Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M11/00—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes
  • A61M11/001—Particle size control
  • A61M11/003—Particle size control by passing the aerosol trough sieves or filters
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M11/00—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M11/00—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes
  • A61M11/006—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes operated by applying mechanical pressure to the liquid to be sprayed or atomised
  • A61M11/007—Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M11/00—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes
  • A61M11/02—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes operated by air or other gas pressure applied to the liquid or other product to be sprayed or atomised
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M11/00—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes
  • A61M11/06—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes of the injector type
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M15/00—Inhalators
  • A61M15/009—Inhalators using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/1001—Piston pumps
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/1042—Components or details
  • B05B11/108—Means for counting the number of dispensing strokes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/109—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle the dispensing stroke being affected by the stored energy of a spring
  • B05B11/1091—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle the dispensing stroke being affected by the stored energy of a spring being first hold in a loaded state by locking means or the like, then released
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
  • A61M2205/75—General characteristics of the apparatus with filters
  • A61M2205/7545—General characteristics of the apparatus with filters for solid matter, e.g. microaggregates
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
  • A61M2205/82—Internal energy supply devices
  • A61M2205/8275—Mechanical
  • A61M2205/8281—Mechanical spring operated
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M2207/00—Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/02—Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons
  • B05B11/026—Membranes separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the container
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining

Definitions

• the present invention relates to devices for administering liquid medical formulations in which the fluid is passed through narrow flow channels.
• the invention relates to smaller portable devices such as dose dispensers, nebulizers or injectors, such as those used for metering, inhaling or injecting liquid drug formulations.
• the invention relates to an atomizer for atomizing ethanolic and / or aqueous medical formulations with a coarse filter inserted in a flow channel in front of an outlet nozzle for separating particles.
• atomizers which are operated with a liquid.
• the liquid is dispensed into reservoirs or containers containing multiple units for administration with the device, such that the flow channels, metering units, delivery ports, such as, e.g. Atomizing nozzles of the device are used repeatedly.
• this applies both to propellant-containing metered dose inhalers (MDIs), in which the propellant gas expels the formulation from a reservoir repeatedly through the same nozzle when operating a metering valve, as well as to purely mechanical atomizers such as commercially available nasal spray systems or finger pumping systems too.
• MDIs propellant-containing metered dose inhalers
• EP 0 521 061 B1 discloses a metering device in the form of a purely mechanical atomizer in which a measured amount of liquid medicament is passed into a pressure chamber from which the liquid medicament is delivered by piston pressure through an atomizing head.
• a single filter - for example in the form of a mesh screen - arranged to trap particles on the way to the outlet nozzle.
• a nebulizer for nebulising liquid pharmaceutical formulations for inhalation from a container containing several units of the formulation has for years been offered under the name "Respimat®" by Boehringer Ingelheim KG, this purely mechanical, miniaturized high pressure nebulizer is disclosed in WO97 / 12687A1 and US Pat
• a liquid pharmaceutical formulation from a rigid container with inner bag inserted into the atomizer as disclosed in WO00 / 49988A2
• is conveyed out of the inner bag by means of a piston pump driven by a helical gear and into a predetermined position by means of a spring-driven pressure generator Sputtering through a microstructured nozzle into a respirable aerosol Atomization by the nozzle is based on the impaction of two microscopic liquid jets at high velocity, forming a fine mist Publications for nozzles used in the atomizers are disclosed in WO94 / 07607A1, WO99 / 16530A1 and WO
• the document US6837866B 1 describes the use of a filter in a needleless injection system.
• the active reagent is in this case discharged via a blast of gas, which breaks the membranes in shockwaves, between which the active reagent is located.
• the filter used here of stacked metallic networks with a final ceramic layer is not used here for filtering the active Reagent itself, but purely the filtering of the compressed gas and especially its cooling (in the generation of the pressure gas impact is worked with a pyrotechnic generator and the temperatures generated here should not come into direct contact with the active reagent)
• the starting point for the development shown here is the previous filtering of liquids integrated in medical hand-held devices such as the atomizer described in WO09 / 047173A2.
