WO2012004512A1

WO2012004512A1 - Dry-powder inhaler

Info

Publication number: WO2012004512A1
Application number: PCT/FR2011/051579
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arnaud Colomb; Zakaria Sallak
Original assignee: Valois Sas
Priority date: 2010-07-07
Filing date: 2011-07-05
Publication date: 2012-01-12
Also published as: FR2962337B1; FR2962337A1; BR112013000401A2; BR112013000401B1; CN103079617B; CN103079617A

Abstract

The invention relates to a dry-powder inhaler (100) comprising a body (110) containing a dispersion chamber (111), and a lid (130) mounted on the body such that it can pivot between a closed position and an open position, said lid including a dispensing opening (131) through which the user inhales. The inhaler also comprises a loading opening (121) which can receive a capsule (10) containing a dose of dry powder to be inhaled, said capsule (10) comprising a top portion (11), and a bottom portion (12) which can be separated from the top portion. The above-mentioned loading opening (121) comprises at least one clamping rib (125) for clampingly holding the top portion (11) of the capsule (10) inserted into the loading opening (121) before and during the opening of said capsule (10). The lid (130) comprises a lug (135) which, when the lid (130) is completely closed, engages with the top portion (11) of the capsule that is clampingly held in the loading opening (121), in order to push same into the dispersion chamber (111) of the inhaler.

Description

Dry powder inhaler

The present invention relates to a dry powder inhaler.

Inhalers are well known in the state of the art. There are different kinds. A first type of inhaler contains a reservoir receiving a multitude of doses of powder, the inhaler being provided with dosing means allowing each actuation to separate a dose of this powder from the reservoir to bring it into an expulsion conduit to to be distributed to the user. Another type of inhaler consists in arranging the doses of powder in pre-dosed individual reservoirs and then opening one of these reservoirs each time the inhaler is actuated. This implementation ensures a better seal of the powder, since each dose is open at the time of its expulsion. To make these individual tanks, various variants have already been proposed, such as an elongated blister strip or blisters arranged on a rotating circular disk. All types of inhalers described above and existing have advantages and disadvantages related to their structure and operation. Thus, with some inhalers, there is the problem of accuracy and reproducibility of the dosage at each actuation. Similarly, the effectiveness of the distribution, that is, the portion of the dose that actually enters the user's lungs to have a beneficial therapeutic effect, is also a problem with a number of inhalers. Regarding the opening of the individual tanks, it has been proposed to peel or peel off the closure layer. This has the disadvantage of difficult control of the forces to be applied to ensure full opening without the risk of opening the next tank, especially if the opening means must be actuated by inhalation. Another problem that arises with inhalers provided with blister band is related to the displacement of the band, and the storage of the used part of the band. Thus, depending on the length of the strip and / or the thickness of the blisters, a large space may be necessary and any blocking of the strip of blisters can prevent the proper functioning of the inhaler. Moreover, when the advancing device of the band pulls at the same time on the front end of the band to avoid a bad winding, it can be a problem as the actuations take place, in particular because of the diameter of the band. worn band wound up gradually. Multi-dose inhalers and inhaler containing a band of blisters are therefore generally complex devices, consisting of a large number of parts, and therefore expensive to manufacture and assemble. To achieve less complex and therefore less expensive devices, it has been proposed inhalers with individual reservoirs, such as capsules, to be loaded into the inhaler just before use thereof. The advantage of these devices is that it is not necessary to store all the doses inside the device, so that it can be reduced in size. By cons, the use is more complex, since the user is obliged to load a capsule in the inhaler before each use. In addition, other disadvantages specific to these capsule inhalers have appeared. Thus, these devices are generally made of two parts, one being provided with the mouthpiece. When handling these devices, to open the capsule and release the powder, or to empty the empty capsule after inhalation, the fingers of the user generally come into contact with the mouthpiece, which may present risks of contamination . Similarly, to evacuate the empty capsule, the device must generally be disassembled, which exposes the interior of the device to any external pollution, may subsequently be transmitted to the user during a future inhalation. WO 2009/091780, WO 91/19524 and US-4 206 758 disclose devices of the prior art.

The present invention aims to provide a dry powder inhaler, which does not reproduce the aforementioned drawbacks.

