A REFILL FOR AN INHALER PARTICULARLY A CANNABINOID INHALER

Abstract

A refill for an inhaler, the refill including a cylinder with an axis and containing a pressurised inhalable composition. An outlet valve at one end has a hollow valve stem extending axially from the cylinder. A cap is fitted onto the cylinder at the outlet end and extends axially beyond the valve stem. The cap has an internal passage extending through the cap to allow access to the valve stem. The internal passage provides a guide wall to guide the inhaler onto the stem during the refill process.

Claims

1. A refill for an inhaler, the refill comprising a cylinder with an axis and containing a pressurised inhalable composition, and an outlet valve at one end, the outlet valve having a hollow valve stem extending axially from the cylinder; and a cap fitted onto the cylinder at the outlet end, the cap extending axially beyond the valve stem, the cap having an internal passage extending through the cap to allow access to the valve stem, the internal passage providing a guide wall to guide the inhaler, in use, onto the stem during the refill process.

2. A refill according to claim 1, wherein the cap is a snap fit onto the cylinder.

3. A refill according to claim 2, wherein a film is applied across the top of the cap to cover the internal passage.

4. A refill according claim 1 further comprising a sticker surrounding both the cap and the cylinder.

5. A refill according to claim 1, wherein the internal passage extending through the cap has a non-circular cross-section.

6. A refill according to claim 5, wherein the internal passage preferably has an elongate shape.

7. A refill according to claim 5, wherein the internal passage has at least one inwardly protecting axially extending rib to provide a location feature with a corresponding recess on the refill end of the inhaler.

8. A refill according to claim 1, wherein the cross sectional area of the internal passage in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction is at least 30% of the cross sectional area of the cap in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction.

9. A refill according to claim 1, wherein the cross sectional area of the internal passage in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction is at least 40% of the cross sectional area of the cap in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction.

10. A refill according to claim 1, wherein the valve stem is depressible axially to open the valve.

11. A refill according to claim 1 in combination with an inhaler, the inhaler having a housing with a refill end and an inhaling end, the inhaling end being dimensioned to fit within the internal passage in the refill, and the inhaling end being dimensioned so that it will not fit within the internal passage in the refill.

Description

[0028] An example of a refill container in accordance with the present invention, and an inhaler which can be used with the refill, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from one end of the inhaler from below;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view from one end of the inhaler from above;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a perspective view in the same orientation as FIG. 2 of an internal portion of the inhaler;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a cross-section through a medium plane at the inhaling end of the inhaler;

[0033] FIG. 5 is a perspective view from above of the refill;

[0034] FIG. 6 is a top view of the refill;

[0035] FIG. 7 is perspective view from above of the cap; and

[0036] FIG. 8 is a perspective view from below of the cap.

[0037] The internal workings of the inhaler device 1 are based on an inhaler core I shown in FIG. 3 which is described in the PCT publications referred to above. This forms the inner core of the inhaler device. This is modified as described in WO2019/073204 to surround this inner core I with an outer housing 3 as described below.

[0038] In general terms, the workings of the inhaler core I have not been modified and this will therefore not be described in great detail here.

[0039] In broad terms, the inhaler core I comprises a reservoir 4 and a breath operated valve mechanism 5 which has a spring loaded member valve member 6 (see FIG. 4) which pinches a deformable tube 7 closed to close off access to the reservoir. The valve element 6 is biased closed by a spring 8. A membrane 9 is in communication with an air flow path such that suction on the inhaling end 10 (opposite to refill end 14) causes a change of pressure on the membrane which will lift the valve element 6 against the action of the spring 8. Further details of this are given in the above references.

[0040] One modification to the inhaler core I is illustrated in FIG. 4. The inhaler I is closed in the vicinity of the membrane 9 by a cap 15 which in the above mentioned references directly support the spring 8. In the present case, however, a further component in the form of a bung 16 is inserted through an opening 17 in the cap and is sealed by an O ring 18. This allows the cap 15 to be welded in place before the spring 8 is put in place and then retained by the bung 16.