• the present invention has for its object to provide a comparison with the prior art improved device for administering liquid medical formulations - in particular a hand-held device such as a nebulizer or injector - which includes a particular designed for small flow areas and on the deposition of different particles filter system.
• the devices equipped with this filter system should be as independent as possible from the later use, i. in particular, regardless of the choice of solvent of the formulation, the compatibility properties and the climatic conditions.
• the filter system and the associated assembly concept should be suitable for mass production.
• a filter system is to be specified in which an effective filtration of the liquid medical formulation takes place.
• an effective filtration of the liquid medical formulation takes place.
• even minute residues having a diameter smaller than 1 ⁇ m are to be filtered out of the inhalation solution or abrasion particles by the filter system.
• Such smallest particles are in part not detected by typical size-spread filters, which reliably filter out particles with a diameter of at least in the micrometer range.
• a device for administering a liquid medical formulation which is located in a container inserted into the device and is discharged through at least one, preferably two nozzle openings from the device, wherein the liquid medical formulation before flowing through the at least one Nozzle opening flows through a micro-filter and being inside of the device in the flow path of the liquid, a pre-filter is arranged in front of the micro-filter.
• the superfine filter and preferably also the at least one nozzle opening are formed by a microstructured component.
• the device is characterized in that inside the device in the flow path of the liquid, a fine filter is additionally arranged between the pre-filter and the microstructured component, wherein the fine filter for pre-filter is various, so that pre-filter and fine filter particles of different sizes or types before entry the formulation are deposited in the microstructured component.
• the object of the invention is achieved by a method for assembling a device comprising a pressure chamber and arranged between the pressure chamber and nozzle channels filter, wherein the filters are introduced through the later pressure chamber into a central part and the insertion opening by the piston of a pressure generator o
• the latter is closed by means of a connecting element, which is in this case designed as a high-quality liquid, for later removal of liquid from a container.
• a feature of the present invention is that the filters have different pore sizes and are arranged so that the pore sizes become smaller in the flow path.
• Advantage of this invention is that in such a system of filters arranged one behind the other, the particle separation is distributed over several locations and it does not come to a complete installation of the filter and thus the device in total with high particle volume. This is particularly important for such devices as the hand devices preferably considered here, in which the liquid is passed even before application through flow channels of limited diameter and in which no large filters are installed either due to the available installation space or due to fluidic conditions can. In such "tight" installation situations, the deposition capacity of a single filter is limited due to its relatively small cross-sectional area.
• the filters are made of different materials.
• the filter effect determined by the pore size of the filter is supported by the different adsorption properties of the filter materials: Depending on the material and surface condition of the filter, particles adhere to the filter in addition to the size separation.
• different types of particles are deposited by adsorption in this way.
• an adsorption filter is disposed in the flow path between the coarse filter and the exit nozzle.
• the adsorption filter separates nanoparticles from the liquid on the basis of intermolecular interactions such as electrostatics, van der Waals forces or the formation of hydrogen bonds.
• The, in particular made of a plastic such as polyethylene, prefilter - which can also be referred to as a coarse filter - first separates particles in the flow path down to a size of about 9 ⁇ from the liquid medical formulation and the downstream adsorption filtered then nano Particles, in particular up to 5 nm particle size from the liquid medical formulation.
• nano Particles in particular up to 5 nm particle size from the liquid medical formulation.
• nanoparticles can not be filtered by conventional size exclusion fusers due to their small diameter.
• the deposition of the nanoparticles prevents such nanoparticles from attaching to the outlets of the outlet nozzle and thus can lead to an impairment of the atomization, or in particular when using two-jet nozzle
• an adsorption filter is used which, among other things, guarantees a high flow rate.
