US3320952A

US3320952A - Nasal applicators

Info

Publication number: US3320952A
Application number: US410917A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wright Frank
Original assignee: Fisons Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Current assignee: Fisons Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Priority date: 1963-11-22
Filing date: 1964-11-13
Publication date: 1967-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-23
Also published as: BE656080A; FR1452612A; GB1085060A; DE1491707A1; NL6413357A; CH420495A; DK116021B; DE1491707C3; DE1491707B2; SE332875B

Abstract

1,085,060. Pressurized dispensing containers. BENGER LABORATORIES Ltd. Nov. 5, 1964 [Nov.22, 1963], No.46123/63. Heading F1R. A nasal applicator for the application of a medicament contained in a pressurized container 14 has a rigid tube 1 connected to a spray button 4 engageable with the valve stem 13, by ribs 5 which provide air passages into the tube 1. The tube has a skirt 3 surrounding the upper part of the container 14, air inlet passages being formed by slots (9) which also receive lugs 11 on a cap 10 for the tube 1. A casing 15 may be clipped on to the skirt 3, a hole 17 being provided for moving the container relative to the button 4. In a modification the cap 10 engages the tube 1, slots 9 are not provided and air flows through the hole 17; the interior of the casing 15 may be provided with ribs.

Description

May 23, 1967 F. WRIGHT NASAL APPLICATORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 13, 1964 IN VEN TOR. Frank Wright ATTOR N 5Y5 May 3, 1967 F WRIGHT 3,320,952

NASAL APPLICATORS Filed Nov. 13, 1964 f 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /0 l I! l /0 I l I l o W 4 /3 L ,1 4 /3 2 H /2 l2 F r 3 W k w 3 3 Y 5 H6 5 M I J /4 FIG 6 4 y 5K5 4 2 i- H h Ml H 3 :\I'-' 12"? /4 3/ L' INVENTOR. f Frank Wright BY MM,M Q ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3 ,320,952 Patented May 23, 1967 3,320,952 NASAL APPLICATGRS Frank Wright, Rurlheath, Northwich, England, assignor to Fisons Pharmaceuticals Limited, Loughhorough, Leicestershire, England Filed Nov. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 410,917 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Nov. 22, 1963,

3 Claims. (Cl. 128173) This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to applicators for the application of medicaments by nasal inhalation.

A number of medicaments may be administered by nasal application. Thus, medicaments intended for nasal application are often of the decongestant type intended to relieve congestion in the upper part of the nose and in the sinuses. Other drugs which may be applied by nasal inhalation are those intended to relieve inflammation in the upper nose and in the sinuses. Drugs for systemic action can also be administered by this route.

Such medicaments are normally applied in liquid form by means of a short rigid tube of glass or other thermoplastic material which is inserted into the nostril, the medicament being forced through the tube by the action of a compressible rubber bulb or like means. Such devices are, in general, inefiicient in supplying the medicament in uniform dosages and are, therefore, not suitable for the clinical application of medicaments by nasal inhalation. Further, such devices generally supply the liquid in the form of thin stream or as a stream of relatively large droplets with consequent inefficiency in absorption.

of the medicament.

It has been found convenient to apply medicaments for nasal inhalation by means of pressurised packs; i.e., by dispersing the medicament in a propellant in a pressurised container, the pressurised container preferably being fitted with a valve of such a type as to deliver a metered dose of the medicament. Such pressurised packs are fitted with a rigid tube for insertion into the nostril as described above. When inhaling medicaments with this form of applicator it is difiicult to obtain suitable dispersion of the medicament in air as no air is inhaled therewith. Furthermore, dangers may arise from the discharge of a close of medicament into a nostril blocked at its upper end with mucus and its lower end with the applicator, as the expanding dose of medicament may damage the membrane. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved nasal applicator for applying a medicament contained in a pressurised container.

