KR20140056161A - Medicant delivery system - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved drug delivery system 100 is disclosed in which the carrier of the drug is a fluid that can be exposed to heat to evaporate or spray. The system has the ability to provide a repeatable amount of drug that can be stored in any orientation and / or to maximize energy efficiency.

Description

[0002] MEDICANT DELIVERY SYSTEM [0003]

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for evaporating liquid substances for inhalation. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing an apparatus and method for measuring, measuring and controlling the correct amount of vapor and evaporated fluid generated by a portable evaporator every time the apparatus is engaged by a user, This portable evaporator is safer and more reliable to use than current devices that rely on the chemical nature of lithium ions.

Various portable personal evaporation devices are now in common use. Some of these are specifically designed to generate nicotine-infused vapors for use as an alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes for smoking, where traditional cigarettes are lighted to give the user a natural constituent of tobacco Inhalation of its constituents including nicotine and its smoke. The devices used to replace cigarettes generate by-products of cigarette smoke and vast majority of more than 4,000 chemicals, and as a result, most of the harmful substances commonly associated with cigarette smoke, Through nicotine to the user.

Unfortunately, the performance and design of these evaporators still have disadvantages. For example, some devices are bulky or cumbersome to use as portable portable devices.

Other evaporators are unable to deliver accurate, constant, and reliable measured quantities of drug. Current electronic atomized cigarettes do not provide all the way to control the consistency of a certain amount of vaporized liquid material or a certain amount of generated vapor and consequently do not produce a measurable amount of nicotine per vapor base. There are certain situations and conditions, including those that regulations can impose, in which case it may be necessary for these devices to be able to deliver the steam and its nicotine constituents in a certain way, Of nicotine is continuously repeated and measurable for every engagement by the user. In addition to or in place of nicotine, an evaporator can be used to deliver other substances to the user including the drug. Similarly, accurately measured "quantities" may be desirable or may be required in these materials.

Moreover, some equipment may be used for a long period of time if the evaporator is not maintained in a vertical position during use or during packaging, shipping and storage of the apparatus, since some of the devices on the market use a liquid material storage unit that is & Leaking or broken. Moreover, in such an apparatus, the liquid material may be susceptible to contamination, impurity mixing and / or evaporation under certain conditions.

Finally, most, if not all, current commercial products use lithium chemical batteries as their power source. This is mainly due to the following three factors: 1) the useful life of the battery; 2) the power required to vaporize the fluid; And 3) the need for a small handheld device with approximately the size of a conventional tobacco product, i.e. a nicotine formulation that is not a cigarette cigar or a cigarette, i.e. the need for miniaturization such that separation is separately used by the user in a suitable situation; . However, lithium chemical batteries are volatile and toxic (including that the batteries are capable of releasing harmful vapors as well as that they can explode under certain conditions), and there are environmental problems with storage, reliability and one-off.

As current products become more widespread and used, as more use of the device is identified, manufactured, distributed, sold, and consumed, the lithium chemical power of the portable, portable device can become a problem for US regulators, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers It is expected to be.

Thus, there is still a need for a method and apparatus for providing an improved portable steam delivery system that reliably and continuously generates a repeatable, measured amount of drug in a safe, efficient, and effective manner.

In one aspect, an apparatus and method for improving a portable steam delivery apparatus that generates a reliable, constant, and repeatably measured amount of drug or drug comprises a power control system comprising a predetermined amount of a liquid material Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > sufficient < / RTI >

In another aspect, an apparatus and method for an improved portable steam transfer apparatus includes a fluid delivery system, an evaporation or spray system, and a power control system contained within the housing, wherein the fluid delivery system is continuously repeatable and reliable And delivers a precisely measured amount to the spraying system, and the power delivery system supplies sufficient power to the spraying system to completely atomize or vaporize the correct amount of liquid material delivered to the spraying system.

In another aspect, the portable steam transfer device has the ability to operate independently of orientation and / or to deliver a repeatable amount of drug and / or to store in any orientation and / or to maximize energy efficiency.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a specific method and apparatus, which allows the steam delivery system to be more stable, more reliable, less environmentally harmful, .

The present invention relates to a portable drug delivery device and a control system for a portable steam delivery device, and the present invention can reliably and continuously generate a measurable amount of drug in a safe, efficient and effective manner.

1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a drug delivery device of the present invention.
2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in Fig.
4 is an enlarged detailed cross-sectional view of the top of the apparatus shown in FIG.
5 is an exploded view of the apparatus shown in Figs.
6 is an enlarged perspective view of elements of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3-5.
7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention, in which the housing is removed for illustration purposes.
8 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in Fig.
9 is an enlarged side view showing the details of the elements shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Fig.
Figs. 10-13 are side views of the apparatus shown in Figs. 7-9, showing sequential operating steps. Fig.
14 is an enlarged perspective view of the evaporation system shown in Figs. 7 to 9. Fig.
Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of a "one-shot" circuit that may be used in embodiments of the power control system of the present invention.
Figures 16 and 17 are schematic diagrams of modified similar circuits that may be used in embodiments of a power control system.
18 is an enlarged side view of an embodiment of a vaporizing element.
19 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the evaporation apparatus.
20 is a cross-sectional view of the evaporator shown in Fig.
21 is an exploded view of the evaporator shown in Figs. 19 and 20. Fig.
22 is an enlarged perspective view of the elements shown in Fig.
Figure 23 is an isometric view of another embodiment of a drug delivery device.
24 is an exploded view of the apparatus shown in Fig.
Fig. 25 is a close-up isometric view of an embodiment of the fluid delivery system shown in Fig.
Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view through the lines 26-26 of the fluid delivery system shown in Figure 25;
Figure 27 is a close-up isometric view of an embodiment of the plunger of the fluid delivery system shown in Figure 28;
Figure 28 is a close-up isometric view of an embodiment of a drive nut of the fluid delivery system shown in Figure 24;
Figure 29 is a close-up isometric view of an embodiment of an evaporation system and an outlet cap of the drug delivery device shown in Figure 24;
Figure 30 is a close-up isometric view of an embodiment of a fluid delivery actuator of the drug delivery device shown in Figure 24;
Fig. 31A is a close-up isometric view of the proximal end of the fluid delivery system of the drug delivery device shown in Fig.
Fig. 31B is a drug delivery device shown in Fig. 31A, in which the bottom portion is pressed.
32 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the anti-rotation member of the fluid delivery system shown in FIG.
33 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the delivery device.
Fig. 34 is an isometric view of the delivery device shown in Fig. 33, with the housing removed.
Fig. 35 is a close-up plan view of the delivery device shown in Fig. 33, showing an evaporation system.
36 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a power control system.

The following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the invention may be constructed or utilized. The detailed description of the invention describes sequential steps and functions for configuring and operating the present invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It will be appreciated, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequential steps may be accomplished by different embodiments that are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In order to improve the ability to measure the exact amount of a drug in the form of a vapor for inhalation from a vapor delivery device, the vapor delivery device requires a power control system or fluid delivery system, It is the ability to control the amount of heat applied and its duration, and the fluid delivery system is capable of releasing the correct amount of drug accurately, consistently and repeatedly. These two methods: (a) controlling the amount of heat applied to the liquid material and (b) controlling the amount of vaporized liquid material may be used alone or in combination to " "Can be improved. As used in the claims, the term "medicant" refers to a medicament, a medication, a medicine, a pharmaceutical, a drug, Refers to a similar used to healing, treating, altering, improving, restoring, relieving, and / or curing a mental physical state, Component or a combination of active ingredients and inert ingredients dissolved in a particular vehicle or dissolved in any other carrier.

