FR2763507A1 - Inhaler with sound unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The inhaler has a sound unit (20) in the air passage, to give a sound while air is flowing through the passage.

Description

 The present invention relates to an inhaler and in particular an inhaler intended to treat children.

 There are already known inhalers of the type comprising an elongated casing capable of receiving a pressurized reservoir containing a product to be inhaled. The pressurized tank is fitted with a valve, the rod of which, which projects outside the tank, can be pushed in to release the pressurized product. This valve stem is fitted into a tube inside the housing which leads to a dispersion orifice oriented in the direction of a lateral nozzle intended to be grasped by the mouth of a user.

 Opposite the endpiece, the housing is open, which allows the introduction of the pressurized reservoir, which, once placed in the housing, protrudes from said housing by its introduction opening.

 To inhale the product, the user may orient the inhaler by placing the mouthpiece at the bottom, apply his lips to the mouthpiece and push the pressurized reservoir slightly into the housing, pressing on the part of the reservoir projecting from said housing, while by breathing deeply so as to cause the product to inhale inside his lungs.

 To allow the user to suck effectively, the inhaler has a passage connecting the inside of the mouthpiece to the outside of the inhaler. This passage constitutes an air intake which allows the user to create an air circulation in the nozzle at the time of the release of the product, to entrain this product in his lungs.

 These known inhalers are generally satisfactory provided they are properly used.

 In particular, for the inhalation to be effective, it is important that the user takes a measured and regular suction when he releases the product to be inhaled.

 This operation can pose some difficulties for an adult; it is even more difficult for a child to perform.

 To use the inhaler optimally, you must simultaneously suck in air at an appropriate rate and press the tank.

 The suction should be regular, strong enough to carry a desirable amount of product, without being excessive, which could lead to too much product absorption.

 A child must naturally carry out the same operations, this is why he often needs the help of an adult, in particular to maintain the inhaler and to release the product at the right time.

 In addition, it can be difficult to get a child to spontaneously agree to inhale through the mouthpiece to inhale the product.

 Anyway, even if the child spontaneously takes a suction, it is to be feared that this aspiration is insufficient or excessive, or that the adult who is responsible for spraying the product at the time of aspiration will detect not the optimal time for product release.

 The present invention aims in particular to solve these drawbacks by proposing a simple and economical device.

 The present invention relates to an inhaler comprising an endpiece through which a user can suck, means for sending a product to be inhaled into said endpiece, and a passage connecting the interior of the endpiece to the exterior of the inhaler so that when a user sucks through the nozzle, it causes, in said passage, a circulation of air coming from outside, inhaler which is characterized by the fact that it comprises, in said passage, a member sound capable of emitting a sound when said air circulation passes through it.

 It is understood that the inhaler according to the invention is entirely suitable for encouraging a child to take a suction because the fact of sucking through the nozzle generates the emission of a sound signal, which can for example be that a whistle or a reed, likely to amuse the child.

 It is also understood that the adult responsible for releasing the product to be inhaled need only wait for the emission of an audible signal to release the product in the best conditions.

 In addition, the inhaler according to the invention allows adults who use it to draw in air at a suitable rate which is neither insufficient nor excessive and to maintain this aspiration throughout the period of inhalation of the product. .

 Preferably, the sensitivity of the sound organ is adjusted so that the latter is triggered only when the suction through the nozzle is suitable for effectively causing the product to be inhaled in the lungs of the user.

 Thus, the power of the suction produced by the user is measurable by the emission or not of an audible signal and by the intensity of this signal if necessary.

 To obtain the emission of the sound signal, a vibrating blade or reed can be used as the sound organ, the structure of which is determined so that the air flow which passes through it corresponds to an appropriate suction on the part of the user, c that is, aspiration which is sufficient to cause the product to inhale into the user's lungs but not excessive.

