Inhaler
Inventors
Dudley, Steven • Palmer-Felgate, John • Reynolds, Sean • Breakwell, Iain • Jamin, Jon • Augustyn, Steve • Smetham, Grant • Kaye, Laura • McGarva, John
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9308334-B2
Publication Date
2016-04-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
An inhaler, the inhaler including a body (104) and a cartridge (106), the cartridge comprising a dose storage portion (122) and an airway (124), the dose storage portion being suitable for containing a plurality of doses of an inhalable medicament, the airway including a mouthpiece (128) at an end thereof, the inhaler device configured and arranged such that a dose of inhalable medicament from the dose storage portion can be accessed and arranged in a delivery configuration for delivery to a user through the airway upon inhalation through the mouthpiece by the user, the inhaler characterized in that the cartridge is replaceably removable from the body.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an inhaler including a body and a cartridge, where the cartridge comprises a dose storage portion and an airway. The dose storage portion comprises a plurality of blisters, each blister containing a pre-metered dose of an inhalable medicament, and the airway includes a mouthpiece at an end thereof. The cartridge is replaceably couplable to the body so that each blister can be accessed and arranged in a delivery configuration for delivery to a user through the airway upon inhalation through the mouthpiece.
A mechanically engaged actuator mechanism accesses and arranges a dose of medicament for delivery configuration from the dose storage portion, and the body comprises a deagglomeration mechanism. An electronic controller actuates a piercing mechanism within the cartridge to pierce each of the plurality of blisters. The document further describes contamination reduction by arranging that, when the cartridge is coupled to the body, a coupling area of the cartridge is arranged adjacent to the body and is inaccessible to a user, while a remaining accessible contactable surface area of the cartridge is less than the inaccessible coupling area.
The described architecture includes the body providing control/power and functional mechanisms such as an electronic controller, energy source, sensors for inhalation detection, and components for actuating delivery functions within the cartridge, including cover/actuator mechanisms for positioning and opening. In embodiments, the deagglomeration mechanism is electrically driven and includes a transducer for vibrating to deagglomerate powdered medicament, with drive/indexing behavior tied to movement of a movable mouthpiece cover so that subsequent doses can be accessed. The document also describes interface and user-visibility concepts such as a dose display area and a body window so that at least part of the dose display area is visible when the cartridge is attached, together with coupling and interlock/lockout features and accessible versus inaccessible cartridge regions.
Claims Coverage
The document provides one independent claim. Across the independent claim and its listed dependent members, the inventive features include a replaceably couplable blister-based pre-metered dose cartridge with a mechanically engaged actuator and an electronic controller that actuates a piercing mechanism, plus an inaccessible cartridge coupling area relative to an accessible cartridge contactable surface area. Additional claimed features specify an electronic deagglomeration mechanism and control of dose storage/delivery configuration.
Replaceably couplable blister dose cartridge for delivery through an airway mouthpiece
An inhaler including a body and a cartridge, where the cartridge comprises a dose storage portion and an airway; the dose storage portion comprises a plurality of blisters with pre-metered doses of an inhalable medicament; an actuator mechanism mechanically engaged with the dose storage portion accesses and arranges in a delivery configuration a dose of medicament; the airway conveys the dose of medicament to a user through a mouthpiece; and each blister can be accessed and arranged in the delivery configuration for delivery upon inhalation.
Inaccessible coupling area with accessible cartridge contactable surface area
When the cartridge is coupled to the body, a coupling area of the cartridge is arranged adjacent to the body and is inaccessible to a user, where the area of the coupling contact area is less than the contactable surface area of the cartridge which remains accessible when the body and cartridge are coupled together.
Electronic controller actuating cartridge piercing of each blister
The body comprises a deagglomeration mechanism and an electronic controller that actuates a piercing mechanism within the cartridge to pierce each of the plurality of blisters.
Deagglomeration mechanism with energy source and transducer for delivery to blisters
The deagglomeration mechanism includes an energy source and a transducer that receives energy and transfers at least some of it to a blister holding a pre-metered dose of inhalable medicament.
Deagglomeration with electrical energy and a vibrating element
The energy source is electrical and the transducer includes a vibrating element.
Vibrating element includes a piezoelectric element
The vibrating element includes a piezoelectric element.
Dose display area with body window visible when cartridge attached
The cartridge has a dose display area and the body has a window such that at least part of the dose display area is visible when the cartridge is attached.
Actuator-position-driven blister movement with indexing to retrieve subsequent blisters
The cartridge has a drive mechanism coupled to an actuator that moves a blister between a dose storage portion and an opening location in response to actuator movement between first and second positions, and that indexes to retrieve a different blister on subsequent actuator movement if the previous blister has been opened.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on a replaceably couplable cartridge containing a plurality of blisters with pre-metered inhalable medicament doses, an actuator mechanism for arranging a blister dose in a delivery configuration through an airway mouthpiece upon inhalation, and an electronic controller that actuates a piercing mechanism for each blister. Dependent features further specify a deagglomeration mechanism using an energy source and transducer (electrical with a vibrating element including a piezoelectric element), define an inaccessible cartridge coupling area relative to accessible contactable areas, add dose visibility via a dose display area and body window, and include actuator-position-driven blister movement with indexing to retrieve subsequent blisters.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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