Inhalation device
20 claims: 2 independent, 18 dependent
- 1PATENTKRAV 1. Inhalationsanordning för användning med en läkemedelsförpackning, vari åtminstone en behållare för läkemedel i pulverform är begränsad av två organ som är isärdragbart fixerade vid varandra, kännetecknad därav, att anordningen innefattar organ som bildar en öppningsstation för nämnda åtminstone en behållare, medel för att dra isär organen vid öppningsstationen för att öppna behållaren, och ett utlopp som står i förbindelse med den öppnade behållaren, genom vilket en användare kan inandas läkemedel i pulverform från den öppnade behållaren .
- 2Anordning enligt krav 1, kännetecknad därav, att den är anordnad att användas där de båda organen är två ark.
- 3Anordning enligt krav 2, anordnad att användas när arken är Långsträckta ark som begränsar ett flertal läkemedelsbehållare anbragta på avstånd från varandra utefter arkens längdsträckning, kännetecknad därav, att anordningen är försedd med framstegningsorgan för framstegning av varje behållare i tur och ordning i kommunikation med utloppet.
- 4Anordning enligt krav 3, avsedd för användning där ett av arken är ett basark med ett flertal fickor däri och det andra arket är ett lockark, kännetecknad därav, att varje ficka och den angränsande delen av lockarket bildar en enskild behållare bland nämnda behållare och att anordningen innefattar drivorgan för att dra isär lockarket och basarket vid öppningsstationen.
- 5Anordning enligt krav 4, kännetecknad därav, att nämnda drivorgan innefattar lockdrivorgan för att dra lockarket .
- 6/inordning enligt krav 4 eller 5, kännetecknad därav, att det innefattar ett vridbart framstegningshjul som är försett med urtagningar och att hjulet är ingripbart med läkemedelsförpackningen på så sätt att varje urtagning mottar en enskild ficka. 1. Anordning enligt krav 6 i beroende av krav 5, kännetecknad därav, att framstegningshjulet och lockdrivorganen är sammankopplade så att vridning av det ena är korrelerat med vridning av det andra.
- 78. Anordning enligt krav 7, kännetecknad därav, 512 934 att indexhjulet och lockdrivorganen är sammankopplade medelst en slirkoppling.
- 89. Anordning enligt krav 8, kännetecknad därav, att slirkopplingen innefattar ett första kugghjulsorgan som är rörligt med framstegningshjulet och som har en tandförsedd yta och ett andra tandförsett kugghjulsorgan som är rörligt med lockdrivorganen och som har en tandförsedd yta i ingrepp med den tandförsedda ytan på nämnda första kugghjulsorgan, varvid åtminstone den ena av de tandförsedda ytorna har en tandad del som' är rörlig fram och tillbaka i förhållande till återstoden av den tandade ytan vilken utgör en del.
- 910. Anordning enligt krav 8, kännetecknad därav, att slirkopplingen innefattar första kopplingsorgan som är omställbara med framstegningshjulet och andra kopplingsorgan som är omställbara med lockdrivorganen, varvid ett av kopplingsorganen innefattar en ringformig grupp tandningar medan det andra avkopplingsorganet innefattar organ som ingriper med tandningarna när mindre än en förutbestämd kraft är pålagd mellan de båda kopplingsorganen och som slirar med avseende på tandningarna när en kraft lika med eller större än den förutbestämda kraften påläggs.
- 1011. Anordning enligt krav 7, kännetecknad därav, att lockdrivorganen innefattar ett hjul på vilket lockarket upplindas, varvid nämnda hjul har en upplindningsyta vars diameter avtar när spänningen i lockarket ökar.
- 1112. Anordning enligt krav 11, kännetecknad därav, att nämnda hjul innefattar ett flertal fjädrande eftergivliga böjliga armar av vilka var och en sträcker sig därifrån i en vinkel i förhållande till en radie.
- 1213. Anordning enligt krav 4, kännetecknad därav, att den innefattar framstegningsorgan som är ingripbara mellan angränsande fickor för att bringa varje ficka i tur och ordning att inställas i förbindelse med utloppet.
- 1314. Anordning enligt krav 5, kännetecknad därav, att lockdrivorganen innefattar ett par drivhjul som drivbart ingriper med lockarket mellan dem.
- 1415. Anordning enligt krav 15, kännetecknad därav, att nämnda drivhjul är tandförsedda hjul med tänder som ingriper med varandra. 512 934
- 1516. Anordning enligt krav 4, kännetecknad därav, att den innefattar organ för att styra lockarket och basarket längs enskilda banor vid öppningsstationen, varvid banorna förenas på nytt nedströms från öppningsstationen och nämnda drivorgan är belägna efter punkten där banorna förenas på nytt och är anordnade att driva både lockarket och basarket.
- 1617. Anordning enligt krav 16, kännetecknad därav, att nämnda drivorgan innefattar ett par tandförsedda hjul med tänder som ingriper med varandra.
- 1718. · Anordning enligt något av kraven 4 till 17, kännetecknad därav, att den innefattar åtminstone en kammare för mottagning av den långsträckta läkemedelsförpackningen innan den öppnas och för mottagning av basarket och lockarket sedan de har förts isär från varandra.
- 1819. Anordning enligt krav 18, kännetecknad därav, att den långsträckta läkemedelsförpackningen och/eller basarket hålls i upplindad form av fjädrande eftergivande lindningsformare.
- 1920. Anordning enligt något av de föregående kraven, k ä η n e tecknad därav, att den är påverkbar i ett flertal steg och innefattar indikatororgan som är anordnade att visa en instruktion för en användare vad gäller nästa steg när det föregående steget har utförts.
