MEDICAMENT DELIVERY DEVICE AND METHODS

Abstract

A device for releasing discrete doses of medicament carried in a plurality of spaced-apart compartments on a medicament carrier, each compartment being arranged in a carrier strip and sealed by a sealing layer, the device comprising: a release mechanism arranged to engage between the carrier strip and the sealing layer so as to unseal at least a portion of the compartment and expose the medicament dose contained therein, wherein the release mechanism preferably covers said exposed compartment in place of the sealing layer.

Claims

1-89. (canceled)

90. A device for releasing discrete doses of medicament carried in a plurality of spaced-apart compartments on a medicament carrier, each compartment being arranged in a carrier strip and sealed by a sealing layer, the device comprising: a release mechanism arranged to engage between the carrier strip and the sealing layer so as to unseal at least a portion of the compartment and expose the medicament dose contained therein, wherein the release mechanism comprises two release members, each arranged to engage between the compartment and sealing layer of a medicament carrier whereby to remove said at least a portion of the sealing layer from said medicament carrier.

91. The device of claim 90, wherein the carrier strip passes through the release mechanism when engaged.

92. The device of claim 90, wherein the release mechanism is arranged to separate the sealing layer from the carrier strip such that the sealing layer is completely detached across a full width of the carrier strip over a compartment thereby completely exposing the compartment.

93. The device of claim 90, wherein each release member is arranged to engage the medicament carrier such that the carrier strip passes beneath each release member and the sealing layer passes over each release member.

94. The device of claim 90, wherein each release member has a lower surface arranged to pass closely over each compartment in the carrier strip as the medicament carrier is advanced through the release mechanism so as to substantially seal the portion of compartment where the sealing layer is removed.

95. The device of claim 90, wherein each release member has a leading edge arranged to engage between the carrier strip and sealing layer so as to separate the sealing layer from the carrier strip as the carrier moves past the release mechanism.

96. The device of claim 95, wherein the leading edge has a curved, raised profile along its length.

97. The device of any of claim 90, wherein each release member has a leading edge configured to conform in part to a shape of a perimeter of a compartment.

98. The device of claim 90, wherein each release member has a trailing edge shaped to conform in part to a shape of a perimeter of a compartment.

99. The device of claim 98, wherein at least one of a leading edge and the trailing edge of each release member has a generally curved configuration.

100. The device of claim 90, wherein at least one release member is arranged to extend substantially across an entire width of the medicament carrier.

101. The device of claim 90, wherein the two release members are arranged in a substantially opposed configuration, such that they are opposed across the medicament carrier.

102. The device of claim 90, wherein the release mechanism comprises two separable parts that are configured to be coupled together so as to engage with the medicament carrier.

103. The device of claim 90, wherein: the release mechanism is arranged to remove at least a portion of the sealing layer covering a compartment and to cover said compartment in place of said removed portion of sealing layer, and the release mechanism is further arranged to provide a fluid conduit configured to pass air into or through the compartment so as to aerosolize the medicament contained therein.

104. A device for releasing discrete doses of medicament carried in a plurality of spaced-apart compartments on a medicament carrier, each compartment being arranged in a carrier strip and sealed by a sealing layer, the device comprising: a release mechanism arranged to engage between the carrier strip and the sealing layer so as to unseal at least a portion of the compartment and expose the medicament dose contained therein, wherein the release mechanism comprises means for engaging with a portion of the sealing layer such that contact is maintained between at least a portion of the sealing layer and the carrier strip when the release mechanism engages the medicament carrier.

105. The device of claim 104, wherein the release mechanism is arranged to receive the compartment while said at least a portion of the compartment is unsealed.

106. The device of claim 104, wherein the means for engaging is a protuberance arranged to contact the sealing layer in order to bias or otherwise urge the sealing layer against the carrier strip.

107. The device of claim 104, wherein the release mechanism comprises at least one release member arranged to engage between the compartment and sealing layer whereby to remove said at least a portion of the sealing layer.

108. The device of claim 107, wherein said at least one release member is arranged to engage the medicament carrier such that the carrier strip passes beneath the at least one release member and the sealing layer passes over the at least one release member so as to allow the separated portions of sealing layer and carrier strip to be brought back together once the unsealed compartment has moved past the release member.

