INHALER MOUTHPIECE WITH FLAVOUR ELEMENT

Abstract

An inhaler article includes a body extending along a longitudinal axis from a mouthpiece end to a distal end, a mouthpiece air outlet and a distal air inlet, and a capsule cavity within the body and bounded downstream by a mouthpiece. A separator is between the capsule cavity and the mouthpiece including at least one aperture to form an air flow path from the distal air inlet through the capsule cavity, through the mouthpiece to the mouthpiece air outlet. A coating layer of flavour is disposed on an interior surface of the mouthpiece and a protective layer disposed on the coating layer of flavour.

Claims

1. An inhaler article comprising: a body extending along a longitudinal axis from a mouthpiece end to a distal end; a mouthpiece air outlet and a distal air inlet; a capsule cavity within the body and bounded downstream by a mouthpiece; a separator between the capsule cavity and the mouthpiece comprising at least one aperture to form an air flow path from the distal air inlet through the capsule cavity, through the mouthpiece to the mouthpiece air outlet; and a coating layer of flavour disposed on an interior surface of the mouthpiece and a protective layer disposed on the coating layer of flavour.

2. The inhaler article of claim 1, wherein the coating layer of flavour defines at least a portion of a mouthpiece air channel in airflow communication with the capsule cavity.

3. The inhaler article of claim 1, wherein the coating layer of flavour is disposed between the protective layer and a mouthpiece inner surface.

4. The inhaler article of claim 1, wherein the coating layer of flavour forms a gel layer.

5. The inhaler article of claim 1, wherein the protective layer has a thickness in a range from about 20 micrometres to about 60 micrometres.

6. The inhaler article of claim 1, wherein the coating layer of flavour defines an open cylinder.

7. The inhaler article of claim 1, wherein the protective layer adheres to the coating layer of flavour and the protective layer defines a cylinder being coaxial with the body longitudinal axis.

8. The inhaler article of claim 1, wherein the protective layer comprises foil, paper, polymer, or combinations thereof.

9. The inhaler article of claim 1, further comprising a mouthpiece endcap sealing the mouthpiece air outlet, the mouthpiece endcap is configured to be removable from the mouthpiece end to expose the mouthpiece air outlet.

10. The inhaler article of claim 9, wherein the protective layer is fixed to the mouthpiece endcap and is configured to be removed from the mouthpiece end with the mouthpiece endcap.

11. The inhaler article of claim 10, wherein the protective layer defines a spiral configuration when removed from the mouthpiece end.

12. The inhaler article of claim 9, further comprising a circumferential line of weakness forming an interface between the mouthpiece endcap and the mouthpiece end.

13. The inhaler article of claim 9, wherein the mouthpiece endcap has an outer diameter equal to an outer diameter of the inhaler article body, and the mouthpiece endcap is coaxial with the inhaler article body.

14. The inhaler article of claim 1, further comprising a capsule disposed within the capsule cavity.

15. The inhaler article of claim 14, 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.

16. The inhaler article of claim 3, wherein the coating layer of flavour forms a gel layer.

17. The inhaler article of claim 3, wherein the protective layer has a thickness in a range from about 20 micrometres to about 60 micrometres.

18. The inhaler article of claim 4, wherein the coating layer of flavour defines an open cylinder.

19. The inhaler article of claim 5, wherein the protective layer comprises foil, paper, polymer, or combinations thereof.

20. The inhaler article of claim 11, further comprising a circumferential line of weakness forming an interface between the mouthpiece endcap and the mouthpiece end.

Description

[0101] The examples will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

[0102] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article;

[0103] FIG. 2 is a side-elevation schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article;

[0104] FIG. 3 is a side-elevation schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article where the protective layer and mouthpiece endcap is being removed;

[0105] FIG. 4 is a side-elevation schematic diagram of the illustrative inhaler article of FIG. 3 where the protective layer and mouthpiece endcap is removed;

[0106] FIG. 5 is a cut-away perspective view of an illustrative mouthpiece; and

[0107] FIG. 6 is an exploded side-elevation schematic diagram of an illustrative mouthpiece with a protective layer.

[0108] 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.

[0109] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article 100. FIG. 2 is a side-elevation schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article 100. FIG. 3 is a side-elevation schematic diagram of an illustrative inhaler article 100 where the protective layer 140 and mouthpiece endcap 145 is being removed. FIG. 4 is a side-elevation schematic diagram of the illustrative inhaler article 100 of FIG. 3 where the protective layer 140 and mouthpiece endcap 145 is removed. FIG. 5 is a cut-away perspective view of an illustrative mouthpiece 120 and FIG. 6 is an exploded side-elevation schematic diagram of an illustrative mouthpiece 120 with a protective layer 140.

[0110] An inhaler article 100 includes a body 110 extending along a longitudinal axis LA from a mouthpiece end 112 to a distal end 114, a mouthpiece air outlet 116, and a distal air inlet 118. A capsule cavity 122 is within the body 110 and bounded downstream by a mouthpiece 120. A separator 126 is between the capsule cavity 122 and the mouthpiece 120 comprising at least one aperture 126 to form an air flow path from the distal air inlet 118 through the capsule cavity 122, through the mouthpiece 120 to the mouthpiece air outlet 116. A coating layer of flavour 130 is disposed on an interior surface 121 of the mouthpiece 120 and a protective layer 140 is disposed on the coating layer of flavour 130.

[0111] The coating layer of flavour 130 defines an open cylinder that extends along a portion of the length of the mouthpiece 120. The protective layer 140 adheres to the coating layer of flavour 130 and the protective layer 140 defines a cylinder being coaxial with the body 110 longitudinal axis LA.

[0112] A mouthpiece endcap 145 seals the mouthpiece air outlet 116, the mouthpiece endcap 145 is configured to be removable from the mouthpiece 120 to expose the mouthpiece air outlet 116. The protective layer 140 may be fixed to the mouthpiece endcap 145 and is configured to be removed from the mouthpiece 120 with the mouthpiece endcap 145.

[0113] A circumferential line of weakness 146 forms an interface between the mouthpiece endcap 145 and the mouthpiece end 112. A capsule 150 may be disposed within the capsule cavity 122.

[0114] As illustrated in FIG. 6 the mouthpiece 120, coating layer of flavour 130 and the protective layer 140 define coaxial cylinders with the body 110 longitudinal axis LA. The protective layer 140 may include a spiral or helical scoring line 141 or spiral or helical line of weakness 141. The spiral or helical scoring line 141 or spiral or helical line of weakness 141 may provide for the removal of the protective layer 140 in a spiral configuration as illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0115] For the purpose of the present description and of the appended claims, except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, quantities, percentages, and so forth, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein. In this context, therefore, a number A is understood as A ±2% of A. Within this context, a number A may be considered to include numerical values that are within general standard error for the measurement of the property that the number A modifies. The number A, in some instances as used in the appended claims, may deviate by the percentages enumerated above provided that the amount by which A deviates does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein.