Patent Application
20140076315
The invention relates to a device for inhaling powdery substances, particularly of a medicinal kind, contained in capsules that are displaceable by means of a slider into an emptying position, in which position the capsule wall can be pierced, by means of two needles which are displaceable in the slider, for aspirating completely the content of the capsule through a mouthpiece channel extending in axial extension of the capsule chamber.
Devices of the kind in question are known, also called capsule inhalers. They serve primarily for the inhalation of medicinal substances in powder form that are further portioned in capsules. Typically, such capsules are made of two parts, namely, a body and a cap, which are pushed into one another in a telescoping fashion. Particularly for accommodating inhalable substances, the capsules are made of a plastics material having very low water absorbency; alternatively, they are made of gelatin. A device of the kind in question is known from DE 690 04 749 T2, in which the capsule filled with the substance to be inhaled is located inside a capsule chamber by means of a slider which is manually displaceable by the user substantially in a transverse direction relative to the inhalation flow. By displacing the slider, the capsule or the capsule chamber which is the receptacle for the capsule is moved into a position in which the capsule chamber extends in axial extension of the mouthpiece channel, whereby, in this slider position, the capsule chamber is part of the suction channel that receives the air stream flowing through in the course of the inhalation, i.e., while the user inhales. The capsule wail is pierced in order to release the substance that is stored inside the capsule. Two needles serve this purpose in the configuration described above; they are movable in relation to the slider and in the displacement direction of the slider in such a manner that, as the result of overcoming a spring force that presses the needles back in a non-loaded position, they plunge into the capsule chamber, passing through the wall of the capsule chamber, thereby piercing the wall of the capsule chamber. For the inhalation, the needles are returned to their spring-loaded starting position. Due to the aspiration of an air flow through the mouthpiece, and accordingly through the capsule chamber, the powdery substance is emptied out of the capsule through the openings that were pierced through the capsule wall, and then inhaled with the aspirated air flow.
In view of the previously described prior art, it is a technical object of the present invention to further improve a device of the kind in question, in particular with regard to the discharge of the substance from the capsule, and also preferably with regard to the distribution of the discharged substance in the aspirated air flow.
First and foremost, this object is achieved by the subject matter of claim 1, which is based on the wall of the capsule chamber having an ascending thread in the direction of the mouthpiece channel. According to this configuration, a type of spiral capsule chamber is created. When a capsule is inserted into the capsule chamber, the thread that forms the spiral extends around the capsule in an ascending manner. It is further preferred for the thread to be coaxially aligned with a central axis of the capsule chamber, and the central axis in turn preferably merges, in particular in the inhalation position, into a central axis at least of one adjoining portion of the mouthpiece channel in the flow direction at the capsule chamber, more preferably, an adjoining portion of the overall mouthpiece channel. The spiral-shaped implementation of the wall of the capsule chamber causes a deflection of the air aspirated through the capsule chamber, this air being aspirated substantially in the axial direction, in the circumferential direction of the capsule chamber, as the result of which a vortex-like flow through the capsule chamber is achieved. The capsule disposed inside the capsule chamber and previously pierced by the needles is thus set in rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof in the course of the inhalation, in particularly set in wobbling rotation, whereby the thread proposed and the turbulence of the aspirated air flow achieved by this at least assists with this rotation or wobbling of the capsule. The achieved turbulent air flow results in advantageous emptying of the powdery substance from the capsule due to the flow through the perforated capsule openings, and also results in an advantageous and preferably even distribution of the substance in the aspirated air flow.
Further features of the present invention are explained below, also in the description of the figures, often in their preferred association with the subject matter of claim 1 or features of further claims. However, they may also be important in an association with only individual features of claim 1 or a respective further claim, or independently.
