DRY POWDER INHALER

• US 20170106154A1
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Astrazeneca AB (Astrazeneca PLC)
• Original Assignee: Astrazeneca AB (Astrazeneca PLC)
• Inventors: HERDER, Martin, LUDANEK, Gerhard, METT, Ingo
• Application Number:
  US15/311,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20170106154A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/002 by flow deviation causing inertial separation of transported particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/003 by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0015 located upstream of the dispenser, i.e. not traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0016 located downstream of the dispenser, i.e. traversed by the product
• 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 15/0091 mechanically breath-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0007 introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/21 insensitive to tilting or inclination, e.g. spill-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/75 with filters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/06 Packaging for specific medical equipment

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a dry powder inhaler comprising a housing with:

• • an air supply channel fluidly connected with an air inlet opening of the housing;
  • a single circulation chamber for deagglomeration of a powder formulation, wherein the circulation chamber is fluidly connected and/or connectable with the air supply channel, and wherein the circulation chamber is arranged downstream of the air supply channel;
  • a mouthpiece fluidly connected with the circulation chamber via an outlet of the circulation chamber, wherein the mouthpiece is arranged downstream of the circulation chamber.

The dry powder inhaler according to the present disclosure is characterized in that the dry powder inhaler contains only one single dose of the powder formulation and in that during storage of the powder formulation the powder formulation is in direct contact with the housing.

Claims

1. A dry powder inhaler comprising a housing with:

an air supply channel fluidly connected with an air inlet opening of the housing;

a single circulation chamber (140) for deagglomeration of a powder formulation, wherein the circulation chamber is fluidly connectable and/or connected with the air supply channel, and wherein the circulation chamber is arranged downstream of the air supply channel;

a mouthpiece fluidly connected with the circulation chamber via an outlet of the circulation chamber, wherein the mouthpiece is arranged downstream of the circulation chamber, wherein the dry powder inhaler exhibits the following features;

the dry powder inhaler contains only one single dose of the powder formulation; and

during storage of the powder formulation the powder formulation is in direct contact with the housing.

2. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder inhaler further comprises a filter mesh arranged upstream of the mouthpiece.

3. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the powder formulation is retained directly inside the circulation chamber.

4. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the filter mesh is arranged between the outlet (143) of the circulation chamber and the mouthpiece.

5. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the filter mesh is arranged directly adjacent to the outlet of the circulation chamber, so that the filter mesh at least partially borders the circulation chamber.

6. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the filter mesh is arranged directly adjacent to the air inlet opening of the air supply channel, wherein the filter mesh seals the air inlet opening.

7. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the dry powder inhaler exhibits the following features:

the housing further comprises a powder reservoir for retaining the powder formulation, wherein the powder reservoir is fluidly connectable with the air supply channel, and wherein the powder reservoir is arranged downstream of the air supply channel;

the housing further comprises a powder supply channel fluidly connectable with the powder reservoir, wherein the powder supply channel is arranged downstream of the powder reservoir; and

the circulation chamber is fluidly connected with the powder supply channel and is arranged downstream of the powder reservoir.

8. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 7, wherein

the air supply channel fluidly connecting the powder reservoir with the air inlet opening exhibits at least one curvature of more than 90°

, and/or the powder supply channel fluidly connecting the powder reservoir with the circulation chamber exhibits at least one curvature of more than 90°

.

9. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 7, wherein

the air supply channel exhibits a curvature of up to 90°

and a further upstream curvature of more than 90°

, wherein the two curvatures exhibit the same orientation, and/or

the powder supply channel exhibits a curvature of up to 90° and

a further downstream curvature of more than 90°

, wherein the two curvatures exhibit the same orientation.

10. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 7, wherein

the air supply channel fluidly connecting the powder reservoir with the air inlet opening exhibits a first curvature and a second curvature, wherein the orientations of the first curvature and the second curvature are opposite to each other, and/or the powder supply channel fluidly connecting the powder reservoir with the circulation chamber exhibits a third curvature and a fourth curvature, wherein the orientations of the third curvature and the fourth curvature are opposite to each other.

11. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 10, wherein the first curvature exhibits a bend of 180°

and the second curvature exhibits a bend of 90°

, wherein the second curvature (105) is arranged downstream of the first curvature (104), and/or that the third curvature (114) exhibits a bend of 90° and

the fourth curvature (115) exhibits a bend of 180°

the, wherein the fourth curvature (115) is arranged downstream of the third curvature (114).

12. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 10, wherein the air supply channel further exhibits an inlet curvature upstream of the first curvature (104) and preferably positioned adjacent to the inlet opening and preferably exhibiting a bend of 180°

preferably exhibiting the same orientation as the first curvature.

13. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 11, wherein the powder supply channel exhibits a fifth curvature downstream of the fourth curvature and preferably ending in the circulation chamber and preferably exhibiting a bend of more than 90°

preferably exhibiting the same orientation as the fourth curvature.

14. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 7, including the following features:

the dry powder inhaler comprises an activation element switchable between at least a retaining position and a release position;

in the retaining position the activation element least partially delimits the powder reservoir, so that the powder reservoir is not fluidly connected with the air supply channel and/or the powder supply channel; and

in the release position the activation element fluidly connects the powder reservoir with the air supply channel and/or the powder supply channel.

15. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 13, including the following features:

the powder reservoir exhibits an inlet opening opposing an air outlet opening of the air supply channel;

the activation element exhibits an outer face, an inner face facing the housing and at least one wall section connected with the inner face, wherein the wall section extends away from the inner face and exhibits a recess;

in the retaining position of the activation element the wall section is positioned between the inlet opening of the powder reservoir and the air outlet opening of the air supply channel closing the inlet opening of the powder reservoir and/or the air outlet opening of the air supply channel, so that the powder reservoir is not fluidly connected with the air supply channel; and

in the release position of the activation element the recess of the wall section is positioned between the inlet opening of the powder reservoir and the air outlet opening of the air supply channel, so that the powder reservoir is fluidly connected with the air supply channel.

16. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 14, including the following features:

the powder reservoir exhibits an outlet opening opposing an inlet opening of the powder supply channel;

the activation element exhibits an outer face, an inner face facing the housing and at least one wall section connected with the inner face, wherein the wall section extends away from the inner face and exhibits a recess;

in the retaining position of the activation element the wall section is positioned between the outlet opening of the powder reservoir and the inlet opening of the powder supply channel closing the outlet opening of the powder reservoir and/or the inlet opening of the powder supply channel, so that the powder reservoir is not fluidly connected with the powder supply channel; and

in the release position of the activation element the recess of the wall section is positioned between the outlet opening of the powder reservoir and the inlet opening of the powder supply channel, so that the powder reservoir is fluidly connected with the powder supply channel.

17. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 14, including the following features:

the powder reservoir exhibits a top opening;

the activation element is designed as a sliding element and exhibits an intake opening; and

the sliding element is slidable into a loading position in which the intake opening of the sliding element is opposing the top opening of the powder reservoir, so that the powder reservoir can be filled with the powder formulation through the intake opening.

18. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 14, wherein the dry powder inhaler comprises a click-stop device, so that the activation element is only switchable into the direction of the release position.

19. The dry The dry powder inhaler according to claim 7, wherein the powder reservoir is arranged between two one-way valves which are open for downstream air flows and which are closed for upstream air flows.

20. The dry powder inhaler according to claim 7, by including the following features:

the powder reservoir exhibits a fish-trap geometry with two circulation volumes each exhibiting a substantially circular or elliptical cross-section;

an air outlet opening of the air supply channel and an inlet opening of the powder supply channel lead into the powder reservoir between the two circulation volumes;

the air outlet opening opposes the inlet opening of the powder supply channel; and

an air stream from the air outlet opening into the powder inlet opening causes the powdered formulation in the two circulation volumes to rotate inside the circulation volumes in opposed directions and to flow into the inlet opening of the powder supply channel.