 Advantageously, the means for sending the product to be inhaled into the mouthpiece consist of a pressurized reservoir provided with a valve, the rod of which must be pressed in to release the product and by a conveying tube leading to a dispersion orifice oriented towards the mouthpiece.

 In a first embodiment of the invention, the inhaler comprises a housing supporting the nozzle, capable of receiving a pressurized reservoir, and comprising a first end provided with the nozzle and a second end provided with the sound member.

 In this case, the housing constitutes the passage connecting the interior of the nozzle to the exterior of the inhaler, and there remains a clearance between the pressurized reservoir and the interior wall of the housing so as to allow air circulation. from the outside inside the case.

 In a first variant of this embodiment, the housing is open at its end opposite to the nozzle and the pressurized reservoir protrudes from the housing by its open end, the sound member being mounted on a cap which rests on the part of the pressurized reservoir protruding from the housing and covers this part of the reservoir as well as the edge of the housing close to its open end, so that a suction of air through the nozzle causes a depression in the housing and in the cap and generates air circulation through the sound element mounted on the cap.

 In this variant, the product is released by exerting pressure on the cap in the direction of the nozzle, the cap then slides axially around the housing by pushing the reservoir.

 In a second variant, the housing is open at its end opposite the end piece and the sound member is mounted on a cap which covers the edge of this open end opposite the end piece, a piston passing through the cap to come and pick up support on the pressurized tank and being maneuverable from outside the cap to compress the pressurized tank and trigger the spraying of the product.

 In this variant, the cap is fixed and the product is released by pressing on the piston which passes through the cap and pushes the reservoir towards the nozzle.

 In a second embodiment of the invention, the inhaler comprises a housing supporting the nozzle, capable of receiving a pressurized reservoir, and a removable element forming a sealed wall and provided with a sound organ, this removable element being able to be inserted, possibly by force, into the case to separate the end piece from the rest of the case.

 In a third embodiment of the invention, the sound member is directly mounted on the end piece.

 Preferably, in this embodiment, the sensitivity of the sound organ is determined so that, when the sound organ emits its sound signal, the air flow sucked in by the user, which results on the one hand from 'an air circulation through the sound element and on the other hand an air circulation through other passages of the inhaler, that is to say the appropriate air flow rate for good inhalation of the product.

 To facilitate the adjustment of the sound element, it is possible, in a variant, to provide a watertight partition separating the nozzle from the rest of the inhaler so that all the air sucked in by the user passes through the sound element.

 Thus, there is no air circulation through passages of the inhaler other than the sound organ.

 Such a sealed wall nevertheless includes an orifice for the passage of the product to be inhaled.

 The present invention also relates to a cap supporting a sound member, intended to be mounted on the open end of a case of an inhaler as described above.

In order to better understand the invention we will now describe an embodiment given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which
FIG. 1 is a view in axial section of an inhaler according to a first variant of an embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view, along arrow II in FIG. 1, of the cap,
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of an inhaler according to a second variant of the first embodiment of the invention,
- Figure 4 is an axial sectional view of an inhaler according to a second embodiment of the invention
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an element inserted in the inhaler of FIG. 4,
FIG. 6 is a view in axial section of an inhaler according to a third embodiment of the invention, and
- Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 of an inhaler according to a variant of the third embodiment.

 The inhaler shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises, on the one hand, a prismatic housing 1, the section of which can be for example triangular, extended laterally at one of its ends by a nozzle 2 of substantially oval section, and on the other hand a cap 3.

 The housing 1 is open at its end 4 opposite the end piece 2, the bevelled shape of this opening having a purely aesthetic function.

 In its longitudinal axis 5 and in the vicinity of the endpiece 2, the housing comprises a conveying tube 6 internally delimiting a channel 7 which ends in a dispersion orifice 8 oriented towards the endpiece 2.

 A pressurized reservoir 9 of substantially cylindrical shape and containing a liquid to be inhaled is engaged in the housing 1 by its open end 4 opposite the end piece 2.