A preferred refinement of the subject matter provides that the thread has an S-shaped thread rib which starts at the bottom end of the capsule chamber and reaches to the top end of the capsule chamber, and the capsule chamber has the access opening for the air to be aspirated at the bottom base end in the side wall. The thread rib can be formed in the shape of an elevation that is provided on the capsule wall and extends in a cross-section radially inwardly into the interior of the chamber, or may also be formed as a trapezoid. The configuration of the thread rib is preferably formed by an overall S-shaped, circumferential groove-type depression in the chamber wall, which has proven especially advantageous with regard to the free rotation and/or wobbling of the capsule about the longitudinal axis. In a preferred embodiment, the thread or the thread rib extends at least almost over the total axial length of the capsule chamber, this length being adapted to the axial length of the capsule to be accommodated, and it being further preferred that it is provided with an excess dimension such that, in a preferred embodiment, the axial length of the capsule chamber corresponds approximately to 1.1 to 1.5 times the axial length of a capsule. In a preferred embodiment, the thread or the thread rib extends in total over a circumference of 360° with a uniform gradient. Further embodiments are also conceivable in which the thread extends over a circumference of less than 360°, for example 180° to 270°, or over a circumference of greater than 360°. Moreover, other embodiments are conceivable that provide for a plurality of threads, for example two threads, that intertwine with one another and are disposed in the same direction, ascending in the manner of a double thread. Also associated with the end of the thread which faces the bottom end of the capsule chamber, is the access opening for the air to be aspirated, which is formed in the wall of the capsule chamber. This can be a strictly radially aligned passage opening; however, is in this regard a tangentially oriented access opening is preferred, which is also preferably configured such that the air to be aspirated flows in through the access opening at least approximately tangentially into the thread that is formed on the chamber wall, and without extreme deflection. Accordingly, the thread advantageously promotes the turbulence of the air to be tangentially aspirated into the capsule chamber.
In a further preferred embodiment, the air inlet opening of the device is disposed with an axial offset relative to the mouthpiece outlet that is to be surrounded by the mouth with regard to the extent of the mouthpiece channel, more preferably, with regard to the axial longitudinal extent of the capsule chamber, and more preferably, disposed adjacently with regard to the previously described axial extent above a transition plane from the capsule chamber to the mouthpiece channel. The air inlet opening is advantageously exposed for viewing by the user, and also advantageously so that it is not covered up during the inhalation, for example by the lips of the user, which could cause it to become closed.
The invention is described in further detail below based on the appended drawings, which illustrate only a single embodiment.
Illustrated and described are, in first instance with regard to
The housing 2 in first instance forms a mouthpiece 4 which, viewed in the direction of width of the housing 2, is centrally disposed and elevated in the direction of height of the housing 2 relative to the adjacent housing portions on both sides, so that the mouthpiece 4 can be comfortably surrounded by the lips.
A mouthpiece channel 5 which extends vertically, with respect to the illustrations, in the region of an outwardly open mouthpiece outlet 6, opens into the mouthpiece 4. The mouthpiece channel 5 starting from the mouthpiece outlet, 6, extends over approximately one-half the vertical height of the housing 2 and terminates in an open-ended manner at the opposite end from the mouthpiece outlet 6 in a slide chamber 7 formed in the housing 2. The slide chamber extends perpendicularly with respect to the mouthpiece channel 5, accordingly in the direction of width of the housing 2, as a whole continuing approximately over the entire width of the housing 2.
At one end at the front, the slide chamber 7 is closed by the housing wall 8, which also encloses the slide chamber 7 peripherally. At the other end, the slide chamber 7 passes through the associated housing wall in order to receive a slider 9 which is to be actuated, and is accordingly accessible, from the outside.
Associated with the slide chamber end which is closed by means of the housing wall 8, the housing 2 includes an air inlet opening 10. This opening, viewed in the direction of width of the housing 2, is positioned adjacently and axially offset by approximately one-half the axial extent of the mouthpiece channel 5 relative to the mouthpiece outlet 6. The air inlet opening 10 merges into an air inlet channel 11 that extends substantially parallel to the mouthpiece channel 5 and opens into the slide chamber 7.
With respect to a central axis x which passes through the mouthpiece channel 5, an insertion channel 12 is formed on the opposite side from the air inlet opening 10 and the air inlet channel 11, is adjacent to the mouthpiece 4 and the mouthpiece channel 5, is also aligned parallel to the mouthpiece channel 5 and to the axis x, and exits in an open-ended manner to the outside, passing through the housing wall in the same manner as the air inlet opening 10. At the other end, the insertion channel 12 opens into the slide chamber 7.