109. The device of claim 107, wherein the at least one release member is removable from the release mechanism so as to facilitate engagement with the medicament carrier.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0096] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0097] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a known multi-unit dose dry powder inhaler device;

[0098] FIGS. 2A to 2C show a device according to a first aspect;

[0099] FIGS. 3A to 3C shows a device according to a second aspect;

[0100] FIG. 4 shows a multi-unit dose medicament carrier for use with the devices of FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0101] FIGS. 5 and 6 show alternative multi-unit dose medicament carriers;

[0102] FIGS. 7A to 7C show three different internal configurations for a medicament delivery device;

[0103] FIGS. 8A and 8B show a medicament carrier engaged by devices shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively;

[0104] FIGS. 9A to 9E show two devices fluidly connected with a mixing chamber; and

[0105] FIGS. 10A and 10B show a medicament delivery device with a cover located in first and second configurations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0106] It is increasingly common for inhaled drug therapies to use combinations of two dry powder formulations which are stored separately and then mixed at the time the user is ready to inhale the drug. Thus, a medicament delivery device may be required to dispense two different medicaments, which are preferably combined immediately prior to inhalation so that when a user inhales through a mouthpiece, they inhale a mixture of the two dry powder formulations.

[0107] A known dry powder inhaler (DPI) device that can dispense a mixture of two dry powder formulations is disclosed in WO 2003/061743, an embodiment of which is illustrated in FIG. 1. Once fully assembled, this DPI device 1300 will contain two medicament carriers (not shown—but described below), each comprising a plurality of spaced-apart, sealed compartments and each stored on one of the delivery spools in the centre of the device housing.

[0108] Rotatable drums 1306a, 1306b are operable to engage each medicament carrier via its compartments so as to advance the next compartments towards the opening station 1322 when a medicament dose is required. The two medicament carriers contain different powder formulations, which are released at opening station 1322 where they are intended to mix together immediately prior to inhalation.

[0109] In use, the compartments containing the medicament doses on each carrier strip are opened in turn by gradually peeling away the sealing layer to release the medicament dose contained in each compartment. The peeling action occurs at peeling stations 1310a, 1310b, where the sealing layer is gradually peeled away by pulling the sealing layer from the carrier strip in a generally orthogonal direction. This is achieved by the application of tension to the sealing layer by a release mechanism comprising a pair of spools 1317a, 1317b to which an end of the sealing layer is secured. As the medicament carrier advances to the next compartments, the “release” spools 1317a, 1317b rotate to gather the peeled sealing layer while the portion of the carrier strips comprising the exposed (or “opened”) compartments remain engaged with the rotatable drums 1306a, 1306b temporarily before being gathered around a pair of “take-up” spools 1315a, 1315b disposed remotely from the “release” spools 1317a, 1317b elsewhere in the device.

[0110] A typical medicament carrier 210, as is well-known, is shown in FIG. 2A, which comprises a carrier strip 200 that includes a plurality of spaced-apart compartments 202 and a sealing layer 206, which is shown as transparent in FIG. 2A to aid understanding. Each compartment 202 comprises a discrete (or “unit”) medicament dose. The carrier strip 200 is an elongated strip with the compartments 202 being equally spaced along the length of the carrier strip 200. The compartments 202 are substantially elongated across a portion of the width of the carrier strip 202 and have an opening 204 which is substantially flush with a top surface 208 of the carrier strip 200. The compartments 202 are generally lozenge-shaped, but could be other shapes, such as round or rectangular, for example. The sealing layer 206, which may also be referred to as a “backing sheet”, seals the compartments 202. Each medicament dose is thereby securely contained within its compartment 202, preventing contamination of the medicament dose. The sealing layer 206 is usually secured to the top surface 208 of the carrier strip 200, typically covering substantially the whole of the carrier strip 200. Such medicament carriers may also be known or referred to as “blister strips”.

[0111] An example of an improved release mechanism 100, for releasing medicament doses contained in compartments of a conventional medicament carrier, is shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. The medicament may, of course, comprise a dry powder formulation.

[0112] FIGS. 2A-2C show the release mechanism 100 engaging with such a “conventional” medicament carrier 210. For engaging with the medicament carrier 210, the release mechanism 100 includes two release members 102 arranged substantially opposite each other such that they extend towards each other. In this release mechanism 100, a gap 104 is left between the two release members 102, as can be seen in FIG. 2A. The release members 102 are housed in a body 118 of the release mechanism 100.

[0113] Each release member 102 has a lower surface 106 arranged to pass closely over the top of the carrier strip 200 and an upper surface 108 having a leading edge 110 arranged to engage between the carrier strip 200 and the sealing layer 206 and thereby effect separation. In the arrangement shown, the lower surface 106 is substantially flat and the upper surface 108 is a curved surface having a curved leading edge 110. However, the lower surface 106 may alternatively be a curved surface and the upper surface is a substantially flat surface having a curved leading edge 110. In some arrangements, both the lower and upper surfaces could be curved or, alternatively, both the lower and upper surfaces could be substantially flat, or have any other suitable profile to effect the desired separation.

