WO2012120419A2

WO2012120419A2 - Portable inhaler for powdered substances

Info

Publication number: WO2012120419A2
Application number: PCT/IB2012/050993
Authority: WO
Inventors: Massimiliano Pineschi
Original assignee: Inventarechimere.Com Sas
Priority date: 2011-03-04
Filing date: 2012-03-02
Publication date: 2012-09-13
Also published as: ITMO20110051A1; WO2012120419A3

Abstract

The portable inhaler (1 ) for powered substances hold in a capsule-like container (9) comprises: an inhalation portion or upper portion (2) which defines an inhalation opening (6) open at its bottom; a closure portion, or lower portion (3) for closing said upper portion (2); an inner compartment defined between the upper portion (2) and the lower portion (3); a seat (8) for a capsule container (9), which is defined in said inner compartment and has an inhalation passage (7) connected to said inhalation opening (6) and an opposed opening for insertion of a capsule container (9); piercing means (14) for piercing said capsule container (9) in said seat (8), which are designed to be manually actuated from the outside; a removable lid (4) for opening or closing said upper portion (2); said lower portion (3) being movable relative to said upper portion (1 ) between a closed position of said inner compartment and an open position for access to said seat (8) from the outside, and vice versa.

Description

PORTABLE INHALER FOR POWDERED SUBSTANCES

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a portable inhaler for powdered substances, particularly for inhalation of either drugs or aromatic and food substances, such as coffee, tea, chocolate and the like.

Background art

An inhaler apparatus for powdered substances is known from document WO2005/044353.

According to this document, the inhaler allows inhalation of capsule- packaged substances, which are designed to be introduced before use into a holder arranged for this purpose in the inhaler.

Once a capsule is introduced into the holder, the user operates an actuator that has a piercing element for piercing the capsule, which allows the substance to come out and be inhaled.

The inhaler is typically composed of a base element and a lid that closes the base element at its top and is hinged at one side to the base element, to rotate between a closed position and an open position, to allow a user to inhale the substance in the capsule or protect it when it is not used.

A second internally hollow frustoconical element is provided between the base element and the lid, and forms an inhaling mouthpiece, for inhaling the substance.

This second element is also hinged to the base element with the lid, and is adapted to rotate between an open position and a closed position.

A flat diaphragm is placed between the second element and the base element, to close the base element, and has a central hole for the passage of the powdered substance as it is inhaled.

This diaphragm is also hinged, with the lid and the second element that forms the inhalation mouthpiece, to alternately rotate between a closed position of the base element and an open position for access to the housing space of the capsules that contain the substances to be inhaled.

An actuator assembly is located in the base element directly below the diaphragm, and consists of a button that is elastically maintained in an idle position, projecting out of the base element, and is designed to be pressed inwards by the user as he wants to inhale the substance.

This button is equipped with the above mentioned piercing element that pierces the capsule, as it is pressed from the outside.

Typically, as the user presses the button, with a capsule accommodated in the housing space, the piercing element pierces the capsule which releases the substance to be inhaled through the second element that forms the inhalation mouthpiece.

The above described prior art suffers from certain drawbacks.

A first drawback is that the prior art inhaler has a very complex construction, which involves considerably high manufacturing costs.

A second drawback is that, due to its considerably high cost, it does not allow a cost-effective implementation of a disposable embodiment, because a costly device would be wasted at each use.

A third drawback is that the prior art inhaler cannot have a spontaneous operation and create spontaneous puffs of substances to be inhaled, and is only used by users by direct inhalation of substances from pierced capsules.

This prevents inhalation by people having breathing difficulties, such as elderly people or very young children that cannot spontaneously inhale drugs through their respiratory tract when needed.

A further drawback is that the prior art inhaler may be accidentally actuated even when the cover is closed and the user does not hold it in his/her hand for use.

This may occur because the actuating button which is maintained in outwardly protruding position, has no safety lock and as soon as it is pressed down, even accidentally, it causes the lid and possibly the second element with the inhalation mouthpiece to open.

It is an object of the invention to improve the prior art.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable inhaler for powdered substances that has a simplified and less expensive construction as compared with prior art inhalers. Another object of the invention is to provide a portable inhaler for powdered substances that also operates without direct inhalation by users.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable inhaler for powdered substances that can be disposable, without involving considerable wastes due to the impossibility of reusing the inhaler.

