# US 12,629,484 B2 · High pressure inhalation device

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- Number: US 12,629,484 B2
- Document ID: US12629484B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/266,121
- Filed: 2019-08-07
- Published: 2021-09-23
- Granted: 2026-05-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-10
- Applicants: Invox Belgium NV
- Inventors: Frank Bartels; Juergen Rawert
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12629484B2

## CPC

- A61M 11/007: {Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers}
- A61M 15/0065: {Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices (A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52)}
- A61M 11/001: {Particle size control}
- A61M 16/208: {Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves}
- A61M 2205/071: hand operated
- A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow
- A61M 2205/58: Means for facilitating use, e.g. by people with impaired vision
- A61M 2205/8218: Gas operated
- 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)}

## Abstract

An inhalation device for providing a particularly high pressure for nebulization. The inhalation device can include a housing, a reservoir, a pumping unit adapted to receive the delivery of mechanical energy to the pumping unit, and a nozzle. The pumping unit can also include a hollow cylindrical part and a piston, the cylindrical part having an interior space with a defined first cross section configured to receive an upstream end portion of the piston, wherein the cylindrical part and the piston are linearly moveable relative to one another such as to form a pumping chamber having a variable volume.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An inhalation device for generation of an aerosol of a medically active liquid, the inhalation device comprising:
a housing comprising therein:
a reservoir configured to store the medically active liquid;
a pumping unit located downstream from the reservoir;
a nozzle located downstream from the pumping unit;
the pumping unit comprising a hollow cylindrical part and a piston, the hollow cylindrical part having an interior space with a defined cross section configured to receive an end portion of the piston, wherein the hollow cylindrical part and the piston are linearly moveable relative to one another forming a pumping chamber with a variable volume;
a plunger mechanically coupled to the piston or to the hollow cylindrical part of the pumping unit and having a cross section larger than the cross section of the hollow cylindrical part, the plunger configured to translate in a reciprocating linear movement within the housing; and
a pressure chamber having a variable internal volume defined by the housing and a position of the plunger in the housing, the pressure chamber configured to receive a pressurized gas, wherein
the pressure chamber comprises an inlet valve and an outlet valve with separate ports into the pressure chamber, and
the pressurized gas is configured to exert a force on and translate the plunger within the housing increasing the variable internal volume of the pressure chamber and delivering mechanical energy to the pumping unit to decrease the variable volume of the pumping chamber and generate the aerosol of the medically active liquid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the cross section of the plunger to the cross section of the hollow cylindrical part is greater than 2.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The inhalation device according to claim 2, wherein the ratio of the cross section of the plunger to the cross section of the hollow cylindrical part is greater than 10.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the pressurized gas is provided by:
a container filled with pressurized or liquefied gas, or
a chamber configured to temporarily hold and controllably release said pressurized gas.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the piston is hollow.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein a check valve is arranged upstream of the pumping unit in order to block backflow of liquid in the direction of the reservoir.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein a spring is provided, which is configured to be loaded by a propulsive movement of the plunger, and which is configured, by unloading its stored energy, to effect a retropulsive movement of the plunger.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The inhalation device according to claim 7, wherein the spring is an elastic spring, a gas spring, or a magnetic spring.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is an impingement nozzle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the variable volume of the pumping chamber ranges from a maximum of about 100 to 500 μl.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein the pumping unit via the pressure chamber is configured to provide a pressure of at least 100 bar inside the pumping chamber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The inhalation device according to claim 1, wherein
(i) the plunger; and
(ii) the piston or the hollow cylindrical part are moveable in a direction parallel to a vertical plane.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A method for generating an aerosol of a liquid by means of an inhalation device as defined in claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
providing, in a filling phase, a negative gauge pressure inside the pumping chamber by increasing its volume, thereby filling the pumping chamber with liquid from the reservoir due to said negative gauge pressure;
providing, in an emission phase, a positive gauge pressure inside the pressure chamber having said second cross section, thereby effecting a movement of the plunger;
transferring said movement mechanically to the piston or to the cylindrical part, such that the volume of the pumping chamber is reduced, and a positive pressure is generated inside its interior space; and
emitting the medically active liquid from the pumping chamber through the nozzle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the positive gauge pressure within the pressure chamber is provided by opening a valve to a container with a pressurized gas, or by manually pressurizing said pressure chamber.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein, subsequent to the emission of liquid from the pumping chamber due to the reduction of its volume, the method further comprises releasing stored energy from a temporary storage of mechanical energy which has been loaded during the emission phase thus increasing the pumping chamber's interior volume again, resulting in a generation of the negative pressure therein, thus refilling the pumping chamber with medically active liquid from the reservoir.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein, at the beginning of the refilling phase, discharging the pressure chamber's content to the atmosphere.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

A method of inhalatively administering a medically active liquid to an animal or human, the method comprising inhalatively administering the medically active liquid in aerosolized form with the inhalation device of claim 1 to the animal or human.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A method for the treatment, stabilization or prevention of a pulmonary disease or condition by inhalative administration of a medically active liquid, comprising generating and administering the medically active liquid using an inhalation device according to claim 1.