KR102831201B1 - Nozzle for aerosol inhalers - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a nozzle for an aerosol inhaler and an aerosol inhaler including the same, characterized in that the inner diameter of the nozzle is 0.14 mm to 0.41 mm.

Description

Nozzle for aerosol inhalers

The present invention relates to a nozzle for an aerosol inhaler and an aerosol inhaler including the same.

Tobacco generally refers to a perennial herb of the Solanaceae family in the dicotyledonous order, but recently it has also been used to refer to a product manufactured for smoking, with tobacco leaves wrapped in cigarette paper and a filter section on one side. There are thousands of types of these cigarettes worldwide, and they are released in various shapes and forms.

Among these, as an alternative to compensate for the shortcomings of combustion-type tobacco such as cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, a method is being used in which an aerosol is generated by heating an aerosol-generating substance inside a cigarette rather than burning the cigarette to generate an aerosol, or a method is being used in which a liquid containing a nicotine solution, etc., is heated to vaporize and the vaporized aerosol is inhaled, and the demand for these is increasing.

Meanwhile, an aerosol inhaler used as one of the above methods is a device used to inhale a composition such as a drug as a liquid or gas through the mouth or nasal cavity during the inhalation process. Such an aerosol inhaler is equipped with a container that accommodates an inhalable composition, and the composition is finally sprayed from the container through a thin tube into the mouth or nasal cavity through an inhalation port so that it can be inhaled by the user.

When inhaling a liquid containing a propellant through an aerosol inhaler, aerosolization by the propellant is almost dominant, but the spray time, spray reach, spray speed, spray angle, etc. of the aerosol can be controlled through the shape of the nozzle at the discharge portion where the liquid is discharged.

In particular, among the various smoking satisfactions, the impact sensation from inhaling a liquid aerosol can be considered to be determined by the spray time, spray reach, spray speed, spray angle, presence or absence of a large aerosol, etc., and the fullness sensation can be considered to be controlled by the spray angle of the aerosol, etc.

The background technology described above is technology that the inventor possessed or acquired in the process of deriving the disclosure content of the present application, and cannot necessarily be said to be a publicly known technology disclosed to the general public prior to the present application.

One purpose of the present invention is to provide a nozzle for an aerosol inhaler and an aerosol inhaler including the same, which can improve the smoking satisfaction of a smoker, such as the impact sensation and fullness sensation, by changing the shape of the nozzle to vary the spray time, spray reach, spray speed, spray angle, etc.

However, the problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the relevant technical field from the description below.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a nozzle for an aerosol inhaler is provided, characterized in that the inner diameter of the nozzle is 0.14 mm to 0.41 mm.

The nozzle for the above aerosol inhaler may have a length of 5 mm to 30 mm.

The nozzle for the aerosol inhaler may include a needle.

When spraying an aerosol using the above-mentioned nozzle for an aerosol inhaler, the spray angle defined as the aerosol spreading angle from the nozzle inlet of the aerosol inhaler to the spray reaching distance/2 may be 15˚ to 25˚.

When spraying an aerosol using the nozzle for the above aerosol inhaler, the spraying distance defined as the maximum distance the aerosol travels may be 100 mm to 130 mm.

The inner diameter of the nozzle for the above aerosol inhaler may be 0.21 mm.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a battery providing power to an aerosol inhaler,

A control unit for controlling the operation of an aerosol inhaler and

An aerosol inhaler is provided, comprising a nozzle having an inner diameter of 0.14 mm to 0.41 mm.

The aerosol inhaler may comprise a cartridge containing a liquid composition comprising one or more nicotine-related substances selected from the group consisting of nicotine, nicotine salts, nicotine alkaloids and nicotine derivatives.

When the nozzle for an aerosol inhaler according to one aspect of the present invention is used in an aerosol inhaler, the striking sensation and fullness can be improved, allowing the user to have an excellent smoking sensation.