The amount of heat applied and its duration are related to the amount of power supplied to the steam delivery system. Therefore, in order to improve the functionality of current steam delivery devices, current devices have to be provided with a power control system which heats the heating elements to the minimum temperature required to completely evaporate a predetermined amount of liquid material To provide the correct amount of power from the power source. Based on the characteristics of the drug, in particular the vehicle or the carrier, the minimum temperature required to completely evaporate a predetermined amount can be calculated. By knowing the minimum temperature required to evaporate a predetermined amount of drug, energy resources can be preserved by not using more energy than necessary, which is one of the problems in current devices.

The means for providing the correct amount of power from the power supply to heat the heating element to the minimum temperature required to fully evaporate the predetermined amount of liquid material comprises an integrated circuit 82 or control circuit with a processor 500, The processor 500 controls the power sent to the heating element 152 to ensure that only the amount of power required to evaporate the specific amount emitted is provided. Because the amount of power supplied to the heating element 152 is related to the resistance through the heating element, the processor 500 replaces the amount of power applied to the heating element 152 to monitor the resistance of the heating element 152 Can be programmed. Once the resistance is known, the processor 500 can determine the amount of power supplied to the heating element 152. [ Measuring the resistance of a heating element has several advantages. First, the power can be accurately measured and maintained. Second, it is not measuring the voltage of the battery but measuring the composite voltage of the circuit that preserves the life of the battery. Third, it ensures that the evaporation remains constant, permitting metered dosing regardless of battery life and degradation of the heating element.

In some embodiments, the means for providing the correct amount of power also includes a boost converter, which is a switched DC / DC converter coupled with supercapacitors 368a, 368b. The boost converter uses a charge converter that works with the H bridge and inductor / capacitor systems. By using a boost converter, the charge current is limited to conserve the battery, and more discharge current from the supercap is allowed for a short duration, however. For example, it takes 3 to 5 seconds to charge, but it only takes 0.5 seconds to discharge. Thus, the battery shows a load of 100 to 200 mA, but the capacitor may show 1A or more. With this system, alkaline cells 364 can be used, thereby improving the safety of this apparatus.

Supercapacitors ("supercap") 368a and 368b are electrochemical capacitors having a relatively high energy density. Its energy density is typically several hundred times larger than conventional electrolyte capacitors. The super caps 368a, 368b can store up to 100 times the capacitance that a standard electrolyte capacitor can sustain.

The described electrical circuit of the present invention charges the supercaps 368a, 368b from a set of alkaline cells 364 using a DC / DC boost converter. When charging the super caps 368a and 368b, several parameters must be considered. To illustrate, a 300-paradigm capacitor bank can be used that can be charged to 6V DC, which can provide a maximum current of 1.2A using a 6V supply (four 1.5V AA batteries). It should be noted that as the heating circuit can be further controlled, a resistor can be used in this circuit to limit the current to the maximum amount of current, for example 1A.

The Ohm's law equation (charging resistance value = 6V / 1A = 6 OMEGA) is used to define how the charging electrical circuit of the present invention works. This is determined using the Ohm's law: R = E / I, where R is the resistance in ohms, E is the energy in volts, and I is the current in amperes.

To determine the time it takes to charge the capacitor bank, "power" electrically described as "number of watts" is used. This power equation is described as follows.

Current power = 6V × 1A = 6W (power = voltage × current)

Thus, to charge a 1A 6V capacitor bank with a 6V power supply (four AA / AAA batteries), a 6 ohm resistor with a wattage rating of 6W or greater is required. In some designs, small batteries such as one, two, or three can be used to supply enough power.

Using this approach, the present invention solves the standard problem among battery life problems of current electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Additionally, this approach provides the ability to maintain sufficient power to evaporate the liquid material, using standard alkaline chemical cells that are not available with current e-cigarette devices.

A block diagram of this process is shown in Fig. There is an energy source or power source 600 for supplying input power. This power can be one of several types, but generally two types are suitable. Type 1 may be a low-power supply that can not immediately act on high currents. This type of power source requires additional adjustments to support the full function and thus requires a power conversion phase 602 and a power storage phase 608. [ Type 2 may be a high current source allowing direct drive of the evaporation element.

The status or control logic 604, which may be indicated by logic or processor, provides control, metering and drive functions. One embodiment may use a Texas Instruments MSP430 processor, but it may be any processor or ASIC-like device. GPIO and A / D functions can also be used to allow measurement of either current flow (direct drive) or voltage in the power reservoir (supercap). When all the conditions are satisfied, the control logic 604 activates the discharge switch 610 to heat the evaporation element 612.

The ability to accurately measure and measure the power supplied to the evaporation element 612 allows accurate measurement of the vapor phase transition and dosage. In the direct drive system, the drive current and drive time are used to calculate and measure the energy used to heat the evaporation element 612. In the stored energy system, the formula 1 / 2CV ² is used to calculate the energy in the system and the desired final voltage to measure the energy used to heat the evaporation element 612, where C is the capacitance and V is the voltage .

An alternative to controlling the amount of power may be to control the amount of time the heating element is powered on when the power begins to weaken. The processor 500 may be configured to monitor the resistance to fully evaporate a given amount of drug to control the time the heating element is being held.

In some embodiments, the flow switch 614 may be used to signal the desired start of the evaporation state. The device may have a fluid delivery system when it is provided in the evaporation device (described below). The fluid delivery system deposits the required amount of fluid on the evaporator element 612 before operation of the flow switch 614.

In some embodiments, the fluid ejection actuator 616 may be used (within the stored energy system) to "wake up " the processor 604, the charging device 606 and the supercap 608. In a direct drive system, the fluid ejection actuator may be used to "wake up " the processor 604 in an ultra low power save mode. The fluid discharge actuator 616 may be a mechanical device that operates the system, such as a turn switch, button, knob, lever, and the like.

In some embodiments, the diodes 618 and 620 may be used to inform the operator of the system operating state. For example, one diode may be an LED 618 that informs when the evaporation element 612 is being driven. Other LEDs 620 may be flickered to specific patterns and used to indicate a system state, such as a power supply state, a power floor state, an exhausted fluid state, or other system conditions of a particular state (i.e., maximum dose per unit time, etc.) . In other embodiments, a display device, such as an LCD screen, may be configured to display system status or other information, such as, for example, the type and amount and / or amount of drug or substance received in the delivery device, the battery level, Can be used to represent information. A button or similar device may be used to operate and scroll through the display device.

In the configuration of Type 1 (low current, alkaline battery, etc.), the charging current may be limited to conserve battery life. In many batteries, a large amount of current leakage will significantly reduce battery life and charge. Thus, using a low current will exit the cell, and the power storage step 608 will allow for a high current situation without excessive consumption of the battery.

 In the configuration of type 2, the power storage step 608 is preferably used to extend the life of the battery (lithium polymer, lithium ion). The power storage step 608 also facilitates very accurately measuring the precise amount of energy in the evaporation element 612 with simple voltage measurement. Accurately measuring the exact amount of energy in the evaporator can be done by measuring the voltage and current, but it can be more difficult to accurately measure the current than measuring the voltage. Therefore, it may be advantageous to use a process that simply measures the voltage.

