MX2011001452A

MX2011001452A - Dosing device and method for filling a cavity.

Info

Publication number: MX2011001452A
Application number: MX2011001452A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Allan Dagsland
Original assignee: Astrazeneca Ab
Priority date: 2008-08-14
Filing date: 2009-08-13
Publication date: 2011-03-29
Also published as: EP2313750A1; CA2732166A1; AU2009282524A1; NZ590618A; US20120048422A1; KR20110044999A; RU2521136C2; JP5468074B2; CN102124308A; AU2009282524B2; BRPI0917827A2; CN102124308B; JP2011530463A; RU2011103227A; WO2010019102A1; EP2313750A4

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dosing device (1) comprising a powder hopper (2) and a plate (11) with a surface (3), wherein said plate (11) is provided with at least one cavity (5) adapted for receiving a particulate material, and filling means (6) being movable along said surface (3) for moving particulate material into said at least one cavity (5), wherein said filling means (6) is adapted to exert a compressing force on said particulate material in a direction towards said surface (3) so that said particulate material is forced into said at least one cavity (5). The present invention also relates to a method for filling a cavity provided in a plate of a dosing device with a quantity of particulate material.

Description

DOSAGE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FILLING A CAVITY Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a. dosing device comprising a powder hopper and a plate with a surface, wherein the plate is supplied with at least one cavity adapted to receive a particulate material, and filling means that can be moved along the surface to move the particulate material into at least one cavity. The present invention also relates to a method for filling a cavity supplied in a plate of a dosing device with a quantity of particulate material.

Background of the Invention The current supply and distribution of medication is achieved in many different ways. Within health care more and more efforts are focused on the possibility to dose and distribute drugs in the form of powder directly to the lungs of a user by means of a delivery device, for example an inhalation device, to obtain a Efficient and user-friendly administration of the specific medication. In most cases, a certain form of dosing process is used to prepare the dose that will be inhaled. For example, medication doses can be supplied in packages that Ref .: 217158 They have several cavities to accommodate a dose of medication. The cavities filled with a dose are subsequently sealed by a sealing foil, for example an aluminum foil. These packages are loaded into a delivery device, in which the lamella on the cavity is penetrated or and the dose of the drug is released by inhalation by the user. By this sealing, the medication is well protected before inhalation.

There are also other cases where it is appropriate to provide medication doses in packages that have cavities to contain a dose of medication, the cavities are sealed by a foil. The packages containing the medicament doses can be in the form of ampoule or injection molded discs supplied with the ampoules and cavities, respectively, to contain the sprayed medication, the packings can have various shapes, and the cavities can be distributed in several patterns. The method for filling the cavities should provide an accurate dosage and that can be changed within the cavities, to provide packages that contain exact doses of the drug of different sizes.

It is often desired, in both situations mentioned above, that the cavities not be filled totally with the medicine. Therefore, a dosing process can be used in which the cavities of a dosing device are filled with the desired dose of medicament, the cavities of the dosing device having a smaller volume than the cavities of the final packings, and after that the medication is transferred to the final package. By this it is possible to distribute a dose of specified powder having a volume smaller than the volume of the cavity containing the dose, with satisfactory accuracy.

A method and device for filling the cavities in a drug disk with a quantity of particulate material is described in O 06/118526. It describes a filling element that is provided with a lower surface comprising several chambers, the amount of which is equal to the number of the cavities in the drug disk. The filling element has scraping means in the form of four scrapers rotating to scrape the filling of the chambers. When the filling element is used, the sprayed medicament is supplied on the surface of the filling element and scraped into the chambers by the scraping means. After the particulate material has been filled in the chambers of the filling element, the particulate material is transferred to the drug disk. However, the solution mentioned above has the disadvantage that it is not Suitable for all forms of particulate material. For example, the particulate material that has free flow characteristics can be adhered to lumps, which can cause irregular distribution of the material between different cavities, in this case some of the cavities can not be filled with the desired amount of medication.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and a device for filling at least one cavity with a quantity of particulate material (such as powder), which after that can distribute an exact dose of particulate material having a volume smaller than that of the cavity containing the dose, which can handle the cohesive particulate material, in this case particulate material that does not flow freely, and which gives an exact distribution of the particulate material in each of the cavities.

