Abstract: An aerosol generator (100) has a vibratable plate (1) with apertures therein and an annular piezo (2) which causes movement of the vibratable plate (1). An annular support member (3) supports the piezo (2) and the vibratable plate (1). A first electrical power conducting pin (10) engages directly with a first, top, surface of the piezo (2). A second electrical power conducting pin (11) indirectly conducts electrical power to a second surface of the piezo (2), by contacting an extension tab (103) of the support member (20), also on its top side. There is a film of cured epoxy adhesive on the tab (103), providing excellent gripping force between the pin (11) and the support (3). The aerosol generator (100) avoids need for soldered joints for electrical contact, and the pins are conveniently mounted parallel to each on the on the same lateral and top side of the piezo and support member. The pins may have multi-point tips (50) for particularly effective electrical contact.

Abstract: An aperture plate is manufactured by plating metal around a mask of resist columns having a desired size, pitch, and profile, which yields a wafer about 60 ?m thickness. This is approximately the full desired target aperture plate thickness. The plating is continued so that the metal overlies the top surfaces of the columns until the desired apertures are achieved. This needs only one masking/plating cycle to achieve the desired plate thickness. Also, the plate has passageways formed beneath the apertures, formed as an integral part of the method, by mask material removal. These are suitable for entrainment of aerosolized droplets exiting the apertures.

Abstract: An aerosol generator (100) has a vibratable plate (1) with apertures therein and an annular piezo (2) which causes movement of the vibratable plate (1). An annular support member (3) supports the piezo (2) and the vibratable plate (1). A first electrical power conducting pin (10) engages directly with a first, top, surface of the piezo (2). A second electrical power conducting pin (11) indirectly conducts electrical power to a second surface of the piezo (2), by contacting an extension tab (103) of the support member (20), also on its top side. There is a film of cured epoxy adhesive on the tab (103), providing excellent gripping force between the pin (11) and the support (3). The aerosol generator (100) avoids need for soldered joints for electrical contact, and the pins are conveniently mounted parallel to each on the on the same lateral and top side of the piezo and support member. The pins may have multi-point tips (50) for particularly effective electrical contact.

Abstract: A method for aerosolising a liquid comprises the steps of:—providing an aperture plate having at least 100 outlet holes per mm2; delivering liquid to the aperture plate; and vibrating the aperture plate to produce an aerosol. The viscosity of the liquid is in the range of from 1 to 15 cP and the surface tension of the liquid is in the range of from 72 to 0.5 mN/m. The output rate of the generated aerosol is greater than 0.01 mL/min.

Abstract: A photo-resist is applied in a pattern of vertical columns having the dimensions of holes or pores of the aperture plate to be produced. This mask pattern provides the apertures which define the aerosol particle size, having up to 2500 holes per square mm. There is electro-deposition of metal into the spaces around the columns. There is further application of a second photo-resist mask of much larger (wider and taller) columns, encompassing the area of a number of first columns. The hole diameter in the second plating layer is chosen according to a desired flow rate.

Abstract: An aerosol generator (100) has a vibratable plate (1) with apertures therein and an annular piezo (2) which causes movement of the vibratable plate (1). An annular support member (3) supports the piezo (2) and the vibratable plate (1). A first electrical power conducting pin (10) engages directly with a first, top, surface of the piezo (2). A second electrical power conducting pin (11) indirectly conducts electrical power to a second surface of the piezo (2), by contacting an extension tab (103) of the support member (20), also on its top side. There is a film of cured epoxy adhesive on the tab (103), providing excellent gripping force between the pin (11) and the support (3). The aerosol generator (100) avoids need for soldered joints for electrical contact, and the pins are conveniently mounted parallel to each on the on the same lateral and top side of the piezo and support member. The pins may have multi-point tips (50) for particularly effective electrical contact.

Abstract: An aerosol generator (100) has a vibratable plate (1) with apertures therein and an annular piezo (2) which causes movement of the vibratable plate (1). An annular support member (3) supports the piezo (2) and the vibratable plate (1). A first electrical power conducting pin (10) engages directly with a first, top, surface of the piezo (2). A second electrical power conducting pin (11) indirectly conducts electrical power to a second surface of the piezo (2), by contacting an extension tab (103) of the support member (20), also on its top side. There is a film of cured epoxy adhesive on the tab (103), providing excellent gripping force between the pin (11) and the support (3). The aerosol generator (100) avoids need for soldered joints for electrical contact, and the pins are conveniently mounted parallel to each on the on the same lateral and top side of the piezo and support member. The pins may have multi-point tips (50) for particularly effective electrical contact.