• an adsorption filter with a large, in particular "inner” surface is particularly preferably used, so that as many nanoparticles as possible can attach to it.
• the arrangement of the adsorption filter in the flow path increases the reliability of the atomizer with respect to the atomization of the liquid medical formulation and effective filtration of the liquid medical formulation to avoid damaging the exit nozzle takes place.
• At least one filter is made of a preferably inert metal such as, in particular, titanium.
• a preferably inert metal such as, in particular, titanium.
• the filter is made of sintered metal because sintered structures can be pressed well into structures having small cross-sections.
• a filter component of sintered metal is mechanically stable and exhibits good installation properties, so that, in particular when installed in a component made of comparatively softer material or plastic in the installed state, there is no formation of bypasses on the side walls. It has been found that filters with particularly small pore sizes can be created by the use of sintered metal from spratzig fractionated metal powders, so that smaller particles can be filtered out than in the particle filters used in the prior art in nebulizers.
• the fine filter is preferably such a metal filter or an adsorption filter.
• the filter system has a plurality of filters with which further particles are filtered out of the atomized liquid medical formulation in the size exclusion process.
• the filter system has a coarse or pre-filter, a metal fine filter and an adsorption filter.
• the fine filter can optionally be arranged between the pre-filter and the adsorption filter or between the adsorption filter and the microstructured component forming the nozzle or the superfine filter.
• the adsorption filter used here is made of glass, cellulose, carbon or polymer fibers and is subjected to a functionalization of the surface prior to its use.
• the carrier fiber is functionalized, unless the carrier material itself, possibly due to its intrinsic surface properties can be used as adsorptive fiber, such as a glass fiber (pH value dependent surface charges and free hydroxy groups (OH groups) for hydrogen bonding).
• a possible functionalization is carried out, for example, by means of quaternary ammonium groups, which leads to the formation of surface charges. If in this way the surface of the adsorption filter is charged positively, typical negatively charged particles, preferably glassy substances, can accumulate.
• adsorption filter by means of aluminum oxides.
• AIO aluminum hydroxide
• adsorbing filters with an alumina-functionalized surface showed good adsorption properties when using liquid medical formulations with pH values in the range of pH 3.5 to 9.
• acidic liquids the protonation of the alumina-functionalized surface and thus increasing their positive charge and in basic liquids, the formation of hydrogen bonds is enhanced by an increased surface density of free OH groups.
• silica nanoparticles having a size of 100 nm at the outlet of the outlet nozzle of the atomizer can be prevented in particular.
• Silicates are fillers in typical elastomeric seals, such as those used in atomizers. Therefore, such silica nanoparticles may, for example, develop as abrasion during use of the nebulizer, as could be surprisingly found.
• adsorption principle filters are available on the market under various trade names, with NanoCeram®, Argonide Advance Filtration Technologies, Sanford, FL, USA, as a filter with an electropositive filter material and alternatively ZetaPlus®, 3M Purification Inc., St Paul, MN, USA, or Disruptor TM, Ahlstrom Corporation, Helsinki, Finland.
• glass fiber filters with a correspondingly high free surface than Adsorption-based filters for dilute dispersions useful (eg glass fiber filters from GE Whatman GF Series).
• the aforementioned filter materials are merely examples, with other adsorption-based filter materials not being excluded from their use.
• filter capacity is to be understood as meaning a measure of the amount of particles which can be intercepted by the filter during the simultaneous passage of liquid in the case of size-based filter filtering.
• the filter threshold is in this context a measure of the size of the particles retained by the filter. This filter threshold represents the degree of separation of the filtering, i. for the pore size indicated for the filter threshold, a defined high probability, e.g. 90%, given that particles of at least this size are deposited on the filter.
• the filter threshold of a filter is determined by its pore size.
