Metered dose inhalers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10029845-B2
Application number	US-201615552401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of turbophoresis and provides a relatively simple and low cost solution for a metered dose inhaler, in particular, a pressure-actuated metered dose inhaler. A metering valve (100) comprises a valve body (110), a valve stem (130) mounted within the valve body (110) and a spring element (140) for biasing the valve stem (130) in an “at rest” position. A pre-metering region (170) is formed in the valve stem (130) which is provided with a miniature valve seal (210) at its inlet (180). The miniature valve seal (210) effectively isolates the pre-metering region (170) from surrounding bulk formulation (4) within a canister (1) in which the metering valve (100) is mounted when the valve stem (130) is in the “at rest” position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A metering valve comprising:
a housing;
a valve body mounted in the housing, the valve body having an inlet;
a valve stem moveable within the valve body between at least a first position and a second position with respect to the valve body;
a return member located within the valve body and being operable for biasing the valve stem to the first position;
a pre-metering region formed within a first portion of the valve stem, the pre-metering region including an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet port being connected to the inlet of the valve body;
a metering chamber formed between the valve stem and the valve housing, the metering chamber being connectable to the outlet port of the pre-metering region;
a first dose retention element positioned in an inlet path to the pre-metering region and being operable for retaining a measured dose within the pre-metering region, the first dose retention element providing fluid transport in both directions therethrough; and
a dispensing channel formed within a second portion of the valve stem, the dispensing channel having a dispensing inlet and a dispensing outlet, the dispensing inlet being connectable to the metering chamber in the second position.

2. A metering valve according to claim 1 , wherein the first dose retention member is located at an entrance to the pre-metering region, the entrance being substantially adjacent the inlet port.

3. A metering valve according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet port comprises an opening in a circumferential wall of the valve stem.

4. A metering valve according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet port comprises an opening at a proximal end of the valve stem.

5. A metering valve according to claim 4 , wherein the first dose retention member has an axis which is substantially aligned with the inlet port.

6. A metering valve according to claim 4 , wherein the first dose retention member has an axis which is aligned to be substantially parallel with the outlet port.

7. A metering valve according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet port comprises an opening in a circumferential wall of the valve stem disposed at a distance from the outlet port.

8. A metering valve according to claim 7 , wherein the first dose retention member has an axis which is substantially aligned with the inlet port.

9. A metering valve according to claim 7 , wherein the first dose retention member has an axis which is aligned to be substantially parallel with the outlet port.

10. A metering valve according to claim 1 , wherein the first dose retention member comprises an elastomeric disc with at least one re-sealable slit located in a central region thereof.

11. A metering valve according to claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric disc has a circumferential region which is thicker than the central region thereof.

12. A metering valve according to claim 1 , further comprising a second dose retention member positioned in an outlet path of the pre-metering region.

13. A metering valve according to claim 12 , wherein the second dose retention member is located at an exit to the pre-metering region.

14. A metering valve according to claim 12 , wherein the second dose second retention member has an axis which is substantially aligned with the outlet port.

15. A metering valve according to claim 12 , wherein the second dose retention member comprises an elastomeric disc with at least one re-sealable slit located in a central region thereof.

16. A metering valve according to claim 15 , wherein the elastomeric disc has a circumferential region which is thicker than the central region thereof.

17. A metering valve according to claim 15 , wherein the second dose retention member is substantially identical to the first dose retention member.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Jinks Philip A

Classifications

• B65D83/546 Primary

  the metering occurring at least partially in the actuating means · CPC title

• G01F11/14

  wherein the measuring chamber reciprocates · CPC title

• A61M15/009

  using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans (pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08) · CPC title

• F16K7/12

  with flat, dished, or bowl-shaped diaphragm · CPC title

• F16K31/1268

  with a plurality of the diaphragms · CPC title