Method and apparatus for dispensing inhalator medicament

• US 7,931,022 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Hisun Pharmaceutical (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Respirks Incorporated
• Inventors: Casper, Robert A., Gardner, David L., Johnson, Keith A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Steven O
• Application Number:
  US10/267,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20030075172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,122 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.12, 128/203.13, 128/203.15, 128/203.18, 128/203.19, 128/203.21, 128/203.23, 128/200.23, 604/58, 206/528, 206/530, 206/531, 206/532, 206/534.1, 206/534.2, 206/535, 206/536, 206/538, 206/539, 424/46, 424/489
• US Class Current: 128/203.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0003 with means for dispensing more than one drug
• 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 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/00 Drugs for disorders of the respiratory system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/02 for joint disorders, e.g. arthritis, arthrosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/08 for bone diseases, e.g. rachitism, Paget's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/04 Centrally acting analgesics, e.g. opioids
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/28 for treating neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system, e.g. nootropic agents, cognition enhancers, drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/00 Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/10 for treating ischaemic or atherosclerotic diseases, e.g. antianginal drugs, coronary vasodilators, drugs for myocardial infarction, retinopathy, cerebrovascula insufficiency, renal arteriosclerosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/12 Antihypertensives
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3261 Flexible containers having several compartments

Abstract

An apparatus and method for delivering a plurality of medication includes providing first and second medicament on a medicament pack in separate containers for preventing either medicament from interfering with the stability of the other. In accordance with the method, the medicaments are preferably delivered in a single inhalation.

Claims

1. An inhalation blister pack for delivering medicine for inhalation, the blister pack comprising a first blister having a first medicine and a second blister having a second medicine different from the first medicine, the first and second medicines being selected from the group consisting of powders, microcapsules and microspheres, wherein, for dispensing the first and second medicines, the blister pack is loaded into an inhalator, the first and second blisters are pierced simultaneously by a lancing mechanism and the first and second medicines are inhaled by a user.

2. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein the blister pack comprises a plurality of blisters disposed in a circular pattern.

3. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 2, wherein the blister pack comprises a first circular pattern of blisters having a first medicine and a second circular pattern of blisters having a second medicine.

4. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 3, wherein the first circular pattern and the second circular pattern are the same diameter.

5. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 3, wherein the circular patterns are concentric.

6. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating respiratory diseases.

7. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for oncology diseases.

8. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating infectious diseases.

9. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating bone degenerative diseases.

10. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating neurological degenerative diseases.

11. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for pain management.

12. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating cardiovascular disease.

13. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating arthritis.

14. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating hypertension.

15. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating neurological disorders.

32. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein the blisters containing different medicines are disposed in an alternating arrangement.

33. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein the blister pack comprises a first series of blisters containing a first medicine and a second series of blisters containing a second medicine which is different than the first medicine.

34. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 33, wherein the second series of blisters is disposed generally parallel to the first series of blisters.

35. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two blisters containing a first medicine is disposed in contact with another of the at least two blisters containing a second medicine.

38. The blister pack of claim 1, wherein the blister pack comprises a generally planar and continuous surface and wherein the medicine blisters comprise indentations formed in the generally planar and continuous surface.

39. The blister pack of claim 1, wherein the blisters are configured for piercing by a lancet.

40. The blister pack of claim 1, further comprising a first plurality of blisters having a first medicine and a second plurality of blisters having a second medicine, and wherein the first and second plurality of blisters are disposed in a disposed in a single plane.

41. The blister pack of claim 1, wherein the blister pack comprises a first blister pack section having a first group of at least one blister filled with a first medicine and a second blister pack section having a second group of at least one blister filled with a second medicine and wherein the first blister pack section and second blister pack section are configured for assembly into a single blister pack having the first group of blisters and second group of blisters in a single plane.

42. The blister pack of claim 41, wherein the first blister pack section comprises a ring and the second blister pack section comprises a circle or ring smaller than the first blister pack section.

43. The blister pack of claim 41, wherein the first blister pack section comprises a portion of a circle and the second blister pack section comprises a complementary portion of a circle.

44. The blister pack of claim 41, wherein the first blister pack section comprises at least one tab and wherein the second blister pack section comprises a shape complementary to the first blister pack section so as to form a circular or polygonal shaped assembled blister pack.

45. The blister pack of claim 41, wherein the first blister pack section comprises a plurality of tabs extending radially outward from a center and wherein the second blister pack section comprises a shape complementary to the first blister pack section so as to form a circular or polygonal shaped assembled blister pack.

46. The blister pack of claim 1, wherein at least two blisters containing different medicines are configured to be pierced by a single lancet.

16. A system for delivering medicine for inhalation comprising:

a blister pack, the blister pack comprising at least a first blister comprising a first medicine configured for inhalation and selected from the group consisting of powders, microcapsules and microspheres, and at least a second blister comprising a second medicine which is different from the first medicine, configured for inhalation, and selected from the group consisting of powders, microcapsules and microspheres, the first medicine and the second medicine being disposed in separate blisters, a piercing mechanism, and wherein the first blister and second blister are pierced simultaneously by a single piercing mechanism.

36. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 16, further comprising a first plurality of blisters containing the first medicine, and a second plurality of blisters containing the second medicine.

47. The blister pack of claim 16, wherein the blister pack comprises a generally planar and continuous surface and wherein the medicine blisters comprise indentations formed in the generally planar and continuous surface.

48. The blister pack of claim 16, wherein the first blister and the second blister are disposed on top of each other.

49. The blister pack of claim 16, wherein the first blister containing said first medicine is disposed in contact with the second blister containing said second medicine.

17. A system for delivering medicine for inhalation, the system comprising:

an inhalator;

a blister pack disposed in the inhalator having a lancing mechanism, the blister pack compromising a plurality of first blisters having a first medicine and a plurality of second blisters having a second medicine, wherein the lancing mechanism is arranged to simultaneously pierce a first blister and a second blister.

18. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein the plurality of first and second blisters are disposed in a circular pattern.

19. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 18, wherein the blister pack comprises a first circular pattern of blisters having a first medicine and a second circular pattern of blisters having a second medicine which is different than the first medicine.

20. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 19, wherein the first circular pattern and the second circular pattern are the same diameter.

21. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 19, wherein the circular patterns are concentric.

22. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating respiratory diseases.

23. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for oncology diseases.

24. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating infectious diseases.

25. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating bone degenerative diseases.

26. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating neurological degenerative diseases.

27. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for pain management.

28. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating cardiovascular disease.

29. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating arthritis.

30. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein at least one of the medicines comprises a medicine for treating hypertension.

31. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, wherein the medicines are selected from at least two of the medicines for treating respiratory diseases, oncology diseases, infectious diseases, bone degenerative diseases, neurological degenerative diseases, pain management, cardiovascular disease and arthritis.

37. The blister pack for delivering medicine of claim 17, further comprising a first medicine and a second medicine which is different than the first medicine, and wherein each blister which contains the first medicine is disposed adjacent a blister which contains the second medicine.

50. The blister pack of claim 17, wherein the blister pack comprises a first plurality of blisters containing a first medicine and a second plurality of blisters containing a second medicine, and wherein the blisters are arranged in a circular arrangement alternating between at least one of the first plurality of blisters and at least one of the second plurality of blisters and wherein all of the blisters are disposed on a single plane.

51. The blister pack of claim 17, wherein the blister pack comprises a generally planar and continuous surface and wherein the blisters comprise indentations formed in the generally planar and continuous surface.

52. The blister pack of claim 17, wherein the blisters are configured for piercing by a lancet.