US 11,998,678 B2
End-of-dose detection in nebulizers
Joseph Grehan, Galway (IE); Michael Casey, County Galway (IE); Shaun Porter, County Galway (IE); and Niall Smith, Scotland (GB)
Assigned to Stamford Devices Limited, Galway (IE)
Filed by Stamford Devices Limited, Galway (IE)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/194,369.
Application 17/194,369 is a continuation of application No. 15/762,387, granted, now 10,967,138, previously published as PCT/EP2016/072541, filed on Sep. 22, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 15187330 (EP), filed on Sep. 29, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0187209 A1, Jun. 24, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61M 11/00 (2006.01); B05B 12/08 (2006.01); B05B 15/14 (2018.01); B05B 17/00 (2006.01); B05B 17/06 (2006.01); B06B 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 11/00 (2013.01) [A61M 11/005 (2013.01); B05B 15/14 (2018.02); B05B 17/0646 (2013.01); B05B 17/0669 (2013.01); B06B 1/0253 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3317 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3386 (2013.01); A61M 2205/50 (2013.01); A61M 2205/583 (2013.01); B05B 12/081 (2013.01); B06B 2201/77 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nebulizer, comprising:
a vibrating aperture plate;
an actuator; and
an aperture plate drive circuit having a controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
measure drive current to the aperture plate;
detect end-of-dose based on a minimum value of the drive current and a maximum rate of change of the drive current; and
upon detection of end-of-dose, automatically stop operation of the actuator, and
wherein the controller is further configured to detect the end-of-dose based on a ratio of the maximum rate of change and the minimum value of the drive current.