Abstract: An aerosol generator (100) has a vibratable plate (1) with apertures therein and an annular piezo (2) which causes movement of the vibratable plate (1). An annular support member (3) supports the piezo (2) and the vibratable plate (1). A first electrical power conducting pin (10) engages directly with a first, top, surface of the piezo (2). A second electrical power conducting pin (11) indirectly conducts electrical power to a second surface of the piezo (2), by contacting an extension tab (103) of the support member (20), also on its top side. There is a film of cured epoxy adhesive on the tab (103), providing excellent gripping force between the pin (11) and the support (3). The aerosol generator (100) avoids need for soldered joints for electrical contact, and the pins are conveniently mounted parallel to each on the on the same lateral and top side of the piezo and support member. The pins may have multi-point tips (50) for particularly effective electrical contact.

Abstract: An aperture plate is formed from a palladium nickel alloy comprising about 89% palladium and about 11% nickel. There is a generally fine substantially equiaxed grain microstructure throughout the thickness of the aperture plate. The average grain width (W) is in the range of from 0.2 ?m to 5.0 ?m, in some cases from 0.2 ?m to 2.0 ?m. Because the grain structure is equiaxed (L/W=1) the grain length (L) is the same as the grain width. The improved aperture plate extends the life of nebulisers, eliminates the risk of premature and unpredictable failure of a nebuliser in service, eliminates the risk of product returns from hospitals and patients, and eliminates the possible risk of fragments of the aperture plate breaking free from the nebulizer.

Abstract: An aperture plate is formed from a palladium nickel alloy comprising about 89% palladium and about 11% nickel. There is a generally fine substantially equiaxed grain microstructure throughout the thickness of the aperture plate. The average grain width (W) is in the range of from 0.2 ?m to 5.0 ?m, in some cases from 0.2 ?m to 2.0 ?m. Because the grain structure is equiaxed (L/W=1) the grain length (L) is the same as the grain width. The improved aperture plate extends the life of nebulizers, eliminates the risk of premature and unpredictable failure of a nebulizer in service, eliminates the risk of product returns from hospitals and patients, and eliminates the possible risk of fragments of the aperture plate breaking free from the nebulizer.

Abstract: An aerosol generator (100) has a vibratable plate (1) with apertures therein and an annular piezo (2) which causes movement of the vibratable plate (1). An annular support member (3) supports the piezo (2) and the vibratable plate (1). A first electrical power conducting pin (10) engages directly with a first, top, surface of the piezo (2). A second electrical power conducting pin (11) indirectly conducts electrical power to a second surface of the piezo (2), by contacting an extension tab (103) of the support member (20), also on its top side. There is a film of cured epoxy adhesive on the tab (103), providing excellent gripping force between the pin (11) and the support (3). The aerosol generator (100) avoids need for soldered joints for electrical contact, and the pins are conveniently mounted parallel to each on the on the same lateral and top side of the piezo and support member. The pins may have multi-point tips (50) for particularly effective electrical contact.

Abstract: An aerosol generator has a vibratable plate with apertures therein and an annular piezo which causes movement of the vibratable plate. An annular support member supports the piezo and the vibratable plate. A first electrical power conducting pin engages directly with a first, top, surface of the piezo. A second electrical power conducting pin indirectly conducts electrical power to a second surface of the piezo, by contacting an extension tab of the support member, also on its top side. There is a film of cured epoxy adhesive on the tab, providing excellent gripping force between the pin and the support. The aerosol generator avoids need for soldered joints for electrical contact, and the pins are conveniently mounted parallel to each on the on the same lateral and top side of the piezo and support member. The pins may have multi-point tips for particularly effective electrical contact.

Abstract: An aperture plate is manufactured by plating metal around a mask of resist columns having a desired size, pitch, and profile, which yields a wafer about 60 ?m thickness. This is approximately the full desired target aperture plate thickness. The plating is continued so that the metal overlies the top surfaces of the columns until the desired apertures are achieved. This needs only one masking/plating cycle to achieve the desired plate thickness. Also, the plate has passageways formed beneath the apertures, formed as an integral part of the method, by mask material removal. These are suitable for entrainment of aerosolized droplets exiting the apertures.