According to the invention, therefore, there is provided an improved nasal applicator for the application of a medicament contained in a pressurised container which comprises a rigid tube having mounted in the lower part thereof and co-axial therewith a spray button adapted to engage with the stem of a pressurised container and to spray the medicament along the length of the rigid tube, said spray button being mounted in said rigid tube by struts or supports so as to provide air passages between the outside of said button and the inside of said rigid tube. With this applicator, pressure due to expanding propellant cannot build up in the nostril, and in general good dispersion of the medicament in air is obtained.

Preferably the lower end of the rigid tube connects with or forms part of a hollow frusto-conical member which in turn connects with or forms part of a skirt adapted to surround the upper portion of the pressurised container.

In a modification of this arrangement the skirt extends to form a cylindrical casing enclosing the pressurised container; the casing having an opening in the lower end wall thereof to enable the container to be urged towards the spray button, to actuate the container valve, by finger pressure. Alternatively a bush-button may be provided operating through an opening in the lower end wall to urge the container towards the spray button. In order to facilitate manufacture and assembly of the device the cylindrical casing or part thereof may be a separate moulding secured to the skirt by any desired means, e.g., welding, glueing, or, preferably, by a clip fit.

In order to prevent dust from entering the spray tube the device is preferably fitted with a removeable cap fitting over the spray tube. This cap may 'be a simple friction fitting cap fitting over the spray tube or may be more elaborate. For example, an improved form of cap for the applicator has lugs depending from the lower portion thereof which lugs rest upon the shoulders of the pressurised container to prevent accidental discharge of the container. Where the applicator has a lower frustoconical portion, the lugs pass through slots therein and may engage therewith in a bayonet cap action to lock the cap. The applicator and cap are conveniently made of thermoplastic material such as nylon and may be made by injection or other form of moulding.

The applicator is conveniently designed to be used in conjunction with pressurised containers having a nominal capacity of, for example, about 10 cc. Preferably the pressurised container is one having a metering valve, i.e. a valve delivering a metered dose on actuation; a wide variety of such valves being known.

In order that the invention may be well understood a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-section through one preferred applicator according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view at the line AA in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows the applicator shown in FIGURE 1 in position on a pressurised container;

FIGURE 4 is similar to FIGURE 3 and shows the preferred form of cap in position;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross-section through another preferred form of assembly with bayonet locking cap; and

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross-section through a device similar to that shown in FIGURE 5 but having a simple friction fitting cap.

Referring now to the drawings, an applicator comprises a delivery tube 1 having a shoulder portion 2 and a skirt portion 3. Mounted within tube 1 by means of ribs 5 is spray button 4 which has a stern receiving chamber 6, a spray chamber 7 and spray hole 8. Re ferring to FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, shoulder portion 2 of the applicator is provided with slots 9 to permit passage of lugs 11 of a cap 10 as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

FIGURE 3 shows the applicator in position on a pressurised container with chamber 6 surrounding the top of stem 13 of valve 12 of pressurised container 14. In operation depression of the complete applicator mechanism operates valve 12 and the pressurized medicament is expelled via chamber 7 and hole 8 through tube 1 to be inhaled together with air passing between ribs 5.

FIGURES 4 and 5 show cap 10 in position with lugs 11 passing through slots 9 to engage on container 14 to prevent accidental discharge of the device. Preferably lugs 11 co-act with slots 9 so as to lock the cap in position by a bayonet cap action.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 and 6, cylindrical casing 15 clip fits onto the outside of skirt 3 and encloses container 14. Through opening 17 in the lower end wall 16 of casing 15 passes push-button 18 which serves to actuate the dispenser. In a modification of this construction opening 17 is left open and is wide enough to admit a finger to actuate the device. There is a space between the outside of container 14 and the inside of casing 15 to permit the flow of air through the casing. If desired, container 14 may be spaced from the inside of casing 15 by longitudinal ribs. In FIGURE 6, cap 10 is a close friction fit to delivery tube 1.

