INHALER ARTICLE WITH A TWISTED DISTAL END ELEMENT

Abstract

An inhaler article (110) comprises a body (112) extending along a longitudinal axis (A) from a mouthpiece end (113) to a distal end (114), a capsule cavity (116) defined within the body, and a distal end element (118) disposed at the distal end and extending to the capsule cavity. The distal end element comprises an element distal end (120), an element inner end (122), a solid core portion (124), and at least two grooves (126). The solid core portion extends from the element distal end to the element inner end. The at least two grooves are helical grooves that rotate about solid core portion along the longitudinal axis from the element distal end to the element inner end. The at least two helical grooves extend along an outer surface (128) of the distal end element.

Claims

1. An inhaler article comprising: a body extending along a longitudinal center axis from a mouthpiece end to a distal end; a capsule cavity defined within the body; and a distal end element disposed at the distal end of the inhaler article and extending to the capsule cavity, the distal end element comprising an element distal end, an element inner end, a solid core portion, and at least two grooves, wherein the solid core portion comprises a central portion of the distal end element, wherein the central portion is solid and extends along the longitudinal center axis from the element distal end to the element inner end, wherein the at least two grooves are helical grooves that rotate about the solid core portion along the longitudinal center axis from the element distal end to the element inner end, and wherein the at least two helical grooves extend along an outer surface of the distal end element.

2. The inhaler article according to claim 1, wherein the distal end element is formed of a biodegradable material.

3. The inhaler article according to claim 1, wherein the distal end element comprises a fibrous material.

4. The inhaler article according to claim 1, wherein the distal end element is formed of a porous material.

5. The inhaler article according to claim 1, wherein the distal end element is formed of a cellulose material.

6. The inhaler article according to claim 1, wherein the distal end element is formed of a cellulose acetate material.

7. The inhaler article according to claim 1, wherein the distal end element is formed of polylactic acid material.

8. The inhaler article according to claim 1, wherein the grooves rotate at least 90 degrees from the element distal end to the element inner end.

9. The inhaler article according to claim 1, wherein the element distal end is substantially aligned with the distal end.

10. The inhaler article according to claim 1, wherein a capsule is disposed within the capsule cavity of the inhaler article.

11. The inhaler article according to claim 10, wherein the capsule contains pharmaceutically active particles comprising nicotine, the pharmaceutically active particles having a mass median aerodynamic diameter of about 5 micrometres or less.

12. An inhaler system comprising: the inhaler article according to claim 1; and a holder configured to receive the inhaler article.

13. A method of manufacturing a distal end element for an inhaler article, the method comprising the steps of: providing a distal end element material having a longitudinal axis, an outer surface, an element material distal end and an element material inner end, wherein the distal end element material comprises at least two grooves on the outer surface extending from the element material distal end to the element material inner end and a solid core portion comprising a central portion of the distal end element and extending along the longitudinal center axis from the element distal end to the element inner end, wherein the central portion is solid; and twisting at least one of the element material distal end and the element material inner end about the longitudinal axis such that the grooves are helically formed about the longitudinal axis to form a twisted distal end element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the twisting step deforms the distal end element material so that the twisted distal end element form is maintained.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the twisting step comprises rotating the distal end element material distal end at least 90 degrees relative to the distal end element material inner end.

16. The inhaler article according to claim 10, wherein the capsule contains pharmaceutically active particles comprising nicotine, the pharmaceutically active particles having a mass median aerodynamic diameter in a range from about 0.5 micrometres to about 4 micrometres.

17. The inhaler article according to claim 4, wherein the grooves rotate at least 90 degrees from the element distal end to the element inner end.

18. The inhaler article according to claim 8, wherein the distal end element is formed of a cellulose acetate material.

19. The inhaler article according to claim 8, wherein the distal end element is formed of polylactic acid material.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the twisting step comprises rotating the distal end element material distal end at least 90 degrees relative to the distal end element material inner end.

Description

[0099] Referring now to the drawings, in which some aspects of the present invention are illustrated.

[0100] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of an inhaler system including illustrative an inhaler article along a longitudinal axis.

[0101] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagram of an inhaler system including another illustrative inhaler article along a longitudinal axis.

[0102] FIG. 3 is a side schematic diagram of an illustrative distal end element useful in the inhaler articles illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0103] FIG. 4A-4C are transverse cross-sectional, proximal and distal end diagrams of the distal end element illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0104] FIG. 5A is a side elevation schematic diagram of an illustrative flat holder useful with an inhaler article.

[0105] FIG. 5B is a top elevation schematic diagram of the illustrative flat holder of FIG. 5A.

[0106] FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the illustrative flat holder of FIG. 5B taken along line A-A.

[0107] The schematic drawings are not necessarily to scale and are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation. The drawings depict one or more aspects described in this disclosure. However, it will be understood that other aspects not depicted in the drawing fall within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

[0108] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate exemplary inhaler systems 100 including inhaler articles 110. The inhaler article 110 may include a capsule 130 disposed within inhaler article 110 to comprise the inhaler system 100.

