Nozzle arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a nozzle arrangement for atomizing a fluid flow, which is supplied under pressure, into fine particles, which has: a conical element with an upper surface, a lower surface and an outer surface which is adjacent to the upper and the lower surface, wherein the outer surface has a multiplicity of grooves which are formed therein and extend between the lower surface and the upper surface; and a counter element which is provided with a recess and is designed to receive the conical element and which has an inner surface such that the grooves are at least partially covered by the inner surface in order to form a multiplicity of channels; wherein the channels define outputs in order to let out a respective fluid jet which strikes against at least one other fluid jet in a region spaced apart from the upper surface of the conical element in order thus to atomize the fluid flow, and wherein the conical element is movable along the axis in order to increase or to reduce the effective cross section of the nozzle arrangement.

Claims

1. A nozzle arrangement for an inhaler for administering a medicament by inhalation for atomizing a fluid flow, the nozzle arrangement being designed for atomizing a fluid flow, which is supplied under pressure, into fine particles, comprising: a conical element with an upper surface, a lower surface and an outer surface which is adjacent to the upper and the lower surface, wherein the outer surface has a multiplicity of grooves extending between the lower surface and the upper surface; and a counter element which is provided with a recess and is designed to receive the conical element, the recess of the counter element having an inner surface such that the multiplicity of grooves are at least partially covered by the inner surface in order to form a multiplicity of channels; wherein the multiplicity of channels define outputs in the upper surface in order to let out a respective fluid jet which strikes against at least one other fluid jet in a region spaced apart from the upper surface of the conical element in order thus to atomize the fluid flow in the form of a cloud, wherein the conical element is moveable along an axis defined for the conical element by tensioning or releasing the tension of a spring mechanism, in order to increase or to reduce an effective cross section of the nozzle arrangement, wherein the multiplicity of grooves are radially aligned along the conical element and form at least one pair of diametrically opposed channels oriented to converge in order to atomize the fluid flow.

2. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position of the conical element within the recess of the counter element is adjustable depending on the viscosity of the fluid.

3. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler as claimed in claim 2, wherein the axis is an axis of rotational symmetry, and in that the position of the conical element is adjusted by rotation of the conical element or of the counter element.

4. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the channel outputs are designed in such a manner that there is more than one impact point of the fluid jets in the region spaced apart from the upper surface of the conical element.

5. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conical element is temporarily removable from the counter element.

6. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler as claimed in claim 1, wherein a central passage is provided in the conical element.

7. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conical and/or the counter element is produced by plastics molding techniques being used.

8. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler of claim 1, wherein at least one of the multiplicity of channels has a cross section which differs from a cross section of at least a further one of the multiplicity of channels.

9. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cross section of at least one of the multiplicity of channels decreases from the lower surface towards the upper surface.

10. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler of claim 1, wherein the conical element is moved by the spring mechanism.

11. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler of claim 10, wherein the spring mechanism is a spring.

12. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler of claim 10, wherein the conical element is moved by pressure being applied against the spring mechanism.

13. The nozzle arrangement for an inhaler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cloud has a circular or oval shape.

14. A nozzle arrangement for an inhaler for administering a medicament by inhalation for atomizing a fluid flow, the nozzle arrangement being designed for atomizing a fluid flow, which is supplied under pressure, into fine particles, comprising: a conical element with an upper surface, a lower surface and an outer surface which is adjacent to the upper and the lower surface, wherein the outer surface has a multiplicity of grooves extending between the lower surface and the upper surface; and a counter element which is provided with a recess and is designed to receive the conical element, the recess of the counter element having an inner surface such that the multiplicity of grooves are at least partially covered by the inner surface in order to form a multiplicity of channels; wherein the multiplicity of channels define outputs in the upper surface in order to let out a respective fluid jet which strikes against at least one other fluid jet in a region spaced apart from the upper surface of the conical element in order thus to atomize the fluid flow, wherein an axis is defined for the conical element, and the conical element is configured so that a driving pressure can push the conical element into the recess of the counter element, and upon removal of the driving pressure the conical element moves along its axis out of the recess of the counter element so that an effective cross section of the nozzle is increased by means of a gap between the conical element and the counter element, wherein the multiplicity of grooves are radially aligned along the conical element and form at least one pair of diametrically opposed channels oriented to converge in order to atomize the fluid flow.

