Astrazeneca Ab

Hugo Dines Schmidt

Anders Geert-Jensen

J&oslash;rgen Rasmussen

S&oslash;ren Christrup

Mikal J&oslash;rgensen

Mikael J&oslash;rgensen

Jørgen Rasmussen

Søren Christrup

Mikael Jørgensen

An inhaler for delivering medicament by inhalation, comprising a housing for holding a canister of medicament having a body and a valve stem compressible together to actuate the canister to deliver a dose of medicament from the valve stem, an actuation mechanism for compressing the canister, a cannister re-set mechanism comprising a locking element for locking the canister in a compressed state and a release member resiliently biassed by the actuation mechanism on compression of the canister to release the locking mechanism to allow reset of the canister. By provision of the locking element for locking the canister in a compressed state, it is possible to ensure re-set does not occur immediately. The release member subsequently releases the locking mechanism to allow re-set of the canister after a proper dose has been delivered. The cannister reset mechanism further comprises a damping element for damping movement of the release member to delay the action of the resilient biassing to release the locking element a predetermined period of time after actuation of the canister.

Inhaler

A breath actuated inhaler for delivering medicament by inhalation, comprising a housing having a mouthpiece and defining an air flow path extending from the mouthpiece through the housing; the housing holding a replaceable canister of medicament actuatable to deliver a dose of medicament into the air flow path, wherein the housing defines an opening in the air flow path and the opening is closed by a closure element connected to and replaceable with the canister. The closure element acts as a safety feature because it is only closed when the inhaler is used with a canister to which a closure element is connected the closure element carries an indication of the type of medicament in the canister to allow the user to recognise the type of medicament. A plurality of inhalers may be provided in which each given inhaler has an opening with a different shape and has a closure element with a shape which conforms with the opening of the given inhaler but which does not conform with the openings of the other inhalers.

The actuation mechanism of a breath-actuated inhaler for delivery of a medicament by inhalation. The actuation mechanism includes a pre-loading mechanism is arranged to load the resilient loading element by manual depression of two contact members movable relative to the housing and disposed opposite one another on either side of the axis of a canister held in the housing. The actuation mechanism also includes a pivotably mounted trigger vane arranged to be moved by inhalation at the mouthpiece to cause operation of the actuation mechanism, wherein the trigger vane is mounted to pivot about an axis passing through the center of mass of the trigger. The triggering mechanism comprises a knee joint having a locked position where the knee joint holds the resilient loading element against compression of the canister and a trigger responsive to the inhalation at the mouthpiece to break the knee joint into a broken position where the knee joint releases the resilient loading element to allow compression of the canister. Furthermore the trigger comprises a second knee joint connected to the first-mentioned knee joint and having a locked position where the second knee joint holds the first knee joint in its locked position and movable in response to inhalation at the mouthpiece to a broken position to break the first knee joint.

Growing community of inventors

Århus C, Denmark

Hugo Dines Schmidt