Metered dose inhaler pump

• US 6,223,746 B1
• Filed: 02/12/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WellDynamics BV (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: IEP Pharmaceutical Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, Robert C. III, Jewett, Warren R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEISS JR, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US09/022,984
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.23, 128/200.18, 128/200.21, 128/200.14, 128/203.12, 128/203.15, 128/200.22, 222/144, 222/149, 222/325, 222/345, 222/82, 222/83, 222/450, 222/534, 222/380, 222/387, 11/11
• US Class Current: 128/203.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0023 retractable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0468 non-physiological
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1011 without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke
• 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

A metered dose inhaler pump for delivering a metered dose of an active compound from an active compound inlet through a spray outlet without the need of a pressurized active compound container. Reciprocating action of an inlet valve, an outlet valve and a plunger alternately draw a metered dose of the active compound from an active compound container into an active compound chamber and pressurize the drawn metered dose of the active compound to eject the metered dose through the spray outlet. The plunger substantially fills and evacuates the metered dose chamber, leaving no void head space therein.

Claims

1. A metered dose inhaler pump, said pump comprising:

a method dose chamber having an inlet for receiving a metered dose of an active compound and an outlet for dispensing the metered dose therefrom;

an inlet valve being made of a resilient material disposed in said inlet, said inlet valve opens in response to a vacuum created in the chamber and being closed upon the cessation of vacuum;

an outlet valve disposed in said outlet, said outlet being closed by said outlet valve when there is vacuum in said chamber and being open in response to pressure in said chamber to dispense said metered dose therefrom;

means for creating a vacuum in said chamber for drawing therein said metered dose into said chamber via the inlet whilst the outlet remains closed by said outlet valve; and

means for pressurizing said chamber which doses said inlet via the inlet valve and opens the outlet for dispensing said metered dose from said chamber to a person'"'"'s respiratory tract through said outlet.

2. The pump according to claim 1, wherein said chamber has a volume substantially equal to said metered dose.

3. The pump according to claim 1, wherein said resilient material is a silicone elastomer.

4. The pump according to claim 1, wherein said means for creating a vacuum comprises a plunger in fluid communication with said metered dose chamber;

and wherein when said plunger is translated from a first position to a second position, said plunger creates a vacuum in said chamber, opening said inlet valve by causing said inlet valve to change from a first state to a second state opening said inlet and drawing said metered dose into said chamber.

5. The pump according to claim 4, wherein said inlet valve comprises a cylindrical body having a plurality of fins extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical body, said metered dose passing between said fins when said metered dose is drawn from said container into said chamber.

6. The pump according to claim 4, wherein said pressurizing means comprises the plunger in fluid communication with said metered dose chamber;

and wherein when said plunger is translated from the second position to the first position, said plunger pressurizes said chamber, opening said outlet valve to open said outlet and dispense said metered dose of said active compound from said chamber through said outlet whilst applying positive pressure to the inlet valve sealing the inlet.

7. The pump according to claim 6, further comprising means for biasing said plunger from said second position toward said first position.

8. The pump according to claim 7, wherein said biasing means comprises a helical spring.

9. The pump according to claim 6, wherein said outlet valve is made of a resilient material.

10. The pump according to claim 9, wherein said resilient material of the outlet valve is a silicone elastomer.

11. The pump according to claim 6, further comprising means for locking said plunger in said second position and a means for unlocking said plunger from said second position.

12. The pump according to claim 6, wherein said plunger substantially fills said chamber when translated from the first position to the second position and substantially evacuates said metered dose from said chamber when said plunger is translated from the second position to the first position.

13. A metered dose inhaler for delivering a metered dose of an active compound to a person'"'"'s respiratory tract, said metered dose inhaler comprising:

an inlet for receiving a metered dose of an active compound and a spray outlet for dispensing said metered dose;

a mouthpiece adapted by size and configuration to couple with an oral orifice of said person;

a pump, said pump comprising means for drawing said metered dose and means for pressurizing said metered dose, said pressurizing means delivering said metered dose from said pump through the spray outlet to said person'"'"'s respiratory tract through said mouthpiece;

wherein said pump further comprises a metered dose chamber in fluid communication with said inlet and said spray outlet, wherein said drawing means comprising an inlet valve disposed within said inlet and a plunger in fluid communication with said metered dose chamber, wherein when said plunger is translated from a first position to a second position, said plunger creates a vacuum in said metered dose chamber, opening said inlet valve and drawing said metered dose into said metered dose chamber, and an outlet valve disposed in said spray outlet which seals the spray outlet whilst the metered dose is drawn into the metered dose chamber wherein said outlet valve comprises a cylindrical body having a first diameter and a cylindrical portion extending from said cylindrical body, said cylindrical portion having a second diameter larger than said first diameter, said cylindrical portion having at least one longitudinal channel, said metered dose passing along said channel when said metered dose is delivered from said metered dose chamber to said person'"'"'s respiratory tract.

