INHALER ARTICLE WITH OPEN DISTAL END, AND INHALER SYSTEM

Abstract

An inhaler article (150) includes a body (151) extending along a longitudinal axis of the inhaler article from a mouthpiece end (154) to a distal end (156), a capsule cavity (155) and a capsule (160) retained within the capsule cavity. The capsule cavity is defined within the body and bounded downstream by a filter element (157) and bounded upstream by a tubular element (153) defining a central passage (152) in fluid communication with the capsule cavity. The central passage forms an air inlet aperture extending along the longitudinal axis of the inhaler article from the distal end of the body towards the capsule cavity, wherein the tubular element has a central passage inner diameter in a range from about 50% to about 90% of an inner diameter of the capsule cavity. The inhaler article is configured to receive a swirling inhalation airflow into the central passage.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. An inhaler article for use in an inhaler system for delivering a dry powder to the lungs of a user of the inhaler system, the inhaler article comprising: a body extending along a longitudinal axis of the inhaler article from a mouthpiece end to a distal upstream end; a capsule cavity defined within the body and bounded downstream by a filter element and bounded upstream by a tubular element defining a central passage in fluid communication with the capsule cavity, the central passage forms an air inlet aperture extending along the longitudinal axis of the inhaler article and from the distal end of the body to the capsule cavity, wherein the tubular element has a central passage inner diameter in a range from about 70% to about 90% of an inner diameter of the capsule cavity; a capsule disposed within the capsule cavity, the capsule containing the dry powder; wherein the inhaler article is configured to receive a swirling inhalation airflow into the central passage.

18. The inhaler article of claim 17, wherein the tubular element is formed of a cellulose material.

19. The inhaler article of claim 17, wherein the tubular element is formed of cellulose acetate.

20. The inhaler article of claim 17, wherein the tubular element is formed of biodegradable resin material, preferably a polylactic acid material.

21. The inhaler article of claim 17, wherein the tubular element extends from a first end defining an upstream boundary of the capsule cavity to a second opposing end defining the distal end of the inhaler article body.

22. The inhaler article of claim 21, further comprising a membrane fixed to the second opposing end of the tubular element.

23. The inhaler article of claim 22, wherein the membrane comprises two or more slits or lines of weakness.

24. The inhaler article of claim 22, wherein the membrane is in a shape of a disc.

25. The inhaler article of claim 17, wherein a wrapping layer joins the filter element, capsule cavity, and the tubular element in serial axial abutment.

26. The inhaler article of claim 17, wherein the capsule contains pharmaceutically active particles.

27. An inhaler system comprising: the inhaler article according to claim 17; and a holder for the inhaler article, the holder comprising a housing comprising a housing cavity, wherein the holder is configured to provide swirling or rotational inhalation airflow to the inhaler article.

28. An inhaler system according to claim 27, wherein the holder comprises a sleeve configured to retain the inhaler article within the housing cavity, the sleeve comprising a sleeve cavity and being movable within the housing cavity along a longitudinal axis of the housing, wherein the sleeve comprises a first open end and a second opposing end, wherein the second opposing end of the sleeve is configured to allow air to enter the sleeve cavity; and the second opposing end of the sleeve comprises a sleeve tubular element extending into the sleeve cavity, the sleeve tubular element is configured to extend into the tubular element of the inhaler article and secure the inhaler article within the sleeve.

29. The inhaler system according to claim 28, wherein the holder further comprises a piercing element fixed to and extending from a holder housing inner surface, the piercing element configured to extend through the second opposing end of the sleeve and into the sleeve cavity along a longitudinal axis of the housing and activate the capsule.

30. The inhaler system according to claim 28, wherein the second opposing end of the sleeve is configured to induce a swirl or rotational airflow on inhalation air flow entering the capsule cavity.

31. The inhaler article of claim 23, wherein the membrane is in a shape of a disc.

32. The inhaler article of claim 21, wherein a wrapping layer joins the filter element, capsule cavity, and the tubular element in serial axial abutment.

33. The inhaler article of claim 23, wherein the membrane is in a shape of a disc.

34. The inhaler system according to claim 29, wherein the second opposing end of the sleeve is configured to induce a swirl or rotational airflow on inhalation air flow entering the capsule cavity.

