Medicinal device with container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9757750-B2
Application number	US-201213434950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2012
Priority date	Apr 1, 2011
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a hand-held medicinal device, particularly a nebulizer, for delivering a liquid medicament preparation from a container having a container cap. The medicament preparation may be based for example on an alcoholic solvent or may contain a similar substance with an increased vapor pressure. The proposed nebulizer with the installed container comprises a sealing system made up of two seals at the junction between the device and container, which prevent loss of liquid, diffusion leaks and exchange of gases with the environment at this point.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for administering a liquid medicinal formulation, comprising:
a container ( 3 ) having a flange ( 32 a ) defining an opening into the container ( 3 ) and an insertion point into the container ( 3 );
an insertion funnel ( 31 a ) having a first end at the flange ( 32 a ) and extending to a second end through the opening and into an internal volume of the container ( 3 ) that contains the liquid medicinal formulation, the insertion funnel defining a conically shaped inside surface of wider diameter at the first end than at the second end;
a holder ( 6 ) configured to engage the flange of the container ( 3 ) and including a centrally located protrusion that extends into the first end of the insertion funnel ( 31 a );
a rigid tube ( 9 ) connected to the holder ( 6 );
a first seal in the form of a fitting seal located between the inside surface of the insertion funnel ( 31 a ), away from the first end and nearer to the second end, and a portion of the rigid tube ( 9 ); and
a second seal ( 30 ) having elastomeric properties, and a through-opening through which the rigid tube ( 9 ) extends in an axial direction, the second seal ( 30 ) being located between the inside surface of the insertion funnel ( 31 a ), toward the first end thereof, and another portion of the rigid tube ( 9 ), where the second seal is located between the inside surface of the insertion funnel ( 31 a ) and the protrusion of the holder ( 6 ) such that contact by the protrusion of the holder ( 6 ) into the insertion funnel ( 31 a ) and biasing against the second seal ( 30 ) in the axial direction causes the second seal ( 30 ) to elastically deform in a radial direction and seal off a space between the first seal, the container ( 3 ) and the rigid tube ( 9 ) to prevent the escape of liquids and gases and/or to prevent the ingress of gases,
wherein: the second seal ( 3 ) includes a first surface that engages against the inside surface of the insertion funnel ( 31 a ), the first surface is of a conical shape, the second seal ( 3 ) includes a second surface that is engaged by the protrusion of the holder, and the second surface is of a concave conical shape,
the first seal includes a first area of contact between the inside surface of the insertion funnel ( 31 a ) and a first length of the portion of the rigid tube ( 9 ) that extends axially along the rigid tube ( 9 ),
the second seal includes a second area of contact: (i) between the inside surface of the insertion funnel ( 31 a ) and an outside surface of the second seal, and (ii) between an inside surface of the second seal and a second length of the another portion of the rigid tube ( 9 ) that extends axially along the rigid tube ( 9 ),
the first area of contact of the first seal and the second area of contact of the second seal ( 30 ) are axially displaced from one another along the rigid tube ( 9 ) such that a third length of the rigid tube ( 9 ) between the first and second lengths thereof forms no seal, and
the third length of the rigid tube ( 9 ) is about a same length as an axial length of the second seal ( 30 ) extending along the tube ( 9 ).

2. The device according to claim 1 characterised in that the first seal is substantially leaktight against the liquid components of the medicinal formulation in the container ( 3 ) and the second seal ( 30 ) is substantially leaktight against gases.

3. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the second seal ( 30 ) radially surrounds the rigid tube ( 9 ).

4. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the second seal ( 30 ) is mounted at the device end on the tube or on the holder ( 6 ) that forms a container receptacle for the container ( 3 ).

5. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the second seal ( 30 ) is axially compressed by the protrusion.

6. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the second seal ( 30 ) is radially compressed perpendicularly to the rigid tube or perpendicularly to an inner guide ( 6 d ) on the holder ( 6 ).

7. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the insertion point on the container ( 3 ) is facilitated by the insertion funnel ( 31 a ).

8. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the second seal ( 30 ) is shaped so as to include a support region which abuts in the axial direction on the holder ( 6 ).

9. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the holder ( 6 ) surrounds the tube and has an inner guide ( 6 d ) that is narrower by comparison with the holder's overall diameter and abuts on the tube, wherein the inner guide ( 6 d ) comprises a lower edge which is lower than the flange ( 32 a ) of the container ( 3 ) and projects somewhat into the insertion funnel ( 31 a ) when the container ( 3 ) has been inserted into the holder ( 6 ).

10. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the rigid tube ( 9 ) is a hollow piston inserted in the container ( 3 ) or is a capillary or a cannula.

11. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the rigid tube ( 9 ) forms a piston of a high pressure pump.

12. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the liquid medicinal formulation that is to be administered contains a substance with a high vapour pressure or an alcoholic compound.

13. The device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the second seal ( 30 ) is formed from a material that is softer than that of the holder ( 6 ).

14. The device according to claim 3 , characterised in that the second seal ( 30 ) is spaced apart from the rigid tube ( 9 ) by an inner guide ( 6 d ) on the holder ( 6 ).

15. A device for administering a liquid medicinal formulation, comprising:
a container ( 3 ) having a flange ( 32 a ) defining an opening into the container ( 3 ) and an insertion point into the container ( 3 );
an insertion funnel ( 31 a ) having a first end at the flange ( 32 a ) and extending to a second end through the opening and into an internal volume of the container ( 3 ) that contains the liquid medicinal formulation, the insertion funnel defining a conically shaped inside surface of wider diameter at the first end than at the second end;
a holder ( 6 ) configured to engage the flange of the container ( 3 ) and including a centrally located protrusion that extends into the first end of the insertion funnel ( 31 a );
a rigid tube ( 9 ) connected to the holder ( 6 );
a first seal in the form of a fitting seal located between the inside surface of the insertion funnel ( 31 a ), away from the first end and nearer to the second end, and a portion of the rigid tube ( 9 ); and
a second seal ( 30 ) having elastomeric properties, and a through-opening through which the rigid tube ( 9 ) extends in an axial direction, the second seal ( 30 ) being located between the inside surface of the insertion funnel ( 31 a ), toward the first end thereof, and another portion of the rigid tube ( 9 ), where the second seal is located between the inside surface of the insertion funnel ( 31 a ) and the protrusion of the holder ( 6 ) such that contact by the protrusion of the holder ( 6 ) into the insertion funnel ( 31 a ) and biasing against the second seal ( 30 ) in the axial direction causes the second seal ( 30 ) to elastically deform in a radial direction and seal off a space between the first seal, the container ( 3 ) and the rigid tube ( 9 ) to prevent the escape of liquids and gases and/or to prevent the ingress of gases, wherein:
the first seal includes a first area of contact between the inside surface of the insertion fu

Assignees

• Holakovsky Holger
• Lange Lars
• Steinzen Maurice
• Weiland Felix
• List Klaus
• Boehringer Ingelheim Int

Inventors

• Holakovsky Holger
• Lange Lars
• Steinzen Maurice
• Weiland Felix
• List Klaus

Classifications

• B05B11/0054

  Cartridges, i.e. containers specially designed for easy attachment to or easy removal from the rest of the sprayer (attachment arrangements between pump and container B05B11/1043) · CPC title

• B05B11/0013 Primary

  Attachment arrangements comprising means cooperating with the inner surface of the container · CPC title

• A61M15/0026

  Hinged caps · CPC title

• A61M15/0036

  hollow piercing means · CPC title

• A61M15/0065

  Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices (A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52) · CPC title