U.S. patent number 3,906,950 [Application Number 05/457,270] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-23 for inhaling device for powdered medicaments.
This patent grant is currently assigned to I.S.F. S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Salvatore Cocozza.
United States Patent |
3,906,950 |
Cocozza |
September 23, 1975 |
Inhaling device for powdered medicaments
Abstract
An inhaling device for medicinal powders comprising a pump and
an inhaler wherein the inhaler has a cavity formed by the
interconnection of two compartments for holding a puncturable
capsule containing a medicinal powder. Two sliding needles acting
against the action of return springs pierce the capsule. In a
preferred embodiment, the lower body portion of the inhaler is
attached to the pump when in use and may be stored in "at rest"
position when the inhaler is inverted into the pump.
Inventors: |
Cocozza; Salvatore (Milan,
IT) |
Assignee: |
I.S.F. S.p.A. (Milan,
IT)
|
Family
ID: |
26328226 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/457,270 |
Filed: |
April 2, 1974 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
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Apr 4, 1973 [IT] |
|
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22576/73 |
Jun 22, 1973 [IT] |
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25698/73 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
128/203.15;
128/203.21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
15/0028 (20130101); A61M 15/0033 (20140204); A61M
2202/064 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
15/00 (20060101); A61M 013/00 (); A61M
015/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/266,206,208,194,265 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Medbery; Aldrich F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Depaoli & O'Brien
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An inhaling device, for delivering powdered substances in
aerated form from a pierced capsule, comprising a pump and an
inhaler, said inhaler comprising:
A. a relatively fixed central element formed by two connectable
components and defining a cavity for reception of said capsule,
and
B. a pair of relatively moveable needle holder elements including
piercing means mounted therein, which are:
1. telescopically slidable within said connectable components
against the action of a pair of return springs and in the path of
movement of air through said inhaler,
2. disposed in mutually opposed relationship and in straddling
relationship to said capsule, and
3. constituting a means for piercing said capsule when said springs
are compressed by slidably moving said needle holder elements
toward each other.
2. The inhaling device of claim 1 wherein said components are
connected by screw means.
3. The inhaling device of claim 1 wherein each of said pair of
needle holer elements comprises a capsule-piercing needle.
4. The inhaling device of claim 1 wherein each of said components
is attached to a sleeve having an interior shoulder and each of
said pair of needle holder elements has an outwardly disposed
shoulder which is capable of reciprocating between a rest position
against one of said interior shoulders and a needle-piercing
position against one of said connectable components.
5. The inhaling device of claim 4 wherein said inhaler comprises a
nose piece and a pump piece and one of said pair of said needle
holder elements is locked by friction to said nose piece and the
other of said pair of needle holder elements is locked against said
pump piece by micro-ribs having saw teeth.
6. An inhaler for storing, entraining, and delivering powders in
aerated condition, comprising;
A. a central storage unit for said powders,
B. a apir of needle holders including piercing means mounted
therein which straddle said unit and are slidably connected
thereto,
C. a nose piece which is non-slidably attached to one of said pair
of needle holders,
D. a pump piece which is non-slidably attached to the other of said
pair of needle holders, and
E. a longitudinally disposed air passage means extending from end
to end of said inhaler, through said pump piece, said pair of
needle holders, said central storage unit, and said nose piece,
said nose piece and said pump piece ecah being longitudinally
slidable toward said central storage unit to provide opposed
piercing means for the central storage unit, whereby said powders
are released.
7. The inhaler of claim 6 wherein said central storage unit
comprises a pair of connectable compartments which define and
contain, in combination, a cavity therewithin for storage of a
capsule containing said powder.
8. The inhaler of claim 7 wherein each of said pair of connectable
compartments comprises an annular spring well within which a
compression spring is seated.
9. The inhaler of claim 8 wherein each of said pair of needle
holders comprises a annular sliding end which is slidably mounted
within one of said annular spring wells and in engagement with one
of said springs.
10. The inhaler of claim 9 which further comprises a pair of stop
sleeves which straddle said unit and are non-slidably attached
thereto.
11. The inhaler of claim 10 wherein said pair of stop sleeves is in
slidably circumferential and alignment-maintaining relation to said
pair of needle holder elements.
12. The inhaler of claim 11 wherein each of said pair of stop
sleeves has a cylindrical inner wall and said needle holders
comprise circumannular shoulders which extend outwardly into
slidable and alignment-maintaining relation with said cylindrical
inner walls of said stop sleeves.
13. The inhaler of claim 12 wherein each of said pair of needle
holders additionally comprises an annular fixed end, one of said
fixed ends being non-slidably attached to said nose piece and the
other being non-slidably attached to said pump piece.
