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Publication Number
US-11058832-B2
Publication Date
2021-07-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
A dry powder inhaler may include a housing having a lower housing part defining at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet. At least one container may be disposed in the lower housing part. The at least one container may include a cavity for a dry powder drug. A chamber may be disposed above the at least one container for deaggregation of the dry powder drug after emptying of the dry powder drug from the cavity. Upon inhalation by a user at the at least one air outlet, air may flow from the at least one air inlet into and through the chamber to empty the dry powder drug from the cavity and convey the dry powder drug to the at least one outlet.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a dry powder inhaler comprising a housing with at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet, a first direction extending between the at least one air inlet and the at least one air outlet, and at least one container disposed in a lower housing part. The container defines a cavity configured for a dry powder drug, and a chamber is disposed above the container in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and configured for deaggregation of the dry powder drug after emptying from the cavity.
Upon inhalation by a user at the at least one air outlet, air flows from the at least one air inlet into and through the chamber to empty the dry powder drug from the cavity and convey the dry powder drug to the at least one outlet. The chamber is dimensioned such that a length of the chamber in the first direction is greater than a total length spanned by the at least one container in the first direction, and a width of the chamber in a third direction is greater than a total width spanned by the at least one container in the third direction.
In one aspect, the housing comprises an upper housing part connectable with the lower housing part to define the at least one air inlet and the at least one air outlet, and the chamber is disposed exclusively above the cavity of the at least one container in the second direction. The air is flowable into the cavity exclusively via the chamber, and chamber airflow empties powder from the cavity in a direction opposing the first direction while conveying the resulting air/powder mixture to the air outlet.
Additional embodiments include an intermediate portion at least partially defining the chamber, the chamber being disposed exclusively above the cavity and exclusively below the longitudinal air flow path relative to the upper housing part, and configurations with an internal wall positioned in the lower housing or in the upper housing. The disclosed embodiments further include moisture protection and pre-use occlusion features, including a desiccant tablet abutting a container end and a foil strip sealing the cavity until pulled.
Claims Coverage
The document provides coverage for two independent dry powder inhaler claims and one independent method claim, centered on a chamber disposed above a container cavity and configured to deaggregate and empty dry powder drug using inhalation-driven airflow with geometric constraints that keep cavity flow exclusive via the chamber.
Chamber above container cavity for deaggregation and opposing emptying
A dry powder inhaler having a housing with at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet defining a first direction, a container disposed in a lower housing part with a cavity configured for a dry powder drug, and a chamber disposed above the container in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the chamber configured for deaggregation after emptying; wherein upon inhalation air flows from the air inlet into and through the chamber to empty the dry powder drug from the cavity and convey the dry powder drug to the at least one outlet, with chamber airflow emptying powder in a direction opposing the first direction.
Chamber length and width greater than container span
The dry powder inhaler further wherein a length of the chamber in the first direction is greater than a total length spanned by the at least one container in the first direction, and wherein a width of the chamber in a third direction is greater than a total width spanned by the at least one container in the third direction, the third direction extending perpendicular to the first direction and perpendicular to the second direction.
Exclusive airflow into cavity via chamber
The dry powder inhaler wherein the chamber is disposed exclusively above the cavity of the at least one container in the second direction and the air is flowable into the cavity exclusively via the chamber.
Method of emptying powder with chamber emptying opposing inlet direction
A method of emptying a powder from an inhaler comprising inhaling air through an inlet of a housing in a first direction towards an outlet, passing a flow of the air into and through a chamber disposed adjacent to a powder-containing cavity of at least one container to empty the powder from the cavity in a direction opposing the first direction, the chamber disposed in a lower housing part above the cavity with a length in the first direction and a width in a third direction greater than total length and total width spanned by the at least one container, conveying a mixture of the air and the powder out of the chamber to the outlet, and flowing air into the cavity exclusively via the chamber.
Intermediate chamber exclusively above cavity and below longitudinal air flow path
A dry powder inhaler comprising a housing including a lower housing part and an upper housing part connected to the lower housing part, both defining at least one air inlet, at least one air outlet, and a longitudinal air flow path; the lower housing part including an upper portion defining at least part of the air flow path, a lower portion defining a container receptacle, and an intermediate portion connecting the upper portion and the lower portion; at least one container in the container receptacle defining a cavity retaining a dry powder drug; and an intermediate portion at least partially defining a chamber disposed exclusively above the cavity and exclusively below the longitudinal air flow path relative to the upper housing part, structured to facilitate deaggregation after emptying, wherein air is flowable into and out of the cavity exclusively via the chamber such that inhalation causes air to flow through the chamber to empty the dry powder drug from the cavity and convey it to the air outlet.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive concept is a chamber disposed above and in exclusive fluid communication with a container cavity, where inhalation-driven air flows into and through the chamber to empty and deaggregate a dry powder drug, with geometric constraints requiring the chamber length and width to exceed the container spans and additional structural arrangement placing the chamber in an intermediate position relative to the longitudinal air flow path. The method claim mirrors this arrangement by requiring chamber emptying in a direction opposing the main inlet-to-outlet direction and exclusive airflow into the cavity via the chamber.
Stated Advantages
Moisture protection.
Pre-use occlusion of the cavity until pulled.
Documented Applications
Dry powder drug inhaler.
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