Powder inhalation device.

A device to facilitate the inhalation of powdered drugs

This invention relates to devices that facilitate the inhalation of powdered drugs.

There are many devices that allow the inhalation of powdered drugs using propellants such as compressed or liquefied gases to dissolve and dispense the drugs. These devices can be complex in construction and have the disadvantage that inhalation and dosing are synchronous to achieve optimal efficacy.

There are also a number of known respiratory inhalers for delivering powdered drugs to the lungs. The powdered drug is typically dispensed from commercially available capsules comprising first and second capsule portions, each comprising a tubular portion having an open end and an end wall opposite its open end, the open end and the tubular portion of the first portion being received through the second open end and the tubular portions being in mechanical or frictional contact to hold the powdered drug therein. In the simplest breathing devices, the capsule is opened prior to insertion into the device and one portion of the capsule containing the drug or the drug itself is placed in the device so that during inhalation the drug travels through the mouthpiece with the airflow to the patient. Examples of such devices are disclosed in GB Patent Nos. 1,520,064, 1,505,441, 1,118,341, 1,520,063 and 1,520,062. These devices have the disadvantage that the drug can spill over when the capsule is opened before it is inserted into the device.

GB patents 1,521,000, 1,530,062, 1,472,650 and 1,502,150 contain more complex devices in which the entire capsule is introduced into the device, thus ensuring that no drug is lost prior to inhalation,

625 8 and access to the drug is established by puncturing the capsule or cutting it in half inside the dispensing device. When inhaled, air flows inside or through the capsule and the powder inside it travels with the air flow towards the mouth.

GB Patent Publications 1,485,163, 1,331,216,

457 352, 1,396,258, 1,182,779, 1,404,338, 1,459,426 and 1,118,341 and the devices disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,117,844 and 4,116,195 are designed to agitate a drug-containing capsule to facilitate release and dispensing of the powder in the capsule. The capsule can be agitated in a number of ways, including generating a turbulent air flow or by rotating and / or vibrating the capsule using wings or rattles. These devices are complex and often cumbersome to use.

U.S. Patent No. 4,210,140 discloses a device in which access to a powdered medicament is provided by pulling the capsule portions apart so that the medicament is emptied to a suitable position for entrainment by the airflow provided by the inhalation.

Our current PCT publication 81/01243 discloses respiratory devices for oral inhalation of powdered drugs. These devices each include a chamber having at least one inlet port for air inlet in direct contact with the mouthpiece, means within the chamber for holding the capsule containing the drug substantially vertical, and means for separating capsule portions within the chamber to expose the lower end of the capsule and allow access to powder. to the medicinal product in a position that when the device is operated by means of suction from the mouthpiece, the air flows substantially transversely across the open end of the lower part of the capsule, causing the powdered drug particles to pass into the air.

The devices described in this application are easy to li

7625 8 and simple to use, reduce the user's chance of spilling the drug and ensure that any drug that is spilled still becomes inhaled and are very effective compared to previous breath-operated devices. However, the placement of the means for separating the capsule parts in the chamber allows for air leaks into the chamber and limits the design possibilities to form the desired air flow pattern through the chamber.

The present invention provides a breath actuated device that allows powdered medicaments to be inhaled from a container, such as a capsule, which device includes both a mechanism to assist the user in separating the container parts and allows the device to form an optimal airflow pattern through a chamber in which the separated container part is placed.

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for facilitating inhalation of powdered medicaments from a housing comprising a first housing portion containing a powder having an open end and a second housing portion closing the open end of the first housing portion having a body having a wall-bound chamber, at least one inlet to the chamber for air inlet and a mouthpiece with a channel leading to the chamber, the device including a support portion movably fitted to the body for supporting the first housing parts and removal means adapted to the body adapted to remove the second housing part from the first housing part. The device according to the invention is characterized in that the support part is arranged partly inside the chamber and partly outside the chamber and adapted to move one first housing part from a first position separate from the chamber, to a predetermined dispensing position inside the chamber with the open end of the first housing part at the top and that the removal means are adapted to remove the second housing part from the first housing part before placing the first housing part in the support part in the dispensing position.

