The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 06, 2005
Filed:
Feb. 19, 2004
Andrew W. Gieschen, San Diego, CA (US);
Michael Ligotke, San Diego, CA (US);
Jeffrey Chen, San Diego, CA (US);
Charles Ganem, San Diego, CA (US);
Bernard Greenspan, San Diego, CA (US);
Andrew W. Gieschen, San Diego, CA (US);
Michael Ligotke, San Diego, CA (US);
Jeffrey Chen, San Diego, CA (US);
Charles Ganem, San Diego, CA (US);
Bernard Greenspan, San Diego, CA (US);
Quadrant Technologies Limited, Nottingham, GB;
Abstract
A dry powder inhaler has a dispersion chamber containing beads. A dose of dry powder is released into the chamber, or into an inlet tangentially joining into the chamber. As the patient inhales on a nosepiece or mouthpiece, air moves circularly through the dispersion chamber to drive the beads. The beads roll, bounce, and collide repeatedly with the drug particles on the chamber surfaces or on the beads. The smaller active drug particles are separated from larger carrier particles and from each other, and a powder aerosol is created and inhaled by the patient. The beads are preferably lightweight, so that they can be rapidly accelerated and moved, even with nominal inspiration. The flow resistance of the inhaler is also reduced via the beads, allowing greater airflow and powder dispersion, without any increased effort by the patient.