Methods and devices for aerosolizing medicament
AssigneeNovartis Pharma AG
InventorsJames B. Fink, Nicanor A. Domingo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for aerosolizing medicament to be inhaled by a user. A housing is provided with an aerosol generator contained within the housing. A medicament feed system supplies medicament to the aerosol generator. A mouthpiece has separate medicament and air flow passages. The medicament flow passage provides aerosolized medicament from the aerosol generator to an outlet of the medicament flow passage, and the air flow passage has an inlet in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere. The outlets of the medicament and air flow passages are provided at an end of the mouthpiece to provide simultaneous flows of medicament and air that mix in the user's mouth upon inhalation by the user at the end of the mouthpiece.
Claims20
An aerosolizing inhalation device for aerosolizing a medicament to be inhaled by a user, the aerosolizing inhalation device comprising:
- a housing;
- an aerosol generator contained within the housing;
- a medicament feed system to supply medicament to the aerosol generator;
- and
- a mouthpiece comprising:
- a medicament flow passage to provide aerosolized medicament from the aerosol generator to an outlet of the medicament flow passage;
- and
- an air flow passage separate from the medicament flow passage, the air flow passage having an inlet in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere and an outlet,
- wherein the outlets of the medicament flow passage and air flow passage are provided at an end of the mouthpiece to provide separate simultaneous flows of medicament and ambient air that remain separate from each other until mixing in the user's mouth upon inhalation by the user at the end of the mouthpiece.
A method for providing aerosolized medicament to a patient, the method comprising:
- storing a volume of the medicament;
- aerosolizing the volume of the medicament and flowing the aerosolized medicament through a medicament flow passage into the patient's mouth;
- and
- simultaneously flowing air through an air flow passage separate from the medicament flow passage into the patient's mouth in response to inhalation by the patient,
- whereby the medicament and air do not mix prior to their entry into the patient's mouth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.