Summary of the Invention The objects mentioned above are achieved by a dosing device of the kind defined in claim 1. The dosing device comprises a powder hopper and a plate with a surface, wherein the plate is supplied with at least one cavity adapted for receiving a particulate material, and filling means that are movable along the surface to move the particulate material within at least one cavity, wherein the filling means are adapted to exert a compressive force on the particulate material in a direction towards the surface so that the particulate material is forced into at least one cavity.

The particulate material that has limited its free-flowing capabilities has a tendency to adhere to one another, causing small clumps of material. When the material is shoved into the cavities, as described above for the prior art device, such a lump may be shoved into a cavity and a block such as the opening of the cavity entrance so that it is not filled with the desired amount of the particulate material. The dosing device according to the present invention will instead press the particulate material into the cavities of the dosing device. This has the advantage that for example the small lumps formed in the particulate material will be divided by the force exerted on them. Therefore, the filling of the cavities will be more reliable, thus ensuring an exact dose of drugs in each cavity. However, the device according to the present invention is not only beneficial to the packing particulate material when small lumps have formed in the material. This also gives the exact packing of material that has limited free flow characteristics also when no lumps have formed in it. In addition, the The device according to the present invention is also suitable for packaging free flowing particulate material. Experiments have shown that doses of about 5 mg of particulate material can be packaged with a device according to the present invention with a relative standard deviation of only 3%.

The cavities in the dosing device according to the present invention can be arranged in any desirable way, and, conveniently, so as to correspond to the pattern of a drug dispenser.

Conveniently, the cavities of the dosing device have a volume smaller than that of the cavity containing the dose in the final package. Since the particulate material is pressed into the cavity of the dosing device, a very accurate dosage is achieved. Therefore, when the particulate material is then transferred to the cavity in the final package, it will provide a very accurate dosage although the cavity in the final housing has a larger volume.

In addition, the device provides a simple filling of particulate material in the cavities at a low cost. Advantageously, the cavity of the dosing device is interchangeable to adapt to the size of the dose to be dosed in the cavity.

The materials that can be filled include powder of organic materials with particle sizes in the range of 0.5-1000 μp? For example, lactose monohydrate powders with particle sizes ranging from 1-50 μm have been successfully filled with the method according to the invention. Particle size here means the average diameter of the mass, MMD, for example measured by a laser diffraction method.

In accordance with at least one exemplary embodiment, the dosing device further comprises scraping means, wherein the scraping means can be moved along the surface of the plate.

When the filling means move along the surface of the plate in the dosing device, and exert a force on the particulate material in the direction towards the plate, some of the particulate material can be compressed on the surface of the plate. located between the neighboring cavities. It is therefore advantageous to have scraping means which can move along the surface and which can be loosened from the compressed material. Conveniently, the scraping means have a geometry that is designed to efficiently raise the retained particulate material on the surface of the plate. The loosened particulate material thereafter can be moved and pressed into a cavity by the filling means, or be transferred and reused in another dosing device. Alternatively, the loosened particulate material can be removed and reused later in the same dosing device. The scraping means may also loosen material that is compressed on the cavities, in this case on top of the material that has been pressed into the cavities. However, by providing scraping means that can be moved along the surface, the scraping means is prevented from loosening or removing material that has been pressed into a cavity. Therefore, the scraping means do not adversely affect the accuracy of the dosage.

