Inhaler for the administration of powdered pharmaceuticals, and a powder cartridge system for use with this inhaler
First Claim
1. An inhaler (1) for powdered medicaments, for providing a large number of doses of pharmaceutical powder of medicament from a single reservoir space (2) or a multiplicity of reservoir spaces, which medicament can be received by a patient by means of an air stream, the inhaler further comprising an activating device (4) for manual engagement by the patient for repeatedly metering a dose of medicament to be administered to the patient, and further comprising an advancing mechanism (25) for advancing a counter or indexing means (8) each time the activating device (4) has been engaged by the patient so that a dose of medicament has been released for administration to the patient, wherein the counter or indexing means (8) comprises an index (9), the index (9) being detectable by a detection means (10) of the inhaler, and the detection means (10) being coupled to a locking mechanism (12), the locking mechanism (12) blocking the activating device (4) and/or any transportation mechanism (5) of the inhaler (1) delayed by a predetermined number of metering cycles since detection of the index (9).
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Accused Products
Abstract
In order to improve the security and reliability of administration of powdered pharmaceuticals through dry powder inhalers, the invention proposes an inhaler (1) for powdered medicaments, comprising an activating device (4) for manual engagement by the patient for repeatedly metering a dose of medicament to be administered to the patient, and further comprising an advancing mechanism (25) for advancing a counter or indexing means (8) each time the activating device (4) has been engaged by the patient so that a dose of medicament has been released for administration to the patient, wherein the counter or indexing means (8) comprises an index (9), the index (9) being detectable by a detection means (10) of the inhaler, and the detection means (10) being coupled to a locking mechanism (12), the locking mechanism (12) blocking the activating device (4) and/or any transportation mechanism (5) of the inhaler (1) delayed by a predetermined number of metering cycles since detection of the index (9), and a cartridge (3).
69 Citations
21 Claims
- 1. An inhaler (1) for powdered medicaments, for providing a large number of doses of pharmaceutical powder of medicament from a single reservoir space (2) or a multiplicity of reservoir spaces, which medicament can be received by a patient by means of an air stream, the inhaler further comprising an activating device (4) for manual engagement by the patient for repeatedly metering a dose of medicament to be administered to the patient, and further comprising an advancing mechanism (25) for advancing a counter or indexing means (8) each time the activating device (4) has been engaged by the patient so that a dose of medicament has been released for administration to the patient, wherein the counter or indexing means (8) comprises an index (9), the index (9) being detectable by a detection means (10) of the inhaler, and the detection means (10) being coupled to a locking mechanism (12), the locking mechanism (12) blocking the activating device (4) and/or any transportation mechanism (5) of the inhaler (1) delayed by a predetermined number of metering cycles since detection of the index (9).
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20. A method for operating an inhaler for powdered medicaments, comprising the steps of:
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releasing a medicament dose from a reservoir space (2), on engagement of an activating device of the inhaler by a patient, advancing a counter or indexing means (8) comprising an index (9), displaying the counter or indexing means (8) to the patient or user of the inhaler, detecting whether the index (9) of the counter or indexing means (8) reached a predetermined position indicating an “
empty”
state of the inhaler, andon detection of the index (9) at the predetermined position indicating an “
empty”
state of the inhaler, blocking the activating device and/or any transportation means after a predetermined number of additional releasing steps since detection of the “
empty”
state. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification