MEDICATION INHALER FOR DISPENSING MULTIPLE CAPSULES

• US 20110220106A1
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dose One, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dose One, LLC
• Inventors: GANEM, Charles F., GANEM, Jake, GANEM, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.21
• 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 15/0036 hollow piercing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0041 with movable piercing or cutting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0048 the dosages being arranged in a plane, e.g. on diskettes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0051 the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0063 Storages for pre-packed dosages
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder

Abstract

A medication inhaler for concurrently delivering multiple doses of medications including an inhaler body having a medication container chamber for receiving a plurality of medication containers and at least one air passage connecting the medication container chamber with external air, a mouthpiece axially engageable with the inhaler body and having a mouthpiece chamber for communication with a patient'"'"'s respiratory system, and a hollow medication delivery needle communicating with the mouthpiece chamber. A medication delivery needle penetrates the medication containers when the inhaler is actuated and has at least one opening for passing exterior air and medication from interior spaces of the medication containers and through the needle to mouthpiece.

Claims

1. A multiple dose medication inhaler comprising:

an inhaler body having;

at least first and second axially aligned medication chambers for receiving first and second medication containers,

at least one air passage connecting the first and the second medication container chambers with external air, and

a mouthpiece axially engageable with the inhaler body and having;

a mouthpiece chamber for communication with a patient'"'"'s respiratory system, and

a hollow medication delivery needle communicating with the mouthpiece chamber and extending toward the medication container chamber and having at least first and second openings spaced along the medication delivery needle for passing exterior air and medication from interior spaces of the first and the second medication containers, when accommodated within the first and the second medication container chambers, through the needle and to mouthpiece chamber,

the mouthpiece engaging with the inhaler body in

a first position in which the needle extends toward the first and the second medication container chambers short of the first and the second medication containers in the first and the second medication container chambers, and

in a second position in which the needle axially traverses both the first and the second medication containers so that the at least first and second openings in the needle respectively communicate with the at least one air passage and the interior spaces of the first and the second medication containers, accommodated within the first and the second medication container chambers.

2. The medication inhaler of claim 1, wherein the medication delivery needle comprises:

a hollow, tubular body, and

a pyramidal puncturing point closing an end of the hollow, tubular body, and

the body includes at least first and second air/medication ports located along the body so that when the mouthpiece and the inhaler body are moved from the first position into the second position, each of the at least first and second air/medication openings in the body communicates with both the at least one air passage and the interior space of a corresponding one of the at least first and the second medication containers.

3. The multiple dose medication inhaler of claim 1, wherein:

the first medication container and the first container chamber both have a larger diameter than the second medication container and the second container chamber.

4. The multiple dose medication inhaler of claim 1, wherein:

the first medication container and the first container chamber are of generally equal diameter with the second medication container and second container chamber.

5. The multiple dose medication inhaler of claim 1, further comprising:

a container spacer located between the first and the second medication containers,

the container spacer generally has a cylindrical shape with a diameter sized so as to be closely received in one of the first and the second container chambers and having concave axial faces generally shaped to conform with ends of the first and the second medication containers and an axial needle passage for accommodating passage of the medication delivery needle.

6. The multiple dose medication inhaler of claim 1, further comprising:

a container adapter located in one of the first and the second container chambers,

the container adapter generally has a cylindrical shape with a diameter sized to as to be closely received within and axially supported in one of the first and the second container chambers and includes a generally cylindrical container chamber which has an internal diameter so as to closely receive one of the first and the second medication containers which has a smaller diameter than that of the other of the first and the second medication containers and to support the one of the first and the second medication containers which has a smaller diameter in axial alignment with the other of the first and the second medication containers,

the container adapter has an axial opening therethrough for accommodating passage of the medication delivery needle.

7. The multiple dose medication inhaler of claim 1, further comprising:

the inhaler body further having at least a third axially aligned medication chamber for receiving a third medication container;

the hollow medication delivery needle further having at least a third opening spaced along the medication delivery needle for passing exterior air and medication from interior spaces of the third medication containers, when accommodated within the third container chamber, through the needle and to mouthpiece chamber; and

the mouthpiece further engaging with the inhaler body such that the needle axially traverses the third medication container and the at least third opening in the needle communicates with the at least one air passage and the interior spaces of the third medication container, accommodated within the third medication container chamber.

8. The multiple dose medication inhaler of claim 7, further comprising:

the inhaler body further having at least a fourth axially aligned medication chamber for receiving a fourth medication container;

the hollow medication delivery needle further having at least a fourth opening spaced along the medication delivery needle for passing exterior air and medication from interior spaces of the fourth medication containers, when accommodated within the fourth container chamber, through the needle and to mouthpiece chamber; and

the mouthpiece further engaging with the inhaler body such that the needle axially traverses the fourth medication container and the at least fourth opening in the needle communicates with the at least one air passage and the interior spaces of the fourth medication container, accommodated within the fourth medication container chamber.