GB2454742A

GB2454742A - Vented spacer for inhaler

Info

Publication number: GB2454742A
Application number: GB0722636A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ohayon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-11-17
Filing date: 2007-11-17
Publication date: 2009-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 2027-11-17
Also published as: GB2454742A9; GB0722636D0; GB2454742B

Abstract

An adapter 10 for use in conjunction with a pressurized metered-dose inhaler, which adapter comprises a tubular body 12, 14 having a central chamber 16, at one end thereof an exit mouthpiece 18 having a exit nozzle for insertion in a user's mouth, at the opposite end of the central chamber an inlet socket 20 for receiving as required the exit nozzle of the inhaler, a vane 26 pivotally mounted in the central chamber 16 and resiliently biased to a bias position, from which position it will be deflected by a stream of airways-relieving substance being projected by the inhaler when in use, in the central chamber 16 at least one, preferably adjustable, exit vent 22 through which a proportion of the airways-relieving substance being projected by the inhaler can escape on being deflected by the vane 26. An indicator 32 visible on the outside of the tubular body 12, 14 is linked to the vane 26 in such manner as to indicate that the inhaler has functioned correctly. A counting means operable by the vane 26 or by the indicator 32 registers the number of times the inhaler has been operated.

Description

INHALER ADAPTER

Many patients who suffer from asthma use a pressurised, metered-dose inhaler for administering an airways-treating substance (i.e. a drug) into the lungs via the mouth. In such a case, the fine spray of this substance projected by the inhaler is carried into the lungs by the stream of air which is being simultaneously inhaled by the user.

Such an inhaler may be, for example, of the kind intended to dilate (i.e. open) the airways of the lungs, that is -to relieve the airways. My experience with such an inhaler has taught me that quite often the full dose, when administered in accordance with the instructions of the inhaler manufacturer, exceeds a lesser amount that 1 have found sufficient to give me the desired relief from constricted airways.

According to my invention, I provide an adapter for use in conjunction with such an inhaler, which adapter comprises a tubular body having a central chamber, at one end thereof an exit mouthpiece having a exit nozzle for insertion in a user's mouth, at the opposite end of the central chamber an inlet socket for receiving as required the exit nozzle of the inhaler, a vane pivotally mounted in the central chamber and resiliently biased to a bias position, from which position it will be deflected by a stream of airways-relieving substance being projected by the inhaler when in use, and in the central chamber at least one exit vent through which a proportion of the airways-relieving substance being projected by the inhaler can escape on being deflected by the vane.

Preferably, the or each said exit vent is adjustable at will, so as to suit the particular needs of the user.

According to one preferred feature of my invention, there is provided an indicator visible on the outside of the tubular body, which indicator is linked to the vane in such maimer as to indicate when in use whether the inhaler has functioned correctly.

According to another preferred feature of my invention, there is provided in said mouthpiece upstream of said exit nozzle at least one inlet port through which air may be drawn into the mouthpiece on inhalation by the user and be entrained therein with the airways- relieving substance being projected through said inlet socket and central chamber by the inhaler.

The adapter may also include a counting means arranged to be indexed by the vane, or by the indicator, thereby to register the number of times the inhaler has been used.

Preferably, the mouthpiece is separable from the central chamber.

Other features of my invention will appear from a reading of the description that follows hereinafter, and of the claims that are appended at the end of the description.

One inhaler adapter, and various modifications thereof, all according to my invention, will now be described by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: -Figure 1 shows a pictorial view of the inhaler adapter; Figure 2 shows a vertical cross section taken on a central longitudinal plane, when looking in the direction of the arrow A' of figure 1; Figure 3 shows a horizontal cross section taken on a central longitudinal plane, when looking in the direction of the arrow B' of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an end view as seen from the left hand side of Figure 1; and Figure 5 shows an end view as seen from the right hand side of Figure 1 Referring now to the drawings, the inhaler adapter 10 comprises two inter-engaging tubular members 12, 14 which together define a central tubular chamber 16, at the right hand side thereof a tubular mouthpiece 18 for insertion in the user's mouth, and at the opposite end of the central chamber an inlet socket 20 for receiving and connecting with, when in use, an exit nozzle of a pressurised, metered-dose inhaler (not shown).

The mouthpiece 18 has an exit nozzle 1 8A shaped, particularly in the manner shown in Figure 5, so as to enable it to be comfortably received in a user's mouth. The inlet socket has an inlet mouth 20A shaped, particularly as shown in Figure 4, so as to fit closely onto the exit nozzle of the inhaler.

The tubular member 12 is provided with one or more radial exit vents 22, and carries externally a cylindrical shutter 24 arranged for axial sliding movement thereon, thereby to enable the shutter to wholly or partly cover the or each such exit vent 22, as desired.

A circular vane 26 is mounted within the tubular member 12 at a position upstream of the or each said exit vent 22, is carried on a transverse shaft 28 which is itself pivotally carried within the wall of the tubular member 12, and is biased by means not shown to an upright transverse position as indicated at 30.

A small indicator 32 slidably carried within the wall of the tubular member 12 is attached by a link 34 to the circular vane 26 so as to be actuated thereby.

When the adapter is in use in conjunction with an inhaler, movement of the vane from the biased position 30 will indicate whether the inhaler has functioned correctly.

