Patents by Inventor Raphael Weber

Raphael Weber has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8020973
    Abstract: The invention concerns a liquid droplet spray device for atomising a liquid substance, Its housing consists of a at least a first substrate (15), a space (12) within the housing for containing the supplied liquid substance, an outlet means arranged in the first substrate (15) and comprising at least one outlet nozzle (19) and at least one output channel (20), said output channel (20) having straight side-walls, and a vibrating element (18) for vibrating the liquid so as to eject it. According to the present invention, each output channel (20) has a stepped shape having a lower portion (20a) and an upper portion (20b), the lower portion being arranged adjacent the space (12) and being of larger diameter than the upper portion (20b). The outlet nozzle (19) of each output channel is straight and does not show notching effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: EP Systems SA
    Inventors: Joseph Hess, Jean-Marc Flick, Hu Bo, Philippe Luginbuhl, Raphael Weber
  • Patent number: 8016209
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a liquid droplet spray system for atomizing a liquid substance, comprising: a support having a central aperture (27), a liquid droplet spray device in which a space is provided, the space being arranged to receive the liquid substance, and including a nozzle body (28) covering the space such that the liquid substance may exit the space of the device by traversing the nozzle body (28) and the system by traversing the central aperture (27) of the support, a reservoir (33) for containing the liquid substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: EP Systems SA
    Inventors: Joseph Hess, Amir Feriani, Philippe Luginbuhl, Raphaël Weber
  • Patent number: 7694892
    Abstract: The invention concerns a Liquid droplet plug & spray system for atomising a liquid substance and comprising a liquid droplet spray device including a housing in which a space is provided for receiving a liquid substance, a reservoir for containing said liquid substance, a fluidic interface for connecting said reservoir to said space in said housing thereby conveying liquid substance contained in said reservoir to said space by way of capillary action, a valve arranged between said reservoir and said fluidic channel for controlling access of said liquid substance from said reservoir to said fluid channel, an electromechanical actuation means for actuating the liquid substance in said space such that the liquid substance undergoes a vibration and is expelled as a liquid droplet spray, and electronic control means for controlling said electromechanical actuation means, wherein said liquid droplet spray system consists of two parts, a first, disposable part in which said reservoir and said valve are arranged,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: EP Systems SA
    Inventors: Amir Feriani, Joseph Hess, Philippe Luginbuhl, Raphael Weber, Jacques Blanie, Reiker Canfield
  • Publication number: 20090084867
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a liquid droplet spray system for atomising a liquid substance, comprising: a support having a central aperture (27), a liquid droplet spray device in which a space is provided, the space being arranged to receive the liquid substance, and including a nozzle body (28) covering the space such that the liquid substance may exit the space of the device by traversing the nozzle body (28) and the system by traversing the central aperture (27) of the support, a reservoir (33) for containing the liquid substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: MICROFLOW ENGINEERING SA
    Inventors: Joseph Hess, Amir Feriani, Philippe Luginbuhl, Raphael Weber
  • Patent number: 7367661
    Abstract: The invention concerns a nozzle body for a liquid droplet spray device for atomising a high viscous liquid substance such as perfume. A first and second substrate enclose a space for containing the liquid substance. Outlet means are arranged in the second substrate and have at least one outlet nozzle and at least one output channel, said output channel having straight side walls. Each output channel has a stepped shape having a wider portion and a thinner portion, the wider portion being arranged adjacent the space. The thinner portion contains a protrusion section protruding beyond the top surface of the second substrate such that the exterior side wall of the protrusion section is at a substantially straight angle with respect to the top surface of the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Microflow Engineering SA
    Inventors: Joseph Hess, Jean-Marc Flick, Bo Hu, Philippe Luginbuhl, Raphael Weber
  • Publication number: 20050230495
