WO2022185271A2

WO2022185271A2 - Mist-delivery devices

Info

Publication number: WO2022185271A2
Application number: PCT/IB2022/051928
Authority: WO
Inventors: Oron Zachar
Original assignee: Oron Zachar
Priority date: 2021-03-05
Filing date: 2022-03-04
Publication date: 2022-09-09
Also published as: WO2022185271A3

Abstract

A mask device comprises a mask body having a first major surface defining a respective array of user-facing directions and a second major surface defining a respective array of outward-facing directions, and an attachment arrangement for holding the mask in contact with the user's face. The device also includes an electrically-activatable piezo assembly including an ultrasonically-vibrable mesh membrane that generates a mist in a user-facing direction, an onboard portable power supply, and an electronic array including a sensor for detecting an inhalation of a user and activating the piezo assembly in response to an inhalation detection. For all fill-states of the compartment, a center of mass of the mask device is displaced from the mask body in a user-facing direction.

Description

MIST-DELIVERY DEVICES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to mist-delivery devices and refillable and/or replaceable bottle systems for use therein, and/or to facemasks comprising such devices, and to methods for using such devices.

SUMMARY

According to embodiments, a non-thermal mist-delivery device comprises: (a) a replaceable bottle system comprising (i) a bottle comprising an internal liquid- storage volume for holding a liquid, and (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, (b) a housing shaped to hold therewithin a distal portion of the replaceable bottle system, the distal portion including at least a piezo-assembly-comprising portion of the cap, the housing comprising a fan, an air inlet and an annular air outlet, wherein the inlet and the outlet define an airflow path transversely circumventing the held-therewithin portion of the replaceable bottle system; and (c) control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid.

In some embodiments, the airflow path can be formed to constrain all of the generated airflow to exit the housing via the annular air outlet.

In some embodiments, the device can additionally comprise an outlet tube, detachably attachable to the housing, for directing at least an airflow-entrained portion of the mist exiting the annular air outlet in a user-selectable direction.

In some embodiments, the cap can additionally include electrical lead wires for delivering electric power to the onboard piezo assembly.

In some embodiments, the bottle system can have a mated state and an unmated state, and, in the mated state, an outlet of the bottle and an inlet of the cap are reversibly male-female mated so as to produce a watertight seal therebetween and so as to place an interior compartment of the cap in fluid communication with the liquid-storage volume of the bottle. In some such embodiments, the liquid-storage volume of the bottle can have a greater volume than that of the interior compartment of the cap. In some such embodiments, the liquid-storage volume of the bottle can have a volume at least 3 times that of the interior compartment of the cap. In some embodiments, it can be that respective centerlines of the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the bottle cap align for mating along a longitudinal vector, and the mist is formed at the membrane with an exit trajectory having a centerline that is orthogonal to the longitudinal vector or within 30° of orthogonal thereto. In some such embodiments, it can be that the bottle system is configured to be rotated about a lateral axis while in the mated state before entering a misting-operating mode, wherein, the rotating being after the bottle is mated with the cap, the mating taking place with a liquid disposed in the interior compartment of the bottle. In some embodiments, it can be that when in the mated state and in a misting-operating mode while seated within the housing, all of the bottle is higher than all of the cap except in an overlapping portion of the outlet of the bottle with the inlet of the cap.

In some embodiments, the cap can comprise an activation interface for receiving an activation signal from the housing in response to a user input.

According to embodiments, a non- thermal mist-delivery device comprises: (a) a replaceable bottle system comprising (i) a bottle comprising an internal liquid- storage volume for holding a liquid, and (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, (b) a housing shaped to hold therewithin a distal portion of the replaceable bottle system, the distal portion including at least a piezo-assembly-comprising portion of the cap, the housing comprising a fan, an air inlet and an annular air outlet, wherein the inlet and the outlet define an airflow path circumventing the held-therewithin portion of the replaceable bottle system; (c) control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid, the fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet being effective to entrain a portion of the mist; and (d) an outlet tube, detachably attachable to the housing, for directing at least the airflow-entrained portion of the mist exiting the annular air outlet. In some embodiments, the directing can be in a user-selectable direction.

A kit, according to some embodiments, can comprise at least one replaceable bottle system and at least one outlet tube as disclosed herein.

In some embodiments, it can be that the bottle system has a mated state and an unmated state, and, in the mated state, an outlet of the bottle and an inlet of the cap are reversibly male-female mated so as to produce a watertight seal therebetween and so as to place an interior compartment of the cap in fluid communication with the liquid-storage volume of the bottle. In some such embodiments, the liquid-storage volume of the bottle can have a greater volume than that of the interior compartment of the cap. In some such embodiments, the liquid-storage volume of the bottle can have a volume at least 3 times that of the interior compartment of the cap. In some embodiments, it can be that respective centerlines of the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the bottle cap align for mating along a longitudinal vector, and the mist is formed at the membrane with an exit trajectory having a centerline that is orthogonal to the longitudinal vector or within 30° of orthogonal thereto. In some such embodiments, it can be that the bottle system is configured to be rotated about a lateral axis while in the mated state before entering a misting-operating mode, wherein, the rotating being after the bottle is mated with the cap, the mating taking place with a liquid disposed in the interior compartment of the bottle. In some embodiments, it can be that when in the mated state and in a misting-operating mode while seated within the housing, all of the bottle is higher than all of the cap except in an overlapping portion of the outlet of the bottle with the inlet of the cap.

According to embodiments, a non-thermal mist-delivery device comprises: (a) a base unit comprising opposing openings defining therebetween an airflow path, a fan disposed in the airflow path for generating an airflow therethrough, a portable power source, and control circuitry operative to electrically activate the device in response to a user input; and (b) a user-directable tube connected at its proximal end to the air outlet of the base unit to be in fluid communication with the airflow path, and comprising, in a distal portion: (i) an internal liquid-storage volume for holding a liquid, (ii) an air-aerosol outlet, and (iii) a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane effective to non-thermally deliver, via the air-aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid, the fan-generated airflow exiting the air- aerosol outlet being effective to entrain a portion of the mist.

In some embodiments, the user-directable tube can be directable in a user- selectable direction.

In some embodiments, the user-directable tube can include, on a surface thereof, an opening for introducing the liquid to the internal liquid-storage volume. In some such embodiments, the introducing can include introducing a container holding the liquid. In some other such embodiments, the introducing can include introducing the liquid directly into the internal liquid-storage volume.

In some embodiments, the internal liquid-storage volume can be formed to ensure that substantially all of the mesh membrane is in liquid communication with the liquid in the internal liquid-storage volume when the internal liquid-storage volume is at least 20% full.

According to embodiments disclosed herein, a mask device comprises (a) a mask body formed to receive at least a portion of a user’s face, the mask body comprising a first major surface defining a respective array of user-facing directions and a second major surface defining a respective array of outward-facing directions; (b) an electrically-activatable piezo assembly including an ultrasonically-vibrable mesh membrane effective to generate, in a user-facing direction, a mist comprising droplets of a liquid placed in contact with an outward-facing surface of the mesh membrane; (c) an electronic array including a sensor for detecting an inhalation of a user, and circuitry for electrically activating the piezo assembly in response to an inhalation-detection sensor state; (d) an onboard portable power supply; and (e) an attachment arrangement for holding the mask in contact with the user’s face, wherein the piezo assembly, the electronic array, the power supply and a compartment for storing the liquid are all coupled to the mask body and arranged such that, for all fill- states of the compartment, a center of mass of the mask device is displaced from the mask body in a user-facing direction.

In some embodiments, the device can additionally comprise the compartment. In some embodiments, the compartment can be attachably detachable from the mask body. In some embodiments, the compartment can be detachably attachable to the mask body.

In some embodiments, the center of mass of the mask device can be displaced from the mesh membrane in a user-facing direction.

In some embodiments, the center of mass of the mask device can be displaced from the mesh membrane in a user-facing direction and displaced from the compartment in a user-facing direction.

In some embodiments, the mesh membrane can be arranged to generate a portion of the mist towards the center of mass of the mask device.

In some embodiments, the mask body can comprise a breath-operated air-inlet valve. In some embodiments, the mask body can comprise a breath-operated air-outlet valve.

In some embodiments, the mask body can comprise an air-permeable section. In some embodiments, at least one of (i) at least a portion of the power supply and (ii) at least a portion of the compartment is displaced from the first major surface of the mask body in a user-facing direction.

In some embodiments, the mask body can comprise a covering arranged to at least partly cover at least one of the power supply and the compartment. In some embodiments, wherein the mask body comprises a covering arranged to at least partly cover a portion of the second major surface.

In some embodiments, the compartment can be formed to have a liquid-storing volume of at least Ice and no more than lOOcc.

In some embodiments, the mask body can comprise a mechanical arrangement for positioning the mask device to be in contact with a portion of a user’s face.

In some embodiments, the mask body can be formed to cover, when in contact with the user’s face, the mouth and nose of the user but not the eyes.

A method is disclosed, according to embodiments, for delivering a mist to a user. The method comprises: (a) providing a mask device according to any one of the preceding claims; (b) positioning the mask device to be in contact with a portion of the user’s face; and (c) generating the mist in the user-facing direction by electrically activating the piezo assembly in response to an inhalation-detection sensor state. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figs. 1A, IB and 1C are schematic views of a bottle for use in a bottle system of a mist-delivery device, having an interior liquid-storage compartment and an aperture, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D are schematic views of a cap for use in a bottle system of a mist-delivery device having a piezo assembly including an ultrasonic mesh membrane, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views of bottle systems according to various embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a bottle and a piezo assembly engaged with a capillary pathway that is biased toward the mesh membrane of the piezo assembly, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a bottle and a piezo assembly engaged with a capillary pathway partially enclosed in a holder, a solid-phase biologically-active material disposed within the bottle, according to embodiments of the present invention. Figs. 8A, 8B and 8C are schematic perspective views of bottles and piezo assemblies engaged with respective capillary pathways, according to various embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 9A shows a bottle-system housing for a mist-delivery device according to embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 9B is a schematic cutaway view of the bottle-system housing of Fig. 9A.

Fig. 10 is a schematic perspective cutaway view of the bottle-system housing of Fig. 9A, showing the placement therein of a bottle system and a fan. Fig. 11 is a schematic cutaway view of the bottle-system housing of Fig. 9, showing a path of a fan-generated airflow, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a schematic perspective view of the bottle-system housing of Fig. 9, showing an annular airflow surrounding a mist generated by a piezo assembly, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is an elevation view of a mist-delivery device according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a schematic view of the mist-delivery device of Fig. 14, showing the egress of a mist and an airflow according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 15A and 15B are schematic views of a bottle for use in a bottle system of a mist-delivery device, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a schematic view of a cap for use in a bottle system of a mist-delivery device having a piezo assembly including an ultrasonic mesh membrane, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 17 is a schematic elevation view of a bottle system according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 18 shows a bottle-system housing for a mist-delivery device according to embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 19 is a schematic view of the bottle-system housing of Fig. 9 A with a bottle system therein, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 20 is a schematic perspective view of the bottle-system housing of Fig. 19, showing an annular airflow surrounding a mist generated by a piezo assembly, according to embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 21A is a schematic elevation view of a mist-delivery device according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 2 IB is a schematic cutaway view of a bottom compartment of the base of the mist-delivery device of Fig. 21 A, according to embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 22A and 22B show flowcharts of methods for non-thermal delivery of a mist, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 23 and 24 are schematic perspective views of unmated bottle assemblies comprising a bottle and a cap and different mating arrangements, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 25 is a cutaway view of a bottle according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 26 illustrates the introduction of a liquid in the bottle shown in cutaway view in Fig 25, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 27 shows a cutaway view of a cap according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 28 and 29 are schematic perspective views of unmated bottle assemblies comprising a bottle and a cap and different mating arrangements, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 30 and 31 are schematic perspective views of mated bottle assemblies showing, respectively, overlap and lateral axes of rotation, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 32 is a schematic perspective view of a mated bottle assembly after rotation, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 33 is a cutaway view of the mated bottle assembly of Fig. 32, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 34 is a schematic perspective view of a mated bottle assembly in operating-misting mode, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 35A and 35B are schematic perspective views at different respective points in time, of a mated bottle assembly comprising a user-moveable gate within the inlet of the cap, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 36A and 36B are schematic perspective views at different respective points in time, of a mated bottle assembly comprising a water-permeable barrier within the inlet of the cap, according to embodiments of the present invention. Figs. 37, 38 and 39 show flowcharts of methods for using a bottle assembly in a nebulizing system, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 40A and 40B illustrate the insertion of a bottle system into a base unit of a mist-delivery device according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 41 is a schematic drawing of airflows in and around the mist-delivery device of Fig. 40B, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 42 is a schematic drawing of a mist-delivery device including a user- directable air outlet tube, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 43 shows a kit including a bottle system and an air outlet tube in a container, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 44A, 44B and 44C are schematic illustrations of a mist-delivery device comprising a base unit and a user-directable tube attached to an air outlet of the base unit and comprising a mist-generation device in a distal portion, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 45 is a schematic perspective view of an outside surface of a facemask nebulizer according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 46 is a schematic side view of an outside surface of a facemask nebulizer according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 47 and 48 are schematic top views of facemask nebulizers, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Figs. 49, 50 and 51 are, respectively, user-facing perspective, cutaway and outward-facing perspective views of a facemask nebulizer according to embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 52 is a cover for a facemask nebulizer according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. Throughout the drawings, like-referenced characters are generally used to designate like elements.

Note: Throughout this disclosure, subscripted reference numbers (e.g., 10i or 10_A) may be used to designate multiple separate appearances of elements of a single species, whether in a drawing or not; for example: lOi is a single appearance (out of a plurality of appearances) of element 10. The same elements can alternatively be referred to without subscript (e.g., 10 and not 10i) when not referring to a specific one of the multiple separate appearances, i.e., to the species in general. In some cases, subscripted reference numbers are used to designate an element of the same species having a different design but the same functionality as other elements of the same species.

