Method and apparatus to stress test medicament inhalation aerosol device by inductive heating

• US 20050025213A1
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smithkline Beecham Corporation (GlaxoSmithKline PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smithkline Beecham Corporation (GlaxoSmithKline PLC)
• Inventors: Parks, Kevin Ray
• Granted Patent: US 7,093,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/368 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. IR waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/02 Equipment for testing the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 99/002 Thermal testing flaw detection G01N25/72
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/103 multiple metal pieces successively being moved close to the inductor

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for heat stress testing medicament aerosol inhalation devices, such as metered dose inhaler. An electrical induction work coil (24, 26, 28) is used to heat the inhalers to 55° C.±5 C.°. Heated inhalers are subsequently weighed to detect and reject nonconforming inhalers where a nonconforming amount of propellant has leaked.

Claims

1. An apparatus for heating medicinal inhalation devices comprising:

an electrical power supply, and

one or more induction coils.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a microprocessor for controlling the power supply in the range of 100-130 amps to heat the inhalation devices to a temperature in the range of 50-60°

C.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further including a cooling system comprising a condenser and a pump, wherein the apparatus includes a single induction coil, and wherein a liquid coolant is pumped through the induction coil, and wherein the electrical power supply has a maximum power output of 20 kilowatts and operates in the range of 80-90% efficiency.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the power supply provides up to 20 kva and 50-450 kHz, and wherein 140 volts is applied to the one or more induction coils.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the induction coil is constructed from copper tubing and silver soldered joints.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the induction coil is a single, continuous coil in the shape of a loop having first and second bridges on first and second ends of the loop, respectively, and wherein the first and second bridges are suitably sized and configured to directly heat each entire inhalation device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further including:

a conveyor, and

a computer-controlled gating assembly for indexing a predetermined number of medicinal inhalation devices along the conveyor between the first and second bridges of the induction coil, wherein the medicinal inhalation devices are metered dose inhalers.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the gating assembly further includes first and second heat exchangers suitably adapted and positioned to heat a first and last metered dose inhaler indexed within the one or more induction coils.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first and second heat exchanger each comprise an aluminum canister adapted to be cooled.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the gating assembly is adapted to index 32 metered dose inhalers per heating cycle, wherein 4 slugs of 8 metered dose inhalers per slug are indexed each cycle, and wherein the cycle time is in the range of 30-40 seconds.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the conveyor has a line speed in the range of 100-140 metered dose inhalers per minute.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 further including an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of the metered dose inhalers.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the measured temperatures are fed to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor adjusts the power supply to heat the metered dose inhalers to a temperature of about 55°

C.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a weighing device to check the weight of the heated metered dose inhalers.

15. An apparatus for heating medicinal inhalation devices comprising:

an electrical power supply means, and

one or more induction coil means.

16. A process of heat stress testing medicinal inhalation devices to detect and reject nonconforming or leaking devices comprising the acts of:

providing one or more inhalation devices, and

induction heating the one or more inhalation devices.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the inhalation devices are metered dose inhalers, and wherein the metered dose inhalers are provided continuously at a line speed in the range of 100-140 inhalers per minute.

18. The process of claim 17 further including the act of:

indexing the continuously provided metered dose inhalers.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the metered dose inhalers are indexed in slugs of 8 providing 32 metered dose inhalers per induction heating cycle.

20. The process of claim 17, wherein the metered dose inhalers are heated to a temperature in the range of 50-60°

C.

21. The process of claim 20, wherein the metered dose inhalers are heated to a temperature of about 55°

C.

22. The process of claim 21, wherein the temperature of the metered dose inhalers, the indexing and the induction heating is computer process controlled.

23. The process of claim 18 further including the acts of:

check weighing the heated metered dose inhalers, and

rejecting any nonconforming or leaking metered dose inhalers.

24. A process of heat stress testing medicinal inhalation devices to detect and reject nonconforming or leaking devices comprising the steps of:

providing one or more inhalation devices, and

induction heating the one or more inhalation devices.