[0114] The release members 102 are configured to allow the optimum removal (i.e. separation) of sealing layer 206 from the carrier strip 200 while ensuring that the release members 102 do not overlap two consecutive compartments 202 along the carrier strip 200 at the same time.

[0115] In the arrangement in FIG. 2, the release members 102 have a generally tapered configuration, where the release members 102 taper inwardly. The leading edge 110 of the release member 102 (i.e. the edge that first engages the sealing layer 206, in use) is arranged to conform to the shape of a portion of the perimeter of the compartment 202 such that the release member 102 can remove the maximum amount of sealing layer 206 from an intended compartment 202 without removing any sealing layer 206 from the next compartment 202 on the carrier strip 200. Similarly, the trailing edge of the release member 102 is arranged to conform to the shape of a portion of the perimeter of the compartment 202 such that the release member 102 does not overlap a previously exposed compartment 202 when the release mechanism 100 is engaging a new, sealed compartment 202. Other configurations of the release members are possible.

[0116] As the carrier strip 200 is fed through the release mechanism 100, the release members 102 engage the medicament carrier 210 between the sealing layer 206 and carrier strip 200 so that the carrier strip 200 passes beneath the release members 102 and the sealing layer 206 passes over the leading edge 110 of the release members 102. This engagement causes at least a portion of the sealing layer 206 to become separated (i.e. removed) from the carrier strip 200, thereby exposing at least a portion of the compartment 202 and the medicament dose contained therein, as shown in FIG. 2C.

[0117] As is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the release members 102 do not extend across the width of the carrier strip 200. This has the effect that the release members 102 only separate the sealing layer 206 from the carrier strip 200 across the two end portions 201a, 201b (or “sides”) of each compartment 202 as the carrier strip 200 advances through the release mechanism 100.

[0118] With this release mechanism 100, a central part of the sealing layer 206, which covers a central portion of the compartments 202 and carrier strip 200, remains attached to the carrier strip 200. This can help to retain any medicament that remains in a compartment 202 after the dose has been dispensed from falling out of the compartment 210 into a surrounding housing (not shown).

[0119] The central portion of the sealing layer 206 may be urged against the carrier strip 202 as the medicament carrier 210 passes through the release mechanism 100. For example, a protuberance 170 may extend into the space 104 between the release members 102, as can be seen in FIG. 9A. The protuberance 170 is arranged to contact the sealing layer 206 and thereby retain the sealing layer 206 in attachment with the (top surface of the) carrier strip 200.

[0120] On the underside of each of the release members 102 may be provided an aperture 114, shown in FIG. 2C, for air to be blown through the release members 102 and into a compartment. Furthermore, each of the release members 102 may comprise an internal fluid conduit connected between the opening 114 and an aperture 116 on the body of the mechanism 100, shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0121] The two apertures 116 on the body of the mechanism 100 can be arranged such that, one aperture 116 is provided on an upper surface (e.g. on top) of the body on one side of the release mechanism 100, and another aperture 116 is provided on a lower surface (e.g. underneath) of the body on the other, opposite side of the release mechanism 100. As such, the release members 102 may form part of an air path way, and when the release members substantially cover the exposed portions on either side of a compartment 202 as it passes through the release mechanism 100 (i.e. with the remaining portion of the compartment 202 still sealed by the sealing layer 206), air can be blown through a substantially sealed compartment 202 via the internal fluid conduits of the opposed release members 102, to aerosolise the medicament contained within the compartment 202. This arrangement can therefore be used to remove medicament doses from a compartment 202, in use. This will be discussed in more detail further on.

[0122] FIGS. 3A-3C show an alternative release mechanism 300 to that shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. Instead of two opposed release members, the release mechanism 300 shown in FIG. 3A comprises a single release member 302 arranged to extend across the full width of the carrier strip 200 and compartments 202, so that there is no gap between them. Similar to the previously described release mechanism 100, as the carrier strip 200 is fed through the release mechanism 300, the carrier strip 200 passes beneath the release member 302 and the sealing layer 206 passes over the leading edge 308 of the release member 302, as can be seen in FIG. 3B. The sealing layer 206 is therefore completely separated from the carrier strip 200 fully exposing each compartment 202 as it passes the release mechanism 300, and hence the medicament dose contained therein, as shown in FIG. 3C. The release member 302 is housed in a body 318 of the release mechanism 300.