For convenience, in the context of the description herein, various terms are presented here. To the extent that definitions are provided, explicitly or implicitly, here or elsewhere in this application, such definitions are understood to be consistent with the usage of the defined terms by those of skill in the pertinent art(s). Furthermore, such definitions are to be construed in the broadest possible sense consistent with such usage.

A bottle system according to embodiments comprises a bottle and a cap. The cap contains arrangements for use in a mist-delivery device, such as a piezo assembly comprising an ultrasonic mesh membrane, an electrical connection for powering the piezo assembly, and a one-way valve for introducing a liquid such as water or other aqueous liquid into the bottle system. The nebulizer arrangements of the cap are preferably configured to use vibrating mesh technology, as is known in the field of nebulizers, to expel, from the bottle assembly, an aerosol comprising fine droplets of whatever liquid is introduced into the bottle assembly. Fine droplets can be less than 50 microns in diameter, or less than 30 microns in diameter, or less than 20 microns in diameter or less than 10 microns in diameter or even finer. A mesh can be formed, for example, by using a laser to make uniform holes in a metal disk, or by any other known method.

A mist-delivery system according to embodiments comprises a bottle system as described herein, a housing such as a case or sleeve or housing, a fan, a power supply including (for example) a battery, and control circuitry for controlling the activation and operation of the device. The device is preferably configured to deliver, using the onboard piezo assembly, a mist of droplets comprising an aqueous liquid and, optionally, a biologically-active material in an admixture with the liquid. The mist departing the device can be entrained by an airflow generated by the fan so as to direct the mist in a desired direction and constrain its lateral dispersion.

Referring now to the figures and in particular to Figs. 1A, IB and 1C, a bottle 50 includes an interior liquid-storage volume 57 and a neck-aperture 55. It can be desirable for the diameter 955 of the neck- aperture 55 to be smaller than a maximum diameter 957 of the liquid-storage volume 57. The bottle 50 can be made of any suitable material such as a metal or metal alloy, glass, or a plastic. In some embodiments, an outside diameter 950 of the bottle 50 can be as little as 1.5 cm and as much as 7.5 cm, and preferably between 2 cm and 5cm, inclusive. A total external height 850 of the bottle 50 can be as little as 3 cm and as much as 12 cm, and preferably between 4 cm and 10 cm, inclusive.

A cap 70 for sealing the bottle 50 is illustrated in Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D. The term ‘sealing’ should be taken to understood that securing the cap 70 to the bottle 50 creates a liquid-tight (including watertight) seal between the cap 70 and the neck- aperture 55 of the bottle 50 so as to form a bottle system 100. It is noted that in preferred embodiments of the present invention, a bottle system 100 additionally comprises a capillary pathway as described hereinbelow including, inter alia, with respect to Figs. 7-9. When a cap 70 is thus secured to the bottle 50, the resulting bottle system 100 may not allow a liquid stored in the bottle to 50 leak regardless of the orientation in which the bottle system 100 is held, as long as the bottle is held stationary. As shown in Fig. 2C, the cap 70 includes a piezo assembly 80 comprising an ultrasonic mesh membrane 85. Thus, if the bottle system 100 is shaken, some droplets of liquid may be forced by the shaking to leak out through the mesh membrane 85, rendering the bottle system 100 not watertight when not held stationary. In embodiments, as illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B, a cap 70 can include a one way conveyance 74 and an electrical contact 76. The one-way conveyance 74, or alternatively ‘one-way valve,’ is an arrangement that allows a user to introduce a liquid into the bottle system 100 after the cap 70 is secured to the bottle 50, but which does not allow the liquid to exit the bottle system 100 through the valve 74. An example of a suitable one-way valve is a duckbill valve available from Minivalve International of Cleveland, Ohio, USA. In an example, a bottle system 100 can be filled via the one way valve 74 with a liquid that includes water and another substance such as a biologically active material such as, for example, an antioxidant material or composition. In another example, such a substance, in a solid phase, may be pre disposed in a bottle system 100 when sold or distributed, or at anytime before securing a cap 70 to the bottle 50 of the bottle system 100, and a user can subsequently add an aqueous liquid, e.g., water or a dilute alcohol solution, to the bottle system 100 so as to create an admixture with the substance which is dissolved or suspended in the aqueous liquid. The position of the one-way conveyance 74 in Fig. 2A is shown schematically and can be anywhere on the cap 70 where the end of the one-way conveyance 74 that is inside the cap is in fluid communication with the interior liquid-storage volume 57 of the bottle 50. The position of the electrical contact 76 is also shown schematically. In some embodiments, the electrical contact can be on an outer surface of the bottle 50 rather than on the cap 70. The electrical contact 76 is connected, e.g., wired, to the piezo assembly 80 such that electric power delivered from outside the bottle system to the electrical contact will reach the piezo assembly 80 and activate the ultrasonic mesh membrane 85.

An assembled bottle system 100 using the bottle 50 of Figs. 1A-C and cap 70 of Figs. 2A-D is shown in Fig. 3. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the mesh membrane 85 is exposed to the atmosphere when the bottle system 100 is in this assembled state. Examples of alternatively-shaped bottles 50A, 50B, i.e., shaped differently than the bottle 50 of Figs 1 A-C, are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus, the present invention is not tied to a specific size, shape or design of bottle other than the features described hereinabove.

Figs. 6, 7, 8A, 8B and 8C schematically illustrate examples of capillary pathways 90 suitable for use in bottle systems 100, each figure showing a largely ‘transparent’ 50 and the piezo assembly 80 onboard the cap 70 (which, besides the piezo assembly 80, is not shown in these figures). The capillary pathway 90 is typically disposed, and optionally held, so that a first portion thereof is in contact with the mesh membrane 85 of the piezo assembly 80, or displaced no more than 2 mm or no more than 1 mm from the mesh membrane 85. A second portion of the capillary pathway 90 is generally disposed within the liquid-storage volume 57 of a bottle 50 so as to establish a pathway for water transport from the liquid-storage volume 57 to the mesh membrane 85 installed in the cap 70. The first portion of the capillary pathway 90 can also be regarded as a ‘proximal portion’ and the second portion as a ‘distal portion’.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the capillary pathway 90 is installed in the bottle system by the securing of a cap 70 to the aperture 55 of a bottle 50. A ‘capillary pathway’ 90 as the term is used herein is a material suitable for transport of water (or other aqueous liquid) along a pathway by capillary action. Such a material often includes fibers, such as plant-based fibers e.g., cellulose, polymer- based fibers e.g., polyester, glass fibers e.g., in a woven fabric or bundled or unbundled glass fibers, or carbon fibers. In some non-limiting examples, the fibers can be very small, i.e., having diameters in the range of several or tens of microns. In other examples, the fibers can be larger. While the term “pathway” may appear to imply that a pathway for water transport to a leak-alarm target may be a direct path, that is not necessarily the case. The transport of water through the capillary pathway may include progression in random directions or omnidirectional progression. In some embodiments, the capillary pathway 90 can include fibers arranged so as to form direct pathways from various parts of the liquid-storage volume 57 but this is not necessary for the capillary transport to be effective. The key in deploying the capillary pathway 90 is to ensure a substantially continuous pathway for the capillary transport regardless of either the direct nature of the transport or the fact that the water may be ‘spread’ in ah directions throughout the capillary pathway material before reaching the target of the transport, i.e., the mesh membrane 85. In some embodiments, the capillary pathway can comprise a hydrophilic material that is effective to facilitate transport of water.

Fig. 6 illustrates a non-limiting example of a capillary pathway 90 with a biasing element 91 (illustrated in Fig. 6 by a spring element) which ensures that the capillary pathway 90 is kept in contact with the mesh membrane 85 of the piezo assembly 80. Fig. 7 illustrates another non-limiting example in which the capillary pathway 90 (not visible in Fig. 7) is held in a preferred position within a holder 92 which has openings 93 that allow a liquid in the liquid-storage volume 57 to contact the capillary pathway 90 installed within. Fig. 7 also shows a quantity of a solid-phase substance 96 in a storage compartment 97, the substance 96 being provided in the liquid-storage volume 57 of the bottle 50 for later mixing with an aqueous liquid introduced thereinto and for being misted in an admixture with the aqueous liquid. The substance 96 can have any suitable solid-phase form factor, such as, without limitation, a powder, a tablet, or a capsule. In an example, the substance includes a biologically active substance such as an antioxidant. An antioxidant-containing mist delivered from the bottle system 100 can be used for inhalation and/for external use, e.g., on a user’s skin. Examples of suitable antioxidant substances include, and not exhaustively, vitamins C and E, selenium, and carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. In other examples, the substance 96 can include any substance suitable for inhalation or skin treatment.

As stated hereinabove, a capillary pathway 90 is provided so as to create a transport path for a liquid from the liquid-storage volume 57 of the bottle system 100 to the mesh membrane 85 onboard the cap 70. Figs. 8A, 8B and 8C show a variety of non-limiting examples of capillary pathways 90 designed to be effective in various use cases of the bottle system 100. Fig. 8A shows an example in which the capillary pathway 90 is effective to transport liquid to the mesh membrane 85 when the bottle system is tipped, e.g., pivoted, to one side. In an example, a bottle system can be installed in a mist-delivery device configured to pivot the bottle system 100 in a specific direction such as the direction best served by the disposition of the capillary pathway 90 illustrated schematically in Fig. 8A. In another example, a bottle system can be installed in a mist-delivery device configured to pivot the bottle system 100 in either one of two specific opposing directions such as the two directions best served by the disposition of the capillary pathway 90 illustrated schematically in Fig. 8B. It will be obvious to the skilled artisan that a capillary pathway can be designed to support any number of potential pivoting directions and no additional examples need be illustrated. Another example of a capillary pathway 90 is shown schematically in Fig. 8C. As shown in Fig. 8C, the capillary pathway 90 can be designed so as to transport a liquid (e.g., to the mesh membrane 85) from practically any point within the water-storage volume 57 of a bottle system 100.

In embodiments, a device for delivering a mist includes a housing. A housing is preferably configured to have a bottle system 100 disposed therewithin, along with a fan for generating an airflow and a power source for activating the piezo assembly 85. The housing also preferably houses control circuitry for controlling the operation of the piezo assembly and the fan.

Reference is now made to Figs. 9-12.

Figs. 9A and 9B show a housing 150 adapted for use in a mist-delivery device. In this non-limiting example, a main portion of the housing 150 is formed as a cylindrical tube, although this is only for purposes of illustration and the housing can have any cross-section. The housing 150 can include a bottom section 158 which can be used to house a power supply 152 (e.g., a battery) and control circuitry (not visible). Openings 155 are placed to act as air inlets into the housing 150. Fig.9B shows a central axis 915 which passes through both the fan 175 and the mesh membrane 85.

As can be seen in the schematically drawn perspective cutaway view of Fig. 10, a major portion of the housing 150 includes a plenum 154 in which a bottle system 100 is disposed. An annular air grille 160 at the top (i.e., the end opposite the bottom section 158) surrounds a central portion open to the mesh membrane 85 so as to enable delivery of a mist to the atmosphere outside the housing 150. A fan 175, which is preferably configured to be powered by the power source disposed within the bottom section, is disposed between the air-inlet openings 155 and the bottle system 100. The housing 150 also comprises an electrical contact corresponding to the electrical contact 76 of the cap 70, for delivering electricity from the power supply 152 to the piezo assembly 80 (via the electrical contact 76 of the cap 70) when the bottle system 100 is disposed within the plenum 154 of the housing 150 and fixedly (and, optionally, reversibly) held therein.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate an airflow generated by the fan 175. In Fig. 11, the generated airflow is schematically divided into three segments: AIR1,AIR2, and/1/LM. As shown in the cutaway drawing of Fig. 11, air (indicated by arrow AIR1 ) is drawn into the plenum 154 of the housing 150 through inlet openings 155. An air-directing element 157 can be provided to direct the incoming airflow segment AIR1 upwards. The fan 175 generates a positive pressure beyond it and a negative pressure behind it so as to draw in th eAIRl segment. As indicated by the arrow AIR2, the airflow segment AIR2 circumvents the bottle system 100 as it flows through the housing and toward the air grille 160 at the top of the housing 150. The fan-generated airflow exits the annular air grille 160 as indicated by the arrow AIR3. Mist 141, comprising droplets of a liquid stored in the liquid-storage volume 57 (optionally in an admixture with solid-phase substance 96, is delivered at the mesh membrane 85 into the atmosphere. As illustrated in Fig. 12, the cylindrical airflow segment AIR3 surrounds the mist 141. It is noted the airflow segment AIR3 is illustrated in Fig. 12 as cylindrical in accordance with the circular form factor of the annular air grille 160 of the exemplary housing 150 of Fig. 12. As stated hereinabove, the housing can have any shape, i.e., cross-section, which means that the air grille 160 can have different shapes as well (e.g., oval, elliptical, polygonal, etc.). In any case the air grille 160 will surround the mesh membrane 85 so that the generated airflow leaving the housing as airflow segment AIR3 surrounds the delivered mist 141 and the term ‘annular’ as used in this disclosure and in the claims appended thereto shah be understood to encompass such cases where the air grille 160 is not circular but nonetheless surrounds the mesh membrane 85. Moreover, such ‘surrounding’ for the purposes of this invention can encompass ‘surrounding with gaps’ and/or ‘partly surrounding’ as long as the mesh membrane 85 is at least more than 50% surrounded. Thus, an example of an annular surrounding air grille according to embodiments is an air grille 160 of any geographical shape, disposed around a majority of the periphery of the top of the housing 150.