In particular, the present invention aims to provide such an inhaler that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, reliable of use, and limiting as much as possible the risk of contamination and / or pollution.

The present invention therefore relates to a dry powder inhaler, comprising a body containing a dispersion chamber, a cap pivotally mounted on said body between a closed position and an open position, said cap having a dispensing orifice through which the user inhale, the inhaler further comprising a loading opening receiving a capsule containing a dose of dry powder to inhale, said capsule having an upper portion and a lower portion separable from said upper portion, said loading opening having at least one rib clamping device for tightly holding said upper part of the capsule inserted in said loading opening, before and during the opening of said cap, said cap comprising a pin which, at the end of closing of the cap, cooperates with said upper part of the capsule held tightly in said loading opening to push it into said dispersing chamber of the inhaler.

Advantageously, said loading opening comprises three clamping ribs regularly distributed around said loading opening.

Advantageously, a plate portion is fixed on said body, said plate portion having said loading opening.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded schematic perspective view of a dispensing device according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1, in the closed position before the first use, FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, in the open position, with a capsule loaded in the loading opening;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views similar to that of FIG. 2, during closing of the cover and opening of the capsule,

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, in the closed position, before inhalation,

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6, in the closed position, during inhalation,

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, in the open position,

FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrammatic perspective views of the device of FIG. 1, respectively in the closed and open position, and

- Figures 1 1 and 12 are schematic views in cut perspective, respectively in closed and open position,

The figures describe an advantageous embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the inhaler 100 comprises a hollow body 1 and having an upper opening and a lower opening. The upper opening is at least partially closed by a plate portion 120 fixed to said body and the lower opening is closed by a closure element, such as a hatch 150, pivotally mounted on said body 1 10. Under the part plate 120 is interposed a sliding member 140 provided with a toothing. Advantageously, the plate portion 120 comprises guide means, such as rails 129, cooperating with projections 149 of the sliding member 140, to guide the translational movement of said sliding member. A pivoting cover 130 is assembled above said plate portion 120. This cover 130 includes the dispensing orifice 131, preferably formed at a mouthpiece around which the user will place his mouth to inhale. Thus, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 1, the device according to this embodiment consists of five main parts, namely the body 1 10, the part of plate 120, the sliding member 140, the cover 130 and the hatch 150. All these elements are assembled on one another by means of an axis 160 passing through a lateral opening 1 15 provided in the body 1 10, to through appropriate lateral openings 135 of the cover 130 and through a hollow cylinder 155 formed in a portion of the hatch 150. At least one toothed element 161, 162 is mounted on said axis 160 to cooperate with at least one toothing 145 provided on the sliding member 140. In the example shown, there are two toothed elements 161 and 162 mounted on the axis 160, and thus the sliding member 140 also has two sets of teeth 145 and 146, the operation of which will be described below. . An appropriate fastener

163 may be provided to releasably fix said axis 160 on said body 1 10 by assembling the different constituent parts with each other. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the axis 160 preferably has a particular section, for example substantially square, and the toothed elements also comprise a similar section so that they are integral in rotation with the axis 160. cover 130 also includes openings 135 of similar shape so that the cover, the toothed elements and said axis 160 are integral in rotation. The plate portion 120 comprises a loading opening 121, advantageously provided with at least one, preferably three positioning ribs 125, advantageously evenly distributed around said loading opening 121. These ribs make it possible to position and hold tightly a capsule 10 in the desired position. In particular, the capsules 10 comprise an upper part 1 1 and a lower part 12 separable from said upper part, said ribs 125 serve to maintain said upper part 1 1 before and during the separation of said lower part 12. Moreover, this part plate 120 also advantageously comprises a reservoir zone 122 formed by an area provided with a plurality of holes 123 for disposing one or more reserve capsule (s). This allows the user to always have several capsules available, for example when traveling. In this case, after each use of the device, it only has to use in this capsule tank for charging the next capsule into the loading opening 121. Of course, such a capsule reservoir is not essential to the operation of the device.