15. A nozzle arrangement for an inhaler for administering a medicament by inhalation for atomizing a fluid flow, the nozzle arrangement being designed for atomizing a fluid flow, which is supplied under pressure, into fine particles, comprising: a conical element with an upper surface, a lower surface and an outer surface which is adjacent to the upper and the lower surface, wherein the outer surface has a multiplicity of grooves extending between the lower surface and the upper surface; and a counter element which is provided with a recess and is designed to receive the conical element, the recess of the counter element having an inner surface such that the multiplicity of grooves are at least partially covered by the inner surface in order to form a multiplicity of channels; wherein the multiplicity of channels define outputs in the upper surface in order to let out a respective fluid jet which strikes against at least one other fluid jet in a region spaced apart from the upper surface of the conical element in order thus to atomize the fluid flow, wherein the conical element is moved along an axis defined for the conical element by tensioning or releasing the tension of a spring mechanism, in order to increase or to reduce an effective cross section of the nozzle arrangement, wherein the multiplicity of grooves are radially aligned along the conical element and form at least one pair of diametrically opposed channels oriented to converge in order to atomize the fluid flow.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be described in further details merely by way of example using a number of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conical element of a preferred embodiment of a nozzle arrangement according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic, partially cut away, perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a nozzle arrangement according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a jet characteristic which can be achieved with the nozzle arrangement of the invention;

(5) FIG. 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 3A, of a jet characteristic of a modified embodiment of a nozzle arrangement of the invention;

(6) FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic cross-sectional views of exemplary nozzle arrangements in order to explain tolerance considerations;

(7) FIG. 5A-5F are cross-sectional views of the channel designs which are used in a nozzle arrangement according to the invention;

(8) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conical element with filter structures;

(9) FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the nozzle arrangement according to the invention, wherein the conical element is movable with respect to the counter element, and

(10) FIGS. 8A and 8B show sectional views of an embodiment of a nozzle arrangement according to the invention, in which the counter element has been modified.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an example of a conical element 10 which is used in a nozzle arrangement of the invention. The conical element 10 has an upper surface 12, a lower surface 14 and an outer surface 16 which is adjacent to the upper surface 12 and to the lower surface 14. The outer surface 16 has four grooves 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d which are spaced apart at an angle of 90 and extend between the lower surface 14 and the upper surface 12. Of course, it is possible to provide two or three grooves or more than four grooves, if this is necessary. An axis X is defined for the conical element 10, for example an axis of rotational symmetry. Other positions and orientations of the axis X are possible.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view, partially cut away, of an embodiment of a nozzle arrangement 100 according to the invention. The nozzle arrangement 100 has a counter element 20 which is provided with a recess, wherein the recess defines an inner surface 22 which is designed to receive the conical element 10, as shown in FIG. 1. The grooves 18a, 18b, 18c, 18c of the conical element 10 are covered by the inner surface 22, and therefore a multiplicity of channels is formed. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the grooves 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d are completely covered by the inner surface 22, and the upper surface 12 is aligned with the upper surface 24 of the counter element 20. The channels which are formed by the covered grooves 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d define outputs in the plane of the upper surfaces 12, 24 in order to let out a respective fluid jet. The conical element 10 is movable along the axis X (FIG. 1) within the counter element 20 in order to change the effective cross section of the nozzle arrangement 100 if this is necessary.

(13) FIG. 3A shows a cross-sectional view of the nozzle arrangement 100 of FIG. 2. As is explained with respect to FIG. 2, the fluid jets A which emerge from the nozzle arrangement 100 strike against one another in a region which is spaced apart from the upper surface 12 of the conical element 10 such that the fluid flow is atomized and forms an atomized cloud C with an approximately circular or slightly oval shape. If other cloud shapes are desired, it is possible to modify the design of FIG. 2, for example as is shown in FIG. 3B. The conical element 10 is additionally provided with a passage 19 which extends centrally within the conical element 10 from the lower surface 14 to the upper surface 12. An additional fluid flow through the passage 19 will convert the cloud C into the cloud C, and therefore into a spray mist which is more directed forward.