- 2021. Anordning enligt krav 20, kännetecknad därav, att indikatororganen innefattar en indikator som uppbär ett flertal textavsnitt som bildar varsin instruktion för användaren och att indikatorn är omställbar genom att ett givet steg utförs och texten som hänför sig till nästa steg därvid visas. 512 934 P.ans. 9100582-7 /20
Independent claims20
82 paragraphs in 2 sections, as filed
(54) (56) (57)
REPRESENTATIVE TITLE
Richard Ian Walker, Hertfordshire GB Raymond Swenson Patent Office AB Inhalation device
CALLED PUBLICATIONS: - - SUMMARY:
The invention relates to an inhalation device in which at least one powder medicament container (402) is limited by two sheets (403, 404) which are detachably fixed to one another. The device comprises means for pulling apart the sheets at an opening station for opening the container and an outlet (420) which communicates with the opened container and through which a user can inhale powdered drugs from the opened container.
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The numbers in brackets indicate international identification code, INID code. Letters in clamps indicate international document code.
512 934 ϊ
This invention relates to an inhalation device by which a user can inhale drugs in the form of a powder.
Inhalation devices are known for use with bubble packs where the drug is held in powder form in the bubbles of the package. These devices include a puncturing device which punctures each bubble in turn, thereby allowing the drug to be inhaled therefrom. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inhalation device whose design allows, if desired, to handle a drug package having a large number of individual single doses without the device becoming unacceptably large.
According to the present invention there is provided an inhalation device for use with a pharmaceutical package wherein at least one container for medicament in powder form is limited by two means which are separately detachable to each other, the device comprising means forming an opening station for said at least one container, means for pulling apart. the means at the opening station for opening the container, and an outlet communicating with the opened container, through which a user can inhale powdered drugs from the opened container.
The drug package is preferably made of two elongated sheets which limit a plurality of drug containers spaced apart along the length of the sheets, with means arranged for feeding each container in turn to the opening station.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear view of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of the portions of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figures 3a, 3b and 3c are a perspective view, a longitudinal view, and a (partially broken away) end view. showing a coupling used in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, Figures 4a and 4b are an axial section and, respectively, cross-section on a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2 of a nozzle which can be used in the first embodiment (or in any other embodiment);
512 Fig. 934 is a rear view of the second embodiment and shows the inside gauge; Fig. 7 is a front perspective view of the second embodiment; Fig. 8 is a back view taken from the second embodiment; perspective view of the second embodiment; figure 9 is a perspective exploded view of the second embodiment; figure 10 is a front view of a third embodiment showing its inner measurement; Figure 11 is a larger-scale axial view showing the nozzle of the third embodiment; Figure 12 is a bottom view of the third embodiment; Figures 13 to 16 show a fourth embodiment of the invention, with Figure 13 being a bottom view. Figure 14 is a section along line AA of Figure 13, Figure 15 is a section along line BB of Figure 13, and Figure 16 is an exploded view on a smaller scale. Figures 16a to 16d show the fourth embodiment in successive working steps, and Figure 16e is a sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 16a, Figures 17 to 20 show a fifth embodiment of the invention, with Figure 17 being an end view, sectional view. along line AA in figure sectioned view along line BB in figure 18 is one
17, Figure 19 is one
17, and Fig. 20 is an exploded view, Figs. 21 to 24 show a sixth embodiment of the invention, Fig. 21 being an end view; Fig. 22 is a sectional view along line AA of Fig. 21; Fig. 23 is a sectioned view along line BB of Fig. 21, and Fig. 24 are an exploded view, Figs. 25 to 29 show a modified coupling that can be used in the embodiments of the invention where required, showing a front view taken, a top view taken, a rear view taken, Fig. 30 is a perspective exploded view showing another embodiment of a clutch that can be used; Fig. 31 is a perspective exploded view of another embodiment of a clutch that can be used; Fig. 31a is a cross-sectional view. through the coupling shown in FIG. 31, FIGS. 32 to 34 show consecutive working positions of another embodiment of the invention seen from behind; and Figure 35 is a perspective view on a larger scale showing a drug package
512 934 for use in an inhalation device according to the invention.
Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3a to 3c, they show an inhalation device in which is mounted a flexible strip 1 forming a plurality of pockets 2, in each of which is a drug dose in the form of a powder which can be inhaled. The strip 1 is formed of a base sheet 3 in which bubbles are formed to confine the pockets 2 and a cover sheet 4 which is hermetically sealed at the base sheet 3 except in the portion of the bubbles so that the cover sheet and the base sheet can be pulled apart. The sheets are sealed to each other along their entire width except at their front edge portions where they are preferably not sealed to each other at all. Each of the cover and base sheets is preferably formed of a plastic and aluminum laminate, and the cover and base sheets are preferably adhered to each other by heat sealing. As an example, the cover material may be a laminate of 50 g / m 2<sup>2</sup> bleached kraft paper / 12 µm polyester (PETP) film / 20 µm soft-cured aluminum foil / 9 g / m<sup>2</sup> peelable vinyl heat sealing lacquer (PVC sealable), and the base material may be a laminate consisting of 100 µm PVC / 45 µm soft-cured aluminum foil / 25 µm oriented polyamide. The lacquer in the cover material is sealed at the PVC layer of the base material to provide the peelable seal between the cover and base sheets.
