POWDER DISPERSION METHODS AND DEVICES

• Main Authors: SMYTH, Hugh, GIBBONS, Aileen, XU, Zhen, DEATON, Dan, DONOVAN, Martin, CURTIS, Robert M, HANNON, James
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 22.11.2017
• Subjects: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROMTHE BODY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE

A dry powder inhaler (2400), comprising: a powder storage element configured to hold a powdered medicament, wherein the powdered medicament is contained within a capsule (2402); a piercing member (2408) configured to puncture the capsule (2402); a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the punctured capsule (2402) to empty the powdered medicament from the punctured capsule (2402); a grid that serves as a flow straightening element (2406) to straighten and align an airflow in an axial direction of the inhaler (2400); an inlet channel (102) configured to receive powdered medicament from the powder storage element that is entrained in the airflow, the inlet channel (102) defining an opening; a dispersion chamber (104) that is adapted to receive the airflow and the powdered medicament from the opening of the inlet channel (102), wherein the dispersion channel (104) defines a larger cross-sectional fluid flow path than the inlet channel (102) such that high-energy forces are developed within the dispersion chamber (104) to further disrupt and aerosolize the powdered medicament within the chamber (104); a bead (304) housed within the dispersion chamber, the bead being configured to oscillate within the dispersion chamber (104) when exposed to the airflow to further deaggregate the powdered medicament entrained by the airflow passing through the dispersion chamber (104); and an outlet channel (408) through which the airflow and powdered medicament exit the inhaler for delivery to a patient.