Additional power saving features are shared between the control logic 604 and the power conversion stage 602, i.e., the power state (on the switch) of the system. This power saving feature for the power state can be achieved through one of the transceiver / CPU in the ultra low power mode or the power cut / lock function. This is used to extend the operating life of the device after first use.

The energy required to completely evaporate a predetermined amount of liquid material is a function of the amount of power and the duration of time in which power is present. Thus, the power control system 306 also has the means to control the correct duration to supply the correct amount of power to fully evaporate a predetermined amount of liquid material at the required temperature. The means for controlling the correct duration to supply power may comprise a "one shot" control electrical circuit 170, 172 or 174 which may be integrated with the circuit for controlling the amount of power described above. Examples of "one shot" circuits 170, 172, or 174 are shown in FIGS. 15-17 and are described in more detail below. A "one shot" circuit can be used to limit the current transfer time interval regardless of how long the user holds the lever down. The power control system 306 is completely "off" when not in use, so that the battery is not consumed during the standby time. As a result, the lifetime of the battery is prolonged.

In some embodiments, the integrated circuit may be configured to operate the power source a predetermined number of times. This number should be small enough to cause each operation to produce the same amount of power each time. In some embodiments, the integrated circuit may be configured to monitor battery life and not power on when a predetermined amount of battery life is sensed.

This power control system 306 may be provided in an existing steam delivery system. For example, the control system 306 may be installed in the handles of current steam delivery apparatus provided in current heating systems to improve the energy efficiency and accuracy of current dose of the apparatus.

In addition to or in addition to controlling the amount of power and the duration of the power supply to significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness with respect to measuring the exact amount from the evaporator, means for continuously measuring the precise amount of liquid material that is evaporated Can be used as the correct additional or alternative layer. Thus, an efficient drug delivery device may include a power control system 34 and / or a fluid delivery system 30, 302, or 402, wherein the power control system utilizes various embodiments of the above- And the fluid delivery system is a means for continuously measuring the precise amount of liquid material in the fluid reservoir to precisely control the amount of liquid material that is released to evaporate. Various combinations of these systems can be used to achieve target level accuracy. The spray or evaporation system 32 may also be required to vaporize the drug. In this application, spraying and evaporation are associated interchangeably to indicate that the state of the drug is a form that can be aspirated and absorbed by the lungs.

The exact amount of liquid material that can be completely vaporized at a given temperature and the exposure duration can be calculated. Thus, the precise amount required to be discharged from the fluid delivery system can be predetermined, since the temperature of the wire and the duration of the electrical supply of the wire can be constant. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the precise amount may vary depending on the temperature of the wire and how long the wire is kept electrically fed at that temperature.

The embodiment of the power control system described above provides a beneficial way to more accurately measure a certain amount of drug. Controlling the amount of released drug also improves the accuracy of the measurement. Examples of devices for controlling the amount of drug toward the heating element for evaporation are described below. These devices may be used alone or in combination with a power control system to further improve the accuracy of the measured amount of drug.

1 and 2, the drug delivery device 20 has an elongated housing 22 in which the dental mouthpiece 24 and lever 28 are secured to the top or rear of the housing, It is adjacent. The mouthpiece opening 26 extends into the mouthpiece 24. 3-5, an embodiment of the apparatus 20 includes a fluid or liquid mass transfer system 30 and an evaporation system 32 as well as a power control system 34, The delivery system 30 is a means for continuously measuring the precise amount of liquid material to precisely control the amount of liquid material released for evaporation. The power control system 34 may include a battery 44 within the battery compartment 42 of the housing 22 and the battery may be passed through the spring 46 and contacts 48 to the flexible circuit board 82 And are electrically connected. As shown in Fig. 5, the housing may be provided on the left and right sides. The lever 28 may be attached to the housing 22 with a pivot 58.

As shown in FIG. 4, the means for continuously measuring the precise amount of liquid material from the fluid reservoir to precisely control the amount of liquid material that is released for evaporation is achieved by the liquid material delivery system 30 , This means includes a liquid material chamber or reservoir 64 with a resilient or flexible wall that is connected to the lever valve 70 past the tube 66. The reservoir 64 is positioned between the two rigid surfaces, one side abutting the plate 62 and the other side abutting the inner wall of the housing 22. The spring 60 within the housing 22 presses on the plate 62 and, in turn, presses against the reservoir 64. This pressurizes the liquid material in the reservoir.

The tube 66 extends from the reservoir 64 to the lever valve 70 which may include a valve post 74, a valve spring 72 and a valve washer 76. In this view, the valve region 80 of the tube 66 extends through the opening of the valve post 74, as shown in FIG. The valve spring 72 urges the valve washer 76 against the valve section 80 of the tube while closely contacting the valve washer.

Referring to Figs. 4-6, an embodiment of the evaporation system 32 includes a heater 150 that is electrically connected to a power control system 34. Fig. The evaporation system 32 is also connected to the liquid mass transfer system 30 and receives the liquid substance from the liquid mass transfer system 30. The heater 150 may be an electric resistance heater formed by a helical coil 152 such as a nichrome wire. In this figure, current is supplied to the helical coil 152 through the connector 156 on the flexible circuit board 82 or the connector 156 connected to the substrate 82 and in turn connected to the battery 44 do. 14 shows a connector 156 for providing power to a heating element.

The outlet region 154 of the tube 66 extending out of the lever valve 70 toward the rear end of the device or mouthpiece is inserted into the front end of the helical coil 152. 14, the solid wire inserts 159 may be inserted into the end regions of the outlet region 154 and the helical coil 152 to provide internal support and consequently press down on the connector 156 Do not be destroyed or twisted. The outlet region 154 of the front end of the helical coil heater 152 provides liquid material into the bore of the coil every time the apparatus 20 is operated.

The tube 66 is connected to the reservoir 64 with a liquid material seal connection so that the liquid material can only flow from the reservoir through the tube 66. The tube 66 can be a resilient, flexible material so that its internal lumen can be fully flattened as a whole when compressed and fully restored to its original shape when decompressed. The lever region 67 of the tube 66 may be optionally positioned on a portion of the circuit board 82 where the power management electrical circuit is located and a certain rigid surface within the housing and the lever 28 are located thereon. The position indicator 112 may be provided to pass through or on or above the circuit board 82 to ensure that the target position is maintained. The lever 28 is held by the lever pivot 116 and can pivot through the operation of the controlled region.

In use, the mouthpiece 24 is disposed within the mouse, and the user pushes or presses the lever 28. The tube 66 is prefilled with a liquid material during the manufacturing process or liquid material is provided in advance. Referring to Figure 4, as the lever 28 pivots downward about the pivot 58, the pincher 86 urges the lever section 67 of the tube 66 to pivot about the pivot 58 and adjacent the reservoir 64 And is brought into close contact with the inner surface of the housing (20). This temporarily shuts off the tube 66 in the pincher 86. As the lever 28 continues to pivot down (or inward toward the centerline of the device), the sloped surface 88 of the lever 28 pushes the lever section 67 of the tube 66 to the pinch 86 and lever valve < (70). This results in a pushing type of movement in which the liquid material is pumped toward the lever valve 70 using peristaltic action. As the lever 28 continues to pivot inward, the posts on the lever press the valve washer 76 downward in the direction of the force of the valve spring 72. This temporarily opens the lever valve 70 by allowing the valve area 80 of the tube 66 to open. As the valve section 80 of the tube opens and the liquid material in the tube is pumped past the ramps 88, a quantity of liquid material passes through the valve area 80 and the outlet section 154 and into the helical coil 152 Flow.

