Inhalation device

• US 5,694,920 A
• Filed: 01/24/1997
• Issued: 12/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MicroDose Therapeutx, Inc. (Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Microdose Technologies Inc. (Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gumaste, Anand, Abrams, Andrew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): SRIVASTAVA, VIRENDRA KUMAR
• Application Number:
  US08/788,921
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.16, 128/203.12, 128/203.22, 128/200.23, 128/203.15, 128/203.21, 128/203.23, 128/204.21, 128/204.22, 604/58
• US Class Current: 128/200.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• 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 15/0045 using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0051 the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/02 with activated or ionised fluids, e.g. electrohydrodynamic [EHD] or electrostatic devices; Ozone-inhalators with radioactive tagged particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated

Abstract

An inhaler includes a vibrator to deaggregated medication in powder form. One embodiment of the inhaler includes a piezoelectric vibrator 54 for vibrating a diaphragm for imparting vibration to a powder, and a controller 70 for controlling vibration so as to optimally suspend at least a portion of said powder in a fluidized state. An electrostatic charge plate 32 draws powder of selected particle size into the inhalation stream.

Claims

1. An inhalation device, for dispensing of medication in a powder form, having a body comprising an air outlet channel in said body portion providing a mouthpiece for inhalation of air by the user;

a primary air inlet channel in said body portion communicating with said air outlet channel;

a secondary channel in said body portion communicating at one end thereof with said primary air inlet channel and said air outlet channel forming an air stream, and at its other end with supply of said medication in powder form, a high frequency vibrator for deaggregating the powder in said secondary channel, and an electrostatic means to separate by size the deaggregated powder in said channel and introduce the powder particles of size interest into the air stream.

2. An inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the high frequency vibrator comprises a piezoelectric vibrator.

3. An inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the high frequency vibrator comprises a magnetostrictive type inhaler.

4. An inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the high frequency vibrator comprises an electrostatic condenser driven diaphragm.

5. An inhalation device according to claim 2, and comprising a series resonant circuit for transferring energy to the piezoelectric vibrator.

6. An inhalation device according to claim 1, and comprising a charge-pump circuit for generating an electrostatic voltage for driving said high frequency generator.

7. An inhalation device according to claim 1, and comprising a high frequency inverter, a high frequency transformer and a voltage multiplier circuit for generating an electrostatic voltage for driving said high frequency generator.

8. An inhalation device according to claim 1, and further comprising an inhalation sensor for activating said high frequency vibrator in response to inhalation of air by the user.

9. An inhaler device according to claim 1, wherein the inside surfaces of said air channels are metalized and connected to electrical ground.

10. An inhalation device, for dispensing of medication in a powder form, having a body comprising an air outlet channel in said body portion providing a mouthpiece for inhalation of air by the user;

a primary air inlet channel in said body portion communicating with said air outlet channel;

a secondary air inlet channel in said body portion communicating with said air outlet channel;

a secondary channel in said body portion communicating at one end thereof with said secondary air inlet channel and said air outlet channel forming a secondary air stream, and at its other end with a supply of said medication in powder form, a high frequency vibrator for deaggregating the powder, and an electrostatic means to separate by size the deaggregated powder and introduce the powder particles of size interest into said secondary air stream.

11. An inhalation device according to claim 10, wherein the high frequency vibrator comprises a piezoelectric vibrator.

12. An inhalation device according to claim 10, wherein the high frequency vibrator comprises a magnetostrictive type vibrator.

13. An inhalation device according to claim 10, wherein the high frequency vibrator comprises an electrostatic condenser driven diaphragm.

14. An inhalation device according to claim 11, and comprising a series resonant circuit for transferring energy to the piezoelectric vibrator.

15. An inhalation device according to claim 10, and comprising a charge-pump circuit for generating the electrostatic voltage for driving said high frequency generator.

16. An inhalation device according to claim 10, and comprising a high frequency inverter, a high frequency transformer and a voltage multiplier circuit for generating the electrostatic voltage for driving said high voltage vibrator.