7625 8

The devices of the present invention may be adapted to receive containers in the form of conventional capsules used in the pharmaceutical industry and which, as described above, comprise a first and a second capsule part, both containing a tubular part, having an open end and an end wall opposite its open end, the open end and the tubular part of the second part being received through the second open end and the tubular parts in frictional or mechanical contact to hold the powdered medicament therein. Alternatively, however, the devices of the present invention may be adapted for use with second shaped containers in which access to the powder in the first container portion is provided by moving the second container portion through an opening of the first container portion (e.g., moving the second container portion in the form of a stopper or glued or reduced film lid). open end).

The means for moving the first part of the container of the device according to the invention may comprise a generally cylindrical support part rotatably mounted on the body of the device, adapted to move a plurality of first parts in succession from the first position to the dispensing position. Where such a device is adapted for use with conventional capsules of the type described above, the support member may have a plurality of radially extending hooks opening through its circumference, each hook being adapted to receive and hold a first portion of one capsule extending radially outwardly from the support member. The means for moving a portion of the second chaos member may comprise a remover having at least one gripping wall having

7625 The surface 8 is adapted to engage a second part of the capsule, the remover mounted in the housing being moved between an elevated position in which the gripping wall is separate from the capsule in the first position and the gripping wall in contact with the second part of the capsule in the first position.

In addition, the device may include coupling means adapted to move the support member and the remover to move the support member to move a portion of the opened first capsule from the first position to the dispensing position as the remover moves from its gripping position to its raised position. These engaging means may be a flange structure 1 ma comprising a wheel having circumferential teeth connected axially to a support member and a latch coupled to the remover and adapted to engage and move the wheel as the remover moves from its gripping position to its elevated position. The remover may be a separate part movably mounted on the body or may be included in a cover for a device articulated to the body and have a part placed over the opening of the mouthpiece to close the opening when the remover is in its gripping position, but which part is placed away from the mouthpiece when the remover is in its raised position.

The inlet ports and the chamber may be adapted to form an air flow directed generally transversely across the open end of the first part of the container and not substantially to the first part of the container. This air flow pattern is effective in conveying powder from the container, possibly due to the resonant effect provided in the container in the same way as the resonance formed by blowing over the open end of the bottle. Experiments performed reveal that airflow patterns that are generally transverse to the open end of the first portion of the capsule tend to have an optimal position on the open top of the first portion of the capsule relative to the surface that defines the inlet ports.

7625 8 lower pages. This optimal position may vary according to the dimensions of the capsule part and the amount of drug in the capsule part. It does not tend to be critical for capsule sections that are relatively shallow (e.g., up to 10 mm), but becomes more critical when deeper capsule sections are used. In general, it has been found that the open end of the capsule should not extend significantly above the surface defining the lower side of the inlet port and is preferably at or slightly below the surface defining the lower side of the inlet port so that the drug in the capsule portion is slightly below the main air flow. PCT Publication 81/01243, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses other details of the relative positions of the air inlets of the capsule portion and the mouthpieces, together with the test results.

The device of the present invention may also be designed so that all or part of the air flow through the chamber enters the first part of the container to receive the powdered medicament therefrom. In one embodiment using capsules, the upper surface of the chamber tilts downward for the first capsule of the dispensing position and tilts downward after the dispensing position with the incision of the inclined upper surfaces generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the first capsule portion from the first end of the dispenser In another such embodiment, the inlet port is positioned above the dispensing position to direct substantially the entire air flow through the chamber axially to the open end of a portion of the first capsule and then through the mouthpiece.

It should be possible for the chamber to be designed so that the air velocity through or across the open end of the tank part is high. However, the pressure drop across the in-use chamber should not be large, as this would require the user to use significant suction when he is in an anxious environment.

