Electronic device for producing an aerosol for inhalation by a person

Abstract

An electronic device for producing an aerosol for inhalation has a mouthpiece and an elongate housing. The mouthpiece attaches to an upper end of the housing. The housing contains a liquid container and a mesh assembly with mesh material that vibrates when actuated for aerosolizing liquid from the container. The mouthpiece covers the mesh assembly at the upper end of the housing, and the aerosol produced by the mesh assembly may be inhaled through the mouthpiece by a person. The housing contains circuitry and a power supply, preferably are located in a lower half of the housing, for actuating vibration of the mesh material. Electrical pathways connect the mesh assembly with the circuitry and power supply. The power supply may comprise one or more batteries located at the lower end of the housing. The aerosol is produced without smoldering of the liquid and without using a compressed gas.

1 . An electronic device for producing an aerosol for inhalation by a person, comprising:
 (a) a mouthpiece and an upper housing component to which the mouthpiece attaches, wherein the upper housing component contains a liquid container and a mesh assembly having a piezoelectric material and a mesh material that vibrates when the piezoelectric material is actuated for aerosolizing liquid from the liquid container that comes into contact with the vibrating mesh material, and wherein the aerosol so produced may be inhaled through the mouthpiece; and   (b) a lower housing component containing circuitry and a power supply for actuating the piezoelectric material resulting in vibration of the mesh material, wherein electrical pathways connect the mesh assembly with the circuitry and power supply of the lower housing component.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the upper housing component and the lower housing component are detachable from each other, and wherein electrical contacts connect the electrical pathways between the upper housing component and the lower housing component when the upper housing component and the lower housing component are connected. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece is detachable from the upper housing component to expose the vibrating mesh material. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh assembly comprises a single layer oscillating piezoelectric material. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh assembly comprises a multi-layer oscillating piezoelectric material. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh assembly comprises a piezo mesh disk. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is pressured into contact with a first side of the vibrating mesh material, and wherein the vibrating mesh material comprises small openings through which droplets of the liquid pass to form droplets of the aerosol as the vibrating mesh material oscillates. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the droplets of the aerosol produced are between one-micron and four-micron aerosol droplets. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid container comprises a cartridge. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply comprises one or more rechargeable batteries. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising means for causing the liquid to be in contact with a lower side of the mesh material facing the liquid container. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry and power supply are configured to further operate a pump system that causes the liquid from the liquid container to come into contact with the first side of the vibrating mesh material. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a capillary pump, wherein the liquid is drawn into contact with the mesh material through capillary action. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the upper housing component and the lower housing component fit together to define a body of the electronic device, which body is of a size and shape for gripping and holding by hand during use of the electronic device. 
     
     
         16 . An electronic device for producing an aerosol for inhalation by a person, comprising:
 (a) a mouthpiece; and   (b) an elongate housing having opposite first and second ends, with the mouthpiece being attached to the first end and with the housing comprising therein,
 (i) a mesh assembly comprising a mesh material that vibrates when actuated, 
 (ii) a liquid container containing a liquid that is aerosolized by the mesh material when actuated for inhalation through the mouthpiece, and 
 (iii) circuitry and a power supply for actuating vibration of the mesh material, wherein electrical pathways connect the mesh assembly with the circuitry and power supply; 
   (c) wherein the mesh assembly and the liquid container are arranged in-line along a longitudinal axis of the electronic device.   
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the mesh assembly extends between and separates the mouthpiece and the liquid container. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the power supply of the electronic device comprises batteries that are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the device and that are located at the second end of the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the liquid contacts the mesh material as a result of capillary action. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic device of  claim 16 , further comprising means for causing the liquid to be in contact with a lower side of the mesh material facing the liquid container. 
     
     
         21 . A method for producing an aerosol for inhalation by a person using an electronic device having a mouthpiece, comprising the steps of causing a mesh material to vibrate while causing a liquid to contact a first side of the mesh material regardless of the orientation of the electronic device, whereby droplets of the liquid are formed on a second, opposite side of the mesh material to create the aerosol for inhalation through the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the device has opposite longitudinal ends and the mouthpiece is located on one of the opposite longitudinal ends of the device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the mesh material has a side facing the mouthpiece and an opposite side facing a liquid container containing the liquid for aerosolized. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mouthpiece, the mesh material, and the liquid container are arranged in-line along the longitudinal axis of the electronic device, with the mesh material extending between and separating the mouthpiece from the liquid container. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronic device is actuated for a predetermined period of time for producing a consistent volume of aerosol for inhalation. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronic device is actuated by depressing a button by a user of the electronic device. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the liquid is caused to contact the first side of the mesh material at a generally constant pressure. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the aerosol is produced without smoldering of the liquid. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the aerosol is produced without utilizing a compressed gas. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising causing the fluid to be in constant contact with the mesh material using capillary action.