It is advantageous if the filling means can also be moved in a direction that is perpendicular to the surface of the plate. The reason for this is that the filling means can then be moved a short distance away from the surface when they come into contact with more compressed particulate material, for example small lumps, and thereafter they move towards the surface, and therefore , exert a force on the particulate material in that direction. Therefore, it acts to divide the lump and compress the particulate material into a cavity.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the filling means are inclined towards the surface. So that the filling means exert a force on the particulate material in the direction towards the plate, it is preferred that the filling means be inclined towards the plate. This, for example, can be achieved by the filling means which are spring-loaded towards the plate. By this arrangement, the filling means can be moved a short distance away from the surface, in order to "climb" on for example the lumps as described above, but at the same time strive to return in a direction towards the plate and compress the particulate material.

Conveniently, the scraper means is inclined towards the surface. The purpose of the scraping means is that it can be moved along the surface and that it can loosen the compressed material. It is therefore advantageous if it is inclined towards the surface so that during movement along the surface it remains in close relationship with the surface.

Conveniently, the filling means are tilted towards the surface with a force lower than the tilting force of the scraper means towards the surface. This is advantageous since the scraper means must follow in close relationship with the surface and the filling means must be able to move a short distance away from the surface, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface. However, when moving away from the surface, the filling media must strive to move again in close relationship with the surface.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the surface has a circular shape and is supplied with several cavities, the cavities are arranged in a circular pattern around the surface. Conveniently, the filling means and the scraper means are supplied in a common core. Conveniently, the common core is disposed at the center of the circular pattern of the cavities.

A circular plate is supplied with several cavities and have a centrally disposed core, over which the filling means and the scraper means are arranged has proven to be a beneficial design for a dosing device. The circular core, and therefore the filling and scraping means, can be conditioned for clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the clockwise. Even when the filling means compress the particulate material towards the surface, and the scraper means loosen the particulate material, they also move the particulate material along the surface. By providing a circular plate, the particulate material can be transferred around the surface of the plate without terminating at one end thereof. In addition, it is also possible to turn the core alternately clockwise and clockwise counter clockwise to transfer the particulate material along the surface in both directions. By this, it is possible to provide and maintain a uniform distribution of the particulate material on the surface. This is beneficial in terms of obtaining a uniform distribution of the particulate material in each cavity.

Other alternative designs, such as a rectangular plate, are however also conceivable.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the filling means are constituted of at least one wheel, the wheel can rotate on the surface. Therefore, an efficient way is achieved in the compression of the particulate material within the cavities. The wheel can be adapted to rotate on the surface of the plate and to compress the particulate material within the cavities. With this design the wheel does not have to enter the cavity to compress the material and therefore, the portion of the wheel that compresses the particulate material into a specific cavity can have dimensions larger than the cavity. This is advantageous in terms of production tolerances since no exact match of the filling means and the cavity is necessary. In addition, a wheel of one size can be used to fill cavities of different sizes.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the dosing device comprises a filling arrangement comprising two wheels and two scrapers which are arranged in a common core. The wheels and scrapers are disposed alternately around the common core so that after each wheel a scraper is provided. This is advantageous since if a first wheel compresses the particulate material, a scraper will loosen it before the second wheel reaches that portion of the particulate material.

Furthermore, according to the invention a method for filling a cavity provided in a plate of a dosing device with a quantity of particulate material, comprising the steps of providing particulate material to a powder hopper, moving the filling means is presented. along a surface of the plate so that the filling means, while moving along the surface, exerts a compressive force on the particulate material in the direction towards the plate.

As stated above, particulate material that has limited free flow capabilities has a tendency to adhere to one another, causing lumps in the sprayed medication. With the method described above the particulate material will be pressed into the cavities of the dosing device. This has the advantage that for example the lumps formed in the material particles will be divided by a force exerted on them. Therefore, the filling of the cavities will be more reliable, thus ensuring an exact dose of medicine in each cavity. However, the method according to the present invention is not only beneficial for packing the particulate material when small lumps have formed in the material. It also gives the exact packing of material that has limited free flow characteristics also when no lumps have formed in it. In addition, the method according to the present invention is also convenient for packaging free flowing particulate material.

