Device for administration of medicines

Claim 1

A device for the oral administration of finely divided solid medicaments which device comprises a hollow housing, an elongate semi-flexible vibratable member which is fixed adjacent one end thereof within the housing and free at the other end, a capsule holder attached to said end of the vibratable member at a point remote from its fixed end; said housing having inlet and outlet vents permitting air to flow through the housing, the outlet vent being adapted for application to or insertion into the mouth; and means for causing said member to vibrate comprising directed air flow means reacting with said flexible vibrating member.

Claim 2

A device for the oral administration of finely divided solid medicaments which device comprises a hollow housing, an elongate semi-flexible vibratable member which is fixed adjacent one end thereof within the housing and free at the other end, a capsule holder attached to said end of the vibratable member at a point remote from its fixed end; said housing having inlet and outlet vents permitting air to flow through the housing, the outlet vent being adapted for application to or insertion into the mouth; and means for causing said member to vibrate comprising directed air flow means reacting with said flexible vibrating member.

Claim 24

A device for the oral administration of finely divided solid medicaments which device comprises a hollow housing separable into two parts adapted to be reassembled by means of a screw thread; an elongate semi-flexible vibratable rod of circular cross-section which is able to vibrate in any direction at right angles to its long axis and which is fixed towards one end thereof within the housing and free at the other end; a capsule holder attached to said end of the vibratable rod at a point remote from its fixed end, the capsule holder being in the form of a cup adapted to securely carry a capsule, having a passage to allow a flow of air from within the hollow housing to one end of the major axis of the capsule and having a protuberance adapted to strike the inner walls of the housing when the vibratable rod vibrates; said housing having one outlet vent and a plurality of inlet vents permitting air to flow through the housing, the outlet vent being adapted for application to or insertion into the mouth and the inlet vents being in the region of the capsule holder and angled such that incoming air is directed to a circular path, and in turn causes said rod to vibrate; the device being provided with means for piercing the capsule at both ends of the major axis thereof in situ in the device, the means of piercing the end of the capsule nearest the outlet vent being in the form of a sharpened piercing member fixed within the housing coaxial with the capsule holder and means for moving the capsule holder towards the piercing member, the means for piercing the end of the capsule furthest from the outlet vent being in the form of a sharpened hollow piercing member attached to the capsule holder onto which a capsule may be impaled.

Claim 25

A device for the oral administration of finely divided solid medicaments which device comprises a hollow housing separable into two parts adapted to be reassembled by means of a screw thread; an elongate semi-flexible vibratable rod of circular cross-section which is able to vibrate in any direction at right angles to its long axis and which is fixed towards one end thereof within the housing and free at the other end; a capsule holder attached to said end of the vibratable rod at a point remote from its fixed end, the capsule holder being in the form of a cup adapted to securely carry a capsule, having a passage to allow a flow of air from within the hollow housing to one end of the major axis of the capsule and having a protuberance adapted to strike the inner walls of the housing when the vibratable rod vibrates; said housing having one outlet vent and a plurality of inlet vents permitting air to flow through the housing, the outlet vent being adapted for application to or insertion into the mouth and the inlet vents being in the region of the capsule holder and angled such that incoming air is directed to a circular path, and in turn causes said rod to vibrate; the device being provided with means for piercing the capsule at both ends of the major axis thereof in situ in the device, the means of piercing the end of the capsule nearest the outlet vent being in the form of a sharpened piercing member fixed within the housing coaxial with the capsule holder and means for moving the capsule holder towards the piercing member, the means for piercing the end of the capsule furthest from the outlet vent being in the form of a sharpened hollow piercing member attached to the capsule holder onto which a capsule may be impaled.

Claim 26

A device for oral administration of finely divided solid medicaments which device comprises a hollow housing separable into two parts, an elongate semi-flexible vibratable narrow flat strip such that its primary component of vibration is in a single plane, which is fixed towards one end thereof within the housing and free at the other end; a capsule holder attached to said end of the vibratable flat strip at a point remote from its fixed end, the capsule holder being in the form of a cup adapted to securely carry a capsule; said housing having one outlet vent and one inlet vent permitting air to flow through the housing, the outlet vent being adapted for application to or insertion into the mouth, the cross-sectional area of the outlet being of the same general magnitude as the cross-sectional area of the inlet vent, and the interior of the housing having constrictions to provide a turbulent airstream to flow through the housing between the vents by the intake of breath by the user of the device which flow in turn causes the said flat strip to vibrate.

Claim 27

A device for oral administration of finely divided solid medicaments which device comprises a hollow housing separable into two parts, an elongate semi-flexible vibratable narrow flat strip such that its primary component of vibration is in a single plane, which is fixed towards one end thereof within the housing and free at the other end; a capsule holder attached to said end of the vibratable flat strip at a point remote from its fixed end, the capsule holder being in the form of a cup adapted to securely carry a capsule; said housing having one outlet vent and one inlet vent permitting air to flow through the housing, the outlet vent being adapted for application to or insertion into the mouth, the cross-sectional area of the outlet being of the same general magnitude as the cross-sectional area of the inlet vent, and the interior of the housing having constrictions to provide a turbulent airstream to flow through the housing between the vents by the intake of breath by the user of the device which flow in turn causes the said flat strip to vibrate.