7625 8 modes. With the present invention, it is possible to provide a sufficient air flow velocity inside or across a portion of the first container and yet provide a pressure drop across the chamber that is barely perceptible to the user. The pressure drop to 50 cm of water appears to be the upper limit in terms of user comfort.

The mouthpiece is preferably short and rigid and may be aligned with the air flow transversely across the open end of the first container portion so that there is a substantially direct air flow through the container. However, the mouthpiece may be formed or directed with respect to the air flow across a portion of the first container without significantly affecting the efficiency of the device, provided that there are no protrusions that can trap particles in the air flow. It may be advantageous for the cross-sectional area of ​​the mouthpiece to increase abruptly so that any large or agglomerated particles in the powdered drug settle in the mouthpiece rather than deposit in the patient's mouth or nasal cavities. The mouthpiece of the device may be adapted for nasal inhalation, and the term mouthpiece used herein is intended to include such nasal adapters.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rear side of the capsule support part shown in front in Fig. 1; Figs. 3a-3f are sectional views of the device of Fig. 1 showing its operation and parts another embodiment of the device according to the present invention, Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the device according to the present invention, Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a schematic sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the device according to the present invention. Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3a-3f, there is shown a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 10.

The device is adapted to allow oral inhalation of powdered drugs from inside a container in the form of a commercially available capsule 11 comprising first and second containers or capsule portions 12 and 14, both capsule portions 12 and 14 comprising a cylindrical tubular portion having an open end and a circumferential circumference. an end wall opposite its open end, the open end of the tubular part of the second capsule being received through the second open end and the tubular parts in contact with each other to hold the powdered medicament therein. Generally, the device comprises a body 15 with walls partially defining a barrier-free chamber 16, at least one air inlet port to the chamber 16, and a mouthpiece 18 with a central through-opening 19 in direct communication with the chamber 16. Manually operated means in the form of a generally cylindrical capsule support portion 20 is mounted on the body 15 to rotate relative to the pin 22 to move the first capsule portion 12 from a first position (Fig. 3c) separate from chamber 16 to a predetermined dispensing position (Fig. 3d) in chamber 16. 20 perimeter). In the dispensing position, the support member 20 locates the open end of the first capsule portion at the top so that airflow through the inlet port 17 and chamber 16 by suction through the mouthpiece 18 flows substantially transversely over the open end and causes powdered drug to flow into the first capsule portion 12. The manually actuable means 1i in the form of a remover 23 slidably mounted on the body 15 is formed to remove the second part 14 of the capsule before placing the first capsule part 12 in the dosing position by movement of the support part 20 (Figures 3b and 3c).

The body 15, preferably injection molded from a suitable polymeric material, comprises a main portion 24 having walls including a round side wall projecting a pin, the walls defining a generally cylindrical cavity in which the capsule support portion 20 and remover are mounted and a side portion 25 hinged to the main portion 24 26 comprising a circular side wall from which a cylindrical tube 27 protrudes centrally. The inner surface of the tube 27 is adapted to grip by friction around the pin 22 to hold the capsule support portion 20 and the remover 23 within the cavity and to hold the main and side portions 24 and 25 of the body 15 together. Also included in the body 15 is a lid 28 mounted at one end through a thin portion of the body 15 to pivotally move to an open position separate from the end of the mouthpiece 18 and the opening 29 in the edge wall of the body 15 through which the end portion 23 is received and guided (Figures 1). , 3b, 3c and 3d) and a closed position (Fig. 3a), in which part of the lid 28 extends across the opening 29 and the outer hook-like part 31 of the lid extends across the opening 19 of the mouthpiece, wherein in the closed position the lid 28 is releasably held in engagement with the nose of the hook-like portion 31 of the upper edge of the mouthpiece.