[0123] Similar to the release members 102 of the previously described release mechanism 100, the single release member 302 may be arranged to pass air through an unsealed compartment 202 when engaged by the release mechanism 300. The release member 302 may therefore have one or more apertures (not shown) on the underside of the release member 302 each aperture being fluidly connected to an internal fluid conduit 316 that passes through the release member 302, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. As such, when the release member 302 is substantially covering an unsealed compartment 202 that passes through the release mechanism 300, air can be blown through a substantially sealed compartment 202 via the internal fluid conduits 315 of the release member 302, to aerosolise the medicament contained within the compartment 202. This arrangement can also therefore be used to remove medicament doses from a compartment 202, in use. This will be discussed in more detail further on.

[0124] It is noted that FIGS. 3A and 3B may show slightly different versions of a release mechanism 300 according to this “alternative aspect”, but the skilled person will recognise that the inventive concept is the same.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 4, to facilitate engagement of the release member(s) 102, 302 with the medicament carrier 210 during assembly, a leading portion 250 of the carrier strip 200 may be free of sealed compartments 202 and instead comprise one or more pockets 260 (e.g. a portion where the sealing layer 206 is not attached to the carrier strip 200, possibly across the entire width of the carrier strip 200). The pockets 260 may be constructed in substantially the same way as the compartments 202 in that they are defined by a portion of the carrier strip 200 which is not attached to the sealing layer 206. However, in contrast to the compartments 202, the pockets 260 are open at both ends for receiving a release member 102, 302. The pockets 260 may have an opening with a width (in the direction of travel) that is less than the width of the projecting elements 102, 302. The pockets 260 may pass through the entire width of the carrier strip 200, or they may be “blind” pockets 260, which do not.

[0126] During assembly of the medicament delivery device, the one or more projecting elements 102, 302 are inserted into the pockets 260 so that the one or more projecting elements 102, 302 are correctly positioned between the carrier strip 200 and sealing layer 206, and the carrier strip 200 is positioned centrally with respect to the one or more projecting elements 102, 302.

[0127] To engage the release mechanism 100 comprising two release members 102 with a carrier strip 200 during assembly of a device, one side of the pocket 260 on the carrier strip 200 may be placed over a first projecting element 102a on one side of the release mechanism. The other, opposed projecting element 102b may then be brought into engagement with the pocket 260 on the other side of the carrier strip 200 in a similar manner so that both release members 102a, 102b engage the carrier strip 200. The first and second release members 102a, 102b may then be coupled, or otherwise secured. For example, the release mechanism 100 may comprise a body having two separable and connectable parts.

[0128] Similarly, to engage a release mechanism 300 comprising a single release member 302 with a medicament carrier, the release mechanism 300 may comprise two separable parts, with the release mechanism attached to one of said parts. Alternatively, two release mechanisms similar to those described above may be provided which join together in the middle to provide the same “release” effect as a single release member, such that each half can be inserted through a side of the pocket 260 as described above. Once the carrier strip 200 has been inserted on the release member 302, the two halves of the release mechanism 100 can then be secured together.

[0129] An alternative medicament carrier 410 is illustrated in FIG. 5 comprising an elongate element 420 sealed between the compartments (not shown) of the carrier strip 400 and the sealing layer 406. In this example, the elongate element 420 is a wire element. The elongate element 420 is, preferably, located substantially centrally along the length of the carrier strip 400, though it could be arranged to be off-centre.

[0130] In order to remove the sealing layer 406 from the compartments 402 of the carrier strip 400 to unseal the compartments 402, a release mechanism 430 applies tension to (e.g. a free end of) the wire element 420. This causes the wire element 420 to be pulled away from the main body of the carrier strip 400 so that the wire element 420 lifts away from the compartment 402. As the wire element 420 is moved away from the compartments 402, the wire element 420 tears through the sealing layer 406 which exposes the compartment and the medicament dose, as can be seen in FIG. 4. In some embodiments, two or more elongate elements may be sealed between the compartment 402 and the sealing layer 406 so that when tension is applied to the two or more elongate elements 420, the sealing layer 406 tears in multiple locations. The wire element(s) 420 can be collected on a further spool 450 as it becomes removed from the carrier strip 400. A release member, or similar, can then be arranged to pass air through the compartment, via the torn portion(s) to remove the medicament contained therein, similar to what has been described above. Sealing elongate members 420 between the carrier strip 400 and the sealing layer 406 does not compromise the moisture protection and offers a very simple way to open slits or tears in the sealing layer 400, which can then be fluidly connected to an air path way for release of the medicament.

