Abstract: A respiratory delivery system is disclosed which preferably includes both medicament and plower recharge capabilities. The system includes a portable inhaler with a rechargeable medicament cartridge and a rechargeable power supply. This power supply may be electrically interconnected with one or more components of the portable inhaler, including a droplet ejection device, a controller for the droplet ejection device, an actuation switch, an inhalation sensor, and/or an electronic memory. The system further includes a recharging unit which includes an inhaler docking station, a medicament recharging system, and a power recharging system. When the portable inhaler is docked to the recharging unit, the recharging unit recharges the power supply of the portable inhaler and recharges the medicament cartridge of the portable inhaler by providing additional medicament thereto.

Abstract: An inhaler is disclosed which delivers medicament or other appropriate fluids to a user, typically in droplet form and typically during inhalation. One embodiment of the inhaler includes an inhaler housing, an airflow conduit assembly which at least extends through the inhaler housing, a mouthpiece which is at least fluidly interconnectable with the airflow conduit assembly, a droplet ejection cartridge housing which is at least partially disposed within the airflow conduit assembly, and a droplet ejection cartridge which is removably disposed within the droplet ejection cartridge housing. Dosing of the medicament can be controlled by the measurement of airflow through the device. Droplets of medicament which are discharged by the droplet ejection cartridge are entrained in the flow of air which is drawn through the airflow conduit assembly by the user's inhalation and are discharged from the inhaler through the mouthpiece.

Abstract: An inhaler provides a controlled delivery of an inhalant and includes an inhaler housing and a mouthpiece coupled to the inhaler housing. A piezoelectric dispenser-head is coupled to the inhaler housing and configured to be coupled to the dispensing chamber. The piezoelectric dispenser-head includes an array of dispensing channels and an array of dispensing nozzles. The array of dispensing channels are formed with actuatable walls made at least partially of a piezoelectric material. Application of an electric field to selected side walls reduces a volume in an associated channel and creates a pressure pulse of flowable substance in the associated channel through a dispensing nozzle.

Abstract: A dispenser (FIG. 1, 1) comprises a reservoir (10) of a physiologically active substance and a droplet ejection device (14), for example a bubble jet or pizeoelectric device, which is controlled to issue a predetermined number of discrete droplets of the substance from ejection orifices (15) upon actuation. Device (14) may be actuated by a pressure transducer (19) responsive to inhalation and issue the droplets into an airstream (A) which enters at slot (7) and is then inhaled via mouthpiece (5). In other embodiments (FIG. 5) the dispenser is finger actuated and directed by hand for topical application. The number and/or frequency of droplets issued is programmatically controlled by a control circuit (16) whereby average and total dose of the substance are predetermined.