unlatchable to cause the pressure piston to be released on termination of the siphoning of liquid.

The air pump may comprise valve control means arranged to close the valve means at the start of the motion of the pressure piston towards its rest position and thereafter to open the valve means on attainment by the pressure piston of its rest position.

The valve control means may be arranged to be directly or indirectly actuable by the pressure piston to effect the closing and the opening of the valve means.

The container means may comprise a liquids container and an air-tight cover detachably mounted to the liquids container, the duct means and a further duct means for air each being disposed at one end thereof in the air-tight cover, the other end of the further duct means being disposed in that portion of the housing which contains the valve means.

The apparatus may comprise switch means arranged in the proximity of the rest position of the pressure piston and arranged to be actuable by the pressure piston to control the vibration generator means. There may be provded a control device coupling the switch means to the vibration generator means.

As will be described in detail, a difficulty in the transport of very small quantities of liquid may be effectively countered, which consists therein, that the liquid is more or less hindered by adhesive forces in flowing through very narrow end dry pipe ducts.

The compressed air pulse produced with the switching-on and of the appliance forces the liquid into flow in the liquid duct, whereafter the liquid transport continues automatically on the principle of the siphon without further energy supply up to the complete emptying of the liquid container.

The return motion of the pressure piston after termination of the inhalation process may be exploited to produce an underpressure in the cylinder space of the air pump and thus in the interior space of the liquid container, when the valve means is closed, through which underpressure the liquid duct between liquid container and distributor element is completely sucked empty.

Furthermore, the motion or switchingon actuation of the pressure piston may be exploited to actuate a switch, which in its turn sets the vibration generator into motion.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a schematic section elevation of a inhalation appliance embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 shows a travel-pressure diagram, from which the manner of operation of the inhalation appliance Qf Fig. 1 may be ascertained.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a conical vibrator (sound transmitter) 1, which in the embodiment displays a piezoceramic layer 2 on one side and an atomiser plate 3 on the other end facing a inhalation funnel (not shown). The vibrator 1 stands in connection with an electronic oscillation generator 4, which is not described. A distributor element 5 is arranged immediately in front of the outer surface of the atomiser plate 3. The distributor element 5, which may, for example, consist of a mesh-like material, effects a very fine distribution of a supplied liquid by capillary effect. The ultra-sonic vibrations transmitted during the operation of the oscillation generator 4 to the atomiser plate 3- effect a very fine atomisation of the liquid, applied in fine distribution in front of the atomiser plate, towards the inhalation funnel and thereby towards the inhaling person.

A liquid container 6 is closeable air-tight by a detachable cover 7. A vertical rising duct section 8 of a siphon duct is mounted in the cover 7, wherein the one end of the siphon duct or the rising duct section 8, respectively, extends up to the bottom of the liquid container 6, while the other end of the siphon duct 9 stands in connection with the distributor element 5. The siphon duct 9 comprises a thin pipe and connects the liquid container 6 with the distributor element 5 which lies below the container 6. The liquid transport takes place on the siphon principle, i.e. after a once enforced flow of the liquid 10 up to the distributor element 5, the further liquid transport takes place automatically without further energy feed in consequence of the different level of liquid container 6 and distributor element 5.

Fastened to a housing 11 of the inhalation appliance is a compressed air pump 12, which is provided with a cylinder space 14 bounded by an end wall 13 and within which a pressure piston 16 constructed as a manually actuable switch knob is displaceable against the force of a spring 15. The switchknoblike actuating end of the pressure piston 16 protrudes through an opening in the appliance housing 11. Provided at the end wall 13 of the cylinder space 14 is a controllable valve 17, through which the cylinder space 14, as well as the interior space of the liquid container 6 through the air duct 18, may be brought into connection with the external atmosphere. The air duct 18 in its turn is mounted in the cover 7 of the liquid container 6 and at the other end thereof opens out into the end wall 13 of the cylinder space 14. A detent spring 19 of a detent device, which after actuation of the pressure piston 16; that is to say after displacement of the pressure piston in the direction of the arrow, can notch into a detent groove 20 at the peripheral surface of the pressure piston. Arranged in the range of the pressure piston 16 is an electrical switch 21 with an actuating lever 22, which in the rest position of the pressure piston 16 lies in a groove 24 of the pressure piston and actuates the movable contact 23 of the switch 21 at the start of the motion and thus switches on the oscillation generator 4. A sealing ring 25 is arranged between the peripheral surface of the pressure piston 16 and the internal surface of the cylinder space 14.

