Receptacles to facilitate the extraction of powders

ES 2 363 713 T3

DESCRIPTION

Receptacles for easy dust extraction

Technical sector

This invention relates generally to the field of drug delivery, and in particular to the pulmonary delivery of powdered drugs. More specifically, the invention relates to techniques for aspirating powdered medicaments from receptacles during the aerosol dispersion process.

One promising way to deliver various drugs to a patient is by pulmonary delivery in which the patient inhales an aerosol or drug dispersion to allow the active drug within the dispersion to reach the distal or alveolar regions of the lung. Pulmonary drug delivery has shown particular promise because certain drugs have been found to be readily absorbed into the bloodstream. For example, pulmonary administration can be a useful approach for proteins and polypeptides that are difficult to administer via or after routes of administration.

State of the art

A variety of techniques have been employed to deliver drugs to the lungs including liquid nebulizers, metered dose inhalers, and the like. Of particular interest to the invention are dry powder dispersion devices that can aerosolize powdered medicaments for the patient to inhale. Exemplary powdered medicament aerosol dispersion apparatus are described in US Pat.^you 5,458,135, 5,775,320, 5,740,794 and 5,785,049, and U.S. Patent Nos.^you 6,089,228 and 6,257,233.

At least some of the apparatus described in the above references use a high pressure gas stream to suck the powder into an extraction tube in which the powder is disaggregated, entrained in the high pressure gas stream, and It comes out as an aerosol suitable for inhalation. In some cases, such an apparatus may use a receptacle that has a penetrable lid. The extraction tube is inserted through the cap and a vent hole is also formed in the cap. The high pressure gas stream then draws air through the receptacle and into the extraction tube. Air drawn through the canister draws out the powder where it joins with the high pressure gas stream to form the aerosol.

A method and apparatus according to the preamble of independent claims 1 and 8 is known from EP-A2-0 768 094, which discloses a solid needle or "punch" clamped in a sliding block which in turn It is connected to an operating board. Sliding of the operating plate forces the tip of the punch into the top of a capsule. The awl is then retracted to allow the medication to flow out of the puncture hole.

In the inhaler of FR-A1-2 224 175, the needles are similarly solid and serve simply to pierce holes in the top and bottom of a capsule. The needles are then withdrawn from the capsule under the action of springs, leaving a lower hole through which air is supplied from a pump and an upper hole through which powder flows into an outlet.

This invention relates to alternative ways of extracting powder from receptacles that store the powder.

Object of the invention

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a method of aerosol dispersing a powder, the method comprising: providing a receptacle having an upper end, a lower end and a cavity containing the powder; inserting a lower end of an extraction tube into the cavity so that the lower end of the extraction tube has a gap above the lower end of the receptacle; forming at least one vent hole in the cavity; and forming a hole in the bottom of the cavity; and flowing a gas stream through the hole in the lower end of the receptacle and through at least a part of the extraction tube to cause air to be drawn through the vent hole and then through the extraction tube where it is Draws the powder into the gas stream to form an aerosol.

The method may comprise capturing the aerosol dispersed powder in a capture chamber where it is available for a patient to inhale. The method can utilize various features described in connection with other embodiments of the invention. For example, the receptacle may include a raised central region that extends upwardly into the cavity and is generally aligned with the extraction tube. In addition, multiple vents may be formed in the top of the receptacle around the periphery of a cavity to draw air into substantially the entire cavity. Metal tabs or sheets may also be formed on top of the receptacle that extend into the cavity to create a vortex.

ES 2 363 713 T3 into the cavity as air flows through the cavity. Conveniently, the gas stream can be produced by releasing a quantity of gas from a pressurized gas source, or it can be produced by the patient's own inhalation.