The capsule support portion 20 comprises a circular side wall 32 with a central opening into which the pin 22 is received, a cylindrical circumferential wall 33 having spaced apart nozzles opening through the circumferential wall 33 through which smaller diameter capsule 11 portions 14 can extend and radially project 34 extending perpendicularly from the side wall 33 which, together with the portions of the circumferential wall 33, form radially projecting around the nozzles

7625 8 side inlet cavities which receive and hold the larger diameter second portions of the capsules 11 from their open ends in the nozzles of the circumferential wall 33, rotation of the support member 20 causes the capsules 11 to move sequentially from the curved storage area defined by the body 15 and the support member 20 to the first position the first part 12 is moved to the dosing position. The protrusion 37 is formed as a support part 20. The protrusion 37 moves to the first position when the first portion 12 of the last unused capsule 11 in the device 10 moves to the dispensing position and interrupts the operation of the remover 23 and closes the lid 28 to indicate to the user that all capsules 11 from the device 10 have been used (Figure 3f). The toothed wheel 36 is formed concentric to the sidewall 32 opposite the walls 34 (Fig. 2), which toothed wheel 36 forms part of a retaining structure providing engagement means capable of engaging the support member 20 and the remover 23 to move the support member during movement to remove the second part of the capsule 11, as will be explained below.

The remover 23 comprises an end part 30 guided by walls defining an opening 29 of the body 15, from which the separating gripping walls 38 projecting from the end part 30 are adapted to grip by friction the sides 14 of the second part 14 of the capsule 11. The generally U-shaped portion 39 of the remover 23 protrudes from its end portion 30 and has opposing surfaces adapted to slide along opposite surfaces of the toothed wheel under their guidance. Such control of the remover 23 allows it to slide radially relative to the support member in an elevated position (Figure 3d) where the gripping walls 38 are separated from the capsule in the support member 20 in the first position and the gripping position (Figures 3a and 3b) where the gripping walls 38 engage the second capsule portion 14 . Two wavy elastic livesII

7625 The spring member 40 of the remover 23 also protrudes from the end portion 30 along opposite sides of the U-shaped portion 39 and forms spring means between the body 15 and the remover 23 to support the remover in its raised position. The inwardly extending latch 41 is located at the outer end of the second leg of the U-shaped portion 39 and is adapted to engage the toothed wheel 36 to act as a latch for the retainer structure and move the capsule support portion 20 so that the first capsule portion 12 moves from the first position to the dispensing position. position under the influence of the spring members 40.

The latch means is releasably configured to lock the remover 23 in its engaging position. The body 15 includes a plate-like latch portion 42 having one end attached to a wall defining a side of the opening 29 adjacent the mouthpiece 18 and an opposite end attached to the mouthpiece 18 with the center portion of the latch portion 42 normally bent upwardly away from the wall defining the upper surface of the chamber 16. The latch portions 42 include a lip 43 which, when bent upwardly, protrudes into an opening 29 where it can engage the rim 44 along the end portion 30 of the remover 23 (Figure 3b) and hold the remover 23 in its gripping position. The latch portion 42 may be manually pressable toward the wall defining the upper surface of the chamber 16 (Figure 3c) which causes the lip 43 to bend away from the rim 44 and allow the remover 23 to move to its raised position.

The operation of the device 10 will be explained below, assuming that the release 23 is initially secured in its securing position by means of a locking member with the release walls 38 of the release 23 contacting the second part 14 of the capsule 11 in the first position and the lid 28 in the closed position (Fig. 3a). The user first opens the lid 28 by bending the hook-like part 31 of the lid 28 away from the nozzle 18 and turning the lid 28 to the open position (Fig. 3b). Next, he removes the locking member by squeezing the locking member

