Patent Application
20220047820
The present disclosure generally relates to a tensioning arrangement for an aerosol dispenser. In particular, a tensioning arrangement for an aerosol dispenser and an aerosol dispenser comprising the tensioning arrangement, are provided.
An aerosol dispenser is used to create an aerosol, i.e. a mist of liquid particles. Some aerosol dispensers use a gas to propel the liquid and some aerosol dispensers use mechanical solutions without a propelling gas to expel the liquid.
One type of aerosol dispenser comprises a base, a piston, a conveying tube, a spring, a dose chamber, a spray nozzle and a container, e.g. containing a drug. When the user rotates the base, e.g. 180°, the piston and the conveying tube are moved to compress the spring. As the conveying tube moves, the dose chamber is expanded and an underpressure is established therein. The underpressure causes the liquid in the container to be sucked into the dose chamber by the conveying tube. The user may then push a button to release the piston holding the conveying tube to expel a dose from the dose chamber through the spray nozzle as an aerosol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,416 A discloses a miniaturized device for pressurizing fluid. The device includes a hollow piston that provides a fluid path and a valve member. The valve member is configured for axial movement so that the valve axis remains parallel to the piston axis. The valve member is arranged at one end of the hollow piston. The valve member may be partially or completely disposed within the hollow piston. The device is particularly adapted for use in a mechanically operated atomizer to produce an inhalable aerosol of a liquid medicament without the use of propellant gas.
One problem with prior art aerosol dispensers, such as inhaler devices, is bacterial growth. In order to remove bacteria, a dedicated priming shot may be made with the aerosol dispenser such that bacteria is flushed out from various cavities. That is, the user may wind the base to fully tension the spring and make a priming shot into the air. For various reasons (unawareness of bacterial risks, carelessness etc.), users may however skip the priming shot. As a consequence, the problem with bacterial growth remains.
A further problem with prior art aerosol dispensers is when the liquid dries. When the aerosol dispenser has been inoperative for a while, e.g. a week, the performance might be deteriorated. For example, the expelled aerosol dose may be too small due to evaporation of the liquid, or it may be necessary to rinse residue from previous use of the aerosol dispenser. This problem may also be solved with the above-described dedicated priming shot. Again, however, the users often skip the priming shot.
Even if users make a priming shot each time before use of the aerosol dispenser, this is burdensome and time consuming for the user. At least for this reason, a still further problem with prior art aerosol dispensers is reduced usability.
A still further problem with prior art aerosol dispensers is that a priming shot may use too much liquid. Although some medical liquids used in aerosol dispensers are cheap, some are not.
A further problem with prior art aerosol dispensers is that if the patient loses grip of the base during wind-up, the power spring will unwind the mechanism to the beginning (i.e. to an initial position) and expel a dose into the air.
A still further problem with prior art aerosol dispensers is that the user has to continuously turn the base over a relatively large angular distance, e.g. 180°, until the tensioning arrangement is set in a tensioned position.
A still further problem with prior art dispensers is that the user has to turn the base with relatively high force in order to set the tensioning arrangement in a tensioned position.
One object of the present disclosure is to provide an arrangement for an aerosol dispenser, which arrangement contributes to an improved hygiene of the aerosol dispenser.
A further object of the present disclosure is to provide an arrangement for an aerosol dispenser, which arrangement contributes to an improved performance of the aerosol dispenser.
A still further object of the present disclosure is to provide a tensioning arrangement for an aerosol dispenser, which tensioning arrangement improves usability of the aerosol dispenser.
A still further object of the present disclosure is to provide a tensioning arrangement for an aerosol dispenser, which tensioning arrangement solves several or all of the foregoing objects in combination.
A still further object of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol dispenser solving one, several or all of the foregoing objects.
According to one aspect, there is provided a tensioning arrangement for an aerosol dispenser, the tensioning arrangement comprising a conveying tube for conveying liquid from a container to a dose chamber; an elastic member arranged to store mechanical energy from a substantially axial, or axial, tensioning movement of the conveying tube from an initial position to a tensioning position; a rotatable member; a transmission mechanism configured to transmit a tensioning rotation of the rotatable member to the tensioning movement of the conveying tube; wherein the transmission mechanism comprises a cam profile and a cam follower arranged to follow the cam profile; wherein the cam profile comprises at least one priming structure; and wherein the tensioning arrangement is configured such that the conveying tube makes a temporary priming movement towards the initial position when the cam follower passes each priming structure during the tensioning movement of the conveying tube by means of the tensioning rotation of the rotatable member.