In another aspect, there is provided an apparatus for aerosol dispersing a powdered medicament, the apparatus comprising a housing having a holder which is adapted to house a receptacle having a cavity containing a powder; a piercing mechanism that is adapted to pierce a hole in the lower end of the receptacle; a vent forming mechanism for forming at least one vent at an upper end of the receptacle; and an extraction tube that is adapted to be positioned in the cavity so as to have a gap above the lower end of the receptacle and to align with the hole at the lower end; wherein the apparatus is configured to allow a gas stream to flow through the hole in the lower end of the receptacle and through at least a portion of the extraction tube to cause air to be drawn through the vent hole and then through the extraction tube where the powder is drawn into the gas stream to form an aerosol. A source of pressure or the patient's own inhalation can be used to produce a gas stream that is flowed through the hole at the lower end of the canister and into the collection tube. Conveniently, the venting mechanism may be configured to produce multiple vents that are spaced around the periphery of the receptacle.

A flow insert may be provided to control the spacing of the extraction tube from the receptacle. Furthermore, the flow insert in combination with the vents and the extraction tube can be used to accelerate the flow of air through the receptacle. For example, the vents can be configured to form a first flow area, in which a space between the extraction tube and the lower end of the receptacle can define a second flow area. A cross section of the extraction tube can define a third flow area. In this way, the bracket can be configured to move the receptacle relative to the lower end of the extraction tube, or vice versa, such that the first flow area is larger than the second flow area, and the second flow area is greater than the third flow area.

Metal sheets or curved tabs may be preformed at the upper end of the receptacle body to create a vortex within the cavity as air flows through the cavity. In this way, removal of substantially all of the powder from the receptacle is facilitated. A part of the lower end of the receptacle can be of flat geometry to facilitate its placement on the support.

The receptacle may have a central hole and vents preformed around the periphery of the cavity. A cover may be removably attached to the upper end of the receptacle. In this way, once the canister is inserted into the aerosol dispersion apparatus, the cover of the canister can be pulled to allow the extraction tube to be inserted into the central hole and to expose the vents.

Description of the figures

Figure 1 is a top view of one embodiment of a receptacle for containing a powder for use in the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the receptacle of Figure 1, taken along lines 2-2.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the receptacle of Figure 1 showing vents formed at an upper end and an extraction tube that has been inserted at the upper end.

Figure 4 is a schematic side view of an exemplary arrangement for extracting dust from the receptacle of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a partial top view of another embodiment of a receptacle having metal foils or tabs curved to produce a vortex in the receptacle when dust is removed.

Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view of one of the tabs of the receptacle of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a top view of an alternative form of a receptacle.

Figure 8A is a cross-sectional side view of the receptacle of Figure 7 taken along lines AA.

Figure 8B is a cross-sectional side view of the receptacle of Figure 7 taken along lines BB.

ES 2 363 713 T3

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a receptacle into which an extraction tube is inserted and illustrates the various flow areas through which air flows when the powder is extracted.

Figure 10 is a schematic side view of one form of an aerosol dispersion device that can be used to aerosolize a powder.

Figure 11 is a schematic side view of a receptacle and extraction tube and illustrates a technique for extracting dust in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 12 is a schematic side view of one embodiment of an aerosol dispersion device.

Figure 13 is a top view of yet another alternative arrangement of a receptacle having a removable cover.

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional side view of the receptacle of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a schematic side view of a breath actuated aerosol dispersion device.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention provides exemplary techniques and equipment for extracting powder that is contained within a receptacle, typically within a sealed cavity. In one embodiment, the extracted powder is entrained in a high pressure gas stream to aerosolize the powder so that it will be suitable for a patient to inhale. The invention can be used with essentially any type of receptacle within which the powder is sealed. Merely by way of example, one type of receptacle that can be used with the invention is the widely available "blister packs". Examples of other types of receptacles are described in US Patent No. 5,740,794. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not intended to be limited to these specific types of receptacles.

In addition, a variety of techniques can be employed to create the high pressure gas stream to draw air through the canister. For example, in US Patent No. 5,740,794 and US Patent No.^you 6,089,228 and 6,257,233 describe various techniques for producing the high pressure gas stream. Gases that can be used to produce the gas stream include air, CO2, HFC, CFC, and the like.

Alternatively, the patient's own inhalation can be used to produce a gas stream. For example, the invention can use a mouthpiece on which the patient's mouth is placed. When the patient inhales, a vacuum is created to produce a gas stream that flows through the canister as described above.