 This reservoir 9 is provided with a valve 10, the rod of which it projects axially from the reservoir.

 The arrangement of the valve 10 is such that, in the rest position, the valve is closed and the product cannot escape from the pressurized tank, while, when the valve stem 11 is slightly pressed into the tank, the product is expelled outward through a channel (not shown) provided in the valve stem.

 The valve stem 11 has an outside diameter close to the inside diameter of the conveying tube 6, in which it is force-fitted to make a sealed connection, bearing on a stop 12 provided in this tube.

 The thickness of the stop 12 is at most equal to that of the wall of the valve stem 11 so that the stop does not close the inner channel of said valve stem.

 It is understood that when a force directed downwards (relative to FIG. 1) is applied to the pressurized reservoir 9 while holding the housing, the valve rod 11 is pushed in and the product to be inhaled is released. which first fills the conveying tube 7 and is then expelled towards the nozzle 2 through the dispersion orifice 8.

 A return device, not visible because housed in the tank, pushes the valve 11 outwards and rises the pressurized tank when it is released, which interrupts the expulsion of the product.

 As seen in Figure 1, there remains a radial clearance 13 between the pressurized tank 9 and the housing 1, radial clearance 13 which allows air circulation between the nozzle 2 and the open end 4 of the housing opposite to this tip.

 The cap 3 has an inner section very slightly larger than the outer section of the housing 1 so that, when said cap 3 comes to cover the edge of the open end 4 of the housing opposite the end piece, the space 14 separating the walls of the housing and the cap is as small as possible, thus limiting the possibilities of penetration of outside air between the cap and the housing when a vacuum prevails in the housing.

 In this way, a vacuum created in the housing 1 propagates in the interior volume 15 of the cap 3.

 The cap 3 has internally three stops 16 which come to bear against the side wall 17 and against the bottom 18 of the pressurized tank 9 when the cap 2 comes to cover the open end 4 of the case opposite the end piece.

 The supports on the side wall 17 of the reservoir allow the cap to be held in position, and the supports on the bottom 18 of the reservoir allow, when the cap is pressed, to press the pressurized reservoir into the housing and to release the product in the same way as if, in the absence of the cap, one pressed directly on the pressurized tank. In this case, the cap 3 slides axially along the housing over a short stroke corresponding to the insertion of the valve stem 11 into the reservoir 9.

 The cap 2 further comprises a slot 19 in the thickness of one of its side walls, a reed or movable blade 20 being held opposite this slot 19, outside the interior volume 15 of the cap. Around this reed 20, the cap 3 has a double wall 21 which defines a protection chamber for the reed 19, which is relatively fragile.

 As seen in Figure 1, when the cap 3 is placed on the housing 1, the air passage through the nozzle 2 and the housing 1 extends into the interior volume 15 of the cap 3 to the slot 19 of the latter.

 Thus, when a user sucks through the nozzle, a vacuum occurs in the nozzle 2, in the housing 1, then in the interior volume 15 of the cap 3, which causes air circulation through the slot 19, and the displacement of the reed 20 which starts to vibrate. When the suction is sufficient, the vibrations of the reed 20 result in the emission of a sound signal.

 The cap 3 must then be pressed onto the housing 1 to release the product to be inhaled which can thus be entrained in the lungs of the user under optimal conditions.

 The inhaler shown in Figure 3 is similar to that of Figures 1 and 2 for all its parts bearing identical reference numerals.

 However, instead of the sliding cap 3, this inhaler comprises a fixed cap 3 ′, the side walls 17 ′ of which are fitted to the edge of the open end 4 ′ of the housing.

 Like the cap 3 in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cap 3 'has a slot 19' in the thickness of one of its side walls, a reed 20 'being held opposite this slot 19', outside the internal volume 15 'of the cap.