As the conveying tube makes the tensioning movement, an underpressure is created in the dose chamber. This underpressure causes liquid to be sucked from the container and delivered to the dose chamber by means of the conveying tube. In addition, when the cam follower travels over the at least one priming structure on the cam profile, the conveying tube makes an additional small backward or distal movement and an additional small forward or proximal movement. The small proximal movement is in a releasing direction opposite to a tensioning direction of the tensioning movement. The small forward movement of the conveying tube causes a small dose of liquid to be expelled that fills out dry cavities in the aerosol dispenser (e.g. in a spray nozzle unit of the aerosol dispenser) and pushes out foreign particles, such as bacteria or residue.
Thereby, due to the at least one priming movement made by the conveying tube when the rotatable member is rotated, at least one priming function is carried out when the conveying tube is in liquid communication with the container. The tensioning arrangement according to the present disclosure may therefore be referred to as a priming mechanism. Thus, every time a tensioning operation is made (i.e. rotation of the rotatable member such that the conveying tube is moved from the initial position to the tensioning position), at least one priming function is carried out. Thereby, dedicated priming shots can be avoided.
Throughout the present disclosure, the tensioning arrangement may alternatively be referred to as a wind-up mechanism. The at least one priming structure may be integrated with the cam profile, e.g. a protruding priming structure may be integrally formed with the cam profile and a recessed priming structure may be formed by a cut-out in the cam profile.
Throughout the present disclosure, the rotatable member may be constituted by a rotatable base of an aerosol dispenser. The tensioning arrangement according to the present disclosure may comprise one or several pairs of a cam profile and a cam follower associated with the cam profile. Alternatively, the tensioning arrangement may comprise only one cam profile and several cam followers for following the cam profile. As a further alternative, the tensioning arrangement may comprise several cam profiles and only one cam follower for following the cam profiles. The at least one cam profile may be constituted by one or more slopes.
One of the at least one priming structure may be positioned less than 20%, such as less than 10%, such as less than 5%, of a cam profile length along the cam profile from a position corresponding to the initial position. Alternatively, or in addition, the at least one priming structure may be constituted by a plurality of priming structures substantially evenly distributed over a cam profile length along the cam profile from a position corresponding to the initial position to a position corresponding to the tensioning position. In this case, the tensioning arrangement can expel a plurality of small priming doses during a single tensioning rotation of the rotatable member.
The at least one priming structure may be arranged to prevent the rotatable member from rotating in a direction opposite to the tensioning rotation. In other words, unwinding of the rotatable member, i.e. rotation of the rotatable member in a direction opposite to the tensioning rotation, is prevented, for example if the user loses grip of the rotatable member. The user can thereby tension the tensioning arrangement intermittently, i.e. with a plurality of sequential tensioning rotations of the rotatable member. This is for example helpful for elderly and/or weak users.
When the at least one priming structure is arranged to prevent the rotatable member from rotating in a direction opposite to the tensioning rotation, the tensioning arrangement may be referred to as a priming and unwinding preventing mechanism or as a priming wind-up mechanism that prevents unwinding. Thus, the at least one priming structure according to the present disclosure may generate two functions in combination, namely the priming function and the unwinding preventing function.
Furthermore, the variant where the at least one priming structure is arranged to prevent the rotatable member from rotating in a direction opposite to the tensioning rotation may be constituted by a ratchet mechanism. In this case, the at least one priming structure may constitute one or more teeth of the ratchet mechanism, and the cam follower may constitute a pawl of the ratchet mechanism. Thus, the present disclosure provides a ratchet mechanism integrated in the transmission mechanism of the tensioning arrangement.
The tensioning arrangement may further comprise a movable holding member holding the conveying tube, and the cam follower may be fixed in relation to the holding member. Throughout the present disclosure, the holding member may be referred to as a piston.
