US 12,357,773 B2
Nebulizer
Tuncay Alan, Clayton (AU); Adrian Neild, Clayton (AU); Nguyen Hoai An Le, Clayton (AU); and Jason Brenker, Clayton (AU)
Assigned to Monash University, Clayton Victoria (AU)
Appl. No. 17/262,612
Filed by Monash University, Clayton (AU)
PCT Filed Jul. 24, 2019, PCT No. PCT/AU2019/050778
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 22, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/019030, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2018902671 (AU), filed on Jul. 24, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0268209 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. A61M 11/00 (2006.01); B05B 17/06 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 11/005 (2013.01) [A61M 11/001 (2014.02); B05B 17/0607 (2013.01); B05B 17/0615 (2013.01); B05B 17/0669 (2013.01); A61M 2205/02 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0244 (2013.01); B05B 17/06 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nebulizer comprising:
a housing,
the housing defining a chamber and having an outlet to the chamber for the egress of atomised fluid particles from within the chamber,
a solid substrate within the chamber of the housing,
a linear channel formed in the substrate that has a closed base, opposite side walls and an opening that opens through an upper surface of the substrate,
a vibration generator attached to the substrate at a position spaced from the linear channel for generating high frequency vibration that transmits through the substrate to the channel to atomise fluid within the linear channel, and
a feeding facility for feeding fluid to the linear channel,
wherein the linear channel has a high aspect ratio which the depth of the channel is greater than the width, the depth of the channel is in the range of 10.5 micrometres when a linear channel has an aspect ratio of 7:1 and a channel opening of 1.5 micrometres and, up to a 300 micrometers when a channel has aspect ratio of 15:1 and a channel opening of 20 micrometres, and
wherein the linear channel extends fully across the substrate and opens through side edges of the substrate.
 
16. A nebulizer comprising:
a housing,
the housing defining a chamber and having an outlet to the chamber for the egress of atomised fluid particles from within the chamber,
a solid substrate within the chamber of the housing,
a linear channel formed in the substrate that has a closed base, opposite side walls and an opening that opens through an upper surface of the substrate,
a vibration generator attached to the substrate at a position spaced from the linear channel for generating high frequency vibration that transmits through the substrate to the channel to atomise fluid within the linear channel, and
a feeding facility for feeding fluid to the linear channel,
wherein the linear channel has a high aspect ratio in which the depth of the channel is greater than the width, the depth of the channel is in the range of 10.5 micrometres when a linear channel has an aspect ratio of 7:1 and a channel opening of 1.5 micrometres and, up to a 300 micrometers when a channel has aspect ratio of 15:1 and a channel opening of 20 micrometres, and
wherein one end of the linear channel opens through one side edge of the substrate and an opposite end of the linear channel terminates within the substrate.