KR20090130413A - A device for dispersing liquid active materials in particulate form comprising a sintered liquid conductor - Google Patents

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a device for generating particles comprising: a perforated plate comprising at least one orifice; an electromechanical transducer operably connected to said perforated plate or an optional base plate; a liquid source comprising: a liquid reservoir; and a liquid conductor in fluid communication with said perforated plate and in fluid communication with said liquid reservoir, said liquid conductor comprising at least one open cell composition and at least one stiff-wick composition, wherein said compositions are affixed to one another by sintering.

Description

A DEVICE FOR DISPERSING LIQUID ACTIVE MATERIALS IN PARTICULATE FORM COMPRISING A SINTERED LIQUID CONDUCTOR}

The use of devices for producing particles and distributing them into the ambient air is known. Conventional apparatus for producing particles typically comprise a membrane having an orifice for spraying liquid. This membrane vibrates, causing liquid particles to form when liquid is present on the membrane. The liquid is typically provided to the membrane from the wick. One of the problems faced in conventional devices is that direct contact of the membrane with the wick may result in inefficiency in the device, such as wear and tear in the device; Energy loss and problems associated with the generation or release of particles.

Attempts have been made to minimize inefficiency by introducing liquid conductors composed of various materials, including: stiff-wick compositions, sponge-wick compositions, or cloth-wick compositions. Rigid-wick carriers typically provide sufficient liquid transport and sufficient structural rigidity through capillary action, but suffer from dampening problems due to the non-compliant nature of the rigid-wick composition. Sponge-wick carriers are typically less susceptible to damping problems due to the compliant and soft compositions used, but typically do not provide sufficient liquid transport and structural strength through capillary action. Cloth-wick carriers have also been tried, but like sponge-wick carriers, cloth-wick carriers tend not to provide sufficient liquid delivery and structural strength. Other attempts to address this inefficiency can be found in US Pat. No. 4,301,093; 5,297,734, 6,293,474, and 7,017,829; European Patent Publication No. 0 897 755; And International Patent Publication WO 2005/097349 to Burstall et al.

Despite efforts to address the damping effect problems encountered in conventional devices, there remains a need for a particle generating device that is less sensitive to the damping effect but provides sufficient liquid transport to allow the generation and release of particles.

Summary of the Invention

One embodiment of the invention provides a particle generation device, the particle generation device comprising a perforated plate comprising at least one orifice; Optionally, a base plate positioned below the perforated plate and forming a space for containing a volume of liquid; An electromechanical transducer operatively connected to at least one of the perforated plate and the optional base plate; A liquid source, the liquid source comprising a liquid reservoir and a liquid carrier in fluid communication with the perforated plate and in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir, wherein the liquid carrier comprises at least one open cell composition and at least one rigid- A wick composition, wherein the compositions are adhered to each other by sintering.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a refill container, wherein the refill container comprises a liquid source, the liquid source being in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir and the perforated plate and in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir. And a liquid carrier, wherein the liquid carrier comprises at least one open cell composition and at least one rigid-wick composition, wherein the compositions are adhered to each other by sintering.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a method of producing particles, the method comprising providing a device according to the invention comprising a liquid; Delivering the liquid from the liquid reservoir to at least partially saturate the liquid carrier; Charging the electromechanical transducer to vibrate the perforated plate or the optional base plate; And generating particles by passing the liquid through the at least one orifice formed in the perforated plate.

1 is a side view of a particle generating device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a side view of a liquid carrier in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Justice

As used herein, “affixed” means that the compositions are permanently or semi-permanently attached so that there is a physical and / or chemical bond between the compositions of the liquid carrier.

As used herein, a "coherent mass" refers to a composition of liquid carriers that thermally bonds or molecules together such that a continuous mass is formed when molecular bonds are directly formed between the molecules of the liquid carrier. Combined.

As used herein, “fluid communication” means that one structure is positioned to transfer any liquid from that structure to another structure.

As used herein, “operably linked” means any form of connection between elements that allows two or more elements to perform their required function.

As used herein, a "perforated plate" includes any type of plate or membrane comprising one or more orifices.

As used herein, "plume height" means the vertical distance at which particles are sprayed from the perforated plate.

As used herein, “serial interconnected pores” means that molecular bonds are thermally formed throughout any liquid carrier, including the interior of the interface and to any interface between the compositions of the liquid carrier. do.

As used herein, “vibration” includes oscillations and other types of variations.

