Delivery devices

• US 20070125371A1
• Filed: 08/29/2004
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OptiNose, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OptiNose AS (OptiNose, Inc.)
• Inventors: Djupesland, Per
• Granted Patent: US 8,800,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.140
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0013 with inhalation check valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0028 using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0031 by bursting or breaking the package, i.e. without cutting or piercing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0083 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0098 Activated by exhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/08 Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/30 Vaccines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7518 bacterial

Abstract

A delivery device for and method of delivering substance, the delivery device comprising: an outlet member through which substance is in use delivered in an entraining gas flow; and a substance supply unit for supplying substance to be entrained by an entraining gas flow as one or both of a vapor or a fine aerosol mist, wherein the substance supply unit comprises a flow channel which is fluidly connected to the outlet member, and a substance supporting element for supporting substance, at least a surface of which is in use disposed in the flow channel.

Claims

1. A delivery device, comprising:

an outlet member through which substance is in use delivered in an entraining gas flow; and

a substance supply unit for supplying substance to be entrained by an entraining gas flow as one or both of a vapor or a fine aerosol mist, wherein the substance supply unit comprises a flow channel which is fluidly connected to the outlet member, and a substance supporting element for supporting substance, at least a surface of which is in use disposed in the flow channel.

2. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising:

a mouthpiece which is fluidly connected to the flow channel of the substance supply unit, whereby exhalation into the mouthpiece by a user acts to generate the entraining gas flow.

3. The delivery device of claim 2, wherein the mouthpiece comprises a flexible member which is such as to allow for movement to an operative position.

4. The delivery device of claim 3, wherein the mouthpiece comprises an extendable member which has a first, collapsed state and a second, operative extended state.

5. The delivery device of claim 4, wherein the mouthpiece comprises a concertinaed member.

6. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising:

a gas supply unit which is fluidly connected to the flow channel of the substance supply unit, the gas supply unit being actuatable to deliver the entraining gas flow on actuation thereof.

7. The delivery device of claim 6, wherein the gas supply unit is a manually-actuated unit.

8. The delivery device of claim 6, wherein the gas supply unit is a breath-actuated unit.

9. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the flow channel includes a chamber.

10. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the flow channel includes an elongate channel.

11. The delivery device of claim 10, wherein the substance supporting element comprises an elongate element extending along a length of the flow channel.

12. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance supporting element comprises a body which encloses the flow channel and includes a plurality of flow passages therethrough, such that the entraining gas flow is forced through the flow passages and thereby entrains substance from the substance supporting element.

13. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance supporting element comprises a body which is disposed in the flow channel, such that the entraining gas flow flows thereover and thereby entrains substance from the substance supporting element.

14. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance supporting element comprises a porous element which is disposed in the flow channel, such that the entraining gas flow flows therethrough and thereby entrains substance from the substance supporting element.

15. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance supporting element comprises a porous, capillary element which is loadable with substance and configured to present substance at the capillaries at the surface of the substance supporting element in the flow channel for entrainment by the entraining gas flow.

16. The delivery device of claim 15, wherein the substance supporting element is configured such that application of a pressure to another surface of the substance supporting element causes substance to be delivered from the capillaries to the surface of the substance supporting element in the flow channel for entrainment by the entraining gas flow.

17. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the flow channel comprises a first, upstream flow channel section into which the entraining gas flow is in use delivered, a second, downstream flow channel section, and a flow resistor fluidly connecting the upstream and downstream flow channel sections, with the flow resistor providing a predeterminable flow resistance to the entraining gas flow and thereby developing a predeterminable pressure in the upstream flow channel section, and the substance supporting element comprises a porous, capillary element which is loadable with substance and disposed such that a first, pressure surface thereof defines a part of the upstream flow channel section and a second, delivery surface thereof defines a part of the downstream flow channel section, whereby the developed pressure in the upstream flow channel section acts to pressurize the pressure surface of the substance supporting element, which pressure in turn acts to drive substance through the capillaries and to the delivery surface of the substance supporting element, and the entraining gas flow passing through the flow resistor and the downstream flow channel section acts to entrain substance presented at the delivery surface of the substance supporting element in the downstream flow channel section.

18. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance supply unit comprises a substance supporting unit which comprises a movable member which is movable by the entraining gas flow as delivered though the flow channel, and the substance supporting element which is disposed to the movable member such as to be moved with the same.

19. The delivery device of claim 18, wherein the substance supporting element comprises a capillary structure which is loadable with substance, and, on movement of the substance supporting element, substance is driven outwardly to an outer surface of the substance supporting element, which substance presented at the capillaries is in use entrained by the entraining gas flow.

20. The delivery device of claim 18, wherein the movable member is a rotatable member which is rotatable by the entraining gas flow as delivered though the flow channel.

21. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance supply unit further comprises a substance dosing unit for dosing the substance supporting element with substance.

22. The delivery device of claim 21, wherein the substance dosing unit is configured to deliver a predeterminable dose of substance.

23. The delivery device of claim 21, wherein the substance dosing unit comprises a blister element which contains substance and comprises a body member and a closure member which normally closes the body member, with the closure member being ruptured on depressing the body member to release substance contained therein.

24. The delivery device of claim 23, wherein the substance dosing unit comprises a blister pack member which includes a plurality of the blister elements, such as to provide for successive dosing of the substance supporting element with substance by use of successive ones of the blister elements.

25. The delivery device of claim 23, wherein the flow channel includes a delivery port and comprises first and second channel sections, the respective ends of which terminate at the delivery port, such that in use the entraining gas flow is directed through the first channel section into a blister element which is located at the delivery port.