14. The inhaler of claim 13 wherein each of said pair of needle
holders comprises a capsule-piercing needle, said needles being
coaxially disposed in mutually opposed relationship and in
straddling relationship to said capsule and being adapted to pierce
said capsule when said springs are compressed by slidably moving
said nose piece and said pump piece toward each other.
15. The inhaler of claim 14 wherein each of said stop sleeves
additionally comprises an inwardly extending interior shoulder
which extends into sliding engagement with exterior cylindrical
surfaces of said fixed ends, as a sliding alignment means.
16. The inhaler of claim 15 wherein:
A. said nosepiece, said stop sleeves, and said central storage unit
have a smaller exterior diameter than the exterior diameter of said
pump piece, and
B. said pump piece comprises a circumferential and outwardly
extending lug having an arcuately receding surface and a radially
receding surface,
whereby said arcuately receding surface functions as a storage stop
means, when said inhaler is inverted into a pump for storage by
inserting said nose piece thereinto, and said radially receding
surface functions as an operational stop means, when said inhaler
is inserted into said pump by engaging said pump piece
therewith.
17. The inhaler of claim 16 wherein said pump piece further has an
exterior cylindrical surface which is polished and uniformly
interrupted by a friction locking means for the mouthpiece of said
pump.
18. The inhaling device of claim 17 wherein the points of contact
between the cylindrical surface of the lower body portion and the
surface normal to said means are friction locking points between
said inhaler and said pump.
19. The inhaling device of claim 17 wherein the points of contact
between the cylindrical surface of the lower body portion and the
portions of said means have curved surfaces which are stop points
for friction locking between said inhaler and said pump when said
inhaling device is not in use.
20. The inhaling device of claim 5 wherein:
A. said nose piece and said pump piece each comprises a skirt
portion extending toward said cavity and having an inner
cylindrical surface adapted for sliding contact; and
B. each said sleeve comprises an outer cylindrical surface adapted
for said sliding contact with one of said inner cylindrical
surfaces of said skirt portions of said nose piece and said pump
piece to form a first pair of slidable alignment means.
21. The inhaling device of claim 20 wherein:
A. each said sleeve, attached to one of said two connectable
components, comprises an inner cylindrical surface adapted for
sliding contact; and
B. each said outwardly disposed shoulder of said pair of needle
holder elements comprises an outer cylindrical surface adapted for
said sliding contact with one of said sleeves to form a second pair
of slidable alignment means.
22. The inhaling device of claim 21 wherein:
A. each said interior shoulder of said sleeves attached to said two
components comprises an inner cylindrical surface adapted for
sliding contact; and
B. each said needle holder element comprises an outer cylindrical
surface adapted for said sliding contact with one of said inner
cylindrical surfaces of said interior shoulders to form a third
slidable alignment means, said first, second, and third pairs of
slidable alignment means imparting a high degree of trueness to
said inhaler so that binding and wear are minimized.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an inhaler for the administration of
medicinal powders. More particularly, the inhaler relates to a
traditional pump and an inhaler body having means for piercing a
stored capsule containing medicinal powder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Inhalers are already known utilizing an elastic pump and a needle
piercing a capsule which contains a medicinal substance; generally
their working is not completely satisfactory as a result of rather
complicated construction and cumbersome dimensions. In the inhaler
of the present invention, the above mentioned inconveniences have
been practically eliminated, so that the inhaler is easily and
quickly constructed and of reduced dimensions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of this invention to provide an inhaler having
simplified construction and reduced dimensions for use in
combination with a conventional pump as an inhaling device for
supplying medicinal powders to a body cavity.
It is another object to provide an inhaler having means for partial
storage within the pump therefor.
It is an additional object to provide an inhaler having a means
wheel to facilitate locking engagement with the pump.
It is a further object to provide an inhaler having a plurality of
slidable alignment means.
It is also an object to provide an inhaler having a spring-biased
means for penetrating each end of a capsule stored therewithin.
In satisfaction of these objects and in accordance with the spirit
of this invention, the inhaler contains a cavity-penetrating
element, at one end thereof, through which air-entrained powder is
forced out into a body cavity, a central element with an inside
cavity for locating a capsule of medicinal powder therewithin, a
pair of piercing devices for the endwise perforation of the
capsule, and a base element having a polished surface interrupted
by a ratchet wheel for connection with the pump. In more detail,
the central element of the inhaler body is relatively fixed and
formed by two components which are connected to each other, for
example, by threading, bayonet insertion, and similar techniques.
These components define a cavity therewithin, for placement of the
capsule, and are slidably attached to a pair of relatively movable
elements which hold piercing needles and which telescopically slide
inside the two above-mentioned capsule holder components against
the action of a pair of return springs.
