Mist inhalation pod

Abstract

A pod for use with a mist inhalation device. The pod comprises a housing having a first end, an opposite second end and at least one side wall. A liquid barrier is provided. A spacer is positioned within the housing and includes a hollow interior surrounded by a perimeter, the interior partly defining a sonication chamber. An ultrasonic transducer is positioned between the spacer and the second end, and a capillary extends between the liquid chamber and the sonication chamber. An air inlet conduit and a mist outlet conduit each form a channel for conducting air through the liquid chamber and the liquid contained therein.

1 . A pod for use with a mist inhalation device, the pod comprising:
 a housing having a first end, an opposite second end and at least one side wall extending between the first end and the second end;   a first end wall proximate the first end and the side wall, the first end wall closing the first end of the housing, the first end wall being provided with an air inlet port and a mist outlet port, the air inlet port being sealed by a frangible air inlet seal and the mist outlet port being sealed by a frangible mist outlet seal;   a second end wall proximate the second end and the side wall, the second end wall closing the second end of the housing;   a liquid barrier wall positioned within the housing and spaced apart from the first end wall, the liquid barrier wall extending toward the side wall of the housing to form a liquid seal between the liquid barrier wall and the side wall, the liquid barrier wall having at least one liquid channel with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet;   a liquid chamber defined by the liquid barrier wall, the first end wall and the side wall of the housing, wherein the liquid chamber is configured to contain a liquid to be atomised, the liquid inlet being in liquid communication with the liquid chamber for conducting the liquid through the liquid outlet;   a spacer positioned within the housing between the liquid barrier wall and the second end wall, the spacer having a perimeter extending towards the side wall of the housing, the spacer including a hollow interior surrounded by the perimeter;   a sonication chamber including the hollow interior between the liquid barrier wall and the second end wall;   an ultrasonic transducer positioned between the spacer and the second end wall, the ultrasonic transducer having an atomisation surface adjacent to the sonication chamber and in communication with the sonication chamber;   a capillary having a first portion at least partly superimposed on the atomisation surface of the ultrasonic transducer and a second portion adjacent to the liquid outlet of the liquid channel, wherein the capillary covers at least a portion of the liquid outlet and conducts the liquid from the liquid outlet to the atomisation surface to generate a mist;   an air inlet conduit forming an air-tight channel for conducting air through the liquid chamber and the liquid contained therein, the air inlet conduit extending from the first end wall, through the liquid chamber and through the liquid barrier wall to the sonication chamber, a first end of the air inlet conduit being in fluid communication with the air inlet port in the first end wall of the housing and a second end of the air inlet conduit being in fluid communication with the sonication chamber; and   a mist outlet conduit forming an air-tight channel for conducting the mist through the liquid chamber and any liquid contained therein, the mist outlet conduit extending from the first end wall, through the liquid chamber and through the liquid barrier wall to the sonication chamber, a first end of the mist outlet conduit being in fluid communication with the mist outlet port in the first end wall of the housing and a second end of the mist outlet conduit being in fluid communication with the sonication chamber,   wherein, in use, the air inlet seal and the mist outlet seal are ruptured, the capillary conducts the liquid from the liquid chamber to the atomisation surface to be atomised at the atomisation surface, and the mist generated is conducted through the mist outlet conduit to the mist outlet port.   
     
     
         2 . The pod of  claim 1 , wherein the air inlet seal and the mist outlet seal are ruptured respectively by an air delivery conduit and a mist extraction conduit of the mist inhalation device when the pod is attached to the mist inhalation device to unseal the pod and configure the pod for use with the mist inhalation device. 
     
     
         3 . The pod of  claim 1 , wherein, when the ultrasonic transducer is activated, the atomisation surface vibrates and atomises the liquid at the atomisation surface to generate a mist within the sonication chamber, the mist being drawn out from the sonication chamber through the mist outlet conduit to the mist inhalation device as air is drawn into the sonication chamber through the air inlet conduit from the air inhalation device. 
     