7625 8 towards the wall which forms the upper surface of the chamber 16, which moves the lip 43 away from the strip 44, so that the release 23 slides from its fixed position to its vertical position by the action of the spring parts 40. During the first part of this movement, the capsule parts 14 and 12 are pulled apart so that the release 23 frictionally engages the second capsule part 14 (Fig. 3c). During the second part of this movement, the hook 41 in the detacher 23 engages the toothed wheel 36 to move the first capsule part 12 from the first position to the dispensing position. The user can then inhale through the nozzle 18, causing air to flow into the chamber 16 through the inlet 17, further across the open end of the first capsule portion 12 in the dispensing position to deliver the drug powder to the air stream and finally to the user's lungs. The user can then move the cover 28 to the closed position, after which contact of the cover 28 with the protruding end portion 30 of the release 23 moves the release 23 to its fixed position so that the second capsule portion 14 protrudes from the gripping walls 38 by the second portion 14 of the new closed capsule 11 in the first position ), after which the gripping walls 38 adhere to this new second capsule part 14. There is so much friction between the column 22 and the capsule support member 20 that when the detachment 23 is moved in its fixed position towards the mounting position, the leg of the U-shaped part 39 supporting the hook 41 bends outwards because between the hook 41 and the curved outer surface of the toothed wheel 36 a sliding contact is made, whereby the hook 41 rotates this tooth, which is in the toothed wheel 36, and thus does not turn the capsule support member 20 backwards.

When the release 23 reaches its mounting position, the lip 43 contacts the strip 44 to releasably hold the release 23 in this position. The hook-shaped end portion 31 of the cover 28, in turn, releasably engages the end of the nozzle 18 to keep it closed and the device 10 is ready for re-use.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a second embodiment of a device according to the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 50.

Like the device 10, the device 50 is adapted to facilitate the inhalation of powdered medicaments from inside a container formed by a commercially available capsule 11, described above, comprising first and second containers or capsule portions 12 and 14 and having a body 51 with walls that form a partially open chamber 52, at least one air inlet 53 leading to the chamber 52, and a nozzle 54 having a central through hole 55, which is in direct communication with the chamber 52. As with the device 10, there are hand-operated means formed of an approximately cylindrical capsule support member 56 rotatably disposed on the body 51 for moving the first capsule portion 12 from a first position spaced from the chamber 52 to a predetermined dispensing position within the chamber 52 (which the chamber 52 is determined in part by the circumference of the support member 56), and in the dispensing position, the support member 56 places the open end of the first capsule portion 12 at the top so that airflow through the inlet 53 and chamber 52 due to suction through the nozzle 54 flows approximately transversely across the open end and causes the powdered drug in the first capsule portion 12 to mix. The device also has manually operated means for removing the second capsule part 14 before the first capsule part 12 is placed in the dispensing position by moving the support member 56, but differs from the device 10 in that the means is formed of a wall or detacher 57 with an aperture-forming surface to the second part 14 of the capsule 11, which releaser 57 is located in the cover 58 of the device 50.

The body 51 has walls defining an approximately cylindrical cavity in which the capsule support member 56 is mounted for rotation about a pillar 66 contained in the body 51. The cover 58 is integral with the body 51 and

7625 8 is rotatably mounted at one end through a thin portion of the body 51 so that it can rotate between an open position and a closed position, with the open position spaced from the end of the nozzle 54 and the release 57 in the up position; wherein it is spaced from the opening 59 in the edge wall of the body near the first position and wherein the detacher 57 is in the closed position in the engaging position in the opening 59 and engages the capsule 11 with the second portion 14 in the first position, and the hook 58 remote portion 60 extends across the nozzle opening 55; closes it and is releasably attached to this position so that the lip 61 of the distal portion 60 engages the lower edge of the nozzle 54.

The capsule support member 56 has a circular side wall 67 with a central opening into which the pillar 66 protrudes, a cylindrical circumferential wall 62 with spaced apertures opening through the circumferential wall 62 through which the second portions 14 of the capsules 11 of smaller diameter can protruding, and radially extending walls generally projecting from the sidewall 67 and having columns of the circumferential wall 62 located around the openings, form radially spaced side sockets which receive and hold the second portions 12 of the capsules 11 of larger diameters at their open ends at the openings. Rotation of the support member 56 in turn moves the capsules 11 from the curved storage zone 63 formed by the portions of the body 51 and the support member 56 to the first position while the previous capsule 11 is opened and its first portion 12 is moved to the dispensing position. The toothed wheel 64 is formed concentrically on one side of the support member 56 and forms a pawl with the hook 65 attached to and projecting from the cover 58 which acts as a coupling member attachable between the support member 56 and the release member 57 to move the support member 56 from the first position 12 to the dispensing position. irroli

