Dispensing device, storage device and method for dispensing a formulation

• US 10,124,129 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Dunne, Stephen T., Moser, Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, (Jackie) Tan-Uyen T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boecker, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US12/808,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20110277753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,611 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0031 by bursting or breaking the package, i.e. without cutting or piercing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0043 Non-destructive separation of the package, e.g. peeling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0045 using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0051 the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0061 using pre-packed dosages having an insert inside
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/07 having air pumping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/071 hand operated

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispensing device, a storage device and a method for dispensing a medical formulation. Multiple doses of the formulation are stored in a carrier having multiple storage members, each storage member containing a single dose. Each storage member comprises one duct or nozzle for dispensing the respective dose. The dispensing direction of the ducts or nozzles is directed in a lengthwise or indexing direction of the carrier. The storage device of the carrier is a peelable blister strip, wherein the ducts or nozzles can be opened one after the other by peeling the blister strip.

Claims

1. A dry powder inhaler (1) for dispensing a medical powder formulation (2) containing a drug, as a powder spray (3), wherein the medical powder formulation (2) contains a drug, and wherein the dry powder inhaler (1) comprises:

a storage device (4) including a carrier (5) having multiple storage members (6) in a flexible, band-like arrangement, wherein each of said multiple storage members (6) includes;

(i) a respective storage cavity (9) containing a dose of the medical powder formulation (2), and (ii) a respective nozzle (11) having an outlet oriented such that the medical powder dose is dispensed from the respective storage cavity (9), through the respective nozzle, and outward from the outlet in a dispensing direction (12),

characterized in that the respective nozzle (11) includes a duct (10) that forms a channel from the storage cavity (9) to the outlet, where the duct (10) is formed integrally with the storage cavity (9), and the dispensing direction (12) of the respective nozzle (11) is directed at least in a lengthwise or indexing direction of the carrier (5).

2. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier (5) is a blister strip.

3. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier (5) comprises a base layer (7) and a peelable cover layer (8), wherein the multiple storage members (6) are inserted or held between these layers (7, 8) before and/or during dispensing.

4. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the multiple storage members (6) are parts made separately from the carrier (5).

5. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the multiple storage members (6) are formed by the carrier (5), a base layer (7) and a cover layer (8) of the carrier (5).

6. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the multiple storage members (6) is a molded element, a cartridge, a capsule or a container.

7. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the multiple storage members (6) is rigid or flexible.

8. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the dry powder inhaler (1) further comprises an opening, connecting and/or supply means (14), a piercing element (15) for opening or piercing the multiple storage members (6) individually and/or supplying pressurized gas to each of the multiple storage members (6) to dispense the dose from each of said multiple storage members (6).

9. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the dry powder inhaler (1) further comprises a means for providing pressurized gas for dispensing the medical powder formulation (2), wherein the dry powder inhaler (1) comprises a manually operated air pump (13) as means for providing pressurized gas.

10. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the dry powder inhaler (1) is designed such that the carrier (5) is capable of being moved or indexed stepwise from one of said multiple storage members (6) to the next one of said multiple storage members (6).

11. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the multiple storage members (6) or nozzles (11) are sealed by one common sealing or cover layer (8).

12. The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein the storage device (4) or carrier (5) is a peelable blister strip, wherein the nozzle (11) is capable of being opened one after the other by peeling the blister strip.

13. The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein the carrier (5) carries the storage members (6) formed separately from the carrier (5) rigidly or in a unmovable manner and is adapted that each of the storage members (6) or the nozzle (11) is capable of being opened without movement of the storage members (6) or a base layer (7) thereof by opening or peeling a common sealing or cover layer (8).

14. The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, further comprising a mouthpiece including a longitudinal body having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being in fluid communication with the outlet of the respective nozzle (11), and the outlet end for delivering the dose of the medical powder formulation (2) to a user, wherein the outlet of the nozzle (11), the inlet end of the longitudinal body, and the outlet end of the longitudinal body are oriented along the dispensing direction (12).

15. The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein the duct (10) is always open and remains open even prior to dispensing of the powder formulation.

16. A storage device (4) for a medical powder formulation (2) containing a drug, for a dry powder inhaler (1), the storage device (4) comprising:

a carrier (5) having multiple storage members (6) in a flexible, band-like arrangement, wherein each of said multiple storage members (6) includes;

(i) a respective storage cavity (9) containing a dose of the medical powder formulation (2), and (ii) a respective nozzle (11) having an outlet oriented such that the respective medical powder formulation dose (2) is dispensed from the respective storage cavity (9), through the respective nozzle, and outward from the outlet in a dispensing direction (12),

characterized in that the respective nozzle (11) includes a duct (10) that forms a channel from the storage cavity (9) to the outlet, where the duct (10) is formed integrally with the storage cavity (9), and the dispensing direction (12) of the respective nozzle (11) is directed in a lengthwise direction of the carrier (5).

17. A method, comprising:

dispensing a medical powder formulation (2) containing a drug, as a dry powder spray (3) from a blister strip comprising multiple storage members (6), wherein each of said multiple storage members (6) includes (i) a respective storage cavity (9) containing a dose of the medical powder formulation (2), and (ii) a respective nozzle (11) having an outlet oriented such that the medical powder formulation dose (2) is dispensed from the respective storage cavity (9), through the respective nozzle, and outward from the outlet in a dispensing direction (12), wherein the respective nozzle (11) includes a duct (10) that forms a channel from the storage cavity (9) to the outlet, where the duct (10) is formed integrally with the storage cavity (9), and the dispensing direction (12) of the respective nozzle (11) is directed in a lengthwise direction of the carrier (5), and

peeling the blister strip to open each of the multiple storage members (6) and expose the respective nozzle (11), one after the other, so that the medical powder formulation dose (2) in each of said multiple storage members (6) is dispensed one after the other.

18. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that each of the storage members (6) or nozzle (11) is sealed by one common sealing or cover layer (8), wherein the common sealing or cover layer (8) is peeled.

19. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the storage members (6) are individually connected to a supply of pressurized gas by piercing each of the respective storage members (6) by means of a piercing element (15).