• the pore size of a filter can be described by the rechercial size of the pore diameter, the distribution of which is determined by means of the Washburn equation (EW Washburn, Proc. Natl. Acad., USA, 7, 115 (1921)) from measurement data can be obtained by means of established capillary pressure measuring methods such as in particular the mercury porosimetry, as described for example in the German DIN standard 66133.
• liquid additionally comprises dispersions, suspensions, suspensions (mixtures of solutions and suspensions), etc.
• intermediate formulation or the “pharmaceutical formulation” in the present invention relates to medicaments and active substances containing formulations also Therapeutica or the like, in particular so to understand any type of means for inhalation or other use.
• the individual features of the present invention can be used independently or combined with each other.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic section of a nebulizer in the untensioned state
• FIG. 2 is a schematic, rotated by 90 ° with respect to FIG. L section of the atomizer of Figure 1 in the tensioned state.
• FIG. 3 is a schematic section through the atomizer nozzle, filter technology
• FIG. 5 shows the side view of a laterally tilted individual filter element for installation in a medical hand-held device
• Fig. 6 is a schematic section through the nozzle assembly of the atomizer with upstream filter system according to an embodiment
• FIG. 7 shows a schematic section through the nozzle assembly of the atomizer with upstream filter system according to another embodiment with adsorption filter
• Fig. 8 is a schematic section through the nozzle assembly of the atomizer with upstream filter system according to turn another embodiment with adsorption.
• Fig. 1 and 2 show a schematic representation of a hand-operated medical device in which the proposed filter concept can be used.
• a propellant-free atomizer (1) the per each actuation cycle, the respective predetermined amount of a liquid (2) or a liquid medical formulation as preferably respirable or inhalable aerosol (14) outputs.
• This aerosol (14) with droplets with aerodynamic diameters of preferably 0.5 to 10 micrometers, in particular 0.5 to 5 micrometers can be inhaled by a user, not shown.
• a suitable nozzle is used, which is integrated in the representation example in a microstructured component (12).
• a suitable nozzle is used, which is integrated in the representation example in a microstructured component (12).
• the hollow piston (9) is fixedly connected to a holder (6) belonging to the pressure generator (5) for the container (3) - for example molded, glued or snapped.
• the container (3) is fixed in the atomizer (1) via the holder (6), in particular in a clamping or latching manner, so that the hollow piston (9) dips into the fluid space of the container (3) and / or fluidically with the liquid (2). in the container (3) is connected and it can be sucked over the hollow piston.
• the container may optionally be interchangeable.
• the device housing may for this purpose be designed to be opened or partially removed (e.g., in the form of a cap-like housing base as disclosed in WO07 / 128381A1).
• the container (3) which is inserted into the sprayer (1) equipped with a dose indicator or a counter (41), is designed for taking a plurality of dosage units.
• it must be such that the internal pressure remains essentially unchanged even when withdrawing the liquid, so that always the same amount of liquid (2) is removed during the aspiration.
• both a container (3) with a rigid container wall the internal pressure is kept constant via ventilation and as described for example in WO06 / 136426A1, as well as a container (3) can be used with a flexible wall, which is in Liquid removal at least partially shifts into the container interior, that is kept constant by reducing the internal volume of the internal pressure.
• containers (3) in which the flexible wall is formed by a bag which is designed substantially deformable, compressible and / or contractible are described in various embodiments in WO00 / 49988A2, WO01 / 076849A1, W099 / 43571A1, WO09 / 1 15200A1 and WO09 / 103510A1.
• the container consists of a flexible, multilayer, closed bottom film bag, which is connected in the upper part directly with a holding flange preferably made of plastic, welded thereto a container cap for connection to the holder (6) of the atomizer (1), an outer protective sleeve and a head seal (for details see W099 / 43571A1 and WO09 / 115200A1).
• Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of the pressure chamber (11) of the atomizer (1), which is suitable in the illustrated embodiment, both for the atomization of aqueous liquid formulations and in particular for the atomization of alcoholic liquid formulations.