[0041] As is apparent, for example, from FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer housing 3 is made up of three separate portions, namely a mouthpiece casing 20, a top casing 21 and a bottom casing 22 which are clipped together to form the outer housing. As can be seen in FIG. 4, an O-ring 23 seals a flange 24 on the inhaler core to the mouthpiece casing 20. This flange 24 represents a further modification of the inhaler I. A similar flange is present at the opposite end to the outer housing 3. The mouthpiece casing 20 is also provided with a number of ribs 25 (only one of which is visible in FIG. 4) to prevent the bung 16 from being dislodged.

[0042] As shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer housing 3 is provided with a number of ergonomic features to enhance the usability of the inhaler device 1 particularly for those with limited manual dexterity.

[0043] Thus, the outer housing 3 is provided with a significantly larger size than the inhaler core as can be seen, for example, from FIG. 4 as well as FIGS. 1 and 2 in which the inhaler core I is visible at the inhaling 10 end. The inhaler is approximately 26 mm across in its widest position and is preferably approximately 20 mm deep at its widest position. This provides the relatively flat elongate configuration apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2. Recesses 30 are provided in the top and bottom surfaces of the outer housing 3. This makes the inhaler device 1 easier to grip both during the inhaling process and as it is refilled. During inhaling, the user will grip the inhaler by placing their fingers on the top recess and their thumb against the bottom recess.

[0044] All of the features described above are disclosed in WO 2019/073204. However, one significant difference in the inhaler is at the refill end 14. At this end, the smooth generally flat nature of the outer housing 3 is preserved, rather than converging into a small circular refill end as in WO 2019/073204. At this end, at least one groove 31 extends axially from the refill end 14.

[0045] The refill will now be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.

[0046] The refill comprises two components; namely a cylinder 40 and a cap 50. The cylinder is a pressurised refill cylinder of the design which is well known in the art. The cylinder has an outlet valve at the top end and an outlet nozzle 41 via which the composition is dispensed when the outlet nozzle is depressed. The cylinder is a pressurised reservoir which is preferably pressurised by the composition comprising a propellant. The outlet valve may be a non-metered outlet valve, preferably of the type described in the above references related to the refill.

[0047] The cap 50 is provided with at least one lug 51 via which the cap is snap fitted onto a shoulder (not shown) at the top of the cylinder. The assembly of the cylinder 40 and cap 50 is then enclosed fully or partially by a sticker 60, which further holds the two components together and can be printed with essential product information. The cap 50 cannot then be removed without first removing the sticker 60.

[0048] As show in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cap 50 has internal passageway 51 extending fully through the cap such that it allows access to the valve stem 41 from above. The passageway 51 has a generally oval shape with a pair of inwardly extending ribs 52 which are complimentary to the grooves 31 on the inhaler.

[0049] The lower end of the cap has a reduced diameter portion 53 defining a ridge 54 at its top end. When the cap 50 is on the cylinder 40, the sticker 60 is applied to the cylinder 40 and the reduced diameter portion 53 abutting the ridge 54 to secure the two together and provide a smooth outer surface for the assembly as shown in FIG. 5.

[0050] In order to refill the inhaler, the refill end 14 of the inhaler 1 is inserted into the cap 50. The inhaling end 10 is shaped such that it cannot be inserted into the cap 50. The inhaler 1 and refill have a narrow elongate configuration in the direction of engagement of the two components. The refill operation is therefore very stable. This is assisted by the fact that there is a large engagement area between two components caused by the relatively large size of the passage 51 and the fact that the two components cannot rotate with respect to one another. The exact manner by which the refill valve in the inhaler 1 interacts with the valve stem 41 is set out in the above references which provide details of the refill pack.

[0051] While certain claims specify a cannabinoid inhaler and require an inhalable composition comprising a cannabinoid, all aspects of the invention can be used with any inhalable pharmaceutical composition.