[0131] Another alternative medicament carrier 510 is illustrated in FIG. 6. Instead of using a combination carrier strip and sealing layer, the carrier strip 500 comprises first and second sheets 501, 503 that are attached together at regular intervals along the length of the carrier strip 500 in a parallel arrangement. Compartments 502 are formed along the length of the carrier strip 500 at locations where the two sheets 501, 503 are not attached to each other. That is, the unattached portions of the two sheets 501, 503 define the compartments 502 in which the medicament dose is contained. As is clear from FIG. 6, the carrier strip 500 therefore comprises two sheets 501, 503 which are folded or concertinaed onto themselves to form the sealed compartments 502.

[0132] To unseal the compartments 502 and expose the medicament dose contained within the compartments 502, the release mechanism (not shown) applies tension (in the opposed directions shown by the arrows) to two attached portions 505, 507 of the carrier strip 500 either side of the compartment 502. The release mechanism 550 pulls the two attached portions 505, 507 in substantially opposing directions which causes the sealed compartments 502 to be pulled open, releasing the medicament dose. The first attached portion 505 is therefore moved away from the second attached portion 507 through the application of tension of each attached portion 505, 507.

[0133] In use, the folded, or concertinaed, carrier strip 500 is indexed into position in the release mechanism with the join between the two sheets 501, 503 being in vertical alignment with a fluid passageway (shown by the vertical arrows running in the same direction). The release mechanism grips the carrier strip 500 on either side of the compartment 502 and pulls the folded portion to unseal and expose the medicament dose to the air flow passageway.

[0134] As mentioned previously, drug therapies may require two separate medicament doses to be mixed together before being inhaled by a user. The doses are typically stored separately in the device and mixed within the medicament delivery device just before, or sometimes even during, inhalation by a user through a mouthpiece. A medicament delivery device may therefore contain two medicament carriers of similar construction from which medicament doses must be released. Such an arrangement will, ideally, require two similar release mechanisms.

[0135] FIGS. 7A and 7B show two alternative configurations for medicament delivery devices 10, 20 for delivering separate medicament doses carried in separate medicament carriers 210a, 210b.

[0136] In the device 10 of FIG. 7A, the medicament carriers 210a, 210b are stored on separate spools, with each medicament carrier 210 being arranged to feed through a respective release mechanism 100. The medicament carriers 210 are advanced by an indexing means, which comprises a rotatable element 650 having indentations spaced around it for receiving the compartments 202 on a carrier strip 200. The separated carrier strip 200 and sealing layer 206 of each medicament carrier 210 are retained together on a take-up spool 615, where they are wound together on a spindle 625 to gather up any slack. Preferably, to save space and components, the two medicament carriers 210a, 210b can be wound on the same take-up spool 615.

[0137] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the separated portions of sealing layer 206 of each medicament carrier 210 may be retained together on a take-up spool, with the used portions of carrier strip 200 being stored on separate spools.

[0138] Alternatively, in order to reduce the number of parts required, the medicament carriers 210a, 210b may be stored on the same spool, as shown in the device 20 of FIG. 7B. The spool may comprise opposing faces, arranged back-to-back, with each face having a centrally located spindle for mounting the medicament carriers 210a, 210b. Each medicament carrier 210a, 210b can then be wound onto its respective spindle (not shown).

[0139] As with the device 10 of FIG. 7A, an end of each medicament carrier 210a, 210b here is fed through a release mechanism 100 suitable for unsealing the compartments of the carrier strips 200 and the ends of the medicament carriers 210a, 210b can then be attached to a “take-up” spool 615 arranged to retain and store the separated carrier strips and sealing layer of each medicament carrier 210a, 210b.

[0140] A device 20′, having a configuration similar to the device 20 of FIG. 7B, is shown in FIG. 7C. The take-up wheel 615 of this device comprises opposed first and second faces 621, 623, each face having a spindle 625 to which the ends of the medicament carriers 210a, 210b are attached. Each face of the take-up wheel 615 stores both the main body of the carrier strip 200 comprising the compartments 202 and the sealing layer 206 of the carrier strip 200 after the carrier strip 200 has passed through the release mechanism 100 and the medicament dose been exposed within the compartments 202.

[0141] Arranging the two medicament carriers 210a, 220b close together (e.g. next to each other) makes the internal mechanism of the medicament delivery device 20′ simpler because only the parts required for a single medicament carrier 210 are present. That is, the medicament delivery device does not require two sets of the same components, one for each medicament carrier 210. Instead, one set of components can be used with both medicament carriers 210a, 210b.

