Powder inhaler with powder carrier consisting of regular microstructures

• US 5,645,050 A
• Filed: 08/10/1994
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim Promeco SA de CV (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Hochrainer, Dieter, Zierenberg, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SRIVASTAVA, VIRENDRA KUMAR
• Application Number:
  US08/244,879
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.15, 128/203.21, 128/200.22, 128/203.12, 128/200.17, 604/58, 604/68, 604/69, 604/71
• US Class Current: 128/203.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0045 using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0048 the dosages being arranged in a plane, e.g. on diskettes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/073 Syringe, piston type
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/062 designed for spraying particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/064 the particulate material being stored in several discrete quantities delivered one at a time
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1091 being first hold in a loaded state by locking means or the like, then released B05B11/1092 takes precedence

Abstract

In an inhaler for powdered drugs, flat carriers are used which have regular microstructures between which the powder for inhalation is embedded.

Claims

1. A powder inhaler device having a powder carrier comprising individual, elevated microstructures having a height of between about 10 and about 500 μ

m, said microstructures being arranged in a regular configuration in one or more sectors on a planar surface, wherein said microstructures define therebetween a contiguous surface onto which a powdered solid medicament can be deposited and from which said medicament can be released from each of said sectors individually.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the planar surface is selected from the group consisting of a belt, a plate and a disk.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the elevated microstructures are selected from the group consisting of cylindrical, bump-like, prismatic, conical, and frustoconical microstructures.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the elevated microstructures are selected from the group consisting of strips, ribs, pyramids and truncated pyramids.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of the elevated microstructures is selected from the group consisting of circular, elliptical and regular-polygonal cross-sections.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the elevated microstructures have a height between about 50 and 200 μ

m.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contiguous surface of each sector is between about 4 and 50 mm².

8. A powder inhaler device comprising:

(a) a powder carrier in the form of a circular disc having a first side and a second side, said carrier being mounted for circular rotation about its center and having on its first side an annular array of sectors having elevated microstructures being between about 10 and about 500 μ

m in height, said elevated microstructures arranged in a regular configuration and forming therebetween a contiguous surface onto which a powdered solid medicament in the form of solid particles of respirable size can be deposited, each of said sectors containing a single dose of said powdered solid medicament;

(b) a cylindrical pump body having a first end and a second end;

(c) a piston housed within said cylindrical pump body being movable between said first end and said second end, whereby movement from said first end to said second end causes air to enter said cylindrical pump body through said first end while movement from said second end to said first end causes a blast of air to exit said cylindrical pump body through said first end;

(d) a helical spring for moving said piston within said cylindrical pump body;

(e) means for directing said blast of air into only one of said sectors, thereby causing said single dose of powdered solid medicament to be released from said carrier; and

(f) a housing with a mouth tube through which said released single dose of powdered solid medicament can be inspired.