     
         4 . The pod of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one biasing element for maintaining contact between the capillary and the atomisation surface of the ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
         5 . The pod of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one biasing element is a projection extending from the liquid barrier towards the second end of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The pod of  claim 1 , wherein the air inlet conduit and the mist outlet conduit are each positioned at least partly along a respective axis which is perpendicular to the atomisation surface. 
     
     
         7 . The pod of  claim 1 , wherein the air inlet conduit and the mist outlet conduit are diametrically opposed with respect to the atomisation surface, such that the air flows radially across the atomisation surface from the air inlet conduit to the mist outlet conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The pod of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the air inlet conduit is of a larger cross-sectional area than the second end of the air inlet conduit, and the first end of the mist outlet conduit is of a larger cross-sectional area than the second end of the mist outlet conduit. 
     
     
         9 . The pod of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid barrier wall comprises at least one recess for accepting the liquid in the liquid chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The pod of  claim 9 , wherein the liquid inlet of the liquid channel is positioned in the recess. 
     
     
         11 . The pod of  claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the side wall comprises at least one of a projection and an indentation configured to engage a formation on the device to retain the pod in a predetermined orientation. 
     
     
         12 . The pod of  claim 1 , wherein the air inlet port and the mist outlet port are sealed by at least one frangible sheet. 
     
     
         13 . The pod of  claim 12 , wherein the frangible sheet is a metallic foil. 
     
     
         14 . The pod of  claim 1 , wherein a least one of the second end wall, the liquid barrier, and the spacer are of a resiliently deformable material. 
     
     
         15 . The pod of  claim 1 , further comprising a transducer holder for supporting the ultrasonic transducer adjacent to the sonication chamber, the transducer holder including an upper annular portion and a lower disc portion, wherein the upper annular portion includes an inner annular edge, the inner annular edge featuring one of a radius and a chamfer. 
     
     
         16 . The pod of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the upper annular portion and the lower disc portion are of a resiliently deformable material. 
     
     
         17 . A pod for use with a mist inhalation device, the pod comprising:
 a housing having a first end, an opposite second end, and at least one side wall extending between the first end and the second end, the housing further including an air inlet port and a mist outlet port;   a first end wall proximate the first end and the side wall, the first end wall closing the first end of the housing;   a second end wall proximate the second end and the side wall, the second end wall closing the second end of the housing;   a liquid chamber configured to contain a liquid to be atomised, the liquid chamber including a liquid channel with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, the liquid inlet being in liquid communication with the liquid chamber for conducting the liquid through the liquid outlet;   a sonication chamber in liquid communication with the liquid chamber;   an ultrasonic transducer having an atomisation surface adjacent to the sonication chamber and in communication with the sonication chamber;   a capillary having a first portion at least partly superimposed on the atomisation surface of the ultrasonic transducer and a second portion adjacent to the liquid outlet of the liquid channel, wherein the capillary is configured to conduct the liquid from the liquid outlet to the atomisation surface to generate a mist;   an air inlet conduit forming a channel for conducting air through the liquid chamber, the air inlet conduit extending through the liquid chamber from the mist inhalation device to the sonication chamber, a first end of the air inlet conduit being in fluid communication with the air inlet port and a second end of the air inlet conduit being in fluid communication with the sonication chamber; and   a mist outlet conduit forming a channel for conducting the mist through the liquid chamber, the mist outlet conduit extending through the liquid chamber from sonication chamber to the mist inhalation device, a first end of the mist outlet conduit being in fluid communication with the mist outlet port and a second end of the mist outlet conduit being in fluid communication with the sonication chamber,   wherein, in use, the capillary conducts the liquid from the liquid chamber to the atomisation surface to be atomised at the atomisation surface, and the mist generated is conducted through the mist outlet conduit to the mist outlet port.   
     