The strip 1 is shown with elongated pockets that run transversely in relation to the length of the strip. This is convenient because it allows a large number of pockets to be arranged on a given strip length. The strip can e.g. be provided with 60 or 100 pockets, but it should be understood that the strip may have any suitable number of pockets.
The inhalation device comprises a body 10 having three storage chambers, namely a chamber 11, in which the strip 1 is originally housed and from which it is ejected, a chamber for receiving the used portion of the base sheet 3, and a chamber through which the used portion of the The cover sheet can be wound onto a wheel 14. The chambers 11 and 12 each contain curved blades spring 28 and 29, the purpose of which will be described below. In the body there is another chamber 15 housing one front
512 934 steering wheels 16. This has a plurality of grooves 17 extending parallel to the axis of the wheel 16. The grooves are located at a pitch equal to the distance between the center lines of adjacent pockets 2. The chambers 11, 12, 13 and 15 are closed by a lid 30. The chamber 15 communicates with the chambers 11, 12 and 13 via channels 31, 33 resp. 32nd
The chamber 15 communicates via a slot 18 which in turn extends upwardly in a nozzle 20. The slot 18 also communicates with air inlets, as will be described below with reference to the nozzle shown in Figures 4a and 4b. The nozzle 20 is provided with additional air inlets 21 shown here in the form of a pair of circular apertures, although they may be of any shape other than that shown in Figures 4a and 4b. The primary purpose of the additional air openings 21 is to supply additional air to the user, thus reducing the resistance to inhalation, although they may serve one or more additional purposes as is the case in Figures 4a and 4b and as will be described below with reference to these figures.
A means is provided, with which the user can turn the progress wheel and the cover wheel in steps of a predetermined size. This means includes a steering wheel 22 and a gear 23, both of which are engaged so that they rotate in association with the steering wheel 16, further a lever 24 arranged to rotate about the same axis as the steering wheel 22 and the gear 23, but independently thereof, and a gear 25 which engages the gear 23 and is adapted to rotate the cover wheel 14. The lever 24 carries a sliding arm 26, the end of which is arranged to engage with the teeth of the steering wheel 22. Engagement with the teeth of the steering wheel is also effected by a latch 27 attached to the body 10. For reasons which will become apparent from the description of the working method given below. for this embodiment, the gear wheel 25 is not directly connected to the cover wheel 14 but is connected via a slip coupling 50 located in the cover wheel 14. The effect of arranging this clutch here is that slipping occurs between the cover wheel and the gear wheel 25 when the force required to turn the cover wheel exceeds a predetermined size.
The coupling 50 includes a disk 51 provided with radius
512 934 orifice teeth 52 or any other smoothness which is held in engagement with a similarly toothed or uneven surface 53 by means of a compression spring 54 is arranged on an end surface of the cover wheel 14. The spring 54 abuts at one end against an inwardly facing surface 55 of the cover wheel and at its other end against a nut 56 which is screwed on a screw 57.
The above-described device can be designed to be reusable after all the drug doses contained in the pockets 2 have been dispensed. In this case, the device may be such that the user can access the interior of the device, for example by removing the lid 30, thereby inserting a new strip 1, for example in a cassette. Alternatively, however, the device may be disposable once the strip 1 with which it is being fed has been consumed.
When in both cases the device is first used, the main part of the strip 1 is located inside the chamber 11, it being held in a fairly hard coil by the leaf spring 28 with a short portion at its forward exit from the chamber 11 through the channel 31 to the advancing wheel 16. The furthest position the portion of the leading edge of the strip is pulled apart so that the leading edge of the cover sheet 4 can be fixed to the cover wheel 14 and so that the leading edge of the base sheet 3 can enter the channel 33. The end of the cover sheet 4 is held in place on the cover wheel 14 by means of a wedge 34 which is inserted into a slot 35 in the wheel 14 during press fit.
A user wishing to use the device pushes the lever 24 counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 1, whereby the sliding arm 26 makes pressing against the steering wheel 22 so that it rotates at an angle equal to the angular distance between two adjacent teeth. This causes the steering wheel 16 to rotate in an angular extent equal to the pitch of the groove 17 in the same and thus equal to the distance between two adjacent pockets 2 in the strip 1. Hereby a pocket 2 is moved to a position opposite the slot 18 in the body 10. As the steering wheel 22 and the gear 23 move in unison, and as the gear 25 engages with the gear 23, the adjustment of the lever 24 also causes the lid wheel 14 to rotate. Thereby, a sufficient portion of the cover sheet 4 is pulled away from the base sheet 3 to expose the contents of the pocket 2 which are being moved to a position opposite the slot 18.
As the user inhales through the nozzle 20, air enters
512 The 934 stream which produces this powder from the opened pocket, whereby the powder is inhaled by the user. One way in which this can be done is described in more detail below with reference to the embodiment of the nozzle shown in Figures 4a and 4b. Each time the above process is repeated, a further portion of the cover sheet will be wound around the cover wheel 14, and a further portion of the base sheet enters the chamber 12 through the channel 33. The leaf spring 29 therein ensures that the base sheet is wound up and not hooked to the wall of chamber 12.
One effect that occurs when the cover sheet is wound on the cover wheel 14 is that the outer diameter of the wheel plus the wound sheet around it gradually increases. If it were not for using a slip coupling to connect the gear 25 to the cover wheel 14, the consequence would be that successive influences of the lever 24 would try to cause a progressively longer portion of the cover sheet to be wound up on the cover wheel. However, the slip coupling 50 causes this effect to be avoided as each time the coupling slides to a sufficient extent to ensure that for each actuation of the lever the extent of the cover sheet being wound is exactly equal to the division of the pockets 2.