The constant static pressure exerted on the reservoir 64 by the springs 60 presses the liquid material in the tube 66. However, since the tube 66 is closely contacted by the pincher 86, the liquid material does not flow out of the reservoir at all when the lever is pushed and the lever valve is opened. Rather, the liquid material already present in the tube 66 between the pincher 86 and the lever valve 70 provides a metered amount that is uniformly transferred to the helical coil.

The downward movement of the lever 28 also places the switch on the circuit board 82 or blocks the switch 158 connected to the circuit board 82. Where current flows from the battery 44 or other power source to the helical coil 152. The helical coil is heated to evaporate the liquid material. The current supplied to the helical coil and the temperature of the helical coil as it is being operated can be adjusted by the circuit board depending on the target amount of liquid material used and other factors. The switch 158 may be positioned such that it is only blocked when the lever 28 is fully depressed. This avoids unintentional heating of the helical coil. This also helps to extend the life of the battery by delaying the heating of the helical coil until a certain amount of liquid material has been moved into the helical coil through the pivoting movement of the lever. Regardless of how long the user maintains the lever underneath, a "one shot" control circuit 170 can be used to control the current transfer time interval, e.g., as shown in FIG. Power is completely shut off when not in use. There is no battery drain during standby time. As a result, the lifetime of the battery is prolonged.

As is apparent from this description, a liquid mass transfer system 30 utilizing a linear pumped peristaltic motion delivers a constant and repeatable amount of liquid material to the evaporation system 32 for every actuation of the apparatus 20. The liquid mass transfer system 30 also controls the transfer of power to the evaporation system 32 by sealing the reservoir 64 between operations and keeping the contents of the reservoir pressurized by the pincher 86. The liquid material delivery system is designed so that no air is introduced into the system when liquid material is used.

The length and diameter of the helical coil 152 form a sufficient cylindrical volume within the inner diameter of the coil to hold a specified volume of liquid material from the liquid material delivery system. Adjacent rings of the wire of the helical coil 152 may be positioned so that the surface tension of the liquid material holds the liquid material inside the bore of the coil. This allows the device to be used in any orientation, since it does not require gravity to hold a certain amount of the uncompressed liquid material in place.

The use of an open coil additionally provides the advantage that steam can be generated to escape anywhere along the length of the coil without unintended effects on the balance of evaporation of a certain amount of liquid material in the coil. Spiral coils also provide a large surface area for heat transfer, minimizing the energy losses resulting from the auxiliary heating components.

When power is applied, the liquid material in the coil evaporates and passes through the gaps between the coils. The coil can be positioned within the housing with an appropriate size and shape so that the vapor generated when the user inhales through the mouthpiece can be taken out into the airflow pumped through the device 20. [ Here, "inhalation" means that at least the vapor is pumped into the mouse.

7-13 illustrate an embodiment 100 of a second device similar to device 20 but with the following differences. In apparatus 100, the means for continuously measuring the precise amount of liquid material from the fluid reservoir to precisely control the amount of liquid material that is released to evaporate may include means for continuously measuring the amount of liquid material from the fluid reservoir, And a foam pad 106 which is inserted and compressed. The force exerted on the reservoir 64 by the foam pad, which is intended to recover to its relaxed state, exerts a compressive force on the reservoir to retain the liquid material in the reservoir under pressure. The foam pad 106 may be used in place of the springs 60 shown in Fig. The reservoir can be pressurized instead using a syringe with a spring-biased plunger. In any of these figures, the reservoir can optionally be provided as an alternative cartridge.

The lever valve 118 in the apparatus 100 is provided to compress the front end of the tube 66 (in place of the pincher 86 in the apparatus 20), as shown in Figure 8, Thereby preventing the liquid material from flowing out from the reservoir. The lever valve 118 may be a stamped metal sheet brazed to a rigid circuit board 114 that includes the same or similar electrical circuitry as described above for the power control system 34.

Figures 10-13 illustrate means for continuously measuring the amount of liquid material released for evaporation, particularly the precise amount of liquid material from the fluid reservoir to accurately control the pumping action of the liquid material delivery system in the apparatus 100 Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > a < / RTI > When a certain amount of steam is desired, the user places the mouthpiece in the mouse and sucks the button 109 on the lever 110 while pushing it to rotate the lever downward (counterclockwise). As the lever 110 rotates for the first time as shown in FIG. 10, the lever pinch protrusion 132 closes or seals the tube 66 at the point of attachment 140 to block the pressurized liquid material reservoir. The subsequent rotation of the lever 110 causes the lever 110 to bend at the bending point 124 to have a reduced thickness, as shown in FIG. This allows rotation of the lever to move excessively without crushing the tube while the tube 66 remains blocked at the point of attachment 140.

The additional rotation of the lever 110 then compresses the empty space of the pump region 68 in the tube 66. This pumps the liquid material from the pump region 68 towards the lever valve 118. This movement also moves the protrusions on the lever that press against the valve flanges 120 to bend and open the lever valve 118 so that a certain amount of pressurized liquid material passes through the tube and into the evaporation system 32 Allow. The dashed line in FIG. 12 represents the lever valve 118 which is away from the bottom surface of the circuit board 114 and bent downward to open the valve. Finally, at the end of the lever stroke, the lever switch projection contacts the switch 158 to switch on the power delivery system.

When the lever 110 is released from pressure, the lever pivots back to its original position. As the lever returns, the lever valve 118 first resets and seals the rear end of the pump region 68 of the tube 66 to prevent air from pumping back into the pump region. As the lever 110 continues to rotate clockwise, the pump region 68 is decompressed and creates a negative pressure inside the empty space of the tube. Finally, at the point of attachment 140, the tube 66 reopens and recharges the pump region 68 with the liquid material to allow the pressurized liquid material from the reservoir to enter and provide the next amount.

The amount of liquid material specified for each stroke can be controlled by selecting the diameter and length of the target pump region 68 of the tube. The maintenance of the constant pressure on the reservoir of the liquid material always guarantees a system in which the liquid material has been prepared in advance, so that there is no "one shot" Furthermore, by sealing the evaporator system with a valve, such as valve 70 or 118, which is activated only during transfer, the static pressure distribution prevents unintentional leakage of the liquid material, regardless of the orientation of the device during storage or use, Provides a means for continuously measuring the precise amount of liquid material from the fluid reservoir to precisely control the amount of liquid material that is released.

15 is a schematic diagram of a "one shot" circuit 170 for a power control system that delivers a constant time interval of current to the heater 150 regardless of how long the lever is depressed by the user. In Fig. 15, CD4047 is a CMOS low power monostable / astable multivibrator available for example in Texas instruments. U1 is a typical CD4047, operating at 12V battery voltage, which consumes very low quiescent current. When the push switch SW1 is pressed, U1 starts to operate, Q (pin 10) increases, and C1 is rapidly charged to almost the supply voltage through the FET inside U1. At the same time, the resistor R1 is switched to the logic "0" state and begins to discharge the capacitor C1 immediately with a time constant of 1 / RC.

A wide range of pulse durations can be selected. Using a conventional nichrome wire coil, the pulse duration in the range of about 0.2 to 2 seconds is sufficient to completely evaporate a certain amount of liquid material. When the voltage on pin 3 reaches a threshold of logic "0" (~ 1/3 supply voltage), the logic level switch and Q (pin 10) return to low level logic. Q2 is an emitter follower that provides current amplification that fully saturates Q1 during the target current pulse. D1 and R4 provide a visual indication of the heater current. R2 is a "pull down" resistor for SW1, and C2 prevents the induction noise from starting the circuit erroneously. Other alternatives to the IC can be used such as the Toshiba TC7WH23, which depends on the battery voltage, package size and cost.

