Dry powder inhalers, related blister package indexing and opening mechanisms, and associated methods of dispensing dry powder substances
First Claim
1. A dry powder inhaler with a multi-dose dry powder package for dispensing pharmaceutical grade formulations of inhalable dry powder, comprising:
- an inhaler housing;
a blister package held in the housing, the blister package comprising a plurality of spaced apart sealed blisters thereon, each blister having a projecting ceiling and a floor defining a blister channel therebetween, the blister channel comprising a dry powder therein;
a movable blade cartridge mounted in the housing configured to hold a blade at a forward portion thereof; and
an extendable mouthpiece attached to the movable blade cartridge, wherein, in operation, a user extends the mouthpiece outward and then retracts the mouthpiece inward to cause the blister package to advance thereby positioning a blister in a selected dispensing position in the inhaler, the retraction causing the blade cartridge to move the blade lengthwise across a blister ceiling held in the dispensing position in the inhaler to open the blister held in the dispensing position.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Dry powder inhalers with a multi-dose dry powder package for dispensing pharmaceutical grade formulations of inhalable dry powder, include: (a) a blister package comprising a plurality of spaced apart sealed blisters thereon, each blister having a projecting ceiling and a floor defining a blister channel therebetween, the blister channel comprising a dry powder therein; (b) a movable blade cartridge holding a blade at a forward portion thereof; and (c) an extendable mouthpiece attached to the movable blade cartridge. In operation, a user pulls the mouthpiece outward and then pushes the mouthpiece inward to cause the blister package to advance to position a blister in a selected dispensing position in the inhaler and to cause the blade cartridge to move the blade across a blister ceiling held in the dispensing position in the inhaler to thereby open the blister held in the dispensing position.
132 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A dry powder inhaler with a multi-dose dry powder package for dispensing pharmaceutical grade formulations of inhalable dry powder, comprising:
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an inhaler housing;
a blister package held in the housing, the blister package comprising a plurality of spaced apart sealed blisters thereon, each blister having a projecting ceiling and a floor defining a blister channel therebetween, the blister channel comprising a dry powder therein;
a movable blade cartridge mounted in the housing configured to hold a blade at a forward portion thereof; and
an extendable mouthpiece attached to the movable blade cartridge, wherein, in operation, a user extends the mouthpiece outward and then retracts the mouthpiece inward to cause the blister package to advance thereby positioning a blister in a selected dispensing position in the inhaler, the retraction causing the blade cartridge to move the blade lengthwise across a blister ceiling held in the dispensing position in the inhaler to open the blister held in the dispensing position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of dispensing dry powder from an inhaler, comprising:
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extending a mouthpiece of an inhaler outward to automatically index a blister on a blister package into a dispensing position;
vibrating the indexed blister; and
retracting the mouthpiece inward to open the indexed blister. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A blister packaging opening mechanism adapted for use in an inhaler, comprising:
a translatable cutting cartridge having a cutting blade, the cartridge and/or blade having an aperture formed therein that, in operation, defines a portion of an inspiratory exit flow path, wherein, the cutting cartridge is configured to mount to an inhaler and move forward in the inhaler to cause the cutting blade to slice lengthwise across a projecting ceiling portion of an aligned blister sealing a blister channel, traveling generally parallel to a plane drawn over an upper portion of the underlying blister channel, to open the blister for dispensing a dry powder medicament held therein.
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50. A blister packaging opening mechanism for use in an inhaler, comprising:
a translatable cutting cartridge having a forward plow portion with a cutting blade, wherein, the cutting cartridge is configured to mount to an inhaler and move forward in the inhaler along a length direction of the blister to open and then fold at least one loose edge portion of a projecting ceiling of an aligned blister as the cutting cartridge advances to thereby open the blister for dispensing a dry powder medicament held therein. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. A method for opening a sealed blister on a blister package, comprising:
advancing a plow mechanism across a sealed blister to open a projecting ceiling layer thereof to automatically lift and fold a loose edge portion of the opened ceiling layer. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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56. A blister packaging indexing mechanism adapted for use in an inhaler, comprising:
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a blister package having a plurality of spaced apart sealed blisters thereon;
a rotating gear having circumferentially spaced apart gear teeth, the gear mounted to the blister package so that the blister package rotates with the gear; and
a pawl configured to, in operation, controllably engage at least one gear tooth to urge the gear to rotate in a desired direction to serially index a respective blister on the package to a dispensing position in an inhaler.
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Specification