Figures 4a and 4h show a portion of the advancing wheel 16 with a pocket therein in association with a nozzle which differs slightly from the nozzle 20 shown in Figures 1 to 3 and designated by the reference numerals 120. The nozzle 120 has air inlet 140 to which have been referred to in general terms already in connection with Figures 1 to 3, and a centrally located powder outlet 119, one end of which is open to the pocket 2 and the other end of which opens into the interior of the nozzle 120.
When the user inhales through the nozzle 120, this causes air to flow through the inlets 140 and thence through the pocket 2 into the powder outlet 119 and out through the nozzle 120. Thus, directing the air flow through the bag 2 in this way achieves that powder is effectively introduced into the air stream and consequently the pocket is emptied effectively. The nozzle 120 is provided with additional air inlets 121 which are shown to a number of four here as an example and which open tangentially in the nozzle. As the user inhales air is drawn into the nozzle not only through the air inlets 140 but also through
512 934 air inlets 121, the air entering through inlets 121 becoming a swirling air flow which assists in efficiently distributing powder within the air stream and reducing the extent to which powder is deposited on the inside of the nozzle. This also helps to break any powder aggregates that may be present in the bubble.
An alternate clutch arrangement is shown in Figures 25 to 29. In this, toothed gears 60 and 64 are fixed at each of the advancing wheels 16 and the cover wheel 17 for rotation therewith. The direction of rotation is indicated by arrows in Figure 27.
The gear 63 has a toothed surface 65 with teeth arranged continuously all the way around the surface 65 and with a constant pitch. In contrast, the gear 64 has a toothed surface 66 where some teeth are missing because the surface is provided with radially extending slots 67. The circumferential width of each slot on the surface is equal to the pitch of a tooth. The drawings show three such slots, but it should be understood that instead there could be one slot, two slots or more than three slots. On one side of each of the slots 67, in fact upstream of each slot when viewed in the direction of rotation of the gear 64, a toothed portion 68 is formed between the slot 67 and a narrow slot 69. The radially inner end of each slot 69 is in communication with an opening 70, and each toothed portion 68 is thus connected to the remainder of the gear 60 only by means of an arm 71. The gear 64 or at least the parts thereof forming the arms 71 are made of a material which allows the toothed portions 68 to bend resiliently resiliently in the circumferential direction. The rest position of the portions 68 is the position shown in the drawings, but when a force is applied to a portion 68 in the direction of rotation of the gear 64, the portion 68 can move such that it closes the gap 67 at the radially outer end. This has the effect that a tooth is then missing not at the end of slot 67 but at the end of slot 69.
When the circumferential force applied to the gear 64 by the gear 63 is below a predetermined level, the toothed portions 68 remain in their resting positions, and the gear 64 behaves just as if it had a continuous toothed surface equal to
512 934 then as the surface of the gear 63. However, if the load exceeds a predetermined value, the gear 63, each time a toothed portion 68 engages the gear 63, is reversed circumferentially to close the slot 67 at its outer end and open the slot 69. the toothed portion 68 a distance equal to the tooth pitch has the effect of effecting the slip of the gear 64 with respect to the gear 69 equal to a tooth pitch. In this way, the illustrated arrangement will allow a total slip of the gears relative to each other at a distance equal to a maximum of three times the gear pitch per revolution and thus a corresponding slip of the cover wheel and the progress wheel relative to each other. As will be appreciated, the provision of more or less toothed portions than the three illustrated implies that more or less than this maximum slip is allowed.
A second embodiment of the inhalation device according to the invention is shown in Figures 5 to 9. This is intended for use with a strip 201 which is similar to the strip 1 used in the first embodiment except for the spacing between the pockets (see below about this). In many respects, the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, and parts of the second embodiment which generally correspond to particular parts of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals but with the addition of 200. The main difference between the first embodiment and the second embodiment is that in the latter, there is no steering wheel corresponding to the steering wheel 16 in the first embodiment. Instead, advancement of the strip 1 is achieved to ensure that any action of the lever causes the strip to be advanced to an extent equal to the division of the pockets by means of a resilient resilient flexible arm 250 which terminates with a tooth 252 engaging between adjacent pockets. Each time lever 224 is affected, arm 250 will be depressed resiliently resilient as a pocket slides past arm tooth 252, and the tooth then jumps back into engagement with the strip behind the pocket that has just passed it.
It will be appreciated that, as in the case of the first embodiment, the diameter of the cover wheel 24 with the cover sheet on it increases gradually during operation. Because a slip coupling does not
512 934 can be used in this embodiment to compensate for the action just described by allowing the distance between the pockets 2 to increase gradually towards the rear end of the strip.
A further difference which can be noted between the first and second embodiments is that in the latter, chambers 211 and 212 form a single composite chamber as opposed to the individual chambers 11 and 12 in the first embodiment. However, this need not be the case, the first embodiment could use a single composite chamber and the second embodiment could use individual chambers.
Figures 10 to 12 show a third embodiment. In many respects this is similar to the second embodiment, and parts of the third embodiment which generally correspond to parts of the second embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals but with the addition of a further 100.
A difference seen between the second and third embodiments is that instead of the cover wheel 114, a pair of wheels 314a and 314b are used, the cover sheet being gripped in the nip between the wheels 314a and 314b which serve as a defect. These wheels are lightweight or otherwise uneven to improve the grip between the wheel and the cover sheet. The used sheet sheet is not wound up but fed into chamber 313, so no problem arises, as is the case in the first two embodiments, with the lid wheel trying to wrap up gradually longer portions of the lid as the device continues to operate.