The cam follower may be integral with the holding member. The cam follower and the holding member may for example be injection moulded.
The cam profile may be a helical surface. The helical surface may for example extend 140° to 175° around a longitudinal axis of the aerosol dispenser.
Each of the at least one priming structure may be constituted by a protrusion. Each priming structure may protrude 0.1-0.8 mm, such as 0.2-0.6 mm, such as approximately 0.4 mm from an adjacent surface of the cam profile.
Each of the at least one priming structure may be wedge-shaped. Alternatively, each of the at least one priming structure may be constituted by a protruding knob. In case the cam profile comprises a plurality of priming structures, the priming structures may be different, including for example a combination of wedges and knobs.
The at least one priming structure may comprise a priming structure surface at an angle of 5° to 30°, such as 5° to 15°, to an adjacent surface of the cam profile. The at least one priming structure may extend partially or fully over a width of the cam profile, e.g. in a lateral direction of the aerosol dispenser.
Each of the at least one priming structure may be constituted by a recess. In this case, each recess may have a depth of 0.1-0.8 mm, such as 0.2-0.6 mm, such as approximately 0.4 mm from an adjacent surface of the cam profile.
The tensioning arrangement according to the present disclosure may further comprise a stationary part. In this case, the cam profile may be provided on the stationary part.
The cam profile may be integral with the stationary part. The cam profile may for example be provided on a distal end of the stationary part facing the rotatable member.
A sum of a distance of each priming movement of the conveying tube may be 10-50%, such as 15-35%, such as 15-25%, such as approximately 20%, of a tensioning distance of the conveying tube from the initial position to the tensioning position. The tensioning distance may for example be 8-10 mm. Throughout the present disclosure, the sum of the distance of each priming movement may be referred to as a total priming distance.
According to a further aspect, there is provided an aerosol dispenser comprising a tensioning arrangement according to the present disclosure. The aerosol dispenser may for example be constituted by an inhaler device.
The aerosol dispenser may comprise a dose chamber. The volume of the dose chamber may be defined by the position of the conveying tube. The volume of the dose chamber may be expanded when the conveying tube makes the tensioning movement and may be compressed when the conveying tube makes the priming movement.
Further details, advantages and aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
In the following, a tensioning arrangement for an aerosol dispenser and an aerosol dispenser comprising the tensioning arrangement, will be described. The same reference numerals will be used to denote the same or similar structural features.
The aerosol dispenser 10 in
In
The tensioning arrangement 12 of this example comprises two cam profiles 42 (only one is visible in
A plurality of priming structures 46 are provided on each cam profile 42. Each priming structure 46 is arranged to prevent the rotatable member 16 from rotating in a direction opposite to the tensioning rotation 18. This is useful if for example the patient loses the grip of the rotatable member 16 when making the tensioning rotation 18. In the example of
In the cut-out section of
Furthermore, in the cut-out section of
The conveying tube 52 has pierced a closure 56 of the container 54 and is thereby brought into communication with the liquid in the container 54. The conveying tube 52 comprises an optional conveying tube check valve 58 at a proximal end of the conveying tube 52, i.e. at an opposite end with respect to the container 54. In this example, the neck of the container 54 is held by a locking structure 60 on the holding member 48. The locking structure 60 is here exemplified as a plurality of resilient arms projecting from the holding member 48 towards the rotatable member 16. The container 54 comprises a stopper 62 that closes the bottom of the container 54.
The aerosol dispenser 10 of this example comprises a stationary pump cylinder 64, i.e. stationary with respect to the housing 14. A dose chamber 66 is provided in the pump cylinder 64. The conveying tube 52 is movable back and forth to expand and compress the volume of the dose chamber 66. A sealing 68, here exemplified as an X-ring, is provided to seal between the conveying tube 52 and the pump cylinder 64. The sealing 68 may alternatively be constituted by an O-ring, or other types of sealings known in the art.
The aerosol dispenser 10 further comprises a spray nozzle unit 70 having a spray nozzle 71 at a proximal side of the dose chamber 66. The spray nozzle unit 70 may for example comprise a spray nozzle check valve 72 and a membrane or filter 74. The aerosol dispenser 10 further comprises a mouthpiece 76 which is exposed to a user by opening the lid 20.
