Dry powder inhalers with endless strips and cooperating piercers and related methods
AssigneeOriel Therapeutics, Inc.
InventorsGeorge McGee Perkins, Scott Alexander Lewis, Andrew Murray Gow, David Harris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Dry powder inhalers are described with an inhaler body defining an enclosed cavity space and at least one of (a) an endless strip having opposing primary surfaces, the strip comprising a plurality of spaced apart blisters or dose containers holding dry powder medicament. The inhaler also has an inhalation exit flow path in the inhaler body in communication with at least one blister or at least one dose container held by the strip in a dispensing position and a piercer configured to release dry powder medicament from the blister or dose container in the dispensing position.
Claims25
A dry powder inhaler, comprising:
- an inhaler body defining an inner cavity;
- an endless strip having opposing primary surfaces held in the inhaler body cavity, the strip comprising a plurality of spaced apart blisters and/or dose containers holding dry powder medicament;
- an inhalation exit flow path in the inhaler body in communication with at least one blister or at least one dose container, respectively, in a dispensing position;
- a piercer in the inhaler body, the piercer configured to open the blister or dose container in the dispensing position;
- and
- a plurality of guide members spaced apart about the inhaler cavity that cooperably engage the strip and hold the strip in a shape that has a semi-circular inner portion that merges into a curvilinear outer portion while allowing the strip to rotate in the inner cavity to position blisters and/or dose containers to the dispensing position.
A dry powder inhaler, comprising:
- an inhaler body defining an enclosed cavity;
- an endless strip of dose containers or blisters held in the cavity of the inhaler body, the strip having opposing primary surfaces, the dose containers or the blisters comprising dry powder medicament, wherein the strip is held in the cavity of the inhaler body with the primary surfaces thereof oriented in a substantially vertical orientation;
- an inhalation exit flow path in the inhaler body in communication with a dose container or blister in a dispensing position;
- a piercer configured to travel toward a blister or dose container in the dispensing position;
- an inner guide wall residing in the inhaler body cavity;
- a rotating member residing above or under the inner guidewall that engages the strip and rotates respective dose containers into position;
- an outer guidewall residing in the inhaler body cavity at a location that is spaced apart from the inner guidewall and is positioned proximate an outer wall of the inhaler body;
- and
- a plurality of spaced apart rotatable posts in the inhaler body cavity,
- wherein the inner guidewall, the outer guidewall and the posts cooperate to hold the strip in a constant curvilinear shape as the strip translates to place respective dose containers or blisters in the dispensing position.
A method operating an inhaler, comprising:
- translating an endless strip of blisters or dose containers having a fixed perimeter shape with an obround outer portion that merges to an inner semi-circular portion to both serially position respective dose containers or blisters in a defined dispensing position in the inhaler and move empty dose containers or blisters away from the dispensing position;
- rotating at least one member having outwardly extending tabs that engage the strip to carry out the translating step;
- translating a piercer toward a dose container or blister in the dispensing position to open and release dry powder medicament therefrom;
- and
- capturing the released medicament in an exit flow path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.