Figure 11 shows the nozzle performed in a slightly different way than shown in Figures 4a and 4b. The nozzle is shown with a single air inlet 340 instead of the pair of air inlet 140, and the powder outlet 119 in Figures 4a and 4b has been replaced with a nozzle portion 319 of reduced width. It should be understood, however, that the device shown in Figures 10 to 12 could be modified and thereby include a nozzle to more closely resemble Figures 4a and 4b.
Figure 10 shows the device formed with a hinged lid 360, and such a lid could be provided for either of the first two embodiments. Figure 12 shows the device provided with a window 370 through which markings on the strip can be viewed. By providing the strip
512 934 prints of numbers or other markings related to the number of pockets from which the powder has been ejected or alternatively to be ejected will provide the user with an indication of how many doses have been used or alternatively how many doses remain. Another possibility is to use a dose counter device operated by one of the rotating parts of the inhalation device. It should be noted that similar markings and means for viewing these markings could be provided in all embodiments.
Figures 13 to 16 show a further embodiment of the invention. This is similar to the first embodiment with respect to the working principle, and parts of the fourth embodiment which generally correspond to parts of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals but with the addition of 400.
As in the first embodiment, the device receives a /
flexible strip, herein designated 401, comprising a base sheet 403, in which pockets 402 are formed, and a cover sheet 404. Strip 401 is best shown in Figure 35. The cover sheet 404 has a loop 404a formed at its front edge for engagement over a post 471a extending upwardly from a toothed wheel 471 (described below). The base sheet has a reduced width front portion 403a for engaging a slot 470a formed in the base winding wheel 470 (described below). The forward end portions of the base sheet and the cover sheet are not sealed together as can be seen in Figure 35.
The body 410 comprises a base 410a and an upper portion 410b, both of which are generally circular in shape. When the device is assembled together, the base and the upper part are fixed together by means of snapping. The body limits a single inner chamber within which the strip 401 is housed and within which is also housed a wheel 414 to wrap up the used portion of the cover sheet 404, a baseline reel 470, and a progress wheel 416. The progress wheel 416 is hollow, and a progress ratchet wheel 422 is housed therein. All the wheels just mentioned are mounted in the chamber which is formed by the body for rotational movement in relation thereto. A latch 470b is attached to the body 410 and engages the teeth of the base winding wheel 470 to prevent the wheel from moving in a counterclockwise direction thereby ensuring that the strip 401 can only advance forward through the device.
The cover winding wheel 414 is formed in two parts, namely as a toothed wheel 471 with teeth 472 and a shaft 473, and a collapsible wheel 474 with a hollow center shaft 475 and a plurality of resilient resilient arms 476, for example as shown by eight such arms which extend from the center axis 475 at an angle to a radius. The toothed wheel 471 has a projection 477 which engages in a corresponding recess in the shaft 475, so the wheels 471 and 474 rotate in unison.
The hollow advancing wheel 416 has outer teeth 478 which engage the teeth of the base winding wheel 470 and the teeth of the wheel 471. Latch teeth 479 are formed on the inner walls of the advancing wheel 416, and the advancing latch wheel 429 has two latches 429.
The device further comprises a lever 424 formed by an arcuate wall 481 with a finger tab 482 as well as an arm 483 extending inwardly from the wall 481 and carrying an arcuate group of teeth 484 at its distal end. The lever is pivotally mounted at the center of the base 410a so that it can move about an axis located at the center of the pitch circle for teeth 484, and teeth 484 engage teeth 485 on the advancing latch 422.
A branch 486 provides connection between the chamber inside the body 410 and a nozzle 420. The branch has a powder outlet 419 and also has a channel 487 to allow used cover strip 404 to pass to the collapsible wheel 474. If desired, a roller 488 can be provided to directing the strip 404 to the channel 487.
A dose monitoring ring 489 with teeth 490 is arranged so that it is rotatable in the base 410a of the body. On its lower surface there are markings (not visible in the drawings) which the user can see through a window 494 in the body 410. It is seen in figures 16a to 16d that the window can be seen both when the lid 491 (see below) is closed and when it is open . The markings indicate either the exact or approximate number of doses remaining (or the number of doses used, if preferred). Ring 489 is rotated due to the fact that its teeth 490 engage teeth 478
512 934 on the progress wheel.
The device is placed under a cover 491 which is pivotally stored on the body 410 by a projection 492 on the upper part 410b of the body and a corresponding projection 493 on the base 410a of the body. The lid is pivotable between an open position (shown in Figure 14) in which the nozzle is exposed, and a closed position in which this is not the case, as will be more fully described below.
In use, the user switches the lid 491 to its open position and then depresses the finger tab 482 on the lever 424 to cause it to move as the lever swings. This causes the advance locking wheel 422 to rotate, which in turn via the latches 480 causes the advance wheel 416 to also turn. Rotation of the progress wheel 416 causes both the base winding wheel 470 and the cover winding wheel 414 to be rotated, thereby separating the base sheet and the cover sheet a sufficiently long distance to expose a previously unopened pocket 402 opposite the end of the powder outlet 419 in the branch 486. previous embodiments.