 As before, a suction carried out in the nozzle 2, causes a vacuum which propagates to the interior volume 15 and causes, by vibration of the reed 20 ', the emission of a sound signal.

 The fixed cap 3 'further comprises a piston 22 which is free to slide along the axis 5 of the inhaler by passing through an orifice 23 in the upper wall of the cap 3'.

 The piston has a seat 24 which bears on the bottom of the reservoir 9 and a bearing surface 25 which is intended to allow a user to depress the piston to compress the reservoir and cause the product it contains to be sprayed.

 The inhaler shown in FIG. 4 includes a housing 1 'identical to that described with reference to FIG. 3.

 In place of a cap placed at the open end of the housing, this inhaler comprises a sealed wall element 26 which is better visible in the perspective view of FIG. 5.

 This element 26 forcibly engages in the housing 1 'to come to take place just above the conveying tube 6, the lower edge 27 of the element 26 bearing against the connection line 28 between the end piece 2 and the rest of the case.

 This element is preferably made of deformable plastic so as to ensure a good seal at its periphery in abutment against the interior walls of the housing.

 The upper face 29 of the element is pierced with an orifice 30 allowing the passage of the valve stem 11 of the container and of a profiled slot 31 constituting a whistle capable of emitting a sound signal when it is crossed by a circulation of air.

 Such a force-insertable element allows, like the caps described above, to use without any modification a traditional case obtained using traditional injection molds.

 This is not the case for inhalers according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

 The inhaler shown in Figure 6 is similar to that of the previous figures for all its parts bearing common reference numerals. However, it has neither a cap 3 nor an insertable element, but its tip 2 is provided with a whistle 32.

 The whistle 32 communicates the inside and outside of the end piece 2 '.

 Consequently, in this embodiment, the passage connecting the interior of the nozzle to the exterior of the inhaler is essentially limited to the whistle 32 which emits an audible signal when the user sucks through the nozzle.

 For a depression created in the end piece 2 to cause air circulation in the whistle, it is preferable, in this embodiment, that the clearance 13 existing between the pressurized tank 9 and the housing 1 is fairly reduced, this which can be obtained for example by giving the housing 1 an interior section slightly larger, but of the same shape, as the external section of the pressurized tank 9.

 A sealing sheath (not shown) can also be placed around the reservoir 9 to fill the clearance 13 '.

 This embodiment has the advantage that the inhaler is presented in one piece, possibly after assembly of several parts during its manufacture, which avoids any risk of loss of the cap.

 In addition, in this embodiment, the emission of a sound signal by the whistle 32 is only possible if the inhaler is provided with the reservoir 9, because otherwise, the interior of the housing 1 'puts the interior of the nozzle 2 'in direct communication with the outside of the inhaler through the open end 4, which prevents the establishment in the nozzle of any depression which could create air circulation through the whistle 32.

 The fun aspect of the inhaler can therefore only appear in its curative use, which can constitute an additional factor of motivation for a child.

 In the variant shown in FIG. 7, the housing 1X comprises a sealed wall 33 separating the end piece 2 'from the rest of the housing so that all of the air sucked in by the user passes through the whistle 32.

 This wall 33 facilitates the adjustment of the whistle 32 which should not emit an audible audible signal until the air flow sucked in by the user is within a recommended interval, centered on approximately 1 liter per second.

 It is understood that the embodiment which has just been described does not have any limiting character and that it can receive any desirable modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (16)

