Inhaling device for powdered medicaments

Claim 2

An inhaling device, for delivering powdered substances in aerated form from a pierced capsule, comprising a pump and an inhaler, said inhaler comprising: A. a relatively fixed central element formed by two connectable components and defining a cavity for reception of said capsule, and B. a pair of relatively moveable needle holder elements including piercing means mounted therein, which are: 1. telescopically slidable within said connectable components against the action of a pair of return springs and in the path of movement of air through said inhaler, 2. disposed in mutually opposed relationship and in straddling relationship to said capsule, and 3. constituting a means for piercing said capsule when said springs are compressed by slidably moving said needle holder elements toward each other.

Claim 3

disposed in mutually opposed relationship and in straddling relationship to said capsule, and

Claim 4

disposed in mutually opposed relationship and in straddling relationship to said capsule, and

Claim 5

The inhaling device of claim 1 wherein said components are connected by screw means.

Claim 6

constituting a means for piercing said capsule when said springs are compressed by slidably moving said needle holder elements toward each other.

Claim 7

constituting a means for piercing said capsule when said springs are compressed by slidably moving said needle holder elements toward each other.

Claim 8

The inhaling device of claim 1 wherein each of said pair of needle holer elements comprises a capsule-piercing needle.

Claim 9

The inhaling device of claim 1 wherein each of said components is attached to a sleeve having an interior shoulder and each of said pair of needle holder elements has an outwardly disposed shoulder which is capable of reciprocating between a rest position against one of said interior shoulders and a needle-piercing position against one of said connectable components.

Claim 10

The inhaling device of claim 4 wherein said inhaler comprises a nose piece and a pump piece and one of said pair of said needle holder elements is locked by friction to said nose piece and the other of said pair of needle holder elements is locked against said pump piece by micro-ribs having saw teeth.

Claim 11

An inhaler for storing, entraining, and delivering powders in aerated condition, comprising; A. a central storage unit for said powders, B. a apir of needle holders including piercing means mounted therein which straddle said unit and are slidably connected thereto, C. a nose piece which is non-slidably attached to one of said pair of needle holders, D. a pump piece which is non-slidably attached to the other of said pair of needle holders, and E. a longitudinally disposed air passage means extending from end to end of said inhaler, through said pump piece, said pair of needle holders, said central storage unit, and said nose piece, said nose piece and said pump piece ecah being longitudinally slidable toward said central storage unit to provide opposed piercing means for the central storage unit, whereby said powders are released.

Claim 12

An inhaler for storing, entraining, and delivering powders in aerated condition, comprising; A. a central storage unit for said powders, B. a apir of needle holders including piercing means mounted therein which straddle said unit and are slidably connected thereto, C. a nose piece which is non-slidably attached to one of said pair of needle holders, D. a pump piece which is non-slidably attached to the other of said pair of needle holders, and E. a longitudinally disposed air passage means extending from end to end of said inhaler, through said pump piece, said pair of needle holders, said central storage unit, and said nose piece, said nose piece and said pump piece ecah being longitudinally slidable toward said central storage unit to provide opposed piercing means for the central storage unit, whereby said powders are released.

Claim 13

The inhaler of claim 6 wherein said central storage unit comprises a pair of connectable compartments which define and contain, in combination, a cavity therewithin for storage of a capsule containing said powder.

Claim 14

The inhaler of claim 7 wherein each of said pair of connectable compartments comprises an annular spring well within which a compression spring is seated.

Claim 15

The inhaler of claim 8 wherein each of said pair of needle holders comprises a annular sliding end which is slidably mounted within one of said annular spring wells and in engagement with one of said springs.

Claim 16

The inhaler of claim 9 which further comprises a pair of stop sleeves which straddle said unit and are non-slidably attached thereto.

Claim 17

The inhaler of claim 10 wherein said pair of stop sleeves is in slidably circumferential and alignment-maintaining relation to said pair of needle holder elements.

Claim 18

The inhaler of claim 11 wherein each of said pair of stop sleeves has a cylindrical inner wall and said needle holders comprise circumannular shoulders which extend outwardly into slidable and alignment-maintaining relation with said cylindrical inner walls of said stop sleeves.

Claim 19

The inhaler of claim 12 wherein each of said pair of needle holders additionally comprises an annular fixed end, one of said fixed ends being non-slidably attached to said nose piece and the other being non-slidably attached to said pump piece.

Claim 20

The inhaler of claim 13 wherein each of said pair of needle holders comprises a capsule-piercing needle, said needles being coaxially disposed in mutually opposed relationship and in straddling relationship to said capsule and being adapted to pierce said capsule when said springs are compressed by slidably moving said nose piece and said pump piece toward each other.

Claim 21

The inhaler of claim 14 wherein each of said stop sleeves additionally comprises an inwardly extending interior shoulder which extends into sliding engagement with exterior cylindrical surfaces of said fixed ends, as a sliding alignment means.

Claim 22

The inhaler of claim 15 wherein: A. said nosepiece, said stop sleeves, and said central storage unit have a smaller exterior diameter than the exterior diameter of said pump piece, and B. said pump piece comprises a circumferential and outwardly extending lug having an arcuately receding surface and a radially receding surface, whereby said arcuately receding surface functions as a storage stop means, when said inhaler is inverted into a pump for storage by inserting said nose piece thereinto, and said radially receding surface functions as an operational stop means, when said inhaler is inserted into said pump by engaging said pump piece therewith.

Claim 23

The inhaler of claim 16 wherein said pump piece further has an exterior cylindrical surface which is polished and uniformly interrupted by a friction locking means for the mouthpiece of said pump.

Claim 24

The inhaling device of claim 17 wherein the points of contacT between the cylindrical surface of the lower body portion and the surface normal to said means are friction locking points between said inhaler and said pump.

Claim 25

The inhaling device of claim 17 wherein the points of contact between the cylindrical surface of the lower body portion and the portions of said means have curved surfaces which are stop points for friction locking between said inhaler and said pump when said inhaling device is not in use.

Claim 26

The inhaling device of claim 5 wherein: A. said nose piece and said pump piece each comprises a skirt portion extending toward said cavity and having an inner cylindrical surface adapted for sliding contact; and B. each said sleeve comprises an outer cylindrical surface adapted for said sliding contact with one of said inner cylindrical surfaces of said skirt portions of said nose piece and said pump piece to form a first pair of slidable alignment means.

Claim 27

The inhaling device of claim 20 wherein: A. each said sleeve, attached to one of said two connectable components, comprises an inner cylindrical surface adapted for sliding contact; and B. each said outwardly disposed shoulder of said pair of needle holder elements comprises an outer cylindrical surface adapted for said sliding contact with one of said sleeves to form a second pair of slidable alignment means.

Claim 28

The inhaling device of claim 21 wherein: A. each said interior shoulder of said sleeves attached to said two components comprises an inner cylindrical surface adapted for sliding contact; and B. each said needle holder element comprises an outer cylindrical surface adapted for said sliding contact with one of said inner cylindrical surfaces of said interior shoulders to form a third slidable alignment means, said first, second, and third pairs of slidable alignment means imparting a high degree of trueness to said inhaler so that binding and wear are minimized.