According to embodiments, a user input device or element (not illustrated) such as, without limitation, a button, a slider, a switch or a touchscreen, can be used to activate both the fan 175 and the piezo assembly 80. The user input device or element can be disposed on an external surface of the housing 150, or elsewhere. Activation can be by completing an electrical circuit via electrical connection 159 which is provided for delivering electricity from the power supply 152 to the piezo assembly 80 and optionally to the fan 175. In some embodiments the fan 175 may be connected to the power supply 152 via a different connection (not shown). Upon activation, the fan 175 generates an airflow and the ultrasonic mesh membrane 85 delivers a mist 141 from a liquid stored in the liquid-storage volume 57 of the bottle system 100. As the mist 141 begins to disperse upwards and outwards from the mesh membrane 85, the annular airflow entrains a portion of the mist 141. The entrainment has two effects: (i) since the airflow segment AIR3 is directable by directing, e.g., pivoting, the housing 150, the mist 141 is likewise directable in part or entirely together with the airflow segment AIR3, and (ii) lateral dispersion of the mist 141 is constrained by the airflow, meaning that less of the mist disperses laterally - outside of the surrounding airflow (e.g., the cylindrical airflow of Fig. 12) - than would be the case without the entrainment by airflow segment AIR3.

Reference is now made to Figs. 13 and 14.

In embodiments, a mist-delivery device 200 includes a bottle system 100 and a housing 150 having a plenum 154 in which the bottle system 100 is disposed. In an assembled state, the bottle system 100 is securely, and optionally reversibly, held in a place designated for that purpose. The mist-delivery device 200 also includes control circuitry (not visible; as discussed hereinabove, said control circuitry can be disposed within a closed bottom section 158 of the housing 150 or anywhere else within the housing 150), and a base 190 for supporting the housing 150. The housing 150 preferably comprises a power supply 152, a powered fan 175, an air inlet 155 at a first end of the plenum 154, and an annular air grille 160 as an air outlet at a second end of the plenum 154; the inlet 155 and the outlet 160 defining an airflow path circumventing the replaceable bottle system 100. Note: as used in this disclosure and in the claims appended thereto, the terms ‘air inlet’ and ‘air outlet’ should be taken to mean any respective collection of one or more holes, slits, openings, grilles and the like; for example, an air inlet can include a first plurality of openings in a housing and an air outlet can include a second plurality of openings in the same housing, the two pluralities respectively displaced from each other as necessary to define an airflow path.

As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, a base 190 can include one or more pivot elements 195 that enable pivoting thereabout of the housing 150. The housing can have corresponding pivot element receptors 194 (shown in Fig. 10) which physically connect with the pivot elements 195 of the base 190, so as to install the housing 150 in the base 190 and enable pivoting.

Fig. 14 illustrates an example of pivoting, in which the housing 150 is caused to pivot from an initial position at a vertical orientation (as shown in Fig. 13) to an angle ftworfrom the vertical. As shown, the fan-generated airflow (shown as airflow segment AIR3 ) and the mist 141 entrained therewith are jointly directable by pivoting the housing 150. The pivot angle qrr_/ot can be greater than 60°, or greater than 70°. In the non-limiting example of Fig. 14, qrr_/ot has been drawn to be 100°. The capillary pathway 90 of the bottle system 100 of such mist-delivery devices 200 is configured to ensure water transport to the mesh membrane at these pivot angles down to a predetermined percentage of liquid remaining in the bottle system 100, e.g., down to 30% of capacity, down to 20% of capacity, or down to 10% of capacity. In some embodiments, the base 190 and the pivot element(s) are configured to allow pivoting away from the vertical orientation in a single direction, and in other embodiments, they are configured to enable pivoting in either of two opposing directions.

We now refer to Figs. 15A-21B which show a bottle system and mist-delivery device similar in function to those of Figs. 1A-14, with the bottle system, housing and base of the mist-delivery device all having a different aesthetic design.

Figs. 15A and 15B include views of a bottle 502 having a neck-aperture 55. Fig. 16 shows a cap 702 designed to complement the bottle 502of Figs. 15A and 15B. Similar to the cap 70 discussed with reference to 2A-C, cap 702 includes a piezo assembly 80 comprising an ultrasonic mesh membrane 85. As shown in Fig. 17, bottle 502 and cap 702 can be reversibly assembled to form a bottle system IOO2. An electrical contact 76 is shown on an external surface of the cap 702 - as was discussed hereinabove with respect to Fig. 2A. When assembled in a housing, the bottle system IOO2 receives power through the electrical contact 76 from a matching contact (not shown) on the interior of housing 1502, which illustrated in Fig. 18. In housing 1502, the air inlet 155 in located on the bottom, as opposed to the design approach illustrated, for example, in Fig. 9A, where the air inlet 155 is located on the sides near the bottom. The cutaway drawing of housing 1502 is analogous to that of Fig. 19, in which the airflow generated by fan 175 is schematically divided into the same three segments of airflow: AIR1, AIR2, and AIR3. The functionality of the housing 1502 of Fig. 19 is the same as for housing 150 of Fig. 11, although in some embodiments, an air-directing element 157 may be rendered unnecessary with a bottom -inlet design such as in Figs. 18-19. Similarly, Fig. 20 is analogous to Fig. 12, in which airflow segment AIR3 exiting the housing 1502 surrounds the mist 141 generated by the mesh membrane 85 (which is shown in Fig. 16). The mist delivery device 2002 of Fig. 21 A, like mist-delivery device 200 of Figs. 13-14, includes a housing 1502 installed on a base 190. The housing 1502 includes a bottle system IOO2 and can be pivoted about pivot elements 195. As illustrated in Fig. 21 A, the shape of the base 190 can be used to limit pivoting of the housing 1502 to one direction. In this design, as illustrated in Fig. 2 IB, the base 190 can include a bottom compartment 191 for a power supply 152, e.g., a battery (i.e., the power supply is not necessarily located within the housing 1502). The base 190 can also include user control(s) 192 for controlling the operation of the device 2002.

A method for non-thermal delivery of a mist 141 is disclosed. The method, as illustrated in the flowchart of Fig. 22A, can include the following steps:

Step SOI, providing a bottle system 100 comprising bottle 50 having a liquid- storage volume 57, a cap 70 comprising a piezo assembly 80 including an ultrasonic mesh membrane 85, and a capillary pathway 90 for conveying a liquid by capillary action from the liquid-storage volume 57 to the mesh membrane 85 in accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Step S02, introducing an aqueous liquid into the bottle 50 of the bottle system 100 through the unidirectional fluid conveyance (one-way valve) 74. In some embodiments, a quantity of a biologically active substance 96 in a solid phase, is disposed - prior to the introduction of the aqueous liquid - within the internal liquid- storage volume 57 of the provided bottle system 100. In such embodiments, the delivered mist 141 comprises droplets of an admixture of the biologically active substance 96 and the aqueous liquid.

Step S03, inserting the bottle system 100 into the plenum 154 of a housing 150 of a mist-delivery device 200. The housing 150 comprises a power supply 152, a powered fan 175, an air inlet 155 at a first end of the plenum 154, and an annular air outlet 160 at a second end of the plenum 154, the inlet 155 and outlet 160 defining an airflow path circumventing the inserted bottle system 100.

Step S04, operating the mist-delivery device 200 to deliver electricity from the power supply 152 to the fan 175 and to the piezo assembly 80, thereby causing the mesh membrane 85 to non-thermally deliver a mist 141 and causing the fan 175 to generate an airflow, fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet 160 surrounds the mist 141, and is effective to entrain a portion of the delivered mist 141 and thereby constrain lateral dispersion of the mist 141. In some embodiments, the method can include a fifth step, as illustrated by the flowchart in Fig. 22B :

Step S05, pivoting the mist-delivery device 200 to direct the airflow together with the entrained mist 141, e.g., as illustrated schematically in Fig. 14.

In some embodiments, not all of the steps recited in any of the methods are performed.

Referring now to Fig. 23, a bottle assembly 101 includes a bottle 120 and a cap 105, which are shown adjacent to each other but in an unmated, or unattached, state. The bottle 120 has an aperture 122 which in the example of Fig 23 takes the form of an extension 162 from the neck of the bottle 120. This aperture 122 serves both as an opening for filling the bottle 120 with a liquid (i.e., the liquid to be misted out of the bottle assembly 101), and as an outlet through which liquid can flow from the bottle to the cap 105 and especially when the bottle 120 and cap 105 are mated. In this disclosure and in the claims appended thereto, a bottle aperture serving as an outlet will be called the outlet of the bottle, and even if it functions both as a filling aperture and as an outlet to the cap. In some embodiments (not illustrated), a bottle can have one or more additional apertures, and in such embodiments, one (or more) apertures can function as openings for filling the bottle, while one is configured to function as the outlet.

The cap 105 has an aperture 142, which serves as an inlet to the cap, which in the example of Fig. 23 is in the form of a cavity 163. The bottle 120 and the cap 105 are configured for being reversibly mated with each other by a male-female mating arrangement between respective outlet 122 and inlet 142. By ‘male’ and ‘female’ we mean, respectively, a protruding element and a scabbarding element into which the ‘male’ protruding element can be reversibly inserted. According to this parlance, the outlet 122 of the bottle 120 in Fig. 23, has a ‘male’ configuration (as extension 162) and is configured to enter the inlet 142 of the cap, which in Fig. 23 has a ‘female’ configuration (cavity 163). The cap 105 has an air-intake grill 182 for passive the ingress and egress of air.

In the example of Fig. 23, the extension 162 of the bottle outlet 122 is threaded on its outer cylindrical surface with threading 132. The cavity 163 of the cap inlet 142 is threaded on its interior cylindrical surface with threading 133 for receiving the threading 132 of the bottle outlet 122. In some embodiments, the threading The two threadings 132, 133 correspond to each other such that the cap 105 can be easily screwed onto bottle 120 when the bottle outlet 122 is inserted into cap inlet 142 - or when cap inlet 142 is placed the over bottle inlet 122 - and one or both is/are rotated. The bottle outlet 122 and cap inlet 142, along with threadings 132, 133, are preferably designed so that the male-female mating produces an overlap between the inlet 122 and the outlet 142 of at least 3 mm and no more than 15 mm, or at least 4 mm and no more than 12 mm, or at least 5mm and no more than 10 mm. The extent of the overlap can be determined, at least in part, by the provision of guiding element(s) 141 formed on the extension 162 and/or guiding element 142 on an outer surface of the bottle 120. Guiding elements 141 and/or 142 can have other functions, additionally or alternatively, such as, for example, acting as a ‘stopper’ to limit the movement of a male-female mating and thereby define the overlap between the mated bottle 120 and cap 105.

Practicing the invention does not require that the bottle outlet 122 be in the form of a ‘male’ extension and the cap inlet 142 in the form of a ‘female’ cavity. The male and female roles can be reversed within the scope of the disclosed embodiments, as long as one (of the bottle outlet 122 and cap inlet 142) is ‘male’ and the other is ‘female’. In an example illustrated in Fig. 24, bottle outlet 122 is in the form of a ‘female’ cavity, and cap inlet 142 has the form of a ‘male’ extension. In Fig. 24, the threading 132 of the male element is formed on the outer surface of the extension of the cap inlet 142, and the ‘receiving’ threading 133 is formed on the inner surface of the bottle outlet 122. The configurations of Figs. 23 and 24 are functionally equivalent since the question of which one of bottle outlet 122 and cap inlet 142 is male or female is of no importance to the design of the bottle assembly 101. No other changes are required to be made to the bottle assembly 101 and its external interfaces.

We now refer to Figs. 25 and 26, which are schematic cutaway views of the bottle 120 of Fig. 23. The bottle 120 is formed so as to have an internal compartment 121 which can act as a reservoir for a liquid 300. The bottle 120, and in particular the internal compartment 121, is typically designed to have a volume adequate for a quantity of liquid that is to be used in the nebulizing system to produce an aerosol. As indicated by arrow 201 in Fig. 26, a liquid 300 is introduced to the bottle 120 through the only aperture in this example, which is outlet 122, and collects in the internal compartment 121.

Fig. 27 is a schematic cutaway view of the cap 105 of Fig. 23, shown in the same orientation as the cap 105 was shown in Fig. 23. The cap 105 has an internal compartment 183 in fluid communication with the piezo assembly 125 which includes a mesh membrane. The mesh membrane is preferably sub-20 micron (or sub- 15 micron or sub- 10 micron) if a very fine mist is desired; alternatively, a less fine mesh (e.g., sub-40 micron or sub-30 micron or sub-25 micron) can be employed. The skilled artisan will understand that if the internal compartment 183 of the cap 105 is to be used as a reservoir for a liquid 300, it is necessary to rotate the cap 105 at least 90° (from the orientation shown in Figs. 23-26) and preferably more, up to 180°, i.e., to be upright so that all of the bottle 120 is higher than all of the cap 105, except for overlapping portions created by the mating.

Figs. 28 and 29 illustrate alternative mating features that can be provided for effecting the reversible male-female mating of the bottle 120 and the cap 105. These features are functionally equivalent to the threaded inlet/outlet examples of Figs. 23 and 24, where corresponding threadings 132, 133 were provided for screwing together the bottle 120 and the cap 105. Fig. 28 illustrates an example of a snap-and-groove design in which a first snap-feature element 112 (which can be either one of a snap or a groove) is added to the extension of bottle outlet 122, and a second snap-feature element 113 (either a groove or a snap, i.e., the second element corresponding to first element 112) is added to the cavity of cap inlet 142. The terms ‘snap’ and ‘groove’ are meant to include any type of reversible snap-connection scheme involving part of a first element sliding and snapping into a second element. Fig. 29 illustrates an example of a friction-based mating system, where the extension of bottle outlet 122 and the cavity of cap inlet 142 are essentially featureless and smooth and one slides into the other, where they are held together during regular handling by static friction. One or both surfaces (i.e., the external surface of the male extension and the internal surface of the female cavity) can be textured if desired to increase the static friction between the two parts when in a mated state. The term ‘mated state’ throughout this disclosure refers to the state of a bottle assembly when the component bottle and cap are mated by the reversible male-female mating described herein. The similar term ‘unmated state’ means the opposite, the state of a bottle assembly when bottle and cap are separated, whether before or after being in a mated state.

