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US 5,337,740 AGranted
Inhalation devices
AssigneeNew England Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
InventorsJohn C. Armstrong, Richard C. J. Palson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides devices for the oral or nasal inhalation of finely divided materials such as medicinal agents and drugs.
Claims15
A device for the oral or nasal inhalation of finely divided materials in combination with a sealed container of finely divided materials, the device comprising:
- (i) a body member having a longitudinal axis and an air passageway along said longitudinal axis, a first end of said air passageway for insertion into the mouth of a user and a second end for intake of air responsive to inhalation of a user and a venturi located between said first and second ends;
- (ii) at least one cylindrically shaped sealed container of finely divided material, wherein the cylindrically shaped container has a removable seal at both ends thereof;
- (iii) a holder connected to the body member at said venturi for receiving at least one of said sealed containers of finely divided material;
- said holder having a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body member and having an internal diameter sized to receive said sealed container;
- and said holder being configured to position the sealed ends of the container substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body member;
- (iv) a first single piercer for piercing the sealed container of finely divided materials at the sealed end thereof disposed adjacent the body member, the piercer being movable towards said sealed end, extending from the body member and into the holder, and having a passageway having an inner opening only slightly smaller than the inner diameter of said container to minimize any residue of finely divided material in said container;
- (v) a second signal piercer movable towards the container of finely divided materials for piercing the second removable seal, the second piercer extending into the interior of the holder and having an air passageway therethrough, open to the interior of the holder and to the atmosphere;
- (vi) engaging means to which the first and second piercers are responsive for causing the piercers to move towards and pierce the sealed container of finely divided materials;
- and
- (vii) means including the passageway within the first and second piercers and said air passageway intersecting the passageway within the piercers at said venturi to dispense the finely divided material from the container responsive to inhalation by a user.
7 more elements
A device for the oral or nasal inhalation of finely divided materials in combination with a sealed container of finely divided materials, the device comprising:
- (i) a body member having a longitudinal axis and an air passageway along said longitudinal axis, a first end of said air passageway for insertion into the mouth of a user and a second end for intake of air responsive to inhalation of a user and a venturi located between said first and second ends;
- (ii) at least one sealed container of finely divided material having a removable seal at one end thereof;
- (iii) a holder connected to the body member at said venturi for receiving at least one of said containers of finely divided material;
- said holder having a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body member and having an internal diameter sized to receive said sealed container;
- (iv) a single piercer for piercing the end of the container opposite to said removable seal responsive to the insertion of said container into said holder, the piercer extending from the body member and into the holder and having a passageway therethrough open to said air passageway;
- said passageway having an inner opening only slightly smaller than the inner diameter of said container to minimize any residue of finely divided material in said container;
- (v) means including the passageway within the piercer and said air passageway intersecting the passageway within the piercer at said venturi to dispense the finely divided material from the container responsive to inhalation by a user.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.