Figures 2 to 8 illustrate a cycle of operation of the device according to this embodiment. Referring to Figure 2, which shows the device in the closed position before the first use, it is found that the body 1 10 defines inside a dispersion chamber January 1 which will be intended to receive the powder after opening the capsule 10. FIG. 3 shows the device after opening the cover 130. It can be seen that the opening of the cover 130 causes rotation of the axis 160 due to the cooperation of the approximately square shape of this axis 160 with the correspondingly shaped orifices. 135. This rotation of the axis 160 thus also causes a rotation of the toothed elements 161 and 162 which rotate with said axis 160. A rotation of these toothed elements 161, 162 causes a lateral translation of the sliding member 140. Indeed, as shown in particular in Figure 2, the toothing 165 of the toothed element 161 is engaged in the toothing 145 of the sliding member 140. Thus between Figures 2 and 3, it is found that the rotati one of the teeth 165 of the toothed element will slide the sliding member 140 to the right in the figures. Of course, the same happens on the other side of the device with the second toothed element 162, not visible in the sectional figures. Of course, a single toothed element may be sufficient to cause the displacement of said sliding member. When opening the cover 130, the hatch 150 does not rotate with the axis 160. On the other hand, at the end of the opening of the cover 130, it cooperates with said hatch 150, and in particular with a curved portion 151 connecting the hollow cylinder 155, which is mounted on the axis 160, to the part of the hatch which closes the bottom of the body 1 10 in the closed position of the hatch. This cooperation between the cover 130 and the hatch 150 tilts the hatch about said axis 160 to the open position shown in Figure 3. Thus, in this fully open position of the cover 130, the hatch 150 is open and the inside of the 1 1 1 dispersion chamber can be evacuated out of the device. Figure 3 shows also a capsule 10 placed inside the loading opening 121. It can be seen that the upper part 1 1 of the capsule is tightly held in the ribs 125 provided in said loading opening 121. Furthermore, the lower part 12 of the capsule passes through a first opening 141 made in said sliding member 140 and which, in the open position of the cover 130, is opposite said loading opening 121.

FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate the closing phase of the cover 130 after loading the capsule 10. Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 4, when the user closes the cover 130, the hatch 150 will also close and the sliding member 140 will be brought to the left in the figures by the cooperation between the toothed elements 161 and 162 and the teeth of said sliding member 140. Now, the lower portion 12 of the capsule 10 passing through the first opening 141 of said sliding member 140, a lateral displacement of this sliding member will break the lower portion 12 of the capsule 10 as shown in Figure 4. The upper part 1 1 of the capsule 10 is of course held tightly in the loading opening 121, in particular by the ribs 125. On the other hand, the lower part 12 will fall into the dispersion chamber 1 1 1, since the first orifice 141 of said sliding member 140 has a larger diameter than the di external ameter of said lower portion 12 of the capsule. Thus, not only will the powder be emptied inside the dispersion chamber 1 1 1, but the lower part 12 containing said powder will fall on the bottom of said dispersion chamber January 1, to allow emptying of the - this. In the position of Figure 5, we see that the hood 130 just before its closed position. In this position, a lug 135 provided in said hood portion 130 will cooperate with the upper part 1 1 of the capsule 10 which has remained in the loading opening 121. Thus, and as clearly illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, during the total closure of the cover 130, the pin 135 will cause the expulsion of the upper part 1 1 of the capsule from the loading opening 121 to the inside the dispersion chamber 1 1 1. In this position of Figure 6, where the device is again completely closed, the capsule 10 has been broken in two, the two upper parts 1 1 and lower 12 of the capsule 10 resting in the dispersion chamber 1 1 1 on the bottom (formed by the hatch 150) and with the powder at least partially expelled from said capsule parts. The device is then ready for inhalation.

