Fluidizing powder inhaler

An inhaler, for use with powdered pharmaceutical-containing capsules, the capsules each being elongated and having ends and a length therebetween, comprising:

• a body having an air inlet, an air/pharmaceutical outlet, a dispensing position and a hollow interior;
• means for directing air along an air path from the air inlet, past the dispensing position and through the air/pharmaceutical outlet;
• a capsule-holding cassette rotatably housed within the body, the cassette configured to carry a plurality of the capsules to a breaching position and to the dispensing position with the capsule lengths oriented generally coaxial with a portion of the air path at the dispensing position;
• the body including a first case rotatably mounted to a second case, the first case housing the cassette and having the air inlet and the second case having the air/pharmaceutical outlet;
• means for breaching the ends of a capsule locatable at a breaching position;
• and
• means for incrementally rotating the cassette so to position successive capsules at the dispensing position;
• whereby movement of air along the air path from the air inlet, past and through the capsule with breached ends entrains the powdered pharmaceutical in the air and causes a combination of air and powdered pharmaceutical to pass through the air/pharmaceutical outlet.

An inhaler, for use with powdered pharmaceutical-containing capsules, comprising:

• a body having an air inlet, an air/pharmaceutical outlet, a dispensing position and a hollow interior;
• means for directing air along an air path from the air inlet, past the dispensing position and through the air/pharmaceutical outlet;
• a capsule-holding cassette rotatably housed within the body, the cassette configured to carry a plurality of the capsules to a breaching position and to the dispensing position;
• means for opening a capsule locatable at the breaching position;
• means for incrementally rotating the cassette so to position successive capsules at the dispensing position, said capsules remaining within said cassette at the dispensing position;
• and
• means for vibrating the opened capsule while the air moves past the breached capsule, the vibrating means including an out-of-balance rotor positioned along the air path;
• whereby movement of air along the air path from the air inlet, past the opened capsule entrains the powdered pharmaceutical in the air and causes a combination of air and powdered pharmaceutical to pass through the air/pharmaceutical outlet.

An inhaler, for use with powdered pharmaceutical-containing capsules, the capsules each being elongated and having ends and a length therebetween, comprising:

• a body having an air inlet, an air/pharmaceutical outlet, a dispensing position and a hollow interior;
• means for directing air along an air path from the air inlet, past the dispensing position and through the air/pharmaceutical outlet;
• a capsule-holding cassette rotatably housed within the body, the cassette configured to carry a plurality of the capsules to a breaching position and to the dispensing position with the capsule lengths oriented generally coaxial with a portion of the air path at the dispensing position;
• means for piercing the ends of a capsule, locatable at the breaching position, using spikes;
• means for incrementally rotating the cassette so to position successive capsules at the dispensing position, said capsules remaining within said cassette at the dispensing position;
• and
• means for vibrating the pierced capsule while the air moves past and through the pierced capsule;
• whereby movement of air along the air path from the air inlet, past and through the capsule with breached ends entrains the powdered pharmaceutical in the air and causes a combination of air and powdered pharmaceutical to pass through the air/pharmaceutical outlet.