Ultrasonic fog maker and methods of drug delivery and air freshening

Abstract

An ultrasonic fog generator creates a fog of a liquid such as water. The visual appearance of the fog may be altered such as by being illuminated by one or more lights having one or more colors. Further, the fog may be used to deliver pharmaceuticals to one or both of the lungs of a patient.

1 . An ultrasonic fog generator comprising: 
 a container configured to contain a liquid;    a housing configured to be positioned in the container, the housing comprising: 
 a transducer configured to vibrate ultrasonically; and  
 a display; and  
   a stand configured to maintain the container and the housing above a surface,    wherein the transducer is configured to transform liquid in the container into a fog that emanates from the container and falls toward the surface, and    wherein the display is configured to alter an appearance of the fog.    
   
   
       2 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 1 , wherein a combination of the housing and container is configured to be hand-held.  
   
   
       3 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is water.  
   
   
       4 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the fog is in the form of a mist.  
   
   
       5 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a sensor electrically connected to the transducer.    
   
   
       6 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 5 , wherein the sensor is configured to monitor a property of the liquid contacting the housing.  
   
   
       7 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a current control system configured to stop vibration of the transducer in response to the monitored property.    
   
   
       8 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the display comprises at least one light configured to radiate light of at least one color.  
   
   
       9 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 8 , wherein the lights are configured to radiate light of at least two different colors.  
   
   
       10 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 9 , wherein the colors that the lights are configured to radiate are variable.  
   
   
       11 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a light diffuser through which the at least two colors of light pass.    
   
   
       12 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the transducer is configured to vibrate at between about 1.6 MHz and about 1.8 MHz.  
   
   
       13 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the transducer is configured to vibrate at about 1.7 MHz.  
   
   
       14 . The ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a fragrance that is dispersed in the fog.  
   
   
       15 . A method for adding at least one fragrance to ambient air in a room, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing an ultrasonic fog generator according to  claim 1 , the ultrasonic fog generator further comprising: 
 at least one fragrance held in said container in a substantially liquid form;  
   vibrating ultrasonically the at least one fragrance with the transducer, to create a fog of the at least one fragrance; and    dispersing the fog formed of the at least one fragrance into the ambient air.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the fragrance is dissolved in a liquid solvent in the container.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the step of: 
 monitoring a property of the at least one fragrance and the liquid solvent in the container with a sensor.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising the step of: 
 stopping the vibrating of the transducer if the property of the at least one fragrance and the liquid solvent in the container, as measured by the sensor, is outside a predetermined range for the property.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of vibrating ultrasonically the at least one fragrance with the transducer comprises: 
 vibrating the transducer at between about 1.6 MHz and about 1.8 MHz.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of vibrating ultrasonically the at least one fragrance with the transducer comprises: 
 vibrating the transducer at about 1.7 MHz.    
   
   
       21 . A method of ambient air freshening, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a container comprising at least one fragrant liquid;    positioning a transducer in the container comprising the at least one fragrant liquid;    vibrating ultrasonically the at least one fragrant liquid with the transducer, to create a fog of the at least one fragrant liquid;    emanating the fog formed of the at least one fragrant liquid into the ambient air;    monitoring an amount of the at least one fragrant liquid in the container with a sensor; and    stopping the vibrating of the transducer if the amount of the at least one fragrant liquid in the container, as measured by the sensor, is below a predetermined value.    
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the step of vibrating ultrasonically the at least one fragrant liquid with the transducer comprises: 
 vibrating the transducer at between about 1.6 MHz and about 1.8 MHz.    
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the step of vibrating ultrasonically the at least one fragrant liquid with the transducer comprises: 
 vibrating the transducer at about 1.7 MHz.    
   
   
       24 . A device for ultrasonically generating a fog of at least one liquid pharmaceutical, the device comprising: 
 a source containing the at least one liquid pharmaceutical; and    a transducer configured to vibrate ultrasonically, the transducer being positioned in the at least one liquid pharmaceutical,    wherein when the transducer vibrates ultrasonically, at least a portion of the at least one liquid pharmaceutical is changed into a fog, and wherein the fog emanates from the device.    
   
   
       25 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the device is configured to be hand-held.  
   
   
       26 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the fog emanates from the device through an outlet.  
   
   
       27 . The device according to  claim 26 , wherein a conduit is connected to the outlet, and wherein the conduit is configured to transport the fog to a mouth of a patient.  
   
   
       28 . The device according to  claim 27 , wherein an air inlet is provided in the device to prevent a vacuum from developing in the device if the pressure at the outlet is greatly reduced.  
   
   
       29 . The device according to  claim 27 , wherein the conduit is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of rubber and plastic.  
   
   
       30 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one pharmaceutical is configured to treat a condition of a lung.  
   
   
       31 . The device according to  claim 30 , wherein the condition is asthma.  
   
   
       32 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the transducer is configured to vibrate at between about 1.6 MHz and about 1.8 MHz.  
   
   
       33 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the transducer is configured to vibrate at about 1.7 MHz.  
   
   
       34 . A method for delivering at least one pharmaceutical to at least one lung of a patient, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one pharmaceutical, wherein each of the at least one pharmaceutical is in a substantially liquid form;    positioning a transducer in the at least one pharmaceutical;    vibrating ultrasonically the at least one pharmaceutical with the transducer, to create a fog of the at least one pharmaceutical;    inhaling the fog formed of the at least one pharmaceutical, wherein the inhaling is done by the patient; and    delivering the fog to the at least one lung of the patient.    
   
   
       35 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the step of inhaling the fog comprises: 
 passing the fog through an outlet of a dispenser which contains the transducer and the at least one pharmaceutical; and    delivering the fog to the mouth of the patient through a conduit connected to the outlet.    
   
   
       36 . The method according to  claim 34 , further comprising the step of: 
 monitoring a property of the at least one pharmaceutical with a sensor.    
   
   
       37 . The method according to  claim 36 , further comprising the step of: 
 stopping the vibrating of the transducer if the property of the at least one pharmaceutical, as measured by the sensor, is outside a predetermined range for the property.    
   
   
       38 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the step of vibrating ultrasonically the at least one pharmaceutical with the transducer comprises: 
 vibrating the transducer at between about 1.6 MHz and about 1.8 MHz.    
   
   
       39 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the step of vibrating ultrasonically the at least one pharmaceutical with the transducer comprises: 
 vibrating the transducer at about 1.7 MHz.