Surprisingly, the perforated plate comprises at least one orifice; An electromechanical transducer operably connected to the perforated plate; A liquid source, wherein the liquid source comprises a liquid reservoir and a liquid carrier in fluid communication with the perforated plate and in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir, wherein the liquid carrier comprises at least one open cell composition and at least one rigid- It has been found that particle generation devices comprising wick compositions, wherein the compositions are bonded to each other by sintering, provide improved performance and are less sensitive to the inefficiencies encountered in conventional devices. In one embodiment, the sintered liquid carrier is in the form of an coalescer comprising a series of interconnected pores throughout all of the liquid carrier including any interface between the open cell composition and / or the rigid-wick composition. It is believed that this series of interconnected pores facilitates liquid delivery, allowing the liquid to move uniformly through all of the liquid carrier without being interrupted by any physical interface or separation between the compositions of the liquid carrier.

I. Sintered Liquid Carrier

The liquid carrier of the present invention comprises at least one open cell composition and at least one rigid-wick composition, wherein the compositions are bonded to each other by sintering. In one embodiment, the type of coalescence is such that the at least one open cell composition and the at least one rigid-wick composition form an coalesce. Non-limiting examples of alternative types of coalescence to form coalesces between compositions are melt bonding, fusing, and forging. Without wishing to be bound by theory, liquid carriers in the form of coalescers by sintering have reduced sensitivity to inefficiencies during operation, such as reduced damping effects, sufficient capillary action, structural strength, manufacturability and cost, etc. It is believed to provide desirable effects, including but not limited to. These effects are believed to be attributable in part to the sintered liquid carrier with distinct sections or elements of different compositions that provide different physical properties but are in a single sintered coalescer. It is believed that by sintering the liquid carrier obtains the above effects while avoiding the disadvantages of each type of composition, as well as synergistic effects from the formation of coalescing bodies.

The sintered liquid carrier heat-treats or consolidates the powder at a temperature below the melting point of the main component such that the powder is heated without melting, thereby thermally bonding the beads and / or particles for the purpose of producing a continuum or coalescence. It can be prepared by increasing the number of sites. Sintering creates a complex network of open cell omni-directional pores that provide consistency across the medium for a unique combination of reproducible diffusion and structural strength. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this network of open-cell omnidirectional pores enhances the ability of a sintered liquid carrier to transport fluid through capillary action. Compared to liquid carriers which may only have multiple elements adjacent to each other, the sintered liquid carriers of the present invention allow for continuous delivery of liquid throughout all of the liquid carriers. In addition, the sintering process opens the opening by providing bonding sites between the open cell composition and the rigid-wick composition, and by increasing the structural stability of the open cell material by taking advantage of the stronger bonding strength of the rigid-wick material in that way. It can increase the structural stability of the cell material. Fluid carriers that are manufactured separately and then assembled together manually or mechanically later, for example by adhesion by adhesive or by embedding, are more likely to fall off or separate.

It is believed that the sintered liquid carrier provides a number of advantages, including but not limited to the following: The sintered liquid carrier may be formed into a single molding shape without requiring separate manual or mechanical assembly of the individual elements. Ease of manufacture by presence; Compared to known multi-element liquid carriers, which involve separate steps of manually or mechanically aligning and then attaching the individual elements, the simplicity of the supply chain-here both open and rigid-wick by the sintering approach The elements of-are prepared together in the sintering step; Improved liquid transport into and through the compositions; Improved structural strength; And performance effects, eg: self priming ability; Reduction in air entrainment, which can interrupt the release or cause misfiring; In addition to the ability of open cell materials to prevent the onset of flooding, due to the ability of open cell materials to receive fluids without excessive wicking that may occur due to excessive compression of the stiff-wick material, the released fluid Reduction in flooding tendency due to the improved ability of the open cell fluid to uniformly distribute uniformly throughout the surface as a manifold. While sintering provides a simplified assembly process in which the entire liquid carrier can be formed within the same molding structure, it is necessary to allow each element or composition to be formed separately, thus providing additional steps for attaching and forming the liquid carrier. It is believed that a non-sintered liquid carrier may require.

Additionally, without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that sintering the at least one open cell composition and the at least one rigid-wick composition provides improved liquid transport between the compositions and through the entire liquid carrier. . The coalescence produced by the sintering process facilitates liquid transport because it is believed that the entire liquid carrier forms a series of interconnected pores. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this series of interconnected pores facilitates liquid delivery, allowing liquid to rise through the interface between the compositions as well as through the cells and pores or respective elements. In addition, since the liquid carrier is essentially free of any physical separation (eg, adhesive) between the compositions, it is believed that liquid transport is suitably efficient; Thus, in contrast to being moved from one composition to the second composition and through the second composition, the liquid can now move through the single coalescer.

It is also believed that the sintered liquid carrier maintains its structural strength and integrity in terms of repeated operation of the device. It is also believed that the sintered liquid carrier is structurally more stable. Sintering allows for increased binding sites at the molecular level. If the liquid carrier is not sintered, vibration or deformation of the perforated plate can cause excessive wear and tear and deformation of the liquid carrier. It is also believed that this sintered liquid carrier will be less sensitive to wear and tear.