Figure 7 illustrates the inhalation phase. To inhale, the user places his mouth around the dispensing orifice 131 of the cover 130 and sucks in the direction of the arrow B, shown in FIG. 7. In doing so, he creates a stream of air inside. of the dispersion chamber 1 1 1 which will swirl the two parts of the capsules 1 1 and 12 inside said dispersion chamber 1 1 1. This swirling illustrated by the arrow C in Figure 7 will allow a total emptying of said capsule parts but also a good dispersion of the powder, and in particular a deagglomeration of any clumps of powder that may have formed. Optionally, additional air inlets may be provided in the dispersion chamber to promote swirling of the inhalation stream. The swirling powder will then be expelled out of the dispersion chamber 11 by the inhalation flow through a second opening 142 provided in the sliding member 140 and which, in this inhalation position, is facing the 1 part to the dispersion chamber 1 1 1 and secondly to the loading opening 121. As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 11, the cover 130 advantageously comprises a grid 137 through which the powder will be able to pass and be expelled in the direction of the dispensing orifice 131. In particular, the grid prevents the capsule parts 11, 12 from being expelled from the dispersion chamber. The user then inhales the dose of powder that was initially contained in the capsule 10. Advantageously, said dispersion chamber may have a frustoconical shape narrowing towards the dispensing orifice 131, in particular to accelerate the inhalation flow by direction of said orifice.

After inhalation, the user opens the cover 130 again, which, as before, will tilt the hatch 150 at the end of opening. This tipping of the hatch 150 illustrated in Figure 8, will allow to evacuate the two parts of the capsules 1 1 and 12 empty of the dispersion chamber 1 1 1. In this position of Figure 8, the device is ready for next use. Of course, if this next use is not immediate, the user can close the device and wait to reopen it the next time he needs it. Alternatively, the user is not obliged to empty empty capsule parts after each inhalation but it can of course only do when the next opening of the device when it wants to load a new capsule.

Advantageously, as illustrated in particular in Figure 1, the hatch 150 may include one or more pins (s) 156 which snaps (s) slightly into the bottom of the body 1 10 in the closed position, to ensure a secure closure and reliable hatch 150 in the closed position. Figures 1 1 and 12 show openings 1 16 formed in the bottom of the body 1 10 through which said latching lugs 156 of the hatch will be able to pass. Of course, this snap is not too strong not to hinder the opening of the hatch when the user opens the hood 130.

Figures 9 and 10 show perspective views of the device in closed and open positions, and Figures 1 1 and 12 are views similar to Figures 9 and 10 but partially cut away, showing the internal structure of the device in these two positions.

The device of the invention is therefore particularly simple and clever. It consists of a small number of parts, so it is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble. Moreover, the presence of a dispersion chamber and parts of empty capsules that swirl allow to disagglomerate the powder and thus ensure a better distribution thereof to the user during inhalation. Finally, the evacuation of empty capsule parts does not require disassembly of the device which limits the risk of pollution thereof. The lack of disassembly of the device also avoids the risk of not being able to reassemble it, or to misplace the disassembled parts, especially in children or elderly people. Moreover, the manipulation of the device, that is to say the opening and closing of the cover 130, does not require manipulating the part forming the mouthpiece around the dispensing orifice 131. Optionally, one could consider a specific gripping portion for handling said cover. The risk of contamination at the dispensing orifice 131 is therefore also limited. The method of use of the device is very simple, the user having to move the cover between its two end positions to fully operate the device. Thus, he first opens the hood, then he inserts a capsule, he closes the hood and inhales.

Various modifications are also possible for a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. In particular, the various features and functionality of the device described with reference to the drawings may be combined with each other in any suitable manner.

Claims

claims

1. - Dry powder inhaler (100), comprising a body (1 10) containing a dispersion chamber (1 1 1), a cover (130) pivotally mounted on said body between a closed position and an open position, said cover comprising a dispensing orifice (131) through which the user inhales, the inhaler further comprising a loading opening (121) receiving a capsule (10) containing a dose of dry powder to be inhaled, said capsule (10) having a portion upper (1 1) and a lower part (12) separable from said upper part, characterized in that said loading opening (121) comprises at least one clamping rib (125) for tightly holding said upper part (1 1 ) of the capsule (10) inserted in said loading aperture (121), before and during the opening of said capsule (10), said cap (130) comprising a pin (135) which, at the end of closing of the cap ( 130), cooperates with said sup the upper (1 1) of the capsule held tightly in said loading opening (121) to push it into said dispersing chamber (1 1 1) of the inhaler.

The inhaler according to claim 1, wherein said loading opening (121) has three clamping ribs (125) evenly distributed around said loading opening (121).

An inhaler according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plate portion (120) is attached to said body, said plate portion (120) having said loading opening (121).