Medicament dispensing process for inhalation therapy

• US 3,971,377 A
• Filed: 07/21/1975
• Issued: 07/27/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Damani, Nalinkant C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Medbery, Aldrich F.
• Application Number:
  US05/597,568
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 128/206, 128/208, 128/266, 222/193
• US Class Current: 128/200.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0006 using rotating means
• 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 15/0033 Details of the piercing or cutting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder

Abstract

A process for dispensing medicaments in aerosol form for inhalation therapy is disclosed. The process comprises: providing a hollow elongate housing having air inlet and air outlet passages; generating a positive pressure, air-stream between the inlet and outlet passages; rotationally releasing medicament from a container within the housing into the air-stream; and inserting the outlet passage into the oral or nasal cavity of the patient.

Claims

1. A process of dispensing medicament for inhalation by a patient comprising:

a. providing a hollow elongate housing having air inlet and air outlet passages;

b. mounting a closed container of medicament within the housing on a fixed axis of rotation;

c. opening said container;

d. operating an internal rotation producing means to generate a positive pressure air stream between the air inlet and the air outlet to discharge the air stream from the outlet;

e. rotating the container of medicament about said axis within the housing by said rotation producing means;

f. dispensing a dosage of medicament from the container into the airstream while the container is rotating; and

g. inserting the air outlet passage into the oral or nasal cavity of the patient.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the medicament is dispensed into the airstream in a finely divided solid form.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the medicament is dispensed into the airstream in liquid form and the process includes:

h. passing the liquid medicament through an atomizer disposed within the housing between the medicament dispensing site and the air outlet passage.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the airstream is generated by an electrically driven propeller positioned in the housing.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the airstream is generated by a hand driven propeller positioned in the housing.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the container is opened by piercing the container.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the container contains a plurality of doses of medicament and the airstream is generated intermittently with a single dose of medicament being dispensed with each occurrence of the generation of the airstream.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the airstream is generated continuously.