Norton Healthcare Limited

Ivax Corporation

Laurence Keane

David O'Leary

A de-agglomerator is provided for use with a breath-actuated dry powder inhaler for breaking up aggregates and micronizing particles of dry powder prior to inhalation of the powder by a patient using the inhaler. The de-agglomerator includes an inner wall defining a swirl chamber extending along an axis from a first end to a second end, a dry powder supply port, an inlet port, and an outlet port. The supply port is in the first end of the swirl chamber for providing fluid communication between a dry powder delivery passageway of an inhaler and the first end of the swirl chamber. The inlet port is in the inner wall of the swirl chamber adjacent to the first end of the swirl chamber and provides fluid communication between a region exterior to the de-agglomerator and the swirl chamber. The outlet port provides fluid communication between the second end of the swirl chamber and a region exterior to the de-agglomerator, whereby a breath induced low pressure at the outlet port causes air flows into the swirl chamber through the dry powder supply port and the inlet port. The air flows collide with each other and with the wall of the swirl chamber prior to exiting through the outlet port, such that any powder entrained in the air flows is broken down and micronized. The de-agglomerator further includes vanes at the first end of the swirl chamber for creating additional collisions and impacts of entrained powder.

De-agglomerator for breath-actuated dry powder inhaler

A pre-metered dose assembly for consistently supplying precise doses of medicament is provided for a breath-actuated dry powder inhaler. The assembly includes a cap defining a dry powder delivery passageway for providing air to a dry powder supply port of a swirl chamber of a breath-actuated dry powder inhaler, and a magazine including a plurality of reservoirs for holding pre-metered doses of dry powder. One of the magazine and the cap is movable with respect to the other of the magazine and the cap for sequentially positioning the reservoirs within the delivery passageway of the cap. A breath-induced low pressure at an outlet port of the swirl chamber of the inhaler causes an air flow through the dry powder delivery passageway of the assembly and into the dry powder supply port of the swirl chamber that entrains dry powder from the reservoir positioned in the passageway for inhalation by a patient using the inhaler. The present disclosure also provides a breath-actuated dry powder inhaler including the pre-metered dose assembly in combination with a de-agglomerator for breaking up aggregates and micronizing particles of dry powder prior to inhalation of the powder by a patient.

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Aldwick, United Kingdom

Laurence Keane