MXPA99008817A - Inhalation device - Google Patents

Abstract

An inhalation device (10) for use with an aerosol container comprises a housing (11) for receiving an aerosol container (12) and a spacer member (13) having a mouthpiece (14) defining an outlet (15) through which a user can inhale. The housing and the spacer member are attached toghether so as to be movable with respect to each other between an inoperative position in which the housing is received within the spacer member and an operative position in which the housing is withdrawn from the spacer member and oriented at a substantial angle thereto. The device further comprises a dispensing member (16) for receiving material to be dispensed from said container and delivering it into said spacer member. The dispensing member (16) is located in said housing and supported spaced from the walls thereof by a plurality of spaced ribs (19). The housing includes a forwardly extending projection (25) shaped so as to be received by the mouthpiece member in the inoperative condition so that the projectin acts as a closure member to close the outlet (15).

Description

INHALATION DEVICE DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY The present invention relates to an inhalation device that can be used to allow the aerosolized material to be dispensed from a container and inhaled by a user. Inhalers are well known in medicine for the treatment or relief of the symptoms of respiratory problems such as asthma. One type of conventional inhaler comprises a housing that receives a medicine container and a spacer member in which the medicament is dispensed and which is inhaled by the user through a mouth piece opening. The medicine enters the separating member through a mouthpiece, so that it is dispensed in a fine spray before inhaling. Said device has an inoperative condition in which the housing comprising the container is received in the spacer member and an operating condition in which the housing is removed from the spacer member and pivoted to be positioned at an angle, typically in the region of 90 °. . Examples of such devices are described in WO92 / 20391-AI, EP 0 009 667 and E.U.A. 3,994,421. The existing separator inhalers of this type are relatively complex constructions. For example, in order to achieve the scale of movement between operant and inoperative positions, conventional inhalers comprise an extra part known as support, which is desirably received in the spacer member and in which the housing is pivotally fixed. The present invention provides a simplified design that is easier and cheaper to produce because it provides improved operation. In one aspect of the present invention, an inhalation device is provided for use with an aerosol container, the device comprising a housing for receiving an aerosol container and a separating member defining an outlet through which a user can inhale. , the housing and the spacer member are fixed to be movable relative to each other between an inoperative position in which the housing is received within the spacer member and an operable position in which the housing is removed from the spacer member and oriented to a substantial angle thereof, the device further comprises an assortment member for receiving the material to be dispensed from said aerosol container and delivering said material to the separator member, wherein the assortment member is located in said housing and it supports separated from the walls thereof by a plurality of spaced ribs. Said configuration provides an improved support for the assortment member by allowing the flow of air through the housing and in the separating member, which improves the operation as inhaled by the user, the manufacture of the housing is also simplified.

Preferably, the ribs supporting the assortment member are not separated in the same way. In a preferred embodiment, four ribs are present that can be arranged symmetrically in two pairs. In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an inhalation device for use with an aerosol container, the device comprising a housing for receiving an aerosol container and a separating member defining an outlet through which a user can inhale, the housing and the spacer member being fixed to be movable relative to each other between an inoperative position in which the housing is received in the spacer member of an operative position in which the housing is removed from the spacer member and oriented to a substantial angle thereof, the device further comprising an assortment member for receiving the material to be dispensed from said aerosol container and dispensing it into said spacer member, wherein said spacer member further comprises a buccal member member extending toward further defining the exit and the accommodation further comprising a projection extending forward, formed to receive said mouthpiece member in the inoperative position in order to close the exit. In this way, a separate lid member such as that used in conventional separator inhalers is not required to close the outlet in the inoperative position.