The effects of the nozzle for an aerosol inhaler according to one embodiment of the present invention, and the aerosol inhaler including the same, are not limited to the effects described above, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the composition of the invention described in the detailed description or claims of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a needle type aerosol inhaler (test kit design) having a configuration of a canister, a valve, a connecting portion, and a needle according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a needle-type aerosol inhaler (test kit design) having a configuration of a canister, a valve, a connecting portion, and a needle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, since various modifications may be made to the embodiments, the scope of the patent application rights is not limited or restricted by these embodiments. It should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, or substitutes to the embodiments are included in the scope of the rights.

The terms used in the examples are used for the purpose of description only and should not be construed as limiting. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, the terms "comprises" or "has" and the like are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood to not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments belong. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries, such as those defined in common dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning they have in the context of the relevant art, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly defined in this application.

In addition, when describing with reference to the attached drawings, the same components will be given the same reference numerals regardless of the drawing numbers, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. When describing an embodiment, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the embodiment, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Additionally, in describing components of an embodiment, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only intended to distinguish the components from other components, and the nature, order, or sequence of the components are not limited by these terms.

Components included in one embodiment and components including common functions will be described using the same names in other embodiments. Unless otherwise stated, descriptions given in one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments, and specific descriptions will be omitted to the extent of overlap.

The term "aerosol inhaler" as used herein refers to a device that delivers an aerosol of a nicotine-related substance, an aerosol created by the reaction of a nicotine-related substance and an organic acid substance, etc., into the user's lungs through the user's mouth.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a nozzle for an aerosol inhaler is provided, characterized in that the inner diameter of the nozzle is 0.14 mm to 0.41 mm.

The inventors of the present invention have found that by adjusting the inner diameter of the nozzle to a specific range of 0.14 mm to 0.41 mm, the spray angle and spray reach can be improved when spraying an aerosol.

Meanwhile, the spray angle is a measure of the fullness that gives a positive smoking sensation to smokers and indicates the degree of aerosol spread, and the spray reach distance is a measure of the impact that gives a positive smoking sensation to smokers and indicates the maximum travel distance of the sprayed aerosol.

Therefore, it can be implied that the improvement in the spray angle and spray reach when spraying the aerosol can result in improved fullness and impact, allowing smokers to experience a better smoking sensation.

Specifically, when spraying an aerosol using a nozzle for an aerosol inhaler according to one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Tables 1 and 2 of Examples 1 and 2 below, the spray angle may be in the range of 15˚ to 25˚, more specifically, 18˚ to 23˚, and the spraying distance may also be in the range of 100㎜ to 130㎜, more specifically, 105㎜ to 130㎜.

In contrast, when the nozzle of the aerosol inhaler is outside the inner diameter range (0.14 mm to 0.41 mm), it may be difficult to simultaneously achieve the spray angle of 15° to 25° and the spray reach distance of 100 mm to 130 mm described above, and the inner diameter of the nozzle may preferably have an inner diameter in the range of more than 0.14 mm and less than 0.41 mm, and more preferably 0.20 mm to 0.25 mm, in terms of the effect of improving the fullness and impact sensation.

The nozzle for an aerosol inhaler according to one embodiment of the present invention may have a length of 5 mm to 30 mm.

Since the length of the above nozzle is 5 mm to 30 mm, aerosol can be sprayed smoothly when using an aerosol inhaler.

Specifically, when the length of the nozzle for an aerosol inhaler is less than 5 mm, a large amount of large aerosol that can cause an unpleasant smoking sensation is generated when the aerosol is sprayed, which causes a problem in which the atomization is not smooth.

Meanwhile, large aerosols can cause a negative smoking sensation in users of aerosol inhalers, and depending on the speed, size, and trajectory of the large aerosols generated in large quantities, an unpleasant liquid spray can be generated in the user's throat.

In addition, when the length of the nozzle for the aerosol inhaler exceeds 30 mm, the spray resistance is excessive when spraying the aerosol, and a phenomenon occurs in which spraying does not occur properly.

Therefore, the length of the nozzle for the aerosol inhaler according to one embodiment of the present invention is preferably 5 mm to 30 mm, more preferably 10 mm to 25 mm, and most preferably 13 to 20 mm.

