HOLDER FOR INHALER ARTICLE

Abstract

A holder for an inhaler article includes a housing comprising a housing cavity for receiving an inhaler article a sleeve configured to retain an inhaler article within the housing cavity. The sleeve includes a sleeve cavity and is movable within the housing cavity along a longitudinal axis of the housing. The sleeve includes a first open end and a second opposing end. The first open end is configured to receive an inhaler article and the second opposing end of the sleeve is configured to allow air to enter the sleeve cavity. The second opposing end of the sleeve is configured to induce a swirl on the air entering the sleeve cavity.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A holder for an inhaler article comprising: a housing comprising a housing cavity for receiving an inhaler article; a sleeve configured to retain an inhaler article within the housing cavity, the sleeve being movable within the housing cavity along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the sleeve comprising: a sleeve cavity; a first open end and a second opposing end, the first open end is configured to receive an inhaler article; the second opposing end of the sleeve comprising: a tubular element extending into the sleeve cavity and having a central passage in fluid communication with the sleeve cavity, the tubular element comprising an outer surface having an outer diameter that faces an inner surface of the sleeve, the tubular element forming an annular recess with the sleeve cavity configured to receive a distal end of an inhaler article, and at least one air inlet; wherein the at least one air inlet extends in a direction that is tangential to the central passage to allow air to enter the sleeve cavity and to induce a swirled airflow pattern on the air entering the sleeve cavity.

17. The holder according to claim 16, wherein the tubular element comprises at least two air inlets, the at least two air inlets extend in a direction that is tangential to the central passage to allow air to enter the sleeve cavity and to induce a swirled airflow pattern on the air entering the sleeve cavity.

18. The holder according to claim 16, wherein the annular recess is configured to retain a distal end of an inhaler article.

19. The holder according to claim 16, wherein the tubular element is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the housing.

20. The holder according to claim 16, wherein the tubular element is configured to extend into a distal end of an inhaler article received within the sleeve cavity.

21. The holder according to claim 16, further comprising a piercing element fixed to and extending from a housing inner surface, the piercing element being configured to extend through the second opposing end of the sleeve and into the sleeve cavity along a longitudinal axis of the housing.

22. The holder according to claim 21, further comprising a spring element configured to bias the sleeve away from the piercing element.

23. The holder according to claim 16, wherein substantially all of the inhalation air enters the tubular element in a direction that is tangential to the central passage.

24. The holder according to claim 16, wherein the sleeve comprises an elongated slot extending along a longitudinal length of the sleeve, and the housing further comprises a pin extending from an inner surface of the housing cavity, the pin configured to mate with the elongated slot.

25. The holder according to claim 16, wherein the sleeve defines an first air inlet zone comprising at least one air aperture through the sleeve, the first air inlet zone proximate to the first open end of the sleeve, the first air inlet zone configured to allow air to flow to an airflow channel formed between the sleeve and the housing, and the sleeve comprises a second air inlet zone downstream from the first air inlet zone, the second air inlet zone comprising the second opposing end of the sleeve configured to allow air to enter the sleeve cavity.

26. An inhaler system comprising: an inhaler article comprising a body extending along an inhaler longitudinal axis from a mouthpiece end to a distal end, and a capsule disposed within the inhaler article body; and the holder for an inhaler article according to claim 16, wherein the sleeve retains the inhaler article received in the sleeve cavity.

27. An inhaler system according to claim 26, wherein the capsule is retained within a capsule cavity and configured to receive swirling inhalation airflow formed by the second opposing end of the sleeve, the capsule cavity is bounded downstream by a filter element and bounded upstream by an open tubular element.

28. An inhaler system according to claim 27, wherein the inhaler article open tubular element mates with the second opposing end of the sleeve tubular element.

29. The inhaler system according to according to claim 26, wherein the mouthpiece end of the inhaler article forms the mouthpiece of the inhaler system.

30. The inhaler system according to according to claim 26, wherein the tubular element of the second opposing end of the sleeve extends into the distal end of an inhaler article received within the sleeve cavity.

31. The inhaler system according to according to claim 27, wherein the tubular element of the second opposing end of the sleeve extends into the open distal end of an inhaler article received within the sleeve cavity.