26. The delivery device of claim 21, wherein the substance dosing unit comprises a cartridge which contains substance and is openable to enable release of the contained substance.

27. The delivery device of claim 26, wherein the cartridge comprises a body and at least one closure member which normally closes the body and is ruptured to enable release of the contained substance.

28. The delivery device of claim 27, wherein the cartridge comprises a tubular body and closure elements at the respective ends of the tubular body which normally close the tubular body and are ruptured to enable release of the contained substance by delivery of the entraining gas flow therethrough.

29. The delivery device of claim 28, wherein the tubular body is a flexible body which is configured such that, on squeezing the tubular body diametrally, the closure elements are ruptured.

30. The delivery device of claim 26, wherein the cartridge includes the substance supporting element therewithin.

31. The delivery device of claim 21, wherein the substance dosing unit comprises a reservoir for containing a volume of substance and is operably fluidly connected to the substance supporting element such as to deliver a dose of substance to the substance supporting element on each actuation thereof.

32. The delivery device of claim 31, wherein the reservoir is such as to reduce in volume on each actuation thereof.

33. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance supply unit comprises an inlet closure member which normally closes an inlet end of the flow channel, and is openable on delivery of the entraining gas flow.

34. The delivery device of claim 33, wherein the inlet closure member comprises a one-way valve which is opened on delivery of the entraining gas flow.

35. The delivery device of claim 33, wherein the inlet closure member comprises a closure member which is ruptured on delivery of the entraining gas flow.

36. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance supply unit comprises an outlet closure member which normally closes an outlet end of the flow channel, and is openable on delivery of the entraining gas flow.

37. The delivery device of claim 36, wherein the outlet closure member comprises a one-way valve which is opened on delivery of the entraining gas flow.

38. The delivery device of claim 36, wherein the outlet closure member comprises a closure member which is ruptured on delivery of the entraining gas flow.

39. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising:

a flow control unit for controlling an extent of exhalation through the delivery device, such as to provide for delivery of a predeterminable dose of substance.

40. The delivery device of claim 39, wherein the flow control unit comprises a shaft, a movable member which is disposed to the shaft such as to be driven by the exhalation gas flow between a first, open position, which permits delivery of the exhalation gas flow through the flow channel, and a second, closed position, and a stop member, against which the movable member is disposed when in the closed position, such as at least substantially to prevent further delivery of the exhalation air flow through the flow channel.

41. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the outlet member comprises an inlet nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of the user.

42. The delivery device of claim 41, further comprising:

an outlet unit for fitting to the other nostril of the user, wherein the outlet unit comprises an outlet nosepiece for fitting to the other nostril of the user and a flow resistor fluidly connected to the outlet nosepiece such as to provide a flow resistance to the entraining gas flow where delivered through the nasal airway of the user.

43. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance comprises a vapor.

44. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance comprises a liquid which is delivered as a fine liquid aerosol mist.

45. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance comprises a powder which is delivered as a fine powder aerosol mist.

46. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance comprises a decongestant.

47. A delivery device, comprising:

an outlet member through which substance is in use delivered in an entraining gas flow; and

a substance supply unit for supplying substance to be entrained by an entraining gas flow as one or both of a vapor or a fine aerosol mist, wherein the substance supply unit comprises a flow channel which is fluidly connected to the outlet member through which the entraining gas flow is in use delivered and defines a receiving chamber for receiving a substance dosing unit.

48. The delivery device of claim 47, wherein the substance dosing unit comprises a cartridge which contains substance and is openable to enable release of the contained substance.

49. The delivery device of claim 48, wherein the cartridge includes a substance supporting element for supporting substance therewithin.

50. The delivery device of claim 48, wherein the cartridge comprises a body and at least one closure member which normally closes the body and is ruptured to enable release of the contained substance.

51. The delivery device of claim 50, wherein the cartridge comprises a tubular body and closure elements at the respective ends of the tubular body which normally close the tubular body and are ruptured to enable release of the contained substance, with the receiving chamber and the cartridge being configured such that the cartridge is disposed such that the entraining gas flow is delivered through the tubular body.

52. The delivery device of claim 47, wherein the substance supply unit further comprises a dosing member which is movable between a first, open position which allows for introduction of a substance dosing unit into the receiving chamber and a second, closed position which encloses the receiving chamber.

53. The delivery device of claim 52, wherein the cartridge comprises a flexible tubular body and closure elements at the respective ends of the tubular body which normally close the tubular body and are ruptured on squeezing the tubular body diametrally to enable release of the contained substance, with the dosing member being configured to squeeze the tubular body when moved to the closed position and the receiving chamber and the cartridge being configured such that the entraining gas flow is delivered through the tubular body.

54. A cartridge which contains substance to be entrained by an entraining gas flow as one or both of a vapor or a fine aerosol mist, with the cartridge being openable to enable release of the contained substance.

55. The cartridge of claim 54, wherein including a substance supporting element for supporting substance therewithin.

56. The cartridge of claim 54, comprising a body and at least one closure member which normally closes the body and is ruptured to enable release of the contained substance.

57. The cartridge of claim 56, comprising a tubular body and closure elements at the respective ends of the tubular body which normally close the tubular body and are ruptured to enable release of the contained substance.

58. The cartridge of claim 57, wherein the tubular body is a flexible body which is configured such that, on squeezing the tubular body diametrally, the closure elements are ruptured.

59. A method of delivering substance, comprising the steps of:

providing a substance supporting element in a flow channel; and

delivering an entraining gas flow through the flow channel to entrain substance, as one or both of a vapor or a fine aerosol mist, from the substance supporting element.

60. (canceled)

61. (canceled)