14. The metered dose inhaler according to claim 13, wherein said mouthpiece is rotatably retractable into a housing of said metered dose inhaler.

15. The metered dose inhaler according to claim 13, further comprising a cover for encasing an unpressurized container which contains the active compound.

16. The metered dose inhaler according to claim 15, wherein said cover includes a portion which is transparent to permit visual inspection of the amount of active compound remaining in said container.

17. A pump for material, said pump comprising:

a chamber;

an inlet for receiving material which passes therethrough into said chamber;

an inlet valve disposed in said inlet being made of a resilient material, said inlet valve having a first state in which the valve engages and seals off said inlet by engagement therewith and a second state which, as a result of application pressure said inlet valve disengages said inlet so as to allow the material to pass thereby, whereupon upon cessation of pressure, due to resiliency of said inlet valve, the valve returns to said first state sealing off said inlet;

a spray outlet;

means for drawing said material into said chamber; and

means for pressurizing said chamber for dispensing said material from said chamber via the spray outlet.

18. The pump according to claim 17, wherein said resilient material is a silicone elastomer.

19. The pump according to claim 17, wherein said means for drawing comprises a plunger in fluid communication with said chamber;

and wherein when said plunger is translated from a first position to a second position, said plunger creates a vacuum in said chamber, causing said inlet valve to change from a first state to a second state opening said inlet and drawing said material into said chamber.

20. The pump according to claim 19, wherein said means for pressurizing comprises an outlet valve disposed within said spray outlet and the plunger in fluid communication with said chamber;

and wherein when said plunger is translated from the second position to the first position, said plunger pressurizes said chamber, causing said outlet valve to open and eject said material from said chamber through said spray outlet whilst applying positive pressure to the inlet valve sealing the inlet.

21. The pump according to claim 20, further comprising means for biasing said plunger from said second position toward said first position.

22. The pump according to claim 20, wherein said biasing means comprises a helical spring.

23. The pump according to claim 20, wherein said outlet valve is made of a resilient material.

24. The pump according to claim 23, wherein said resilient material is a silicone elastomer.

25. The pump according to claim 20, further comprising means for locking said plunger in said second position and a means for unlocking said plunger from said second position.

26. The pump according to claim 20, wherein said plunger substantially fills said chamber with material when translated from the first position to the second position and substantially evacuates said material from said chamber when said plunger translates from the second position to the first position.

27. The pump according to claim 26, wherein said inlet valve comprises a cylindrical body having a plurality of fins extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical body so as to maintain said inlet valve centrally positioned in said inlet when in said first and second states and said material passing between said fins when said material is drawn into said chamber.

28. The pump according to claim 20, wherein said inlet valve comprises a cylindrical body having a plurality of fins extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical body so as to maintain said inlet valve centrally positioned in said inlet when in said first and second states and said material passes between said fins when said material is drawn into said chamber.

29. The pump according to claim 28, wherein said outlet valve comprises a cylindrical body having at least one channel extending radially inwardly into said cylindrical body, said material passing through said channel in said cylindrical body when said material is ejected from said chamber through said spray outlet.

30. The pump according to claim 20, wherein said outlet valve comprises a cylindrical body having at least one channel extending radially inwardly into said cylindrical body, said material passing through said channel in said cylindrical body when said material is ejected from said chamber through said spray outlet.

31. A pump comprising:

an inlet for receiving a metered dose of an active compound;

a spray outlet;

a metered dose chamber in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet;

means for drawing said metered dose into said chamber;

means for pressurizing said metered dose chamber for delivering said metered dose from said chamber to a person'"'"'s respiratory tract through said outlet,

wherein said drawing means comprises an inlet valve within said inlet and a plunger in fluid communication with said metered dose chamber;

wherein when said plunger is translated from a first position to a second position, said plunger creates a vacuum in said metered dose chamber, opening said inlet valve and drawing said metered dose into said metered dose chamber; and

an outlet valve in said outlet wherein said outlet valve comprises a cylindrical body having a first diameter and a cylindrical portion extending from said cylindrical body, said cylindrical portion having a second diameter larger than said first diameter, said cylindrical portion having at least one longitudinal channel, said metered dose passing along said channel when said metered dose is pressurized for delivery from said metered dose chamber to a person'"'"'s respiratory tract.