The same as for the mouthpiece channel 5 as well as the air inlet channel 11, the insertion channel 12 has a circular cross-section, the diameter of the insertion channel 12 being adapted to the diameter 1 of a capsule 14 which is to be inserted through this channel and contains the powdery substance 13 to be inhaled. It is further preferred that the diameter of the insertion channel 12 is provided with an excess dimension relative to the diameter of the capsule 14, more preferably, with a diameter that is sized such that is corresponds to 1.1 to 1.3 times the diameter of the capsule, so that the capsule 14 is able to slip without much friction through the insertion channel 12 when handled appropriately. During insertion, the capsule 14 falls more or less freely, through the insertion channel 12 and into a capsule chamber, as described in further detail below.
The slide chamber 7 is also supported from below by a housing portion which forms a storage space 15 for capsules 14. Except for a removal opening 16 which faces in the same direction as the opening of the slide chamber 7, the storage space is enclosed on all sides by the housing wall 8. A daily ration of capsules 14, for example, may be carried along in the storage space 15.
In the narrow-side region adjacent to the air inlet opening 10, the cap 3, which on the outside of the housing wall has substantially the shape of a half-shell, is connected to the housing 2, preferably in one piece and more preferably integrated into the material, by means of a hinge 17. The hinge 17 is a so-called snap-action hinge having a clasp action, and is also preferably designed in such a way that the pivot position of the cap 3 is self-locking in the open position, which opens up the mouthpiece 4 as well as the air inlet opening 10 and the insertion channel 12. In the closed position of the cap according to
The slide chamber 7 has a substantially hollow cylindrical shape. The mentioned slider 9 is displaceably disposed in the longitudinal extent of the slide chamber 7, and thus transversely relative to the axis x, for which purpose the slider 9 further has an outside diameter that is adapted to the inside diameter of the slide chamber 7. Accordingly, the slider wall 21 is configured for contact with the periphery of the wall of the slide chamber 7.
In the region of the end of the slider 9 that engages into the slide chamber 7, the slider is provided with a plurality of radial protrusions 22 (in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, four) which are evenly distributed around the circumference. The protrusions engage into into correspondingly formed and positioned grooves 23, parallel to the slider axis y, which are formed in the wall of the slide chamber 7 and which, starting from the closed front wall of the slide chamber 7, extend to a location approximately level with the opening of the mouthpiece channel 5, thus forming stop shoulders 24 for the radial protrusions 22 in this region at the end of the grooves 23. These stop shoulders limit the displacement movement of the slider 9 radially outwardly with regard to the axis x.
Particularly for the fitting of the slider 9 into the slide chamber 7, also for the routing of the air during the inhalation process, the end portion of the slider 9, which carries the radial protrusions 22, is longitudinally slotted, resulting in windows 25 in the slider wall 21, parallel to the slider axis y, which terminate in an open-ended manner toward the free end of the slider 9.
The slider 9 also has a capsule chamber 26. The capsule chamber is disposed, with regard to the free end of the slider 9, to the rear of the slotted slider wall portion and extends transversely relative to the slider axis y, further in parallel alignment with the axis x of the mouthpiece channel 5, more preferably with a hollow cylindrical configuration of the chamber. The capsule chamber 26 is substantially circumferentially closed by the slider wall 21, while at the same time the slider wall 21 also forms a closed base 27 of the capsule chamber 26. The end of the capsule chamber 26 opposite from the base is radially outwardly open with respect to the slider axis y, thus in particular for the entry of a capsule 14 into the capsule chamber 26. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the capsule chamber 26 is selected in such a way that its diameter corresponds approximately to 1.2 to 1.4 times the diameter of the capsule, so that a capsule 14 which is inserted into the capsule chamber 26 rests loosely in a standing position on the base 27.