    Abstract: The invention concerns a Liquid droplet plug & spray system for atomising a liquid substance and comprising a liquid droplet spray device including a housing in which a space is provided for receiving a liquid substance, a reservoir for containing said liquid substance, a fluidic interface for connecting said reservoir to said space in said housing thereby conveying liquid substance contained in said reservoir to said space by way of capillary action, a valve arranged between said reservoir and said fluidic channel for controlling access of said liquid substance from said reservoir to said fluid channel, an electromechanical actuation means for actuating the liquid substance in said space such that the liquid substance undergoes a vibration and is expelled as a liquid droplet spray, and electronic control means for controlling said electromechanical actuation means, wherein said liquid droplet spray system consists of two parts, a first, disposable part in which said reservoir and said valve are arranged,
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Applicant: MICROFLOW ENGINEERING SA
    Inventors: Amir Feriani, Joseph Hess, Philippe Luginbuhl, Raphael Weber, Jacques Blanie, Reiker Canfield
  • Publication number: 20040263567
    Abstract: The invention concerns a nozzle body (1) for a liquid droplet spray device for atomising a high viscous liquid substance such as perfume. A first and second substrate enclose a space for containing the liquid substance. Outlet means are arranged in the second substrate (4) and comprise at least one outlet nozzle (19) and at least one output channel (20), said output channel (20) having straight side-walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: MICROFLOW ENGINEERING SA
    Inventors: Joseph Hess, Jean-Marc Flick, Bo Hu, Philippe Luginbuhl, Raphael Weber
  • Publication number: 20040124173
    Abstract: The invention concerns a liquid droplet spray device for atomising a liquid substance, Its housing consists of a at least a first substrate (15), a space (12) within the housing for containing the supplied liquid substance, an outlet means arranged in the first substrate (15) and comprising at least one outlet nozzle (19) and at least one output channel (20), said output channel (20) having straight side-walls, and a vibrating element (18) for vibrating the liquid so as to eject it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Joseph Hess, Jean-Marc Flick, Hu Bo, Philippe Luginbuhl, Raphael Weber
  • Patent number: 6405934
    Abstract: The liquid droplet spray device (1) comprises a housing formed of a superposition of a first and a second substrate (5, 6) and a space (2) within the housing for containing a liquid substance (3), vibrating means (8) for applying a frequency vibration to the substance (3) thereby generating the liquid droplet spray, and outlet means (7, 9, 10) for ejecting the liquid droplet spray. The outlet means comprise a cavity (7), output nozzles (9) and output channels (10) connecting the cavity (7) to the outlet nozzles (9). According to the invention, the vibrating means (8) creates a standing wave pattern within the liquid substance (3), and the outlet means are arranged such that said outlet nozzles (9) are superposed on the vibration mode peaks of the standing wave pattern. Advantageously, the first and second substrates have similar geometrical shapes. Minimal retention and optimal flow of the substance are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Microflow Engineering SA
    Inventors: Joseph Hess, Hu Bo, Raphael Weber, Isabel Ortega, Cedric Barraud, Nicolaas Frans de Rooij, Bas de Heij
  • Patent number: 6196219
    Abstract: The liquid droplet spray device (5) has a micromachined substrate (8, 18, 18a; 8a, 18, 18a), a space (9) within the substrate for containing a liquid substance (4), an inlet channel for supplying (7) the liquid (4) to the space (9), and outlet structure (13, 14, 15) for ejecting the liquid as a mono-dispersive droplet spray when the liquid undergoes a vibration. The outlet structure comprises a cut-off pyramid-shaped tapered cavity (13) which is micromachined in the space (9). The outlet structure further comprises at least one output (14) and output channel (15) connecting the tapered cavity (13) to the outlet (14), the outlet (14) and the output channel (15) having a non-tapered vertical shape. Thanks to such a device, the exact amount ejected may be determined accurately which allows for a predicted lung deposition of the droplets by using appropriate control means adapted to the kind of patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Microflow Engineering SA
    Inventors: Joseph Hess, Hu Bo, Raphaël Weber, Isabel Ortega, Cédric Barraud, Bart van der Schoot, Nicolaas Frans de Rooij, Bas de Heij