A variety of schemes can be employed, alone or in combination, to facilitate dust extraction using air flowing through the receptacle. For example, one technique employs the use of air or other gases to evenly "clean" the sides of the cavity. More specifically, the air can be flowed adjacent an interior wall or walls until the air exits the receptacle through the extraction tube. In this way, a shear stress is provided along substantially the entire length of the inner wall to help remove any dust adhering to the wall so that it can move into the extraction tube. The walls can be constructed in a variety of geometries to facilitate laminar flow through the walls so that the flow will not become separated from the walls as it flows through the receptacle. In this way, a uniform "cleaning" of the walls is provided. Merely by way of example, a convenient way to form the walls is to provide them with a degree of curvature so that they are continuously curved upward toward the extraction tube. Such a continuous curved surface allows laminar flow along substantially the entire length of the walls and up into the extraction tube. The curvature of the walls also tends to induce instabilities that manifest as a plurality of counter-rotating vortices, sometimes called Taylor-Goertler vortices, which have axes of rotation locally parallel to the curved walls. These vortexes serve to clean the walls of dust. Conveniently, the receptacle may include a raised region in a center of the receptacle so that the walls slope upwardly toward the extraction tube. In this way, no dead space is provided in the middle of the receptacle and the flow remains adjacent to the walls until it exits through the extraction tube.

Another technique to facilitate dust removal is to accelerate the flow of air through the canister. A convenient way to speed up air flow is to progressively decrease the area through which the air passes as it flows through the receptacle and out of the extraction tube. By progressively reducing the flow area, the air is accelerated as it flows through the receptacle and into the extraction tube.

Yet another technique to facilitate dust removal is to create a vortex in the cavity to allow air to sweep the sides of the canister as it rotates through the cavity and up into the extraction tube. Conveniently, metal sheets, tabs, or curved edges may be formed at the upper end of the canister to initiate the vortex when air is drawn into the canister.

ES 2 363 713 T3

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, one embodiment of a receptacle (10) will be described. The receptacle (10) comprises a receptacle body (12) having an upper end (14) and a lower end (16) (see Figure 2). Conveniently, a tab (18) may be provided to facilitate handling of the receptacle (10). The receptacle body (12) defines a cavity (20) in which a powder is sealed. Conveniently, the receptacle body (12) can be constructed of essentially any type of material that is compatible with the powder contained within the cavity (20). Examples of materials that can be used include metals, such as aluminum, composites, plastics, and the like. A convenient way to construct the receptacle (10) is to provide a thin strip of metal or composite material and then press the cavity (20) using a die. Then another thin strip of metal can be attached to the strip having the cavity to enclose and seal the cavity. Conveniently, ultrasonic welding or heat sealing may be employed to adhere the two metal strips together. However, it will be appreciated that other techniques and materials may be employed to construct the receptacle (10). In addition, several receptacles can be formed as a single strip for multi-dose aerosol dispersion devices.

The cavity (20) has a generally circular outer periphery (22) and is formed of a continuously curved wall (24) that forms a raised central region (26) at or near a center of the receptacle. In this way, a generally semi-toroidal interior is formed.

Referring now to Figure 3, an extraction tube (28) is shown inserted into the cavity (20). The extraction tube (28) has a lower end (30) that generally aligns with the raised central region (26) when inserted into the receptacle (10). Conveniently, the lower end (30) of the extraction tube (28) may include a sharp edge to facilitate its entry into the cavity (20). Alternatively, a preformed hole may be formed in the upper end (14) to allow entry of the extraction tube (28) into the cavity (20). The lower end (30) is positioned so that it is spaced from the lower end (16) of the cavity (20). In this way, a space is provided between the lower end (30) and the lower end (16) to allow air to flow between the space. Also shown in Figure 3 is a plurality of vent holes (32) that are formed around the periphery (22). In one aspect, vent holes (32) may be formed so that they are spaced close to each other in an attempt to form a ring around the periphery (22). In this way, air can be drawn into the cavity (20) around essentially the entire periphery (22).