Air inlet ports 36 are provided in the mouthpiece 18 on either side thereof and upstream of the exit nozzle I 8A. These enable the user on inhaling to draw air into the mouthpiece 18, and there entrain it with the flow of airways-relieving substance being projected by the inhaler.

In use, the inlet socket 20 of the adapter is secured on the outlet nozzle of a pressurised, metered-dose inhaler, so as to receive on actuation of the inhaler the prescribed metered dose of an airways-relieving substance, and to convey it thence via the mouthpiece 18 to the mouth of the user. The flow of that substance impinging on the vane 26 will cause the vane to be deflected from its normal biased position 30, and so displace the indicator 32 to indicate whether the inhaler has functioned correctly.

Moreover, deflection of the vane 26 will cause some of the flowing substance to be deflected towards the exit vent(s) 22 from whence it will escape into the atmosphere, thus lessening the dose actually received by the user.

The amount of said substance escaping through the exit vent(s) 22 can be adjusted by the user himself, by sliding the shutter 24 along the tubular body 12 to a desired position.

The mouthpiece 18 can be made readily separable from mating tubular member 12, in which case cleansing of the separated mouthpiece 18 avoids the need to remove the gas canister from the inhaler itself in order to be able cleanse the inhaler.

Vane 26 may be of any convenient shape and material, and may have perforations in it (eg as in a gauze material) so as to achieve the desired action when in use.

The adapter may be made of any convenient material, a plastics material being preferred.

By way of illustration, in one example of such an inhaler adapter, the exit nozzle I 8A of the mouthpiece 18 is 26mm wide and 12 mm deep, whilst the overall length of the adapter is 72mm.

Claims

1. An inhaler adapter for use in conjunction with a pressurized, metered-dose inhaler, which adapter comprises a tubular body having a central chamber, at one end thereof an exit mouthpiece having a exit nozzle for insertion in a user's mouth, at the opposite end of the central chamber an inlet socket for receiving as required the exit nozzle of the inhaler, a vane pivotally mounted in the central chamber and resiliently biased to a bias position, from which position it will be deflected by a stream of airways-relieving substance being projected by the inhaler when in use, and in the central chamber at least one exit vent through which a proportion of the airways-relieving substance being projected by the inhaler can escape on being deflected by the vane.

2. An adapter according to claim I, wherein the or each said exit vent is adjustable at will, so as to suit the particular needs of the user.

3. An adapter according to claim I or 2, wherein there is provided an indicator visible on the outside of the tubular body, which indicator is linked to the vane in such manner as to indicate when in use whether the inhaler has functioned effectively.

4. An adapter according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein there is provided in said mouthpiece upstream of said exit nozzle at least one inlet port through which air may be , drawn into the mouthpiece on inhalation by the user and be entrained therein with the 25 airways-relieving substance being projected through said inlet socket and central chamber by the inhaler.

* a. *

5. An adapter according to any preceding claim, wherein there is provided a Counting means arranged to be indexed by the vane or by the indicator, thereby to register the :. 30 number of times the inhaler has been used. * S ***

6. An adapter according to any preceding claim, wherein the mouthpiece is separable I. S. .* from the central chamber. S..

S * 35

S S... * SS

7. An adapter according to any one of the claims 1 to 4 or claim 6. wherein there is provided a counting means arranged to be indexed by the vane, by the indicator, or manually, thereby to register the number of times the inhaler has been used.

8. An adapter according to any preceding claim, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated by the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. sq. ill I "is: is:

11:1:: "ill U, e $1:.' S. * .*S * is ** is * 5. * 5*S S.. S * 5., 5 * .5 * .5

8. An adapter according to any preceding claim, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated by the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. SI'. in t in., 1ilS s,s:. iji iii', S.,' *$I S. S. S * .*S *. S. ** S. S * . *5S *S*S * * *.** ** * * S S * *.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. An inhaler adapter for use in conjunction with a pressurized, metered-dose inhaler, which adapter comprises a tub War body having a central chamber, at one end thereof an exit mouthpiece having a exit nozzle for insertion in a user's mouth, at the opposite end of the central chamber an inlet socket for receiving as required the exit nozzle of the inhaler, a vane pivotally mounted in the central chamber and resiliently biased to a bias position, from which position it will be deflected by a stream of airways-relieving substance being projected by the inhaler when in use, and in the central chamber at least one exit vent through which a proportion of the airways-relieving substance being projected by the inhaler can escape on being deflected by the vane.

2. An adapter according to claim 1, wherein the or each said exit vent is adjustable at will, so as to suit the particular needs of the user.

4. An adapter according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein there is provided in said mouthpiece upstream of said exit nozzle at least one inlet port through which air may be * ** drawn into the mouthpiece on inhalation by the user and be entrained therein with the 25 airways-relieving substance being projected through said inlet socket and central chamber by the inhaler. is,', U. *

5. An adapter according to any preceding claim, wherein there is provided a Counting * .5 means arranged to be indexed by the vane or by the indicator, thereby to register the *:. 30 number of times the inhaler has been used. S. S S...

S **S.

6. An adapter according to any preceding claim, wherein the mouthpiece is separable I. *.

from the central chamber.

S

*..* 35 S * S. S S * S * S. 7. An adapter according to any one of the claims I to 4 or claim 6, wherein there is provided a counting means arranged to be indexed by the vane, by the indicator, or manually, thereby to register the number of times the inhaler has been used.