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol inhaler may be provided, including a battery that provides power used to operate the aerosol inhaler, a control unit that generally controls the operation of the aerosol inhaler, a nozzle, a cartridge, and the like.

In the above aerosol inhaler, the cartridge may generally contain a liquid composition comprising a nicotine-related substance.

The term 'nicotine-related substance' used herein is a concept including nicotine, and for example, the nicotine-related substance may include nicotine, nicotine salt, nicotine alkaloid, nicotine derivatives, etc.

In addition, the liquid composition according to one embodiment of the present invention may include an organic acid, saccharin, alcohol and/or a propellant together with the nicotine-related substance.

Here, the organic acid may correspond to at least one selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, pyruvic acid, 3-methyl-2-oxobutyric acid, 2-oxovaleric acid, 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid, 4-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid, oxalic acid, 2-oxoocatanoic acid, and lactic acid.

Additionally, the alcohol may include both monohydric alcohol and polyhydric alcohol, and may be an alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably ethanol.

The propellant may include at least one of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFA-134a) and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), preferably HFA-134a.

In addition, in addition to the nicotine-related substances, organic acids, propellants, etc., a flavoring liquid containing a specific flavoring substance may be additionally included in the cartridge so that users of the aerosol inhaler can satisfy various preferences preferred when smoking.

The above-mentioned flavoring liquid may include a specific flavoring substance and a solvent capable of dissolving the same, and the solvent may specifically correspond to ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerin, etc.

The above flavoring substances may be at least one selected from the group consisting of rosemary, eucalyptol, licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, isosweetener, cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, cascarilla, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, mandarin oil, catechin, grapefruit, caraway, cognac, jasmine, cocoa butter, menthol, cinnamon, ylang ylang, sage, spearmint, ginger, coriander and coffee, but are not limited thereto.

In the aerosol inhaler, the nozzle is connected to the cartridge so as to be in fluid communication with the cartridge described above, and is configured to be able to spray a nicotine-related substance, an organic acid, a flavoring liquid, etc. of the cartridge, and may include a needle including an elongated hollow tube, through which an aerosol of the liquid composition can be sprayed from an end of the needle along the length direction of the needle.

Additionally, the nozzle herein may correspond to a nozzle for an aerosol inhaler as described in detail above, and specifically may correspond to a nozzle having a specific inner diameter and/or a specific length as mentioned above.

Hereinafter, the composition of the present invention and the effects thereof will be described in more detail through examples and comparative examples. However, these examples are intended to explain the present invention more specifically, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Meanwhile, the overall spray characteristics when using an aerosol inhaler according to one embodiment of the present invention can be evaluated by spray time, spray reach, spray angle, spray time, etc.

The above spray reach distance can induce a positive smoking sensation called a sensation of impact in smokers, and is defined as the maximum distance that the generated aerosol moves. A specific method for measuring this distance is, for example, by taking an image of an aerosol spray, securing the spray boundary, and then measuring the maximum distance.

Furthermore, the spray angle is a measure of the fullness of the positive smoking sensation that indicates the degree of aerosol spread, and as a specific measurement standard, it can be derived by measuring the aerosol spread angle from the nozzle inlet to half of the spray reach distance (spray reach distance/2).

<Example>

- Example 1: Measurement of spray angle according to the inner diameter of the nozzle

Liquid compositions F01, F06, F07, F08, and F09 having the following compositions, which are included in the cartridge of an aerosol inhaler, were prepared (Table 1 below), and a needle-type test kit was placed in front of an ultra-high-speed camera. While operating the test kit, aerosol was generated from the tip of the needle, and images were taken at 7,000 to 20,000 frames per second with the ultra-high-speed camera. Through image analysis of each frame, the angle, length, and trajectory of large droplets of 200 μm or more formed by the aerosol were tracked and analyzed.