The operation of the described inhalation appliance will now be explained with reference to Fig. 2.

The appliance is set into operation by pressing the pressure piston 16 in the arrow direction (Fig. 1). The pressure piston 16 is latched by the detent -spring 19 in the pressed, actuated position. After the pressure piston 16 has traversed the travel AS = Sl minus SO, the switch 21 constructed as a micro-switch switches on the oscillation generator 4. Thereby, the vibratory system starts to operate. During the motion of the pressure piston 16 into the detent SE, the pressure in the cylinder space 14 and thereby also in the interior space of the liquid container 6 gradually increases up to a maximum pressure P1.

Through this rising pressure, a compressed air pulse is exerted on the liquid then in the interior of the liquid container 6 and effects a forced flow of the liquid 10 in the siphon duct 9. The liquid reaches the distributor element 5 already at a pressure Px.

After the liquid has reached the distributor element 5, it continues to run on the siphon principle without further energy supply. The interior space of the liquid container 6 after the switching-on process is connected with the free atmosphere through the air duct 18, the cylinder space 14 and the opened valve 17. Through this connection, the pressure in the interior of the container slowly sinks to the atmospheric air pressure, as indicated in Fig. 2. Furthermore, characterised in Fig.

2 by the line 26 is the switch position of the switch 21, which is switched on at S1 and again switched off at S2. It was explained that the pressure in the system gradually decays through the opened valve 17, while an underpressure, which would arise through the liquid flowing out, is balanced through the valve 17. In the range drawn interrupted in the diagram, the iiquld 10 flows on the siphon principle automatically from the liquid container 6 to the distributor element 5.

To switch the appliance off, the pressure piston 16 is moved briefly in the arrow direction, the detent connection is hereby opened and the pressure piston moves back into the rest position under the effect of the spring 15. With the start of the switchingoff process; that is to say with the start of the rearward motion of the pressure piston 16, the valve 17 is closed by actuating means (not shown). Thereby, a growing underpressure which rises up to a maximum value P2, arises in the cylinder space 14 and thus also in the interior of the liquid container 6 during the return motion of the pressure piston 16. The pressure P2 is greater than the excess pressure P1, since the valve 17 closes immediately at the start of the switching-off process. This under-pressure has the effect that all the liquid remaining in the siphon duct 9 is securely sucked back into the container 6, where the residues then remain. After the pressure piston 16 has attained its rest position So, the valve is again opened and the under-pressure P2 is very rapidly again reduced, as shown in Fig.

2. Shortly before the pressure piston 16 has reached its zero position So, the switch 21 is also again opened, whereby the oscillation generator 4 is switched off. Mechanical gear means, which stand in connection with the pressure piston 16 may be provided for the closing and opening of the valve 17.

However, electrical switching devices, through which a setting motion of the valve can take place through appropriate drive means, may also be provided in the path of motion of the pressure piston 16. Electrically actuable drive means, which are actuable merely through actuation of an electrical switch, may also be provided for the movement of the pressure piston.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An inhalation apparatus comprising container means containing liquid and in use arranged to be air-tight, the container means being connected by duct means with a distributor element, which is disposed at a lower level than the container means, and with an air pump operable by compression and arranged to initiate siphoning of liquid through the duct means from the container means to the distributor element, and vibration generator means so associated with the distributor element as in use to produce vibrations to cause atomisation of the siphoned liquid.

2. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vibration generator is arranged to produce ultra-sonic vibrations.

3. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the air pump comprises a housing, a pressure piston movable against a resilient force in a cylinder space of the housing to provide a compressed air pulse to initiate the siphoning of liquid, and valve means arranged to connecte the cylinder space with atmospheric pressure.

4. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pressure piston is constructed as a manually actuable switch knob.

5. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in either claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the air pump comprises a detent device arranged to maintain the pressure piston in its actuated pressed position, the detent device being unlatchable to cause the pressure piston to be released in order to cause termination of the siphoning of liquid.

6. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the air pump comprises valve control means arranged to close the valve means at the start of the motion of the pressure piston towards its rest position and thereafter to open the valve means on attainment by the pressure piston of its rest position.

7. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the valve control means is arranged to be indirectly actuable by the pressure piston to effect the closing and the opening of the valve means.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

motion of the pressure piston 16 into the detent SE, the pressure in the cylinder space 14 and thereby also in the interior space of the liquid container 6 gradually increases up to a maximum pressure P1.