These objects are fulfilled by a portable inhaler for powdered substances as defined by the features of claim 1 .

Therefore, the portable inhaler for powdered substances of the invention provides the following advantages:

- it simplifies the construction and reduces its costs;

it allows inhalation of powdered substances even without requiring direct inhalation by users;

it allows implementation of disposable embodiments.

Brief description of the drawings

Further features and advantages will be more readily apparent upon reading of the description of an embodiment of a portable inhaler, which is shown by way of illustration and without limitation by the annexed drawings, in which :

Figure 1 is a view of a portable inhaler in an closed inoperative configuration ;

Figure 2 is a view of a portable inhaler of Figure 1 , in an open, ready- for-use configuration;

Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the inhaler of Figure 1 , which shows the step of loading a capsule that contains the powdered substance to be inhaled;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the portable inhaler of Figure 3, when loaded with a capsule that contains the powdered substance to be inhaled;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the portable inhaler in the closed configuration of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the portable inhaler in the open configuration of Figure 2.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment Particularly referring to the figures, numeral 1 generally designates a portable inhaler of the invention which comprises an upper portion 2, which acts as an inhalation portion, and a lower portion 3, which acts as a closure part for closing the upper portion 2.

As shown in the figures, a closing lid 4 is placed on the upper portion

2, and is designed to be opened before use of the portable inhaler 1 , as better explained below.

Referring to Figures 2, 5, 6, the upper portion 2 defines a frusto- conical area which culminates in an inhalation opening 6 at the smaller base 5a.

As shown in greater detail in Figures 5 and 6, the upper portion 2 has a number of walls therein, which form a plurality of compartments, namely an inhalation passage 7 extending to the inhalation opening 6 from a hollow seat 8 which is located in a centered position, for receiving a capsule 9 that contains a dose of a powdered substance to be inhaled; a second hollow seat 10 in which a button 1 1 is accommodated and is capable of alternately sliding towards the interior of the portion 2, which button has an outwardly facing surface 1 2 which projects out of the lower portion 3, and is designed to be manually pressed by a user, and an opposite surface 1 3 facing towards the hollow seat 8 and having two piercing needles 14 extending therefrom.

The latter slide in respective guide sleeves 1 5 which communicate with the hollow seat 8 and, as the button 1 1 is pressed, they pierce the capsule 9 which releases its contents at first in the hollow seat 8 ad then in the inhalation passage 7.

The hollow seat 8 typically has a cylindrical shape and is open both at the end connected with the inhalation passage 7, i.e. the upper end, and at the opposite end, i.e. the lower end, to allow air passage during inhalation.

As shown in the figures, the lid 4 is coupled to the upper end of the button 1 1 by a hinge 1 6 and has a tooth profile 1 7 on the side facing away from the hinge 1 6.

When the lid 4 is closed on the upper portion 2 to protect the area 5 therein, such tooth profile 17 is snap-engaged with a groove 1 8 formed at the base of the area 5, to be locked thereon, while being releasable therefrom, by simply applying a pulling force on the lid 4.

Thus, when the lid 4 is closed, it acts both as a protective element for the area 5, and as a safety element that prevents the button 1 1 from moving in the second hollow seat 1 9, and hence from being accidentally pressed towards the hollow seat 8 and piercing a capsule possibly loaded therein.

Figures 3 and 4 show that the lower portion 3 is mounted in rotating relation to the upper portion 2, allowing access to the hollow seat 8 from the bottom and loading of a capsule 9 to be used therein.

The lower portion 3 is rotated by means of a pivot 1 9 that extends therefrom and is rotatably inserted in a third hollow seat 20 which is formed in eccentric position in the upper portion 2.

Figures 5 and 6 also show that the lower portion 3 forms a central raised rib 21 facing towards the hollow seat 8, in substantially coaxial relation thereto.

A diaphragm-shaped filter 22 is placed on the rib 21 , for filtering the air inhaled into the hollow seat 8 and the inhalation passage 7 during use of the portable inhaler 1 before it reaches the respiratory tract of a user.

The skilled person will understand that the button 1 1 slides in the second hollow seat 1 0 against an elastic element, namely at least one compression-loadable spring 23, which tends to maintain it in a position that normally projects out of the outer profile of the upper portion 2.