 1. An inhaler comprising a mouthpiece (2; 2 ') through which a user can aspirate, means (7,8,9,10,11) for sending a product to be inhaled into said mouthpiece (2; 2') and a passage connecting the inside of the mouthpiece (2; 2 ') to the outside of the inhaler so that when a user sucks through the mouthpiece, it causes, in said passage, a circulation of air from from the outside, characterized in that it comprises, in said passage, a sound member (20; 20 '; 31; 32) capable of emitting a sound when it is crossed by said air circulation.  2. Inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the sound member is a reed (20; 20 ').  3. Inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that the sound member is a whistle (31; 32).  4. Inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the sensitivity of the sound organ (20; 20 '; 31; 32)) is adjusted so that the latter is only triggered when the suction through the nozzle (2; 2 ') is suitable for effectively entraining the product to be inhaled in the user's lungs.  5. Inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the means for sending the product to be inhaled into the nozzle (2; 2 '), consist of a pressurized reservoir (9) provided with a valve (10), the rod (11) of which must be pressed in to release the product and via a conveying tube (7) leading to a dispersion orifice (8) oriented towards the end piece (2; 2 ').  6. Inhaler according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a housing (ljl) supporting the nozzle (2), capable of receiving the pressurized reservoir (9) and comprising a first end provided with the nozzle and a second end (4; 4 ') provided with the sound member (20; 20').  7. Inhaler according to claim 6, characterized in that the housing (1) is open at its end (4) opposite to the nozzle (2), the pressurized reservoir (9) projecting from the housing (1) by its end open (4), the sound member (20) being mounted on a cap (3) which rests on the part of the pressurized reservoir (9) projecting from the housing and covers this part of the reservoir as well as the edge of the neighboring housing of its open end.  8. Inhaler according to claim 6, characterized in that the housing tl) is open at its end (4 ') opposite the end piece (2), the sound member (20') being mounted on a cap (3 ') which covers the edge of this open end (4') opposite the end piece (2), a piston (22) passing through the cap (3 ') to come to bear on the pressurized tank (9) and being manoeuvrable from outside the cap (3 ') to compress the pressurized tank (9) and trigger the spraying of the product.  9. Inhaler according to any one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the cap (3; 3 ') has a slot (19; 19') in the thickness of its side wall and a reed (20; 20 ') capable of vibrating opposite this slot (19; 19').  10. Inhaler according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a housing (1 ') supporting the end piece (2), capable of receiving the pressurized reservoir (9), and a removable element (26) forming a sealed wall and provided with a sound member (31), this removable element (26) being able to be inserted, optionally by force, into the housing (1 ') to separate the end piece (2) from the rest of the housing.  11. Inhaler according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by. the fact that the sound member (32) is mounted on the end piece (2 ').  12. Inhaler according to claim 11, characterized in that the sensitivity of the sound member (32) is determined so that, when the sound member (32) emits a sound signal, the air flow sucked in by l user, which results on the one hand from an air circulation through the sound member (32), and on the other hand from an air circulation through other passages (13 ') of the inhaler, the appropriate air flow rate for proper inhalation of the product.  13. Inhaler according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a watertight partition (33) separating the nozzle (2 ') from the rest of the inhaler so that all the air sucked in by the user passes through l sound organ (32).  14. Cap (3; 3 ') supporting a sound element (20; 20') intended to be mounted on a housing (1; 1 ') of an inhaler comprising a mouthpiece (2) through which a user can suck, a pressurized tank (9) provided with a valve (10) whose rod (11) must be depressed to release the product, and a conveying tube (7) leading to a dispensing orifice (8) oriented towards the nozzle (2), the housing (ljl) supporting the nozzle (2), being capable of receiving the pressurized reservoir (9) and comprising a first end provided with the nozzle (2) and a second end (4; 4 ' ) open, the cap (3; 3 ') being arranged to cover the edge of the open end (4; 4') of the housing opposite the end piece.  15. Cap (3) according to claim 14, intended to be mounted on the housing (1) of an inhaler in which the pressurized reservoir (9) protrudes from the housing by its open end (4), the cap (3) being characterized by the fact that it rests on the part of the pressurized reservoir (9) projecting from the housing.  16. Cap (3 ') according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises a piston (22) passing through it to come to bear on the pressurized tank (9) and being maneuverable from outside the cap to compress the pressurized tank (9) and trigger the spraying of the product.