INHALER

• US 20090064997A1
• Filed: 02/19/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jianhe Li
• Original Assignee: Jianhe Li
• Inventors: Li, Jianhe
• Granted Patent: US 8,245,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.230
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0045 using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0068 Indicating or counting the number of dispensed doses or of remaining doses
• 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 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0233 Conductive materials, e.g. antistatic coatings for spark prevention
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/073 Syringe, piston type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8225 using incorporated gas cartridges for the driving gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/14 Static flow deviators in tubes disturbing laminar flow in tubes, e.g. archimedes screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/16 Rotating swirling helical flow, e.g. by tangential inflows

Abstract

The invention provides an inhaler for dispensing medicament. The inhaler comprises auxiliary energy provision means for providing auxiliary energy for aerosolising medicament; energy release means for releasing auxiliary energy from the auxiliary energy provision means; feed means for feeding a dose of medicament, characterised in that the inhaler comprises control means for controlling a time interval between aerosolisation of the medicament and a user'"'"'s inhalation. The inhaler is operable, in use, to aerosolise medicament using the auxiliary energy, and harness the user'"'"'s inhalation to deliver the aerosolised medicament to the user.

Claims

1. An inhaler for dispensing medicament, the inhaler comprising auxiliary energy provision means for providing auxiliary energy for aerosolising medicament;

energy release means for releasing auxiliary energy from the auxiliary energy provision means;

feed means for feeding a dose of aerosolised medicament to the user, characterised in that the inhaler comprises control means for controlling a time interval between aerosolisation of the medicament and the user'"'"'s inhalation, wherein the inhaler is operable, in use, to aerosolise medicament using the auxiliary energy, and harness the user'"'"'s inhalation to deliver the aerosolised medicament to the user.

2. The inhaler according to claims 1, wherein the inhaler is a dry powder inhaler.

3. The inhaler according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the energy release means is operable in use to release the auxiliary energy either manually, or upon suction, or inhalation, by the user.

4. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the control means is operable to control the time interval between the aerosolisation of the medicament and the user'"'"'s inhalation, wherein the user'"'"'s inhalation only gets through into the user'"'"'s mouth after aerosolisation has occurred for a certain time period.

5. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the auxiliary energy provision means is in operable communication with any combination of the energy release means, the control means, and/or the feed means.

6. The inhaler according to claim 5, wherein the energy release means and the control means are in operable communication by a conduit.

7. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the feed means and the control means are in operable communication by a conduit.

8. The inhaler according to claim 7, wherein the conduit couples the control means with the energy release means.

9. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the auxiliary energy is independently selected from a group comprising:

—

electrical based energy;

vibration-based energy;

motored propeller based energy; and

compressed gas-based energy.

10. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the auxiliary energy provision means comprises a gas reservoir for containing gas.

11. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the auxiliary energy provision means comprises means for charging or compressing gas.

12. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the auxiliary energy provision means comprises a container in which charged or compressed gas may be stored.

13. The inhaler according to claim 12, wherein the volume of the container is adapted to vary in response to a change in the pressure of the gas contained therein.

14. The inhaler according to either claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the container comprises at least one aperture by which it may be coupled or connected with the energy release means, control means and/or the feed means.

15. The inhaler according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the gas container comprises a piston slideably mounted therein, which piston is moveable between a first, “

rest position”

in which the volume of the container is at a first low value when the pressure of gas in the container is at a first low value, and a second, “

engaged position”

, in which the volume of the container is at a second higher value when the pressure of gas in the container is at a second higher value.

16. The inhaler according to claim 15, wherein the container comprises biasing means operable to bias or urge the piston towards the first position.

17. The inhaler according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the means for charging gas in the container comprises a manually operated piston pump.

18. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the energy release means comprises a valve adapted to control connection between the auxiliary energy provision means and the feed means.