The operation of the portable inhaler for powdered substances is as follows: in the closed configuration, the lid 4 is retained in this position by the engagement between the tooth profile 1 7 and the groove 1 8 and prevents both access to the inhalation opening 6 and any undesired pressure on the button 1 1 .

When a user wants to inhale a substance contained in a capsule 9, he/she rotates the lower portion 3 relative to the upper portion 2 (see Figures 3 and 4, showing this state), and open access to the hollow seat 8 in which he/she may load a capsule 9.

Once the capsule 9 has been loaded, the user closes the lower portion and opens the lid 4, thereby allowing access to the inhalation opening 6 and releasing the lock of the button 1 1 in the second hollow seat 10.

Therefore, the user presses the button 1 1 towards the hollow seat 8, thereby overcoming the resistance of the spring 23 and the piercing needles 14 guided in the sleeves 14 enter the hollow seat 8 in a transverse direction and pierce the capsule 9, which releases its content.

Then, the user puts his/her lips on the area 5 and inhales the content of the capsule 9 through the inhalation conduit 7 and the inhalation opening 6.

The air inhaled by the user is filtered by the filter 22.

Once the user has completed inhalation of the substance, he/she rotates the lower portion 3 again and removes the depleted capsule 9 from the hollow seat 8, closes the lower portion 3 and the lid 4, thereby engaging the tooth profile 1 7 in the groove 1 8 and hence locking again the sliding motion of the button 1 1 in the second hollow seat 1 0.

Therefore, if desired, once a user has removed a depleted capsule, he/she might load a new capsule 9 in the hollow seat 8 before closing again the lower portion 3, and have it ready-for-use without incurring the risk of accidentally piercing it before use.

The above described invention has been found to fulfill the intended objects.

The invention is susceptible to changes and variants within the inventive concept.

Also, all the details may be replaced by other technical equivalent elements.

In practice, any material, shape and size may be used as needed, without departure from the scope as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1 . A portable in halator ( 1 ) of powered substances hold in a capsule-like shaped container (9) comprising :

- One inhalation portion or upper portion (2) which shapes an inhalation opening (6) and which is bottom opened;

- A closing portion or lower portion (3) of said upper portion (2) ;

- An internal space defined between the upper portion (2) and the lower portion (3) ;

- A positioning seat (8) of a capsule-like shaped container (9) defined inside said internal space and having an inhalation duct (7) connected to said inhalation opening (6) and an opposing inserting opening of a capsule-like shaped container (9) ;

- Piercing means (14) of one capsule-like shaped container (9) inserted in said seat (8) and actuatable from the outside;

- A removable lid (4) to open or to close said upper portion (2);

characterized in that said lower portion (3) is movable in respect of said upper portion (2) between a closed position of said internal space and an opened admission position to said positioning seat (8), and vice-versa.

2. A portable in halator according to clai m 1 , wherein said lower portion (3) is rotatable in respect of said upper portion (2) around a fulcru m pin ( 1 ) interposed between the latter.

3. A portable in halator according to clai m 1 , wherein said piercing means comprise :

- At least a button (1 1 ) manually actuatable by a user and slidingly arranged inside a second sliding seat (1 0) obtained in said upper portion (2) ;

- At least a perforator (14) associated to said button (1 1 ) and facing said positioning seat (8);

- Opposing elastic means (23) interposed between said button (1 1 ) and said second sliding seat (10), so configured as to maintain said button (1 1 ) normally in a not-actuated position wherein it faces the outside of said upper portion (2).

4. A portable inhalator according to clai m 3, wherein said perforator (1 4) is movably guided by guiding means (1 5) toward, or from, said positioning seat (8), between a piercing position wherein it penetrates into said positioning seat (8) and a return position wherein it is pulled out from said positioning seat (8).

5. A portable inhalator according to claims 1 and 3, wherein said lid (4) is hinged on said button (1 1 ), to rotate alternatively between a closing position and an opening position, retention means (1 7, 1 8) in a closing position of said lid (4) being interposed between the latter and said upper portion (2).

6. A portable inhalator according to claim 5, wherein said lid (4) in said closing position prevents operations of said button (1 1 ).

7. A portable inhalator according to claim 1 , wherein said positioning seat (8) comprises filter means (22) so configured to filtrate inhaled air during inhaling steps.