In both of the examples of Figs. 28 and 29, the ‘male’ extension is shown as being on the bottle 120 - specifically the bottle outlet 122 - and the ‘female’ cavity is on the cap - specifically the cap inlet 142. This is analogous to the configuration of Fig. 23, In additional examples of bottle assemblies 101 according to the present invention, which are not illustrated, the concepts of Fig 28 and/or 29 (the snap- connector mating and the friction mating) are combined with the configuration Fig. 24, where the male extension is on the cap inlet 142 and the female cavity is on the bottle outlet 122.

In embodiments, it can be desirable for the reversibility of the male-female mating of the bottle 120 and the cap 105 to be such that when in the mated state, the bottle 120 and the cap 105 can be separated by a user without using tools. In a first example, a bottle assembly 101 comprises a bottle 120 and a cap 105 that are mated by screwing them together, like the examples illustrated in Figs. 23 and 24. According to the example, the bottle 120 and cap 105 can be separated by unscrewing the bottle assembly 101 apart by hand, e,g, by holding the bottle 120 in one hand and turning the cap using the other hand, while applying a maximum torque of at least 0.1 N-m and not greater than 5.0 N-m, or at least 0.2 N-m and not greater than 2.5 N-m, or at least 0.3 N-m and not greater than 2.0 N-m. In another example, a bottle assembly 101 comprises a bottle 120 and a cap 105 that are mated by pushing them together - like the examples illustrated in Figs. 28 and 29, i.e., where the mating is accomplished with either a snap- and-groove connection or static friction. According to the example, the bottle 120 and cap 105 can be separated by pulling the bottle assembly 101 apart by hand, e,g, by holding the bottle 120 in one hand and pulling the cap using the other hand, while applying a maximum combined separation force with two hands of at least 1 N and not more than 50 N, or at least 2 N and not more than 25 N, or at least 5 N and not more than 20 N. Obviously tools can be used in any of these examples, but their use is unnecessary, since the forces required are easily within the normal abilities of typical adult users of the invention.

Referring now to Fig. 30, bottle assembly 101 is illustrated in a mated state according to embodiments. The mating of the bottle 120 and top 105 creates an overlap 131 which could be anticipated by noting that guiding element 141 has the form of a step that provides an ‘absolute’ stop to the closing together of the bottle 120 and cap 105. It should be noted that the overlap 131 of bottle 120 with cap 105 is different than the overlap 161 of the bottle outlet 122 with the cap inlet 142 as illustrated in Fig. 33. The bottle assembly 101 of Fig. 30, if mated after liquid 300 has been introduced into the bottle, as discussed earlier with reference to Fig. 26, is typically rotated by a user so as to cause the liquid 300 to flow into the internal compartment 183 of the cap 105 and thence to come into contact with the mesh membrane of the piezo assembly 125. Fig. 31 shows two non- limiting examples of lateral axes of a bottle assembly 101. in relation to a bottle assembly 101. Either one of these two lateral axes LXl, LX2 can be a suitable rotation axis for rotation of the bottle assembly 101, but any lateral axis of the bottle assembly can be suitable. Any rotation of the bottle assembly 101 which raises at least a part of the bottle 120 to be higher than all of the cap 105 (excepting for overlapped areas) will raise the outlet 122 of the bottle 120 to be above the horizontal plane, and therefore is suitable. Fig. 32 shows a non-limiting example in which a bottle assembly 101 of Fig. 31 or Fig. 32 has been rotated about a lateral axis. Fig. 33 shows a schematic cutaway drawing of the rotated bottle assembly 101 of Fig. 32, include a liquid 300 disposed in the internal compartment 183 of the cap 105, in the space defined by cap inlet 142 (which defines overlap 161 together with the mated bottle outlet 122), and in a part of the internal compartment 121 of the bottle 120. When the bottle assembly 101 is rotated, the liquid 202 flows into the internal compartment 183 of the cap 105 and comes into contact with the mesh membrane of the piezo assembly 125.

A nebulizing system can include, in a non-limiting example, a stationary base (not illustrated) for seating the bottle assembly and connecting to an electrical connection built into the bottle assembly, or in other examples a system can be as simple as connecting an external source of electricity to an electrical connection on the outer surface of the bottle assembly which can operated in a handheld manner. An example of a suitable electrical connector is electrical connector 185 on an outer surface of the cap 105 as shown in Fig. 32.

Fig. 34 schematically illustrates the use of bottle assembly 101 in a misting- operating mode; the mis ting-operating mode means that electric power is being delivered to piezo assembly 125 and a liquid or liquid solution is being misted out of the bottle assembly 101. In the example of Fig. 34, electric power is provided to the piezo assembly 125 via electrical connector 185 and power source 172. Power source 172 can include, for example, wires, battery/ies, and/or power electronics such as an AC-DC converter, and/or transformer. In one example, the electrical connector 185 can include electrical contacts for use with a stationary base. In another example, the electrical connector 185 can include a socket. The electronics components for converting DC power to high-frequency (above 20kHz and no higher than 1.5 MHz) AC power at a voltage suitable for operation of the piezo assembly (e.g., 20V- 60V) can be included in the power source 172.

In the misting-operating mode, mist 141 exits the cap 105 via the mesh membrane of the piezo assembly 125 and through the opening 181 in the cap 105, as illustrated in Fig. 34. The mist 141 typically leaves the bottle assembly in a diffusely spread trajectory, with the trajectory of the mist 141 having centerline CLfMIST TRAJECTORY). CL(MIST TRAJECTORY) is preferably within ±30° of a vector that is orthogonal to CL( MATING AXIS) which is the longitudinal central axis of the cap inlet 142 and bottle outlet 122 when mating and when mated.

Use of an in-situ prepared nebulizing solution

It can be desirable to store soluble solid materials that are to be used in a nebulizing solution separately from a solvent liquid. In an example, a solvent liquid can comprise water. Soluble solid materials can be introduced to a cap and then mixed with the solvent only after the bottle and cap of a bottle assembly are mated to form a solution for nebulizing.

We refer now to cutaway illustrations Figs. 35 A and 35B, where a first example of in-site preparation of a nebulizing solution is shown. In Fig. 35A, it can be seen that the cap 105 of bottle assembly 101 comprises a gate 290 installed in the cap inlet 142. Gate 290 in the example of Fig. 35A is user-openable; it can pivot outwards from the cap inlet 142, e.g., by being activated by a user pressing on the top of the cap 105 as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 35A. (Obviously, the activation of the gate-opening can be anywhere on the cap 105.) The illustration in Fig. 35A shows the bottle assembly 101 at a point in time after prior placement within the cap 105 of the solids 70, which can be in free granular form, or compressed tablets, or encapsulated in soluble capsules as in the example shown in Fig. 35A. The closed gate 290 prevents the spill out of the dry solids from the cap. The assembly placement of the solids can be done by a third party (e.g., the vendor) or by the user himself in a preparatory step for usage. The soluble component within the solid material 70 is intended for dissolution in a liquid solvent to form a solution that is to be nebulized. The cap 105 is mated with the bottle 120 which already contains liquid 300, in this case a solvent for the soluble solid material 70. Fig. 35B shows the same bottle assembly 101 at a later point in time, when a user has activated the opening of the gate 290, causing the soluble solid material 70 to be evacuated from the cap 105 and to drop down into the internal compartment 121 of the bottle 120, and thus into the solvent liquid 300. In a particular example, shown in Fig. 35B, of the solids being encased within capsules, the capsule itself disintegrate by the solvent liquid and thereby enable contact of the solids with the solvent liquid.

Figs. 36A and 36B illustrate a second example of in-site preparation of a nebulizing solution. In Fig. 36A, it can be seen that the cap 105 of bottle assembly 101 comprises a water permeable barrier 180 installed in the cap inlet 142. Barrier 180 in the example of Fig. 35A is permeable enough to allow a liquid 300 to flow through it freely. Yet, as shown in Fig. 36 A the barrier 180 prevents spill out of the dry solids 70 through it. In some embodiments, the barrier can comprise a filter similar in properties to tea bags. In other embodiments, the solids can be formed into compressed tablets, or encapsulated within soluble capsules, and the barrier comprises a porous mesh, as in the example shown in Fig. 36A. The illustration in Fig. 36A shows the bottle assembly 101 at a point in time after a prior placement within the cap of the solids. The water permeable barrier 180 prevents the spill out of the dry solids 70 from the cap. The placement of the solids 70 in the cap 105 can be done by a third party (e.g., the vendor) or by the user himself in a preparatory step for usage. The soluble component within the solids material 70 is intended for dissolution in a liquid solvent to form a solution that is to be nebulized. The user then mates the cap 105 with the bottle 120 which already contains liquid 300, in this case a solvent for the soluble solid material 70. Fig. 36B shows the same bottle assembly 101 at a later point in time, when a user has then turned over (e.g., rotated about a lateral axis) the mated bottle assembly 101, causing the liquid 300 to flow through the porous barrier 180 and reach the soluble solid material 70 within the cap 105. In a particular example, shown in Fig. 36B, of the solids being encased within capsules, the capsule itself disintegrate by the solvent liquid and thereby enable contact of the solids with the solvent liquid. In some embodiments, the soluble solid material 70 can be dissolved in solvent liquid 300 with some light shaking of the bottle assembly 101. In some embodiments, no shaking is necessary.

Methods of use

A first method for using a bottle assembly 101 comprising a bottle 120 and a cap 105 in a nebulizing system is disclosed. According to the method, the bottle 105 comprises an outlet 122 and the cap 105 comprises an inlet 142. The method, as illustrated in the flowchart of Fig. 37, can include the following steps:

Step S201, positioning the bottle 120 so that a filling aperture is above a horizontal orientation;

Step S202, introducing a liquid 300 into an interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120 through the filling aperture;

Step S203, mating the outlet 122 of the bottle 120 with the inlet 142 of the cap 105 in a reversible male-female mating so as to produce a watertight seal therebetween and to place an interior compartment 183 of the cap 105 in fluid communication with an interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120;

Step S204, rotating the mated bottle assembly 101 about a lateral axis so as to reposition the bottle outlet 122 below the horizontal orientation and cause at least some of the liquid 300 to flow from the interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120 to the interior compartment 183 of the cap 105; and

Step S205, delivering electricity to a piezo assembly 125 comprising a mesh membrane installed in an opening 181 of the cap 105, such that liquid 300 disposed within the interior compartment 183 of the cap 105 is forced through the membrane to form a fine mist 141.

A second method for using a bottle assembly 101 comprising a bottle 120 and a cap 105 in a nebulizing system is disclosed. According to the method, the bottle 105 comprises an outlet 122 and the cap 105 comprises an inlet 142. The method, as illustrated in the flowchart of Fig. 38, can include the following steps:

Step S211, positioning the bottle 120 so that a filling aperture is above a horizontal orientation; Step S212, introducing a liquid 300 into an interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120 through the filling aperture;

Step S213, mating the outlet 122 of the bottle 120 with the inlet 142 of the cap 105 in a reversible male-female mating so as to produce a watertight seal therebetween and to place an interior compartment 183 of the cap 105 in fluid communication with an interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120;

Step S214, opening the gate 290 so as to allow evacuation of a soluble solid material 70 from the interior compartment 183 of the cup 105 into the interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120.

Step S215, rotating the mated bottle assembly 101 about a lateral axis so as to reposition the bottle outlet 122 below the horizontal orientation and cause at least some of the liquid 300 to flow from the interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120 to the interior compartment 183 of the cap 105; and

Step S216, waiting at least one minute for dissolution of the soluble solid material 70. In some embodiments, the waiting can include shaking the bottle assembly 101 for better dissolution and/or mixing.

Step S217, delivering electricity to a piezo assembly 125 comprising a mesh membrane installed in an opening 181 of the cap 105, such that liquid 300 disposed within the interior compartment 183 of the cap 105 is forced through the membrane to form a fine mist 141.

In some embodiments, the soluble solid material 70 is pre-placed in the cap 105. In some embodiments, the method can include a step, after Step S211, of introducing a soluble, solid material 70 into the inlet of the cap 105, and closing a gate 290 in the inlet so as to retain the soluble solid material 70 within the cap 105.

A third method for using a bottle assembly 101 comprising a bottle 120 and a cap 105 in a nebulizing system is disclosed. According to the method, the bottle 105 comprises an outlet 122 and the cap 105 comprises an inlet 142. The method, as illustrated in the flowchart of Fig. 39, can include the following steps:

Step S221, positioning the bottle 120 so that a filling aperture is above a horizontal orientation; Step S222, introducing a liquid 300 into an interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120 through the filling aperture;

Step S223, mating the outlet 122 of the bottle 120 with the inlet 142 of the cap 105 in a reversible male-female mating so as to produce a watertight seal therebetween and to place an interior compartment 183 of the cap 105 in fluid communication with an interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120;

Step S224, rotating the mated bottle assembly 101 about a lateral axis so as to reposition the bottle outlet 122 below the horizontal orientation and cause at least some of the liquid 300 to flow from the interior compartment 121 of the bottle 120 to the interior compartment 183 of the cap 105, wherein the rotating causes at least some of the liquid 300 to flow to the location of the soluble solid material 70 within the cap 105; and

Step S225, waiting at least one minute for dissolution of the soluble solid material 70. In some embodiments, the waiting can include shaking the bottle assembly 101 for better dissolution and/or mixing

Step S226, delivering electricity to a piezo assembly 125 comprising a mesh membrane installed in an opening 181 of the cap 105, such that liquid 300 disposed within the interior compartment 183 of the cap 105 is forced through the membrane to form a fine mist 141.