Referring now to Figure 4, a technique for extracting dust from the receptacle (10) using the extraction tube (28) will be described. A high pressure gas stream (not shown) is flowed through a portion of the extraction tube (28) at a separate location above the lower end (30) as generally described in US Patent No. 5,740 .794. This causes air to be drawn into the receptacle (10) through the ventilation holes (32) as illustrated by the arrows. Air is made to flow through the cavity (20) until it enters the lower end (30) where it continues through the extraction tube (28). Finally, the air containing the dust joins the high pressure gas stream that disaggregates the dust and entrains the dust in the gas stream to form an aerosol.

As shown in Figure 4, the wall (24) has a continuous curvature so that the air flowing through the cavity (20) remains generally adjacent to the wall (24) with a laminar flow. In this way, a shear stress is created along substantially the entire length of the wall (24) to remove any adhering dust along the wall (24). Furthermore, the central region (26) directs the air to the lower end (30) so that essentially no dead volume exists within the cavity (20). In this way, substantially all of the powder is sucked into the extraction tube (28). It will be appreciated that the size of the cavity (20) as well as the degree of curvature of the wall (24) can be varied depending on a variety of characteristics, including, for example, the volume and velocity of the air flow through the cavity (20), the amount and type of powder contained within the cavity (20), and the like.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, another embodiment of a receptacle (34) will be described. The receptacle (34) comprises a receptacle body (36) that forms a cavity (38) (shown in broken line). The cavity (38) has a generally circular outer periphery (40) and may optionally include a raised central region as described in connection with other embodiments. Formed at an upper end (42) of the receptacle body (36) are a plurality of vent holes (44). A central hole (46) is also formed in the upper end (42) and is configured to house an extraction tube. In this way, air can be drawn through the ventilation holes (44), through the cavity (38), and into the extraction tube where it is extracted from the receptacle in a similar way to that described above with other accomplishments.

A feature of the receptacle (34) is that it includes curved metal sheets (48) in each of the ventilation holes (44). As best shown in Figure 6, the metal foils (48) extend into the cavity (38) to produce a vortex within the cavity (38) when air is drawn through the holes (44) of ventilation. This is generally illustrated by the arrows in Figure 5. As a vortex is created within the cavity (38), the air flow swirls around the interior walls that define the cavity (38) to help remove dust adhering to the walls. Advantageously, the vortex results in an acceleration of the air to further aid in the removal of dust from the receptacle. In addition, large aggregates of dust within the cavity (38) can be trapped in the vortex and thrown radially outward due to acceleration.

ES 2 363 713 T3 centripetal coinciding with its largest mass with respect to the smallest dust particles. In this way, larger aggregates are statistically more likely to hit the side of the tube to induce disaggregation.

Figures 7, 8A and 8B illustrate another embodiment of a receptacle (50). The receptacle (50) comprises a receptacle body (52) having an upper end (54), a lower end 56, and a tab (58). The receptacle body (52) defines a cavity (60) in which a powder is contained. The cavity (60) is defined by two side walls (62) and two end walls (64) to form a "bow tie" configuration. A raised central region (66) extends upwardly into the cavity (60) in a manner similar to the raised central region (26) of the receptacle (10).

To extract the powder from the receptacle (50), an extraction tube (not shown) may be inserted through the upper end (54) and aligned above the raised central region (66) in a manner similar to that described above in relation to with the receptacle (10). Vent holes can then be formed in the upper end (54) adjacent the curved walls (64). In this manner, air will be drawn through the vents and along the curved wall (64) where air will be channeled through the raised central region (66) into the lower end of the extraction tube. By providing curved walls (64), air flow will tend to flow along the walls to help remove dust adhering to the walls in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the receptacle (10).