The battery voltage is gradually reduced compared to the lifetime of the device. In various applications, the circuit described in Figure 15 provides the necessary control. However, more accurately measuring the drug can be achieved by increasing the current pulse duration as the current is reduced relative to the discharge time of the cell. In the circuit 172 shown in FIG. 16, the additional operational amplifier IC is used as a voltage-controlled current source for the power control system. The input voltage is sampled from the pin 10 of U1. A constant current is generated at Q3 and is used to discharge regulating capacitor C1 at a constant rate. Once the voltage across C1 reaches a logic threshold, the CD4047 is shut off and the output pulse width is complete. As the cell voltage decreases, the constant current generated at Q3 decreases and the time to discharge C1 increases. As the battery voltage decreases relative to the life of the device, it extends the output pulse to maintain a relatively constant heater power per suction cycle. Various current settings and sense resistor values can be adjusted to provide the best performance. Other circuits may be used to provide the same function to the frequency converter as the voltage.

Fig. 17 shows another circuit 174 for the power control system in which the voltage regulating device U2 is inserted between the output transistor Q1 and the heater filament. This keeps the filament voltage constant throughout the life of the battery. The regulated voltage can be selected to optimize heater operation until near end of life. A low-cutoff regulator aims to maximize lifetime before regulation is no longer maintained. While a simple linear regulator is shown, a high efficiency switching regulator can also be used to improve efficiency. The pulse duration is maintained as described above or as an equivalent "one shot" circuit, and the heater current is held constant by the voltage regulator.

In other alternative figures, the power control system 34 may be configured to provide a constant power by regulating power to provide the minimum energy required to vaporize the liquid material. The power control system 34 may also be programmed to perform this. For example, the power control system 34 may be programmed to power the power supply below the voltage required to vaporize the liquid material to extend its useful life. Here, the power source may include a capacitor to extend the useful life of the power source, which provides, maintains, and forms the charge necessary to evaporate the liquid material to evaporate again. In some embodiments, supercapacitors can be used as described above to further enhance the functionality of the power supply.

18, the liquid material to be sprayed does not provide liquid material to the heating coil by pressure, but rather provides a small diameter tube 180 by capillary action that is stable to evaporation due to surface tension, Lt; / RTI > The tube 180 may be a metal such as glass, polyaniline, or stainless steel. A heating element such as a nichrome wire may be inserted into the tube or wrapped around the tube or wrapped around the tube to heat the entire amount of the liquid material at the same time.

19-22 illustrate an alternative evaporator 200 that includes a cover 204 attached to a base portion 202 and a housing formed of a base 202 that includes a mouthpiece 206 I have. As shown in FIG. 21, by providing other means for continuously measuring the amount of liquid material accurately from the fluid reservoir 234 to precisely control the amount of liquid material that is released to evaporate, The pivot arm 209 on the bridge 224 is pivotally attached to the pivot posts 226. The radius 244 of the pincher 238 may be bent when the tube 236 is compressed. The bridge 224 has pins for securely fixing the base to the base 202. The positive electrode of each battery 44 is held in contact with the central contact portion by the spring 46. [ The positive conductor strip 214 connects the central contact to the printed circuit board 216.

22, the wick 220 includes a coil 222 for evaporation from a printed circuit board 216 (which includes the same or similar electrical circuit as described above for the power control system 34) , And extends over the selectively rising wall. The core is a piece or sheet of ceramic tape 220 used as a wick and a heat sink. The wick 220 is positioned between the heating element, such as the evaporation coil 222, and the outlet of the tube 236. The wick 200 is located at or near the top of the heating element and the tube outlet is also at the top of the heating element and wick 220 (with the button 208 at the normal position, .

Brass posts 218 or similar contacts are attached to both ends of the coil 222 and the printed circuit board 216. The button 208 has a pinch arm 209 positioned to close and block the flow at the tube 236 so that the liquid material reservoir can be positioned over the wick 200 or at an outlet location above the wick 200 Lt; / RTI > The tube 236 may be held in place by being molded into the tube clips 240 on the bridge 224. The arm 233 on the tightened valve 232 generally extends through the opening in the bridge 224 and extends upward. The valve spring 230 around the post 228 maintains the valve 232 in a generally tightened position. The bottom surface of the valve 232 may operate as a switch with the printed circuit board 216 or may operate a separate switch on the printed circuit board 216 to cause current to flow through the coil 222 ). ≪ / RTI >

In use, the evaporator 200 is the same as described above, but is added next. The slot 210 may be provided in the housing to receive an insulating tab. An insulating tab is provided during the manufacturing process to prevent electrical contact between the central contact 212 and the cells. As a result, the device may not power up unintentionally during shipment and storage. Therefore, battery life is further preserved. Before actuating the evaporator 200 for the first time, the user pulls the tab from the slot 210. As shown in Figs. 19 and 20, the mouthpiece is round. The length LL between the coil 222 and the mouthpiece tip in Fig. 20 can be minimized to 15 mm, 10 mm or 5 mm. The liquid material reservoir may have a volume in excess of 0.8 ml or 1.0 ml to allow foaming compression to pressurize the pump. In the apparatus 200, the liquid material fed from the reservoir past the tube 236 is not delivered to the coil 222. Rather, the liquid material is delivered over wick 220. The heating coil 222 heats the wick in contact with the wick 220, which then evaporates substantially all of the liquid material in the wick or core.

In each of the above-described vaporizers, an open coil heater 152 or 222, such as, for example, a nickel wire, is placed in the porous ceramic material so that the vapor generated when the fluid is sprayed must pass through the ceramic material to suck or inhale. The ceramic material may be fabricated by techniques that control the size of the holes through which the steam passes. This can help regulate the size of vapor drops or vapor molecules generated by inhalation. By controlling the amount of power and duration of power for the coil heater, the heater continues to evaporate the fluid in the heater until the vapor drops or particles are small enough to pass through the ceramic material, thereby effectively utilizing all the fluid delivered to the coil In addition to controlling the molecular size, the amount is controlled. By adjusting the size of the vapor molecules generated, the vaporizer can be more accurately used as a fluid and drug that requires that the particle size of the dosage be carefully controlled. In some cases, smaller molecules can be advantageous because they can be sucked deeper into the lungs, thereby providing a more effective delivery mechanism.

Spiral coil heaters require steam to be sucked through the fabric so that Kevlar ^? Resistant fabric-like material. The fabric may be made with a targeted mesh opening size to control the size of the molecules and / or vapor particles delivered by the evaporator. By controlling the amount of power and the power duration, the heater continues to evaporate the fluid delivered to the heater until the vapor particles are small enough to pass through the fabric mesh. Having the fluid inside the fabric together with the heater until the particles are small enough to pass through the fabric can help to effectively atomize and deliver all fluids delivered to the heater with little or no discard, do.

Although switch 158 is described above as a mechanical contact switch, other types of switches may be used selectively and may include a switch that optically or electrically senses positional movement of the device or a switch that senses the presence of liquid material in heater 150 Lt; / RTI > Furthermore, although the lever valve and the tightening valve are shown as fixed valves, other types of mechanically or electrically operated valves may be used. Likewise, the peristaltic pump operation caused by the pivoting movement of the lever can be selectively replaced with alternative forms of pumping or fluid movement. Various types of equivalent heating elements may also be used in place of the described helical coils. For example, solid state heating elements can be used. The heating element can also be replaced by alternative evaporation elements, such as an electro-hydrodynamic device or a pressure device, which can convert the liquid material to steam without heating.