Conveniently, the forwardly extending projection and the spacer member are adapted to cooperate with each other in the operative condition in order to retain the housing at a predetermined angle relative to the spacer member. Preferably, the above is achieved by providing the projection and the separating member with the cooperating surfaces that are placed in frictional collection as the device moves from the inoperative condition to the operant. The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which - Figure 1 is a exploded perspective view and a first embodiment of an inhalation device according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the inhalation device of Figure 1 in the inoperative position; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the proximal end of the body portion of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a sectional view of the inhalation device of Figure 1 in the inoperative position; Figure 5 is a sectional view of the inhalation device in the operative position; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the housing of an inhalation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a spacer member of an inhalation device according to the second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 8 is a sectional view of the housing and spacer member of Figures 6 and 7 connected in the operative position. An inhalation device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 5. This comprises a substantially tubular housing 11 which is elliptical in cross section and which opens at its distal end 11 b to receive a conventional container 12 of medication. The housing 11 is pivotally positioned at its proximal end 1 a in a substantially tubular spacer member 13 which also has an elliptical cross section that is longer than that of the housing 11. At its proximal end 13a, the spacer member 13 is formed with a mouthpiece member 14 defining an outlet 15 through which a user can inhale the medicament stocked from the container 12. The housing 11 and the spacer member 13 are preferably made of a molded plastic material. The inhalation device 10 can be moved between an inoperative position illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 and an operative position illustrated in Figure 5. In the inoperative position, the housing 1 is received within the separating member 13. In the operative position , the housing 11 is removed from the separating member 13. it is pivoted through a substantial angle, ie in the 90 ° to 105 °, and secured in said position. In order to secure the housing 11 of the spacer member 13 in the operative position, the housing is provided with a slot or depression 26 adjacent its proximal end which engages a securing tab 27 projecting remotely from the adjacent edge of the spacer member 13. The aerosol container 12 received in the housing 11 is provided with a conventional assortment head 12a which is received by an assortment member located at the proximal end of the housing 11. The assortment member comprises a nozzle block 16 defining a passage 17 that receives the medicament supplied from the container 12. The passage 17 communicates with a nozzle 18 which is also defined by the nozzle block 16 having its axis at a substantial angle, for example on the scale of 90 ° to 105 °, to that of the passage 17 In the operative position of the device 10, as shown in Figure 5, the nozzle 18 is aligned axially with the separating member 13.

When the end of the container 12 is pressed by a user through the open distal end 11b of the housing 11, the medicament is dispensed in passage 17 and is transmitted through nozzle 18 in a fine spray in separator member 13 from which it is inhaled by the user through outlet 15. In conventional inhalers, the The nozzle is suspended from the wall of the housing by a single rod portion. Alternatively, it can be formed with a solid annular network that completely surrounds it and extends to the walls of the housing. In the present invention, the nozzle block 16 is supported in a plurality, and preferably four, spaced ribs 16 as seen in FIG. 3. The four ribs 19 provide a more stable support for the nozzle block 16 than a rod 16. Single support and the spacings between the ribs 19 allow air to flow through the body portion and into the spacer member which leads to an improved operation of the device 10. In addition, the configuration of four ribs eliminates the sinking marks and avoids that are likely to be created in conventional inhalers that use a single rod to support the nozzle block. These faults can deform the nozzle block and the nozzle reach. During production, the configuration of four ribs also makes the mold cavity simpler and more efficient. As shown, the four ribs 19 preferably do not separate in the same way but are symmetrically placed in two opposite pairs, so that each rib joins the adjacent wall of the housing to one of the cantilever arms 20 described later.

At its proximal end 1 1 a, the housing 1 1 is formed integrally with two cantilevered arms 20 that oppose each other diametrically. Each arm 20 has an outwardly projecting stump 21 formed at its free end. At the distal end of the spacer member 13 a pair of diametrically opposed ears 22 extending backward, each having a lock opening 23 thereon, is formed. In the inoperative position of the device 10. when the housing 11 is received within the spacer member 13, the cantilever arms 20 are forced to flex slightly inwardly and the trunnions 21 slide against opposite sides of the elliptical interior surface of the spacer member 13. As the housing 1 1 of the spacer member 13 is removed, the trunnions 21 slide along the walls until the cantilever arms 20 can be relaxed outwards so that the trunnions 21 engage in the lock openings 23. The housing 1 1 can be pivoted relative to the spacer member about an axis defined by the trunnions 21 and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing 11 and the spacer member 13. In order to return the device to the inoperative condition, the cantilever arms 20 they bend inwardly enough to uncouple the trunnions 21 from the openings 23. The housing 11 can be slid once more into the spacer member 13 with the stump 21 sliding along the side walls.