35. The inhaler system according to claim 27, wherein the membrane is in a shape of a disc.

36. The inhaler system according to claim 35, wherein the tubular element is formed of cellulose acetate.

Description

[0144] The invention will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

[0145] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article;

[0146] FIG. 2 is a front schematic diagram of an illustrative membrane;

[0147] FIG. 3 is a top view of an illustrative inhaler system;

[0148] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler system of FIG. 3;

[0149] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the illustrative sleeve;

[0150] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another illustrative sleeve; and

[0151] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article of FIG. 1 received in the sleeve illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0152] 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.

[0153] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article 150. The inhaler article 150 includes a body 151 extending along a longitudinal axis of the inhaler article from a mouthpiece end 154 to a distal end 156, a capsule cavity 155 and a capsule 160 retained within the capsule cavity 155. The capsule cavity 155 is defined within the body 151 and bounded downstream by a filter element 157 and bounded upstream by a tubular element 153 defining a central passage 152 in fluid communication with the capsule cavity 155. The central passage 152 forms an air inlet aperture extending from the distal end 156 of the body 151 to the capsule cavity 155.

[0154] The tubular element 153 extends from a first end 148 defining an upstream boundary of the capsule cavity 155 to a second opposing end 149 defining the distal end 156 of the inhaler article body 151.

[0155] In one embodiment, the tubular element 153 is formed of cellulose acetate and may be referred to as a hollow acetate tube element. The tubular element 153 has an outer diameter of about 7 mm and an inner diameter of about 5.3 mm to about 5.5 mm thus the central passage has a diameter of about 5.3 mm to about 5.5 mm. The tubular element 153 has a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm. The capsule cavity 155 has a length of about 18 mm to about 20 mm and a diameter of an outer diameter of about 7 mm and an inner diameter of about 6 mm to about 6.5 mm. The filter element 157 has a length of about 20 mm to about 22 mm and a diameter of an outer diameter of about 7 mm. A paper wrapper 151 joins the tubular element 153, capsule cavity 155, and filter element 157 in serial abutting axial alignment. The total length of the illustrative inhaler article 150 is about 43 mm to about 47 mm with an outer uniform diameter of about 7.2 mm.

[0156] FIG. 2 is a front schematic diagram of an illustrative membrane 158. The illustrated membrane 158 has three intersecting lines of weakness 159 or slits that intersect at the center of the membrane 158. In one embodiment the membrane 158 has a disc shape with a diameter of about 7.3 mm. The lines of weakness 159 preferably do not extend to the periphery of the membrane 158. The membrane 158 may be fixed to the tubular element 153 second opposing end 149 defining the distal end 156 of the inhaler article body 151.

[0157] The holder, described below, may be configured to breach or open the membrane 158 upon being received into the holder.

[0158] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an illustrative inhaler system 100. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler system 100 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the illustrative sleeve 120. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another illustrative sleeve 120.

[0159] The inhaler system 100 includes an inhaler article 150 and a separate holder 110. The inhaler article 150 may be received within the holder 110 to activate or pierce the capsule 160 disposed within the inhaler article 150. The inhaler article 150 remains in the holder 110 during use by the consumer. The holder 110 is configured to induce swirling inhalation airflow entering the received inhaler article 150.

[0160] An inhaler system 100 includes an inhaler article 150 and a holder 110. The inhaler article 150 includes the body 151 that extends along an inhaler longitudinal axis L.sub.A. The holder 110 includes a movable sleeve 120 that retains the inhaler article 150 received in the sleeve cavity 122.

[0161] The holder 110 for an inhaler article 150 includes a housing 111 comprising a housing cavity 112 for receiving an inhaler article 150 and a sleeve 120 configured to retain the inhaler article 150 within the housing cavity 112. The sleeve 120 defines a sleeve cavity 122 and is movable within the housing cavity 112 along the longitudinal axis L.sub.A of the housing 111. The sleeve 120 comprises a first end 124 and a second opposing end 126. The second opposing end 126 of the sleeve 120 is configured to allow air to enter the sleeve cavity 122. The second opposing end 126 of the sleeve 120 is configured to induce a swirl on the air entering the sleeve cavity 122.

[0162] The holder 110 may include a piercing element 101 fixed to and extending from a housing inner surface 109. The piercing element 101 may be configured to extend through the second opposing end 126 of the sleeve 120 and into the sleeve cavity 122 along a longitudinal axis of the housing 111. The holder 110 may include a spring element 102 configured to bias the sleeve 120 away from the piercing element 101.