In other embodiments, the delivery device 300 may be a plunger-type liquid material delivery device, such as other means for continuously measuring the precise amount of liquid material from a fluid reservoir to precisely control the amount of liquid material that is released to evaporate. System 302 is used. 23, the delivery device 300 has a liquid substance delivery system 302, but uses the same or similar spray or evaporation system 32 and the power control system 34 described above, All of which are housed within the housing 308 and preferably cylindrical in shape similar to a cigarette or cigar. .

Fluid delivery system 302 includes a fluid reservoir 310 that includes a drug and a pressure generator such as piston 312 that is activated whenever a fluid ejection actuator such as button 314 is depressed or actuated And directs the interior of the fluid reservoir 310 to a predetermined, repeatable amount. Preferably, the fluid reservoir 310 is in the shape of a cylinder, more preferably a shape similar to a syringe. The delivery device 300 is completely sealed when not in use so that the drug can not evaporate during storage or during an operating cycle.

The fluid reservoir 310 has a proximal end 316 and a distal end 318. The proximal end 316 is configured to receive a piston 312 that forms a hydraulic seal against the walls of the reservoir 310 such that the medicament can not leak past the piston 312. The piston 312 may have a hollow core 313. A plunger 320 is provided to couple with the piston 312 to drive the piston 312 forward in a controlled, step-like manner. The plunger 320 has a shaft 322 having a head 324 at one end. In a preferred embodiment, the head 324 is flanged. The head 324 is configured to mate with the mating geometry within the piston 312 to secure the piston 312 to the plunger 320. [ The shaft 322 of the plunger is preferably configured so that its overall length has a male thread 326. [

The drive nut 328 is disposed at the proximal end 316 of the reservoir 310. Various members of the reservoir 310 and the housing 308 constrain the position of the drive nut 328 such that the drive nut is free to rotate simultaneously with the axis A of the plunger 320, Prevent movement. The drive nut 328 has a female threaded thread 330 mating with the plunger 320. The drive nut 328 is further configured to have a ratchet tooth 332 which interacts with the detent 334 on the button 314 which will be described later and which results in the drive nut 328 ) Will rotate in a single direction.

The cap 336 is disposed at the distal end of the reservoir 310. The cap 336 may be an elastomeric component having an outlet 338 and has a self-destroying slit / hole. Preferably, the cap 336 is made of silicon. The outlet 338 is responsive to the pressure of the drug within the reservoir 310 such that the outlet 338 is open when the drug is at a pressure higher than the ambient pressure outside the reservoir 310 and the drug exits the reservoir 310 . Once sufficient drug has escaped the reservoir 310 and balances with ambient pressure, the outlet 338 automatically breaks and seals the remaining contents of the reservoir 310 from the periphery, thereby preventing the loss of the evaporated drug do. Thus, the measured amount is determined by an appropriate correction of the pressure required to properly form and maintain drug droplets in the outlet 338 until evaporation begins. A feature of this seal is that the external pressure change of the device is not strong enough or sufficiently concentrated so that the external pressure change is "unsealed" And, the natural resilience of the reservoir causes the seal to "reseal" regardless of changes in external pressure.

Based on the surface tension of the liquid drug, the amount of drug released from the outlet 338 is sufficient to form a droplet at the outlet 338 attached to the outlet 338 without falling or dripping from the cap 336 It should be small. The distance from the outlet 338 to the helical coil 152 must be sufficiently small such that the droplet of liquid material formed in the outlet fills the gap between the outlet 338 and the helical coil 152 so that the droplet of liquid material is separated from the spiral coil 152 Or to the detents 360 within the helical coil 152. This configuration allows the vapor delivery device 300 to be used in any orientation, thereby improving versatility over current devices.

30, the button 314 functions to provide a controlled rotation instruction of the driving nut 328. [ The button 314 includes a control surface 340 that protrudes through a top housing through which the user actuates the button 314. In its neutral (home) position, the button 314 usually protrudes slightly from the housing 308. The button 314 is constrained to translate in a direction perpendicular to the control surface 340 when pressed. The button 314 is comprised of two spring elements 341a and 341b which biases the button back to a neutral position on the control surface 340 without pressure. The spring elements 341a and 341b are designed to deform under pressure on the load surface and return to their original shape upon release of the pressure. The range of the button movement movement is limited by the stop 342 having the upper surface 343a and the lower surface 343b. The stop surfaces 343a, 343b engage opposing surfaces on the lower housing and upper housing at the limit of button movement, causing the button 314 to be displaced to a certain extent when pressurized / depressurized. The button 314 is further comprised of a detent 314 which engages the ratchet teeth 332 on the drive nut 328. When the button 314 is pressed, the detent 334 engages the ratchet teeth 332 to rotate the drive nut 328. When the pressure is relieved the sloped surface 344 of the detent 334 and the opposing surface 346 of the ratchet 332 face each other and bend the detent 334 from the fabric so that the detent 334 is pushed by the adjacent ratchet 334, Allowing the button 314 to return to its neutral position. In this manner, the ratchet 332 allows the drive nut 328 to rotate in a single direction.

In some embodiments, the button 314 may function to initiate delivery of power to the heating system 304 concurrently with the delivery of a quantity of drug to the evaporation system 32. As shown in FIGS. 31A and 31B, the contact pins 348 provide for the application of the spring-loaded spring elements 341a and 341b. The bending of the spring elements 341a and 341b during operation of the button 314 causes the contact pin 348 to lower against the contacts 350a and 350b so that the contact points 350a and 350b Block the circuit on the other side as well. This blockage is used to initiate the power cycle of the evaporation system 32 as will be described later. In some embodiments, the contacts 350a, 350b may be directly underneath the spring elements 341a, 341b. The bottom surfaces of the spring elements 341a and 341b may have independent contact pins 348 connecting the contacts 350a and 350b to block the circuit. In some embodiments, a single contact pin 348 and a single contact 350a may be used.

The pitch of the threads 326 indicates the bore 352 of the reservoir 310 and the drive nut 328 to direct the drive nut 328 at a controlled angle to displace the target amount of drug from the reservoir 310 . All rotational motion of the drive nut 328 is converted into linear motion on the plunger 320 to provide a constant and repeatable amount of drug. To ensure that the plunger 320 does not rotate with the rotating drive nut 328, the plunger 320 is further provided with a groove 354 extending down its length, and the groove 354 is shown in Figure 32 And receives a rotation preventing tang 356 protruding from the lower portion of the housing 308 as shown.

A spray or evaporation system 32 similar to that described above has a heater element 152 in the form of a fine spiral coil located adjacent to the fluid delivery system outlet 338. In a preferred embodiment, the helical coil 152 is a nichrome wire. In some embodiments, the nichrome wire coil 152 is wrapped around the high temperature fabric wicking element 360 to dispense a certain amount of the medicament received over the coil 152.