An access opening 28 for the air to be aspirated is formed in the region of the bottom end of the capsule chamber 26. This access opening is also configured such that the air entering through same enters into the space of the capsule chamber substantially tangentially. The access opening 28 opens on the exterior side into the slide chamber 7 or the cavity of the slider 9 which is partially enclosed by the slider wall 21 and which opens into the slide chamber 7. On the inside of the chamber, the access opening 28 opens into a thread 30 that is formed in the chamber wall 29. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the thread 30 is formed as a substantially S-shaped groove which, starting from the bottom end of the capsule chamber 26 and extending to the top end of the capsule chamber 26, accordingly extends upwardly along the chamber wall 29 in the direction of the open end of the capsule chamber 26. The thread 30 runs around the chamber wall 29 and over the entire axial height extent thereof over a circumference of approximately 360°. The arrangement is further selected such that the associated access opening 28 represents, in a manner of speaking, an extension of the groove-like thread 30 that passes through the chamber wall 29.
After the capsule chamber 26, the slider 9 continues radially outwardly in the form of a slider sleeve 31. A push button-like actuating handle 32 is mounted in the slider sleeve to be displaceable in the direction of extent of the slider axis y. In a starting position for the actuation, the actuating handle 32 extends freely beyond the outwardly facing end of the slider sleeve 31. Disposed axially on the inside are two needles 33, which are secured to the actuation handle 32 and extend parallel to the slider axis y with equidistant spacing from this axis, and are disposed one above the other with regard to a vertical projection onto a base plane of the housing 2. At their ends, these needles 33 are guided inside guide bushings 34 that are formed from the slider wall 21, and whose guide channels pass through the chamber wall 29 and open freely into the capsule chamber 26.
The actuation handle 32 is supported via a compression spring 35, which is concentrically disposed relative to the slider axis y, against the region of the chamber wall 29 facing the inside of the slider sleeve 31, in such a manner that the compression spring 35 places an axially outward load on the actuation handle 32 with regard to the slider axis y. A stop limit for the actuation handle 32 in this regard is achieved due to the arrangement of radial protrusions 36 on spring arms 37 which are molded onto the actuation handle 32 and extend parallel to the slider axis y. The radial protrusions 36 interact with stop shoulders of the slider sleeve 31, not shown in further detail in the illustrations.
The spring force of the compression spring 35 is selected such that it is less than the slider displacement force of the slider 9 in the slide chamber 7, and accordingly is selected to be less than the frictional force between the slider wall 21 and the housing wall 8 that delimits the slide chamber 7.
With reference to the illustrations, on the bottom side of the slider sleeve 31, in the region of the edge that delimits the opening for the actuation handle 32 to pass through, a vertically downwardly facing closure wall 38 is molded on for closing the removal opening 16 when the device 1 is in the non-use position, i.e., in the inwardly displaced position of the slider 9 into the slide chamber 7.
To carry out an inhalation process, first the cap 3 is pivoted open around the hinge 17, and about a hinge axis that is oriented transversely relative to the axis x and in the depth direction of the housing 2, in order to expose the mouthpiece 4 and the air inlet opening 10 as well as the insertion channel 12. In this starting position, the slider 9 is retracted and is disposed inside the slide chamber 7, this retracted position being stop-limited by a stop of the slider wall portion, which has the radial protrusions 22, against the housing wall 8 which closes the slide chamber 7 at the front. In this stop-limited position, the capsule chamber 26 is disposed in an axial extension of the mouthpiece channel 5. The slider sleeve 31 of the slider 9 is retracted to such an extent that its outwardly facing free circumferential rim edge is disposed in the plane of the housing wall portion which is passed through. Due to its spring-loaded basic position, the actuation handle 32 extends correspondingly, beyond the associated narrow-side wall of the housing 2.
The slider wall 21 is partially exposed in the region of the slider sleeve 31 for gripping by the user, for which purpose window-like recesses 39 are provided in the surfaces on the wide sides of the housing 2. These recesses have a slot-like configuration with open ends toward the end wall of the housing 2, through which the actuation handle 32 passes. Grip portions 40 which are mounted on the slider sleeve 31 on the outside of the wall extend through these recesses 39.
