Multi-dose dry powder inhalation device

In a portable device for the inhalation of a predetermined amount of dry powder compound and characterized by a housing;

• an air passageway provided within said housing having an air inlet end, an air exit end adapted for insertion into the mouth of a user, and an aperture through a side wall at a predetermined location along the length thereof;
• and piercing means associated with said housing for piercing a sealed container of said dry powder compound when positioned in registration with the aperture of said air passageway so as to introduce said dry powder compound into the air passageway, the improvement comprising:
• a blister-type strip of sealed containers of dry powder compound arranged in a matrix of rows and columns wherein said columns extend generally parallel to each other and generally diagonally to the longitudinal axis of said strip;
• cage means for rotatably mounting said blister-type strip of sealed containers in a cylindrical configuration within said housing and around said air passageway wherein said rows of said blister-type strip extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said air passageway;
• and
• advancement means associated with said housing for rotatably moving said cage means in a generally helical pathway relative to said air passageway so as to successively advance each of said sealed containers of said blister-type strip into registration with the aperture of said air passageway;
• whereby said blister-type strip will be rotatably and axially moved relative to said air passageway as said sealed containers thereof are advanced along said helical pathway and successively pierced for administration of a predetermined amount of said dry powder compound from said inhalation device.

A portable device for the inhalation of a predetermined amount of dry powder compound from a blister-type strip of sealed containers, comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a conduit mounted within said housing defining an air passageway therethrough and having an air inlet end and an air exit end and an aperture extending through a side wall of said conduit therebetween, said air exit end being adapted for insertion into the mouth of a user;
• (c) a blister-type strip of sealed containers wherein said sealed containers are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns;
• (d) cage means for rotatably mounting said blister-type strip of sealed containers of dry powder compound in a cylindrical configuration around said conduit;
• (e) advancement means associated with said housing for rotatably moving said cage means relative to said conduit so as to successively advance each of said sealed containers of said blister-type strip into registration with the aperture of said conduit;
• and
• (f) piercing means associated with said housing for piercing each of said sealed containers of said blister strip when advanced into registration with the aperture of said conduit so as to introduce said dry powder compound therein into the air passageway of said conduit;
• whereby said blister-type strip will be moved relative to said conduit as said sealed containers thereof are advanced and successively pierced for periodic administration of a predetermined amount of said dry powder compound from said inhalation device.