Apparatus and methods for dispersing dry powder medicaments
First Claim
1. An improved apparatus for aerosolizing a powdered medicament, the apparatus being of the type having a housing and a source of pressurized gas for aerosolizing the powdered medicament, wherein the improvement comprises:
- a pressurization cylinder;
a piston slidable within the cylinder;
a release valve in communication with the cylinder; and
a handle assembly having a handle operably attached to the piston and a valve closing mechanism operably attached to the handle, wherein movement of the handle in one direction moves the valve closing mechanism to engage and close the valve in a stable, closed position and movement of the handle in another direction axially translates the piston within the cylinder to produce the pressurized gas while the valve remains in the stable closed position to maintain the gas under pressure until released.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for aerosolizing a powdered medicament comprises coupling a powder inlet end of a feed tube with a penetration in a receptacle containing the powder. Powder is drawn upward through the tube and dispersed in a high pressure gas stream flowing past a portion of the feed tube. Apparatus comprise the feed tube mounted within a base enclosure proximate a holder for one or more receptacles, which may be in the form of a cartridge containing a plurality of receptacles formed in a continuous web. The cartridge may be reciprocated relative to the feed tube and a separate piercing mechanism in order to sequentially piercing the receptacle and thereafter couple the feed tube through the resulting penetration for extracting the powder. Alternatively, penetration(s) through the receptacle may be formed as the feed tube is coupled, or some penetrations formed prior to coupling with other penetrations formed at the time of coupling.
375 Citations
32 Claims
-
1. An improved apparatus for aerosolizing a powdered medicament, the apparatus being of the type having a housing and a source of pressurized gas for aerosolizing the powdered medicament, wherein the improvement comprises:
-
a pressurization cylinder; a piston slidable within the cylinder; a release valve in communication with the cylinder; and a handle assembly having a handle operably attached to the piston and a valve closing mechanism operably attached to the handle, wherein movement of the handle in one direction moves the valve closing mechanism to engage and close the valve in a stable, closed position and movement of the handle in another direction axially translates the piston within the cylinder to produce the pressurized gas while the valve remains in the stable closed position to maintain the gas under pressure until released. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A receptacle for holding a powdered medicament, the receptacle being adapted to be received into an aperture in a housing of an aerosolizing apparatus, the receptacle comprising:
-
a receptacle body having a puncturable access surface, wherein the access surface is constructed of a material which will peel back when penetrated at an angle with a pointed structure; and a tab extending from the receptacle body, wherein the receptacle body may be received into the aperture with at least a portion of the tab remaining outside the housing, wherein the tab includes a keyed hole adapted to receive a keyed alignment pin in the aerosolizing apparatus.
-
-
18. An improved method for aerosolizing a powdered medicament, said method being of the type wherein the powder is entrained and suspended in a flowing gas stream, wherein the improvement comprises:
-
providing a housing having a pressurization cylinder, a piston slidable within the cylinder, a release valve in communication with the cylinder, and a handle operably engageable with the valve for axially translating the piston and for engaging and closing the release valve; moving the handle away from the housing to axially translated the piston within the cylinder to a retracted position and to engage and close the release valve in a stable, closed position; moving the handle back toward the housing to translate the piston to a charged position and create a pressurized gas while the valve remains in the stable, closed position to maintain the gas under pressure until separately released; and separately releasing the valve to abruptly discharge the pressurized gas. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28)
-
- 25. An improved method as in claim 25, further comprising providing a receptacle having a puncturable lid for holding the medicament and translating the receptacle toward the multi-flow ejector assembly until the multi-flow ejector assembly penetrates the lid.
-
29. A method for aerosolizing a powdered medicament, said method comprising:
-
providing receptacles having a receptacle body and a tab extending from the receptacle body, wherein the powdered medicament is held within the receptacle bodies; inserting one receptacle into a housing having an aperture, wherein the receptacle body is received within the aperture and at least a portion of the tab remains outside the housing; piercing the receptacle body and extracting the powdered medicament in a gas stream that can be inhaled; pulling on the tab to remove the receptacle from the housing; and wherein the housing has a reciprocatable capture chamber for receiving the powder-bearing gas stream, and further comprising deploying the chamber prior to inserting the receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (30)
-
-
31. An improved apparatus for aerosolizing a powdered medicament, the apparatus being of the type having a housing and a source of pressurized gas for aerosolizing the powdered medicament, wherein the improvement comprises:
-
a pressurization cylinder; a piston slidable within the cylinder; a release valve in communication with the cylinder; and a handle assembly having a handle operably attached to the piston and a means for closing the valve, wherein movement of the handle closes the valve and axially translates the piston within the cylinder to produce the pressurized gas; wherein the handle assembly includes four linkages for attaching the handle to the housing, wherein the handle may be moved radially outward and radially inward relative to the housing with a generally constant force.
-
-
32. An improved method for aerosolizing a powdered medicament, said method being of the type wherein the powder is entrained and suspended in a flowing gas stream, wherein the improvement comprises:
-
providing a housing having a pressurization cylinder, a piston slidable within the cylinder, a release valve in communication with the cylinder, and a handle for axially translating the piston and for closing the release valve; moving the handle away from the housing to axially translate the piston within the cylinder to a retracted position and to close the release valve; moving the handle back toward the housing to translate the piston to a charged position and create a pressurized gas wherein the handle resists the movement toward the housing with a generally constant resistive force; releasing the valve to abruptly discharge the pressurized gas; and supplying a generally constant force when moving the handle toward the housing when pressurizing the gas.
-
Specification