Another technique that can be used to facilitate dust extraction is by accelerating the flow of air through the cavity. Figure 9 illustrates a technique for accelerating the flow of air through the cavity. Shown in Figure 9 is a receptacle (68) comprising a receptacle body (70) having an upper end (72) and a lower end (74). The receptacle body (68) forms a cavity (76) that is defined by an interior wall (78). The cavity (76) may be configured to be generally open or it may have a raised central region as described above in connection with other embodiments. A plurality of vent holes (79) are formed in the upper end (72) around the periphery of the cavity (76). A central hole (80) is also provided in the upper end (72) to allow an extraction tube (82) to be inserted into the cavity (76) as shown. The extraction tube (82) has a lower end (84) and an upper end (86). Optionally, the extraction tube (82) may have a reduced cross-sectional area at the upper end (86) to facilitate aerosol dispersion of the powder as generally described in US Patent No. 5,740,794. Although not shown, it will be appreciated that a high pressure gas stream may be caused to flow through a portion of the extraction tube (82) at a location spaced from the lower end (84) in a manner similar to that described above. Alternatively, the high pressure gas stream may be flowed through a hole in the lower end (74) and then into the extraction tube (82), as described hereinafter. In any case, the use of a high pressure gas stream of this type causes the air to be drawn into the cavity (76) through the ventilation holes (79) where the dust moves into the tube. (82) extraction through its lower end (84) where it is entrained in the high pressure gas stream and dispersed in an aerosol.

Each of the vent holes (79) forms a flow area As. When added together, the areas Ai form a total inflow area AI. As the air passes through the cavity (76), it flows through a space created between the lower end (84) of the extraction tube (82) and the lower end (74) of the cavity (76). This flow area can be calculated by multiplying the gap distance by the circumference of the extraction tube (82) at the lower end (84). This area is called the AG space area. As air flows through the exhaust tube (82), the flow area is restricted near the upper end (86) as shown. This area is the cross-sectional area Ao of the extraction tube. To accelerate the flow of air through the cavity (76), the areas AI, AG and Ao can be configured such that AI> AG> Ao. In this way, the flow area progressively decreases as it passes through the system. As such, the airflow accelerates as it passes through cavity (76). Although a variety of area relationships can be used, one particular relationship is where AI = 2, AG = 1.5, and Ao = 1. However, it will be appreciated that other relationships may be employed.

Referring now to FIG. 10, an embodiment of an aerosol dispersion apparatus (90) will be described. The apparatus (90) comprises a base (92) that forms a housing for various components of the apparatus (90). Enclosed in the base (92) is a bracket (94) to support a receptacle. For the convenience of illustration, the receptacle (10) of Figure 1 is shown contained within the base (92). However, it will be appreciated that other types of receptacles can be used with apparatus (90). A button (96) is provided on the bracket (94) to allow the bracket (94) to move up and down within the base (92) as indicated by the arrows. As shown, bracket 94 has a generally flat surface. As described above, the receptacle body (12) may be included with a flat portion at the lower end (16) to facilitate placement on the bracket (94). However, it will be appreciated that the bracket 94 can be constructed to have different geometries to facilitate the support of the receptacle (10), as well as to facilitate insertion and removal of the receptacle (10).

Positioned above canister (10) is an aerosol dispersion mechanism (98) that includes an extraction tube (100) that can be inserted into cavity (20) of canister (10). Optionally, a lower end (102)

The extraction tube (100) may include a sharp edge or other perforation structure to form a hole in the upper end of the receptacle (10) to facilitate its insertion into the cavity (20). Attached to the extraction tube (100) at an acute angle with respect to a central axis of the extraction tube (100) (and with respect to the lower end (102)) are a pair of channels (104). A pressure source (106) is used to produce a high-pressure gas stream within the channels (1049. The high-pressure gas stream is introduced into the extraction tube (100) to cause air to be drawn inside. of the lower end (102) from the cavity (20) as generally described in US Patent No. 5,740,794. Pressure source 106 can be any one of a variety of pressure sources, including manually actuated pistons, compressed gases, fluorocarbons, and the like as generally described in the aforementioned patents and patent applications. Thus, it will be appreciated that pressure source 106 is simply being shown schematically for the convenience of illustration. Although not shown, a drive mechanism may be employed to release the pressurized gas from the pressure source 106 when a patient is ready to produce the aerosolized medicament.

The aerosol dispersion mechanism (98) includes a lower end (108) that serves as a stop or flow insert to control the space between the lower end (102) of the extraction tube (100) relative to the end ( 16) bottom of the receptacle (10). In this way, when the button (96) is moved upward, the upper end of the receptacle (10) will engage the lower end (108) to set the distance of the extraction tube (100) relative to the lower end of the receptacle ( 10). The use of such a flow insert is advantageous because the AG gap area (see Figure 9) can be precisely controlled to facilitate acceleration of air through cavity (20) in a manner similar to the one described above in relation to figure 9.