A. Bonding by Sintering

The liquid carrier of the present invention comprises at least one open cell composition and at least one rigid-wick composition, wherein the compositions are bonded to each other by sintering. In one embodiment, the type of coalescence is such that the at least one open cell composition and the at least one rigid-wick composition form an coalesce. Non-limiting examples of alternative types of coalescence to form coalesces between compositions are melt bonding, fusion and forging. Without wishing to be bound by theory, liquid carriers in the form of coalescers by sintering have reduced sensitivity to inefficiencies during operation, such as reduced damping effects, sufficient capillary action, structural strength, manufacturability and cost, etc. It is believed to provide desirable effects, including but not limited to. These effects are believed to be attributable in part to the sintered liquid carrier with distinct sections or elements of different compositions that provide different physical properties but are in a single sintered coalescer. It is believed that by sintering the liquid carrier obtains the above effects while avoiding the disadvantages of each type of composition, as well as synergistic effects from the formation of coalescing bodies.

The sintered liquid carrier heat-treats or consolidates the powder at a temperature below the melting point of the main component such that the powder is heated without melting, thereby thermally bonding the beads and / or particles for the purpose of producing a continuum or coalescence. It can be prepared by increasing the number of sites. Sintering creates a complex network of open cell omnidirectional pores that provides consistency throughout the medium for a unique combination of reproducible diffusion and structural strength. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this network of open-cell omnidirectional pores enhances the ability of a sintered liquid carrier to transport fluid through capillary action. Compared to liquid carriers which may only have multiple elements adjacent to each other, the sintered liquid carriers of the present invention allow for continuous delivery of liquid throughout all of the liquid carriers.

Sintered liquid carriers are believed to provide many advantages, including but not limited to: ease of manufacture and simplified assembly; Improved liquid transport into and through the compositions; And sufficient structural strength. While sintering provides a simplified assembly process in which the entire liquid carrier can be formed within the same molding structure, it is necessary to allow each element or composition to be formed separately, thus providing additional steps for attaching and forming the liquid carrier. It is believed that a non-sintered liquid carrier may require.

Additionally, without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that sintering the at least one open cell composition and the at least one rigid-wick composition provides improved liquid transport between the compositions and through the entire liquid carrier. . The coalescence produced by the sintering process facilitates liquid transport because it is believed that the entire liquid carrier forms a series of interconnected pores. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this series of interconnected pores facilitates liquid delivery, allowing liquid to rise through the interface between the compositions as well as through the cells and pores or respective elements. In addition, since the liquid carrier is essentially free of any physical separation (eg, adhesive) between the compositions, it is believed that liquid transport is suitably efficient; Thus, in contrast to being moved from one composition to the second composition and through the second composition, the liquid can now move through the single coalescer.

It is also believed that the sintered liquid carrier maintains its structural strength and integrity in terms of repeated operation of the device. It is also believed that the sintered liquid carrier is structurally more stable. Sintering allows for increased binding sites at the molecular level. If the liquid carrier is not sintered, vibration or deformation of the perforated plate can cause excessive wear and tear and deformation of the liquid carrier. It is also believed that this sintered liquid carrier will be less sensitive to wear and tear.

Sintering is a processing technique well known in the art. Any heat treatment method that can form a bond between beads and / or particles to produce coalescing without reaching the melting point of the compositions can be used in the present invention. See, for example, US Pat. No. 4,142,956 and US Pat. No. 3,642,970.

B. at least one open cell composition

The liquid carrier of the present invention comprises at least one open cell composition. Non-limiting examples of suitable open cell compositions are described in US Pat. Nos. 4,142,956, 5,451,452, and 5,506,035.

Liquid carriers of the present invention comprising at least one open cell composition and a rigid-wick composition are prepared by providing both the open cell composition and the rigid-wick composition together in a mold having the desired shape. The open cell composition is added as the first element to form one end of the liquid carrier. Then, the rigid-wick composition is added to form the other end of the liquid carrier. The elements are then sintered as described herein to form a sintered wick.

In one embodiment, the at least one open cell composition comprises a polymer composition. Non-limiting examples of suitable polymer compositions include thermoplastic elastomers; Thermoplastic vulcanizates; Thermoplastic polyurethanes; Ethyl-vinyl acetate copolymer resin; And mixtures thereof. Non-limiting examples of commercially available open cell compositions include Santoprene® 8211-75 and Santoprene® 8211-, supplied by Advanced Elastomer Systems, Akron, Ohio, USA. Thermoplastic elastomers such as 55 form of thermoplastic vulcanizates; Thermoplastic polys such as Texin (R) DP7-1197, Texin (R) 970U, or Texin (R) 985U, supplied by Bayer MaterialScience LLC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA urethane; Or ethyl-vinyl acetate copolymer resins such as Elvax® 3165 supplied by DuPont, Wilmington, Delaware, USA.

