Filter system for use in medical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016144138-A1
Application number	US-201615011906-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Jul 16, 2010
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical hand-held device, in particular an atomizer (1), for dispensing a liquid pharmaceutical preparation from a container with a discharge nozzle for the pharmaceutical preparation and located upstream from the discharge nozzle there is a multiple-stage filter system.

First claim

1 . Device for administering a liquid medical formulation which is held in a container ( 3 ) inserted in the device and is expelled from the device through at least one nozzle opening ( 12 e ), wherein, before flowing through the at least one nozzle opening ( 12 e ), the liquid medical formulation flows through a very fine filter ( 12 f ) which is formed by a microstructured component ( 12 ), and wherein a pre-filter ( 27 ) is arranged in front of the microstructured component ( 12 ) inside the device, in the flow path of the liquid,
characterized in that a fine filter ( 28 ) is additionally provided between the pre-filter ( 27 ) and the microstructured component ( 12 ) in the flow path of the liquid, the fine filter ( 28 ) being different from the pre-filter ( 27 ), so that particles of different sizes or natures are deposited on the pre-filter ( 27 ) and fine filter ( 28 ) before the formulation enters the microstructured component ( 12 ).

2 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that pre-filter ( 27 ), fine filter ( 28 ) and very fine filter ( 12 f ) have different pore sizes and are arranged so that the pore size decreases in the direction of flow.

3 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that pre-filter ( 27 ), fine filter ( 28 ) and very fine filter ( 12 f ) consist of different materials.

4 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that one filter, particularly the fine filter ( 28 ), is made of metal, particularly sintered metal.

5 . Device according to claim 4 , characterized in that the metal from which the filter is made is titanium.

6 . Device according to claim 4 , characterized in that the pore sizes of the metal filter are so small that the pore diameters are less than 5 microns.

7 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the pre-filter ( 27 ) is a plastics filter, and the microstructured component ( 12 ) is made of a glass/silicon composite.

8 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the fine filter ( 28 ) is a filter the mode of action of which is determined predominantly by adsorption effects and less by size exclusion, while particles from a liquid flowing through the filter are able to accumulate on the surface of the filter as a result of intermolecular interactions.

9 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that an adsorption filter ( 32 ) is arranged in the flow path between pre-filter ( 27 ) and very fine filter ( 12 f ), the mode of action of the adsorption filter being characterized in that particles from a liquid flowing through the filter are able to accumulate on the surface of the filter as a result of intermolecular interactions.

10 . Device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the adsorption filter ( 32 ) is arranged as an independent component either between the pre-filter ( 27 ) and the fine filter ( 28 ) or between the fine filter ( 28 ) and the very fine filter ( 12 f ).

11 . Device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the adsorption filter ( 32 ) is embodied as a filter disc which is frictionally secured by its edge.

12 . Device according to claim 11 , characterized in that the edge of the filter disc is held either by a component that seals off or fixes the microstructured component ( 12 ) or the nozzle in its installed position, or by the microstructured component ( 12 ) or the nozzle itself, or is clamped in position between the pre-filter ( 27 ) and fine filter ( 28 ).

13 . Device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the adsorption filter ( 32 ) is made of glass, cellulose, carbon or polymer fibers.

14 . Device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the adsorption filter ( 32 ) comprises a surface functionalized with aluminium oxide.

15 . Device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the adsorption filter ( 32 ) has a surface functionalized with quaternary ammonium groups.

16 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that pre-filter ( 27 ) and fine filter ( 28 ) have a circular-cylindrical or at least partially conical configuration.

17 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the liquid medical formulation that is to be administered contains a substance with a low vapor pressure or an alcoholic compound.

18 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the liquid medical formulation that is to be administered has a pH of between 3.5 and 9.

19 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the liquid medical formulation is delivered as an inhalable aerosol.

20 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the device contains a pressure chamber ( 11 ) and the filters are arranged between the pressure chamber ( 11 ) and the at least one nozzle opening ( 12 e ).

21 . Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the device comprises a central part ( 23 ) in which pre-filter ( 27 ) and fine filter ( 28 ) are arranged downstream of a pressure chamber ( 11 ) or a metering chamber.

22 . Device according to claim 21 , characterized in that pre-filter ( 27 ) and fine filter ( 28 ) are held in the central part ( 23 ) without any additional components for securing them by a reduction in the internal cross-section formed by the central part itself ( 23 ), and/or by a press-fit.

23 . Method of assembling a device according to claim 20 , characterized in that fine filter ( 28 ) and pre-filter ( 27 ) are inserted into a central part ( 23 ) through what is to be the pressure chamber ( 11 ) and the insertion opening is closed off by the piston of a pressure generator ( 5 ) or by a connecting element formed as a hollow piston ( 9 ) for subsequently withdrawing liquid ( 2 ) from a container ( 3 ).

Assignees

• Boehringer Ingelheim Int

Inventors

• Hausmann Matthias
• Schuy Steffen
• Eicher Joachim
• Geser Johannes
• Meisenheimer Martin
• Witte Florian

Classifications

• B05B11/1001

  Piston pumps (B05B11/1087, B05B11/1088, B05B11/109 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B11/108

  Means for counting the number of dispensing strokes · CPC title

• B05B11/026

  Membranes separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the container · CPC title

• B05B11/1091

  being first hold in a loaded state by locking means or the like, then released (B05B11/1092 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M11/06

  of the injector type · CPC title