Patent US4702415A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4702415A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Aerosol producing device
Assignee: VORTRAN Corp A CA CORP
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Filing: 1984-09-18
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Granted: 1987-10-27
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Expires: 2004-09-18
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method are disclosed for applying an active ingredient as an aerosol. A transducer (22) for creating an aerosol includes a propellant inlet (96) and a chamber defined by at least one chamber wall (128) confluent with the propellant inlet. A bluff body (112) is provided for creating at least one vortex (152) in the chamber when the propellant enters the propellant inlet in a supersonic flow condition. An orifice (118, 146) spaced apart from the bluff body and separated therefrom by the chamber wall is provided for creating an exiting vortex (154).
Inventors
- 👤 Nathaniel Hughes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 11:31
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M15/00; A61M15/009; A61M11/00; A61M11/005; A61M15/0001; A61M15/0013; A61M15/0015; A61M15/0021; A61M15/0025; A61M15/0026; A61M15/0086; A61M15/0088; A61M16/00; A61M16/10; A61M16/12; A61M16/122; A61M16/125; B; B05; B05B; B05B1/00; B05B1/34; B05B7/00; B05B7/0012; B05B7/02; B05B7/06; B05B7/062; B05B7/066; B05B7/10; B05B7/16; B05B7/168; G; G01; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/05; G01F1/20; G01F1/32; A61M11/06; A61M16/1005; A61M16/101; A61M2202/00; A61M2202/06; A61M2202/064; A61M2206/00; A61M2206/10; A61M2206/16; A61M2209/00; A61M2209/08; A61M2209/084; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S261/00; Y10S261/65
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A process for creating an aerosol characterized by the steps of: providing a propellant to an inlet of a transducer; impacting the propellant on a bluff body to create at least one vortex; feeding the at least one vortex to an aperture spaced apart from the bluff body; producing a vortex through an orifice spaced apart from the bluff body and separated from the bluff body by a wall preventing flow of fluid along the bluff body to the orifice; and incorporating an active ingredient into the propellant.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
A process for creating an aerosol characterized by the steps of: providing a propellant to an inlet of a transducer; impacting the propellant on a bluff body to create at least one vortex; feeding the at least one vortex to an aperture spaced apart from the bluff body; producing a vortex through an orifice spaced apart from the bluff body and separated from the bluff body by a wall preventing flow of fluid along the bluff body to the orifice; and incorporating an active ingredient into the propellant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
241 words
A transducer for creating an aerosol having an inlet and an outlet portions, the transducer characterized by: a single inlet tube having a first central axis; a transducer body having a second central axis and to which the tube is coupled and wherein the first central axis is normal to a plane containing the second central axis; a bluff body extending from one end of the transducer body substantially to another end along the second central axis and comprising a groove in an end adjacent the other end of the transducer body extending from an interior surface portion of the bluff body to the end thereof; and a cylindrical lens portion adapted to be positioned substantially within the other end of the transducer body and about the end of the bluff body, the lens portion comprising: a first cylindrical aperture comprising an upstream portion and extending from an upstream portion of the lens portion to a downstream portion through the center of the lens portion for fitting the lens portion about the bluff body, a first conically-shaped depression in the upstream portion converging downstream-wise to the upstream portion of the aperture, a second conically-shaped depression in the downstream portion of the lens portion diverging downstream-wise from the dowstream portion of the aperture, a second cylindrical aperture extending from the first depression toward the second depression, and a third cylindrical aperture extending from the second cylindrical aperture to the first cylindrical aperture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
241 words
A transducer for creating an aerosol having an inlet and an outlet portions, the transducer characterized by: a single inlet tube having a first central axis; a transducer body having a second central axis and to which the tube is coupled and wherein the first central axis is normal to a plane containing the second central axis; a bluff body extending from one end of the transducer body substantially to another end along the second central axis and comprising a groove in an end adjacent the other end of the transducer body extending from an interior surface portion of the bluff body to the end thereof; and a cylindrical lens portion adapted to be positioned substantially within the other end of the transducer body and about the end of the bluff body, the lens portion comprising: a first cylindrical aperture comprising an upstream portion and extending from an upstream portion of the lens portion to a downstream portion through the center of the lens portion for fitting the lens portion about the bluff body, a first conically-shaped depression in the upstream portion converging downstream-wise to the upstream portion of the aperture, a second conically-shaped depression in the downstream portion of the lens portion diverging downstream-wise from the dowstream portion of the aperture, a second cylindrical aperture extending from the first depression toward the second depression, and a third cylindrical aperture extending from the second cylindrical aperture to the first cylindrical aperture.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-10-26 | 1991-04-27 | 1991-10-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-10-26 | 1995-04-27 | 1995-10-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-10-26 | 1999-04-27 | 1999-10-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |