Abstract: A spray device has a spray nozzle unit (1), wherein said spray nozzle unit (1) comprises a cavity (5) with an inlet (2) for receiving a pressurized liquid at an operating pressure and an outlet (3) for releasing a liquid spray during operation. A spray nozzle body (10) is fitted sealingly within said cavity (5), having a perforated nozzle layer (14) with at least one spray orifice (16) that extends between an upstream surface and a down stream surface thereof releasing at least one jet of said liquid spray at said downstream surface of said nozzle layer. The spray nozzle unit (1) is provided with a pressure safety device (30) upstream of said spray nozzle body (10). Said pressure safety device (30) comprises a closed burst layer (34) that closes a fluid pathway between said inlet (2) and said spray nozzle body (10) but ruptures once a threshold pressure is exceeded. Said operating pressure exceeds said threshold pressure.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an spray device includes assembling at least one spray nozzle plate into a thermoplastic holder, while controlling the temperature of the spray nozzle plate and/or the holder and as a result at least locally plastically deforming the holder permanently. After the thermoplastic deformation of a seat of the holder, a diameter of the seat of the holder upstream of the spray nozzle plate exceeds a diameter of the seat of the holder downstream of the nozzle plate. The thermoplastic holder may have a tapered seat, where the smallest cross section of the tapered seat is smaller than the spray nozzle plate, where a widest side of the tapered seat is pointing towards a supply side of the liquid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spray of microjets emanating at an inclined angle from nozzles comprised in a substantially planar membrane layer. A spray nozzle unit for spraying a plurality of fluidic microjets from a pressurized liquid comprises a substantially planar (semiconductor) support having an upstream surface and a downstream surface, and a spray membrane layer arranged on the downstream surface of the support. The spray membrane layer comprises a plurality of nozzle orifices each configured for spraying a fluidic microjet in a Rayleigh regime. Thee support defines a cavity extending from the upstream surface to the spray membrane layer. The cavity is in fluid communication with each one of the nozzle orifices for supplying the pressurized liquid to the nozzle orifices. A position of the nozzle orifices, seen along a direction perpendicular to the downstream surface, is offset in respect of a centre of the cavity.

Abstract: A spray device for delivering a liquid spray, having a spray length, through air to a target, in particular an eye, comprises a container for holding a liquid, means for pressurizing a quantity of said liquid to an elevated operating pressure, and comprises a nozzle member that comprises a nozzle plate with a plurality of nozzle orifices of substantially identical size, extending through said nozzle plate and communicating with said means to receive a quantity of pressurized liquid at said operating pressure. Said nozzle orifices discharge said liquid spray at an outlet surface of said nozzle member member over said spray length Their substantially identical size is between lower and upper limits (Dmin), (Dmax), wherein said lower limit is approximately: D ? min ? 1 / 10 ? L ? ? ? ? P / ? , wherein said upper limit is approximately: D max ? 1 / 10 ? 2 ? L ? ? ? ? P / ? . ??18 ?/?, ?=1,8.

Abstract: An atomizer device comprises a container (20) with a liquid chamber (21) for receiving a liquid for atomizing and a spray nozzle (50) which is able and configured to form a mist from the liquid under an increased operating pressure. The liquid chamber (21) is closed by a plunger (22) which is received movably therein and is able and configured to expel during an axial displacement at least a part of the liquid from the liquid chamber. Provided between the plunger (22) and the spray nozzle (50) is an air bubble barrier (80) which is at least substantially unbridgeable to possible air bubbles in the liquid, but which comprises a passage (85) for the purpose of allowing at least substantially free passage of the liquid. In a method for preparing such a container it is subjected to a centrifuging step in order to expel possibly enclosed air upstream of the barrier device as far as possible.

Abstract: An atomizer device for atomizing a liquid under increased pressure, comprising an atomizer body 14 with one or more atomizing openings from which a mist formed from the liquid escapes during operation. The device comprises a valve device 20, 30 upstream of the atomizer body. The valve device 20, 30 comprises a valve cavity 31 with a valve body 32 and a spring chamber 21 in which spring means 22 are compressible counter to a spring tension. The valve body 24 receives the liquid in valve cavity 31 with a first operative cross-section D1, which first operative cross-section is smaller than a second operative cross-section D2 of spring chamber 21 in which spring means 22 are compressible.

