Medicament dry powder inhaler dispensing device

• US 6,752,148 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2000
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Delsys Pharmaceutical Corporation (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Inventors: Coyle, Peter, Chrai, Suggy S., Brycki, Bogdan, Santonastaso, Gary, Singh, Bawa, McGinn, Joseph T., Sun, Hoi Cheong
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dagostino, Sabrina
• Application Number:
  US09/623,937
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.15, 128/203.12, 128/203.19, 128/203.21, 128/200.14, 128/200.17, 128/200.21, 128/200.23, 128/200.12, 604/58, 222/160
• US Class Current: 128/203.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0043 Non-destructive separation of the package, e.g. peeling
• 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 15/0051 the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0055 the used dosages being coiled

Abstract

An inhaler disc cartridge comprises a carrier disc with radially outwardly extending resilient fingers, each with a medicament powder dosage. A sealing disc and an indexing ring are bonded to the disc. A cam sequentially and manually deflects a selected finger causing it to snap against an anvil to release the dosage by momentum energy transfer. In other embodiments, a cassette includes a carrier substrate reel of deposited powder dosages with a dosage sealing tape. The substrate comprises a belt with a plurality of transversely extending triangular fingers, each finger tip with a dosage thereon. Each finger is snapped in sequence against an anvil while a clamp secures the belt as the fingers are deflected. The spring fingers are corrugated in one embodiment cooperating with an anvil having channels and a device for inducing agglomeration breakup air streams through the channels. Other embodiments are for impact deflection of a dosage carrying substrate in a cartridge or cassette against an anvil to release the dosages.

Claims

1. A medicament powder delivery device comprising:

a carrier having at least a flexible portion including a dosage carrier finger resiliently extending from a base region on which finger is a discrete medicament dosage; and

means for flexing the finger relative to the base region and snap releasing the flexed finger relative to the base region for imparting an energy pulse to the dosage for releasing the dosage from the finger by momentum transfer.

2. The device of claim 1 including a body with a cavity for receiving the flexible portion and the means for imparting, the device including an anvil with a bore therethrough fixed to the body in the cavity for impact receiving the snap released finger, the bore for receiving said released dosage, and including means for causing said finger to resiliently impact said anvil to rapidly decelerate the finger to provide said momentum transfer to the dosage.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said anvil including at least one channel, further including means for creating an air jet stream through said at least one channel to disintegrate aggregations of said dosage during said impact.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the finger is corrugated.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the carrier finger extends in a given direction from the base region, the finger having corrugations extending along said direction.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein the means for creating said jet stream includes a further resilient finger overlying the carrier finger for initial resilient displacement coincident with initial displacement of the carrier finger, said displaced fingers for snap release in a second displacement, said further finger for creating said air jet stream during said second displacement.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the further finger has a different relaxation time than the carrier finger so as to accelerate slower than the carrier finger upon said snap release.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the carrier includes a first disc with a plurality of radially extending fingers, a dosage on each finger, and the means for imparting comprises cam means for snap flexing a selected finger to release the dosage on the selected finger.

9. The device of claim 8 including index means for indexing the selected finger to a medicament release position for snap flexing the selected finger by said cam means.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the first disc includes a dosage carrier disc with a plurality of first fingers each carrying a dosage, a spacer disc overlying the carrier disc with a plurality of second fingers overlying and corresponding to the first fingers and a ring with index holes and a third plurality of fingers over lying and corresponding to the first and second fingers, said spacer disc being bonded to the carrier disc and ring, said indexing means for selectively engaging said ring index holes.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the cam means flexes the first and second fingers past the third fingers.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the carrier comprises a belt portion with a plurality of said fingers extending transversely from the belt portion, each said fingers having a separate dosage and arranged for selective resilient displacement relative to said belt portion.