In some embodiments, the soluble solid material 70 is pre-placed in the cap 105. In some embodiments, the method can include a step, after Step S211, of introducing a soluble, solid material 70 into the inlet of the cap 105, and closing a water-permeable (e.g., porous) barrier 180 in the inlet so as to retain the soluble solid material 70 within the cap 105.

We now refer to Figs 40A, 40B and 41. A bottle system 101, e.g., a bottle similar to the bottle system 101 of Fig. 32, is inserted into a base unit 110 to form, as shown in Fig. 40B, a mist-delivery device 250. The bottle system 101 can be characterized by any of the features described hereinabove with respect to bottle assemblies and bottle systems. As shown in the schematic cutaway drawing of Fig. 41, the mist delivery device 250 is based on the concept of air entering a plenum 154 within an airflow guide 156 such that the plenum 154 is located between an air inlet 155 and an air outlet 160. The airflow guide 156 (shown in cutaway in Fig. 41) includes a top opening for the insertion of the bottle system 101 from above through the corresponding opening in the base unit 110. The opening preferably provides a snug, e.g., tight or close, fit with the bottle system 101 so as to allow most, substantially all, or all of the fan-generated airflow to exit the plenum 154 through the air outlet 160 and not, for example, through a gap between the bottle system 101 and the opening in the base unit 110.

Fig. 41 illustrates an airflow generated by the fan 175. Similar to the schematic presentation of the airflow in In Fig. 11 , the generated airflow is divided into three segments: AIR1, AIR2', and AIR3. Air (indicated by arrows AIR1 ) is drawn into the plenum 154 of the housing 250 (specifically of the airflow guide 156) through inlet opening(s) 155. The fan 175 generates a positive pressure beyond it and a negative pressure behind it so as to draw in the AIR1 segment. As indicated by the arrows AIR2 ', the airflow segment AIR2 ' circumvents the bottle system 100 transversely - as opposed to longitudinally as was the case in the example of Fig. 11 - as it flows through the airflow guide 156 and toward the air outlet 160 on the opposite side of the base unit 250 from the air inlet 155. It is noted that in the example of Fig. 11, the longitudinal circumvention of the bottle system 100 was along the entire length of the bottle system 100, while in the example of Fig. 41, the circumvention of the bottle system 101 relates only to a portion of the bottle system 101, i.e., the portion seated with the airflow guide 156 in the base unit 110. The fan-generated airflow exits the air outlet 160 as indicated by the arrows AIR3. Mist 141, comprising droplets of a liquid stored in the bottle system 101 is delivered at the mesh membrane 85 (not shown in Fig. 41) into the atmosphere. The airflow AIR3 can entrain at least a portion of the mist 141 exiting the device 250.

As illustrated in Fig. 40B, the mist-delivery device 250 can include any number of user controls, i.e., electronic and/or mechanical controls 261 for receiving user inputs, e.g., user inputs to activate (or cease activation) of the device 250. The controls 261 can include optional features such as a timer, or an intensity selector. Electrically activating the device 250 in response to a suitable user input received by the controls 261 includes electrically activating the mesh membrane 85 and the fan 175. A battery (or other portable power source) 152 is installed in the base unit 110 of the device 250 to provide power for both the fan 175 and the piezo assembly 80 (not shown) which includes the mesh membrane 85.

Referring now to Fig. 42, a user-directable tube 210 can be attached (e.g., detachable attached) to the base unit 110 of the mist-delivery device 250 at the air outlet 160. The tube can provide a user with the convenience of directing the mist 141, e.g., a mist at least partly entrained by the fan-generated airflow identified by the arrows AIR3 in Fig. 41. The directing can be in any user-selectable direction.

In embodiments, the bottle system 101 and/or the user-directable tube 210 can be provided as replaceable single-use accessories for a user of the mist-delivery device 250. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 43, one or more user-directable tubes 210 and one or more bottle systems 101 can be included in a kit 280 that optionally includes a container 285 such as, for example, sterile packaging.

We now refer to Figs. 44A, 44B and 44C. A mist-delivery device 251 comprises a base unit 111 having an air inlet 155 and an air outlet 160 defining an airflow path through a plenum 154. A powered fan 175 draws in air (indicated by the arrows marked AIR1) through the air inlet 155 and causes it to exit the base unit 110 through the air outlet 160. As can be seen in Fig. 44B, the base unit 111 also includes a power source 152, e.g., a portable battery pack. Controls 261 are provided, having the same functionalities as described for the controls 261 of Fig. 40B. A user- directable extension tube 220 is attached to the base unit 110 at the air outlet 160 so that air exiting the air outlet 160 enters the tube 220. The attachment can be of the ‘detachable-attachable’ type to enable replacement of the extension tube 220. The extension tube is equipped with a piezo assembly comprising an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane 85 (indicated, but not shown in Fig. 44C as it is obscured by the mist 141) in communication with an ‘air-aerosol outlet’ 260. The air-aerosol outlet 260 includes both a mist outlet for the mist 141 non-thermally generated by the mesh membrane 85, and an air outlet, e.g., an annular air outlet, through which the fan generated airflow exits the tube 220 (as indicated by arrows AIR3). In embodiments, the fan-generated airflow (e.g., AIR3) at least partly entrains the mist 141 exiting the air-aerosol outlet 260. The extension tube 220 includes an internal liquid-storage volume 230, shown schematically in the cutaway view of Fig. 44 A) for holding a liquid 200 in fluid communication with the mesh membrane 85 for producing a mist 141 comprising droplets of the liquid 200. In embodiments, the liquid-storage volume 230 is design and constructed so that even as the liquid leaves the compartment as an aerosol (mist 141), there is still liquid 200 in contact with the mesh membrane 85, or in contact with substantially all (e.g., at least 80%, or at least 85%, or at least 90%, or at least 95%, or at least 99%) of the surface area of the mesh membrane 85, as long as the tube 220 is directed to be at an angle (shown in Fig. 44A as QTIIBE) not greater than 75°, or not greater than 60°, or not greater than 45°, or not greater than 30°, above the horizontal (e.g., a plane parallel to a surface on which the device 251 stands), and/or as long as there is at least 10%, or at least 20%, or at least 30%, or at least 40% of the liquid 200 remaining in the compartment 230. In some embodiments, the compartment 230 includes one or more internal walls biased to keep the liquid 200 in contact with the mesh membrane 85, i.e., by decreasing the volume of the compartment 230 in response to a reduction in the weight of the residual liquid 200. In some embodiments, the compartment 230 is removable, e.g., for cleaning, filling, and/or replacing with a clean or pre-filled compartment 230. A compartment cover 221, e.g., a hinged or removable door, can be used, according to specific implementations, for directly introducing a liquid 200 to the compartment 230, or for removing and re-inserting the compartment 230 itself.

The skilled artisan will understand that either extension tube 210 (e.g., of Fig. 42) or the user-directable tube 220 of Figs. 44A-C) can be designed in a number of different ways and in the scope of the invention is not limited to any specific design.

In a non-limiting example, either tube 210, 220 might be a rigid tube , while being connected to the respective air outlets 160 with a directable joint, e.g., a ball joint, that provides the same overall flexibility in directing the tube. In another non-limiting example, either tube 210, 220 can be at least partly articulated, e.g., jointed, as shown schematically in Figs. 42 and 44A. In yet another non-limiting example, either tube 210, 220 can be constructed of a pliable material that is plastically deformable to maintain a user-selected direction. 1^st Additional Discussion

According to embodiments, a non-thermal mist-delivery device comprises (a) a replaceable bottle system comprising (i) a bottle comprising an internal liquid- storage volume for holding a liquid, (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, and (iii) a capillary pathway for conveying a portion of the liquid by capillary action from the liquid-storage volume to the mesh membrane; (b) a housing shaped to hold the replaceable bottle system therewithin, the housing comprising a fan, an air inlet and an annular air outlet, the inlet and the outlet defining an airflow path circumventing the replaceable bottle; and (c) control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid, wherein the fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet is effective to entrain a portion of the mist and thereby constrain lateral dispersion of the mist. The bottle system can additionally comprise a bottle-system-electrical-contact connected to the piezo assembly and disposed on an exposed surface of the bottle system. The bottle system can additionally comprise a base for supporting the housing. In some such embodiments, the base can comprise a pivot about which the housing can be caused to pivot through a pivot-range of at least 60°. The housing can additionally comprise an aerosol outlet. In some such embodiments, when the bottle system is stably held within the housing, the mesh membrane can face the aerosol outlet. The housing can additionally comprise a housing-electrical-contact. In some such embodiments, when the bottle system is stably held within the housing, the bottle-electric-contact can be in contact with the housing-electric-contact. The defined airflow path can pass through the fan. The mist- delivery device can additionally comprise a power supply for powering the fan and the piezo assembly. The bottle can additionally comprise a neck aperture for introducing a liquid therethrough into the liquid-storage volume at ambient pressure. The cap can comprise a fluid conveyance for introducing a liquid into the liquid- storage volume, the conveyance being configured to preclude egress of the liquid from the bottle.

In some embodiments, when the cap is secured to the bottle, a central axis of the bottle can pass through the mesh membrane. The cap can be configured to be secured to the bottle to form a liquid tight seal such that liquid can only leave the bottle via the bottle neck through the mesh. The capillary pathway can be attached to the cap such that its assembly in and/or disassembly from the bottle system is together with the cap. The bottle-electrical-contact can be disposed on an exposed surface of the cap. The portion of the mist entrained by the generated airflow can be directable by pivoting the mist-delivery device. The cap can be configured to be reversibly secured to the bottle. The securing of the cap to the bottle can create a waterproof seal between the cap and the neck aperture of the bottle. The disposition of the capillary pathway within the liquid-storage volume can be such that the mist-delivery device is effective, when the piezo assembly is electrically activated and the liquid- storage volume is at least 30% full, to deliver the mist throughout a pivot-range of at least 60°, or at least 70°. In some embodiments, when the bottle system is in an assembled state and the cap is secured to the bottle, a central axis of the bottle can pass through the mesh membrane. The housing can be caused to pivot through a pivot-range of at least 70°. The bottle can have a solid-phase biologically- active material disposed therewithin, which when dissolved or suspended in an aqueous liquid introduced into the liquid-storage volume through the fluid conveyance, is included in droplets of the delivered mist. The bottle can include a compartment for storing the biologically- active material, the compartment in fluid communication with the liquid-storage volume. The fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet can surround the mist.

According to embodiments, a non-thermal mist-delivery device comprises: (a) a replaceable bottle system comprising (i) a bottle comprising an internal liquid- storage volume for holding a liquid, (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, the cap configured to be secured to the bottle, (iii) a capillary pathway for conveying a portion of the liquid by capillary action from the liquid-storage volume to the mesh membrane; and (iv) a bottle- system-electrical-contact connected to the piezo assembly and disposed on an exposed surface of the bottle system; (b) a housing comprising a powered fan, an air inlet and an annular air outlet, an aerosol outlet, and a housing-electrical-contact, the housing shaped to stably hold the replaceable bottle system oriented therewithin such that the bottle-electric-contact is in contact with the housing-electric-contact, the mesh membrane faces the aerosol outlet, and the air inlet and annular air outlet collectively define an airflow path passing through the fan and circumventing the replaceable bottle; (c) a base for supporting the housing, the base comprising a pivot about which the housing can be caused to pivot through a pivot-range of at least 60°; and (d) control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid held in the liquid-storage volume, wherein the fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet is effective to entrain a portion of the mist and thereby constrain lateral dispersion of the mist. The mist-delivery device can additionally comprise a power supply for powering the fan and the piezo assembly. The bottle can additionally comprise a neck aperture for introducing a liquid therethrough into the liquid-storage volume at ambient pressure. The cap can comprise a fluid conveyance for introducing a liquid into the liquid-storage volume, the conveyance being configured to preclude egress of the liquid from the bottle. When the cap is secured to the bottle, a central axis of the bottle can pass through the mesh membrane. The cap can be configured to be secured to the bottle to form a liquid tight seal such that liquid can only leave the bottle via the bottle neck through the mesh. The capillary pathway can be attached to the cap such that its assembly in and/or disassembly from the bottle system is together with the cap. The bottle-electrical-contact can be disposed on an exposed surface of the cap. The portion of the mist entrained by the generated airflow can be directable by pivoting the mist-delivery device. The cap can be configured to be reversibly secured to the bottle. The securing of the cap to the bottle can create a waterproof seal between the cap and the neck aperture of the bottle. The disposition of the capillary pathway within the liquid-storage volume can be such that the mist-delivery device is effective, when the piezo assembly is electrically activated and the liquid- storage volume is at least 30% full, to deliver the mist throughout a pivot-range of at least 60°, or at least 70°. When the bottle system is in an assembled state and the cap is secured to the bottle, a central axis of the bottle can pass through the mesh membrane. The housing can be caused to pivot through a pivot-range of at least 70°. The bottle can have a solid-phase biologically-active material disposed therewithin, which when dissolved or suspended in an aqueous liquid introduced into the liquid-storage volume through the fluid conveyance, is included in droplets of the delivered mist. The bottle can include a compartment for storing the biologically-active material, the compartment in fluid communication with the liquid-storage volume. The fan- generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet can surround the mist. A bottle system can have any of the features disclosed hereinabove, in any combination.