[0109] The inhaler article 110 includes a body 112 extending along a longitudinal center axis “A” from a mouthpiece end 113 to a distal end 114. The mouthpiece end 113 forms a downstream end and distal end 114 forms an upstream end of the inhaler article 110. In other words, the mouthpiece end 113 is downstream from the distal end, as indicated with arrows. A capsule cavity 116 is defined within the body 112. A distal end element 118 is disposed at the distal end 114 and extends to the capsule cavity 116.

[0110] The distal end element 118 includes an element distal end 120 and an element inner end 122 that is adjacent to the capsule cavity 116. The distal end element 118 includes a solid core portion 124 and at least two helical grooves 126 extending from the element distal end 120 to the element inner end 122. The at least two helical grooves 126 are parallel grooves that extend about the longitudinal center axis “A” from the element distal end 120 to the element inner end 122. The at least two helical grooves 126 extend along an outer periphery 128 of the distal end element 118.

[0111] The distal end element 118, the capsule cavity 116 (and capsule 130 if present), and a porous support element 132 may be axially aligned and serially disposed within the body 112. The distal end element 118 may form an upstream or distal end or boundary of the capsule cavity 116. The capsule cavity 116 may define a space configured to contain the capsule 130. The capsule cavity 116 may have a fixed cavity length bounded on the element inner end 122 of the distal end element 118 and bounded on the downstream end by a porous support element 132. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the porous support element 132 may be disposed within a mouthpiece air channel portion 134 of the body 110. The mouthpiece air channel portion 134 may extend beyond the porous support element 132 to the mouthpiece end 112.

[0112] The distal end element 118 may be disposed within the distal end 114 of the body 112. The element distal end 120 may be substantially aligned with the distal end 114 of the body 112. The distal end element 118 may include at least two helical grooves 126 to form air channels or passageways extending through the distal end element 118 from the element distal end 120 to the element inner end 122. With additional reference to FIG. 3, each of the at least two helical grooves 126 includes an air inlet 136 at the element distal end 120 and an air outlet 138 at the element inner end 122. The at least two helical grooves 126 may extend non-parallel to the longitudinal center axis “A” of the inhaler article. The helical grooves 126 may be continuously non-parallel with the longitudinal center axis “A” of the inhaler article 110 along an entire length of the distal end element 118.

[0113] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the inhaler article 110 may include an insert body 140 defining the capsule cavity 116 to contain the capsule 130 and provide support and rigidity to the body 112 along the capsule cavity 116. The porous support element 132 extends from the capsule cavity 116 to the mouthpiece end 113 of the inhaler article 110.

[0114] FIGS. 3 and 4A-4C illustrate views of the distal end element 118 of the inhaler article 110 of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 3 is a side view of the distal end element 118. FIGS. 4A-4C are cross-sectional, proximal and distal end views of the distal end element 118. FIG. 4B is taken along line B-B. The distal end element 118 comprises the solid core portion 124 extending along the longitudinal center axis “A”. The core portion 124 and the helical grooves 126a-126d may each extend continuously from the element distal end 120 to the element inner end 122. FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate the distal end element 118 comprising four helical grooves 126a-126d extending along the outer surface 142, or outer periphery, of the distal end element 118. The helical grooves 126a-126d may be open (not closed) along the outer periphery 142 of the distal end element 118. The helical grooves 126a-126d of the distal end element 118 may extend from the outer diameter 144 of the core portion 124 to an outer periphery 142 of the distal end element 118. The helical grooves 126a-126d may extend curve-linearly along the longitudinal length of the distal end element 118 between the element distal end 120 and the element inner end 122. The helical grooves 126a-126d extend in parallel to one another. The helical grooves 126a-126d are radially offset from one another from the element distal end 120 to the element inner end 122. The parallel helical grooves 126a-126d may rotate at least 90 degrees from the element distal end 120 to the element inner end 122. The helical grooves 126a-126d may be equally radially spaced around the outer periphery 142 of element 118.

[0115] With reference to FIGS. 5A-5C, an inhaler system includes the inhaler article 110 and a holder 150. The inhaler article 110 comprises the body 112 defining an inhaler outer surface. The inhaler article 110 may be similar to either exemplary inhaler article 110 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. The body 112 extends along an inhaler longitudinal axis from mouthpiece, or proximal end 113 to a distal end 114 a body length.

[0116] The holder 150 for the inhaler article 110 includes, a housing 151 and a piercing element 160. The holder 150 may also include a marking element 190. The housing 151 has a housing outer surface and a housing inner surface. The housing inner surface defines an inhaler article cavity 154 configured to receive the inhaler article 110. The housing 151 extends along a housing longitudinal axis from a distal end 155 to an open proximal end 156 defining a housing length. The open proximal end 156 is configured to receive the distal end 114 of an inhaler article 110 into the inhaler article cavity 154. A piercing element 160 is fixed to and extends from the housing inner surface, into the inhaler article cavity 154 along a piercing element longitudinal axis a piercing element length. The piercing element 160 is recessed from the open proximal end 156 by a recessed distance. The piercing element 160 is configured to be movable to pierce the distal end element 118 and the capsule 130 housed within the capsule cavity 116. A spring element 200 may bias the inhaler article 110 away from the piercing element 160.

[0117] The exemplary embodiments described above are not limiting. Other embodiments consistent with the exemplary embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art.