Atomisation module and liquid container for a mist inhaler

Abstract

An atomisation module and liquid container for a mist inhaler. The liquid container is releasably attachable to the atomisation module. When the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module, liquid flows out of a liquid outlet, through a liquid flow guide and into a secondary liquid chamber. A first capillary transfers the liquid to a second capillary, and an ultrasonic transducer atomises the liquid to produce a mist. When the liquid chamber is depleted of liquid, the liquid container may be detached from the atomisation module and replaced.

1 . An atomisation module and liquid container for a mist inhaler, the atomisation module and liquid container comprising:
 a liquid container incorporating:
 a liquid container housing having an air inlet, a liquid outlet and a liquid container attachment; 
 a liquid chamber within the liquid container housing, the liquid chamber being in fluid communication with the air inlet and the liquid outlet, the liquid chamber containing a liquid to be atomised; 
 an air seal which seals the air inlet; 
 a liquid seal which seals the liquid outlet; and 
   an atomisation module incorporating:
 an atomisation module housing having a first portion and a second portion; 
 a sonication chamber; 
 a sonicator cover which is attached to the second portion of the atomisation module housing, the sonication chamber being formed between part of the sonicator cover and part of the second portion of the atomisation module housing, wherein the sonicator cover incorporates a mist outlet; 
 a secondary liquid chamber; 
 a secondary liquid chamber cover which is attached to the first portion of the atomisation module housing, the secondary liquid chamber being formed between part of the secondary liquid chamber cover and part of the first portion of the atomisation module housing; 
 an atomisation module attachment provided on the secondary liquid chamber cover, the atomisation module attachment being configured to releasably attach to the liquid container attachment to enable the liquid container to be releasably attached to the atomisation module; 
 a liquid flow guide provided on the secondary liquid chamber cover, the liquid flow guide incorporating:
 a liquid container opener which is configured to pierce the liquid seal to open the liquid outlet and extend through the liquid outlet at least party into the liquid chamber when the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module; and 
 a liquid flow aperture which is configured to receive the liquid from the liquid chamber when the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module, wherein the liquid flow guide provides a liquid flow path from the liquid flow aperture to the secondary liquid chamber when the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module; the atomisation module further incorporating: 
 
 a sonicator assembly provided within the sonication chamber, the sonicator assembly having an ultrasonic transducer; 
 a first capillary having a first portion which is positioned in the secondary liquid chamber and a second portion which is positioned in the sonication chamber; and 
 a second capillary which is positioned in the sonication chamber in contact with the ultrasonic transducer, the second portion of the first capillary being superimposed on the second capillary and in contact with the second capillary, and the first capillary being configured to transfer the liquid from the secondary liquid chamber to the second capillary, 
 wherein, when the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module, the liquid flows out of the liquid outlet, through the liquid flow guide and into the secondary liquid chamber, and the first capillary transfers the liquid to the second capillary, and the ultrasonic transducer atomises the liquid to produce a mist, and wherein when the liquid chamber is depleted of liquid, the liquid container may be detached from the atomisation module and replaced. 
   
     
     
         2 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the atomisation module further comprises a capillary element guide surface provided on the first portion of the atomisation module housing, the capillary element guide surface being angled to facilitate a flow of the liquid from the secondary liquid chamber to the sonication chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the second capillary has a lower capillarity than the first capillary. 
     
     
         4 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the atomisation module comprises a resiliently deformable compression body configured to apply a biasing force to bias the second portion of the first capillary element against the second capillary and bias the second capillary against the ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
         5 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 4 , wherein the resiliently deformable compression body comprises a compression body adjustment arrangement which may be manipulated to adjust the biasing force applied by the resiliently deformable compression body. 
     
     
         6 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the atomisation module further comprises a secondary tank seal which contacts the first capillary and seals the secondary liquid chamber outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid container opening arrangement comprises one of a conical member and a needle which is configured to pierce the liquid seal as the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module. 
     
     
         8 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid container opening arrangement further comprises a liquid collector configured to collect liquid which flows out from the liquid container and before the liquid flows into the secondary liquid chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid container further comprises an interior liquid guide surface which is angled to form a funnel portion which reduces a cross-section area of the liquid chamber towards the liquid outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the atomisation module is configured to be coupled to a driver device and wherein the atomisation module further comprises a sonicator electrical contact arrangement which is connected electrically to the sonicator assembly, the sonicator electrical contact arrangement being configured to receive an electrical drive signal from the driver device and to communicate the electrical drive signal to the sonicator assembly to drive the ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
         11 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid container comprises an identification arrangement incorporating:
 an integrated circuit having a memory which stores a unique identifier for the liquid container.   
     
     
         12 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein one of the liquid container attachment and the atomisation module attachment comprises a magnet and the other of the liquid container attachment and the atomisation module attachment comprises a ferromagnetic material such that the liquid container attachment and the atomisation module attachment couple magnetically to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the secondary liquid chamber cover and the sonicator cover are ultrasonically welded to the atomisation module housing. 
     
