Back to results
US 2013/0340754 A1Published application
Powder dispersion devices and methods
AssigneeRespira Therapeutics, Inc.
InventorMartin J. Donovan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dry powder inhaler may include a powder storage, an inlet channel, a dispersion chamber, and an outlet channel. A geometry of the inhaler may be such that a flow profile is generated within the dispersion chamber that causes an actuator to oscillate, enabling the actuator when oscillating to deaggregate powdered medicament within the dispersion chamber to be aerosolized and entrained by the air and delivered to a patient through the outlet channel.
Claims32
A dry powder inhaler, comprising:
- a powder storage that is configured to hold a powdered medicament;
- an inlet channel that is adapted to receive air and powdered medicament from the powder storage;
- a dispersion chamber that is adapted to receive air and powdered medicament from the inlet channel, the chamber holding an actuator that is movable within the dispersion chamber;
- and
- an outlet channel through which air and powdered medicament exit the inhaler to be delivered to a patient;
- wherein the geometry of the inhaler is such that a flow profile is generated within the dispersion chamber that causes the actuator to oscillate, thus enabling the oscillating actuator to deaggregate the powdered medicament passing through the dispersion chamber to be entrained by the air and delivered to the patient through the outlet channel.
3 more elements
A method for aerosolizing a powdered medicament, comprising:
- providing an inhaler comprising an inlet channel, a chamber that is adapted to receive air and powdered medicament from the inlet channel, an actuator disposed in the chamber, and an outlet channel;
- supplying a powdered medicament to the inlet channel;
- and
- inducing air to flow through the outlet channel to cause air and the powdered medicament to enter into the chamber through the inlet channel, and to cause the actuator to oscillate within the chamber to effectively disperse powdered medicament passing through the chamber to be entrained by the air and delivered to the patient through the outlet channel.
1 more element
A powder dispersion device, comprising:
- a housing having a central, longitudinal axis, wherein the housing includes a chamber, a flow inlet in fluid communication with the chamber and a flow outlet in fluid communication with the chamber;
- a powder storage compartment that is configured to store a powdered medicament for introduction into the chamber through the flow inlet;
- and
- a bead positioned within the chamber such that it may rapidly move back and forth within the chamber along the longitudinal axis, wherein the bead is sized in dimension so that the bead when oscillating deagglomerates the powdered medicament so that a desired aerodynamic particle size distribution is achieved upon exit from the flow outlet.
1 more element
A method for aerosolizing a powder, comprising:
- providing a powder dispersion device comprising:
- a housing having a central, longitudinal axis, wherein the housing includes a chamber, a flow inlet in fluid communication with the chamber and a flow outlet in fluid communication with the chamber;
- and an actuator positioned within the chamber, wherein the actuator is selected to have a size such that upon oscillation it produces a desired range of aerodynamic particle sizes of the powdered medicament;
- introducing the amount of powdered medicament into the chamber;
- and
- inducing a flow through the chamber and out the flow outlet, wherein the flow enters the chamber from the flow inlet and rapidly expands when entering the chamber, wherein the flow through the chamber causes the actuator to oscillate within the chamber along the longitudinal axis to aerosolize and deagglomerate the powdered medicament to the desired range of aerodynamic particle sizes so that a desired aerodynamic particle size distribution is achieved upon exit from the flow outlet.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.