US 12,728,215 B2Granted

Powder inhaler assembly

AssigneeChiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A.

InventorsAlan Tweedie, Colin Mitchell, Alan Sanders, Andrew T. Heidt, György Szarka, Bogdan-Alexandru Cociu

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Abstract

A powder inhaler assembly includes a powder inhaler including a metering device having a dosing recess and movable, with respect to a container and to an inhalation channel, between an idle state, in which the dosing recess is in communication with an opening of the container so as to be filled with a dose of the powdered medicament, and a triggered state, in which the dosing recess is in communication with the inhalation channel for enabling inhalation of a dose of the powdered medicament contained in the dosing recess through a mouthpiece. An electronic module is attachable to the powder inhaler and includes a non-contact sensor positioned and configured to sense position(s) of at least part of the metering device to detect at least when the metering device is in the triggered state.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A powder inhaler assembly, comprising:

a powder inhaler comprising:
a container for storing a powdered medicament;
a mouthpiece and an inhalation channel connected to the mouthpiece;
a casing and a cover rotatably coupled to the casing so that the cover is moveable between a closed position, in which the cover covers the mouthpiece, and an open position, in which the cover exposes the mouthpiece;
and
a metering device having a dosing recess;
wherein the metering device is movable, with respect to the container and the inhalation channel, between an idle state, in which the dosing recess is in communication with an opening of the container so as to be filled with a dose of the powdered medicament, an armed state, in which the cover is open, and a triggered state, in which the dosing recess is in communication with the inhalation channel for enabling inhalation of the dose of the powdered medicament contained in the dosing recess through the mouthpiece;
and
an electronic module attached or attachable to the powder inhaler and configured to differentiate between the idle state, the armed state, and the triggered state, the electronic module comprising:
an electronic control unit;
a cover open switch operatively connected to the electronic control unit;
and
a proximity sensor operatively connected to the electronic control unit;
wherein the proximity sensor is positioned and configured to sense a transition between the armed state and the triggered state by sensing a position position/s of at least part of the metering device.

11 more elements

A powder inhaler assembly, comprising:

a powder inhaler comprising:
a container for storing a powdered medicament;
a mouthpiece and an inhalation channel connected to the mouthpiece;
a casing and a cover rotatably coupled to the casing so that the cover is moveable between a closed position, in which the cover covers the mouthpiece, and an open position, in which the cover exposes the mouthpiece;
and
a metering device having a dosing recess;
wherein the metering device is movable, with respect to the container and the inhalation channel, between an idle state, in which the dosing recess is in communication with an opening of the container so as to be filled with a dose of the powdered medicament, an armed state, in which the cover is open, and a triggered state, in which the dosing recess is in communication with the inhalation channel for enabling inhalation of the dose of the powdered medicament contained in the dosing recess through the mouthpiece;
and
an electronic module removably attachable to the powder inhaler and configured to differentiate between the idle state, the armed state, and the triggered state, the electronic module comprising:
an electronic control unit:
a cover open switch operatively connected to the electronic control unit;
and
an optical proximity sensor operatively connected to the electronic control unit;
wherein the proximity sensor is positioned and configured to sense a transition between the armed state and the triggered state by sensing a position of at least part of the metering device;
wherein the electronic module further comprises a housing;
wherein the metering device is housed in the casing and the optical proximity sensor is located in the housing;
wherein the casing has a respective window and the housing has a respective window;
wherein, when the electronic module is attached to the powder inhaler, the window of the casing faces the window of the housing such that the optical proximity sensor faces the at least part of the metering device.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.