Successive steps in using the device are shown in Figures 16a to 16d. The device is in its closed position in Figure 16a. The finger tab 482 of the lever 424 is at this stage in a recess 482 formed in the body 410 (as is more clearly seen in Figures 16b and 16c). The lid 419 is held still as the body 410 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, and a recess 410c is arranged in the circumference of the body to enable the user to insert a finger for this purpose. The device is thus switched to the partially open position shown in Fig. 16b. During this process, the lever 424 remains stationary relative to the lid 491. This is achieved by providing the lid internally with a resilient resilient arm 424a, the tip of which 424b engages in a recess 491a in the lid 491. The arm 424a is secured to the lever 424 via a cylindrical member 424c. As seen in Figure 16a, the arm 424a extends counterclockwise from the member 424c to an arc of about 90 °. The cylindrical member 424c is guided in an arcuate slot 410d formed in the body 410. Slot 410d extends in an arc of about 180 °, and in Figure 16a, member 424c is shown about halfway out121234 after its longitudinal extension. In Figure 16b it is shown at one end.
The user continues to turn the body 410 from the position shown in Figure 16b to the position shown in Figure 16c. During this further rotation, the tip 424b of the arm 424a jumps out of the recess 491a. The reason for this occurring is that when the member 424c is at one end of the slot 410d, the adjustment of the body 410 causes the member 424c to be brought in a counterclockwise direction and thus forces the arm 424a to move in a counterclockwise direction as well. The user then adjusts the lever 424 by pushing the finger tab 482 so that it is rotated counterclockwise through the position shown in Figure 16c to the position shown in Figure 16d where the finger tab 482 is re-inserted into the recess 482b. Thus, the steps described so far result in both the nozzle 420 being exposed and a new bubble being opened. Thus, the device is now ready for the user to inhale.
After the device has been used, the body 410 is rotated clockwise and the lever 424 then moves in association with the body so that the device is returned to the position according to Figure 16a.
It will be seen that the collapsible wheel 474 in practice assumes the function of the clutch in the first embodiment. As more of the cover sheet is wound on the wheel 474, the arms 476 will gradually bend inwardly, and the effect of this is that the outer diameter of the coil of the wound cover sheet is kept substantially constant while its inner diameter is gradually reduced.
Instead of the wheel 414 with its collapsible wheels 474, it is possible to use the alternative configuration shown in Figure 13 or that shown in Figures 31 and 31a. The working principle of the device shown in FIG. 30 is very similar to that of the coupling device shown in FIGS. 25 to 29. The device of FIG. 30 comprises two parts 800 and 801. The portion 800 comprises a substantially cylindrical hollow housing 802 which is open at its lower end and three arcuate groups of teeth 803. A slot 804 extends through the upper surface of the cylinder 802, and the cylinder has a post 805 for receiving the front end of the cover sheet. The portion 801 comprises a disc 806 provided with three arcuate groups of teeth 807 and an upwardly extending member 808 extending upwardly from the disc 806. The member 808 is formed of a material, for example a plastic material, which is resiliently resilient in torsion.
The two portions 800 and 801 are joined together by snap fit so that the upper end of member 808 is inserted into slot 804 and cannot be rotated relative thereto. The groups of teeth 803 and 807 lie in the same plane and alternate with each other. Teeth 803 and 807 engage with the teeth of the advancing wheel 478. Each group 807 is separated from one of the adjacent groups 803 (but not from the other) by a tooth. Thus, there are three gaps, tooth width, around the assembled groups.
by means of a gap equal to each one
Since the member 808 can bend in torsion, the disc 806 is free to move back and forth between a position in which each gap is on one side of a corresponding group 807 and a position in which each gap is on the other side of a corresponding to group 807. This has the effect of effecting the slip of the device shown in Figure 30 in relation to the progress wheel.
The device shown in Figure 31 is a slip coupling. It comprises two parts 810 and 811 which are joined together during snap-snapping. The portion 810 includes a generally cylindrical housing 812 which is open at its lower end and having a post 813 for receiving the leading edge of the cover sheet. The interior of the housing 812 is provided with longitudinally extending tooth directions 814 as seen in Figure 31a. The portion 811 includes a cylinder 815 extending upwardly from a disc 816 provided with teeth 817. The teeth 817 engage with the teeth of the advancing wheel 478. The cylinder 815 is provided on its exterior with a pair of pins 818 which are in interference engagement with the teeth 814. the rotational force applied by the part 811 to the part 810 is lower than a predetermined level, the parts rotate together. However, the cylinder is made of a material, for example a plastic material, which can be deformed in a radial direction, and when the torsional force exceeds the predetermined level, such deformation occurs, whereby the tags 818 are allowed to move over the teeth 814.
Although in the embodiment of Figures 13 to 16, with or without the modifications of Figures 30 and 31, the base sheet lin
512 934 is folded up like the cover sheet, it is not necessary that there must also be a slip coupling or similar between the advancing Christmas and the base winding wheel. The diameter of the base winding wheel is so chosen that from the beginning the base sheet is only very loosely wound while the sheet is wound up harder during use but without ever reaching an unacceptable level. Theoretically, the base sheet could be wound up accurately via a slip coupling or the like, whereby the cover sheet would only be loosely wound, but in practice it is much easier to wrap the cover sheet accurately because it is flat and because it is thinner than the base sheet.
Figures 17 to 20 schematically show the main operating parts of a device having some similarities to the devices shown in Figures 10 to 12, ie a defective device. It should be understood, however, that Figures 17 to 20 do not show a complete device and that the chamber of the unused strip and base material used has been omitted. Parts of this embodiment which generally correspond to particular parts of the embodiment of Figures 10 to 12 are designated by the same reference numerals but with the addition of an additional 200.
