Inhaling Device For Medicinal Powder Compositions

Abstract

This invention is concerned with some improvements in the inhaling devices with whirling chamber, devices that may be considered in their essential operation per se known and are intended to disperse the contents of a capsule filled with a powder medicinal composition. The invention essentially resides in the provision of a mouth piece that is of a telescopic structure and in the provision of two piercing devices that are provided into a rotatable member according to a diametral opposed position and are actuated by the member, the telescoping structure when extended forming the whirling chamber, the mantel of the latter mentioned member being formed with a cam able to give a number of piercing operations to both piercing devices.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in or modifications of inhaling devices for medicinal powder compositions in capsule form.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an inhaling device of economical construction, of high efficiency which is able to be used by any category of patients and for any kind of powder compositions contained in capsules.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a compact inhaling device of substantially reduced overall dimension as compared with known devices for use with medicinal powder composition capsule form.

According to the present invention, there is provided an inhaling device for medicinal powder compositions provided in capsule form comprising, in combination, a disc-shaped lower member provided with a cavity in which the said capsule is to be located, which cavity is formed in an upwardly extending platform of said member, and at least one piercing member for said capsule, which piercing member is resiliently biased away from said capsule and projects from said platform, an upper member formed with a number of tangential passages, said upper member providing a lower edge to provide a cam which is able to reciprocate said piercing member against the action of a spring in order to pierce said capsule, the upper member being provided with a telescopically extendable mouthpiece, whirling chamber being defined in the region of the extended mouthpiece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an inhaling device in accordance with the invention in its inactive or retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a side view of an inhaling device in accordance with the invention in it active or operative position;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the inhaling device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a radial partial sectional view of the inhaling device of the invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6, on the same scale as FIG. 1, are respectively the bottom view and the top view of the upper and lower component forming the upper member of the inhaling device in accordance with the invention, and

FIG. 7 is top plan view, in partial section, of the lower member of the inhaling device of the invention and illustrating the piercing member structure.

The inhaling device 30 consists of an upper member comprising two components 1 and 2 and a lower member 31 which is formed with an upwardly extending platform, wherein a cavity 40 is provided for receiving a capsule 45 filled with a suitable medicinal powder composition. The lower member 31 also contains the piercing device which is housed in the said platform as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

The upper member comprising two components 1 and 2, together with the lower member 31 forms a mixing chamber W for the contents of the pierced capsule, which are subjected to a whirling action therein.

The central top portion of the upper member 1 has supported therein a plurality of telescopically movable integral sleeve members, which upon being extended outwardly, form the mixing chamber W.

The component 2 is formed with trapezoidally profiled ribs 4 which define therebetween tangential passages 61 (see FIG. 6), and the component 1 (see FIG. 5) is formed with downwardly projecting teeth 44 which extend in the assembled position into the said tangential passages or gaps 61. Component 1 is provided with a set of pins 3 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) which co-operate with, and on the same transverse side of, the gaps formed by the tangential passage 61, whereby the two components 1 and 2 are precisely positioned with one another in the assembled position. Secure connection of the two components 1 and 2 is effected by the provision of suitable adhesive means at 29.

In operation, the mouthpiece of the inhaling device of the invention is telescopically extendable by means of sleeve members 12, 13 and 14. The member 12 is formed with outlet openings 52 for the powder to be inhaled. A net of plastics material is adhesively connected to the lower end of the mouthpiece 12 and operates as a screen 53, preventing the capsule debris passing to the mouthpiece 12.

The component 2 is formed with a peripheral downwardly projecting skirt the inside surface of which is provided with inwardly extending profiled projections 50 which act as cams with profiled recesses 69 for actuating the piercing device P, both represented in dotted lines in FIG. 7.

The piercing device will be hereinafter illustrated with reference to FIGS. 4 and 7. A piercing needle 8 for the capsule is housed in a radial recess 40 of the platform of the lower member 31 and is urged away from the capsule by means of a spring 9. The needle terminates with a push-button 10 which co-operates with the cams 50 and recesses 69, and the said push-button 10 may be held in its maximum radially extending position by a ring 51 which is frictionally mounted around the platform of the lower member 31.

A plurality of knurled portions 57 may be provided in the lower member 31 of the inhaling device 30 to facilitate grasping of the device by a user.

In order to obtain two diametrally opposed perforations in the capsule 45, two diametrally opposed piercing devices P are provided.

Operation of the inhaling device of the invention is as follows:

After having separated the lower member 31 from the upper member (comprising components 1 and 2) the capsule 45 is placed in the cavity 40 provided in the upwardly extending platform of the lower member 31 thereafter the lower member 31 is frictionally secured to the upper member, by the reaction of the said springs 9 against the said skirt. Upon relative rotational movement between the upper and lower members, the cams 50 and recesses 69 cause a number of reciprocations of the needle 8 and, therefore a number of piercing operations of the capsule in diametrally opposed positions is effected. The patient, with the mouthpiece already telescopically extended causes, by aspiration, a displacement and movement of the capsule into the extended mixing or whirling chamber and, therefore, the medicinal powder composition is dispersed into the said chamber and is finally inhaled into the patient's mouth. It can be seen that the powder composition traverses, prior to inhalation by the patient, the filter screen 53 and the openings 52 moulded in the central telescopic member 12.

The preceding description makes it evident that the mentioned objects of the invention have been fully attained. In the light of the disclosure changes and modifications within the true spirit and scope of the invention will occur to others, and accordingly it is not desired that the scope of the invention be restricted except as is required by the appended claims.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. An inhaling device for medicinal powder compositions provided in capsule form comprising, in combination: a disc shaped lower platform member provided with a cavity in which the said capsule is to be located, and at least one piercing member for said capsule projecting from the said platform, a spring for biasing the piercing member from said capsule and projecting it from said platform, an upper member, formed with a number of tangential passages extending from the outside to the interior thereof said upper member having a recess providing a peripheral cam shaped wall portion for actuating said piercing member against the action of a spring in order to pierce said capsule, the upper member being provided with an outwardly telescopically extendable sleeve means, including a mouth engaging portion, which when extended defines a whirling chamber for said capsule and its medicinal powder contents.

2. An inhaling device as claimed in claim 1, in which the upper member comprises an upper and a lower component, connected together by adhesive means and together defining the tangential passages, the upper component including a plurality of pins uniformly and radially spaced in like manner as the tangential passages and of the same size thereof, whereupon, in the assembled position, the pins co-operate with the tangential passages so that the mutual disposition of both components is exactly located before adhesively securing the two components together.