[0163] The sleeve 120 may include an elongated slot 128 (see FIG. 5) extending along a longitudinal length of the sleeve 120. The housing 111 may further comprises a pin 127 extending from an inner surface 109 of the housing cavity 112. The pin 127 may be configured to mate with the elongated slot 128.

[0164] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the illustrative sleeve 120. The second opposing end 126 of the sleeve 120 comprises a sleeve tubular element 130 defining a central passage 132, an end surface 136 and an open end 134. The central passage 132 in fluid communication with the sleeve cavity 122.

[0165] The distal end 156 of the inhaler article 150 (when received in the sleeve 120) abuts the central passage 132 of the sleeve tubular element 130 at the open end 134. Inhalation air inlets 138 enter the sleeve tubular element 130 at a tangent to the sleeve tubular element 130 and form swirling inhalation airflow to the central passage 152 of a received inhaler article 150 tubular element 153. The swirling inhalation airflow flows along the central passage 152 of a received inhaler article 150 tubular element 153 downstream to the capsule cavity 155 to induce capsule rotation and release particles into the inhalation airflow.

[0166] The sleeve 120 defines a first air inlet zone 170 comprising at least one air aperture 129 through the sleeve 120. The first air inlet zone 170 proximate to the first open end 124 of the sleeve 120. The first air inlet zone 170 is configured to allow air to flow to an airflow channel formed between the sleeve 120 and the housing 111. The sleeve comprises a second air inlet zone 180 in downstream from the first air inlet zone 170. The second air inlet zone 180 comprising the second opposing end 126 of the sleeve 120 configured to allow air to enter the sleeve cavity 122. The second air inlet zone 180 comprising at least one air aperture or air inlet 138 through the sleeve 120 and into the sleeve tubular element 130 having a central passage 132.

[0167] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another illustrative sleeve 120. The second opposing end 126 of the sleeve 120 comprises a sleeve tubular element 130 defining a central passage 132, an end surface 136 and an open end 134. The central passage 132 in fluid communication with the sleeve cavity 122. The sleeve tubular element 130 open end 132 may extend into the sleeve cavity 122. The sleeve tubular element 130 includes at least one air inlet 138 allowing air to enter into the central passage 132. The at least one air inlet 138 extends in a direction that is tangential to the central passage 132.

[0168] The distal end 156 of the inhaler article 150 may slide onto the sleeve tubular element 130 as illustrated in FIG. 7. When a membrane 158 is fixed to the distal end 156 of the inhaler article 150, the sleeve tubular element 130 open end 134 deforms and urges through the membrane 158 so that the sleeve tubular element 130 extends into the received inhaler article 150 tubular element 153.

[0169] Upon insertion of the inhaler article 150 into the holder 110, the sleeve tubular element 130 open end 134 deforms and urges through the membrane 158 so that the sleeve tubular element 130 extends into the received inhaler article 150 tubular element 153. The membrane 158 may be biased towards the longitudinal axis of the inhaler article so that the inhaler article 150 grips onto the holder, thus holding the inhaler article 150 in place in the holder 110.

[0170] Inhalation air inlets 138 enter the sleeve tubular element 130 at a tangent to the central passage 132 and form swirling inhalation airflow to the central passage 152 of a received inhaler article 150 tubular element 153. The swirling inhalation airflow flows along the central passage 152 of a received inhaler article 150 tubular element 153 downstream to the capsule cavity to induce capsule rotation and release particles into the inhalation airflow.

[0171] The sleeve tubular element 130 may extend into the sleeve cavity 122 and forms an annular recess 131 with the sleeve cavity 122 configured to receive a distal end 156 of an inhaler article 150. The projection formed by the sleeve tubular element 130 slides into the inhaler article 150 tubular element 153. The sleeve tubular element 130 is configured here to extend into a distal end 156 of an inhaler article 150 received within the sleeve cavity 122.

[0172] The sleeve tubular element 130 may extend into the sleeve cavity 122 about 5 mm and have an outer diameter of about 5.5 mm and an inner diameter of about 4 mm. The central passage 152 of a received inhaler article 150 tubular element 153 may have an inner diameter of about 5.5 mm to provide an interference fit with the sleeve tubular element 130 and annular recess 131.

[0173] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article 150 of received in the sleeve 120 illustrated in FIG. 6. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the central passage 152 of the inhaler article 150 tubular element 153 aligns and mates with and extends into the central passage 132 of the sleeve tubular element 130.