Abstract: A photo-resist (21) is applied in a pattern of vertical columns having the dimensions of holes or pores of the aperture plate to be produced. This mask pattern provides the apertures which define the aerosol particle size, having up to 2500 holes per square mm. There is electro-deposition of metal (22) into the spaces around the columns (21). There is further application of a second photo-resist mask (25) of much larger (wider and taller) columns, encompassing the area of a number of first columns (21). The hole diameter in the second plating layer is chosen according to a desired flow rate.

Abstract: A photo-resist (21) is applied in a pattern of vertical columns having the dimensions of holes or pores of the aperture plate to be produced. This mask pattern provides the apertures which define the aerosol particle size, having up to 2500 holes per square mm. There is electro-deposition of metal (22) into the spaces around the columns (21). There is further application of a second photo-resist mask (25) of much larger (wider and taller) columns, encompassing the area of a number of first columns (2)1. The hole diameter in the second plating layer is chosen according to a desired flow rate.

Abstract: An aerosol generator has a vibratable plate with apertures therein and an annular piezo which causes movement of the vibratable plate. An annular support member supports the piezo and the vibratable plate. A first electrical power conducting pin engages directly with a first, top, surface of the piezo. A second electrical power conducting pin indirectly conducts electrical power to a second surface of the piezo, by contacting an extension tab of the support member, also on its top side. There is a film of cured epoxy adhesive on the tab, providing excellent gripping force between the pin and the support. The aerosol generator avoids need for soldered joints for electrical contact, and the pins are conveniently mounted parallel to each on the on the same lateral and top side of the piezo and support member. The pins may have multi-point tips for particularly effective electrical contact.

Abstract: Apparatus, e.g. a syringe, for dispensing foam includes means for ensuring that only foam of adequate quality is dispensed. In use, the syringe may be filled from a pressurised canister which generates foam e.g. for therapeutic use in treating varicose veins. An initial quantity of foam dispensed from the canister may be of inadequate quality in which case it should not be used: the syringe includes means to ensure that this initial quantity of foam is diverted to a waste port or to an internal waste chamber e.g. located in the syringe plunger. Foam dispensed after the initial quantity of poor quality foam is stored in the main barrel of the syringe ready for administration to a patient in need of treatment.

Abstract: A foam transfer device is described, for use with aerosol canister apparatus for producing a sclerosant foam for the treatment of, inter alia, varicose veins. The device enables diversion of an initial quantity of below-specification foam from the canister to waste, e.g. to an integral waste chamber, before dispensing a further quantity of foam for use in treatment. The switching of the flow from the waste chamber to a different outlet for use is accomplished without interrupting the flow from the aerosol canister since this would cause the foam to drop below specification again. The waste chamber may be transparent so that the foam entering it can be observed and a decision made by a user when to stop diverting foam to waste. Alternatively, the foam may be diverted automatically e.g. when a set time has elapsed or a set volume of foam dispensed. The foam for use is normally dispensed into a syringe for subsequent injection into a varicose vein of a patient.

Abstract: A method and system for guiding a student to learn how to play a musical instrument, the musical instrument is associated with a learner terminal which includes at least one input device and at least one output device, reference data; and a processor device; test data can be upon instruction by the processor device be submitted to the learner terminal by the student with either the at least one input device or the musical instrument; the test data is automatically processed by the processor device by analysing the at least referencing the test data to the reference data so that a response can be communicated by the processor device to the student trough the at least one output device.

Abstract: A foam transfer device is described, for use with aerosol canister apparatus for producing a sclerosant foam for the treatment of, inter alia, varicose veins. The device enables diversion of an initial quantity of below-specification foam from the canister to waste, e.g. to an integral waste chamber, before dispensing a further quantity of foam for use in treatment. The switching of the flow from the waste chamber to a different outlet for use is accomplished without interrupting the flow from the aerosol canister since this would cause the foam to drop below specification again. The waste chamber may be transparent so that the foam entering it can be observed and a decision made by a user when to stop diverting foam to waste. Alternatively, the foam may be diverted automatically e.g. when a set time has elapsed or a set volume of foam dispensed. The foam for use is normally dispensed into a syringe for subsequent injection into a varicose vein of a patient.