The device of Figures 17 to 20 includes a pair of wheels 514a and 514b on which interlocking teeth are formed and which serve as a defect which engages with the cover material used. This material is fed into a chamber 513. The wheel 514b is a steering wheel and is pressed into engagement with the wheel 514a by a compression spring 595 acting on a holder 596 and supporting the wheel 514b. The wheel 514a has a ring of gear teeth 598 which engage teeth 597 formed on a progress wheel 516 which performs the same advance function as the advance wheel 16 in the first embodiment and is rotatable in a chamber 515. The chambers are formed in a body 510, and covers 530 and 530b are fixed at opposite sides of the chamber. Inhalation is performed through a nozzle 520. The device is actuated by a lever 524 which rotates the advancing wheel 516 via a sliding arm 526.
The embodiment shown in Figures 21 to 24 is another type of defect device but one where both the lid and base sheets pass through the defect wheels.
512 934
The embodiment of Figs. 21 to 24 includes a body 610 which forms a substantially circular chamber 611 and to which the lids 612a and 612b are fixed. In the chamber 611, a progress wheel 613 and a base and lid winding wheel 614 are rotatably mounted, the wheels 613 and 614 having gear teeth which engage one another. The advancing wheel 613 has grooves 615, and a lid grip wheel 618 rotatably mounted in a holder 619 is also mounted adjacent the grooves 615 downstream of the branch 616. A roller 620 is mounted behind the branch 616 to guide the lid sheet.
The flexible strip 601 is disposed in the chamber 611, and the main part of the strip is initially wound around the inner wall of the chamber. The front end of the strip passes between guides 622 and 623 over a portion of the circumference of the advancing wheel 613, the pockets of the strip containing powder engaging the grooves 615. At the point where the strip meets the branch 616, its parts are disassembled, and the cover sheet passes behind the branch and over the roll 620 while the base sheet passes between the advancing wheel and the branch. After the branching, both sheets pass between the advancing wheel and the lid grip wheel 618 and are grasped therefrom. The front end of the strip is fixed in the base and cover winding wheel 614.
In use, the strip 601 is advanced by rotating the advance Christmas by a lever 624 via a sliding arm 626 which results in a corresponding rotation of the base and cover winding wheel. This causes the base and cover to be wound up, initially loosened, although they increase in tightening as the operation progresses, however, the tightening ever reaches an unacceptable level. The cover and base sheets are pulled apart where the strip meets branch 61.6 and presents a new powder pocket for the powder outlet 617. Inhalation is via a nozzle 620.
Figures 32 to 34 illustrate an embodiment of the invention including, as a further feature, markings which instruct the user with respect to the successive steps to be performed by the user when using the device. Apart from the markings, the device is substantially the same as the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, and the same reference numerals have been used for the corresponding parts. However, some new components such as
512 934 will become apparent from the following description.
The device shown in Figs. 32 to 34 has a cover 700 pivotally connected to the other portion of the pivotal movement device about an axis 701. The gears 23 and 25 and the associated parts are covered by a rear wall 702. This extends over the entire the rear part of the device, but in the drawings everything but a small proportion is broken away to make the drawings easier to understand. The lever 24 is provided with an arcuate extension 703, on an edge of which a cam 704 is formed. The extension 703 is provided with markings which are instructions to the user, in this case the words OPEN THE LOCK, PRESS THE BUTTON, INHALE. When the lever 24 and thus the extension 703 are in fixed positions, selected words from the above are visible through a window 705 in the rear wall 702. The distant end of the extension 703 is constituted by a button 706. The end of the lever 24 furthest from the extension 703 carries a tongue 707 which can be swung with the lever.
Figure 32 shows the device in its resting position. The text OPEN LID is visible through window 705. If a patient now opens lid 700, this means that the device is moved to the position shown in Figure 33. It will be seen that the upper trailing edge of the lid has struck the cam 704 and extended the extension 703 at such an angle that the words PRESS THE BUTTON are visible through the window 705. Now, if the user presses the button 706, this causes the lever 24 to turn and thereby open a container containing powder as described in connection with Figures 1 to 3. Hereby the device is moved to the position shown in Figure 34, in which the text INHALE is visible through window 705. It is also seen that in the position according to figure 34, tongue 707 shoots upwards. Thus, when the user has inhaled and closes the lid, the tongue 707 is hit by a projection 708 on the underside of the lid, which pushes the lever 24 and its extension 703 back to the position shown in Figure 32, again displaying the text OPEN LOCK.
The newly described device not only provides instructions step by step to the user, thereby reducing the risk of a patient being lost, but also makes it difficult for the patient to use the device in any other way than the intended one due to the fact that when the button 706 well pressed down 512 934 it will not be accessed again until the user has closed the lid and reopened it.
In the embodiments described above, a nozzle has been mentioned. However, if the device was to be used for purposes other than oral inhalation, another outlet would be used, such as a nose piece.