A method of for non-thermal delivery of a mist is disclosed according to embodiments. The method comprises: (a) providing a bottle system comprising (i) a bottle having an internal liquid-storage volume, (ii) a cap secured to the bottle and comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, and (iii) a capillary pathway for conveying a liquid by capillary action from the liquid-storage volume to the mesh membrane; (b) introducing an aqueous liquid to the liquid-storage volume through a fluid conveyance configured to preclude egress of the liquid from the bottle; (c) inserting the bottle system into a plenum of a housing of a mist-delivery device, the device comprising a powered fan, an air inlet at a first end of the plenum, and an annular air outlet at a second end of the plenum, the inlet and outlet defining an airflow path circumventing the inserted bottle system; and (d) activating the device to deliver electricity from a power supply to the fan and to the piezo assembly, thereby causing the mesh membrane to non-thermally deliver a mist and causing the fan to generate an airflow, wherein the fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet surrounds the mist, and is effective to entrain a portion of the delivered mist and thereby constrain lateral dispersion of the mist. It can be that (i) a quantity of a biologically active substance is disposed, in a solid phase, within the internal liquid-storage volume of the provided bottle system, and (ii) the delivered mist comprises droplets of an admixture of the biologically active substance and the aqueous liquid. The electricity delivered from the power supply to the piezo assembly can flow through an electrical contact disposed on an external surface of the cap of the bottle system. The method can additionally comprise directing the fan-generated airflow by pivoting the mist-delivery device on a support comprising a pivot. The disposition of the capillary pathway within the liquid-storage volume is such that the mist-delivery device can be effective, when the piezo assembly is electrically activated and the liquid-storage volume is at least 30% full, to deliver the mist throughout a pivot -range of at least 60°, or at least 70°.

According to embodiments, an externally-powered bottle system for use in a non-thermal mist delivery device comprises: (a) a bottle comprising an internal liquid- storage volume; (b) a cap configured for reversible engagement with the bottle, having a smaller volume than the bottle and comprising (i) a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, and (ii) an exposed electrical contact connected to the piezo assembly for receiving electrical power from an external source to activate the piezo assembly, and (c) a capillary pathway for conveying a liquid by capillary action, wherein, when the bottle system is in an assembled state: (i) the cap is secured to the bottle so as to create a liquid-tight seal around the perimeter of the aperture and to position the electrical contact on an externally accessible surface of the assembled bottle system, and (ii) a proximal portion of the capillary pathway is restrained so as to be held in contact with an inwardly-facing surface of the mesh membrane or displaced therefrom by no more than 1 mm, and a distal portion of the capillary pathway is disposed within the liquid-storage volume, so that when a liquid is disposed in the liquid-storage volume, the capillary pathway is effective to convey a portion of the liquid to the mesh membrane for non-thermal production thereby of a mist comprising droplets of the liquid when the piezo assembly is electrically activated by delivery of electricity to the electrical contact. After the securing of the bottle system and in the absence of electricity delivery, it can be that the bottle system is water-tight when held in any orientation, and not water tight when the bottle system is shaken. The mesh membrane can comprise a sub-50- micron mesh. In some embodiments, the mesh membrane can comprise a sub-30- micron mesh. In some embodiments, the mesh membrane can comprise a sub-10- micron mesh. The distal portion of the capillary pathway can be disposed so as to be in contact with a liquid disposed in the liquid-storage volume when the liquid-storage volume is at least 30% full and the bottle system is rotated from a vertical position by up to 60°, or up to 70°.The capillary pathway can be disposed within the bottle such that a center of a proximal-most 10% portion of the capillary pathway is closer to a central axis of the bottle than a center of a distal-most 10% portion of the capillary pathway. The cap can comprise a fluid conveyance having a one-way valve, provided such that when the cap is secured to the bottle, the conveyance can be effective to allow ingress of a liquid into the bottle and to preclude egress of the liquid from the bottle. The bottle can additionally comprise a neck aperture, and the securing of the cap to the bottle can create a water-tight seal between the cap and the neck-aperture. The cap can be reversibly secured to the bottle. When the bottle system is in an assembled state and the cap is secured to the bottle, a central axis of the bottle can pass through the mesh membrane. The bottle can include a solid-phase biologicahy- active material for being dissolved or suspended in droplets of an aqueous liquid misted by the piezo assembly. The bottle can include a compartment for storing a solid-phase material, the compartment being in fluid communication with the liquid- storage volume.

2^nd Additional Discussion

According to embodiments disclosed herein, an externally-powered bottle system for use in a non-thermal mist delivery device comprises: (a) a bottle comprising an internal liquid-storage volume and a neck-aperture; (b) a cap configured for reversible engagement with the bottle, the cap having a smaller volume than the bottle and comprising (i) a piezo assembly including a a sub-50-micron-mesh ultrasonically-vibrable mesh membrane, and (ii) an exposed electrical contact connected to the piezo assembly for receiving electrical power from an external source to activate the piezo assembly; and (c) a capillary pathway for conveying a liquid by capillary action, wherein when the bottle system is in an assembled state: (i) the cap is secured to the bottle so as to position the electrical contact on an externally accessible surface of the assembled bottle system and to create a water-tight seal around the perimeter of the neck-aperture such that the bottle system is water-tight when held in any orientation, and not water-tight when the bottle system is shaken,

(ii) a proximal portion of the capillary pathway is restrained so as to be held in contact with an inwardly-facing surface of the mesh membrane or displaced therefrom by no more than 1 mm, and (iii) a distal portion of the capillary pathway is disposed within the liquid-storage volume so as to be in contact with a liquid disposed in the liquid- storage volume, such that when the liquid-storage volume is at least 30% full and the bottle system is in a vertical position or rotated from a vertical position by up to 60°, the capillary pathway is effective to convey a portion of the liquid to the mesh membrane for non-thermal production thereby of a mist comprising droplets of the liquid when the piezo assembly is electrically activated by delivery of electricity to the exposed electrical contact.

In some embodiments, the mesh membrane can comprise a sub-30-micron mesh. In some embodiments, the mesh membrane can comprise a sub- 10-micron mesh.

In some embodiments, the capillary pathway can be disposed within the bottle such that a center of a proximal-most 10% portion of the capillary pathway is closer to a central axis of the bottle than a center of a distal-most 10% portion of the capillary pathway.

In some embodiments, the cap can comprise a fluid conveyance having a one way valve, provided such that when the cap is secured to the bottle, the conveyance is effective to allow ingress of a liquid into the bottle and to preclude egress of the liquid from the bottle.

In some embodiments, when the bottle system is in an assembled state and the cap is secured to the bottle, a central axis of the bottle can pass through the mesh membrane.

In some embodiments, the bottle can include a solid-phase biologically-active material for being dissolved or suspended in droplets of an aqueous liquid misted by the piezo assembly. In some embodiments, the bottle can include a compartment for storing a solid-phase material, the compartment being in fluid communication with the liquid-storage volume.

In some embodiments, the securing of the cap to the bottle can be reversible.

In some embodiments, the neck- aperture of the bottle and an inlet portion of the cap can be correspondingly threaded such that securing the cap to the bottle can be accomplished by screwing one into the other. In some embodiments, removing the secured cap from the bottle can be accomplished without tools by applying a maximum torque of no more than 2.5 N-m.

In some embodiments, the neck- aperture of the bottle and an inlet portion of the cap can be configured to snap together so as to secure the cap to the bottle, at least one of the neck-aperture and the inlet portion including a snap-connector feature. In some embodiments, the neck-aperture of the bottle and an inlet portion of the cap, when in the assembled state, can be reversibly held together by static friction. In some embodiments, removing the secured cap from the bottle can be accomplished without tools by applying a maximum separating force of no more than 25 N.

According to embodiments disclosed herein, a non-thermal mist-delivery device, comprises: (a) a replaceable bottle system comprising (i) a bottle comprising an internal liquid-storage volume for holding a liquid and a neck aperture for introducing a liquid therethrough into the liquid-storage volume at ambient pressure, (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, the cap configured to be reversibly secured to the bottle to create a waterproof seal between the cap and the neck aperture of the bottle, (iii) a capillary pathway for conveying a portion of the liquid by capillary action from the liquid- storage volume to the mesh membrane, and (iv) a bottle-system-electrical-contact connected to the piezo assembly and disposed on an exposed surface of the bottle system; (b) a housing comprising a powered fan, an air inlet and an annular air outlet, an aerosol outlet, and a housing-electrical-contact, the housing shaped to stably hold the replaceable bottle system oriented therewithin such that the bottle-electric-contact is in contact with the housing-electric-contact and the mesh membrane faces the aerosol outlet; (c) a base for supporting the housing, the base comprising a pivot about which the housing can be caused to pivot through a pivot-range of at least 60°; (d) control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid held in the liquid-storage volume; and (e) a power supply for powering the fan and the piezo assembly, wherein when the bottle system is in an assembled state: (i) the cap is secured to the bottle so as to create a water-tight seal around the perimeter of the neck-aperture such that the bottle system is water-tight when held in any orientation, and not water-tight when the bottle system is shaken, (ii) a proximal portion of the capillary pathway is restrained so as to be held in contact with an inwardly-facing surface of the mesh membrane or displaced therefrom by no more than 1 mm, and (iii) a distal portion of the capillary pathway is disposed within the liquid-storage volume so as to be in contact with a liquid disposed in the liquid-storage volume, such that when the liquid-storage volume is at least 30% full and the bottle system is in a vertical position or rotated from a vertical position by up to 60°, the capillary pathway is effective to convey a portion of the liquid to the mesh membrane for non-thermal production thereby of a mist comprising droplets of the liquid when the piezo assembly is electrically activated by delivery of electricity to the exposed electrical contact.

In some embodiments, the cap can comprise a fluid conveyance for introducing a liquid into the liquid-storage volume, the conveyance being configured to preclude egress of the liquid from the bottle. In some embodiments, the capillary pathway can be attached to the cap such that its assembly in and/or disassembly from the bottle system is together with the cap. In some embodiments, when the bottle system is in an assembled state and the cap is secured to the bottle, a central axis of the bottle can pass through the mesh membrane. In some embodiments, the air inlet and annular air outlet can collectively define an airflow path passing through the fan and circumventing the replaceable bottle. In some embodiments, the fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet can be effective to entrain a portion of the mist and thereby constrain lateral dispersion of the mist.

In some embodiments, the portion of the mist entrained by the generated airflow can be directable by pivoting the mist-delivery device.

In some embodiments, the fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet can surround the mist.

According to embodiments disclosed herein, a bottle system can have any or all of the features disclosed hereinabove in any combination.

A method is disclosed, according to embodiments, for non-thermal delivery of a mist. The method comprises: (a) providing a bottle system comprising (i) a bottle having an internal liquid- storage volume for holding a liquid, (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including a sub-50-micron ultrasonically-vibrable mesh membrane, and (iii) a capillary pathway for conveying a liquid by capillary action from the liquid-storage volume to the mesh membrane; (b) introducing an aqueous liquid to the liquid-storage volume, at ambient pressure, through a neck-aperture of the bottle; (c) securing the cap to the bottle to create a water-tight seal between the cap and the neck aperture of the bottle such that the bottle system is water-tight when held in any orientation, and not water-tight when the bottle system is shaken; (d) inserting the bottle system into a plenum of a housing of a mist-delivery device, the mist-delivery device comprising (i) a powered fan, (ii) a power supply for powering the fan and the piezo assembly, (iii) a base for supporting the housing, the base comprising a pivot about which the housing can be caused to pivot through a pivot-range of at least 60°, (iv) control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input; (e) activating the device to deliver electricity from a power supply to the fan and to the piezo assembly, thereby causing the mesh membrane to non-thermally deliver a mist and causing the fan to generate an airflow, and (f) directing the fan-generated airflow by pivoting the mist-delivery device on a support comprising a pivot, wherein the bottle system is inserted in the housing in an assembled state such that: (i) a proximal portion of the capillary pathway is restrained so as to be held in contact with an inwardly-facing surface of the mesh membrane or displaced therefrom by no more than 1 mm, and (ii) a distal portion of the capillary pathway is disposed within the liquid-storage volume so as to be in contact with a liquid disposed in the liquid-storage volume, such that when the liquid-storage volume is at least 30% full and the bottle system is in a vertical position or rotated from a vertical position by up to 60°, the capillary pathway is effective to convey a portion of the liquid to the mesh membrane for non-thermal production thereby of a mist comprising droplets of the liquid when the piezo assembly is electrically activated.

In some embodiments, the neck- aperture of the bottle and an inlet portion of the cap can be correspondingly threaded such that securing the cap to the bottle can be accomplished by screwing one into the other. In some embodiments, the neck- aperture of the bottle and an inlet portion of the cap can be configured to snap together so as to secure the cap to the bottle, at least one of the neck-aperture and the inlet portion including a snap-connector feature. In some embodiments, the neck- aperture of the bottle and an inlet portion of the cap, when in the assembled state, can be reversibly held together by static friction. In some embodiments, the electricity delivered from the power supply to the piezo assembly can flow through an electrical contact disposed on an external surface of the cap of the bottle system.

In some embodiments, the housing can comprise an air inlet at a first end of the plenum, and an annular air outlet at a second end of the plenum, the inlet and outlet defining an airflow path circumventing the inserted bottle system. In some embodiments, the fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet surrounds the mist can entrain a portion of the delivered mist and thereby constrains lateral dispersion of the mist. In some embodiments, the method can additionally comprise: pivoting the mist-delivery device to direct the portion of the mist entrained by the generated airflow.

According to embodiments disclosed herein, a non-thermal mist-delivery device comprises: (a) a replaceable bottle system comprising (i) a bottle comprising an internal liquid-storage volume for holding a liquid, and (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, (b) a housing shaped to hold the replaceable bottle system therewithin, the housing comprising a fan, an air inlet and an annular air outlet, the inlet and the outlet defining an airflow path circumventing the replaceable bottle; and (c) control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid.

In some embodiments, the cap can be configured to be secured to the bottle.

In some embodiments, the mist-delivery device can additionally comprise a power supply for powering the fan and the piezo assembly.

In some embodiments, the replaceable bottle system can additionally comprise a capillary pathway for conveying a portion of the liquid by capillary action from the liquid-storage volume to the mesh membrane.

