Apparatus for collection of particles of an inhalable formulation
Inventors
Price, Robert • Danson, Arron • STRNISA, Gregor
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12416551-B2
Publication Date
2025-09-16
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparatus for collecting aerosolized respirable particles of an inhalable medicinal formulation, having a dose collection section having an air-permeable filter extending across the pathway of the aerosolized respirable particles to retain particulate material on the filter. The dose collection section having an upper filter support member and a lower filter support member, the filter being circumferentially retained between the upper and lower support members to form a filter unit; a lower body receiving the filter unit, the lower body having recesses; and a quick-release system having hooks, movable between an open position and a closed position The hooks, in the open position, can enter the recesses around the filter unit, and in the closed position, can grab the filter unit, allowing removal of the filter unit without any human contact.
Core Innovation
The invention describes an aerosol dose collection apparatus for collecting aerosolized respirable particles of an inhalable medicinal formulation. The apparatus includes an inlet for receiving an aerosolized dose, a suction source for generating a pneumatic flow through the apparatus, and a channel defining a pathway extending from the inlet to the suction source. A dose collection section is located in the pathway of the pneumatic flow, and the dose collection section includes an air-permeable filter extending across the pathway to retain particulate material on the filter.
The dose collection section comprises an upper filter support member and a lower filter support member, with the filter circumferentially retained between the upper and lower support members to form a filter unit. The apparatus also includes a lower body receiving the filter unit, the lower body having a top surface comprising recesses located around the filter unit. A quick-release system includes fixing means movable between an open position and a closed position, where the fixing means in the open position can enter the recesses around the filter unit and in the closed position can grab the filter unit.
The quick-release configuration allows removal of the filter unit from the lower body without any human contact on the filter unit, thereby enabling ease of filter removal. The pneumatic flow pathway is arranged so suction downstream delivers relatively uniform, slow-moving airflow onto the filter using specified geometric and flow principles, including an inlet orifice having an unimpeded orifice area of at least 75% of the filter area where the dose is collected and a filter support defining apertures that obstruct no more than 80% of the opposed filter surface area.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim is directed to a system for collecting aerosolized respirable particles using a pneumatic suction flow path and a removable filter unit with an air-permeable filter and a quick-release removal mechanism. The claim includes four inventive features.
Pneumatic suction aerosol collection system with dose collection section
An apparatus for collecting aerosolized respirable particles of an inhalable medicinal formulation having an inlet, a suction source generating pneumatic flow through the apparatus, a channel or pathway from the inlet to the suction source, and a dose collection section located in the pathway with an air-permeable filter extending across the pathway to retain particulate material on the filter.
Circumferential filter unit with upper and lower filter supports
A dose collection section comprising an upper filter support member and a lower filter support member, with the air-permeable filter circumferentially retained between the upper and lower support members to form a filter unit.
Lower body with recesses around the filter unit
A lower body receiving the filter unit, with a top surface comprising recesses located around the filter unit.
Quick-release fixing means movable between open and closed positions
A quick-release system comprising fixing means movable between an open position and a closed position, where in the open position the fixing means can enter the recesses around the filter unit and in the closed position the fixing means can grab the filter unit, allowing removal of the filter unit from the lower body without any human contact on the filter unit.
The claim coverage combines a pneumatic suction aerosol collection pathway with a removable filter unit retained between upper and lower supports, a lower body defining recesses, and a quick-release mechanism that removes the filter unit without human contact.
Stated Advantages
Allows removal of the filter unit from the lower body without any human contact on the filter unit.
Documented Applications
Used to enable more reliable dissolution studies of inhalable medicinal formulations by addressing collection-process artifacts, and potentially supports IVIVC.
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