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US 6,223,746 B1Granted
Metered dose inhaler pump
AssigneeIEP Pharmaceutical Devices Inc.
InventorsWarren R. Jewett, Robert C. Williams, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A metered dose inhaler pump for delivering a metered dose of an active compound from an active compound inlet through a spray outlet without the need of a pressurized active compound container. Reciprocating action of an inlet valve, an outlet valve and a plunger alternately draw a metered dose of the active compound from an active compound container into an active compound chamber and pressurize the drawn metered dose of the active compound to eject the metered dose through the spray outlet. The plunger substantially fills and evacuates the metered dose chamber, leaving no void head space therein.
Claims31
A metered dose inhaler pump, said pump comprising:
- a method dose chamber having an inlet for receiving a metered dose of an active compound and an outlet for dispensing the metered dose therefrom;
- an inlet valve being made of a resilient material disposed in said inlet, said inlet valve opens in response to a vacuum created in the chamber and being closed upon the cessation of vacuum;
- an outlet valve disposed in said outlet, said outlet being closed by said outlet valve when there is vacuum in said chamber and being open in response to pressure in said chamber to dispense said metered dose therefrom;
- means for creating a vacuum in said chamber for drawing therein said metered dose into said chamber via the inlet whilst the outlet remains closed by said outlet valve;
- and
- means for pressurizing said chamber which doses said inlet via the inlet valve and opens the outlet for dispensing said metered dose from said chamber to a person's respiratory tract through said outlet.
3 more elements
A metered dose inhaler for delivering a metered dose of an active compound to a person's respiratory tract, said metered dose inhaler comprising:
- an inlet for receiving a metered dose of an active compound and a spray outlet for dispensing said metered dose;
- a mouthpiece adapted by size and configuration to couple with an oral orifice of said person;
- a pump, said pump comprising means for drawing said metered dose and means for pressurizing said metered dose, said pressurizing means delivering said metered dose from said pump through the spray outlet to said person's respiratory tract through said mouthpiece;
- wherein said pump further comprises a metered dose chamber in fluid communication with said inlet and said spray outlet, wherein said drawing means comprising an inlet valve disposed within said inlet and a plunger in fluid communication with said metered dose chamber, wherein when said plunger is translated from a first position to a second position, said plunger creates a vacuum in said metered dose chamber, opening said inlet valve and drawing said metered dose into said metered dose chamber, and an outlet valve disposed in said spray outlet which seals the spray outlet whilst the metered dose is drawn into the metered dose chamber wherein said outlet valve comprises a cylindrical body having a first diameter and a cylindrical portion extending from said cylindrical body, said cylindrical portion having a second diameter larger than said first diameter, said cylindrical portion having at least one longitudinal channel, said metered dose passing along said channel when said metered dose is delivered from said metered dose chamber to said person's respiratory tract.
1 more element
A pump for material, said pump comprising:
- a chamber;
- an inlet for receiving material which passes therethrough into said chamber;
- an inlet valve disposed in said inlet being made of a resilient material, said inlet valve having a first state in which the valve engages and seals off said inlet by engagement therewith and a second state which, as a result of application pressure said inlet valve disengages said inlet so as to allow the material to pass thereby, whereupon upon cessation of pressure, due to resiliency of said inlet valve, the valve returns to said first state sealing off said inlet;
- a spray outlet;
- means for drawing said material into said chamber;
- and
- means for pressurizing said chamber for dispensing said material from said chamber via the spray outlet.
4 more elements
A pump comprising:
- an inlet for receiving a metered dose of an active compound;
- a spray outlet;
- a metered dose chamber in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet;
- means for drawing said metered dose into said chamber;
- means for pressurizing said metered dose chamber for delivering said metered dose from said chamber to a person's respiratory tract through said outlet,
- wherein said drawing means comprises an inlet valve within said inlet and a plunger in fluid communication with said metered dose chamber;
- wherein when said plunger is translated from a first position to a second position, said plunger creates a vacuum in said metered dose chamber, opening said inlet valve and drawing said metered dose into said metered dose chamber;
- and an outlet valve in said outlet wherein said outlet valve comprises a cylindrical body having a first diameter and a cylindrical portion extending from said cylindrical body, said cylindrical portion having a second diameter larger than said first diameter, said cylindrical portion having at least one longitudinal channel, said metered dose passing along said channel when said metered dose is pressurized for delivery from said metered dose chamber to a person's respiratory tract.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.