7625 The tin 57 is moved from its mounting position to its vertical position (which occurs when the cover 58 is opened).

The operation of the device 50 will now be described assuming that the lid 58 is initially closed so that the release 57 on the lid 58 is in its engaging position and the second portion 14 of the capsule 11 in the engaging first position is first opened by bending the hook 58 off the nozzle 54 and by rotating the cover 58 to the open position, as a result of which the release 57 on the cover 58 moves from the gripping position to the vertical position. During the first part of this movement, the parts 14 and 12 of the capsule 11 in the first position are pulled apart as the detachment 57 frictionally engages the second capsule 14 and during the second part of the movement the hook 65 on the cover 58 engages the tooth of the toothed wheel 64 The user can then inhale through the nozzle 54, as a result of which air enters the chamber 52 through the inlet 53, flows approximately through the open end of the first capsule part 12 in the dispensing position, so that the powdered drug mixes with the air stream and finally absorbs into the user's lungs. The user can then remove the separated second capsule portion 14 from the detacher 57 and close the lid 58 so that the detacher 57 engages the second portion 14 of the new capsule 11 in the first position. There is sufficient friction between the capsule support member 56 and the pillar 66 on which it is rotatably mounted so that when the cover 58 is closed the hook 65 and the next tooth of the toothed wheel 64 bend past each other due to the relative angular position of their contact surfaces so that the capsule support member 56 does not rotate backwards. When the remover reaches its mounting position, the lip 61 engages the nozzle 54, thereby again keeping the cover 58 removably closed and the device 50 ready for re-use.

When the device 50 has been used enough times,

7625 8 so that the first part 12 of the last unused capsule 11 in the support member 56 is moved to the dispensing position, a disproportionately large opening 68 is located between the successive teeth of the toothed wheel, adjacent the cover 65 Haan 65. The opening 68 is so wide that when the cover 58 is closed the hook 65 does not touch the next tooth of the toothed wheel 64 and does not bend at it. The free movement of the lid achieved in this way informs the user that the device 50 is empty.

Figures 5 and 6 show a third embodiment of a device according to the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 70.

Like devices 10 and 50, device 70 is adapted to facilitate oral inhalation of powdered drug from a container formed by a capsule 11 of a commercially available type described above having first and second containers or capsule portions 12 and 14, a body 71 having the walls partially forming the chamber 72, at least one air inlet 73 leading to the chamber 72 and a nozzle 74, having a central through opening 75 in direct communication with the chamber 72. As with devices 10 and 50, this device includes hand-operated means formed of an approximately cylindrical capsule support member 76 rotatably mounted on the body 71 to move the first portion 12 of the capsule 11 from a first position spaced from the chamber 72. to a predetermined dispensing position within the chamber 72 (which chamber 72 is formed in part by the periphery of the support member 76) and in the dispensing position the support member 76 places the upper end of the first capsule portion 12 at the top so that air flow through the nozzle 74 As in the device 50, the cover 78 of the device 70 includes hand-operated means formed of a wall or detacher 77 having an opening-forming surface and adapted to engage the second capsule portion 14 by friction. These means remove the second capsule17

62 5 8 part 14 before the first capsule part 12 is placed in the dispensing position for transfer.

The body 71 has walls which form an approximately cylindrical cavity in which the capsule support member 76 is mounted for rotation about a pillar 82 contained in the body 71. The cover 78 is integral with the body 71 and is mounted thereon so that it can rotate between an open position and a closed position, wherein it is in the open position spaced from the nozzle 74 with the detacher 77 in a vertical position spaced from the opening 79 in the sidewall of the body near the first position and in the closed position has the release member 77 in the engaging position in the opening 79 and frictionally engaging the second portion 14 and hook the distal portion extends across and closes the nozzle orifice 75 and is secured thereon so that the upper edge of the nozzle 74 engages the gap of the hook-like lid portion 80.

