Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Means for mixing treating agent with respiratory gas
Patent
1998-03-02
2000-08-22
Weiss, John G.
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Means for mixing treating agent with respiratory gas
12820321, A61M 1500, A61M 1600, B05D 714, B65D 8306
Patent
active
061055743
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to a disposable inhaler, particularly for administering powder by inhalation.
Previously, as described in WO93/17728 and illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, there was known a disposable inhaler constructed from two parts 1 and 2. The lower part 2 includes a recesses 3 in which a dose of powder is stored and the two parts together define a channel through which a stream of air may be drawn by a user from an air inlet 4 to a mouthpiece 5. A tape 6 is provided to cover the recesses 3 and is additionally bent around the outside of the part 2 to cover an aperture 8 in the bottom of the recess 3. In use, the tape 6 is pulled away from the lower part 2 so as to expose both the aperture 8 and the recess 3. Projections 7 are provided to keep the loose tape out of the way of the air flow and a depression 9 directs the air flow to pick up the powder in the recess 3 more effectively. The channel defined by parts 1 and 2 also includes a deagglomeration section 10 having a section inlet 11, a section outlet 12 and a divider 13. The divider 13 splits the stream of air into two flow paths and powder is caused to impact on internal surfaces. In this way, powder is effectively deagglomerated.
In use, a patient inhales through the mouthpiece 5 causing an air stream to pick up the powder stored in recess 3. As the air/powder mixture flows through the inhaler, powder is deagglomerated, then passes out of the mouthpiece 5 and into the lungs of the patient.
An object of the present invention is to simplify use of the inhaler such that it is more difficult to use the inhaler incorrectly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on a recognition that it is possible that a user will not insert an inhaler, such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, sufficiently far into his or her mouth. This is in contrast to many other types of inhaler where mouthpieces are provided to give the user an indication of how far the inhaler should be inserted to thereby prevent the inhaler being inserted too far. The present invention recognises that, with small flat inhalers of the type illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, it is important that the inhaler outlet passes beyond the tongue, whereas for other larger types of inhaler, when the mouth is opened sufficiently wide to insert the inhaler, the tongue naturally moves out of the way of the flow of air from the inhaler to the lungs.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of indicating to a user how far to insert into the mouth an inhaler having a body extending in a first direction between an air inlet and an air/powder outlet, the outer cross-section of the body at substantially every position along the length of the body being elongate in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction, the method comprising displacing the body at a predetermined distance from the air/powder outlet in a third direction perpendicular to said first and second directions.
According to the present invention there is also provided an inhaler for administering powder by inhalation, the inhaler comprising:
a body extending in a first direction between an air inlet and an air/powder outlet, the outer cross-section of the body at substantially every position along the length of the body being elongate in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction; wherein
at a predetermined distance from the air/powder outlet, the body is displaced in a third direction perpendicular to said first and second directions so as to provide a guide to the user as to how far the body should be inserted into the mouth of the user.
In this way, the overall construction, simplicity and effectiveness of the inhaler remains unchanged and yet it is immediately apparent to the user to what extent the inhaler should be inserted into his or her mouth. In particular, where the body of the inhaler is displaced downwardly, it will be immediately apparent to the user that the inhaler should be inserted in to his or her
Astra Aktiebolag
Weiss John G.
Weiss, Jr. Joseph F.
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