Conveniently, the cavities of the dosing device have a volume smaller than that of the cavity containing the dose in the final package. Since the particulate material is compressed within the cavity of the dosing device, a very accurate dosage is achieved. Therefore, when the particulate material is later transferred to the cavity in the final package, it still has a very accurate dosage although the cavity in the final housing has a larger volume. Experiments have shown that doses of about 5 mg of particulate material can be packaged with a method according to the present invention with a relative standard deviation of only 3%. In addition, the method provides a simple filling of the particulate material in the cavities at a low cost. Advantageously, the cavity of the dosing device is interchangeable to adapt to the size of the dose to be dosed in the cavity. The particulate material handled by the method according to the invention can, for example, be a medicament sprayed in pure form or mixed with a convenient excipient in powder form.

For example, mixtures of micronized medicaments used for the treatment of asthma, for example budesonide and beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) and lactose monohydrate excipient have already been successfully filled with the method according to the invention.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises the step of loosening compressed particulate material on the surface by means of scraper means.

According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the particulate material comprises pharmaceutical powder for use in dry powder inhalers.

It should be understood that the inventive method described above encompasses and can be implemented with any modality or any feature described with respect to the inventive dosage device discussed previously, as long as those modalities or features are compatible with the method.

Brief Description of the Figures The present invention will now be described, for exemplary purposes, in more detail in the form of modalities and with reference to the included Figures, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of a dosing device, and one embodiment of the filling and scraping means according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the dosing device, and one embodiment of the filling and scraping means according to the present invention.

Figures 3a-3c are partial schematic cross sectional side views describing an orifice structure illustrating the main steps of a dosing and pouring method, Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a structure of the alternative cavity.

Detailed description of the invention Figures 1 and 2 show a dosing device 1 supplied with a powder hopper 2 for housing particulate material, such as spray medication (not shown). The powder hopper has an interior funnel shape and the inclined surfaces 12 thereof is intended to direct the sprayed medicament (not shown) to a plate 11 having a surface 3, which can be considered as forming the bottom of the powder hopper 2. The surface 3 is formed as an orifice structure 4 with the cavities 5 extending inside the plate 11. In this embodiment, the cavities are distributed in a circular pattern around the plate 11. In the middle of the circular pattern of the cavities 5 a filling arrangement 13 is rotatably conditioned.

The filling arrangement 13 comprises two filling means, which in this embodiment are two wheels 6, and two scrapers 14. The wheels 6 and the scrapers 14 are supplied in a common core 15. A drive shaft 16 is connected with the core 15 so that the core 15, and therefore the wheels 6 and the scrapers 14 can be rotated. As can be seen for example in Fig. 1, the wheels 6 and the scrapers 14 are evenly distributed, in this case in intervals of approximately 90 °, around the core, with each wheel 6 being followed by a scraper 14. The geometry of the scrapers 14 is designed to raise compressed particulate material on the surface 3. For example, considered in the travel direction of the scrapers 14, the main surface or that is oriented forward of the scrapers may have their portion located as far as possible. in front possible substantially in contact with the surface 3 of the plate. Here, the scrapers 14 are illustrated as having inclined surfaces and having for example a triangular cross section. This allows to raise the compressed particulate material for travel in the clockwise and counterclockwise direction of the hands.

The core 15 is spring-loaded axially towards the plate 11 and the scrapers 14 are fixed to the core 15, therefore they are also spring-loaded towards the plate 11. In the illustrated embodiment, a spring 9 is supplied in relation to the drive shaft 16 and can be connected with an outer cover (not shown) to tilt the core towards the surface 3. The spring drive decides the force between the two scrapers 14 and the surface 3 of the plate 11. It is beneficial that the scrapers 14 are arranged in close proximity to the surface 3, the reason for which is described in more detail below.

