Method and apparatus to stress test medicament inhalation aerosol device by inductive heating
AssigneeSmithKline Beecham Corporation
InventorKevin Ray Parks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for heat stress testing medicament aerosol inhalation devices, such as a metered dose inhaler, is described. An electrical induction work coil is used to heat the inhalers to 55° C.±5° C. Heated inhalers are subsequently weighed to detect and reject nonconforming inhalers where a nonconforming amount of propellant has leaked.
Claims21
An apparatus for heating medicinal inhalation devices comprising:
- an electrical power supply, and
- one or more induction coils, wherein the induction coil is a single, continuous coil in the shape of a loop having first and second bridges on first and second ends of the loop, respectively, and wherein the first and second bridges are suitable sized and configured to directly heat each entire inhalation device;
- a conveyor;
- and
- a computer-controlled gating assembly for indexing a predetermined number of medicinal inhalation devices along the conveyor between the first and second bridges of the induction coil, wherein the medicinal inhalation devices are metered dose inhalers.
An apparatus for heating medicinal inhalation devices comprising:
- an electrical power supply means,
- one or more induction coil means, wherein the induction coil means is a single, continuous coil in the shape of a loop having first and second bridges on first and second ends of the loop, respectively, and wherein the first and second bridges are suitable sized and configured to directly heat each entire inhalation device;
- conveying means;
- and
- a computer-controlled gating means for indexing a predetermined number of medicinal inhalation devices along the conveying means between the first and second bridges of the induction coil means, wherein the medicinal inhalation devices are metered dose inhalers.
A process of heat stress testing medicinal inhalation devices to detect and reject nonconforming or leaking devices comprising the acts of:
- providing a plurality of inhalation devices, wherein the plurality of inhalation devices are metered dose inhalers provided continuously;
- indexing the continuously provided metered dose inhalers;
- and
- induction heating the plurality of inhalation devices.
A process of heat stress testing medicinal inhalation devices to detect and reject nonconforming or leaking devices comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of inhalation devices, wherein the plurality of inhalation devices are metered dose inhalers provided continuously;
- indexing the continuously provided metered dose inhalers;
- and
- induction heating the plurality of inhalation devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.