As the result of grasping the grip portions 40 by the fingers of one hand while simultaneously grasping the housing 2 with the other hand, the slider 9 is initially pulled out to the stop limit. In this stop-limited pulled-out position, the capsule chamber 26 is disposed in axial prolongation of the insertion channel 12, so that a capsule 14 is insertable into the capsule chamber 26 via the insertion channel 12. The capsule 14 can already have been inserted into the insertion channel 12 prior to a corresponding displacement of the slider 9, whereby, after the corresponding displacement of the slider 9, the capsule 14 automatically drops into the capsule chamber 26. Alternatively, the storage space 15 is exposed in the extended position of the slider for the removal of a new capsule 14, which can be subsequently inserted via the insertion channel 12.
As the result of returning the slider 9 into its inserted and stop-limited position in the slide chamber 7 according to
In the stop-limited slider insertion position, the restoring force of the compression spring 35 is preferably overcome due to a further pressure load on the actuation handle 32, resulting in a corresponding relative movement of the actuation handle 32 with respect to the slider 9, which is stationary due to the action of the stop limit, corresponding to a relative displacement of the needles 33 which are fixed on the actuation handle 32. The tips of the needles pass through the guide bushings 34 into the capsule chamber 26, piercing the capsule wall 41 in the further course of the displacement, when the needle tips pass into the interior of the capsule as well as when they emerge from the capsule interior toward the outside. The arrangement of the needles 33 is selected such that they pierce the capsule 14 in each case in the region of the transition from the cylindrical center portion to the cap end portions. After relieving the pressure load on the actuation handle 32, due to the action via the compression spring 35, the actuation handle is automatically moved back into the stop-limited basic position in which the needles 33 are once again pulled out of the region of the capsule chamber 26.
In the associated position of the capsule chamber 26 in the axial extension of the mouthpiece channel 5, the insertion channel 12 is closed on the base side by the wall of the slider sleeve 31.
For inhaling, the mouthpiece 4 is enclosed by the lips, after which an air flow is generated due to inhaling. The air flow enters the air inlet channel 11 via the air inlet opening 10 and into the cavity of the slider 9 that is formed by the slotted slider wall 21, and is aspirated through the access opening 28 into the capsule chamber 26, where, inside the capsule chamber 26 and the following mouthpiece channel 5, there impinges, on the air flow passing through axially, in addition a movement in the peripheral direction, due to the thread-like configuration of the capsule chamber wall 29, such that the air flow passes through the capsule chamber 26 in a turbulent manner. While passing through, the air simultaneously flows through the pierced capsule 14 to remove the substance 13 stored there, and due to the turbulence, the substance 13 is well mixed in with the air flow. The air-substance mixture is inhaled via the mouthpiece outlet 6, the turbulent air flow being directed through the mouthpiece channel 5 to the mouthpiece outlet 6, substantially perpendicularly relative to the displacement direction of the slider 9.
In the course of the turbulent passage of air through the capsule chamber 26, the capsule 14 is entrained and thereby set in rotation until a wobbling motion of the capsule 14 inside the capsule chamber 26 is achieved, and in the associated position with respect to the mouthpiece channel 5, the capsule chamber 26 is covered by a retaining grille 43 disposed at the end of the mouthpiece channel 5. The retaining grille prevents the capsule 14 from being drawn into the mouthpiece channel 5, the mesh width of the retaining grille 43 being selected to be large enough that the particle-laden air is able to pass through same without impediment.
The emptied capsule 14 can be discarded immediately after use; alternatively, after closing the housing 2 by the cap 3, the capsule is not removed until the next inhalation process, for which purpose the slider 9 is displaced axially outwardly in each case in order to bring the capsule chamber 26 into an axial extension relative to the insertion channel 12 and, by means of this insertion channel 12, the capsule 14 can be removed by tilting the housing (see
Moreover, the device 1 can be prepared for the inhalation in such a way that in the non-use position, i.e., in the closed cap position according to
All features disclosed are (in themselves) pertinent to the invention. The disclosure content of the associated/accompanying priority documents (copy of the prior application) is also hereby included in full in the disclosure of the application, including for the purpose of incorporating features of these documents in claims of the present application. The subsidiary claims in their optional subordinated formulation characterize independent inventive refinement of the prior art, in particular to undertake divisional applications based on these claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2011/057686 | 5/12/2011 | WO | 00 | 10/31/2013 |
