Inhalers and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12296089-B2
Application number	US-202318541371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2023
Priority date	Feb 14, 2017
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

An inhaler housing ( 14 ) for an inhaler ( 10 ) for inhaling inhalable substances, the inhaler having: a body ( 14 ) and a dose counter ( 24 ) with a return spring ( 28 ), wherein a distinct guide surface ( 162 ) is provided for guiding the end of the return spring into a recess ( 152 ), the distinct guide surface being wider than an entrance mouth ( 160 ) of the recess, a dose counter chamber ( 22 ) being provided which is separated from a tubular interior space ( 182 ) of the inhaler by a barrier ( 180 ), the barrier including a stepped upper wall area ( 184 ) including at least three steps ( 186, 188, 190, 192 ) at different levels, the inhaler having a valve stem block ( 62 ) having an inner bore and a valve stem block having a seal ( 224 ) in the inner bore with a second diameter which is smaller than a first diameter of the inner bore, the inhaler having a canister ( 150 ) being adapted to move during operation between 1 and 4 mm, a drive being arranged to apply a firing force of between 15N and 60N of force to the canister at a position of the canister relative to a valve stem ( 54 ) at which the canister fires.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inhaler housing of an inhaler for inhalable substances, the inhaler housing configured to house a pressurised canister slidable within a tubular body portion, the inhaler housing having a valve stem block for connection to a valve stem of the pressurised canister, the valve stem block having a top surface, the tubular body portion having at least two mutually opposed guide ribs for guiding a position of the pressurise canister within the tubular body portion, the guide ribs having a plurality of substantially straight guide edges extending substantially parallel to and spaced apart from one another, each straight guide edge having an upper corner where the straight guide edge meets a further surface of the rib leading outwardly towards an upper rib section near an inner wall of the tubular body portion, at least one of the ribs having its corresponding upper conner positioned a distance D 2 in a direction parallel to an axis of the valve stem block away from the top surface of the valve stem block, a distance between the straight guide edges of the ribs perpendicular to the axis being ID 2 , and a ratio D 2 /ID 2 is less than 0.8.

2. The inhaler housing of claim 1 , wherein the ratio D 2 /ID 2 is less than 0.75.

3. The inhaler housing of claim 1 , wherein the further surface of at least one guide rib extends away from the valve stem block and terminates at a distance D 3 from the top surface of the valve stem block in the direction parallel to the axis, wherein the ratio D 3 /ID 2 is than 0.9.

4. The inhaler housing of claim 3 , wherein the ratio D 3 /ID 2 is than 0.85.

5. The inhaler housing of claim 1 , wherein each guide rib meets the upper rib section near the inner wall of the tubular body portion at outer rib positions wherein the outer rib positions are a distance ID 1 apart in a direction perpendicular to the axis, and wherein the ratio ID 2 /ID 1 is between 0.7 and 0.9.

6. The inhaler housing of claim 5 , wherein the ratio ID 2 /ID 1 is between 0.75 and 0.85.

7. The inhaler housing of claim 6 , wherein the ratio ID 2 /ID 1 is between 0.78 and 0.8.

8. The inhaler housing of claim 1 , wherein the tubular body portion defining a tubular interior space configured to house the pressurised canister containing inhalable substances, and a barrier defining a floor of the tubular body portion, the barrier including a stepped upper wall area including at least three steps at different levels.

9. The inhaler housing of claim 8 , wherein the barrier includes four steps.

10. The inhaler housing of claim 8 , wherein the at least three steps are arcuate.

11. The inhaler housing of claim 10 , wherein the arcuate steps have substantially flat areas aligned substantially perpendicular to an axis of the valve stem block as well as part-cylindrical riser surfaces between the substantially flat areas.

12. The inhaler housing of claim 10 , wherein the at least three steps are substantially concentric with the axis of the valve stem block.

13. The inhaler housing of claim 10 , wherein the at least three steps extend around the valve stem block about the axis of the valve stem block by about 180 degrees.

14. The inhaler housing of claim 8 , wherein a material forming the barrier is of substantially constant thickness substantially throughout the steps.

15. The inhaler housing of claim 8 , wherein the barrier separates a dose counter chamber for containing a dose counter assembly from the tubular interior space.

16. The inhaler housing of claim 15 , wherein the dose counter chamber is formed with at least one heat staking pin for mounting of a dose counter system, the heat staking pin being directly attached to at least two of the steps.

17. The inhaler housing of claim 16 , wherein the at least one heat staking pin is attached to at least one step surface that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of the valve stem block and to at least one step riser.

18. The inhaler housing of claim 17 , wherein the at least one heat staking pin is attached to at least one step surface that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of the valve stem block and to at least two step risers.

19. The inhaler housing of claim 8 further comprising:
an aperture for a drive pin for actuating a dose counter is formed through a second furthest step away from the valve stem block.

20. An inhaler including the inhaler housing of claim 1 .

21. The inhaler of claim 20 , further comprising:
a pressurised canister comprising an active ingredient.

22. The inhaler of claim 21 , wherein the active ingredient is presented in a pharmaceutical formulation comprising at least one of a propellant, a co-solvent, a pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, and a combination thereof.

23. The inhaler of claim 21 , wherein the active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of anti-inflammatory agents, β2-adrenoreceptor agonists, anti-cholinergic agents, anti-histamines, serotonin agonists, and combinations thereof.

24. The inhaler of claim 21 , wherein the active ingredient is corticosteroid beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP).

25. The inhaler of claim 21 , wherein the active ingredient is β2-adrenoreceptor agonist salbutamol sulphate.

26. The inhaler of claim 21 , wherein the pressurised canister comprises beclomethasone dipropionate as active ingredient, HFA134a as propellant and ethanol as co-solvent.

27. The inhaler of claim 20 , wherein the inhaler is a breath actuated inhaler.

28. The inhaler of claim 27 further comprising:
a force holding unit or cap housing;
a main body;
a mouthpiece dust cap; and
a dose counter door having a dose counter window.

Assignees

• Norton Waterford Ltd

Inventors

• Buck Daniel
• Prendergast Paul
• Walsh Declan

Classifications

• A61M15/00

  Inhalators {(drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04)} · CPC title

• A61M15/0021

  Mouthpieces therefor · CPC title

• A61K9/0073

  Sprays or powders for inhalation; Aerolised or nebulised preparations generated by other means than thermal energy; (nasal sprays A61K9/0043; inhalation of vapours of volatile or heated drugs, e.g. essential oils or nicotine, A61K9/007; devices A61M) · CPC title

• A61K31/46

  8-Azabicyclo [3.2.1] octane; Derivatives thereof, e.g. atropine, cocaine · CPC title

• A61K31/573

  substituted in position 21, e.g. cortisone, dexamethasone, prednisone or aldosterone · CPC title