Dry powder inhalation device having a powder-loaded elongate carrier

A dry powder inhalation device comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber, a patient port in communication with said chamber, and one or more air inlets in communication with said chamber so that when a patient inhales through said patient port an air flow is established from the air inlets to the patient port through the chamber;
• an elongate carrier disposed within said housing, having a planar surface comprising a plurality of microdepressions extending below said planar surface, said elongate carrier being preloaded with a plurality of doses of medicament, said medicament being in the form of a plurality of finely divided powder particles having a particle size in the range of from 1 to 10 .mu.m, said finely divided powder particles being releasably retained within said microdepressions;
• and
• an advancement mechanism for exposing an area of predetermined size of the elongate carrier within the chamber so that the powder particles in said area are exposed to said air flow during inhalation and can be released from said carrier and entrained into said airflow.

A dry powder inhalation device comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber, a patient port in communication with said chamber, and one or more air inlets in communication with said chamber so that when a patient inhales through said patient port an air flow is established from the air inlets to the patient port through the chamber;
• an elongate carrier disposed within said housing, said elongate carrier being preloaded with a plurality of doses of medicament, said medicament being in the form of a plurality of finely divided powder particles having a particle size in the range of from 1 to 10 .mu.m, said finely divided powder particles being releasably retained directly on a powder-carrying surface of said elongate carrier without a protective capsule or coating surrounding the particles;
• an advancement mechanism for exposing an area of predetermined size of the elongate carrier within the chamber so that the powder particles in said area are exposed to said air flow during inhalation and can be released from said carrier and entrained into said airflow;
• and
• a release mechanism for releasing said powder particles from said elongate carrier by applying a force to said elongate carrier, said release mechanism being positioned to avoid direct contact with said powder-carrying surface and said powder particles.

A dry powder inhalation device comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber, a patient port in communication with said chamber, and one or more air inlets in communication with said chamber so that when a patient inhales through said patient port an air flow is established from the air inlets to the patient port through the chamber;
• an elongate carrier disposed within said housing, said elongate carrier being preloaded with a plurality of doses of medicament, said medicament being in the form of a plurality of finely divided powder particles having a particle size in the range of from 1 to 10 .mu.m, said finely divided powder particles being releasably retained on a powder-carrying surface of said elongate carrier;
• an advancement mechanism for exposing an area of predetermined size of the elongate carrier within the chamber so that the powder particles in said area are exposed to said air flow during inhalation and can be released from said carrier and entrained into said airflow;
• and
• a release mechanism for releasing said powder particles from said elongate carrier by applying a force to said elongate carrier, said release mechanism comprising an impactor positioned to strike a surface opposite said powder-carrying surface to avoid direct contact with said powder-carrying surface and said powder particles.