Physical Properties of Open Cell Compositions:

In one embodiment, the at least one open cell composition has an elastic modulus of less than about 3.5 N / mm, alternatively less than about 3 N / mm, alternatively less than about 2 N / mm, alternatively about 1 N / Less than mm. In another embodiment of the present invention, the at least one open cell composition may have an elastic modulus of about 0.06 N / mm to about 1 N / mm. The elastic modulus is calculated by the elastic modulus calculation method disclosed herein.

In one embodiment of the invention, the at least one open cell composition has a pore diameter of about 10 micrometers to about 250 micrometers, alternatively about 50 micrometers to about 200 micrometers, alternatively about 100 micrometers to At least one pore in the range of about 150 micrometers. Pore diameters are calculated based on mercury intrusion data.

In one embodiment, the at least one open cell composition has a density ranging from about 0.12 g / cm 3 to about 0.6 g / cm 3, alternatively between about 0.25 g / cm 3 and about 0.5 g / cm 3.

In one embodiment, the void volume percentage is from about 25% to about 85%, alternatively from 40% to about 80%, alternatively from about 50% to about 75%, wherein the void volume percentage is empty composition Measure the part of.

C. at least one rigid-wick composition

The liquid carrier of the present invention comprises at least one rigid-wick composition. As used herein, the stiff-wick composition includes any conventional wick material known in the art having an elastic modulus greater than about 1 N / mm. Non-limiting examples of suitable rigid-wick compositions and methods of making such compositions include those disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,301,093, US Pat. No. 6,293,474, and US Pat. No. 7,017,829.

Physical Properties of Rigid-Wick Compositions:

The stiff-wick composition has an elastic modulus of about 1 N / mm to about 200 N / mm, alternatively about 2 N / mm to about 100 N / mm, alternatively 3.5 N / mm to about 100 N / mm. In another embodiment, the rigid-wick composition comprises an elastic modulus greater than the elastic modulus of the open cell composition.

In one embodiment, the stiff-wick composition has a pore diameter ranging from about 20 micrometers to about 70 micrometers, alternatively from about 30 micrometers to about 60 micrometers, alternatively from about 40 micrometers to about 50 micrometers. At least one pore. In another embodiment, the rigid-wick composition has a plurality of average pore diameters of about 5 micrometers to about 500 micrometers, alternatively 50 micrometers to about 500 micrometers, alternatively about 150 micrometers to about 500 micrometers. It includes pores.

In one embodiment, the rigid-wick composition has a pore volume percentage of about 20% to about 70%, alternatively 20% to about 60%, alternatively about 40% to about 50%, wherein the pore volume percentage is empty. The portion of the composition that is present is measured.

Non-limiting examples of suitable rigid-wick compositions include polyethylene, polypropylene, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyethersulfone, polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethersulfone, and mixtures thereof.

D. How to calculate elastic modulus

The modulus of elasticity can be determined according to the following methodology: For this method Instron Corporation Model 4502 (hereafter referred to as "Instron", Canton, Mass., USA). Commercially available). Instron can accurately measure the force resulting in any change in distance or displacement. The Instron is calibrated prior to the load measurement by attaching the appropriate load cell to the Instron. The appropriate load cell is determined based on the expected data range.

Instron was operated in dynamic compression mode at about 25 ° C. and atmospheric pressure using a 10 kN load cell for force measurement. Test samples have the same length and diameter. The test sample is placed on a stationary lower platen and the upper platen is adjusted such that the movable upper platen contacts the test sample but does not apply a measurable force. The upper platen is then activated, whereby the upper platen is lowered incrementally to compress the sample. Measures of force and position are recorded. This is repeated until spike-like force measurements indicating that maximum compression has been achieved or until the sample is bent and a lower force measurement is observed. As compression increases, force measurements will increase.

Subsequently, a linear regression of the distance versus force data is made with the distance represented on the X-axis and the force represented on the Y-axis. Thereby, the inclination M of a line is determined. The elastic modulus E is then calculated in units of N / mm from the equation M = E * A ₀ / L ₀ . That is why,

E = M * L ₀ / A ₀ ,

Where A ₀ is the surface area of the sample in mm 2 and L ₀ is the initial length of the sample in mm.

E. Volume% of Liquid Carrier

In one embodiment, the liquid carrier comprises about 1% to about 49%, alternatively about 2% to about 30%, alternatively about 2% to about 10% of said at least one opening, based on the volume of the liquid carrier. Cell composition. In another embodiment, the liquid carrier has about 51% to about 99%, alternatively about 70% to about 98%, alternatively about 90% to about 98% of said at least one stiffness based on the volume of the liquid carrier. A wick composition. As defined herein, "volume of liquid carrier" means the volume occupied by a solid structure having the same external dimensions as the liquid carrier. How to calculate and determine this volume will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid carrier comprises a cylindrical shape. One way of calculating the volume of the liquid carrier is to calculate the column volume, which is defined as the geometric volume of the portion of the carrier containing the urea material, ie Vc = Ac * L where Vc is the column volume and Ac Is the cross-sectional area of the liquid carrier and L is the length of the liquid carrier. As shown in FIG. 3, suitable liquid carriers may have a variable cross-sectional area and length. If the liquid carrier has a variable shape, the volume of each section can be calculated and summed to obtain the total volume. In another embodiment, the liquid carrier comprises any shape that allows the liquid carrier to aspirate liquid from the liquid reservoir into the perforated plate.