Each wheel 6 can be moved independently in an axial relationship, in this case towards and away from the surface 3 of the plate 11, in relation to the core 15. Each wheel is also independently spring-driven towards the surface 3, but with a drive of spring that is less than the spring drive in the core 15 towards the surface 3. The reason for this is that the wheels 6 can move a short distance away from the surface 3 when they find for example a portion of particulate material adhered and / or compressed, such as a small lump. The wheels 6 can then rise above the crumb of the compressed material and, due to the spring drive, exert a force on the crumb in the direction towards the plate 11 and thus break the lump. The spring or other means inclining each of the wheels towards the surface can for example be supplied in the connection between the core 15 and each of the wheels 6. In Figure 3a there is shown an axis 10, around which the wheels 6 are rotating. The shaft 10 is arranged to tilt the wheels 6 toward the surface 3, while allowing some movement of the wheels 6 in a direction that is substantially perpendicular in relation to the surface 3, as illustrated by the arrow D in the Figure 3a.

The spring drive in the core 15 and the wheels 6 can be adjusted to achieve an exact dosage of the particulate material in each cavity.

The wheels 6 for example are made of, or have a surface of, silicone. The reason for this is to prevent the particulate material from adhering to the wheels. However, other materials the place of silicone can also be used as long as the particulate material is not Adhere to him. The dosing device will now be explained in operation. First, the particulate material is supplied to the hopper 2. Conveniently, the particulate material is supplied in such an amount that it extends from the surface 3 to approximately the center of the wheels 6, thereby covering the scrapers 14. The filling arrangement 13, in this case the core 15, the wheels 6 and the scrapers 14, thereafter are rotated by the drive shaft 16, causing the wheels 6 to rotate on the surface 3. Because the spring drive tilts the core 15 towards the surface 3, the scrapers 14 remain in close relationship with the surface 3. The wheels 6 and the scrapers 14 each pass the cavities 5 one by one during the rotation of the filling arrangement 13. When the wheels 6 rotate, they exert a compressive force on the particulate material and when they pass a cavity 5 they press the particulate material into the cavity. This is illustrated in Fig. 3a in which the arrow A indicates the movement of the wheel 6 in relation to the surface 3, the arrow B indicates that the rotational direction of the wheel 6 and arrow C illustrates how the particulate material 21 is being introduced into a cavity 5 of an orifice structure 4. Due to the rotation of the wheel 6 different portions of the wheel will press the particulate material into the cavity 5.

A layer of compressed particulate material is retained on the surface 3 between each cavity 5 after the wheel has passed. When the scrapers 14 pass the retained particulate material compressed it returns upwards so that the raised particulate material can be reused.

In order for the cavities 5 to be filled with the desired amount of particulate material, the filling arrangement 13 is rotated one or more turns. The drive shaft 16 can also be conditioned so that the filling arrangement 13 can rotate clockwise and counterclockwise. By this, the filling arrangement can be rotated alternately between these two directions to fill the cavities with a uniform amount of particulate material. When all the cavities 5 are filled with the desired amount, the excessive particulate material can be moved to another dosing device for use in that system or returned to a storage system.

When the cavities of the dosing device 1 have been filled with the desired amount of particulate material, the particulate material is transferred to a drug disk that will be used in a delivery device such as an inhalation device. Several different methods and devices can be used to transfer the particulate material from the dosing device 1 to the drug disk.

Such a method and device that can be used in conjunction with the present invention are ejector means. The cavities 5 can then be formed with a retractable bottom. When the cavities are filled with the desired amount of particulate material, the bottom of each of the cavities is removed and the ejector means can be inserted into the cavity and push the material out of the cavity and into a final gasket. a drug dispenser.

Another method and device that can be used in conjunction with the present invention is described in pending patent application WO 2006/118526 in the name of ASTRA ZENECA AB. In this method the plate 11 of the dosing device 1 is placed on top of the drug disk, with the cavities 5 placed opposite the corresponding cavities in the drug disk in order to be able to transfer the particulate material from the cavities 5 of the plate 11 to the cavities of the drug disk. The dosing device can be supplied with vibration means or ultrasonic elements to allow controlled emptying of the cavities within a corresponding cavity of a drug disk.