In some embodiments, the fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet can be effective to entrain a portion of the mist and thereby constrain lateral dispersion of the mist. In some embodiments, the replaceable bottle system can additionally comprise a bottle-system-electrical-contact connected to the piezo assembly and disposed on an exposed surface of the bottle system.

In some embodiments, the housing can additionally comprise a housing- electrical-contact, and the housing is shaped to stably hold the replaceable bottle system oriented therewithin such that the bottle-electric-contact is in contact with the housing-electric-contact and the mesh membrane faces the aerosol outlet.

In some embodiments, the mist-delivery device can additionally comprise a base for supporting the housing, the base comprising a pivot about which the housing can be caused to pivot through a pivot-range of at least 60°.

In some embodiments, the mist-delivery device can additionally comprise control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid held in the liquid-storage volume.

According to embodiments, a bottle assembly for use in a nebulizing system, the assembly comprises: (a) a bottle including an outlet therefrom; and (b) a cap including an inlet thereto and an onboard piezo assembly comprising a sub-20-micron meshed membrane having an inward-facing surface in fluid communication with an interior compartment of the cap, so that when electric power is delivered to the piezo assembly, a liquid disposed within the interior compartment of the cap is forced through the membrane to form a mist, wherein the bottle assembly has a mated state and an unmated state, and, in the mated state, the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the cap are reversibly male-female mated so as to produce a watertight seal therebetween and so as to place the interior compartment of the cap in fluid communication with an interior compartment of the bottle. In some embodiments, bottle assembly can have, in the mated state, a liquid flow-path from the interior compartment of the bottle to the meshed membrane via the interior compartment of the cap.

In some embodiments, it can be that wherein (i) the outlet of the bottle is male and the inlet of the cap is female, (ii) a width of an outward-facing surface of the outlet of the bottle matches a width of an inward-facing surface of the inlet of the cap, and (iii) in the mated state, at least a 5 mm length of the outlet of the bottle is surrounded by the inlet of the cap. In some embodiments, it can be that (i) the outlet of the bottle is female and the inlet of the cap is male, (ii) a width of an inward-facing surface of the outlet of the bottle matches a width of an outward-facing surface of the inlet of the cap, and (iii) in the mated state, at least a 5 mm length of the inlet of the cap is surrounded by the outlet of the bottle.

In some embodiments, the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the cap can be correspondingly threaded such that mating of the bottle and the cap can be accomplished by screwing one into the other. In some such embodiments, unmating of the bottle and the cap can be accomplished without tools by applying a maximum torque of no more than 2.5 N-m.

In some embodiments, the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the cap can be configured to snap together so as to reversibly mate the bottle and the cap. In some such embodiments, at least one of the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the cap can include a snap-connector feature.

In some embodiments, the outlet of the bottle and inlet of the cap, when in a mated state, can be reversibly held together by static friction. In some such embodiments, unmating of the bottle and the cap can be accomplished without tools by applying a maximum separating force of no more than 25 N.

In some embodiments, the cap can include, on an outer surface, a mechanical control for opening and closing the inlet of the cap to the flow of a liquid.

In some embodiments, the interior compartment of the bottle can have a greater volume than that of the interior compartment of the cap. In some such embodiments, the interior compartment of the bottle can have a volume at least 3 times that of the interior compartment of the cap.

In some embodiments, it can be that respective centerlines of the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the bottle cap align for mating along a longitudinal vector, and the mist is formed at the membrane with an exit trajectory having a centerline that is orthogonal to the longitudinal vector or within 30° of orthogonal thereto.

In some embodiments, at least one of the bottle and the cap can include a guiding feature for assisting with the mating. In some such embodiments, the guiding feature can be located on an outer surface of the respective one of the bottle and the cap. In some such embodiments, the guiding feature can be located on a respective one of the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the cap.

In some embodiments, wherein the interior compartment of the cap can have a volume of at least 2 cc.

In some embodiments, the outlet of the bottle can be the only aperture of the bottle.

In some embodiments, the bottle assembly can be configured to be rotated about a lateral axis while in the mated state before entering a misting-operating mode, wherein: (i) the rotating is after the bottle is mated with the cap, the mating taking place with a liquid disposed in the interior compartment of the bottle, and (ii) the rotating is effective to raise at least part of the bottle to be higher than all of the cap and to cause at least some of the liquid to flow from the bottle into the cap.

In some embodiments, it can be that when in the mated state and in a misting- operating mode, all of the bottle is higher than all of the cap except in an overlapping portion of the outlet of the bottle with the inlet of the cap. In some embodiments, it can be that (i) the inlet of the cap additionally comprises a user-moveable gate having a closed position and an open position, and (ii) the open position allows introduction of a soluble solid material into the inlet in the unmated state and the evacuation of the soluble solid material into the bottle in the mated state. In some such embodiments, it can be that (i) the inlet of the cap additionally comprises a porous barrier effective to retain, within the cap, a soluble solid material disposed within, at least in the unmated state, and (ii) in the mated state, the rotating is effective to cause at least some of the liquid to flow from the bottle through the barrier and to the location of the soluble solid material within the cap. In some such embodiments, it can be that the soluble solid material includes a capsule and/or a tablet.

A method is disclosed, according to embodiments, for using a bottle assembly comprising a bottle and a cap in a nebulizing system, where the bottle comprises an outlet and the cap comprises an inlet. The method comprises: (a) positioning the bottle so that a filling aperture is above a horizontal orientation; (b) introducing a liquid into an interior compartment of the bottle through the filling aperture; (c) mating the outlet of the bottle with the inlet of the cap in a reversible male-female mating so as to produce a watertight seal therebetween and to place an interior compartment of the cap in fluid communication with an interior compartment of the bottle; (d) rotating the mated bottle assembly about a lateral axis so as to reposition the bottle outlet below the horizontal orientation and cause at least some of the liquid to flow from the interior compartment of the bottle to the interior compartment of the cap; and (e) delivering electricity to a piezo assembly comprising a mesh membrane installed in an opening of the cap, such that liquid disposed within the interior compartment of the cap is forced through the membrane to form a fine mist.

In some embodiments, the method can additionally comprise: (a) before the mating, (i) introducing a soluble, solid material into the inlet of the cap, and (ii) closing a gate in the inlet so as to retain the solid material within the cap, and (b) after the mating and before the rotating, opening the gate so as to allow evacuation of the solid material into the interior compartment of the bottle. In some embodiments, the method can additionally comprise before the mating: (i) introducing a soluble, solid material into the inlet of the cap, and (ii) closing a porous, i.e., water-permeable, barrier in the inlet so as to retain the solid material within the cap, wherein the rotating causes at least some of the liquid to flow to the location of the soluble solid material within the cap. In some embodiments, the method can additionally comprise, after the rotating and before the delivering of electricity: waiting at least one minute for dissolution of the soluble solid material. In some such embodiments, the waiting can include shaking the bottle assembly.

The terms ‘aerosol’ and ‘mist’ as used herein are synonymous and are used to describe a suspension of liquid droplets in air. The term ‘facemask’ as used herein and in the appended claims means a device sized and shaped for covering the nose and mouth of a user. In some embodiments, a facemask can be formed to create at least a partial seal with at least a portion of the user’s face when held against the user’s face, e.g., a temporary or ad hoc seal. A facemask can include elements for enabling a user to ‘wear’ the facemask in a hands free manner, such as head-straps, ear-straps or earpieces similar to those used for eyeglasses. A “facemask nebulizer” as used herein is a mask device comprising, and/or having coupled thereto, components of a nebulizing system including a piezo assembly comprising a mesh membrane.

The term “user-facing” as used herein and in the appended claims means the direction towards a user’s face when wearing the facemask in a normal mode of use. The term “outward-facing” means a direction that is away from the user wearing the facemask. A facemask can thus have a user-facing major surface and an outward-facing major surface. Since the user occupies a volume greater than a single point in three- dimensional space, for any point on the user-facing major surface there is an array of user-facing directions. Similarly, for any point on the outward-facing major surface there is an array of outward-facing directions.

Referring now to the figures, and in particular to Fig. 45, an exemplary mask device 1100 comprises a mask body 1050 formed to receive at least a portion of a user’s face 1091. In embodiments, the mask body 1050, when held in place to be in contact with the user’s face 1091, is formed to cover the user’s mouth and nose (not shown because they are obscured by the mask body 1050) but not to cover the user’s eyes 1093. The mask body 1050 of Fig. 45 is configured to have attached thereto a head- strap 1114, and in other examples the head-strap can be replaced by other arrangements for holding the facemask in place, such as ear-straps or earpieces. In still other examples, the mask body can be handheld during use. The mask device 1100 further includes a piezo assembly 1180 that includes an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane 1185. The mesh membrane 1185 can comprise a sub-50 micron mesh, or a sub-40 micron mesh, or a sub-30 micron mesh, or a sub-20 micron mesh, or a sub-10 micron mesh. The mesh membrane 1185 is the location at which an aerosol is generated/produced. In some embodiments (not shown) the distal portion can include an aerosol outlet displaced distally from the mesh membrane 1185, where the aerosol exits the device 1100 via such an aerosol outlet, for example for bringing the aerosol closer to the user’s mouth. The mesh membrane 1185, when electrically activated, generates a mist comprising droplets of a liquid brought in contact with the ‘reverse’ side of the mesh membrane, i.e., the side facing away from the user 1090, the outward facing side. A container 1110 is provided, for holding a liquid 1120 such that the liquid (when present) is in contact with the mesh membrane 1185. The container 1110 can include an inlet with cover 1132.

The mesh membrane is powered by a portable power supply 1125, which can include a battery or other power source. An electronic array 1126 includes electronic circuitry for activating the mesh membrane 1185, for example in response to an inhalation-detector sensor state of an inhalation detector included in the electronic array 1126. In embodiments, the inhalation-detection sensor of the electronic array 1126 is aligned with a one-way, breath-activated inhalation-airflow valve 1128IN which enables a unidirectional flow of air from outside the mask body to the inner volume of the mask. As shown in Fig. 45, the mask body 1050 can also include a one-way, breath-activated exhalation-airflow valve 1128EX which enables a unidirectional flow of air from the inner volume of the mask to outside the mask. In other embodiments, the mask-body itself can be at least partially air-permeable without directional restrictions, and the inhalation-detection sensor can be disposed anywhere on the mask body 1050.

According to some embodiments, the piezo assembly 1180, the electronic array 1126, the power supply 1125, and the container 1110 are all coupled to the mask body 1050. In a non-limiting example, the container 1110 comprises a refillable compartment affixed to or installed in or on the mask body 1050. In another example, the container is detachably attachable to the mask body 1050, or, equivalently, attachably detachable from the mask body 1050. As shown in Fig. 45, any or all of the foregoing components can be coupled to an outward-facing major surface 1056. In other examples, the components can be coupled to an inward-facing, i.e., user-facing major surface (not shown in Fig. 45). In still other examples, the components can be installed within respective volumes of the mask body 1050 and not coupled necessarily to one major surface or the other, although the components can be accessible from one or both major surfaces. In yet other examples, any individual one of the components can be coupled to the mask body 1050 on the user-facing surface, coupled to the mask body 1050 on the outward-facing surface, or installed within a volume of the mask body 1050. Fig. 46 shows a schematic side view of mask device 1100 with features similar to those of the mask device 1100 of Fig. 45. A method for delivering a mist to a user by operation of the mask device is represented as follows: A mask device 1100 according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein is provided and positioning the mask device to be in contact with a portion of the user’s face 1091. When the user 1090 inhales, air is caused air to enter the mask through one-way valve 1128IN, as indicated by arrow 1101. The one-way valve can be a simple mechanical valve, in which case being ‘breath-activated’ means that the valve is arranged to pass air through in the direction of the breath - the inhalation in the case of one-way valve 1128IN and the exhalation in the case of one-way valve 1128EX. In response to a change in the sensor state, e.g., upon a detection of an inhalation, the inhalation-detection sensor of the electronic array 1126, e.g., comprising a flow detector or a pressure sensor, is arranged to electrically activate the piezo assembly 1180 so as to cause the ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane 1185 to generate a mist 1141 from the liquid 1110. In embodiments in which the mask body 1050 comprises an air-permeable material, the one-way valves 1128 may be optional, and the inhalation-detection sensor is still effective to detect the inhalation. The electronic array 1126 can be configured, e.g., programmed to end the mist production, for example after a pre-set length of time, or when an inhalation-detection sensor state changes from ‘inhalation detected’ to ‘no inhalation detected’. Before the next inhalation cycle, an exhalation by the user 1090 causes air (including exhaled air) to pass outwardly through the one-way exhalation valve 1128EX as indicated by airflow arrow 1102.

According to embodiments, a mask body 1050 comprises two major surfaces: a first surface 1057 that defines an array of user-facing directions, where the array comprises local arrays of user-facing directions at each point on the first-surface 1057, and a second surface 1056 that defines an array of outward-facing directions, where the array comprises local arrays of outward-facing directions at each point on the second surface 1056.

We now refer to Figs. 47 and 48. Fig. 47 is a schematic top view of a mask device 1100 according to embodiments, worn by a user 1090. A plurality of points 1051 on the first surface 57 are shown. For each first-surface point 1051, e.g., 1051A, 1051B and 1051c, a corresponding local array is shown in two dimensions (out of three actual dimensions), respectively U_A, UB and Uc, of user-facing directions. User-facing directions can be directions from any given point 1051 on the first surface 1057 to any part of the user’s face 1091. It will be appreciated that array resulting from combining all of the local arrays U defines the sum total of user-facing directions at the first surface 1057 of a mask body. Similarly, for each second-surface point 1052, e.g., 1052A and 1052B, a corresponding local array is shown in two dimensions (out of three actual dimensions), respectively OA and OB, of outward-facing directions. Outward-facing directions can be directions from any given point 1052 on the second surface 1056 to the space beyond the mask body, i.e., that directions that intercept neither the mask device 1100 nor any part of the user’s face 1091. It will be appreciated that array resulting from combining all of the local arrays O defines the sum total of outward facing directions at the second surface 1056 of a mask body.

