IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,478,747
Granted Patent B2
US 12,478,747 · App. 18/081,774 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Aerosol delivery device and operating method for the aerosol delivery device

Inventor: Martin Knoch (Garmisch-Partenkirchen, DE)
Assignee: PARI Pharma GmbH
A61M15/00A61M15/0085A61M2016/0024A61M2016/0027A61M16/06A61M2205/13A61M2205/18A61M2205/3334A61M2205/3368A61M2205/3375A61M2205/44A61M2205/502
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,478,747
App. No.
18/081,774
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to an aerosol delivery device comprising an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol in the aerosol delivery device, a sensor configured to detect a use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment, and a controller configured to deactivate the aerosol generator if no use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment is detected by the sensor. Further, the invention relates to a method for operating an aerosol delivery device, comprising the steps of operating an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol in the aerosol delivery device, detecting a use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment by means of a sensor, and deactivating the aerosol generator by means of a controller if no use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment is detected by the sensor.

Claims (37)

1 . An aerosol delivery device comprising:

an aerosol generator for generating which generates an aerosol in the aerosol delivery device,

a sensor which detects a use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment, and

a controller which deactivates the aerosol generator if no use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment is detected by the sensor,

wherein the controller deactivates the aerosol generator after the lapse of a period of time if no use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment is detected by the sensor,

wherein the sensor detects the use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment by sensing a user's regular respiration, including both inhalation and exhalation, through the aerosol delivery device, and

wherein the aerosol generator is a vibrating membrane nebulizer.

2 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 1 s to 5 min.

3 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generator is a continuous aerosol generator, and the aerosol generator continuously generates the aerosol during aerosol treatment.

4 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller activates the aerosol generator if the use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment is detected by the sensor.

5 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor detects the use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment by sensing a contact between the aerosol delivery device and a user.

6 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller operates the aerosol generator in a pulsed mode after deactivation of the aerosol generator.

7 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 6 , wherein aerosol generation pulses have pulse durations in a range of 0.001 s to 10 s.

8 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 6 , wherein aerosol generation pulses are provided at time intervals in a range of 0.001 s to 10 s.

9 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 6 , wherein aerosol generation pulses have pulse durations in a range of 0.01 s to 5 s.

10 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 6 , wherein aerosol generation pulses are provided at time intervals in a range of 0.01 s to 5 s.

11 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1 , further comprising a monitoring unit which monitors an operating ability of the aerosol generator.

12 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 0.1 s to 10 min.

13 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 2 s to 1 min.

14 . The aerosol delivery device according to claim 1 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 3 s to 30 s.

15 . A method for operating an aerosol delivery device, comprising:

operating an aerosol generator for generating an aerosol in the aerosol delivery device, detecting a use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment using a sensor, and

deactivating the aerosol generator by means of a controller if no use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment is detected by the sensor,

wherein the aerosol generator is deactivated after the lapse of a period of time if no use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment is detected by the sensor,

wherein the sensor detects the use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment by sensing a user's regular respiration, including both inhalation and exhalation, through the aerosol delivery device, and

wherein the aerosol generator is a vibrating membrane nebulizer.

16 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 15 , wherein the period of time is in the range of 1 s to 5 min.

17 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of activating the aerosol generator using the controller if the use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment is detected by the sensor.

18 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 15 , wherein the use of the aerosol delivery device for aerosol treatment is detected by sensing a contact between the aerosol delivery device and a user.

19 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of operating the aerosol generator in a pulsed mode after deactivation of the aerosol generator.

20 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 19 , wherein aerosol generation pulses have pulse durations in a range of 0.001 s to 10.

21 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 19 , wherein aerosol generation pulses are provided at time intervals in a range of 0.001 s to 10.

22 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 19 , wherein aerosol generation pulses have pulse durations in a range of 0.01 s to 5 s.

23 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 19 , wherein aerosol generation pulses are provided at time intervals in a range of 0.01 s to 5 s.

24 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 15 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 0.1 s to 10 min.

25 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 15 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 2 s to 1 min.

26 . The method for operating an aerosol delivery device according to claim 15 , wherein the period of time is in a range of 3 s to 30 s.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2023
From: KNOCH, MARTIN
To: PARI PHARMA GMBH
Reel/Frame 062337/0447 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 14200105 · Dec 23, 2014 · regional
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15535889
Related Publication 20230119086A1 · Apr 20, 2023
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