Inhalation Apparatus

• US 20140290654A1
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mannkind Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mannkind Corporation
• Inventors: Poole, Trent, Steiner, Solomon S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,700,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/14 Particulate form, e.g. powders, Processes for size reducing of pure drugs or the resulting products, Pure drug nanoparticles microspheres A61K9/16; microcapsules A61K9/50; nanocapsules, nanoparticles of the matrix type A61K9/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0025 with caps
• 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 15/0093 without arming or cocking, e.g. acting directly on the delivery valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/16 Rotating swirling helical flow, e.g. by tangential inflows

Abstract

An inhaler is instantly activated upon its removal from a cover or cover unit, and by rotating a cartridge component of the inhaler with respect to a mouthpiece portion, so as to create a flow pathway for ambient air and particles. The cartridge component includes a chamber, whose contents typically include dry powders or the like. Upon creation of the flow pathway, the contents of the chamber are instantly accessible for immediate inhalation by a user through the mouthpiece portion.

Claims

1. An inhaler comprising a cartridge and a mouthpiece;

said cartridge comprising an assembly comprising a head portion and a tail portion;

wherein the head portion and the tail portion joined together to form a chamber in the interior of the assembly and the head portion is configured to have an inlet conduit which provides access to the chamber;

said mouthpiece comprising a tube section comprising a shank having a port with a discharge tube for communicating with the chamber.

2. The inhaler of claim 1, further comprising a dry powder within the chamber.

3. The inhaler of claim 1, further comprising a cover configured to adapt to the mouthpiece.

4. The inhaler of claim 2, wherein the dry powder within the chamber comprises a bioactive molecule.

5. The inhaler of claim 2, wherein the dry powder comprises atropine, penicillin, doxycycline, ciproflaxin or a fluoroquinoline.

6. The inhaler of claim 5, wherein the dry powder further comprises a diketopiperazine.

7. The inhaler of claim 3, wherein the cover comprises a recess, a protrusion, or a finger grip groove.

8. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece has a constant diameter portion which forms a straight air conduit and a tapered portion with an opening for abutting a user'"'"'s lips.

9. The inhaler of claim 8, wherein the tapered portion is at an angle of approximately 3 to 7 degrees diverging from the constant diameter portion.

10. The inhaler of claim 9, wherein the tapered portion have a cross-sectional aspect ratio of 2:

1.

11. The inhaler of claim 6 wherein the dry powder comprises atropine.

12. The inhaler of claim 6 wherein the dry powder comprises penicillin.

13. The inhaler of claim 6 wherein the dry powder comprises doxycycline.

14. The inhaler of claim 6 wherein the dry powder comprises ciproflaxin.

15. The inhaler of claim 6 wherein the dry powder comprises a fluoroquinoline.