• the hollow piston (9) is at the same time the connecting element between the pressure chamber (1 1) and the interior of the container (3). If the hollow piston (9) partially pulled out of the pressure chamber (11) during the tensioning process, there is a negative pressure, through which liquid (2) from the container (3) in the hollow piston (9) via the open in this situation check valve (10) ) into the pressure chamber (1 1) passes.
• the hollow piston (9) accelerates when the atomizer is triggered
• (I I) is expelled under pressure through a filter system and the nozzle.
• Hollow piston (9) and pressure chamber (1 1) are sealed by an elastomeric seal (24), which in particular has the shape of an O-ring and is in the guide tube of the piston near its entry into the pressure chamber (11); the geometric installation situation of this seal (24), which is preferably pressed by means of a support ring (25) corresponds, for example, that described in WO07 / 051536A1.
• a filter system which precedes the preferably microstructured component (12), in which the nozzle is integrated.
• the novel filter system shown here consists of several, arranged behind one another filter components, which differ in particular by the applied filter technology.
• the filter thresholds of the individual filter components are dimensioned such that each filter according to the size exclusion principle, smaller particles fürläset than its predecessor.
• the combination of different filter techniques and the arrangement of filters with successively increasing degree of separation, or successively smaller pore sizes is overall a higher filter capacity, ie the separation of larger amounts of particles without complete filter installation, and a more thorough Filtering achieved.
• the filter with the largest pore diameter first installed in the flow path captures only the large particles, the next filter with a smaller pore diameter intercepts smaller particles and so on. In this way, a fine-pored filter is not directly laid by large particles so that it can no longer pass liquid through.
• a filter may optionally trap additional material via adsorption. If filters of different textures and different materials are used, this additional adsorption will differ from filter to filter. As a result of the combination of different filter techniques, it is also possible to absorb more particles, and in particular also particles which can be deformed under pressure, thanks to the various adsorption effects.
• the dimensions of the nozzle channels (12d) of the preferred microstructured component (12) are only a few micrometers.
• the nozzle channels (12d) have a rectangular profile with edge lengths of 2 to 10 micrometers.
• a microstructured component (12) that can be used for the exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 4.
• the atomization of the liquid with the atomizer is preferably based on the impaction of two microscopic liquid jets at high speed: From the preferably two nozzle channels (12d) and the associated nozzle openings (12e) liquid jets directed so that they are at a defined angle meet and be nebulized by the forces acting on impact.
• Particles may be formed within the nebulizer in a variety of ways: by agglomeration or flocculation in the liquid medical formulation, by process steps in the assembly of the nebulizer, and by abrasion of components moving against each other in the apparatus, e.g. in the field of dynamic seals.
• the central part (23) forms the lateral boundary of the pressure chamber (1 1), the liquid inlet in the form of the passage for the liquid-carrying hollow piston (9) and the liquid outlet, in which the filters are preceded by the nozzle.
• the pressure chamber is substantially circular cylindrical.
• the construction of the nozzle and pumping chamber system is designed in the preferred embodiment such that the pump chamber defining central part (23) on the side of the hollow piston (9) has a central bore - downstream, i. progressing in the direction of flow, preferably slightly conically constricted - has, which receives both filter components, the pressure chamber (1 1) and the hollow piston (9) and at a correspondingly widened location the associated seal (24) receives.
• the nozzle assembly (29) Downstream of the central part (23) the nozzle assembly (29) is connected, which contains the nozzle forming the microstructured component (12) and various associated mounting or sealing components.
• a coarse filter or pre-filter 27
• a fine filter 28
• the microstructured component (12) forming the nozzle joins in, which not only contains the actual nozzle channels (12d) but also an integrated micro-filter (12f).
• the liquid in the device flows through three filtering components: a coarse filter or prefilter (27), a fine filter (28) and finally a superfine filter (12f).
