Valve system and method for aerosol delivery
US7146977B2 · kind B2 · utility
73Cited by
29References
3Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 25, 2003 |
| Grant date | Dec 12, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 3, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01H3/00
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus comprises a variable acoustic source and a microphone, both acoustically coupled to a volume having a fluid region and an air region. The apparatus also can include a processor to determine a volume of the air region based on signals received from the microphone and the variable acoustic source. A fluid valve is coupled to the processor, and is configured to allow an amount of fluid to exit the fluid region associated with the volume of the air region. An atomizer, coupled to the fluid region, is configured to aerosolize at least a portion of the fluid.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.