(14) The nozzle arrangement according to the invention can be completely produced using plastics molding techniques. Tolerances which arise from the assembly process have to be accepted. As is shown in a schematic cross-sectional view in FIG. 4A, the dimensions of the conical element 10 are such that the upper surfaces 12, 24 of the conical element 10 and of the counter element 20 are not aligned in each case, but rather the upper surface 12 is located above the upper surface 24. However, the fluid jet is transported through the channel outputs virtually precisely as before. On the other hand, however, if the dimensions of the conical element 10 are such that said element is not completely accommodated in the counter element 20 when the latter is used as shown in FIG. 4B, the upper surface 12 of the conical element 10 will be located below the upper surface 24 of the counter element 20, which results in a fluid jet which possibly touches the inner surface 22 of the counter element 20 and therefore is not guided out of the nozzle arrangement in a suitable manner.

(15) Although the invention requires at least two channels to converge in order to atomize the fluid flow, more than two channels or grooves can be provided in the conical element 10. A number of examples are shown in FIG. 5A-5F. FIG. 5A shows a sectional view of the conical element 10, in which one of the grooves 18e has a cross section which differs from the cross section of the other grooves. FIG. 5B shows a conical element 10 with eight grooves 18f of identical shape, which grooves, however, are spaced apart in an irregularly angled manner on the outer surface 16 of the conical element 10. FIG. 5C shows a conical element 10 with grooves 18g of a depth which is less than the depth of further grooves 18h. FIG. 5D shows grooves 18i, 18j which lie diametrically opposite each other in the conical element 10 and extend virtually as far as the center of the conical element 10. Double or triplicate structures, as shown in FIGS. 5E and 5F, are also conceivable. Two similar jets or clouds of atomized fluid are produced by two pairs of parallel grooves 18k, 18l and 18m, 18n which have approximately the same dimensions. Different jets can be produced by one pair of grooves 18o, 18b being modified in such a manner that they have a greater width than the other pair of grooves 18q, 18r. Further modifications can be taken into consideration depending on requirements.

(16) There are applications in which it may be necessary for the fluid to be filtered. An exemplary embodiment of a correspondingly modified conical element 10 is shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6. Two mutually opposite grooves 18s, 18t are in each case provided with a filter element 17a, 17b on the outer circumference of the conical element 10.

(17) A further route to realizing a different channel characteristic is to block some of the channels at a predetermined position. By rotation of the conical element 10 or counter element 20, a previously blocked channel is opened and an open one is blocked. A nozzle which is suitable for fluids of two or more differing viscosities can therefore be produced.

(18) Furthermore, the cross section of at least one of the channels of the nozzle arrangement, preferably all of the channels of the nozzle arrangement, decreases from the lower surface of the conical element 10 to the upper surface in order to reduce the pressure drop. The decrease can take place continuously or in steps.

(19) FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a nozzle arrangement according to the invention, in which the conical element 10 is movable with respect to the counter element 20 in directions which are shown by the double arrow D. The conical element 10 is held by a spiral spring 30. If the conical element 10 is pushed downward by pressure being applied to the upper surface 12, the grooves which are present in the conical element 10 are opened, and therefore it is possible for blocking particles which are stuck in the grooves to be able to escape because of the higher pressure of the fluid which flows through the gap 40, wherein the gap is temporarily present between the conical element 10 and the counter element 20. The returning force of the spiral spring 30 will immediately close the gap 40 when the force is removed from the upper surface 12 of the conical element 10. A further possibility of providing a gap 40 between the conical element 10 and the counter element 20 can be provided by a threaded screw instead of the spiral spring 30 on the conical element 10, wherein the screw can be rotated within a threaded nut.

(20) FIG. 8A shows, in a cross-sectional view, an embodiment of a nozzle arrangement according to the invention, in which the counter element 20 is modified in order to vary the channel depth and therefore to vary the cross section of the channel between the upper and the lower surface of the conical element 10. FIG. 8A shows the situation in the vicinity of the lower surface of the conical element 10. A projection 20a, 20b in each of the grooves 18a, 18b reduces the cross section of a channel to a desired area. FIG. 8B shows the situation in the vicinity of the upper surface of the conical element 10. The cross section of the projections 20a, 20b is increased, and therefore the cross-sectional area of the channels defined by the grooves 18a, 18b is considerably reduced. This configuration therefore reduces the pressure drop within the nozzle arrangement.

(21) The features disclosed above in the description, in the claims and/or in the accompanying drawings may be essential individually and in any combination for realizing the invention in the various forms thereof.