Still another method and device to transfer the amount of particulate material from the dosing device 1 to a drug disk is disclosed in pending United States Provisional Patent Application No. 60/957822 on behalf of ASTRA ZENECA AB. In this application, a plate is described having holes with movable wall portions. This method and device may be convenient used in conjunction with the present invention and will be further described with reference to Figures 3a-3c. In figure 3a a section of a cavity 5, of an orifice structure 4, is schematically explained. The structure of the wall of the cavity 5 comprises a plurality of movable wall portions 22, which can be moved relative to one another. The cavities 5 of the dosing device 1 are in this mode formed of holes, which can be closed by a closing arrangement 8. The closing arrangement 8 is conveniently formed as a plate which, in a first position, is positionable so that block the entrance of the holes 5 inside or outside the hole on that side. The closing arrangement 8 is thus adapted to form a bottom of the holes 5 when it is in the first position.

The blocking of an orifice 5 is in effect during the filling of the hole 5 according to what is described in Figure 3a. When a sufficient amount of powder 21 has been introduced into the hole 5 it can be closed. For for this purpose the dosing system 3 comprises an arrangement of the lid 7. The arrangement of the lid 7 has openings, which, in a first position, can be positioned in register with the holes 5 of the structure of the hole 4. The first position of the openings of the lid arrangement is described in Fig. 3a illustrating an initial step in the powder supply sequence. During this step the powder is introduced into the hole 5, in the manner described above.

Now, continuing with FIG. 3b, an intermediate condition of the dosing operation is described. In the intermediate condition the arrangement of the lid 7 is supplied in a closing state and the closing arrangement 8 also. The movable wall portions of accumulated plates each define a closed volume together with the cover and closure arrangement 7, 8. As will be readily appreciated from the cross section of Fig. 3b, the hole 5 will be completely filled with particulate material. in this condition of intermediate operation.

With further reference to Fig. 3c, in which the operation of emptying the hole 5 is illustrated. On the side of the part of the closing arrangement of the hole, which is adapted to form the bottom of any of the holes 5, there are openings with generally the same dimensions as the openings of the hole 5. In a second position the openings of the closing arrangement of the hole 8 are placed in register with the holes 5 as seen from the side. When an opening of the arrangement of the closing hole 8 is in a position corresponding to that of an orifice 5 the powder can be discharged from the hole 5. Conveniently the arrangement of the lid 7, when the emptying of the powder from the holes 5 is due, it is positionable in a displaced position to block the opening of the holes 5. This is done to prevent additional powder from entering the orifice 5 once a metered dose has been achieved and thus ensuring that a correct dose of powder is released additionally To the system. To further improve the correct release of the amount of dust the wall portions 22 of the hole / holes in question move in relation to each other. The relative movement of the wall portions 22 has been shown to allow a reliable pouring effect and an exact additional dosage of powder with low dust retention.

Conveniently, the relative movement of the wall portions in the exemplified embodiment is achieved by the movement of the plates constituting the structure of the hole 4. The structure surrounding the walls 22 of the hole 5 therefore constitute the wall structure for the walls. Holes 5. The plates that form the structure of the hole can be slideable forward and backward in a direction substantially perpendicular in relation to the principal propagation direction of the hole in question, whose principal propagation direction substantially coincides with the path intended for the powder. The movement of each plate 22 is conveniently, but not exclusively, in the range between ± 2% to ± 50% of the diameter of the hole 5 with reference to the aligned start and end position. Conveniently, the movement of the plate is between ± 5% to 25% of the diameter of the orifice, for example, between ± 7% to 15% of the diameter of the hole 5. When referring to the diameter of the hole 5 it is proposed that an orifice 5 It can be formed differently. Therefore, the diameter according to the present application must be interpreted in a broad sense as representing the longest distance through the hole in question, if it is square or has another shape that may have different distances between the sides thereof. .