[0142] In order to feed the medicament carriers 210 through the release mechanism 100, the medicament delivery device may comprise an indexing mechanism 650 operatively connected to a drive means. As can be seen in the exemplary device 20′ of FIG. 7C, a suitable indexing mechanism 650 may comprise a rotatable drum 652 having a plurality of indentations 654 equally spaced around the external surface of the drum 652. The indentations 654 are shaped to receive a compartment 202 on a carrier strip 200. The drive means rotates the drum 652 which, in turn, causes the carrier strip 200 to be moved through the release mechanism 100. The indexing mechanism 650 is, preferably, positioned downstream of the release mechanism 100 so that the rotatable drum 650 pulls, rather than pushes, the medicament carrier 210 through the release mechanism 100. In each of these configurations, the release mechanism 100 could be immediately adjacent the indexing mechanism 650, such that the compartments 202 are opened during their engagement with the indexing mechanism 650.

[0143] It is important to make sure that the carrier strip 200 is positioned correctly relative to the release members 102 to ensure that the sealing layer 206 is correctly removed from the compartment 202 and a full medicament dose can be exposed to the air flow passageway. Furthermore, it is important to ensure that the release members 102 are correctly engaged with the medicament carrier 210, between the carrier strip 200 and the sealing layer 206.

[0144] Providing an indexing mechanism 650 with discrete indentations 654 in which the compartments 202 are received helps to ensure that each compartment 202 is in correct alignment with the release members 102. As the driving means causes the rotatable drum 652 to move in units of one indentation at a time, each compartment is fully aligned with the release member 102. The indexing mechanism 650 therefore avoids the likelihood that the carrier strip 200 will be fed through the release mechanism 100 in such a way that only part of the compartments 202 are aligned with the release members 102.

[0145] FIGS. 8A and 8B show release mechanisms similar to those of FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, though with slightly different air flow path configurations that pass through the body of the release mechanisms 100, 300 rather than through the release members 102, 302.

[0146] FIG. 8A shows a sectional view of the release mechanism 100 of FIG. 2. The release members 102 cause portions of the sealing layer 206 to lift away from the carrier strip 200, thereby exposing the medicament contained in the compartment 202 to an air flow path that is configured to pass through the release mechanism 100, and hence the compartment 202, to aerosolise the medicament in the compartment and remove it via the air flow path.

[0147] Running the air flow path (or passageway) through the release members 102 means that when the carrier strip 200 has been unsealed either partially or fully, the carrier strip 200 does not need to be transferred anywhere before the medicament dose can be aerosolised. The air flow paths meet the compartment 202 outside of the plane of the carrier strip's path making it possible to have two carrier strips 200 cross the centreline of the medicament delivery device. This also makes it possible to stack the two carrier strips vertically, as shown in

[0148] FIGS. 7B and 7C rather than have then positioned side-by-side, for example, as shown in FIG. 7A, which may introduce constraints on the layout of the delivery device.

[0149] Similarly, FIG. 8B shows a sectional view of the release mechanism 300 of FIG. 3. The release member 302 separates the sealing layer 206 from the carrier strip 200 across the entire width, thereby exposing the medicament contained in the compartment 202 to an air flow path that is configured to pass through the release mechanism 300, and hence the compartment 202, to aerosolise the medicament in the compartment and remove it via the air flow path.

[0150] To reduce the chance of medicament dose being leaked into the internal mechanism of the delivery device, and to reduce an excess drop in air pressure due to leaks, the compartment 202 may be pressed firmly, or otherwise urged, against the lower surface 106 of the release members 102. This helps provide a substantially fluid-tight seal between the compartment 202 and the release member 102. This can be achieved by arranging the part of the release mechanism 100 through which the carrier strip 200 travels to have a height that is slightly less than the height of the compartments 202 of the carrier strip 200. This has the effect that when the carrier strip 200 is fed through the release mechanism 100, the compartments will be slightly compressed against the underside 106 of the release member 102.

[0151] Alternatively, the compartment 202 may be pressed firmly against the lower surface 106 of the release members 102 using a biasing means 150, 350 as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The biasing means may, for example, be a spring arranged to urge the carrier strip 200 towards the release members 102.

[0152] In yet another arrangement (not shown) a guide may be provided for the carrier strip to run along, whereby the guide is configured to urge the carrier strip (and hence compartments) towards the release mechanism.

[0153] In medicament delivery devices in which two different formulations (i.e. carried in separate medicament carriers) are to be mixed, a mixing chamber 60 may be provided that is fluidly connected between a mouthpiece 16 for inhalation, and both release mechanisms 100, as shown in FIG. 9A, such that the formulations entering the mixing chamber 60 from the respective release mechanisms 100 can be mixed together in the mixing chamber 60 prior to inhalation.

