US 12,186,477 B2
Nebulizer aperture plate drive frequency control and monitoring
Joseph Grehan, Galway (IE); and Niall Smith, Central Scotland (GB)
Assigned to Stamford Devices Limited, Galway (IE)
Filed by Stamford Devices Limited, Galway (IE)
Filed on Apr. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/304,854.
Application 18/304,854 is a continuation of application No. 17/350,562, filed on Jun. 17, 2021, granted, now 11,660,404.
Application 17/350,562 is a continuation of application No. 16/572,298, filed on Sep. 16, 2019, granted, now 11,065,399, issued on Jul. 20, 2021.
Application 16/572,298 is a continuation of application No. 15/933,082, filed on Mar. 22, 2018, granted, now 10,449,307, issued on Oct. 22, 2019.
Application 15/933,082 is a continuation of application No. 14/423,046, granted, now 9,956,356, issued on May 1, 2018, previously published as PCT/EP2014/060723, filed on May 23, 2014.
Claims priority of application No. 13177909 (EP), filed on Jul. 24, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2023/0248921 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
Int. Cl. A61M 11/00 (2006.01); B05B 15/14 (2018.01); B05B 17/00 (2006.01); B05B 17/06 (2006.01); B06B 1/02 (2006.01); G01N 29/22 (2006.01); G01N 29/42 (2006.01); G16H 20/10 (2018.01); G16H 20/13 (2018.01); B05B 12/00 (2018.01); B05B 12/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 11/005 (2013.01) [A61M 11/001 (2014.02); B05B 15/14 (2018.02); B05B 17/0646 (2013.01); B05B 17/0669 (2013.01); B06B 1/0253 (2013.01); G01N 29/22 (2013.01); G01N 29/42 (2013.01); G16H 20/10 (2018.01); G16H 20/13 (2018.01); A61M 2205/33 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3317 (2013.01); B05B 12/004 (2013.01); B05B 12/081 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nebulizer comprising:
a vibrating aperture plate configured to be driven by an actuator; and
an aperture plate drive circuit having a controller in communication with the actuator, wherein the controller is configured to:
perform a scan measuring a value of an electrical parameter at each of a plurality of measuring points, each measuring point being associated with a different drive frequency at which the drive circuit is operated; and
determine, based on the values of the electrical parameter measured at the plurality of measuring points, end-of-dose of the nebulizer, wherein the controller is configured to perform the scan at each of two or more measuring points with different drive frequencies and determine end-of-dose of the nebulizer based at least in part on a maximum differential of the electrical parameter.