     
         14 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 1 , wherein the sonicator assembly further comprises:
 a sonicator case surrounding at least part of a periphery of the ultrasonic transducer and, the sonicator case being in electrical contact with a first electrical contact on the ultrasonic transducer;   a sonicator holder attached to the sonicator case;   a connection pin having an end which is in electrical contact with a second electrical contact on the ultrasonic transducer; and   a sleeve electrically insulating the connection pin from the sonicator holder.   
     
     
         15 . The atomisation module and liquid container of  claim 14 , wherein the end of the connection pin is substantially planar. 
     
     
         16 . A mist inhaler comprising:
 an atomisation module and liquid container comprising:
 a liquid container incorporating:
 a liquid container housing having an air inlet, a liquid outlet and a liquid container attachment; 
 a liquid chamber within the liquid container housing, the liquid chamber being in fluid communication with the air inlet and the liquid outlet, the liquid chamber containing a liquid to be atomised; 
 an air seal which seals the air inlet; 
 a liquid seal which seals the liquid outlet; and 
 
 an atomisation module incorporating:
 an atomisation module housing having a first portion and a second portion; 
 a sonication chamber; 
 a sonicator cover which is attached to the second portion of the atomisation module housing, the sonication chamber being formed between part of the sonicator cover and part of the second portion of the atomisation module housing, wherein the sonicator cover incorporates a mist outlet; 
 a secondary liquid chamber; 
 a secondary liquid chamber cover which is attached to the first portion of the atomisation module housing, the secondary liquid chamber being formed between part of the secondary liquid chamber cover and part of the first portion of the atomisation module housing; 
 an atomisation module attachment provided on the secondary liquid chamber cover, the atomisation module attachment being configured to releasably attach to the liquid container attachment to enable the liquid container to be releasably attached to the atomisation module; 
 a liquid flow guide provided on the secondary liquid chamber cover, the liquid flow guide incorporating:
 a liquid container opener which is configured to pierce the liquid seal to open the liquid outlet and extend through the liquid outlet at least party into the liquid chamber when the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module; and 
 a liquid flow aperture which is configured to receive the liquid from the liquid chamber when the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module, wherein the liquid flow guide provides a liquid flow path from the liquid flow aperture to the secondary liquid chamber when the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module; the atomisation module further incorporating: 
 
 a sonicator assembly provided within the sonication chamber, the sonicator assembly having an ultrasonic transducer; 
 a first capillary having a first portion which is positioned in the secondary liquid chamber and a second portion which is positioned in the sonication chamber; and 
 a second capillary which is positioned in the sonication chamber in contact with the ultrasonic transducer, the second portion of the first capillary being superimposed on the second capillary and in contact with the second capillary, and the first capillary being configured to transfer the liquid from the secondary liquid chamber to the second capillary, 
 
 wherein, when the liquid container is attached to the atomisation module, the liquid flows out of the liquid outlet, through the liquid flow guide and into the secondary liquid chamber, and the first capillary transfers the liquid to the second capillary, and the ultrasonic transducer atomises the liquid to produce a mist, and wherein when the liquid chamber is depleted of liquid, the liquid container may be detached from the atomisation module and replaced; 
   an AC drive signal generator coupled electrically to the ultrasonic transducer to drive the ultrasonic transducer with an AC drive signal to vibrate the ultrasonic transducer and atomise the liquid carried by the second capillary to generate the mist; and   a mouthpiece coupled to the mist outlet to enable the mist to flow out through the mist outlet and the mouthpiece for inhalation by a user.   
     
     
         17 . An atomisation module for a mist inhaler, the atomisation module comprising:
 an atomisation module housing having a first portion and a second portion;   a sonication chamber;   a sonicator cover which is attached to the second portion of the atomisation module housing, the sonication chamber being formed between part of the sonicator cover and part of the second portion of the atomisation module housing, wherein the sonicator cover incorporates a mist outlet;   a secondary liquid chamber;   a secondary liquid chamber cover which is attached to the first portion of the atomisation module housing, the secondary liquid chamber being formed between part of the secondary liquid chamber cover and part of the first portion of the atomisation module housing;   an atomisation module attachment provided on the secondary liquid chamber cover, the atomisation module attachment being configured to releasably attach to a liquid container attachment to enable a liquid container to be releasably attached to the atomisation module;   a sonicator assembly provided within the sonication chamber, the sonicator assembly having an ultrasonic transducer;   a first capillary having a first portion which is positioned in the secondary liquid chamber and a second portion which is positioned in the sonication chamber; and   a second capillary which is positioned in the sonication chamber in contact with the ultrasonic transducer, the second portion of the first capillary being superimposed on the second capillary and in contact with the second capillary, and the first capillary being configured to transfer the liquid from the secondary liquid chamber to the second capillary.