     
         18 . A mist inhalation device for use with a pod, wherein mist inhalation device comprises:
 a base including a recess for accepting a first portion of the pod;   a lid couplable to the base, the lid including a recess for accepting a second portion of the pod;   an air inlet piercing element projecting from the recess in the lid; and   a mist outlet piercing element projecting from the recess in the lid,   the pod comprising:
 a housing having a first end, an opposite second end and at least one side wall extending between the first end and the second end; 
 a first end wall proximate the first end and the side wall, the first end wall closing the first end of the housing, the first end wall being provided with an air inlet port and a mist outlet port, the air inlet port being sealed by a frangible air inlet seal and the mist outlet port being sealed by a frangible mist outlet seal; 
 a second end wall proximate the second end and the side wall, the second end wall closing the second end of the housing; 
 a liquid barrier wall positioned within the housing and spaced apart from the first end wall, the liquid barrier wall extending toward the side wall of the housing to form a liquid seal between the liquid barrier wall and the side wall, the liquid barrier wall having at least one liquid channel with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet; 
 a liquid chamber defined by the liquid barrier wall, the first end wall and the side wall of the housing, wherein the liquid chamber is configured to contain a liquid to be atomised, the liquid inlet being in liquid communication with the liquid chamber for conducting the liquid through the liquid outlet; 
 a spacer positioned within the housing between the liquid barrier wall and the second end wall, the spacer having a perimeter extending towards the side wall of the housing, the spacer including a hollow interior surrounded by the perimeter; 
 a sonication chamber including the hollow interior between the liquid barrier wall and the second end wall; 
 an ultrasonic transducer positioned between the spacer and the second end wall, the ultrasonic transducer having an atomisation surface adjacent to the sonication chamber and in communication with the sonication chamber; 
 a capillary having a first portion at least partly superimposed on the atomisation surface of the ultrasonic transducer and a second portion adjacent to the liquid outlet of the liquid channel, wherein the capillary covers at least a portion of the liquid outlet and conducts the liquid from the liquid outlet to the atomisation surface to generate a mist; 
 an air inlet conduit forming an air-tight channel for conducting air through the liquid chamber and the liquid contained therein, the air inlet conduit extending from the first end wall, through the liquid chamber and through the liquid barrier wall to the sonication chamber, a first end of the air inlet conduit being in fluid communication with the air inlet port in the first end wall of the housing and a second end of the air inlet conduit being in fluid communication with the sonication chamber; and 
 a mist outlet conduit forming an air-tight channel for conducting the mist through the liquid chamber and any liquid contained therein, the mist outlet conduit extending from the first end wall, through the liquid chamber and through the liquid barrier wall to the sonication chamber, a first end of the mist outlet conduit being in fluid communication with the mist outlet port in the first end wall of the housing and a second end of the mist outlet conduit being in fluid communication with the sonication chamber, 
 wherein, in use, the air inlet seal and the mist outlet seal are ruptured by the air inlet piercing element and the mist outlet piercing element, respectively, as the lid is closed, 
 the capillary conducts the liquid from the liquid chamber to the atomisation surface to be atomised at the atomisation surface, and 
 the mist generated is conducted through the mist outlet conduit to the mist outlet port. 
   
     
     
         19 . The mist inhalation device of  claim 18 , wherein the lid further comprises:
 an air delivery inlet port;   an air delivery conduit for conducting air from the air delivery inlet port to the air inlet piercing element; and   a mist extraction port for conducting mist from the mist outlet piercing element through the lid, and   wherein the base further comprises a mist delivery conduit for conducting the mist from the lid and through the base,   such that, in use, the mist inhalation device and the pod create a fluid flow path from the air to the mist delivery conduit via the air delivery inlet port, the air delivery conduit, the air inlet piercing element, the air inlet conduit, the sonication chamber, the mist outlet conduit, the mist outlet piercing element, and the mist extraction conduit.   
     
     
         20 . The mist inhalation device of  claim 18 , wherein the mist inhalation device is configured to attach to a hookah.