In operation push-button 18 is pressed to urge container 14 towards spray button .4 to actuate valve 12.

I claim:

1. A nasal applicator, for the application of a medicament contained in a pressurised container having a stem for dispensing the medicament, which comprises a pressurised container, a rigid tube the lower end of which has a hollow frusto-conical member thereon, a skirt on the lower end of said frusto-conical member and surrounding the upper portion of the pressurised container, said rigid tube having mounted in the lower part thereof and coaxial therewith a spray button engaging with the stem of the pressurised container and adapted to spray the medicament along the length of the tube, struts mounting said spray button in said rigid tube so as to provide air passages between the outside of said button and the inside of said rigid tube, a cap having slotted lugs dependent from the lower portion thereof and passing through slots in said hollow frusto-conical member and resting on the pressurised container, said slotted lugs locking the cap in position andpreventing relative movement between said pressurised container and said hollow frusto-conical member in the direction of movement of said tube toward and away from said container.

2. A nasal applicator as claimed in claim 1 in which said slotted lugs each have a lateral extension on the end thereof coacting with said struts to lock said cap in position by a bayonet type action.

3. A nasal applicator, for the application of a medicament contained in a pressurised container having a stem for dispensing the medicament, which comprises a pressurised container, a rigid tube the lower end of which has a hollow frusto-conical member thereon, a cylindrical casing adapted to enclose a pressurised container and having an opening in the lower end wall thereof, a pushbutton extending through said opening in the lower end wall of said cylindrical casing, said rigid tube having mounted in the lower part thereof and coaxial therewith a spray button engaging with the stern of the pressurised container and adapted to spray the medicament along the length of the tube, struts mounting said spray button in said rigid tube so as to provide air passages between the outside of said button and the inside of said rigid tube, a cap having slotted lugs dependent from the lower portion thereof and passing through slots in said hollow frusto-conical member and resting on the pressurised container, said slotted lugs locking the cap in position and preventing relative movement between said pressurised container and said hollow frusto-conical member in the direction of movement of said tube toward and away from said container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,998,822 9/1961 Birch et a1. 15552 3,001,524 9/1961 Maison et al 128208 3,012,555 12/1961 Meshberg 128-208 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

K. L. HOWELL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A NASAL APPLICATOR, FOR THE APPLICATION OF A MEDICAMENT CONTAINED IN A PRESSURISED CONTAINER HAVING A STEM FOR DISPENSING THE MEDICAMENT, WHICH COMPRISES A PRESSURISED CONTAINER, A RIGID TUBE THE LOWER END OF WHICH HAS A HOLLOW FRUSTO-CONICAL MEMBER THEREON, A SKIRT ON THE LOWER END OF SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL MEMBER AND SURROUNDING THE UPPER PORTION OF THE PRESSURISED CONTAINER, SAID RIGID TUBE HAVING MOUNTED IN THE LOWER PART THEREOF AND COAXIAL THEREWITH A SPRAY BUTTON ENGAGING WITH THE STEM OF THE PRESSURISED CONTAINER AND ADAPTED TO SPRAY THE MEDICAMENT ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE TUBE, STRUTS MOUNTING SAID SPRAY BUTTON IN SAID RIGID TUBE SO AS TO PROVIDE AIR PASSAGES BETWEEN THE OUTSIDE OF SAID BUTTON AND THE INSIDE OF SAID RIGID TUBE, A CAP HAVING SLOTTED LUGS DEPENDENT FROM THE LOWER PORTION THEREOF AND PASSING THROUGH SLOTS IN SAID HOLLOW FRUSTO-CONICAL MEMBER AND RESTING ON THE PRESSURISED CONTAINER, SAID SLOTTED LUGS LOCKING THE CAP IN POSITION AND PREVENTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID PRESSURISED CONTAINER AND SAID HOLLOW FRUSTO-CONICAL MEMBER IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID TUBE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID CONTAINER.