F. Individual Elements

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the at least one open cell composition and the at least one rigid-wick composition may be present in the liquid carrier as two, three, or more than three separate but bonded elements without departing from the scope of the present invention. It will be appreciated. In one embodiment, the liquid carrier comprises a perforated plate facing component comprising the at least one open cell composition or the at least one rigid-wick composition. In another embodiment, the liquid carrier comprises a liquid reservoir facing element comprising the at least one open cell composition or the at least one rigid-wick composition. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the provision of the open cell composition and the rigid-wick composition as separate but sintered elements allows the liquid carrier to have surprisingly and unexpectedly various physical properties that were otherwise mutually exclusive. It is believed that the liquid carrier is ductile, compliant, structurally robust and has good liquid transport capacity.

One embodiment of the invention provides a perforated plate facing element selected from the group consisting of said at least one open cell composition and said at least one rigid-wick composition; And a liquid reservoir facing element selected from the group consisting of the at least one open cell composition and the at least one rigid-wick composition. In another embodiment, the liquid carrier further comprises a third element located between the other two elements, wherein the perforated plate facing element and the liquid reservoir facing element are at least one, alternatively more than one. A rigid-wick composition, wherein the third element comprises the at least one open cell composition.

G. Compression Zone of Liquid Carrier

In one embodiment, the perforated plate facing element of the liquid carrier further comprises a compression region adjacent to or near the perforated plate. In one embodiment, the compression zone consists of the at least one open cell composition. When the perforated plate is in contact with the liquid carrier of this embodiment, the compression zone will be deformed and will undergo compression.

In one embodiment, the compression zone has a cross-sectional area equal to or smaller than the rest of the liquid carrier. Providing a compression zone with a smaller cross-sectional area compared to the rest of the liquid carrier is believed to minimize any damping effect when direct contact with the perforated plate occurs. In addition, during operation, direct contact with the perforated plate is believed to cause the compression region to be compressed. Without wishing to be bound by theory, most of the compression is localized in the compression zone, which consists of an open cell material element and has a smaller volume compared to the rest of the liquid carrier to provide less compression resistance. It is considered.

In one embodiment of the invention, the compression zone has a surface facing the perforated plate, which is generally flat with respect to the perforated plate. In another embodiment, this surface of the compression zone comprises an uneven surface, such as a depression, ridge, groove, channel, corrugated surface, or other non-planar structure. do.

II. Liquid source

Liquid sources of the present invention include a liquid reservoir and a liquid carrier. The liquid carrier is in fluid communication with the perforated plate and in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir. In one embodiment, the formation of fluid communication between the perforated plate and the liquid carrier causes the liquid carrier to be in contact with the rear face of the perforated plate such that liquid transported to the open cell composition portion of the liquid carrier contacts the rear face of the perforated plate. By placing it in a. In one embodiment, the liquid carrier is in direct contact with the rear face of the perforated plate. These embodiments are suitable for a device comprising a combined electromechanical transducer and a perforated plate.

In another embodiment, the formation of fluid communication between the perforated plate and the liquid carrier is such that the liquid carrier is formed into a space formed between the base plate separated from the perforated plate and the rear face of the perforated plate by a space suitable for containing a volume of liquid. By supplying a liquid from the The liquid is transported from the liquid carrier into the space by moving through one or more orifices or openings formed in the base plate or laterally moving into the space to allow the liquid carrier to access the space. In one embodiment, the liquid carrier is positioned such that a portion of the liquid carrier is in the space. These embodiments are suitable for devices comprising separate electromechanical transducers and perforated plates.

III. Perforated plate

The device of the present invention further comprises a perforated plate. The perforated plate includes any material that can accept liquid from a liquid source and produce particles. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials include electroplated nickel cobalt; Nickel, electroformed nickel, magnesium-zirconium alloys, stainless steel, other metals, other metal alloys, composites, etched silicon, plastics, and mixtures or combinations thereof. The perforated plate also includes a front face and a back face, wherein the front face is oriented to release particles away from the device and the rear face is oriented to face the liquid supplied by the liquid source through the liquid carrier.

The perforated plate of the present invention comprises at least one orifice. In one embodiment, the orifice has an orifice cross-sectional area of about 25 micrometers ² to about 8000 micrometers ² , alternatively about 100 micrometers ² to about 6000 micrometers ² , alternatively about 500 micrometers ² to about 3000 micrometers ² Orifices can be of any shape suitable for the production of particles, including cylindrical, square, rectangular, pyramid, and conical.