Abstract: A spray device has a spray nozzle unit (1), wherein said spray nozzle unit (1) comprises a cavity (5) with an inlet (2) for receiving a pressurized liquid at an operating pressure and an outlet (3) for releasing a liquid spray during operation. A spray nozzle body (10) is fitted sealingly within said cavity (5), having a perforated nozzle layer (14) with at least one spray orifice (16) that extends between an upstream surface and a down stream surface thereof releasing at least one jet of said liquid spray at said downstream surface of said nozzle layer. The spray nozzle unit (1) is provided with a pressure safety device (30) upstream of said spray nozzle body (10). Said pressure safety device (30) comprises a closed burst layer (34) that closes a fluid pathway between said inlet (2) and said spray nozzle body (10) but ruptures once a threshold pressure is exceeded. Said operating pressure exceeds said threshold pressure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a spray device that generates a fluidic micro-jet spray and that allows and retains a relatively narrow droplet size distribution, of micro-jets and droplets obtained via the Rayleigh breakup mechanism, under a well-defined control of coalescence. To that end a spray device is characterized in that a spray nozzle unit is formed by a nozzle body (1), comprising a support body (2) with at least one cavity (3) spanned by a membrane layer (4) having a nozzle orifice throughout a thickness of said membrane layer at an area of said cavity (3) in fluid communication with that cavity (3). The nozzle orifice may be part of a first relatively dense group of first orifices (5a) or of a less dense second group of second nozzle orifices (5b) in the membrane layer. A mean diameter of the nozzle orifices (5a) located in the first group substantially differs from the mean diameter of the nozzle orifices (5b) in the second group to obtain a uniform droplet size distribution in the spray.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spray device, comprising a spray nozzle body (2) and a substantially planar membrane layer (6) suspended over a nozzle cavity (3) to generate microjets, especially for pharmaceutical applications, in particular preservative free formulations. The nozzle body (2,8) contains a microbial barrier, particularly a microvalve (23,24) between a fluid supply channel (9) and said cavity (3).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spray device, comprising a spray nozzle body (2) and a substantially planar membrane layer (6) suspended over a nozzle cavity (3) to generate microjets, especially for pharmaceutical applications, in particular preservative free formulations. The nozzle body (2,8) contains a microbial barrier, particularly a microvalve (23,24) between a fluid supply channel (9) and said cavity (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to a spray device having a spray nozzle unit and at least one further spray nozzle unit. Each spray nozzle unit has at least one spray nozzle body, wherein said at least one spray nozzle body comprises a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid. Said chamber is bounded by a spray wall having at least one spray orifice that extends through said spray wall and opens to an external environment. Each of said at least one orifice in a spray wall has a substantially identical predetermined size lying in a predetermined range and releases a mono disperse spray jet of the pressurized fluid fed from the associated reservoir. Said range within said first spray nozzle unit differs from said range within said at least one further spray nozzle unit, particularly said ranges do not overlap.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an spray device includes assembling at least one spray nozzle plate into a thermoplastic holder, while controlling the temperature of the spray nozzle plate and/or the holder and as a result at least locally plastically deforming the holder permanently. After the thermoplastic deformation of a seat of the holder, a diameter of the seat of the holder upstream of the spray nozzle plate exceeds a diameter of the seat of the holder downstream of the nozzle plate. The thermoplastic holder may have a tapered seat, where the smallest cross section of the tapered seat is smaller than the spray nozzle plate, where a widest side of the tapered seat is pointing towards a supply side of the liquid.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an spray device includes assembling at least one spray nozzle plate into a thermoplastic holder, while controlling the temperature of the spray nozzle plate and/or the holder and as a result at least locally plastically deforming the holder permanently. After the thermoplastic deformation of a seat of the holder, a diameter of the seat of the holder upstream of the spray nozzle plate exceeds a diameter of the seat of the holder downstream of the nozzle plate. The thermoplastic holder may have a tapered seat, where the smallest cross section of the tapered seat is smaller than the spray nozzle plate, where a widest side of the tapered seat is pointing towards a supply side of the liquid.

