Inhaler

• US 7,347,202 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SHL Group AB
• Original Assignee: SHL Medical AB (SHL Group AB)
• Inventors: Aslin, Goran, Alexandersson, Oscar, Brunnberg, Lennart
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIXON, ANNETTE FREDRICKA
• Application Number:
  US10/923,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20050016528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.12,200.14,200.23,203.12,203.15,203.23,200.11,200.13,200.15,200.16,200.17,200.18,200.19,200.21,200.22,203.19,203.21
• US Class Current: 128/200.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0023 retractable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0071 having a display or indicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0081 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0083 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0091 mechanically breath-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0093 without arming or cocking, e.g. acting directly on the delivery valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0096 Hindering inhalation before activation of the dispenser

Abstract

Device for use with an inhaler, the inhaler having a body, an aerosol canister arranged in the body containing medicament, including a metered dose chamber and able to dispense a metered dose of the medicament, a nozzle in fluid communication with the canister, an opening for dispensing of the medicament in fluid communication with the nozzle. The device includes elements for activating the canister to open and dispense the medicament in response to an airflow in the inhaler caused by inhalation of a user through the opening, return elements for deactivating the canister to close it, characterized in that the return elements deactivate the canister when the airflow drops below a certain threshold value.

Claims

1. An inhaling device for dispensing a metered dose of medicament from a metered dose chamber of a canister, comprising:

a housing;

a mouthpiece operably connected to the housing and a flow path inside the housing, such that an airflow is created through the flow path when a user inhales through the mouthpiece;

the canister being arranged inside the housing, such that the canister is movable between a non-depressed position and a depressed position for dispensing the metered dose of medicament from the metered dose chamber;

an actuator assembly arranged in the flow path and operably connected to the canister such that the canister is activated to the depressed position for dispensing the medicament in response to the airflow through the mouthpiece and the flow path, wherein the actuator assembly includes at least a pressure means, a first holding means for holding the pressure means and thereby preventing the pressure means from depressing the canister, and a releasing means for disengaging the first holding means; and

a return controller assembly operably connected to the actuator assembly and arranged to hold the canister in the depressed position and dispense the medicament for a period of time determined by the airflow and arranged to release the canister from the depressed position when the airflow drops below a certain threshold value, wherein the return controller includes at least a second holding means for holding the canister in the depressed position and a releasing means for disengaging the second holding means, and a medicament dispensing time period is measured based on the period of time during which the airflow remains above the threshold value to provide an indication of inhalation quality.

2. The inhaling device of claim 1, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a flap or vane.

3. The inhaling device of claim 1, wherein the inhaling device includes a nozzle in fluid communication with the chamber, and an opening for dispensing the metered dose of medicament in fluid communication with the nozzle.

4. The inhaling device of claim 1, wherein the actuator assembly includes a pressure spring means for moving the canister relative the inhaling device to vent the chamber, and the return controller includes a return spring means for moving the canister relative the inhaling device to an unvented position against the force of the pressure spring means.

5. The inhaling device of claim 1, wherein the actuator assembly and the return controller assembly are operated when the canister is positioned with its outlet facing downwardly in the inhaling device.

6. The inhaling device of claim 5, wherein the canister is refilled/recharged during deactivation of the canister.

7. The inhaling device of claim 1, wherein the inhaling device further comprises detection/monitoring means for detecting/monitoring the time between activation and deactivation of the canister.

8. The inhaling device of claim 1, wherein the return controller deactivates the canister when the user'"'"'s airflow drops below the threshold value.

9. The inhaling device of claim 8, wherein the canister is reset during deactivation of the canister by the return controller.

10. The inhaling device of claim 8, wherein the canister is reset during the user'"'"'s inhalation.