In one embodiment, the orifice comprises a conical shape and the conical shaped orifice may be oriented with a smaller cross-sectional area facing or away from the liquid carrier. Non-limiting examples of suitable perforated plates including orifices including conical shapes include US Pat. Nos. 5,152,456 and 5,261,601; And WO 94/09912.

In another embodiment, the perforated plate comprises a plurality of orifices. If the perforated plate comprises a plurality of orifices, the plurality of orifices may be arranged in any pattern that allows for the generation and release of particles, such as random patterns, uniform patterns such as hexagonal grids, or combinations thereof. Non-limiting examples of suitable perforated plates include US Pat. No. 4,533,082; 4,605,167; 4,605,167; 4,530,464; 4,632,311; 4,632,311; No. 6,293,474; And US Patent Application No. 11/273461, filed November 14, 2005.

Ⅳ. Electromechanical transducers

The apparatus of the present invention further comprises an electromechanical transducer, wherein the electromechanical transducer is operatively connected to the perforated plate when the electromechanical transducer and the perforated plate are combined, or the electromechanical transducer and the perforated plate are separated. Is operatively connected to an optional base plate. The electromechanical transducer according to the invention can be made of any material capable of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. Examples of suitable electromechanical materials include, but are not limited to, piezoelectric materials and piezoelectric ceramic materials. The use of electromechanical transducers including piezoelectric materials for particle generation is known in the art. Thus, an electromechanical transducer, except that when alternating voltages are applied to opposing upper and lower sides of the electromechanical transducer, these voltages generate an electric field and the electric field causes the electromechanical transducer to expand or contract in a radial direction. Will not be described in detail. This expansion or contraction is transferred to the perforated plate, causing the perforated plate to vibrate so that pressure is applied to the liquid supplied by the liquid carrier. As such, particles are produced when the liquid is pressed into and through the orifice (s) of the perforated plate.

In a combined embodiment, the electromechanical transducer is operatively connected to the perforated plate such that the electromechanical transducer vibrates or otherwise deforms the perforated plate when the electromechanical transducer is actuated. Vibration or deformation of the perforated plate is then transferred from the liquid carrier to the provided liquid, such that a volume of liquid active material is introduced into and passes through the orifice formed in the perforated plate. Non-limiting examples of devices that include an electromechanical transducer disclosed in a coupled configuration in which the electromechanical transducer is operatively connected to a perforated plate are described in US Pat. No. 4,533,082; 4,605,167; 4,605,167; 4,530,464, 4,632,311, 7,017,829, and US Patent Application No. 11/273461, filed November 14, 2005.

In another embodiment, the device comprises an electromechanical transducer in a configuration separate from the perforated plate. In this embodiment, the device comprises a perforated plate positioned to release liquid particles away from the device and a base plate located below the rear face side of the perforated plate to form a space between the perforated plates. The liquid is supplied to the space by flowing laterally from the liquid carrier into the space between the perforated plate and the base plate or through an opening or orifice formed in the base plate that allows the liquid carrier to pass the liquid into the space. . The electromechanical transducer is then operatively connected to the base plate. When activated, the electromechanical transducer causes the base plate to vibrate or otherwise deform. Vibration or deformation is transferred to the liquid received by the space, allowing a volume of liquid to enter the orifice formed in the perforated plate, causing liquid particles to be released from the device. A non-limiting example of a device comprising an electromechanical transducer in a configuration separate from the perforated plate, wherein the device comprises a perforated plate and a base plate positioned to release particles away from the device into the atmosphere, is a Hess. International Patent Publication No. WO 2007/062698, et al .; See also US Pat. Nos. 6,196,219 and 6,405,934 to Hess et al .; And US Patent Publication No. 2005/0230495 to Feriani et al.

Ⅴ. Liquid active substance

The device of the invention can produce particles from a liquid comprising at least one liquid active material. In one embodiment, the liquid comprises two or more liquid active materials. In another embodiment, the device comprises more than one liquid source, wherein each liquid source comprises at least one liquid active material. By providing more than one liquid source, liquid active substances which are preferably stored away from each other or otherwise incompatible can be stored in separate liquid sources.

Liquid active materials suitable for use with the present invention include air fresheners, air fresheners, deodorants, odor removers, odor removers, household cleaners, disinfectants, fungicides, insect repellents, insecticide formulations, mood enhancers, aromatherapy formulations. , Therapeutic liquids, medicinal substances, or mixtures thereof. Non-limiting examples of suitable liquid active materials include those disclosed in US patent application Ser. No. 11/273461.