As can be seen in
In the example in
The arrangement of the cam profiles 42 and the cam followers 44 may alternatively be reversed. That is, the cam profiles 42 may be provided on the holding member 48 and the cam followers 44 may be provided on the stationary part 82.
The tensioning arrangement 12 further comprises an elastic member 84, here constituted by a compression coil spring enclosing the container 54. The elastic member 84 is arranged to store mechanical energy from the tensioning movement 32 of the holding member 48 and the conveying tube 52 from the initial position 30 in
When the rotatable member 16 is manually rotated, the optional inner sleeve 78 rotates together with the rotatable member 16. The tensioning rotation 18 of the rotatable member 16 and the inner sleeve 78 is transmitted to a rotation of the holding member 48. The rotation of the holding member 48 causes the cam followers 44 to travel along the associated cam profiles 42. Due to the cooperation between the cam followers 44 and the cam profiles 42, the tensioning rotation 18 of the rotatable member 16 is transmitted to the tensioning movement 32 of the conveying tube 52 and the holding member 48 in the distal tensioning direction 36 against the force of the elastic member 84 until the conveying tube 52 has moved from the initial position 30 to the tensioning position 86 according to
In
In this state, the tensioning arrangement 12 is tensioned. In the Mocking position of the actuator member 50, the force from the elastic member 84 pushes the holding member 48 and the actuator member 50 against the housing 14. The actuator member 50 is thereby clamped between the holding member 48 and the housing 14.
As the conveying tube 52 moves in the tensioning direction 36, the volume of the dose chamber 66 expands and an underpressure is established in the dose chamber 66. Consequently, liquid in the container 54 is sucked by the conveying tube 52 into the dose chamber 66. The holding member 48 and the conveying tube 52 is then held in the tensioning position 86 by means of the actuator member 50. When the conveying tube 52 is in the tensioning position 86, the volume of the dose chamber 66 corresponds to one dose.
When the user pushes the button 24, the actuator member 50 is moved to its unblocking position such that the actuator member 50 no longer blocks the holding member 48. As a consequence, the entire force from the elastic member 84 acts on the liquid in the dose chamber 66 via the holding member 48, the conveying tube 52 and the conveying tube check valve 58. The force in the elastic member 84 may for example be 5-50 N. The high pressure in the dose chamber 66 presses the liquid through the spray nozzle check valve 72 and the filter 74 of the spray nozzle unit 70. The liquid is thereby expelled as an aerosol. The pressure in the dose chamber 66 may be approximately 15-75 bar. In view of prior art, this enables the use of a relatively weak spring as elastic member 84.
The leftmost proximal position on the front cam profile 42 corresponds to the initial position 30 of the conveying tube 52. The rightmost distal position on the front cam profile 42 corresponds to the tensioning position 86 of the conveying tube 52.
The priming structures 46 are evenly distributed over the cam profile length 92 from the position corresponding to the initial position 30 (in this example the leftmost proximal position) to the position corresponding to the tensioning position 86 (in this example the rightmost distal position). In
When the rotatable member 16 is manually rotated to make the tensioning rotation 18 and the cam followers 44 travel along the associated cam profiles 42, the conveying tube 52 generally makes the tensioning movement 32 in the tensioning direction 36 from the initial position 30 to the tensioning position 86. However, when the cam followers 44 travel over a priming structure 46 on an associated cam profile 42, the conveying tube 52 makes a temporary priming movement 34 towards the initial position 30, i.e. in the proximal direction of the aerosol dispenser 10. Each priming movement 34 is shorter than the tensioning movement 32. When the conveying tube 52 makes a priming movement 34, the dose chamber 66 is compressed and a small volume of liquid (corresponding to the length of the priming movement 34) is expelled that fills out dry cavities in the aerosol dispenser 10 (e.g. in the spray nozzle unit 70) and pushes out foreign particles, such as bacteria and/or residue, from the spray nozzle unit 70. The small volumes of liquid may be referred to as priming doses.
The horizontal line C in
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to what has been described above. For example, it will be appreciated that the dimensions of the parts may be varied as needed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18197289.4 | Sep 2018 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2019/074313 | 9/12/2019 | WO | 00 |
