Inhalation device

Claim 1

An inhalation device for dispensing a powdered medicament from a medicament-holding container comprising an elongate housing having a passageway for the movement of air therethrough, one end of said housing being an output end adapted for insertion into the mouth or nasal passages of a user thereof, said passageway terminating in an emptying chamber adjacent the output end of said housing, said passageway having an inlet stream of said emptying chamber; a guide channel on said elongate housing, means for holding a top portion of a closed, powdered-medicament holding container within said guide channel, said guide channel supporting means to open the container; said container opening means comprising a slideable member slideably mounted within said guide channel, said slideable member having a cutting blade positioned adjacent said holding means whereby a top portion of the container is severed as said blade is moved from a first, retracted position through said container in said holding means to a second, container-severed position; a first communication means comprising at least one first passageway extending through said slideable member for placing the interior of the severed container in communication with the atmosphere surrounding said inhalation device when said slideable member is in the second position; and second communication means comprising a second passageway extending through said slideable member for placing the interior of the severed container in communication with said passageway through said elongate housing via said inlet when said opening means is in the second position whereupon, during inhalation, air drawn through said first communication means causes the powdered medicament to be expelled from the container through said second communication means, said inlet, said passageway and said emptying chamber into the nose, throat or lungs of a user thereof.