• the nozzle or the microstructured component (12) which includes both the nozzle openings (12e) and a micro-filter (12f), preferably consists of a microstructured plate (12a) Silicon, and a structure covering the plate (12b), preferably made of glass together.
• the structure thus created, generated by means of microstructure techniques, along the flow direction behind an inflow region (12c) first forms a microfine filter (12f) designed as a flow filter and then the nozzle channels (12d).
• the filter effect is achieved by a special arrangement of fixed webs and passages. Particularly preferred is the zigzag arrangement of web rows with the finest passages with production-related rectangular profile.
• the passage widths are only a few micrometers - preferably particles up to a size of about 2 micrometers are removed from the liquid before it enters the nozzle channels and is later inhaled after atomization by a user of the inhaler. Further details of possible structures for the microstructured component (12) or superfine filter (12f) incorporated in the nozzle assembly (29) are described in WO94 / 07607A 1, WO99 / 16530A1, WO05 / 000476A1, WO07 / 101557A2 and WO08 / 138936A2 disclosed.
• the entire system of pressure generator (5) with drive spring (7), pre-filter (27), fine filter (28) and microstructured component (12) is preferably constructed so that not only adapted to the respiratory activity droplet sizes are formed in the spray generation, but that the The spray cloud itself stops so long that the patient can easily adapt his inhalation to them. In this case, spray times of 0.5 to 2 seconds, in particular of 1 to 2 seconds, are preferred.
• the choice of filter system and filter thresholds in the atomizer affects the length of the spray time.
• the filter components of the illustration example differ not only in terms of their filter threshold, but are also different in terms of their nature, structure and materials.
• the three filtering components of the device are one Plastic filter, a metal filter and a microstructured component, which is preferably made of a glass-silicon composite as described above.
• a prefilter (27) and for the fine filter (28) therefore, other materials are preferably selected than for the superfine filter (12f).
• a prefilter (27) made of plastic such as, for example, from a chemically compatible to most medical formulations polyolefin material such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
• PE polyethylene
• PP polypropylene
• PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
• the prefilter (27) of a modified polyolefin, such as metallocene-PP possible, where you can use the special adsorption properties of the material.
• the pre-filter (27) consists of compressed plastic granules or sintered material, in this case particularly preferably of polyethylene sintered material.
• the fine filter (28) the use of a metallic filter is preferred.
• the fine filter (28) preferably consists of sintered metal, in particular in the form of fine-pored compressed metal particles made of stainless steel or particularly preferably of titanium.
• a fine filter with a comparatively average pore size in the range of 5 to 3 micrometers is preferred. Accordingly, the pore size of the metal filter is chosen to be so small that the pore diameters are less than 5 microns.
• the multi-stage filter system shown here is designed with 2 micron passage width at the micro-filter (12f) so that even very large drug molecules or suspension components follow the flow path and can be inhaled by atomization by the user.
• fine filters (28) or very fine filters (12f) as so-called sterile filters with pore sizes down to 0.05 micrometers or, as in WO08 / 138936A2 for sterile applications, preferably in the pore size range 0.2 to 0.3 micrometers use.
• the flow path and the pressure generator must then each be adapted to the larger pressure losses that occur on sterile filters.
• filters with suitable pore sizes smaller than 5 micrometers can be produced in sintering processes from such metal powders consisting of surface-fissured, so-called spotty particles.
• spotty particles By the Use of such a fractionally fractionated metal powder can be achieved particularly small pore sizes, so that the production of a metal filter with the particularly preferred pore diameter of 4 microns is possible.
• Particularly preferred is the use of titanium as spratzig fractionated metal powder, ie the use of titanium sintered metal as a filter material.
• the latter is particularly important in the use of acidic medical formulations such as preferably in the pH range of 3.5 to 9 and in particular of pH 3.5 to 6, which in turn can lead to the corrosion of base metalloid metals.
• the filter system presented here is adapted to the filtering of such acidic formulations.