Ⅵ. REFILL DELIVERY APPLICATION

In refill supply system applications, it may be desirable to separate the unit into two or more parts. One embodiment of the present invention provides a refill system comprising a liquid source and a refill volume of liquid. In another embodiment, the refill system includes all elements of the device other than the liquid source. In another embodiment of the invention, the refill system includes a liquid source, a liquid of refill volume, an electromechanical transducer, and a perforated plate. In this case, the reusable elements may include a device housing, drive electronics and a power source.

Iii. Operation of the device

During operation, liquid is supplied from the liquid source through the liquid carrier to the rear face of the perforated plate. The device may be in a combined or separated configuration. If the perforated plates are engaged, then the perforated plates are vibrated by the electromechanical transducer, where the resulting pressure is considered to be applied to the liquid. This pressure is believed to cause a predetermined amount of liquid to be pressed into the at least one orifice at the rear face of the perforated plate, thereby forming particles. It is also believed that at this time the pressure causes the particles to be released out of the front face of the perforated plate away from the device. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the liquid carrier of the present invention may also be used in separate electromechanical transducers as described herein.

The device in operation is driven in many different modes including continuous sine wave mode, other continuous modes, single pulse mode, series of pulses, single composite waveform, series of synthetic waveforms, or other modes known in the art. Can be. The mode of operation of the spray device is well known and is disclosed in US patent application Ser. No. 11/273461, filed Nov. 14, 2005.

In a process aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing particles comprising: providing an apparatus according to the present invention comprising a liquid; Delivering liquid from the liquid reservoir to at least partially saturate the liquid carrier; Charging the electromechanical transducer to vibrate the perforated plate; And generating particles by passing the liquid through the at least one orifice of the perforated plate.

The present invention gave surprising and unexpected results during operation. Indeed, the present invention could be operated at a compression level that would have been possible in the known art. Surprisingly, devices according to the invention can produce and release particles even during high liquid carrier compression, one of which produces particles with an average plume height of 10 cm to about 30 cm in the presence of high compression and It was found that it could be released. As used herein, high liquid carrier compression means a compression point compression of greater than about 10 volume percent, alternatively from about 10 volume percent to about 30 volume percent. It is believed that conventional devices are unable to produce and release particles with an average plume height of at least 10 cm when the compression point is compressed above 10% by volume. As such, it is believed that the present invention provides a device that is less sensitive to damping effects.

drawing

1 illustrates a relationship between a liquid source 30 (which includes a liquid carrier 50 and a liquid reservoir 40), a perforated plate 10, and an electromechanical transducer 20.

2 illustrates a general relationship between a perforated plate facing element which is at least one open cell composition 55 of a liquid carrier according to the invention and a liquid reservoir facing element which is at least one rigid-wick composition 52. In addition, in this embodiment, the liquid carrier 50 includes a compression zone 58. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the compositions (as well as the elements in this case) are coalesced by sintering to cause the liquid carrier to form coalescing throughout the composition, including at the interface.

Example I:

The elastic modulus of the following examples was determined according to the elastic modulus calculation method described above.

Liquid carrier A to liquid carrier D: Single element carrier consisting of polyethylene.

Liquid carrier E: Single element carrier consisting of open cell ethers.

Liquid carrier F: Sintered liquid carrier, perforated plate facing element composed of thermoplastic vulcanizate, liquid reservoir facing element composed of polyethylene.

Liquid carrier G: A single element carrier consisting of reticulated polyester polyurethane having a density of about 55 kg per cubic meter of open cell material.

Pore size or pore volume for Sample D and Sample G could not be determined.

Liquid carrier A to liquid carrier D do not provide sufficient ductility as measured by the modulus of elasticity. Liquid carrier F provides sufficient ductility, compliance, and structural strength with good liquid transport capacity. In addition, liquid carrier E and liquid carrier G provide sufficient ductility but insufficient structural strength and liquid transport.

Example II

The following examples are intended as a demonstration of the surprising results observed during the operation of the present invention. One non-limiting example of the observed effect is that the present invention can be operated with acceptable performance in the presence of increased compression of the liquid carrier. The following data was collected using liquid carriers from Sample C and Sample F of Example I. Compression was measured as displacement and then calculated as volume percent compression of the compression zone of the liquid carrier. Volume% compression and plume height were calculated according to the following method.

Table A collects the average plume height of the particles released during operation of the device comprising the liquid carrier of Example F, wherein the compressed region is about 4.6 mm in height and about 2 mm in diameter. It has been found that the devices according to the invention can produce an average plume height of more than about 10 cm even during compression of at least about 10%, alternatively between about 10% and about 30% of the compression zone.

Table B collects the average plume height of the particles released during operation of the device comprising the liquid carrier of Example C, wherein the compression zone is about 4.6 mm in height and about 2 mm in diameter. Devices that provide an average plume height of less than about 10 cm by compression of at least about 10% of the compression area are not within the scope of the present invention.

