1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nebulization apparatus with a packaging and fixing structure, and more particularly to a nebulization apparatus with a packaging layer covered onto the surface of a piezoelectric driving device to prevent any short-circuit of nebulization apparatus caused by the contact of the piezoelectric driving device with a liquid level.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the demand of air fresheners and aerosol medicines increases, the need for a nebulization apparatus to nebulize air freshener solutions and medicine solutions increases accordingly. In addition to the applications for air fresheners and aerosol doses, the nebulization apparatus also provides an indoor moistening effect for countries and regions having a dry weather. Manufacturers and researchers put up lots of investments and efforts in this area, in hope of improving the nebulization efficiency and lowering the production cost.
The working principle of a traditional liquid nebulization apparatus uses a high-frequency vibrator material (such as a piezoelectric driving device) installed in a liquid to generate vibrations to destroy the surface tension of the liquid and produce molecules of the liquid, or installs a micro-nozzle nebulization plate on a side or in the vibrator for exciting the liquid in waveforms to produce molecules of the liquid, so as to achieve the nebulization effect.
FIG. 1 illustrates the method of connecting a nebulization plate and a piezoelectric driving device in a conventional nebulization apparatus. The glue 12 is used to attach a micro-nozzle nebulization plate 11 with a piezoelectric driving device 13, such that the micro-nozzle nebulization plate 11 is driven by the piezoelectric driving device 13 to produce an inertia movement for a nebulization effect. However, a compression or a pulling stress produced by the inertia movement of the micro-nozzle nebulization plate 11 and exerted onto the glue 12 will damage the adhesiveness of the glue 12 after such nebulization apparatus has been operated for a long time, and thus a crack 14 of the glue 12 will be produced at the position of a free end proximate to the micro-nozzle nebulization plate 11 by the compression and pulling stress. After the crack 14 is produced, the stress keeps acting until the tip of the crack 14 is extended transversely to the left side of the glue 12 to further destroy the glue 12, and finally the micro-nozzle nebulization plate 11 will fall off, and the life of the nebulization apparatus will be reduced.
In addition, TW Pat. No. 566339 discloses a supersonic amplifier device wherein a metal coating 22 is coated onto a joint interface of a piezoelectric driving device 21 first, and a melted liquid metal 24 is soldered between two corresponding connecting surfaces of a micro-nozzle nebulization plate 23, and the micro-nozzle nebulization plate 23 is attached. In FIG. 2, the micro-nozzle nebulization plate 23 packaged by the aforementioned method is a metal conductor, and the medium for connecting the micro-nozzle nebulization plate 23 and the piezoelectric driving device 21 is also a liquid metal. After an electric connection, the micro-nozzle nebulization plate 23 is electrically connected to the piezoelectric driving device 21 and becomes an electrically charged metal conductor. Since the nebulization apparatus is situated at an operating environment of high temperature and high moisture, a short circuit of the piezoelectric driving device 21 driven by electric power may result easily in such operating environment, and the metal coating 22 on the surface of the piezoelectric driving device 21 will be burned or fallen off due to the short circuit, such that the piezoelectric driving device 21 no longer has the high frequency vibration function or even causes an electric shock or a fire.
After the micro-nozzle nebulization plate 23 is electrically connected and operated at the liquid surface, an electrically charged metal conductor produces an electrolysis in the liquid. If the liquid is used for the purpose of a medical treatment and doped with medicine, the electrolysis will have an electrochemical action with the micro-nozzle nebulization plate and the medicine, and change the properties of the medicine. As a result, the expected effect of the medical treatment will be affected, or even worse, a substance harmful to human bodies may be produced.
In addition, TW Pat. No. I252130 discloses a water draft structure of a high-frequency nebulization apparatus as shown in FIG. 3, and the nebulization apparatus includes a nebulization unit 31 and a floating unit 32. The nebulization unit 31 is connected onto a carrier 321 of a floating unit 32. The carrier 321 floats at a liquid level 331 of a working liquid 33 in a container 34, and a micro-nozzle nebulization plate 311 is close to the horizontal position of the liquid level. The overall structure is carried at the surface of the working liquid 33 by the carrier 321, such that the nebulization unit 31 maintains a specific mass action at the liquid level to maximize a quantitative nebulization power. With the limitation of the material properties of the floating unit 32, the vibration performance of the nebulization unit 31 will be restricted if the floating unit 32 is made of a rigid material. If the floating unit 32 is made of an elastic material, the vibration of the exciting unit will be absorbed, and thus the nebulization efficiency of the nebulization apparatus will be poor.
If the aforementioned nebulization apparatus is situated at a working environment of being submerged into the liquid or at a working environment with high moisture, water or moisture will cause a short circuit to the nebulization unit since the nebulization unit is not wrapped by any water-resisting structure.
In summation of the description above, the conventional nebulization apparatuses do not have any water-resisting structure for protecting the piezoelectric driving device, and thus short circuits may result easily and the life of the nebulization apparatus will be reduced.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds