Liquid drug cartridges and associated dispenser
Inventors
Stedman, Benjamin • Fink, Jim • Molloy, Lisa • Sander, Matt
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11426536-B2
Publication Date
2022-08-30
Expiration Date
Abstract
Liquid drug cartridges and an associated inhaler are used to deliver one more separate doses of an aerosolized liquid drug. A cartridge includes a container for storing the liquid drug, an end cap having an ejection opening, a filter element, and a piston that is repositionable relative to the container to selectively eject a volume of liquid drug from the ejection opening. The filter element filters the liquid drug prior to ejection from the ejection opening. The liquid drug cartridge can be coupled with an inhaler that includes an aerosol generator. The aerosol generator includes a vibratable membrane onto which the liquid drug is ejected. The liquid drug is aerosolized by the vibration of the membrane for inhalation by a user.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method of delivering an aerosolized medication to a user's respiratory system by detecting an inhalation and using an inhalation monitoring system to trigger a piston actuation system. In response to the detected inhalation, a piston positioned at a distal end of a reservoir of a cartridge is displaced to force a volume of liquid medicament from the reservoir, with filtering within the cartridge and end cap before ejection.
After filtering, the volume of liquid medicament is ejected onto a rear face of a mesh of an aerosol generator via an ejection opening of the end cap. The mesh is vibrated to aerosolize the filtered liquid medicament and produce a plume of aerosolized medicament, and the aerosolized medicament is entrained within inspiratory flow through a mouthpiece of an inhaler.
The disclosed cartridge and inhaler architecture further supports microbial control and synchronized aerosolization, including one-way check valve configurations that permit only one-way outward flow to block microbial ingress into the reservoir. Additional disclosed features include illuminating a chamber where the liquid medicament is ejected with ultraviolet light for microbial control between doses, with inhalation sensing and control electronics coordinating aerosol generation with inhalation and pausing aerosolized medicament production when inhalation stops.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00008, and clm-00015. Across these independent claims, the inventive features focus on inhalation-synchronized piston-driven liquid medicament delivery, in-cartridge filtering and ejection onto a rear-face vibrating mesh, entrainment through a mouthpiece, and microbial control via one-way flow/check valve and ultraviolet microbial control between doses, with further options such as flow conditioning using a restrictor array and stop conditions based on inhalation and/or mesh condition sensing.
Inhalation detection triggering piston displacement
Detecting an inhalation by a user using an inhalation monitoring system; communicating a signal to a piston actuation system; and, in response, displacing a piston positioned at a distal end of a reservoir of a cartridge to force a volume of liquid medicament from the reservoir of the cartridge.
Cartridge end-cap filtering before ejection
Filtering the volume of liquid medicament using a filter element positioned within an end cap of the cartridge; and ejecting the volume of liquid medicament onto a rear face of a mesh of an aerosol generator via an ejection opening of the end cap after filtering.
Rear-face vibrating mesh aerosolization and inspiratory entrainment
Vibrating the mesh of the aerosol generator to aerosolize the volume of liquid medicament to produce a plume of aerosolized medicament; and entraining the aerosolized medicament within inspiratory flow through a mouthpiece of an inhaler.
One-way check valve blocking microbial ingress
Forcing a volume of liquid medicament from the reservoir of the cartridge such that the volume of liquid medicament passes through a check valve configured to permit only one-way flow in an outward direction from the reservoir to block microbial ingress into the reservoir.
Ultraviolet microbial control between doses
Illuminating a chamber where the liquid medicament is ejected with ultraviolet light to provide microbial control between doses.
Inhalation-synchronized concurrent aerosolization
Sensing an inhalation of a patient at a mouthpiece of an inhaler; displacing a piston to force a volume of liquid medicament from the reservoir based on the sensed inhalation; filtering the volume of liquid medicament; introducing the filtered volume of liquid medicament into a proximal end of a conduit defined within an end cap; ejecting the volume of liquid medicament onto a rear face of a mesh of an aerosol generator via an ejection opening formed at a distal end of the conduit based on the sensed inhalation; vibrating the mesh to aerosolize the volume of liquid medicament to produce a plume of aerosolized medicament based on the sensed inhalation such that the volume of liquid medicament is aerosolized concurrently with the sensed inhalation; and entraining the aerosolized medicament within inspiratory flow through the mouthpiece of the inhaler.
The independent claims consistently require inhalation detection used to trigger piston-driven liquid medicament delivery from a reservoir, with filtration performed via cartridge/end-cap filter elements prior to ejection onto a rear face of a vibrating mesh, followed by aerosolization into a plume and entrainment through inspiratory flow via a mouthpiece. The coverage further includes microbial ingress blocking using a check valve permitting only one-way outward flow, and ultraviolet illumination for microbial control between doses, with additional disclosed structural placement of end-cap components and ejection paths supporting aerosolization synchronized with inhalation.
Stated Advantages
Produces a plume of aerosolized medicament based on detected inhalation.
Blocks microbial ingress into the reservoir using one-way outward flow through a check valve.
Provides microbial control between doses using ultraviolet light.
Allows aerosolized medicament to be aerosolized concurrently with the sensed inhalation.
Pauses aerosolized medicament production when inhalation stops.
Documented Applications
Delivering an aerosolized medication to a user's respiratory system by synchronizing aerosol generation with a user's inhalation using an inhalation monitoring system and a mouthpiece.
Microbial control between doses in an inhaler system by ultraviolet illumination of a chamber where liquid medicament is ejected.
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