# US 8,540,665 B2 · Particle cassettes and processes therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,665 B2 - Document ID: US8540665B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/612,586 - Filed: 2009-11-04 - Published: 2010-05-13 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2007-05-04 - Assignees: Powder Pharmaceuticals Incorporated - Applicants: Nigel Robert Bates; Philip Thomas Price - Inventors: Nigel Robert Bates; Philip Thomas Price - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540665B2 ## CPC - A61M 5/204: {connected to external reservoirs for multiple refilling} - A61M 5/2053: {Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum (for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155)} - A61M 5/2459: {upon internal pressure increase, e.g. pierced or burst (A61M5/2429 takes precedence)} - A61M 5/3015: {for injecting a dose of particles in form of powdered drug, e.g. mounted on a rupturable membrane and accelerated by a gaseous shock wave or supersonic gas flow (cell injection devices C12M3/006)} - A61M 5/31: Details - B65B 7/2814: {the closures being interconnected} - B65B 15/02: Attaching small articles, e.g. buttons, to cards - B65B 55/08: by irradiation - A61M 2005/3128: {Incorporating one-way valves, e.g. pressure-relief or non-return valves} - A61M 2207/00: Methods of manufacture, assembly or production - A61M 2207/10: Device therefor - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - Y10T 156/1089: of discrete laminae to single face of additional lamina - Y10T 428/1352: Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic] - Y10T 428/24149: Honeycomb-like - Y10T 428/24157: Filled honeycomb cells [e.g., solid substance in cavities, etc.] - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An article for use in manufacturing particle cassettes comprising one or more single pieces of membrane having a plurality of gas flow passages bonded thereto. The article allows convenient manufacture of particle cassettes. Two such articles may be employed to provide a finished particle cassette and a production line in which a plurality of gas flow passages are conveyed on a single membrane is disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article for use in manufacturing particle cassettes for use in a needleless syringe device, the article comprising: a single piece of first membrane film capable of being ruptured by gas under pressure; and a plurality of first gas flow passages laterally offset from one another, wherein each first gas flow passage forms at least a part of a separate particle confinement chamber; wherein each of the first gas flow passages has a first end that is closed by the single piece of first membrane film; and wherein a first gas flow passage has a second end configured to be coupled to a second gas flow passage to create a particle cassette, the second gas flow passage having a second membrane film attached thereto. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the plurality of first gas flow passages are all arranged on the same side of the single piece of first membrane film. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first gas flow passages are arranged on the single piece of first membrane film in a substantially linear formation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first gas flow passages are comprised in a separate first cassette part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The article of claim 4, wherein the single piece of first membrane film is attached to each first cassette part by a heat bonding method. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The article according of claim 1, wherein each first gas flow passage has a. dose of particles therein. ### Claim 7 The article of claim wherein each first gas flow passage is closed by a second membrane film to create a chamber for the confinement of particles between the first membrane film and the second membrane film. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The article of claim 7, wherein the second membrane film is a single piece of membrane film closing each of the plurality of first gas passages. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second membrane films rupture when a gas pressure differential of 15-60 bar exists thereacross. ### Claim 10 A method of making an article for use in manufacturing particle cassettes for use in a needleless syringe device, the method comprising: attaching a single piece of first membrane film to a plurality of laterally offset first gas flow passages such that a first end of each of the first gas flow passages is closed by the single piece of membrane film wherein each first gas flow passage forms at least a part of a separate particle confinement chamber, and wherein a first gas flow passage has a second end configured to be coupled to a second gas flow passage to create a particle cassette, the second as flow passage having a second membrane film attached thereto. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of first gas flow passages are arranged on the same side of the single piece of first membrane film. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising, after the attaching step providing a dose of particles that is retained in each respective first gas flow passage.