Recipe No. weight% F01 F06 F07 F08 F09 Gly PEG instead of Gly
0.349 0.256 0.405 0.769 - EtOH 1.189 1.282 1.133 0.769 1.538 Gly:EtOH ratio 1:3.4
(PEG:EtOH) 1:5 1:2.8 1:1 - viscosity 2.35 2.34 3.34 11.35 1.55

Among them, the spray angle was measured according to the inner diameter of the nozzle (22G, 27G, 30G), and the results are shown in Table 2 below.

F01 F06 F07 F08 F09 22G 20.6° 19.22° 19.29° 18.64° 20.07° 27G 22.6° 20.52° 20.73° 20.28° 21.14° 30G 21.38° 19.49° 19.82° 20.06° 20.39°

* 22G = 0.41㎜; 27G = 0.21㎜; 30G = 0.14㎜

Through the above Table 2, it can be confirmed that the largest spray angle is achieved when the inner diameter of the nozzle is 27G.

- Example 2: Measurement of spray reach according to inner diameter of nozzle

The spray reach distance according to the inner diameter of the nozzle was measured for the liquid composition used in Example 1 above, and the results are shown in Table 3 below.

F01 F06 F07 F08 F09 22G 127.16mm 116.38mm 121.48mm 119.16mm 121.68mm 27G 129.75mm 125.52mm 126.2mm 125.94mm 121.94mm 30G 113.03mm 107.97mm 110.95mm 105.76mm 105.52mm

Through the above Table 3, it can be confirmed that the largest spraying distance is achieved when the inner diameter of the nozzle is 27G.

- Example 3: Measurement of spray angle and spray reach according to the inner diameter of the nozzle in a high-density spray area

When aerosol spraying was performed using the same sample and method as in Example 1, the spray angle and spray reach were measured when sprayed at the highest density, and the results are shown in Tables 4 and 5 below.

F01 F06 F07 F08 F09 22G 17.20° 16.30° 15.57° 15.07° 15.67° 27G 18.82° 18.17° 17.08° 17.40° 18.26° 30G 17.81° 17.47° 16.28° 15.53° 15.80°

F01 F06 F07 F08 F09 22G 107.78mm 103.01mm 104.85mm 103.71mm 104.86mm 27G 116.74mm 111.94mm 113.80㎜ 113.66mm 108.70㎜ 30G 104.27mm 97.89mm 97.66mm 92.08mm 91.49mm

Through the above Tables 4 and 5, it can be confirmed that even in high-density spraying, the case where the inner diameter of the nozzle is 27G shows the largest spray angle and spray reach.

Although the embodiments have been described with limited drawings as described above, those skilled in the art can apply various technical modifications and variations based on the above. For example, even if the described techniques are performed in a different order than the described method, and/or the components of the described system, structure, device, circuit, etc. are combined or combined in a different form than the described method, or are replaced or substituted by other components or equivalents, appropriate results can be achieved.

Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims are also included in the scope of the claims described below.

Claims (8)

The inner diameter of the nozzle is 0.14 mm to 0.41 mm,
The above nozzle comprises a needle,
Aerosol is generated at the tip of the needle,
When spraying aerosol using an aerosol inhaler, the spray angle is 15˚ to 25˚.
The above spray angle is defined as the aerosol spread angle from the nozzle inlet of the aerosol inhaler to the spray reach distance/2.
Nozzle for aerosol inhaler.
In the first paragraph,
Characterized in that the length of the nozzle is 5 mm to 30 mm.
Nozzle for aerosol inhaler.
delete delete In the first paragraph,
When spraying aerosol using an aerosol inhaler, the spray reach is 100 mm to 130 mm.
The above spray reach is defined as the maximum distance that the aerosol travels.
Nozzle for aerosol inhaler.
In the first paragraph,
Characterized in that the inner diameter of the nozzle is 0.21 mm.
Nozzle for aerosol inhaler.
A battery that powers the aerosol inhaler;
A control unit for controlling the operation of an aerosol inhaler and
An aerosol inhaler comprising a nozzle as described in claim 1.
In Article 7,
Comprising a cartridge containing a liquid composition comprising one or more nicotine-related substances selected from the group consisting of nicotine, nicotine salts, nicotine alkaloids and nicotine derivatives;
Aerosol inhaler.

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