Extending from the lower end (108) are a plurality of piercing elements (110) that are configured to produce vents in the receptacle (10) around the periphery of the cavity (20). In this way, air can be drawn through the vents when the high pressure gas stream is released from the pressure source (106).

Attached to the base (92) is a capture chamber (112). Capture chamber 112 is configured to capture aerosol dispersed drug exiting the extraction tube 100 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the aforementioned patents and patent applications. The capture chamber (112) includes a mouthpiece (114) through which the patient can inhale the captured drug.

Thus, the apparatus (90) can be used to aerosolize a drug by inserting the receptacle (10) into the base (92). The bracket (94) is then raised to insert the extraction tube (100) into the cavity (20) and to cause the piercing elements (110) to form vents in the receptacle (10). The pressure source (106) is actuated to release a quantity of pressurized gas which causes air to be drawn into and through the vents and along the walls of the cavity (20) until it enters the tube. (100) extraction. As dust moves into the extraction tube (100), it encounters the high pressure gas stream that disaggregates the dust and expels the dust into the capture chamber (112) in a dispersed aerosol form. . Although bracket 94 is shown to move vertically upward, it will be appreciated that extraction tube 100 and / or piercing elements 110 can be configured to move downward to insert into cavity 20. In addition, alternative aerosol dispersion mechanisms (98) may be employed as described herein.

Referring now to Figure 11, a technique in accordance with the present invention for drawing air through a receptacle to move powder within the receptacle into an extraction tube will be described. A receptacle 116 having an upper end (118) and a lower end 120 is shown schematically in Fig. 11. The receptacle (116) includes a cavity (122) having a raised central region (124). However, it will be appreciated that the technique described in connection with Figure 11 can be employed with other cavity designs, including those that do not utilize a raised central region. A plurality of vent holes (126) are formed in the upper end (118) to allow air to be drawn into the cavity (122). An extraction tube (128) is inserted into the cavity (122), a lower end (130) being separated from the raised central region (1249 as shown. A lower hole (132) is formed in the end (120) In this way, a high pressure gas stream can be flowed through the lower orifice (132) and then through the lower end (130) of the extraction tube (128) as shown. shown by arrows. In doing this, air is drawn in through the vent holes (126) and through the cavity (122) where it enters the lower end (130) of the extraction tube (128) as shown by the arrows. As the air flows through the cavity (122), it moves the powder into the extraction tube (128) in a manner similar to that described above in relation to other embodiments.

Shown schematically in Figure 12 is an aerosol dispersion apparatus (134) that may be used to aerosolize a powdered medicament using the techniques just described in connection with Figure 11. The apparatus (134) comprises a base ( 136) having a bracket (138) to support a receptacle (140). Bracket 138 includes a knob 142 to allow receptacle 140 to move up and down as shown by arrows. Also included within the base (136) is an extraction tube (144)

ES 2 363 713 T3 having a lower end (146). By moving the knob (142), the extraction tube (144) can be inserted into the receptacle (140) as shown. Alternatively, the extraction tube (144) can be constructed to be movable so that it can be moved into the receptacle (140).

Placed below the support (138) is a pressure source (148) and an introduction tube (150). The pressure source (148) and / or the introduction tube (150) can be moved vertically upward as illustrated by the arrows to pierce the receptacle (140) and insert the introduction tube (150) into or adjacent to the receptacle. (140). A quantity of pressurized gas can then be released from the pressure source (150) where it flows through the orifice at the lower end of the receptacle (140) and into the lower end (146) of the extraction tube (144). Alternatively, bracket 142 may be lowered while pressure source 148 remains stationary to form the hole at the lower end of receptacle 140. Although not shown, it will be appreciated that a piercing mechanism may be employed to form one or more vents in the receptacle 140 (or the receptacle 140 may include preformed vents). In this way, air can flow from outside into the canister through the vents to help move dust into the tube (1449.