The capsule support member 76 comprises a cylindrical circumferential wall-83 with spaced openings through which the second portions 14 of the capsules 11 can protrude and open into radially seated seats 76 where the first portions 12 of the capsules 11 are held in the same manner as the devices 10 and 50 in support members 20 and 56. As the support member 76 rotates, the capsules 11 move sequentially from an arcuate storage zone 81 formed of portions of the body 71 and the support member 76 to a first position when the previous capsule 11 is opened and its first portion 12 is moved to the dispensing position. An eccentrically toothed wheel 84 is formed on one side of the support member 76 and forms a pawl with a hook 85 attached to and projecting from the cover 78, which forms a coupling member, attachable between the support member 76 and the release member 77 in the cover 78 to move the support member 76 from the first position to the dispensing position when the release member 77 in the cover 78 is moved from the gripping position to the vertical position (which occurs when the cover 78 is open).

The device 70 is operated by the user and operates in substantially the same manner as described above in connection with the device 50 and differs significantly from that device only in the shape of the inner surface of the top wall forming the chamber 72. In device 70, a portion of the inner surface 87 extending from the air inlet 73 to the dispensing position extends downwardly, while a portion 88 of this inner surface extending from the dispensing position toward the nozzle 54 is inclined upward. The longitudinal axis 89 of the first capsule part in the first position is parallel to the intersection line of the inclined surface portions 87 and 88, and this intersection line is located above and in the vicinity of the open end of the first capsule part 12 in the dispensing position. This arrangement causes a portion of the air inhaled through the chamber 72 to flow into the first capsule portion 12 and remove the powdered drug therefrom. As a non-limiting example, good results are obtained when the angle between the surface portion 87 and the shaft 89 is about 55 °, the angle between the surface portion 88 and the shaft 89 is about 75 °, and the intersection of the surface portions 87 and 88 is about 1 mm from the open end of the first capsule portion 12. above. Both of the angles described above must generally be less than 80 °.

Figure 7 shows a fourth embodiment of a device according to the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 100.

Like the other devices shown, the device 100 is adapted to facilitate the oral inhalation of powdered medicament from a container comprising a capsule 11 having first and second containers, i.e. capsule portions 12 and 14, and a body 101 having walls partially forming chamber 102 into the chamber. 102 is a conductive air inlet 103 and a nozzle 104 having a central passage 105 in direct communication with the chamber 102. Manual means formed of an approximately 7676-shaped container support member 106 is mounted on the rotatable body 101 to move the first portion 12 of the capsule 11 from a first position spaced from the chamber 102 to a predetermined dispensing position within the chamber 102 (each chamber 102 being partially formed of the support member 106). and in the dispensing position, the support member 106 places the upper end of the first capsule part 12 at the top, so that the air flow generated by the suction through the nozzle 104 into the inlet opening 103 and through the chamber 102 causes the powdered medicament in the first part 12 to enter the air flow. As devices 50 and 70, this device has manual means (not shown) formed of a wall or detachable surface having an opening and adapted to frictionally engage the second capsule portion 14, which is incorporated into the device cover and removes the second capsule. the capsule part 14 before the first capsule part 12 is placed in the dispensing position for transfer.

The operation and structure of the device 100 is substantially similar to the operation and structure of the devices 50 and 70 except for the shape of the inner surface of the top wall forming the chamber 102 and the location of the inlet opening 103. In the device 100, the inlet opening 103 is located immediately above the dispensing opening and the chamber top wall portion 108 extends downwardly and is positioned substantially on the central axis 11a of the second capsule portion 14 in the dispensing position. so that the powder mixes with the air and flows with it out of the interior of the first capsule part 12 and through the nozzle 104.

The devices 10, 50, 70 or 100 can be made of any suitable polymeric material, such as polypropylene or nylon, and at least some parts of the device can be transparent enough for the user to easily see when the first container part is in the dispensing position and how many unused containers are left on your device.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that several changes can be made to the device without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the present invention should therefore not be limited to the structures of the above embodiments, but only to the structures set forth in the claims.