Abstract: An aerosol generator for generating an inhalation aerosol from an inhalation liquid, includes an intake duct for guiding air to a mouth of a user, and a nozzle, arranged in the intake duct for injecting the inhalation liquid into the intake duct. The nozzle is arranged for generating a Rayleigh droplet train of the inhalation liquid propagating along a droplet train propagation path. The intake duct includes at least two first orifices having at least partly opposing discharging directions extending towards the droplet train propagation path. The at least two first orifices are configured for providing respective first air streams in at least partly opposing directions so as to interact in the droplet train propagation path.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spray device, comprising a spray nozzle body (2) and a substantially planar membrane layer (6) suspended over a nozzle cavity (3) to generate microjets, especially for pharmaceutical applications, in particular preservative free formulations. The nozzle body (2,8) contains a microbial barrier, particularly a microvalve (23,24) between a fluid supply channel (9) and said cavity (3).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spray of microjets emanating at an inclined angle from nozzles comprised in a substantially planar membrane layer. A spray nozzle unit for spraying a plurality of fluidic microjets from a pressurized liquid comprises a substantially planar (semiconductor) support having an upstream surface and a downstream surface, and a spray membrane layer arranged on the downstream surface of the support. The spray membrane layer comprises a plurality of nozzle orifices each configured for spraying a fluidic microjet in a Rayleigh regime. Thee support defines a cavity extending from the upstream surface to the spray membrane layer. The cavity is in fluid communication with each one of the nozzle orifices for supplying the pressurized liquid to the nozzle orifices. A position of the nozzle orifices, seen along a direction perpendicular to the downstream surface, is offset in respect of a centre of the cavity.

Abstract: An inhaler with a mixing channel (1) for producing an aerosol to be inhaled includes an outlet (9) at one end that can be inserted in the mouth of a person in order to inhale the aerosol that is produced; at least one inlet (3) at its other end for drawing air into the mixing channel (1); and at least one injection zone (6) that lies between the inlet (3) and the outlet (9) and forms part of the channel wall. The injection zone (6) has at least one nozzle orifice (10) for supplying a liquid, especially a liquid drug, wherein the inner surface of the injection zone (6) is largely flush at least with that portion of the mean surface curvature (22) of the inner surface of the channel wall (11) that is adjacent to it on the inlet end. A possible height difference (17) between the inner surface of the injection zone (6) and that portion of the mean surface curvature (22) of the inner surface of the channel wall (11) that is adjacent to it is less than 1 mm or at most 100 ?m or at most 20 ?m.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an spray device includes assembling at least one spray nozzle plate into a thermoplastic holder, while controlling the temperature of the spray nozzle plate and/or the holder and as a result at least locally plastically deforming the holder permanently. After the thermoplastic deformation of a seat of the holder, a diameter of the seat of the holder upstream of the spray nozzle plate exceeds a diameter of the seat of the holder downstream of the nozzle plate. The thermoplastic holder may have a tapered seat, where the smallest cross section of the tapered seat is smaller than the spray nozzle plate, where a widest side of the tapered seat is pointing towards a supply side of the liquid.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an atomizing body for an atomizing device includes the steps of providing a support element having a first layer on a first surface of the support element and a second layer on a second surface of the support element, the first layer including a first perforated membrane and the second layer including a process orifice, etching a cavity through the support element, the cavity forming a fluid connection from the process orifice to the perforated membrane, by providing etching substance to the process orifice. The atomizing body as obtained may advantageously be applied in an atomizing device or an inhaler.

Abstract: An aerosol generator for generating an inhalation aerosol from an inhalation liquid, includes an intake duct for guiding air to a mouth of a user, and a nozzle, arranged in the intake duct for injecting the inhalation liquid into the intake duct. The nozzle is arranged for generating a Rayleigh droplet train of the inhalation liquid propagating along a droplet train propagation path. The intake duct includes at least two first orifices having at least partly opposing discharging directions extending towards the droplet train propagation path. The at least two first orifices are configured for providing respective first air streams in at least partly opposing directions so as to interact in the droplet train propagation path.