Positioned on the base (136) is a capture chamber (152) having a nozzle (154). With such a configuration, the receptacle (140) can be placed in the bracket (138) and the extraction tube (144) can be inserted into the receptacle (140). A hole can then be formed in the lower end of the receptacle (140) and a pressurized gas can be released from the pressure source (148) to cause a high pressure gas stream to flow through the extraction tube (144). By doing this, air is drawn into and through the receptacle and into the extraction tube (144) where the powder is dispersed into an aerosol and is expelled into the capture chamber (152).

An alternative embodiment of a receptacle (156) is shown in Figures 13 and 14. The receptacle (156) comprises a receptacle body (158) having an upper end (160) and a lower end (162). The receptacle body (158) forms a cavity (164) containing a powder (166). Extending from the cavity (164) is a tab (168) to facilitate handling of the receptacle. Formed around the periphery of the cavity (164) are a plurality of vent holes (170) extending through the upper end (1609. Extending through the upper end (160) at a center of the cavity (164) There is a hole (172) that is adapted to house an extraction tube (not shown) in a manner similar to that described with the previous embodiments.

Attached to the upper end (160) at a location above the cavity (164) is a cover (174). The cover (174) is attached to the upper end (160) so that the vents (170) and the hole (172) are covered to seal the dust (166) within the cavity (164). As shown, cavity 164 includes a raised central region 176. However, it will be appreciated that cavity 164 can be constructed to have essentially any geometry. The cover (174) is folded over on itself and extends back over the tab (168). In this way, cover 174 will generally extend outside of an aerosol dispersion apparatus. As such, when the user is ready to aerosolize the medication, the receptacle (156) is inserted into the aerosol dispersion apparatus and the cover (174) is pulled from the upper end (160). In this way, the vent holes (170) and the hole (172) are exposed. An extraction tube can then be inserted through the hole 172 in a manner similar to that described above. As the vent holes (170 and 172) are preformed, it will not be necessary to pierce the upper end (160) while it is within the aerosol dispersion apparatus.

Shown schematically in Figure 15 is an aerosol dispersion apparatus 200 that can be used to aerosolize a powdered medicament using an air flow created by the patient's own inhalation. The apparatus (200) comprises a base (202) having a bracket (204) to support a receptacle (206), which is representative of any of the receptacles described herein. Bracket 204 includes a knob 208 to allow receptacle 206 to move up and down as shown by arrows. Also included within the base (202) is an extraction tube (210) having a lower end (212). By moving the knob (208), the extraction tube (210) can be inserted into the receptacle (206) as shown. Alternatively, the extraction tube (210) may be constructed to be movable so that it can be moved into the receptacle (206). Conveniently, a piercing mechanism (214) may be positioned below the bracket (204) to allow a hole to be pierced in the bottom of the receptacle (206) when the handle (208) is lowered. Positioned on top of the base (202) is a mouthpiece (216) over which a patient's mouth can be placed when ready to receive a dose of medication.

In use, the receptacle (206) is positioned within the base (202) to rest within the bracket (204). The knob (208) is then lowered to drill a hole in the bottom of the receptacle (206). The knob (208) is then raised to insert the lower end (212) of the extraction tube (210) into the top of the receptacle (206) in a manner similar to that described with other embodiments. The patient then places his mouth on the mouthpiece (216) and inhales. This causes air to be drawn through the hole in the bottom of the receptacle (206) and air is drawn through the vents at the top end of the receptacle (206) of a

ES 2 363 713 T3 is similar to other embodiments described herein. The powder aspirated into the extraction tube (210) then flows up through the mouthpiece (216) and into the lungs of the patient.

Optionally, the extraction tube (210) may have one or more kinks (218) to facilitate disaggregation of the powder as the powder passes through the extraction tube (210). As another option, one or more obstacles (220) may be placed inside the extraction tube (210) to facilitate disaggregation of the powder. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that kinks and obstructions may be provided in the extraction tubes of the other aerosol dispersion devices described herein.

The invention has now been described in detail for the purpose of clarity of understanding. However, it will be appreciated that certain changes and modifications may be implemented within the scope of the appended claims.