The base element of the inhaler is so shaped that when the device
is not in use, the inhaler body may be inverted into the pump,
therby resulting in a noticeable reduction in overall size and a
pleasant compact aspect of the whole which is aesthetically and
practically favorable.
The inhaling device is adapted for delivering powdered substances
in aerated form from a pierced capsule and comprises a pump and an
inhaler, the inhaler comprising a relatively fixed central element
formed by two connectable components and defining a cavity for
reception of the capsule, and a pair of relatively moveable needle
holder elements telescopically slidable within the connectable
components against the action of a pair of return springs. The
components may be connected by screw means, a bayonet clutch means,
or the like. Each of the pair of needle holder elements comprises a
capsule-piercing needle. Each of the components is attached to a
sleeve having an interior shoulder and each of the pair of needle
holder elements has an outwardly disposed shoulder which is capable
of reciprocating between a rest position against one of the
interior shoulders and a needle-piercing position against one of
the connectable components. The inhaler also comprises a nose piece
and a pump piece and one of the pair of holder elements is locked
by friction to the nosepiece and the other of the pair of needle
holder elements may be locked against the piece by micro-ribs
having saw teeth.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The inhaler which constitutes the present invention is shown in the
accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment in which:
FIG. 1 represents a side elevation of the assembled inhaling device
comprising the inhaler inserted in a pump in operative
condition.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 1 with the inhaler
inverted in the pump to reduce the size of the device while
partially stored therewithin.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the inhaler while in
uncompressed condition.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the inhaler, similar to FIG. 3
but with the inhaler in a compressed condition, while in operative
combination with a pump.
FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along lines 5--5 of FIG. 3, and
FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the noseward component of the
cavity-forming element.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, the inhaler 8 of this invention is
employed in combination with a conventional pump 100 and comprises
a central storage unit 10 having a central cavity defined by walls
13 within which a medicinal powder-container capsule 15 is inserted
as needed by unscrewing a pair of compartments 20, 30. A pair of
stop sleeves 60, 70 are non-slidably attached to the unit 10 and
are outside of and in sliding relation to a pair of needle holders
40, 50 containing a pair of capsule-puncturing needles 41, 51. The
pair of stop sleeves 60, 70 is also within and in sliding relation
to a pair of end pieces, the nose piece 80 and the pump piece 90,
to which the holders 40, 50 are rigidly attached. The holders 40,
50 are biased away from the central cavity by a pair of springs 25,
35.
Coaxially disposed throughout the entire inhaler of this invention
are a series of central holes for passage of air which enters the
inhaler from the pump 100 through base opening 98 and air passage
58, passes through the four air passages 59 shown in FIG. 5 to
central hole 32 around pump needle 51, enters and passes through
the punctured capsule 15 while entraining medicinal powder
therefrom, travels past nose needle 41 through central hole 22,
passes through the four air passages 49 into swirl compartment 83,
and exits from the inhaler through discharge hole 81 in nosepiece
80.
The unit 10 is formed by screwably connecting the nose compartment
20 and the base compartment 30. The compartments 20, 30 have
coaxially disposed central holes 22, 32, annularly disposed spring
wells 24, 34 which open away from the capsule 15, outer cylindrical
recesses with surfaces 23, 33, and connecting screw threads 29, 39
by means of which the compartments 20, 30 are connected. Nose
return spring 25 is seated within spring well 24, and pump return
spring 35 is seated within spring well 34.
Nose needle holder 40 and pump needle holder 50 have somewhat
H-shaped cross sections and comprise, respectively, annular fixed
ends 46, 56 and annular sliding ends 47, 57 which rest against the
springs 25, 35 within the spring wells 24, 34, as shown in FIG. 4.
The holders 40, 50 also comprise four air passages 49, 59 which are
separated by four radially spaced longitudinally disposed ribs,
ribs 54 only being identified in FIG. 5. Each set of ribs 44, 54
supports a central portion containing a central needle recess which
opens only toward the central cavity. The butt 42 of nose needle 41
and the butt 52 of pump needle 51 are each rigidly attached within
these respective central needle recesses so that the respective
needle points 43, 53 are coaxially aligned, centrally disposed
within the central holes 22, 32, and in puncturing relationship to
the ends of the capsule 15 within the range of compressibility of
the springs 25, 35.
Additionally, the holders 40, 50 respectively comprise
circumannular shoulders 45, 55 which extend outwardly exactly as
far as the walls 23, 33 of the sleeve recesses of each compartment
20, 30. The circular sides 48, 58 of the shoulders 45, 55, opposite
to the cavity for the capsule 15, function as a stop means in
cooperation with the nose sleeve 60 and the pump sleeve 70,
respectively, and the outer cylindrical surfaces of the shoulders
45, 55 are in sliding contact with the inner cylindrical surfaces
61, 71 of the sleeves 60, 70, thus functioning cooperatively
therewith as an alignment means.