[0154] The sectional view of FIG. 9A, further shows a release mechanism 100 engaged with a medicament carrier 210, showing the release members 102 covering exposed portions either side of a compartment 202, from which the sealing layer 206 has been removed. Once a particular compartment 202 in the carrier strip 200 has been opened, the medicament dose is exposed for release and to be aerosolised.

[0155] The structure of the air flow path can also be seen more clearly in FIG. 9A.

[0156] In order to ensure that a full medicament dose is exposed for release from the compartment 202 into the chamber 60, it is important to minimise movement of the unsealed compartment 202 before the medicament dose has been exposed. The unsealing step is therefore combined with the release step ensuring that the maximum medicament dose can be transferred into the mixing chamber 60. To achieve this, the release members 102 may comprise part of a fluid passageway 50 (or “fluid conduit”) that connects the chamber 60 with the compartment 202.

[0157] In such an arrangement, the lower surface 106 of the release members 102 may comprise an opening which is located above the compartment 202 of the carrier strip 200, as shown in FIG. 8A. When the carrier strip 200 is fed into the release mechanism 100, the release member 102 engages between the top surface 208 of the carrier strip 200 and the sealing layer so that the opening on the lower surface 106 of the release member 102 is located above the unsealed portion of the compartment 202, as shown in FIG. 8B. This opening leads into a passageway 70 through the release member 102 to join the main fluid passageway 50 which leads into the chamber 60. Thus, when the user draws air through the medicament delivery device via the mouthpiece, the air flows directly through the unsealed portion of the compartment 202, via the release member 102 and its passageway 70, collecting and aerosolising the exposed medicament in the compartment, then out through the fluid passageway 50, into the chamber 60, and then out through the mouthpiece.

[0158] Bypass air, for example air straight from a vent located externally on a housing of the device, can be introduced into the air streams downstream of the release mechanisms, which air streams include the exposed medicament dose from each compartment 202, before the diluted air streams are combined in the chamber 60 for de-aggregation. This allows the balance of the air which goes into each fluid passageway 50 to be controlled individually, independently from choosing the bypass-to-inlet (air) resistance ratio for a particular carrier strip 200 or combination of strips 200. This allows the fine particle fraction to be controlled much more precisely per drug without changing the overall flow resistance.

[0159] An important factor during aerosolisation of the medicament dose is the ratio between the air flowing through the compartment 202, which causes the medicament dose to be drawn out of the compartment 202 into the passageway 50, and the bypass air, which de-aggregates the medicament dose as it travels through the passageway 50 and fluid passageway 70.

[0160] Different medicament doses may have different compositions which results some medicament doses being more “sticky” than others. In this context, “sticky” refers to the ability of the powder forming the medicament dose to stick to itself. The stickier the powder of the medicament dose, the more air that is required to extract the medicament dose from the compartment 202 and transfer it through the passageways 50, 70.

[0161] Thus, the above-mentioned ratio can be adjusted (i.e. during design) to take into account the properties of the medicament dose. For example, the different fluid conduits or passageways for the “air flow path” (i.e. through the release mechanisms) and bypass air path (i.e. bypassing the release mechanisms) can be designed for a particular medicament (e.g. powder formulation) such that the air paths can be configured (e.g. during design) to be throttled relative to one another so as to provide a desired bypass-to-inlet (air) resistance ratio.

[0162] It is therefore important to be able to adjust the above-mentioned ratio in order to be able to extract a full medicament dose from the compartment 202. The ratio can either be adjusted up or down, i.e. the amount of air flowing through the compartment 202 can be increased or decreased relative to the amount of bypass air present in the passageways 50, 70. Adjusting this ratio ensures a good particle distribution can be obtained when the medicament dose is extracted from the compartment 202, preventing the user from inhaling clumps of medicament dose.

[0163] FIG. 9B shows two release mechanisms 100a, 100b, both fluidly connected with a chamber 60 such that respective medicament doses released by each release mechanism 100a, 100b into the respective air flow paths 50a, 50b connecting with the chamber 60 will meet in the chamber 60, where they will become mixed prior to inhalation.

[0164] FIGS. 9C to 9E show various complementary views of the arrangement of FIG. 9B, with two carrier strips 200a, 200b being engaged by the respective release mechanisms 100a, 100b. As discussed above, each release mechanism comprises passageways 50a, 50b for air to draw the medicament dose out of the compartments and into the chamber 60, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B.