The dosing device 1 has been described in relation to an exemplified embodiment. However, various modifications and adaptations are possible within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

For example, plate 11 need not be circular. Figure 4 shows a modality with a rectangular plate 11 ' having the cavities 5 disposed along a straight line of the plate 11 '. In this embodiment, the wheels 6 and the scrapers 14 can be supplied in linear moving means instead of a rotating core. The wheels and scrapers after that can be moved back and forth on the surface 3 'to fill the cavities 5 with the particulate material in the same manner as described above for the circular plate. In this rectangular embodiment it may be convenient that the scraper means 14 can move away a short distance from the surface 3 'of the plate 11'. The reason for this is that the filling means and the scrapers during use can move the particulate material along the surface of the plate. Some of the material therefore during the filling process has been placed on the end of the plate. It is therefore beneficial to be able to lift the scraping means from the plate, over the particulate material provided thereon, and the position of the scraping means at the outer end of the plate. The particulate material that has been placed on an outer end of the plate thereafter can be moved towards the other end of the plate, and be filled into the cavities.

Another possible modification is that wheels and scrapers do not need to be supplied in a common core or center. Instead, the movement of Scrapers and wheels can be provided by different means, which are controlled to move the wheels and scrapers in a desired mutual relationship.

Furthermore, the filling means in the exemplified embodiment have been described as wheels rotating on the surface 3, which compresses the particulate material within the cavities 5 by this rotational movement. However, for example it is also possible to provide the filling means as a substantially planar surface, such as a mat or similar means that does not rotate. These non-rotating means can be spring-loaded to the surface 3 of the plate 11 to exert a compressive force on the particulate material when the non-rotating means move along the surface 3. As for the wheels, the means with a planar surface can be made of, or have a surface of, silicone to prevent the particulate material from adhering to it. The filling means having a substantially planar surface can be used for a circular plate 11 or a plate of any other shape, such as the rectangular plate 11 '. In addition, the filling arrangement 13 has been described in the embodiment exemplified as comprising two filling means, on the wheels 6 of the described embodiment, and two scrapers 14. However, another number of means of filling and scrapers, for example a filling means and a scraper, is also conceivable.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. A dosing device characterized in that it comprises a powder hopper and a plate with a surface, wherein the plate is supplied with at least one cavity adapted to receive a particulate material and the filling means can be moved along the surface for moving particulate material into at least one cavity wherein the filling means is adapted to exert a compressive force on the particulate material in a direction toward the surface so that the particulate material is forced into at least one cavity .

2. In addition, it comprises filling means, characterized in that the scraping means can be moved along the surface.

3. A dosing device according to any of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the filling means can move in a direction substantially perpendicular in relation to the surface.

4. A dosing device according to any of claims 1 and 2, characterized because the filling means are inclined towards the surface.

5. A dosing device according to any of claims 2-4, characterized in that the scraping means are inclined towards the surface.

6. A dosing device according to any of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the filling means are inclined towards the surface with a force less than the scraping means.

7. A dosing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface has a circular shape and is supplied with several cavities and the cavities are conditioned in a circular pattern around the surface.

8. A dosing device in accordance with any of. claims 2-7, characterized in that the filling means and the scraping means are supplied in a common core.

9. A dosing device according to claim 8 in combination with claim 7, characterized in that the common core is disposed at the center of the circular pattern of the cavities.

10. A dosing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is constituted of at least one wheel that is able to rotate on the surface.

11. A dosing device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a filling arrangement comprising two wheels and two scrapers that are arranged in a common core.

12. A method for filling a cavity supplied in a plate of a dosing device with a quantity of particulate material, characterized in that it comprises the steps of supplying particulate material to a powder hopper, which moves the filling means along a surface of the plate so that the filling means exerts a compressive force on the particulate material in the direction towards the plate.

13. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises the step of loosening the compressed particulate material on the surface by means of scraping means.

14. A method according to claim 12 or claim 13, characterized in that the particulate material comprises pharmaceutical powder for use in dry powder inhalers.