Dispensing apparatus having a perforate outlet member and a vibrating device

Patent 5152456 Issued on October 6, 1992. Estimated Expiration Date:

December 3, 2010. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

3790079

3804329

3812854

Inhalation aerosol spray device
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Patent #: 4479609
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Inventor: Maeda , et al.

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Patent #: 4530464
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Inventor: Yamamoto , et al.

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Ultrasonic liquid ejecting apparatus
Patent #: 4605167
Issued on: 08/12/1986
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Inventors

Assignee

Bespak PLC

Application

No. 620416 filed on 12/03/1990

US Classes:

239/102.2, By electric transducer (e.g., piezoelectric crystal)128/200.16, Ultrasonic239/4Vibratory or magneto-strictive projecting

Examiners

Primary: Shaver, Kevin
Assistant: DeRosa, Kenneth

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Beveridge, DeGrandi & Weilacher

Foreign Patent References

105608 JP 07/13/1982
62411 JP 04/13/1983
4714 JP 01/13/1985
1454597 GB. 11/13/1976
2177623 GB. 01/13/1987

International Class

B05B 001/08

Foreign Application Priority Data

1989-12-12 GB

Abstract

Dispensing apparatus (1) comprises a housing (2) defining a chamber (3) receiving liquid (4) to be dispensed and comprising a perforate membrane which defines a front wall of the chamber. A vibrating device (8) is connected to the housing and is operable to vibrate the perforate membrane to dispense droplets of liquid through holes (25) in the perforate membrane. The housing comprises an annular member (11) having a relatively thin inner annular portion (68) connected to the perforate membrane and a relatively thick outer annular portion (66) connected to the vibrating device. The apparatus is suitable for dispensing pharmaceutical products as an atomized mist and provides a hand-held inhaler for oral inhalation.

Other References

Review of Scientific Instruments, vol. 57, No. 11, Nov. 1986, pp. 2870-2876, American Institute of Physics; New York, US; N. Maehara et al.: "Influence of the Vibrating System of a Multipinhole-Plate Ulyrasonic Nebulizer . . .