# US 10,478,572 B2 · Powder compartment for high dosage drug delivery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,572 B2 - Document ID: US10478572B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/117,571 - Filed: 2016-04-28 - Published: 2018-02-08 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-30 - Assignees: Hovione Technology Ltd. - Applicants: Hovione Technology Limited - Inventors: João Ventura; Peter Villax - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478572B2 ## CPC - A61M 11/003: {by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters} - A61M 15/002: {with air flow regulating means} - A61K 9/0075: {for inhalation via a dry powder inhaler [DPI], e.g. comprising micronized drug mixed with lactose carrier particles} - A61M 15/0021: {Mouthpieces therefor} - A61M 15/0028: {using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up} - A61M 15/0045: {using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters} - A61M 15/0086: {Inhalation chambers} - A61M 15/0043: {Non-destructive separation of the package, e.g. peeling} - A61M 15/08: Inhaling devices inserted into the nose - A61M 2202/064: Powder - A61M 2206/16: Rotating swirling helical flow, e.g. by tangential inflows - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) ## Abstract A dry powder inhaler for pulmonary or nasal use, comprising at least an inhaler body 801 and a cartridge 803 with at least one powder compartment 805 including one dose of a drug. The body has an opening 804 shaped for receiving the cartridge 803 and the means to allow a controlled sliding movement of the cartridge 803 relative to the body 801 after mounting. The cartridge powder compartment 805 comprises at least two inlets or slits 806, 809, at least one of which is a side inlet 809, for the admission of air, and a compartment outlet 807 to allow filling and fluid communication with an inhalation channel 808 provided in the body 801. In use, the patient slides the cartridge 803 relative to the body 801 from the storage position, where the inlets in the cartridge powder compartment 805 are blocked and sealed by walls comprised in the body 801, into the inhalation position, where the compartment inlets become available for the admission of air used in the dispersion of the particles there contained and the compartment outlet 807 becomes aligned with the inhalation channel 808 in the body 801 to allow the entrainment of the dose dispersed through the device and into the desired site of action during inhalation. The addition of one or more lateral vents 809 in the cartridge powder compartments induces a turbulent and swirling flow pattern that promotes improved dispersion and entrainment. The invention affords a very economical and simple device for the delivery of high dosages of inhaled medicines. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dry powder inhaler suitable for pulmonary or nasal delivery, comprising an inhaler body and a cartridge; the inhaler comprising: (a) the inhaler body comprising a mouthpiece, a bottom channel inlet, an inhalation channel for providing fluid communication between the patient's mouth when engaged with the mouthpiece and the bottom channel inlet, at least one side inlet for allowing direct air admission from atmosphere into the inhalation channel; an inhaler body opening formed therein and defined between opposing top and bottom walls and opposing side walls, said inhaler body opening having at least one open end by means of which the cartridge is insertable into the opening and having at least one air inlet opening for admitting air into the inhaler body opening, means for guiding movement of the cartridge in the inhaler body opening relative to the body and control the cartridge travel from a storage position into an inhalation position; wherein the cartridge; (b) the cartridge being shaped for engagement in the inhaler body opening and having at least one substantially cylindrical powder compartment formed therein for carrying a powder-based medicament, and at least one air inlet vent; the powder compartment having an outlet which allows fluid communication with the body inhalation channel through the body bottom channel inlet and at least one pin for engaging with the body guiding movement means; wherein the cartridge is slidable within the body between the storage position in which the at least one air inlet vent of the cartridge is substantially sealed by the inhaler body such that there is no fluid communication to the cartridge, to the inhalation position, in which the or each air inlet vent of the cartridge is substantially aligned with an associated air inlet opening of the inhaler body such that there is fluid communication between the inlet opening of the inhaler body, the or each air inlet vent of the cartridge, the cartridge top outlet and the mouthpiece channel; wherein the cartridge having the at least one inlet vent includes at least two air inlet vents, at least one of which is a lateral air inlet vent and the inhaler body has an air inlet opening associated with each of the air inlet vents of the cartridge which allow admission of air from the atmosphere into the cartridge powder compartment when the cartridge is in the inhalation position; and the inhaler body bottom channel inlet further comprising at least one orifice which forms a sharp constriction in the fluid flow path from the cartridge powder compartment outlet into the inhalation channel when the powder cartridge is moved into the inhalation position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein the at least two air inlet vents of the cartridge includes a bottom inlet slit; and wherein the inhaler body includes a bottom opening which aligns with the bottom inlet slit when the cartridge is in the inhalation position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein the at least two air inlet vents of the cartridge includes at least one pair of lateral air vents formed in the side walls of the cartridge: and wherein the air inlet openings of the inhaler body include at least one pair of side openings formed in the side walls of the body opening, each side opening aligning with at least one associated lateral air vent of the cartridge when the cartridge is in the inhalation position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The dry powder inhaler of claim 3, wherein the or each pair of lateral air vents are located on opposite sides of the compartment and the lateral air vents forming each pair are offset relative to each other so as to allow a non-tangential admission of air. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein each cartridge powder compartment lateral vent has a width of between 0.1 and 2 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The dry powder inhaler of claim 5, wherein each cartridge powder compartment lateral vent has a width of less than 1 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein each side opening in the inhaler body is associated with a plurality of lateral vents. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein each cartridge powder compartment lateral vent tapers inwards towards the inner surface of the compartment so as to funnel the air as it passes through the vent into the compartment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein the inhaler body bottom channel inlet includes a plurality of orifices. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The dry powder inhaler of claim 9, wherein said plurality of orifices are arranged to form a structured grid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein cartridge powder compartment includes a lateral protrusion in the area of the or each air inlet opening that provides mechanical contact and inference with top, bottom and side walls of the body opening when the cartridge is in the storage position so as to seal each said air inlet opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The dry powder inhaler of claim 1, wherein the inhaler body inhalation channel bottom inlet provides a geometric constriction in the fluid channel passage area, the cross-sectional area of which constriction is between 30% and 99% of the powder compartment outlet cross section area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The dry powder inhaler of claim 12, wherein the cross-sectional area of constriction is between 80% and 98% of the powder compartment outlet cross section area.