• the apparatus has a central part (23) in which both filters or the prefilter (27) and the fine filter (28) are arranged downstream of a pressure chamber (11) or metering chamber formed by the same central part (23). The filters are thus arranged between the pressure chamber (11) and nozzle channels (12d).
• Both fine filter (28) and pre-filter (27) or coarse filter have a circular cylindrical or at least partially conical shape. More preferably, at least one filter has a slightly different shape from the circular cylindrical shape with tapered side walls.
• Fig. 5 shows a particularly preferred geometry of the fine filter (28).
• the fine filter (28) has a circle-cylindrical structure on the inlet side of the liquid, which extends over one third to one half of the total length of the fine filter (28) in the form of a circular, constant diameter.
• a conical region follows, so that the circular diameter of the fine filter (28) with the flow path becomes smaller.
• the flow outlet of the fine filter (28) this again has a narrow circular cylindrical area.
• pre-filter (27) and / or fine filter (28) may also have a cup-like shape.
• a cup-like filter is installed in the device so that the open side of the cup structure points towards the pressure chamber.
• the upstream pointing cup structure of pre-filter (27) and / or fine filter (28) has a relation to the circular cylindrical filter type significantly enlarged entrance surface at which more particles can be deposited already on reaching the filter. This is particularly important for systems in which it comes to the formation of many, especially large particles, since for them so the filter capacity can be increased.
• the prefilter (27) can be combined with the fine filter (28) in the form of a component with a stepped filter effect.
• the filter segments are sintered together.
• both filters have dimensions smaller than five and in particular between 1 and 2 millimeters, so that they can be easily installed in miniaturized fluid systems such as miniaturized high-pressure atomizers.
• the filters are inserted in the assembly of the atomizer (1) one behind the other in the associated central bore in the central part (23) and form at the end of the pressure chamber (11) a Press fit with the inner wall of the central part (23).
• Prefilter (27) and fine filter (28) are thus held without further components for fixing in the central part (23).
• the central part (23) can also hold the filters by an internal cross-sectional constriction, so that the filters are fixed in the flow direction, in particular in the flow direction.
• the material selection of the filter is also of importance for its installation situation: Particularly preferably follows a filter made of metal, here the fine filter (28) in the flow on the made of comparatively soft plastic filter, here the prefilter (27).
• This has the advantage, in particular for use in a high-pressure system, that the metal filter can assume a retaining function for the plastic filter.
• the metal filter can assume a retaining function for the plastic filter.
• the comparatively dimensionally stable metallic filter is prevented by the counterhold by the comparatively dimensionally stable metallic filter.
• the choice of a hard metal such as titanium as a material for the fine filter (28) has the advantage when installed in a made of plastic central part (23) that the solid, metallic fine filter (28) in the conical compression in a surface softer plastic material of the central part (23) pushes in such a way that it can not come to the formation of bypasses on its sides.
• the fine filter (28) in front of the pre-filter (27) in the same implementation at the central part (23) it is advantageous that the central part (23) surface softer than the fine filter (28), but surface harder than the prefilter (27) is.
• the prefilter (27) is made of a particularly surface-soft material such as PE or PP, a particularly tight fit against the side wall also forms during pressing in the harder central part, so that here too the formation of bypasses is prevented.
• the central part (23) consists of a solid, pressure-stable plastic, in particular PEEK.
• the filters are introduced through the later pressure chamber (11) into the central part (23) and the insertion is later by the piston of the pressure generator (5) or by a in particular as a hollow piston (9) designed connecting element for later removal of liquid (2) from a container (3) closed.
• the fine filter (28) may be a metal mesh filter whose fine poredness results from the superposition of several layers of fine-meshed nets.
• these nets can be injected directly by injection molding in the central part (23).
• the fabric is embedded as a separate ready-to-install filter element in a plastic such as TPE or more preferably an elastomer, so that a single component includes not only the filter but also its associated holding element or preferably sealing element.
