SIMPLE INHALER
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dry powder inhaler for pulmonary or nasal use, comprising at least an inhaler body and a cartridge with one or more compartments each containing one dose of a drug. The compartment has holes to admit air and holes to deliver powder, which, in use, communicate with an inhalation channel in the inhaler body. To prevent the powder from leaking through the compartment holes before use, the air admission holes are of reduced dimension, thereby blocking or hindering powder exit under the force of gravity. When the cartridge is inserted inside the inhaler body, all its holes can be blocked. By sliding the cartridge in relation to the body until the inhalation position is reached, the holes come into in fluid communication with one another and with the inhalation channel, thereby allowing a flow of air to disperse and entrain the dose through the mouthpiece. Five embodiments are disclosed.
117 Citations
46 Claims
-
1-19. -19. (canceled)
-
20. A dry powder inhaler suitable for pulmonary or nasal delivery, comprising:
-
(a) an inhaler body having a mouthpiece, an opening in the body, and a body front inlet extending from the mouthpiece to the opening in the body for providing fluid communication therebetween; and (b) a cartridge movably mounted in the opening in the body and having at least one powder compartment formed therein which includes a compartment front inlet; the cartridge being movable relative to the inhaler body between at least a first position in which the compartment front inlet of the at least one powder compartment is offset from the body front inlet so as to isolate the contents of the powder compartment from the mouthpiece, and a second position in which the compartment front inlet of the at least one powder compartment is aligned with the body front inlet; each of the inhaler body and the cartridge being of unitary construction such that the inhaler is formed of only two separate parts which are moveable relative to each other; and the cartridge being a close tolerance fit, at in the opening in the body such that in the first position of the cartridge, the front inlet is closed by the body so as to prevent the contents escaping therefrom; the inhaler body further includes a body rear inlet extending therethrough to the opening in the inhaler body and the or each powder compartment further includes a compartment rear inlet, wherein, in the first position of the cartridge, the compartment rear inlet is closed by the body so as, in use, to prevent the contents of the compartment from escaping therefrom, and in the second position of the cartridge, the compartment rear inlet aligns with the body rear inlet so as to create an air flow path through the compartment to the mouthpiece, such that the compartment forms a dispersion chamber for delivering the contents of the compartment to the mouthpiece. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
Specification