It can be understood from Fig. 48 that generation of a mist 1141 at the mesh membrane 1185 is in a user-facing direction, or, more precisely, in an array of user facing directions, into what can be seen in Fig. 48 as an ‘inner volume’ 1510 of the mask, bounded by the first surface 1057. The inner volume 1510, shown as a two- dimensional cutaway of a three-dimensional space, receives at least a portion of a user’s face 1091 in a normal use configuration. Every user-facing direction of a first-surface point 1051 is directed towards the inner volume 1510. According to embodiments, the piezo assembly 1180, electronic array 1126, power supply 1125, and liquid container 1110 are all coupled to the mask body 1050 in such a way that the center of mass of the mask device 1100 is within the inner volume 1510. The inventors have discovered that providing a mask device, e.g., a facemask with a built-in or installed-therein nebulizing device having a center of mass within the inner volume - for all fill states of the liquid compartment/container 1110 offers substantial improvements in usability and wearability of the mask device, and in effectiveness of the nebulizing function. Specifically, the center of mass is displaced from the mask body 1050 in a user-facing direction, in the range 1505 labeled ‘CENTER OF MASS - RANGE’ in Fig. 48 as an approximate two-dimensional cutaway of the three-dimensional space of the range 1505, which occupies a portion of the inner volume 1510.

Figs. 49-51 illustrate several views of another mask device 1100 according to embodiments. Fig. 49 is a user-facing perspective view of a mask device 1100 having a face seal 1055 for creating at least a partial seal, e.g., a temporary or ad hoc seal, between the mask body 1050 and portions of the user’s face 1091. Ear straps 1114 for holding the facemask in place on the user’s face 1091 are ‘built in’ as part of the functional and aesthetic design. The mesh membrane 185 is disposed at, on, recessed from, or flush with, the first surface 1057. The battery 1125 and the liquid container 1110 are shown in dotted lines to indicate, schematically, their respective positions on opposite sides of the mesh membrane 1185, which, inter alia, serves to balance the mask device 1100 and retain the center of mass within the inner volume. The dotted lines indicate that, in some embodiments, either one or both of the battery 1125 and the liquid container 1110 can be coupled to and be accessible from the first surface 1057. In other embodiments, both are coupled to and accessible from the second surface 1056 (as was illustrated in Figs. 45 and 46), and the dotted lines merely indicate the approximate positions. The A-A view of the same mask device 1100, shown in Fig. 50, discloses that the battery 1125 and the liquid container 1110 in this example are coupled to, e.g., attached to or installed in, the mask body 1050 within the thickness of the mask body 1050 to be substantially flush with both the first and second surfaces 1057, 1056. The tube 1111 conveying liquid 1120 from the container 1110 to the mesh membrane 1185 is also installed within the mask body, as are the electrical connections 1123, 1124 (shown in Fig. 49 but not in Fig. 50). Fig. 50 illustrates a ‘CENTER OF MASS - RANGE’ 1505 in the form of a curve. The skilled artisan will understand that the center of mass of the mask device 1100 will shift as the liquid container 1110 is drained by usage or refilled. In the example of Fig. 50, the center of mass is be displaced from both the mesh membrane 1185 and the compartment/container 1110 in respective user facing directions, when the container 1110 is full. The center of mass can then shift to the right along the illustrated range 1505 as the contents of the container 1110 are drained, and can reach a point to the right of the mesh membrane 1185.

In the outward-facing perspective view of the mask device 1100 in Fig. 51, the battery 1125 and the liquid container 1110 are attached or installed within recesses in the mask body 1050 accessible from the second surface 1056 and are flush with - or nearly flush with, e.g., within 1 mm, 2mm or 3mm - the second surface 1056. In some embodiments, at least a portion of at least one of the power supply 1125 and the compartment 1110 is displaced from the first major surface 1057 of the mask body 1050 in a user-facing direction. In some embodiments, at least a portion of at least one of the power supply 1125 and the compartment 1110 is displaced from the second major surface 1056 of the mask body 1050 in an outward-facing direction. Fig. 52 shows a non-limiting example of a cover 1200 for covering the outwards-facing second surface 1056 of the mask body 1050, inter alia, to aesthetically obscure the various components visible on the second surface 1056, e.g., the battery 1225 and the liquid container 1110 . In some embodiments, the cover 1200 is effective to retain the components in place. In the non-limiting example of Fig. 52, holes 1138 can be provided to permit free flows of air through airflow valves 1128. In another example, an inlet connection (not shown) to the liquid container 1110 can be provided through the mask. The skilled artisan will understand that a similar cover can be provided - additionally or alternatively - to obscure the user-facing first surface 1057, with similar holes provided to correspond to the airflow valves 1128 and the mesh membrane 1185.

The present invention has been described using detailed descriptions of embodiments thereof that are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The described embodiments comprise different features, not all of which are required in all embodiments of the invention. Some embodiments of the present invention utilize only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. Variations of embodiments of the present invention that are described and embodiments of the present invention comprising different combinations of features noted in the described embodiments will occur to persons skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

In the description and claims of the present disclosure, each of the verbs, "comprise", "include" and "have", and conjugates thereof, are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of members, components, elements or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb. As used herein, the singular form "a", "an" and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term "a marking" or "at least one marking" may include a plurality of markings.

Claims

1. A mask device comprising a. a mask body formed to receive at least a portion of a user’s face, the mask body comprising a first major surface defining a respective array of user-facing directions and a second major surface defining a respective array of outward-facing directions; b. an electrically-activatable piezo assembly including an ultrasonically- vibrable mesh membrane effective to generate, in a user-facing direction, a mist comprising droplets of a liquid placed in contact with an outward-facing surface of the mesh membrane; c. an electronic array including a sensor for detecting an inhalation of a user, and circuitry for electrically activating the piezo assembly in response to an inhalation-detection sensor state; d. an onboard portable power supply; and e. an attachment arrangement for holding the mask in contact with the user’s face, the piezo assembly, the electronic array, the power supply and a compartment for storing the liquid all being coupled to the mask body and arranged such that, for all fill-states of the compartment, a center of mass of the mask device is displaced from the mask body in a user-facing direction.

2. The mask device of claim 1, additionally comprising the compartment.

3. The mask device of either one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the compartment is attachably detachable from the mask body.

4. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein, for all fill-states of the compartment, the center of mass of the mask device is displaced from the mesh membrane in a user-facing direction.

5. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein, for all fill-states of the compartment, the center of mass of the mask device is displaced from the mesh membrane in a user-facing direction and displaced from the compartment in a user-facing direction.

6. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein, for all fill-states of the compartment, the mesh membrane is arranged to generate a portion of the mist towards the center of mass of the mask device.

7. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein the mask body comprises a breath-operated air-inlet valve.

8. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein the mask body comprises a breath-operated air-outlet valve.

9. The mask device of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mask body comprises an air-permeable section.

10. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the power supply and the compartment is displaced from the first major surface of the mask body in a user-facing direction.

11. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein the mask body comprises a covering arranged to at least partly cover at least one of the power supply and the compartment.

12. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein the mask body comprises a covering arranged to at least partly cover a portion of the second major surface.

13. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein the compartment is formed to have a liquid-storing volume of at least 1 cc and no more than 100 cc.

14. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein the mask body comprises a mechanical arrangement for positioning the mask device to be in contact with a portion of a user’s face.

15. The mask device of any preceding claim, wherein the mask body is formed to cover, when in contact with the user’s face, the mouth and nose of the user but not the eyes.

16. A method for delivering a mist to a user, comprising: a. providing a mask device according to any one of the preceding claims; b. positioning the mask device to be in contact with a portion of the user’s face; and c. generating the mist in the user-facing direction by electrically activating the piezo assembly in response to an inhalation-detection sensor state.

17. A non-thermal mist-delivery device, comprising: a. a replaceable bottle system comprising (i) a bottle comprising an internal liquid-storage volume for holding a liquid, and (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, b. a housing shaped to hold therewithin a distal portion of the replaceable bottle system, the distal portion including at least a piezo-assembly- comprising portion of the cap, the housing comprising a fan, an air inlet and an annular air outlet, wherein the inlet and the outlet define an airflow path transversely circumventing the held-therewithin portion of the replaceable bottle system; and c. control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the airflow path is formed to constrain all of the generated airflow to exit the housing via the annular air outlet.

19. The device of either one of claims 17 or 18, additionally comprising an outlet tube, detachably attachable to the housing, for directing at least an airflow- entrained portion of the mist exiting the annular air outlet in a user-selectable direction.

20. The device of any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the cap additionally includes electrical lead wires for delivering electric power to the onboard piezo assembly.

21. The device of any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the bottle system has a mated state and an unmated state, and, in the mated state, an outlet of the bottle and an inlet of the cap are reversibly male-female mated so as to produce a watertight seal therebetween and so as to place an interior compartment of the cap in fluid communication with the liquid-storage volume of the bottle.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the liquid-storage volume of the bottle has a greater volume than that of the interior compartment of the cap.

23. The device of either one of claims 21 or 22, wherein the liquid-storage volume of the bottle has a volume at least 3 times that of the interior compartment of the cap.

24. The device of any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein respective centerlines of the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the bottle cap align for mating along a longitudinal vector, and the mist is formed at the membrane with an exit trajectory having a centerline that is orthogonal to the longitudinal vector or within 30° of orthogonal thereto.

25. The device of any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein the bottle system is configured to be rotated about a lateral axis while in the mated state before entering a misting-operating mode, wherein, the rotating being after the bottle is mated with the cap, the mating taking place with a liquid disposed in the interior compartment of the bottle.

26. The device of any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein when in the mated state and in a misting-operating mode while seated within the housing, all of the bottle is higher than all of the cap except in an overlapping portion of the outlet of the bottle with the inlet of the cap.

27. The device of any one of claims 17 to 26, wherein the cap comprises an activation interface for receiving an activation signal from the housing in response to a user input.

28. A non-thermal mist-delivery device, comprising: a. a replaceable bottle system comprising (i) a bottle comprising an internal liquid-storage volume for holding a liquid, and (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, b. a housing shaped to hold therewithin a distal portion of the replaceable bottle system, the distal portion including at least a piezo-assembly- comprising portion of the cap, the housing comprising a fan, an air inlet and an annular air outlet, wherein the inlet and the outlet define an airflow path circumventing the held-therewithin portion of the replaceable bottle system; c. control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid, the fan-generated airflow exiting the annular air outlet being effective to entrain a portion of the mist; and d. an outlet tube, detachably attachable to the housing, for directing at least the airflow-entrained portion of the mist exiting the annular air outlet.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the directing is in a user-selectable direction.

30. A kit comprising at least one replaceable bottle system in accordance with claim

28 and at least one outlet tube in accordance with claim 28.

31. The device of any one of claims 28 to 30, wherein the cap additionally includes electrical lead wires for delivering electric power to the onboard piezo assembly.

32. The device of any one of claims 28 to 31, wherein the bottle system has a mated state and an unmated state, and, in the mated state, an outlet of the bottle and an inlet of the cap are reversibly male-female mated so as to produce a watertight seal therebetween and so as to place an interior compartment of the cap in fluid communication with the liquid-storage volume of the bottle.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the liquid-storage volume of the bottle has a greater volume than that of the interior compartment of the cap.

34. The device of either one of claims 32 or 33, wherein the liquid-storage volume of the bottle has a volume at least 3 times that of the interior compartment of the cap.

35. The device of any one of claims 32 to 34, wherein respective centerlines of the outlet of the bottle and the inlet of the bottle cap align for mating along a longitudinal vector, and the mist is formed at the membrane with an exit trajectory having a centerline that is orthogonal to the longitudinal vector or within 30° of orthogonal thereto.

36. The device of any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein the bottle system is configured to be rotated about a lateral axis while in the mated state before entering a misting-operating mode, wherein, the rotating being after the bottle is mated with the cap, the mating taking place with a liquid disposed in the interior compartment of the bottle.

37. The device of any one of claims 32 to 36, wherein when in the mated state and in a misting-operating mode while seated within the housing, all of the bottle is higher than all of the cap except in an overlapping portion of the outlet of the bottle with the inlet of the cap.

38. The device of any one of claims 28 to 37, wherein the cap comprises an activation interface for receiving an activation signal from the housing in response to a user input.

39. A non-thermal mist-delivery device, comprising: a. a base unit comprising opposing openings defining therebetween an airflow path, a fan disposed in the airflow path for generating an airflow therethrough, a portable power source, and control circuitry operative to electrically activate the device in response to a user input; and b. a user-directable tube connected at its proximal end to the air outlet of the base unit to be in fluid communication with the airflow path, and comprising, in a distal portion: (i) an internal liquid-storage volume for holding a liquid, (ii) an air-aerosol outlet, and (iii) a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane effective to non- thermally deliver, via the air-aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid, the fan-generated airflow exiting the air-aerosol outlet being effective to entrain a portion of the mist.

40. The device of claim 39, wherein the user-directable tube is directable in a user- selectable direction.

41. The device of either one of claims 39 or 40, wherein the user-directable tube includes, on a surface thereof, an opening for introducing the liquid to the internal liquid-storage volume.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the introducing includes introducing a container holding the liquid.

43. The device of claim 41, wherein the introducing includes introducing the liquid directly into the internal liquid-storage volume.

44. The device of any one of claims 39 to 43, wherein the internal liquid-storage volume is formed to ensure that substantially all of the mesh membrane is in liquid communication with the liquid in the internal liquid-storage volume when the internal liquid- storage volume is at least 20% full.