A second embodiment of the inhalation device according to the present invention will now be described with reference to figures 6 to 8. Many aspects of the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment and thus similar reference numbers have been used in the drawings to indicate equal parts. The inhalation device 40 according to the second embodiment comprises once more a tubular housing 1 1 of elliptical cross-section for receiving a container of medicament and connecting pivotally to a spacer member 13 of an elliptical cross-section. A roughly semicircular cut 41 is provided on each side of the distal end 1 1b of the housing 1 1 to allow a user to press the medicine container 12 that is inside the housing for the purpose of dispensing the medication or to allow the user to hold the container to remove it from the housing 1 1 when it needs replacing. Furthermore, at the distal end of the housing 11 there is a small thumb tab 42 which is provided to assist the user in removing the housing 11 from the spacer member 13. In the second embodiment, the retaining mechanism that holds the housing 11 and the spacer member 13 in the operative position comprises a plurality of inwardly extending feet 43 formed in the distal end 13b of the spacer 13 as shown in Figure 7. A plurality of corresponding feet 44 extending outwardly is form on the end face 45 of the extension piece 24 provided at the proximal end of the housing 1 1. When the housing 1 1 is rotated relative to the spacer member 13, the projection feet 43 and 44 are frictionally engaged to retain the housing and the spacer member in the operative position by interference with each other. Preferably, the projection feet 44 formed in the housing 1 1 have a curved profile and two or more can be provided with a stepped portion 46. As the housing 1 is rotated toward the operative position, the projection feet 43 and 44 Coiocan gradually in the coupling friction! nearest and subsequently secured in the stepped portion 46 in the final operative position. In the second embodiment, in order to provide the pivotal coupling between the housing 11 and the spacer member 13, the spacer member 13 is provided with a pair of trunnions 47 projecting inwardly opposite at its distal end 13b (only one of which is visible in figure 7). A pair of slots 48, which extend axially opposite, are formed on the outer surface of the housing 1 1 to receive the stumps 47. Thus, in the inoperative position, the housing 1 1 is located within the separating member 13 in the same manner as in the first modality. To reach the operative position, the housing 1 1 is removed from the spacer member 13 with each stump 47 running in a respective slot 48. In the fully retracted position, the stumps 47 are located at the blind end of each slot 48 at the proximal end 1 1 a of the housing 1 1 and the housing 1 1 can then be pivoted with respect to the spacer member 13 about an axis defined by the trunnions 47. Finally, in figure 8 it can be seen that the internal surface of the housing 1 1 is provided with a number of inwardly projecting ribs 49 which serve to locate the medicament container 12 centrally within the housing 1 1 so that the assortment member 12a is easily located in the nozzle block 16. It will be apparent that said ribs together with other features such as the cuts 41, thumb tab 42 and coupling feet 43 and 44, although they are described with reference to the second embodiment, they also apply equally to the first mode or instead of the corresponding characteristics of the first mode. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides an improved inhalation device with fewer parts, which is easier to manufacture and assemble and which provides improved operation in use.

Claims (8)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - An inhalation device (40) for use with an aerosol container, the device comprising a housing (1 1) for receiving an aerosol container (12) and a separating member (13) defining an outlet (15) to Through which a user can inhale, the housing (11) and the separating member (13) being joined to be movable relative to each other between an inoperative position in which the housing (11) is received within the separating member (13). ) and an operable position in which the housing (11) is removed from the spacer member (13) and oriented at a substantial angle therein, the device further comprises an assortment member (16) for receiving the material that is it will supply from said container (12) and supply it in said separating member (13), characterized in that the separating member (13) further comprises a buccal member (14) that extends forward defining the outlet (15) and characterized because the extreme next mo (1 1 a) of the housing (11) further comprises a projection (24) formed to be received by said mouthpiece member (14) in the inoperative condition wherein the projection (24) acts as a closing member to close the exit (15).

2. An inhalation device (40) according to claim 1, further characterized in that the projection (24) and the separating member (13) are adapted to cooperate with each other in the operant condition in order to retain the accommodation ( 11) at a predetermined angle relative to the spacer member (13).

3. An inhalation device (40) according to claim 2. further characterized in that the projection (24) and the separating member (13) are provided with cooperating surfaces (43, 44) that are collocated in frictional engagement as moves the device from the inoperative position to the operant.

4. An inhalation device (40) according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the assortment member (12) is located in said housing (11) and is supported separately from the walls thereof by a plurality of separate ribs (19)

5. An inhalation device (40) according to claim 4, further characterized in that the plurality of ribs (19) is not separated in the same way.

6. An inhalation device (40) according to claim 4 or claim 5, further characterized in that there are four ribs (19).

7. An inhalation device (40) according to claim 6, further characterized in that the four ribs (19) are arranged symmetrically in two pairs.

8. - An inhalation device substantially as described and illustrated above with reference to the accompanying drawings.