The power control system 34 includes a circuit board 362 (which includes the same or similar electrical circuit as described above) and a combined battery 364 that provides a constant and accurate amount of power to the nichrome wire 152 ), And the amount of power delivered is essential for spraying or evaporating a certain amount of drug delivered in the correct amount. For best system efficiency, it is desirable to maximize the energy density of the heater. Therefore, the coils of the heaters are ideally spaced as close as possible to each other. Furthermore, it is preferable to spray a certain amount of drug that can be evaporated as uniformly as possible throughout the heater elements. For this purpose, the heater coil 152 is wrapped around the wick 360 and has a resistive material against high temperatures, which evenly spreads the drug across the wick 360. The coil 152 is connected to the power control system 34 via the crimp connector 360. In a preferred embodiment, the circuit board 362 has a one-shot circuit (similar or similar to the electrical circuit described above) that delivers a constant and precise amount of power to the nichrome heater 152 for each operation, It is necessary to spray a certain amount of drug.

In some embodiments, the power control system may include one or more super caps 368a, 368b coupled to a power source and circuitry to provide a means for delivering an accurate amount of power to the evaporation system 32. [ The use of the super caps 368a, 368b prevents the evaporation system 32 from accepting a varying amount of power as the battery 364 reaches its end of life. In particular, the super caps 368a and 368b prevent the power of the evaporation system 32 from decreasing as the battery runs out of service. If there is no electrical circuit to precisely control the power, the power of the reduced battery can be routed to the wire 152 for a given operation. In this case, if a certain amount of drug remains, it may be incomplete evaporation of the drug.

33 to 35 show another embodiment of the delivery device 400. [ 34 shows the delivery device 400 from which the housing 408 is removed. The delivery device 400 comprises the same or similar evaporation system 32 and a power control system 34 which includes a fluid delivery system 402 as a means for continuously measuring an accurate amount of liquid material from a fluid reservoir Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > embodiment). ≪ / RTI > The housing 408 of the delivery device 400 is also different from the housing of the delivery device 300. The housing 408 has a configuration similar to a generally elongated box. The housing 408 may adopt a size that is suitable for a particular application as well as other shapes such as cylindrical or specific shapes. The housing 408 has a top end 410 and a bottom end 412 opposite the top end 410. The top end 410 has a lid 414.

The suction tube 416 protrudes from the top end 410. The suction tube 416 is operatively connected to the fluid delivery system 402. The drug from the fluid delivery system 402 is evaporated from the evaporation system 32 and the vapor flows into the user's mouth through the suction tube 416. [ The lid 414 is used to protect the suction tube 416 when not in use. Although the sliding lid is shown in Fig. 33, the lid 414 may be a flip top, detachable, slidable configuration, or the like. As the lid 414 is pushed back or removed or otherwise removed from the top end, the suction tube 416 is unlocked and rotates upwards. At this time, the user can start the process of sucking through the suction tube, which starts the heating process by operating the flow sensor.

At the bottom end 412 of the housing 408 is a knob 418 that delivers the correct amount of drug from the fluid delivery system 402 to the evaporation system 32. The knob 418 of the bottom end 412 in the apparatus 400 is moved forward and backward in a similar manner in a step-like manner through a syringe (not shown), such as a button 314 of the apparatus 300, To deliver a precise, constant, and predetermined amount of drug from the syringe to deposit the drug onto the helical coil 152 of the evaporation system 32. Each rotation of the knob 418 advances a precisely measured amount of the drug by a sustained and repeatable amount.

As in the previous version, the apparatus 400 includes a processor (not shown), super caps 368a, 368b coupled thereto, and a heating system for heating a predetermined and sufficient amount of power to vaporize or spray a predetermined amount of liquid material A circuit board 420 (the same or similar electrical circuit as described above for the power control system 34) with other electronic components used to communicate to the system. The circuit board 420 is positioned at the top end 410 adjacent the fluid delivery system 402 and the evaporation system 32. The through hole 430 allows the suction tube 416 to pass through the circuit board 420 to allow the fluid reservoir 422 to be attached to the suction tube 416 and the suction tube 416, To the user.

A fluid delivery system 402 is mounted below the circuit board 420. This assembly provides a hard and intrusive chamber to hold the fluid. The fluid delivery system 402 is coupled to a gear reduction assembly 424 that allows the linear syringe actuator to advance through the reservoir 422 in the same amount for each revolution of the knob 418 do.

The evaporation system 32 is disposed in the path of the fluid passing past the fluid delivery system 402 whenever the knob 418 is rotated. The evaporation system 32 has a heating coil 152. In some embodiments, the heating coil 152 may wrap around the wick 360, which helps maintain the liquid material after the liquid material has been discharged from the fluid delivery system 402. After the liquid material is advanced, the liquid material moistens the wick 428 disposed within the heating coil assembly 152. Once the wick 360 becomes wet, the coil 152 may be heated when the user begins to suck up the suction tube 416. [ A flow sensor (not shown) is disposed in the suction path, which is located between the inlet of the suction tube 416 and the outlet 417 of the suction tube 416, to be.

As the flow is sensed as the user inhales / sucks the suction tube 416, heating of the coil begins by applying a voltage to the coil 152. [ The power applied to the helical coil 152 is provided past the super cap assemblies 368a, 368b, which are charged by the device batteries 364. [

In order to further improve the efficacy and delivery of the drug delivered by the present invention, the chemical nature of the vapor state of the drug delivered to the lungs must be analyzed. Depending on the size of the vapor product released by the vapor delivery device, the drug is effective in many ways, thereby influencing the rate and effectiveness with which the drug can act on the user. For example, larger vapor products are easier to get inside the mouse and will cause the drug to migrate through the digestive tract. The small vapor product is sucked into the lungs, but can be trapped in the upper lungs. The finer steam products can reach the lower lungs, where absorption of the drug is more effective and faster.

On the other hand, to control the size of the vapor product, a permeable membrane of ceramics, fabrics or the like can be placed between the heating system and the mouthpiece. The heating element allows the drug to evaporate, but the vapor product is filtered through the permeable membrane before being discharged through the mouthpiece to regulate the size of the vapor product delivered to the user. This membrane is made of ceramic or Kevlar ^? It should be made of a material that is elastic to the same heat as the material.

Because of the constant and reliable and precise control of the dosages provided by the present invention, its applications transcend such as substitutes for tobacco products. The device may be used to deliver dietary supplements, sleep inducing agents, weight loss products, analgesics, and a variety of other prescription or non-prescription drugs that require precise quantities. The present invention may also be practiced in the non-pharmaceutical field, including consumption, air fresheners, room fresheners, and other applications where constant and reliable evaporation of liquid materials and precise amounts are required Such as for dispensing liquid candies for the field.

While systems and apparatuses are described herein as being the most practical and effective embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. It is intended that all changes, modifications, equivalents, combinations, and additions, obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art, be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention when read to describe the present specification . Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims include such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, various embodiments and methods are shown and described. Of course, various modifications and alternatives may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except by the following claims and their equivalents.

(Industrial applicability)

The present invention is industrially applicable for the development, manufacture and use of drug delivery systems, which deliver a precise amount of drug in a stable, reliable and repeatable manner to the user in the form of vapor in an energy-efficient manner . The delivery system includes a power control system, an evaporation system, and a fluid delivery system. Power control systems use electrical circuitry that allows the system to deliver only enough power to evaporate or atomize a known amount of drug. To avoid a change in current due to power leakage, the control system uses a supercapacitor connected to the electrical circuit. The resistance and / or power of the heating element can be monitored so that the system knows how much power needs to be supplied to effectively evaporate a known amount of the drug. The fluid delivery system utilizes a dispensing mechanism and reservoir to dispense the same amount of drug every operation. The heating system uses a nichrome wire.

