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Powder dispersion devices and methods

  • US 10,441,733 B2
  • Filed: 02/25/2013
  • Issued: 10/15/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A dry powder inhaler, comprising:

  • a housing having a longitudinal axis, the housing comprising;

    a powder receiving chamber within the housing that is adapted to receive an aerosolized powdered medicament from an inlet channel, wherein the inlet channel is in fluid communication with a powder storage location, and wherein the aerosolized powdered medicament flows generally axially along the longitudinal axis of the housing from the powder storage location through the inlet channel and into the powder receiving chamber;

    a dispersion chamber within the housing downstream of the powder receiving chamber that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the aerosolized powdered medicament from the powder receiving chamber, the dispersion chamber comprising substantially cylindrical side walls that are coaxial with the longitudinal axis, the dispersion chamber holding a single actuator that oscillates in a generally axial direction along the longitudinal axis, wherein the aerosolized powdered medicament flows generally axially along the longitudinal axis of the housing through the powder receiving chamber and into the dispersion chamber; and

    an outlet channel within the housing downstream of the dispersion chamber through which air and powdered medicament exit the inhaler to be delivered to a patient, wherein the aerosolized powdered medicament flows generally axially along the longitudinal axis of the housing through the dispersion chamber and into the outlet channel;

    wherein a geometry of the inhaler is such that a flow profile is generated within the dispersion chamber that causes the single actuator to oscillate along the longitudinal axis, thus enabling the oscillating actuator to effectively disperse powdered medicament received in the dispersion chamber for delivery to the patient through the outlet channel; and

    wherein the powder receiving chamber comprises continuous side walls to define a longitudinal flow path along the longitudinal axis from the powder receiving chamber to the dispersion chamber, and wherein the side walls of the dispersion chamber are continuous to define a longitudinal flow path along the longitudinal axis from the powder receiving chamber to the outlet channel, and wherein the outlet channel comprises continuous side walls to define a longitudinal flow path from the dispersion chamber to an outlet end of the outlet channel, and wherein the flow paths of the powder receiving chamber, the dispersion chamber and the outlet channel together define a single continuous flow path that extends from an inlet end of the inlet channel to the outlet end of the outlet channel through which the powdered medicament flows from the powder storage location to the outlet end of the outlet channel, wherein the continuous side walls that define the flow paths of the powder receiving chamber, the dispersion chamber, and the outlet channel prevent air from entering the single continuous flow path except for air that is introduced to the single continuous flow path via the inlet end of the inlet channel.

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