For simplicity of analysis, it will be assumed that all liquid carrier compression is localized to the compression zone and any compression occurring in the rest of the liquid carrier can be ignored. Further, in calculating the volume or amount of compression, it will be assumed that any horizontal deformation of the compression zone is minimal. As such, any change in the height of the compression zone will provide a direct correlation to the change in volume of the compression zone. Thus, the% change in height can be interpreted as volume%.

How to calculate compression and plume height determination

An Instron (R) Model 4502 (hereafter referred to herein as "Instron", available from Instron Corporation, Canton, Mass., USA) is used for this method. Instron is operated in dynamic compression mode using a 10 kN load cell for force measurement. The upper platen moves and the lower platen is fixed. For characterization, selected test samples are cut into test specific crystals and manually inserted into the liquid supply element.

Compression measurements of the test sample are carried out at a temperature of 25 ° C., measured according to techniques which will be well known to those skilled in the art. Instron is the equipment used for these measurements because of its ability to accurately measure any change in distance or displacement. The Instron is calibrated prior to the load measurement according to the procedure described above. The test sample is placed on the lower platen and the upper platen is adjusted so that the upper platen contacts the sample but does not apply a measurable force. The upper platen is then activated. Lower the platen near the top of the sample and record its location. Incrementally lower the platen to compress the sample and record each position measurement. At the same time, the perforated plate is activated to start atomization. A centimeter scale was placed on the front face of the perforated plate, and measurements were taken along the centerline of the spray to determine the plume height. The plume height is the highest point at which particles are shown to leave marks or residues on the scale. This is repeated until the sample is extruded to about 2 mm or until about 50% compression is achieved. The data is then recorded as volume% compression versus plume height.

It is to be understood that all maximum numerical limitations set forth throughout this specification include all such lower numerical limitations as if explicitly set forth herein. All minimum numerical limitations set forth throughout this specification include all such larger numerical limitations as if all larger numerical limitations were expressly described herein. All numerical ranges set forth throughout this specification include those narrower numerical ranges that all narrower numerical ranges fall within this wider numerical range as if explicitly set forth herein.

All parts, ratios, and percentages within the description, examples, and claims herein are by weight, and all numerical limits are used with the usual degree of precision provided in the art unless otherwise indicated.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values set forth. Instead, unless stated otherwise each such dimension is intended to mean the stated value and the functionally equivalent range around that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the invention are intended to be included in the appended claims.

All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference, and no citation of any document should be construed as an admission to the prior art relating to the invention. If any meaning or definition of a term in this specification conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in the literature incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this specification shall prevail.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the invention are intended to be included in the appended claims.

Claims (10)

a. A perforated plate comprising at least one orifice; b. Optionally, a base plate positioned below the perforated plate and forming a space for containing a volume of liquid; c. An electromechanical transducer operatively connected to at least one of the perforated plate and the optional base plate; And d. A liquid source, The liquid source is i. A liquid reservoir, and ii. A liquid conductor in fluid communication with the perforated plate and in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir, The liquid carrier 1. at least one open cell composition, and 2. comprising at least one stiff-wick composition, And the compositions are bonded to each other by sintering. The device of claim 1, wherein the liquid carrier comprises a coherent mass. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one open cell composition has an elastic modulus of less than 3.5 N / mm, preferably less than 3 N / mm, even more preferably from 0.06 N / mm to 1 N / mm. Device. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least rigid-wick composition has an elastic modulus of 1 N / mm to 200 N / mm, preferably 2 N / mm. To 100 N / mm, even more preferably 3.5 N / mm to 100 N / mm. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least rigid-wick composition comprises a modulus of elasticity that is greater than the modulus of elasticity of the at least one open cell composition. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one open cell composition comprises a thermoplastic elastomer, an ethyl-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, or a mixture thereof, wherein the at least one rigid-wick composition has an ultra high molecular weight ( ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, very high molecular weight polyethylene, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, or mixtures thereof. The liquid carrier of claim 1, wherein the liquid carrier comprises from about 1% to about 49%, preferably from 2% to 30%, even more preferably from 2% to 10% by volume of the liquid carrier. At least one open cell composition. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid carrier comprises: a perforated plate facing element comprising the at least one open cell composition; And a liquid reservoir facing element comprising said at least one rigid-wick composition. Refill container which can be used with the device according to any one of the preceding claims, a. A liquid source, The liquid source is i. A liquid reservoir, and ii. A liquid carrier in fluid communication with the perforated plate and in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir, The liquid carrier 1. at least one open cell composition, and 2. comprising at least one rigid-wick composition, And the compositions are adhered to each other by sintering. a. Providing an apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a liquid; b. Delivering the liquid from the liquid reservoir to at least partially saturate the liquid carrier; c. Charging the electromechanical transducer to vibrate the perforated plate or the optional base plate; And d. Producing particles by passing the liquid through the at least one orifice of the perforated plate Particle generation method comprising a.

Images