32. The inhaler system according to according to claim 27, wherein the holder further comprises a piercing element configured to pierce the capsule disposed in the inhaler article body.

33. The inhaler system according to according to claim 32, wherein the holder further comprises a spring element to bias the inhaler article retained within the sleeve away from the piercing element.

34. An inhaler system according to claim 27, wherein the inhaler article open tubular element mates with the annular recess at the sleeve second opposing end.

35. An inhaler system according to claim 26, wherein the inhaler article distal end mates with the annular recess at the sleeve second opposing end.

Description

[0127] The invention will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

[0128] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative inhaler system;

[0129] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler system of FIG. 1;

[0130] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article;

[0131] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article of received in the sleeve illustrated in FIG. 2;

[0132] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the illustrative sleeve;

[0133] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another illustrative sleeve; and

[0134] FIGS. 7-10 cross-sectional schematic diagrams of illustrative vortex tunnels with one to four tangential air inlets.

[0135] 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.

[0136] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative inhaler system 100. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler system 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article 150. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article 150 of received in the sleeve 120 illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0137] 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 a 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 form or induce swirling inhalation airflow entering the received inhaler article 150.

[0138] An inhaler system 100 includes an inhaler article 150 and a holder 110. The inhaler article 150 includes a body 151 extending along an inhaler longitudinal axis LA from a mouthpiece end 154 to a distal end 156, and the capsule 160 disposed within the inhaler article body 151. The holder 110 includes a movable sleeve 120 that retains the inhaler article 150 received in a sleeve cavity 122.

[0139] A 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 an inhaler article 150 within the housing cavity 112. The sleeve 120 defines the 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 open 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 form or induce a swirl on the air entering the sleeve cavity 122.

[0140] 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.

[0141] 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 the inner surface 109 of the housing cavity 112. The pin 127 may be configured to mate with the elongated slot 128.

[0142] An inhaler article 150 comprises the body 151 which extends along an inhaler longitudinal axis L.sub.A from the mouthpiece end 154 to a distal end 156. A capsule cavity 155 is disposed within the body 151 and is bounded downstream by a filter element 157 and bounded upstream by an open tubular element 153 defining a central passage 152. The central passage 152 forms an open air-inlet aperture extending from the distal end 156 of the body to the capsule cavity 155. The capsule 160 is disposed within the capsule cavity 155. The central passage 152 has a smaller diameter then the capsule 160.

[0143] As illustrated with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the central passage 152 of the inhaler article 150 open tubular element 153 aligns and mates with a central passage 132 of the sleeve tubular element 130.

[0144] 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 open tubular element 153. The swirling inhalation airflow flows along the central passage 152 of a received inhaler article 150 open tubular element 153 downstream to the capsule cavity to induce capsule rotation and release particles into the inhalation airflow.

[0145] 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 is 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 the central passage 132.

[0146] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another illustrative sleeve 120. The second opposing end 126 of the sleeve 120 comprises the sleeve tubular element 130 defining the 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.

[0147] The distal end 156 of the inhaler article 150 may slides onto the sleeve tubular element 130. 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 open tubular element 153. The swirling inhalation airflow flows along the central passage 152 of a received inhaler article 150 open tubular element 153 downstream to the capsule cavity to induce capsule rotation and release particles into the inhalation airflow.

[0148] 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 open 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.

[0149] 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 open 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.

[0150] FIGS. 7-10 cross-sectional schematic diagrams of illustrative sleeve tubular element 130 with central passages 132 with one to four tangential air inlets 138. The inner diameter of the sleeve tubular element 130 may be about 4 mm. FIG. 7 illustrates a single tangential air inlet 138 having a diameter of about 1.45 mm. FIG. 8 illustrates two tangential air inlets 138 each having a diameter of about 1 mm entering the sleeve tubular element 130 at 180 degrees from each other. FIG. 9 illustrates three tangential air inlets 138 each having a diameter of about 0.85 mm entering the sleeve tubular element 130 at 120 degrees from each other. FIG. 10 illustrates four tangential air inlets 138 each having a diameter of about 0.6 mm entering the sleeve tubular element 130 at 90 degrees from each other.