Dry powder inhaler
First Claim
1. A unit dose dry powder inhaler, comprising:
- a housing having an inlet portion;
a platform on an exterior surface of the inlet portion of the housing;
a unit dose container on the platform of the housing, with the unit dose container containing a unit dose of a dry powder;
a dispersion chamber in the housing;
an inlet flow path in the housing from the unit dose container to the dispersion chamber;
a mouthpiece on the housing;
an outlet tube in the housing providing an outlet flow path from the dispersion chamber into the mouthpiece, and with the outlet tube extending into the mouthpiece;
at least one sheath air inlet providing a sheath air flow path into the mouthpiece; and
the outlet flow path and the sheath air flow path coming together within the mouthpiece.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dry powder inhaler has a dispersion chamber containing beads. A dose of dry powder is released into the chamber, or into an inlet tangentially joining into the chamber. As the patient inhales on a nosepiece or mouthpiece, air moves circularly through the dispersion chamber to drive the beads. The beads roll, bounce, and collide repeatedly with the drug particles on the chamber surfaces or on the beads. The smaller active drug particles are separated from larger carrier particles and from each other, and a powder aerosol is created and inhaled by the patient. The beads are preferably lightweight, so that they can be rapidly accelerated and moved, even with nominal inspiration. The flow resistance of the inhaler is also reduced via the beads, allowing greater airflow and powder dispersion, without any increased effort by the patient.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A unit dose dry powder inhaler, comprising:
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a housing having an inlet portion; a platform on an exterior surface of the inlet portion of the housing; a unit dose container on the platform of the housing, with the unit dose container containing a unit dose of a dry powder; a dispersion chamber in the housing; an inlet flow path in the housing from the unit dose container to the dispersion chamber; a mouthpiece on the housing; an outlet tube in the housing providing an outlet flow path from the dispersion chamber into the mouthpiece, and with the outlet tube extending into the mouthpiece; at least one sheath air inlet providing a sheath air flow path into the mouthpiece; and the outlet flow path and the sheath air flow path coming together within the mouthpiece. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A unit dose dry powder inhaler, comprising:
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a housing having an inlet portion; a platform on an exterior surface of the inlet portion; a unit dose container containing a unit dose of a dry powder on the platform; a dispersion chamber; a mouthpiece; a powder flow path connecting from the unit dose container into the dispersion chamber, and from the dispersion chamber into the mouthpiece, for moving powder laden air from adjacent the unit dose container to the dispersion chamber and into the mouthpiece; and a sheath air flow path between an outer wall of the annular ring and an inner wall of the mouthpiece, for moving ambient air into the mouthpiece; with the powder flow path and the sheath air flow path combining together within the mouthpiece. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A unit dose dry powder inhaler, comprising:
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an inhaler housing having an inlet portion; a platform on an exterior surface of the inlet portion of the housing; a unit dose container on the housing; a dispersion chamber within the housing; an inlet flow path leading from a position in the inhaler adjacent to the unit dose container to the dispersion chamber; a mouthpiece on the housing; an outlet tube forming an outlet flow path from the dispersion chamber into the mouthpiece; and at least one sheath air inlet providing a sheath air flow path into the mouthpiece.
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25. A unit dose dry powder inhaler, comprising:
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a housing having an inlet portion; a platform on an exterior surface of the inlet portion of the housing; a unit dose container on the platform, with the unit dose container containing a dose of a dry powder; a disk-shaped dispersion chamber in the housing having an inner diameter greater than the largest inside diameter of the mouthpiece; an inlet flow path in the housing connecting into the dispersion chamber; a mouthpiece on the housing; an outlet tube in the housing providing an outlet flow path from the dispersion chamber into the mouthpiece, and with a front end of the outlet tube extending into the mouthpiece and a back end of the outlet tube extending into the dispersion chamber; a sheath air flow path for moving ambient air into the mouthpiece, and including a sheath air inlet forming a first sheath air flow path section extending radially inwardly relative to a longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece and also forming a second sheath air flow path section adjoining with the first sheath air flow path section and extending generally perpendicular to the first sheath air flow path section and generally parallel to the axis of the mouthpiece, and with the combined length of the first and second sheath air flow paths less than the length of the mouthpiece; and the outlet flow path and the sheath air flow path coming together within the mouthpiece.
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Specification