512 934
Contents2
22 sheets
Sheet 1 Sheet 2 Sheet 3 Sheet 4 Sheet 5 Sheet 6 Sheet 7 Sheet 8 Sheet 9 Sheet 10 Sheet 11 Sheet 12 Sheet 13 Sheet 14 Sheet 15 Sheet 16 Sheet 17 Sheet 18 Sheet 19 Sheet 20 Sheet 21 Sheet 22
109 members in 44 offices
Priority claims10
| Document | Office | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9004781 | United Kingdom | A | |
| 9004781 | United Kingdom | A | |
| 60067 | African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) | A | |
| 60067 | African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) | A | |
| 9100321 | African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) | A | |
| 9100321 | African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) | A | |
| 9004781 | – | – | – |
| AP19910000321 | – | – | – |
| GB19900004781 | – | – | – |
| OA19910060067 | – | – | – |
Members109
| Document | Office | Kind | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9004781D0 | United Kingdom | D0 | |
| DK37991D0 | Denmark | D0 | |
| NO910836D0 | Norway | D0 | |
| SE9100582D0 | Sweden | D0 | |
| GB9104322D0 | United Kingdom | D0 | |
| CA2037421A1 | Canada | A1 | |
| CA2288413A1 | Canada | A1 | |
| DK37991A | Denmark | A | |
| FI911037A | Finland | A | |
| NO910836L | Norway | L | |
| SE9100582L | Sweden | L | |
| AU7202591A | Australia | A | |
| DE4106379A1 | Germany | A1 | |
| IE910698A1 | Ireland | A1 | |
| FR2659558A1 | France | A1 | |
| GB2242134A | United Kingdom | A | |
| HU910696D0 | Hungary | D0 | |
| NL9100381A | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | A | |
| CN1054893A | China | A | |
| FR2660550A1 | France | A1 | |
| BR9100843A | Brazil | A | |
| ZA911516B | South Africa | B | |
| KR920005693A | Republic of Korea | A | |
| PL289264A1 | Poland | A1 | |
| BE1003798A4 | Belgium | A4 | |
| GR910100096A | Greece | A | |
| JPH04220266A | Japan | A | |
| ITRM910145A1 | Italy | A1 | |
| OA09393A | African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) | A | |
| LU87898A1 | Luxembourg | A1 | |
| ES2031763A6 | Spain | A6 | |
| TW197380B | Taiwan Province of China | B | |
| FR2659558B1 | France | B1 | |
| PT96920A | Portugal | A | |
| AU645056B2 | Australia | B2 | |
| AP310A | African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) | A | |
| CH683319A5 | Switzerland | A5 | |
| GB9404023D0 | United Kingdom | D0 | |
| YU36791A | Yugoslavia, later Serbia and Montenegro (until 2006) | A | |
| AU5926794A | Australia | A | |
| GB2274273A | United Kingdom | A | |
| IT1244655B | Italy | B | |
| MY105368A | Malaysia | A | |
| GB2242134B | United Kingdom | B | |
| GB2274273B | United Kingdom | B | |
| FR2660550B1 | France | B1 | |
| HK18895A | Hong Kong, China | A | |
| HK19195A | Hong Kong, China | A | |
| SG169094G | Singapore | G | |
| SI9110367A | Slovenia | A | |
| IE64503B1 | Ireland | B1 | |
| CN1107687A | China | A | |
| ATA43791A | Austria | A | |
| PL167736B1 | Poland | B1 | |
| CN1030491C | China | C | |
| IL97396A | Israel | A | |
| NZ237274A | New Zealand | A | |
| NZ260140A | New Zealand | A | |
| AT401007B | Austria | B | |
| GR1002387B | Greece | B | |
| HRP940631A2 | Croatia | A2 | |
| US5590645A | United States of America | A | |
| AU675825B2 | Australia | B2 | |
| RU2075977C1 | Russian Federation | C1 | |
| HU213221B | Hungary | B | |
| NO980033D0 | Norway | D0 | |
| NO980033L | Norway | L | |
| CZ283168B6 | Czechia | B6 | |
| CY2010A | Cyprus | A | |
| CY2014A | Cyprus | A | |
| NO302929B1 | Norway | B1 | |
| DE4106379C2 | Germany | C2 | |
| ID20246A | Indonesia | A | |
| CZ180796A3 | Czechia | A3 | |
| US5860419A | United States of America | A | |
| FI990115A | Finland | A | |
| PT96920B | Portugal | B | |
| US5873360A | United States of America | A | |
| KR100210412B1 | Republic of Korea | B1 | |
| UA26230A | Ukraine | A | |
| NO305786B1 | Norway | B1 | |
| YU48707B | Yugoslavia, later Serbia and Montenegro (until 2006) | B | |
| CZ285501B6 | Czechia | B6 | |
| US6032666A | United States of America | A | |
| KR100244004B1 | Republic of Korea | B1 | |
| SE512934C2This record | Sweden | C2 | |
| SK280967B6 | Slovakia | B6 | |
| SK280968B6 | Slovakia | B6 | |
| NL193930B | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | B | |
| JP3110477B2 | Japan | B2 | |
| NL193930C | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | C | |
| HRP940631B1 | Croatia | B1 | |
| CN1066036C | China | C | |
| FI107883B | Finland | B | |
| CA2037421C | Canada | C | |
| US6378519B1 | United States of America | B1 | |
| US2002053344A1 | United States of America | A1 | |
| US2002066451A1 | United States of America | A1 | |
| US6536427B2 | United States of America | B2 | |
| FI110991B | Finland | B |
1 legal event, as the office reported them to INPADOC
Events
| Event | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Patent has lapsedLapsedNUG | NUG |
Numbers
- Publication, DOCDB
- 512934
- Publication, EPODOC
- SE512934
- Application
- 9100582
- Application, DOCDB
- 9100582
- Application, EPODOC
- SE19910000582
Titles2
- Swedish
- Inhalationsanordning
- English
- inhalation
Classification
- CPC, 10
- A61M15/0045
- A61M15/00
- A61M2206/16
- A61M15/0043
- A61M15/0051
- A61M15/0055
- A61M15/0068
- A61M2202/064
- A61M15/0075
- A61M15/0078
- IPC, 5
- A61M13 00
- A61J1 18
- A61M15 00
- B65D75 28
- B65D83 04