13. The device of claim 12 further including drive means for displacing said belt portion to increment said fingers sequentially to a dosage release position.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the means for imparting includes a clamp for clamping the belt portion adjacent to a given finger and a deflecting member for selectively flexing and snap releasing the selected given flexed finger relative to the belt portion.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein said finger is for receiving a dosage and dosage substrate from a plurality of dosages and dosage substrates in a stack aligned one over another, further including means for selectively placing successive dosages and dosage substrates on said carrier, said means for imparting including means for snap deflecting said finger against an anvil.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the carrier comprises an element having a plurality of said fingers, said dosage comprising a dosage on each finger, said means for flexing including a finger deflection member adjacent to said element for momentarily bending and deflecting a selected finger to momentum transfer release a selected dosage from the finger upon release of the deflected finger.

17. The device of claim 16 including means for selectively aligning successive dosages on said element to said deflection member.

18. The device of claim 16 including a core member rotatable about an axis, said element comprising an array of said fingers radially extending from the core member about the core member in a spiral about said axis, said device including means for selectively aligning and deflecting each said finger to snap release a selected dosage from the selected finger by said momentum transfer.

19. The device of claim 1 further including:

a cartridge containing said carrier, said carrier comprising a plurality of said fingers;

the medicament dosage comprising a dry powder in a discrete location on each finger;

a housing for receiving the cartridge; and

the means for flexing for momentarily deflecting a selected finger to accelerate and rapidly decelerate the selected finger for said imparting;

the cartridge comprising a cylindrical core member, said plurality of fingers extending radially from the cylindrical core member in a spiral array, said means for flexing including anvil means for said rapid deceleration of the selected flexed finger.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the means for selectively deflecting includes a core member drive means for selectively rotating the core member about an axis to locate each finger at a given angular and axial position about the axis and a finger deflecting device at said given position, said selectively deflecting means including means at said angular position for displacing the finger along said axis.

21. A dry powder deliver device comprising:

a cartridge containing at least one dosage carrier substrate;

a dry powder in an array of discrete locations on the at least one substrate;

a housing for receiving the cartridge; and

means for momentarily deflecting the carrier substrate to accelerate and rapidly decelerate the substrate to momentum transfer and discharge the powder from the substrate at a selected location;

the cartridge comprises a plurality of reels with the carrier substrate suspended between the reels, the means for deflecting comprising a cantilevered spring member for said momentarily deflecting the carrier substrate between said reels and a fixed anvil for impact receiving the deflected substrate.

22. A dry powder delivery device comprising:

a cartridge containing at least one dosage carrier substrate;

a dry powder in an array of discrete locations on the at least one substrate;

a housing for receiving the cartridge; and

means for momentarily deflecting the carrier substrate to accelerate and rapidly decelerate the substrate to momentum transfer and discharge the powder from the substrate at a selected location;

the cartridge comprising a disc having a plurality of radially outwardly extending fingers, each finger having a dosage thereon and the means for deflecting including means for selectively deflecting each said finger.

23. A dry powder delivery device comprising:

a cartridge containing at least one dosage carrier substrate;

a dry powder in an array of discrete locations on the at least one substrate;

a housing for receiving the cartridge; and

means for momentarily deflecting the carrier substrate to accelerate and rapidly decelerate the substrate to momentum transfer and discharge the powder from the substrate at a selected location;

the cartridge comprising a stack of medicament dosages each on a discrete substrate, a spring for receiving a selected dosage on a substrate from the stack, said means for deflecting for selectively deflecting each substrate in a sequence.

24. A dry powder delivery device comprising:

a cartridge containing at least one dosage carrier substrate;

a dry powder in an array of discrete locations on the at least one substrate;

a housing for receiving the cartridge; and

means for momentarily deflecting the carrier substrate to accelerate and rapidly decelerate the substrate to momentum transfer and discharge the powder from the substrate at a selected location;

the cartridge comprising a member having a base and a linear array of fingers extending from the base, each finger being flexible relative to the base and including a medicament powder dosage, said means for deflecting for selectively deflecting each finger in a sequence.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein the fingers are rectangular and parallel.

26. The device of claim 24 wherein the fingers are triangular and parallel.

27. The device of claim 24 wherein the at least one substrate has a plurality of depressions each containing a separate powder dosage and a sealing tape bonded to the substrate over the depressions and spaced from the dosages.