Inhalator for pulverulent substances

Abstract

An inhalator the case of which is provided with a reception space in its outer peripheral surface for insertably carrying a capsule containing a substance to be inhaled. An outer cover is mounted on the case and is movable with respect to the case between specified positions under the action of a spring bias. In one position the cover exposes the reception space to permit insertion and removal of capsules at which position the cover is interlocked with the case. Upon insertion of a capsule the cover is automatically unlocked from the case and moves under the spring bias to a position to cover the capsule and to a further position at which cutting members coupled to the cover move into the reception space to open the capsule.

Description

The invention relates to an inhalator for pulverulent substances contained in capsules insertible into the inhalator case, with an inlet and an outlet for the respiratory air. An inhalator of this type, which is applied in medicine for example, is already known. It offers the advantage that, by the insertion of a capsule, a precisely dosed quantity of the substance which is to be inhaled is present within the apparatus, so that when it is needed, e.g. during acute asthmatic attacks, no harmful excess dosage can be inhaled. It is handy moreover, and may easily be stowed inside a pocket.

The inhalator of the kind described in the foregoing is so formed that the capsule is pushed into a rotatably installed cylindrical sleeve which may be placed in wobbling rotary motion when a flow of air is drawn through a suction via the mouthpiece installed on the apparatus, by means of propeller blades arranged thereon. The pulverulent substance present within the previously pierced capsule is concomitantly raised from the latter by turbulence, whereupon it penetrates the patient's mouth via the mouthpiece, together with the air sucked in. It is a disadvantage of this apparatus, that it must be disassembled into three parts when fitting each capsule, and that it must be serviced approximately once a week, i.e. dismantled, cleaned and oiled. The reliability is inadequate moreover, so that the makers recommend that a replacement apparatus be kept in readiness at all times. The object of the present invention is to eliminate these disadvantages and to provide an uncomplicated and reliably operated inhalator, which is handy, requires no maintenance and is reliable. In accordance with the invention, this problem is resolved in that the capsule reception space is situated at the periphery of the case with a side open at the periphery and is equipped with a cover movably arranged thereon, and which uncovers the capsule reception space in a filling and emptying position and covers it in another position. This cover may be rotatably arranged, and may comprise an aperture acting as a passage for traversal by the capsule. The cover may be stopped at the filling and emptying position by means of a stop pin guided in longitudinally displaceable manner with respect to a notch of the cover. This stop pin may have connected to it an ejector for capsules present within the reception space, in such manner that it is insertable into the reception space under the force of a spring and at the same time moves the stop pin into the notch of the cover. During the pressing of a capsule into the reception space, the ejector and the stop pin are then pushed into the inside of the case, the latter concomitantly cancelling the immobilisation. A spring member may then automatically move the cover into the idle position. The cover may be equipped with a device for opening capsules, for example in the form of two small blades, which under a force acting against the spring as described in the foregoing, may be pushed into the reception space of the capsule. The cover may be formed in a variety of ways, e.g. as a cylindrical sleeve partially surrounding the apparatus, as a slider, or as a removable lid. The cover is preferably produced in transparent form, so that the blades and capsule remain permanently visible, in order to show whether a new unopened capsule has been inserted.

According to the invention therefore there is provided an inhalator for pulverulent substances comprising an inhalator case having an inlet and an outlet for passing respiratory air, a reception space formed on the outer periphery of the case for insertably receiving a capsule containing a pulverulent substance, means for mounting a cover portion on the inhalator case for movement with respect thereto between a first position whereat the cover portion encloses the capsule in the reception space and a second position at which the cover portion uncovers the capsule in the reception space to permit removal and replacement thereof.

The advantages of the present invention consist in that as a consequence of the incorporation of the capsule reception space at the periphery of the case, in combination with a removable cover, a new capsule may be inserted without dismantling the case. The spring arrangement of the cover has the result that the cover moves automatically to the idle position and thus eliminates confusion between the opening and the idle or operating positions, which exists in the known systems. The ejector arranged under spring loading considerably simplifies the handling of the apparatus. The omission of a turbo impeller wheel simplifies the operation and improves the reliability of the apparatus.

The invention will be better understood from the following description taken with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an overall view of the apparatus in the operating or idle position,

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the apparatus in the filling and emptying position, along the line II--II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the apparatus in the operating or idle position, along the line III--III in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the apparatus in the pricking-open position, along the line III--III in FIG. 1.

With reference to the drawings an inhalator comprises a cylindrical case 2 and is equipped with a mouth piece 17 at its one terminal extremity. An aperture 4 of a cover 3 may be brought into the filling and emptying position shown in FIG. 2, against the spring force of a spring member 16. A stop pin 6 which is guided within the case in a perforation 7 and rigidly coupled to an ejector 10 is then pushed into a then available notch 8 of the cover 3 as a consequence of the spring force of another spring member 9, and immobilises the cover. In this position, a capsule 11 may be pushed into a reception space 1 of the inhalator against the ejector 10 projecting into the same, in such manner that the stop pin coupled to it is released at the same time, the cover 3 concomitantly being displaced by means of the spring member 16 shown in FIG. 1 into an idle and operating position, in which the capsule 11 is covered by the cover 3 within the outwardly open peripherally situated reception space 1.