[0165] As the medicament dose in each carrier strip 200 might have different properties, as explained above, it is possible to independently adjust the bypass air flows and/or the resistance of air flowing through the compartments 202 of each carrier strip 200a, 200b. Air flow can be adjusted by throttling the air flowing into the release mechanism, for example by configuring the narrowest parts of the release mechanism which comprises the air flow path according to the type of medicament dose present in the carrier strip 200. The bypass air path may be restricted in a similar manner, if required.

[0166] As previously mentioned, as the medicament delivery device may comprise two carrier strips 200, each containing a different medicament dose to be combined, the fluid passageways 50a, 50b from each compartment 202 in each carrier strip 200 are preferably combined in the chamber 60, as illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9E. This ensures that the user inhales the combination of medicament doses rather than inhaling each dose separately.

[0167] In another embodiment (not shown), the separate medicament doses may be kept separate within the device, such that they are combined after exiting the device, for example in the mouth during inhalation by a user of the device. This may provide more control over each medicament dose within the device, for example in relation to mixing each medicament dose with bypass air. In such an arrangement, the chamber 60 may be divided into two, for example the respective air flow paths 50a, 50b may extend separately through the chamber 60, rather than connecting with the chamber 60, such the respective medicament doses do not meet in the chamber 60. As such, the separate medicament doses will instead become mixed during inhalation in the mouth of a user, after they have exited the device.

[0168] Thus, in a medicament delivery device in which two different formulations (i.e. carried in separate medicament carriers) are to be mixed, rather than having a mixing chamber 60 that is fluidly connected between a mouthpiece 16 for inhalation, and both release mechanisms 100, as shown in FIG. 9A, separate mixing chambers may be provided by air flow paths 50a, 50b being kept separate (e.g. forming separate “mixing chambers”) to keep the formulations released from the respective release mechanisms 100 separate prior to inhalation. The separate air flow paths 50a, 50b may extend up to, or even through the mouthpiece 16.

[0169] FIGS. 10A and 10B show a vent 18 for allowing external air to be drawn into the medicament device 2 is located in the side of the housing 4 of the medicament device 2. The vent is, preferably, positioned towards an upper portion of the housing 4. Locating the vent on a side of the housing 4 means that there is no “right way up” for the medicament delivery device 2 to be orientated.

[0170] As such, this prevents dry powder of the medicament dose escaping through the vents if the device 2 is held upside down, which in this case is in an orientation that is rotated 180° in the vertical plane from the orientation currently shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B.

[0171] In order to ensure that there is sufficient air flow through the device when the device is being used, it is important to make sure that the user cannot cover or block the vent 18 with their fingers when they are holding the device 2 during inhalation. The vent 18 is therefore protected by the cover 20 both when the cover 20 is covering the mouthpiece 16, as shown in FIG. 10A, and when the cover 20 is not covering the mouthpiece 16, as shown in FIG. 10B. This means that it is not possible for the user's fingers to come into contact with the vent 18 at any point during operation of the device 2 and so it is not possible for the user to block the vent 18. The vent 18 is therefore protected at all times.

[0172] When the cover 20 is in the closed position, illustrated in FIG. 10A, the cover 20 is arranged to closely cover the vent 18. The seal formed between the vent 18 and the cover 20 is therefore substantially air tight. This prevents the ingress of contaminants, such as fluff and dirt, into the internal mechanism of the delivery device 2. When the cover is in the open position, illustrated in FIG. 10B, the cover 20 is arranged to loosely cover the vent 18. The seal formed between the vent 18 and the cover is therefore not air tight and there is no significant resistance to air flow. This ensures that the user is able to drawn air in through the vent 18 and through the housing 4 during inhalation.

[0173] The medicament delivery device 2 may include a ratchet mechanism which connects an external lever to be actuated by the user with the internal mechanism that feeds the carrier strip through the release mechanism. In this case, the external lever is the cover 20 and the action of moving the cover 20 from the closed to the open position causes the ratchet mechanism to advance through the indexed mechanism.

[0174] The position of a counter window 1006 can also be seen in FIGS. 10A and 10B. The window 1006 is located in a lower portion of the housing so that it is covered by the cover 20 when the cover is in the open but not covered by the cover 20 when it is in the closed position.

[0175] Movement of the cover 20 from the closed to the open position causes the counter to rotate by one count so that the number displayed in the window 1006 changes. Due to the counter decrementing when the cover 20 is opened, the number displayed in the window 1006 is therefore one less that the number of doses actually remaining, because the user has not yet taken that dose. Covering the window 1006 when the cover 20 is open ensures that the user does not get confused as to how many doses are remaining in the delivery device 2.

[0176] While the foregoing is directed to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification, and may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, which is determined by the claims that follow.