19. The inhaler according to claim 18, wherein the valve comprises a piston which is slideably mounted within a body and moveable between a first, “

engaged position”

in which it is closed, thereby closing a channel between the auxiliary energy provision means and the feed means, and a second “

rest position”

in which it is open, thereby opening the channel between the auxiliary energy provision means and the feed means.

20. The inhaler according to claim 19, wherein the valve comprises biasing means for biasing the piston towards the “

rest position”

.

21. The inhaler according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the energy release means comprises means for opening the valve.

22. The inhaler according to claim 21, wherein the means for opening the valve comprises a trigger, which may be actuated manually, or by a suction force created by a user'"'"'s inhalation.

23. The inhaler according to either claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the means for opening the valve comprises a body comprising an aperture at least adjacent a first end thereof by which the body is operably connected to, or coupled with, the feed means by a conduit.

24. The inhaler according to claim 23, wherein the means for opening the valve comprises a piston slideably mounted in the body and moveable between a first position in which the valve is closed and a second position in which the valve is open.

25. The inhaler according to either claim 23 or claim 24, wherein a first side of the body comprises an aperture for accommodating manual release means.

26. The inhaler according to claim 25, wherein a second side of the body comprises a receiving means for accommodating a first elongate member attached to the piston.

27. The inhaler according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the body comprises abutment means for preventing further movement of the piston in the body.

28. The inhaler according to either claim 26 or claim 27, wherein the valve comprises a hinge, which is attached at a predetermined position at least adjacent the receiving means, and which is operable to couple with the means for opening the valve.

29. The inhaler according to claim 28, wherein the valve comprises a lever, pivoted to the hinge, and comprising two arms forming an angle of between about 0°

-180°

.

30. The inhaler according to claim 29, wherein, in use, a wedge is inserted into the piston from its open end to thereby transmit a position shift of said piston to a vertical shift of one arm of the lever to thereby contact the wedge and thereby enable the other arm of the lever to open the valve.

31. The inhaler according to either claim 29 or claim 30, wherein the means for opening the valve comprises biasing means for biasing the lever towards its rest position.

32. The inhaler according to claim 22, wherein the means for opening the valve comprises a body having a diaphragm extending thereacross to which a rod may be attached.

33. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the control means comprises a valve for controlling air entering the user'"'"'s mouth via a conduit.

34. The inhaler according to claim 33, wherein the valve comprises sensing means for detecting the charge and release of the auxiliary energy.

35. The inhaler according to either claim 33 or claim 34, wherein the valve comprises control means for opening the valve, and a timer.

36. The inhaler according to claim 35, wherein the control means for opening the valve is only actuated to open the valve after the sensing means has detected the release of auxiliary energy for a pre-determined time period controlled by the timer.

37. The inhaler according to any one of claims 33 to 36, wherein the valve comprises a body comprising an aperture at least adjacent a first end thereof by which the body is maintained at atmospheric pressure.

38. The inhaler according to claim 37, wherein the body comprises an aperture at least adjacent a second end thereof, and preferably a further aperture for operable communication with the auxiliary energy provision means.

39. The inhaler according to either claim 37 or 38, wherein the valve comprises a piston slideably mounted in the body moveable between a first, “

rest position”

in which the valve is open to connect the air channel with the atmosphere and a second, “

engaged position”

, in which the valve is closed, thereby preventing air entering the air channel.

40. The inhaler according to claim 39, wherein the valve comprises biasing means adapted to bias the piston towards the rest position.

41. The inhaler according to any one of claims 33 to 40, wherein the sensing means for detecting the charge and release of auxiliary energy is adapted to detect a change in volume or pressure of the gas reservoir or the position of the piston therein.

42. The inhaler according to any one of claims 34 to 41, wherein the sensing means comprises a piston adapted to directly detect and react to the changes in both volume and pressure of the gas reservoir.

43. The inhaler according to any one of claims 34 to 41, wherein the sensing means comprises a pressure gauge that can detect the change in pressure of the reservoir.