By moving the cover 3 in a direction away from the filling and emptying position, a cutting device comprising two small blades 12, fastened on the cover 3 and guided in slots 18 of the case, engages the reception space 1 and cuts or pricks two small holes 13 into the capsule 11 situated therein, close to the two extremities of the capsule. The blades 12 movable in slots 18 incorporated along the periphery simultaneously act as axial bearers for the cylindrical sleeve of the case, which is constructed as a cover. The pricking-open position of the inhalator is shown in FIG. 4.

As a consequence of the spring force of the spring member 16, acting at two sides, the cover 3 is moved automatically into the idle and operating position after it has been released. During inhalation, the pulverulent substance present within the capsule 11 is sucked into the mouth as a consequence of the holes 13, via the mouthpiece 17, an inlet opening 14 connected to the reception space 1 and an outlet opening 15 which is open towards the mouthpiece 17, as illustrated in FIG. 1. To eject the empty capsule 11, the cover 3 is brought into the filling and emptying position against the spring force of the spring member 16, the stop pin 6 and the ejector 10 then being moved towards as a consequence of the spring force of the spring member 9, and the ejector ejects the capsule automatically.

The bottom of the inhalator, which is not shown in the drawings, is equipped with air entry slots for the inlet opening 14 and is inset into the cylindrically formed cover 3, may be constructed in pot-like form close to the axis and may be equipped with a groove in order to act as a receptor and partially as an entraining element for the spring member 16. The cover 3 is transparent thus making it possible to ascertain directly whether a fresh unopened capsule has been inserted. Moreover, it becomes immediately apparent whether the cover 3 is being displaced in the right direction.

In another example of an embodiment which is not illustrated, the cover may be constructed as a closed slide matching the shape of the case. This slider may be displaced either in the direction along the periphery or in axially parallel direction.

In another example of an embodiment which is not illustrated, the cover may also be made in the form of a lid which is removable or secured by hinges.

Claims

I claim:

1. An inhalator for pulverulent substances comprising an inhalator case having an inlet and an outlet for passing respiratory air, a reception space formed on the outer periphery of the case for insertably receiving a rupturable capsule containing a pulverulent substance, means for mounting a cover portion on the inhalator case for movement with respect thereto between a first position whereat the cover portion encloses the capsule in the reception space and a second position at which the cover portion uncovers the capsule in the reception space to permit removal and replacement thereof.

2. An inhalator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for mounting the cover portion is rotatable, and is arranged on the outer surface of said inhalator case, said cover portion having an aperture for traversal by the capsule from and to said reception space.

3. An inhalator as claimed in claim 1, wherein a stop pin is guided in a longitudinal displaceable manner within said case and a notched portion is provided in said cover portion so that in said second position of the cover portion the stop pin engages the notched portion and immobilises the cover portion in said second position.

4. An inhalator as claimed in claim 3, wherein an ejector member rigidly coupled to said stop pin is displaceably arranged within the inhalator case, and first spring means is coupled to the ejector means to constantly urge the ejector member to eject a capsule from the reception space, and concomitantly move said stop pin into the notched portion of the cover portion whereby during insertion of a capsule into the reception space, the ejector member is moved out of the reception space against the force of said spring means, the stop pin concomitantly cancelling said immobilisation of said cover portion.

5. An inhalator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising opening means to open a capsule in the reception space, said opening means being mounted to said cover portion to be moved together therewith into said reception space.

6. An inhalator as claimed in claim 5, wherein said opening means comprises two blades which cut the capsule open vicinal to its extremities.

7. An inhalator as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means for mounting said cover portion on the inhalator case for movement with respect thereto includes a spring member under the biasing force of which said cover portion is moved from said first position, into said second position and also into a third position at which said opening means enters said reception space.

8. An inhalator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reception space communicates with the inside of the inhalator case via an air inlet and an air outlet opening.

9. An inhalator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the blades of said opening means are moved into the reception space through said air inlet and air outlet openings.

10. An inhalator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the blades of said opening means are movable in slots of the walls of said inhalator case.

11. An inhalator as claimed in claim 10, wherein said cover portion is held in an axial direction on the inhalator case by the blades engaging said slots.

12. An inhalator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inhalator case is cylindrical and said cover portion is mounted for slidable movement therearound.

13. An inhalator as claimed in claim 12, wherein said cover portion is a cylindrical sleeve partially surrounding the inhalator case.

14. An inhalator as claimed in claim 13, wherein said cylindrical sleeve has a base which surmounts the inhalator case at one end thereof.

15. An inhalator as claimed in claim 14, wherein said spring member is a spring coil, a stud member being provided on the base of said sleeve to seat the coil spring which engages co-axially in the case.

16. An inhalator as claimed in claim 15, wherein said coil spring is seated on the base of the sleeve in a pot engaging in the case and with its extremities protruding radially in limb-like manner is engaged through an opening in the side wall of the pot and into a recess in the wall of the inhalator case.

17. An inhalator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover portion is removable.

18. An inhalator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover portion is transparent.