• Figures 6 to 8 show an enlarged view of the nozzle assembly (29) with upstream filter system in various embodiments, which in comparison to the embodiment shown in Figure 3 each have a separate adsorption filter (32) as an additional filter to pre-filter (27), fine filter (28 ) and ultra-fine filters (12f).
• the adsorption filter (32) is optionally arranged between prefilter (27) and fine filter (28) (FIG. 6) or between fine filter (28) and microstructured component (12) with superfine filter (12f) and nozzle (FIGS. 7 and 8).
• the adsorption filter (32) adjoins the prefilter (27), which serves for the deposition of nanoparticles in a size range of ⁇ 100 nanometers, which are microstructured at the outlets of the nozzle Attach component (12).
• the adsorption filter (32) is made of a functionalized by alumina glass fiber as a carrier fiber and frictionally between the pre-filter (27) and a fine filter (28) - preferably titanium - for filtering particles up to a size of about 3 to 5 ⁇ held ,
• the nozzle-forming, microstructured component (12) is in the representation of a glass-silicon composite.
• the microstructured component (12) is fixed by means of a holder (30) with an associated seal (31) on the atomizer (1).
• This microstructured component (12) not only contains the nozzle with the nozzle openings (12e) for generating Microscopic liquid jets but also a very fine filter (12f), which is preferably formed as a zig-zag-shaped flow filter according to Figure 4 and for the removal of particles up to a size of about 2 ⁇ from the liquid medical formulation in the flow path in front of the nozzle channels (12d) and / or the nozzle openings (12e) is used.
• the adsorption filter (32) can be enclosed positively and / or non-positively between two filter systems. In the example shown, it is pressed between pre-filter (27) and fine filter (28) in the central part (23).
• the prefilter (27) is followed by the fine filter (28) and the adsorption filter (32) is located directly between the fine filter (28) and the very fine filter (12f).
• the adsorption filter (32) is designed as a filter disk which is frictionally held with its edge.
• the edge of the filter disc is either through a seal (31) of the microstructured component (12) comprising the micro-filter (12f) and nozzle or through a holder (30) in the nozzle assembly (29) ( Figure 8) or through the microstructured one Component (12) itself (Fig. 7) held.
• the edge of the adsorption filter (32) is outside the flow path.
• the essential difference that exists between the two installation situations according to FIGS. 7 and 8 is the diameter of the adsorption filter (32) which, when held by the microstructured component (12), is smaller than components comprising components supported by the microstructured component (12) such as the holder (30) and the seal (31).
• the adsorption filter (32) provided between the fine filter (28) and the very fine filter (12f) in any case has such a large diameter that it is clamped at the edge by the holder (30) of the microstructured component (12).
• the idea of switching differently shaped and differently acting filter elements in a row is transferable to many devices in which liquids are conveyed or transported.
• the proposed atomizer (1) operates, in particular, purely mechanically.
• the filter system presented here is not limited to use in purely mechanical devices for applying a liquid. It may also be used, for example, in systems in which the application of the liquid is powered by propellant or by electric, hydraulic or other pumps.
• terms such as "pressure generators" are to be understood as being general, and in this sense, the present invention can be used across domains, even applications beyond the medical field are possible.
• the atomizer shown here specifically serves to dispense a liquid medicinal formulation as inhalable aerosol and is suitable for the application of both aqueous and preferably alcoholic, especially ethanolic medical formulations.
• Preferred ingredients of the preferably liquid medicinal formulation are listed in particular in the publications WO09 / 047173A2 and WO09 / 1 15200A1, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
• the fluid described in these documents may be aqueous or nonaqueous solutions, mixtures, formulations with and without solvents, such as ethanol or the like. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
• Container 17 Housing inner part
• Pressure generator 18 housing lower part
• Pressure chamber 27 pre-filter

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• 2011
  • 2011-07-05 EP EP11730632.4A patent/EP2593164B1/de active Active
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