The nose and pump sleeve 60, 70 respectively comprise elongated
cylindrical portions, having outer sides 62, 72 and inner sides 61,
71, and inwardly extending interior shoulders 65, 75, having
respective cavity-facing circular surfaces 66, 76, inner
cylindrical surfaces 68, 78, and endward-facing circular surfaces
67, 77. The surfaces 68, 78 function as a sliding alignment means
in cooperation with the cylindrical surfaces 46a, 56a of the fixed
ends 46, 56 of the needle holders 40, 50. The inner side 61, 71 are
non-slidably attached to the recessed outer surfaces 23, 33 and
function cooperatively with the cylindrical outer surfaces of the
shoulders 45, 55 as another sliding alignment means. Non-slidable
attachment may be attained by means of suitable adhesive or by
circumferential knurlings of the facing surfaces such as the
knurlings 26 which are indicated in FIG. 6.
The nose piece 80 comprises a tapered penetration portion 82
through which passes the central discharge hole 81 therein, a skirt
portion 84 which extends toward the cavity 15, and a stepped
portion 85 therebetween. An annular recess coincides with the inner
edge of the step portion 85 and penetrates longitudinally into the
penetration portion 82. Into this annular recess, the fixed end 46
of the nose needle holder 40 is rigidly attached, as with an
adhesive. The outer surface 62 of the nose sleeve 60 is in sliding
engagement with the inner surface of the skirt 84 and functions
cooperatively therewith as an alignment means.
The pump piece 90 comprises an outer rim 91, a base 92 having an
inwardly projecting circular lip to define the base opening 98, a
circular lug 94 spaced pumpward from the edge of the rim 91, and
circumferential serrations 97 along the inner surface of the base
92 and noseward of its circular lip. The lug 94 has a circular and
arcuately receding surface 95, which acts as a storage stop means
when the inhaler is in its inverted storage position as shown in
FIG. 2, and a circular and radially extending surface 96 which acts
as an operational stop means when the inhaler is inserted into a
conventional pump 100, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. The
serrations 97, which may be considered as ribbings, corrugations,
or knurlings, are matched and engaged by similar serrations in the
surfaces 56a.
The pump 100 typically has side walls 101, a circular top edge 102
which engages the surface 96 when the inhaler 8 is in operative
position, and an air-containing interior 104 which should have
sufficient depth to accommodate the inhaler 8 from the surface 95
to the tip of the penetration portion 82 when the inhaler 8 is in
stored position partially within the pump 100.
In summary, the inhaler 8 comprises three pairs of slidable
alignment means:
1. inner cylindrical surfaces of skirt 84 and rim 91 in sliding
contact with outer cylindrical surfaces 62, 72;
2. inner cylindrical surfaces 61, 71 in sliding contact with outer
cylindrical surfaces of the shoulders 45, 55; and
3. inner cylindrical surfaces 68, 78 in sliding contact with outer
cylindrical surfaces 46a, 56a.
Because of these three pairs of slidable alignment means, the
inhaler 8 possesses a high degree of trueness so that binding and
wear are minimized.
In FIGS. 1-4, the profile of the cylindrical surface of the lower
body portion of the inhaler 8, which is connected by friction with
a pump 100 of suitable dimensions and configuration, is polished
and uniform and interrupted by the lug 94 where circular lines of
contact 95 and 96 with the cylindrical surface represent the stop
points in locking engagement with the pump 100 when the inhaler 8
is ready to use and when it is in storage position,
respectively.
The inhaling device operates as follows:
Initially, the inhaler 8, inverted in the pump 100 (as shown in
FIG. 2), is extracted therefrom and connected by friction locking
in its upright position to the pump 100. Compartment 20 is then
screwed off from compartment 30 and the capsule 15 of powder is
inserted therein, after which nosepiece 80 and pumppiece 90 are
moved towards one another, i.e., a contraction of the inhaler is
caused along arrows A-B, which creates two diametrally opposed
perforations in capsule 15. Compare FIG. 1 with FIG. 4. Thereafter,
it is possible to press the pump 100 to provoke the passage of the
powder content of the capsule into a human cavity, such as nasal
cavity or other cavities of the human body.
The present invention is not to be limited to the specific
embodiment having the scope and advantages described hereinbefore,
for various modifications can be made without departing from the
spirit of the invention which should be understood as being limited
only by the scope of the accompanying claims.
* * * * *