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US 8,006,690 B2Granted
Reservoir pressure system for medicament inhaler
AssigneeNorton Healthcare Limited
InventorDavid O'Leary
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inhaler includes an accurate and consistent mechanical dose metering system that dispenses dry powdered medicament in discrete amounts or doses for patient inhalation, a pressure relief system that manages pressure within a medicament reservoir of the inhaler to ensure consistently dispensed doses, and a dose counting system indicating the number of doses dispensed by or remaining in the inhaler.
Claims13
A medicament inhaler, comprising:
- a mouthpiece for patient inhalation;
- a delivery passageway for directing an inhalation induced air flow through the mouthpiece;
- a channel extending from the delivery passageway;
- a reservoir for containing medicament, the reservoir having a dispensing port connected to the channel;
- a cup received in the channel and movable between the dispensing port and the delivery passageway;
- a cup spring biasing the cup either towards the delivery passageway and away from the dispensing port or towards the dispensing port and away from the delivery passageway;
- and a yoke movable between at least two positions and including a ratchet operatively engaging the cup and preventing movement of the cup when the yoke is in one of the positions and allowing movement of the cup when the yoke is in another of the positions.
4 more elements
A medicament inhaler, comprising:
- a mouthpiece for patient inhalation;
- a delivery passageway for directing an inhalation induced air flow through the mouthpiece;
- a channel extending from the delivery passageway;
- a reservoir for containing medicament, the reservoir having a dispensing port connected to the channel;
- a cup received in the channel and movable between the dispensing port and the delivery passageway;
- a cup spring biasing the cup either towards the delivery passageway and away from the dispensing port or towards the dispensing port and away from the delivery passageway;
- a yoke movable between at least two positions and including a ratchet operatively engaging the cup and preventing movement of the cup when the yoke is in one of the positions and allowing movement of the cup when the yoke is in another of the positions;
- at least one movable cam including at least two successive cam surfaces;
- and
- a spring biasing the yoke against the cam such that movement of the cam causes the yoke to successively engage the cam surfaces and move the yoke between the at least two positions.
7 more elements
A medicament inhaler, comprising:
- a mouthpiece for patient inhalation;
- a delivery passageway for directing an inhalation induced air flow through the mouthpiece;
- a channel extending from the delivery passageway;
- a reservoir for containing medicament, the reservoir having a dispensing port connected to the channel;
- a cup received in the channel and movable between the dispensing port and the delivery passageway;
- a cup spring biasing the cup either towards the delivery passageway and away from the dispensing port or towards the dispensing port and away from the delivery passageway;
- a yoke movable between at least two positions and including a ratchet operatively engaging the cup and preventing movement of the cup when the yoke is in one of the positions and allowing movement of the cup when the yoke is in another of the positions;
- and
- a de-agglomerator between the delivery passageway and the mouthpiece.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.