Breath actuated dry powder inhaler and tape dose strip

• US 20050081851A1
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptar France S.A.S (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Valois SAS (Mestdagh Family)
• Inventors: Kay, Stuart, Young, Matthew, Harrison, Neil, Darby, Ian, Rogerson, Cheryl Vanessa, Crew, Peter, Powell, Anne
• Granted Patent: US 7,434,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.150
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0008 rotating by airflow
• 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 15/0048 the dosages being arranged in a plane, e.g. on diskettes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0051 the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/006 the used dosages being discarded out of the inhaler's housing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0086 Inhalation chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0091 mechanically breath-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0096 Hindering inhalation before activation of the dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/02 with activated or ionised fluids, e.g. electrohydrodynamic [EHD] or electrostatic devices; Ozone-inhalators with radioactive tagged particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/16 Rotating swirling helical flow, e.g. by tangential inflows
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/327 and forming several compartments

Abstract

A dose tape for use in a dry powder inhaler has blisters formed in a formpack layer. A lidstock layer is permanently attached over the formpack layer, to seal a dose of dry powder within each of the blisters. A tear strip is attached to the lidstock layer over each of the blisters. The dose tape is provided in a coil within an inhaler having a breath actuated tape advance blister opening system. Moving a dustcap off of a mouthpiece into an open position places the tape advance/blister opening system into a ready condition. When the patient inhales on the mouthpiece, the tape advance/blister opening system is triggered. The blister or dose tape is advanced by one increment, and a blister is automatically opened. Pulling on the tear strip shears out an area of the lidstock over the blister, unsealing the powder contents. Airflow through an air path in the inhaler, generated by inhalation, carries the powder to a disbursion chamber, or directly to the mouthpiece, for inhalation by the patient.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A dry powder inhaler comprising:

a powder dispersion engine including one or more beads moveable around within a dispersion chamber;

an airflow path leading into the dispersion chamber;

an elongate tape containing a plurality of spaced apart blisters, with each blister holding a dose of a dry powder pharmaceutical; and

blister opening means for sequentially opening the blisters on the elongate tape and releasing the dose of each blister into the airflow path.

19. The inhaler of claim 18 further including a mouthpiece connecting into the dispersion chamber, and wherein the blister opening means is automatically actuated to open a blister when a user of the inhaler inhales on the mouthpiece.

20. The inhaler of claim 18 wherein the blister opening means includes a spring biased ratchet engageable to rotate a drive spool when released by a breath trigger in the airflow path.

21. The inhaler of claim 20 with the drive spool meshing with a capstan, and with the drive spool having tape pins positively engaged into a part of the tape.

22-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A dry powder inhaler comprising:

at least one blister holding a dose of a dry powder pharmaceutical;

blister opening means for opening a blister and releasing the dose;

wherein said blister opening means are automatically actuated to open a blister when a user of the inhaler inhales.

30. The inhaler of claim 29, wherein the inhaler comprises a plurality of blisters, one blister being opened each time the user inhales.

31. The inhaler of claim 29 including a mouthpiece on which the user inhales.

32. The inhaler of claim 29 including an airflow path leading from an inlet to a mouthpiece, the dose of one blister being released into said airflow path each time the user inhales on said mouthpiece.