44. The inhaler according to claim 35, wherein the control means for opening the valve is a trigger, it may be selected from a group comprising:

—

a rod member;

a mechanical trigger; and

an electrical controlled trigger.

45. The inhaler according to claim 44, wherein the trigger comprises a body comprising an aperture at least adjacent a first end thereof, and an aperture at least adjacent a second end thereof, and a piston slidably mounted therein.

46. The inhaler according to claim 45, wherein the trigger comprises a rod member a first end of which is attached to the piston by the aperture at the second end of the body, and a second end of the rod member is attached to the handle.

47. The inhaler according to any one of claims 35 to 46, wherein the timer is an inherent timer, formed by a combination of the auxiliary energy provision means and the control means, and wherein the pre-determined time period is a cooperative result of this combination.

48. The inhaler according to claim 47, wherein the timer is a combination of the inherent timer and an external timer coupled with the rod member.

49. The inhaler according to claim 48, wherein the coupled rod member is only able to return to a rest position from an engaged position after the external timer has been actuated for a preset time period.

50. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the feed means is adapted to feed a unit medicament dose of the medicament and activate the suction-actuation mechanism.

51. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the feed means comprises a mouthpiece.

52. The inhaler according to claim 51, wherein the feed means comprises a body, which comprises a plurality of apertures for connecting the mouthpiece and the energy release means and the control means, and optionally, at least one cavity for storing and feeding medicament.

53. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the feed means further comprises aerosolisation means for entraining and aerosolising the medicament.

54. The inhaler according to any one of claims 34 to 41, wherein the aerosolisation means comprises a conduit or a cavity through which gas may flow to thereby entrain and aerosolise the medicament.

55. The inhaler according to claim 54, wherein the conduit is spiral shaped for generating a substantially spiral or vortexed flow of gas therein.

56. The inhaler according to claim 54, wherein the aerosolisation means comprises means for introducing gas into the cavity at an angle such that medicament exits the cavity in a substantially perpendicular direction so as to produce cyclone flow of the gas therein, and thereby entrain and aerosolise the medicament.

57. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the feed means comprises a dose counter, and an external timer.

58. The inhaler according to any preceding claim, wherein the feed means comprise a body in which a piston is slideably mounted, which slideable between a first, “

rest position”

in which the medicament is loaded and a second, “

engaged position”

, in which the medicament is fed to the cavity.

59. The inhaler according to claim 58, wherein the body comprises a first aperture at least adjacent a first end thereof for connection with the auxiliary energy provision means, and second aperture.

60. The inhaler according to claim 59, wherein the feed means comprises a slide or a rod having an aperture by which it may be attached to, or coupled with, the piston by the aperture at the second end of the body.

61. The inhaler according to claim 60, wherein a first end of the slide or rod is received by receiving means disposed between two body pieces of the drug feeder.

62. The inhaler according to claim 61, wherein a second end of the slide or rod is coupled with the dose counter and an external timer.

63. The inhaler according to one of claims 60 to 62, wherein the feed means comprises biasing means for biasing the slide after it has been released by the external timer.

64. The inhaler according to any one of claims 60 to 63, wherein one of the two apertures in the slide is operable to feed medicament, and the other aperture is operable to open the conduit for the suction-actuation mechanism so that the user can only inhale after the inhaler has properly fed medicament.

66. A method of administering a dose of medicament to a subject, the method comprising the use of an inhaler according to any preceding claim.

65. An inhaler for dispensing medicament, the inhaler comprising a gas container for containing compressed gas;

sensing means operable to either detect, directly or indirectly, a change in the volume and/or the pressure of the gas in the container, means for aerosolising the medicament and control means for controlling a time interval between aerosolisation of the medicament and a user'"'"'s inhalation in response to a signal or signals detected by the sensing means, wherein the inhaler is operable, in use, to aerosolise the medicament using the compressed gas, and harness the user'"'"'s inhalation to deliver the aerosolised medicament to the user.