Dry powder delivery system

A method for delivering dry powder particles through the mouth of a user, comprising the steps of:

• (a) creating suction through an opening in a proximal end of an elongated housing for drawing air into a flow path in the housing, from an opening in a distal end of the housing, and through a resistance member in the housing for introducing a controlled pressure drop in the housing and a resistance to the drawing of air into the mouth of the user;
• (b) the housing including a plurality of bristle elements mounted on an inner surface of the housing, said bristles being charged with the dry powder particles, and a scraper for sequentially scraping the bristles for dislodging a measured amount of dry powder particles into the flow path;
• (b) introducing the measured amount of dry powder particles having a therapeutic capability into the housing so that the particles will travel downstream from the resistance member at a relatively low velocity in a non-agglomerated state, the dry powder particles being sized and coordinated with the controlled pressure drop so that the particles can be drawn into the mouth of the user and inhaled, said resistance being sufficiently great that the particles are drawn into the mouth of the user to simulate the action of puffing on a cigarette so that at least some of the particles are deposited in the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract of the user after being drawn into the mouth.

A method for delivering dry powder particles through the mouth of a user, comprising the steps of:

• (a) creating suction through an opening in a proximal end of an elongated housing for drawing air into a flow path in the housing, from an opening in a distal end of the housing, and through a resistance member in the housing for introducing a controlled pressure drop in the housing and a resistance to the drawing of air into the mouth of the user;
• (b) the housing including a hollow sleeve movable in the housing for creating a chamber between the sleeve and housing, with the dry powder particles being charged in the chamber, the inner portion of the sleeve communicating with the flow path, said sleeve being movable relative to the housing to discharge a measured amount of dry powder particles into the inner portion of the sleeve;
• (c) introducing the measured amount of dry powder particles having a therapeutic capability into the housing from the inner portion of the sleeve so that the particles will travel downstream from the resistance member at a relatively low velocity in a non-agglomerated state, the dry powder particles being sized and coordinated with the controlled pressure drop so that the particles can be drawn into the mouth of the user and inhaled, said resistance being sufficiently great that the particles are drawn into the mouth of the user to simulate the action of puffing on a cigarette so that at least some of the particles are deposited in the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract of the user after being drawn into the mouth.

A method for delivering dry powder particles through the mouth of a user, comprising the steps of:

• (a) creating suction through an opening in a proximal end of an elongated housing for drawing air into a flow path in the housing, from an opening in a distal end of the housing, and through a resistance member in the housing for introducing a controlled pressure drop in the housing and a resistance to the drawing of air into the mouth of the user;
• (b) the housing including a plurality of bristles mounted on an inner surface of the housing and communicating with the flow path, with dry powder particles being charged in the bristles, and a scraper for scraping the bristles for discharging a measured amount of powder into the flow path;
• (c) introducing the measured amount of dry powder particles having a therapeutic capability into the housing so that the particles will travel downstream from the resistance member at a relatively low velocity in a non-agglomerated state, the dry powder particles being sized and coordinated with the controlled pressure drop so that the particles can be drawn into the mouth of the user and inhaled, said resistance being sufficiently great that the particles are drawn into the mouth of the user to simulate the action of puffing on a cigarette so that at least some of the particles are deposited in the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract of the user after being drawn into the mouth.