Through this rising pressure, a compressed air pulse is exerted on the liquid then in the interior of the liquid container 6 and effects a forced flow of the liquid 10 in the siphon duct 9. The liquid reaches the distributor element 5 already at a pressure Px.

After the liquid has reached the distributor element 5, it continues to run on the siphon principle without further energy supply. The interior space of the liquid container 6 after the switching-on process is connected with the free atmosphere through the air duct 18, the cylinder space 14 and the opened valve 17. Through this connection, the pressure in the interior of the container slowly sinks to the atmospheric air pressure, as indicated in Fig. 2. Furthermore, characterised in Fig.

2 by the line 26 is the switch position of the switch 21, which is switched on at S1 and again switched off at S2. It was explained that the pressure in the system gradually decays through the opened valve 17, while an underpressure, which would arise through the liquid flowing out, is balanced through the valve 17. In the range drawn interrupted in the diagram, the iiquld 10 flows on the siphon principle automatically from the liquid container 6 to the distributor element 5.

To switch the appliance off, the pressure piston 16 is moved briefly in the arrow direction, the detent connection is hereby opened and the pressure piston moves back into the rest position under the effect of the spring 15. With the start of the switchingoff process; that is to say with the start of the rearward motion of the pressure piston 16, the valve 17 is closed by actuating means (not shown). Thereby, a growing underpressure which rises up to a maximum value P2, arises in the cylinder space 14 and thus also in the interior of the liquid container 6 during the return motion of the pressure piston 16. The pressure P2 is greater than the excess pressure P1, since the valve 17 closes immediately at the start of the switching-off process. This under-pressure has the effect that all the liquid remaining in the siphon duct 9 is securely sucked back into the container 6, where the residues then remain. After the pressure piston 16 has attained its rest position So, the valve is again opened and the under-pressure P2 is very rapidly again reduced, as shown in Fig.

2. Shortly before the pressure piston 16 has reached its zero position So, the switch 21 is also again opened, whereby the oscillation generator 4 is switched off. Mechanical gear means, which stand in connection with the pressure piston 16 may be provided for the closing and opening of the valve 17.

However, electrical switching devices, through which a setting motion of the valve can take place through appropriate drive means, may also be provided in the path of motion of the pressure piston 16. Electrically actuable drive means, which are actuable merely through actuation of an electrical switch, may also be provided for the movement of the pressure piston.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An inhalation apparatus comprising container means containing liquid and in use arranged to be air-tight, the container means being connected by duct means with a distributor element, which is disposed at a lower level than the container means, and with an air pump operable by compression and arranged to initiate siphoning of liquid through the duct means from the container means to the distributor element, and vibration generator means so associated with the distributor element as in use to produce vibrations to cause atomisation of the siphoned liquid.
2. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vibration generator is arranged to produce ultra-sonic vibrations.
3. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the air pump comprises a housing, a pressure piston movable against a resilient force in a cylinder space of the housing to provide a compressed air pulse to initiate the siphoning of liquid, and valve means arranged to connecte the cylinder space with atmospheric pressure.
4. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pressure piston is constructed as a manually actuable switch knob.
5. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in either claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the air pump comprises a detent device arranged to maintain the pressure piston in its actuated pressed position, the detent device being unlatchable to cause the pressure piston to be released in order to cause termination of the siphoning of liquid.
6. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the air pump comprises valve control means arranged to close the valve means at the start of the motion of the pressure piston towards its rest position and thereafter to open the valve means on attainment by the pressure piston of its rest position.
7. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the valve control means is arranged to be indirectly actuable by the pressure piston to effect the closing and the opening of the valve means.
8. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in

claim 6, wherein the valve control means is arranged to be directly actuable by the pressure to effect the closing and the opening of the valve means.
9. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the container means comprises a liquids container, and an air-tight cover detachably mounted to the liquids container, the duct means and a further duct means for air each being disposed at one end thereof in the air-tight cover, the other end of the further duct means being disposed in that portion of the housing which contains the valve means.
10. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in any one of claim 3 to 9, comprising switch means arranged in the proximity of the rest position of the pressure piston and arranged to be actuable by the pressure piston to control the vibration generator means.
11. An inhalation apparatus as claimed in claim 10, comprising a control device coupling the switch means to the vibration generator means.
12. An inhalation apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.