Claims (35)

A control system for a portable steam delivery system,
Providing a precise amount of power from the power source to heat the heating element to a minimum temperature required to fully evaporate the predetermined amount of liquid material and to provide the correct amount of power to fully evaporate the predetermined amount of liquid material at the required minimum temperature And a circuit configured to control an accurate duration for supplying the control signal. The method according to claim 1,
Characterized in that the circuit comprises a one shot circuit. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the circuit further comprises a processor programmed to monitor the resistance of the heating element and to adjust the amount of power to a level sufficient to heat the heating element to the required minimum temperature. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the circuit comprises a DC / DC boost converter and a supercapacitor operatively connected to the power supply to regulate the amount of power to a level sufficient to heat the heating element to the desired minimum temperature. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the circuit is configured to operate the power source a predetermined number of times. A portable drug delivery device,
a. A housing having a first end and a second end;
b. A mouthpiece attached to the first end;
c. Fluid delivery systems;
d. An evaporation system having a heating element between the mouthpiece and the fluid reservoir; And
e. Providing an accurate amount of power from a power source to heat the heating element to a temperature required to fully evaporate the correct amount of liquid material and supplying the precise amount of power to completely evaporate the precise amount of liquid material at the required temperature And a power control system including a circuit configured to control an accurate duration for the drug delivery system. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the control system comprises a one shot circuit. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein said circuitry is programmed to monitor the resistance of said heating element and to adjust power until said heating element reaches said required temperature. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the control system comprises a DC / DC boost converter operatively connected to the supercapacitor. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the circuit comprises a processor programmed to operate the power source a predetermined number of times. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the power source is an alkaline battery. The method according to claim 6,
The fluid delivery system comprising:
a. A fluid reservoir having a first end and a second end; And
b. And a pressure generator positioned within the fluid reservoir at the second end and configured to advance toward the first end at a constant distance to continuously measure an accurate amount of liquid material from the fluid reservoir Wherein the drug delivery device comprises: 13. The method of claim 12,
The fluid delivery system further comprising a cap in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir at the first end, the cap having an outlet at the opposite side of the fluid reservoir,
Wherein when the static pressure is applied to the fluid reservoir to form droplets on the outlet, the liquid material stored in the fluid reservoir can be discharged through the outlet. 14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the outlet and the heating element are spaced a distance smaller than the water droplet so that the water droplet can contact the heating element while the water droplet is on the outlet. 14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the pressure generator comprises:
a. A piston configured to push the liquid material through the cap and received within the fluid reservoir; And
b. And a fluid discharge actuator operatively connected to the piston,
Wherein operation of the fluid delivery actuator advances the piston by a constant distance toward the first end. 13. The method of claim 12,
Further comprising a permeable membrane positioned between the mouthpiece and the heating element,
Wherein the permeable membrane is permeable to vapor molecules of a predetermined size. A portable drug delivery device,
a. A housing having a first end and a second end;
b. A mouthpiece attached to the first end;
c. A fluid delivery system comprising:
I) a fluid reservoir having a first end and a second end, the fluid reservoir being within the housing; And
Ii) a pressure generator positioned within the fluid reservoir at the second end and configured to advance toward the first end at a constant distance to continuously measure an accurate amount of liquid material from the fluid reservoir Fluid delivery systems;
d. An evaporation system having a heating element between said mouthpiece and said fluid reservoir; And
e. And a control system for delivering power to the evaporation system. 18. The method of claim 17,
The fluid delivery system further comprising a cap in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir at the first end, the cap having an outlet at the opposite side of the fluid reservoir,
Wherein when the static pressure is applied to the fluid reservoir to form droplets on the outlet, the liquid material stored in the fluid reservoir can be discharged through the outlet. 19. The method of claim 18,
Wherein the outlet and the heating element are spaced a distance smaller than the water droplet so that the water droplet can contact the heating element while the water droplet is on the outlet of the opening. 19. The method of claim 18,
Wherein the pressure generator comprises:
a. A piston configured to push the liquid material through the cap and received within the fluid reservoir;
b. And a fluid discharge actuator operatively connected to the piston,
Wherein operation of the fluid discharge actuator advances the piston by a distance that is uniformly spaced toward the first end. 18. The method of claim 17,
Further comprising a permeable membrane positioned between the mouthpiece and the heating element,
Wherein the permeable membrane is permeable to vapor molecules of a predetermined size. a. Continuously measuring an accurate amount of the liquid material toward the heating element; And
b. A combination of the correct amount of power and the correct duration of time is used to heat the heating element to the required minimum temperature for the minimum amount of time required to completely evaporate the correct amount of liquid material, Supplying an accurate amount of liquid drug from the portable device, wherein the precise amount of liquid drug is effectively and continuously evaporated. 23. The method of claim 22,
Measuring the precise amount of liquid material comprises:
a. Storing liquid material in a fluid reservoir; And
b. Applying a precise amount of positive pressure to the interior of the fluid reservoir to release the precise amount of liquid material from the fluid reservoir. ≪ RTI ID = 0.0 >< / RTI > . 24. The method of claim 23,
Wherein the correct amount of static pressure is applied by advancing the plunger a predetermined distance within the fluid reservoir. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 17 > 25. The method of claim 24,
Wherein advancing the plunger by the predetermined distance is achieved by rotating the drive nut by a constant rotational motion. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 19 > 26. The method of claim 25,
Wherein the rotation of the driving nut is achieved by operating the button each time a button for rotating the driving nut by a predetermined rotational motion is operated. The method of effectively and continuously evaporating an accurate amount of liquid drug from a portable device . 23. The method of claim 22,
Wherein supplying the precise amount of power is accomplished by programming the processor to allow operation of the power supply a predetermined number of times. ≪ RTI ID = 0.0 >< / RTI > 23. The method of claim 22,
Wherein providing the precise amount of power comprises:
a. Monitoring the temperature of the heating element while power is being supplied;
b. Comparing the temperature of the heating element with a predetermined temperature; And
c. And adjusting the precise amount of power and the precise duration to be provided based on the comparison. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 19 > 23. The method of claim 22,
Wherein providing the precise amount of power comprises:
a. Monitoring the temperature of the heating element while power is being supplied;
b. Comparing the temperature of the heating element with a predetermined temperature; And
c. And adjusting the amount of power supplied based on the comparison. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 19 > 30. The method of claim 29,
Wherein monitoring the temperature of the heating element is achieved by measuring resistance in the heating element. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 20 > 30. The method of claim 29,
Further comprising a supercapacitor operatively connected to the processor and the power supply to regulate the amount of power supplied. ≪ RTI ID = 0.0 > 31. < / RTI > 32. The method of claim 31,
Wherein the power supply is an alkaline battery. A method for effectively and continuously evaporating an accurate amount of a liquid drug from a portable device. 23. The method of claim 22,
Wherein the step of supplying power is effected by generating airflow in a mouthpiece of the portable device. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 13 > 34. The method of claim 33,
Further comprising the step of controlling the size of the vapor molecules of the vaporized liquid material by disposing a permeable membrane between the heating element and the mouthpiece,
Wherein the permeable membrane is permeable only to vapor molecules of a predetermined size. ≪ Desc / Clms Page number 19 > a. Means for providing an accurate amount of power from a power source to heat the heating element to a minimum temperature required to fully evaporate a predetermined amount of liquid material; And
b. And means for controlling an accurate time to supply said precise amount of power to fully evaporate said predetermined amount of liquid material at said desired temperature.

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