초록 ▼

There is disclosed apparatus for producing an aerosol having an atomising chamber having an inlet for material to be atomised, means for atomising the said material, outlet means for the aerosol produced and, inlet means for air, air supply means comprising an air inlet, blower means and an air outl

There is disclosed apparatus for producing an aerosol having an atomising chamber having an inlet for material to be atomised, means for atomising the said material, outlet means for the aerosol produced and, inlet means for air, air supply means comprising an air inlet, blower means and an air outlet, means connecting the air outlet of the air supply means to the air inlet of the atomising means and a filter for removing bacteria from the air supplied by the air supply means and drive means connected by a magnetic coupling to the blower means. The blower means is preferably a fan wheel which is arranged to suck air through the filter, the fan wheel being arranged in a separate chamber which is in the form of a replaceable cassette which can be inserted into the housing of the apparatus, the magnetic coupling acting through a closed wall of the cassette.

대표청구항 ▼

In an apparatus for producing an aerosol and which has an atomizing chamber for receiving material to be atomized and a flowing stream of air and delivering an aerosol produced, the apparatus further having air supply means for delivering a flowing stream of air to the atomizing chamber and includin

In an apparatus for producing an aerosol and which has an atomizing chamber for receiving material to be atomized and a flowing stream of air and delivering an aerosol produced, the apparatus further having air supply means for delivering a flowing stream of air to the atomizing chamber and including fan wheel means for impelling the flowing stream of air, drive means for driving the fan wheel means, and filter means for removing bacteria from air flowing through the fan wheel means, an improvement which facilitates sterilization of the apparatus and comprising replaceable cassette means for containing said fan wheel means and for defining an air flow passageway, housing means for receiving said cassette means and for containing said drive means, and magnetic coupling means operable through a closed wall of said cassette means for coupling said drive means to said fan wheel means, whereby said cassette means may be readily removed from said housing means for sterilization of said cassette means. A method of operating an apparatus for producing an aerosol and which has an atomizing chamber for receiving material to be atomized and a flowing stream of air and delivering an aerosol produced, a cassette containing a fan wheel for delivering the flowing stream of air through the atomizing chamber, a housing for receiving the cassette and for containing a drive for driving the fan, and a magnetic coupling operable through a closed wall of the cassette for coupling the drive to the fan wheel, the method comprising the steps of inserting into the housing before commencement of production of an aerosol a cassette sterilized in an autoclave at 134°C. in a humid atmosphere or at 180°C. in a dry atmosphere and, after an operating period of four to eight hours, replacing the cassette by another cassette sterilized in the same way.