Inhalation device

Claim 1

An inhalation device for administration of aerosolised medicament to the respiratory system of a patient comprising a housing defining a patient port in the form of a mouthpiece or nasal adaptor and an air inlet, the housing containing means for dispensing a dose of aerosolised medicament, an inhalation-activatable triggering mechanism for initiating the dispensing means, and reset means, in which the triggering mechanism comprises a vane mounted for pivotal movement between closed and open positions, the vane being positioned within the patient port such that inhalation through the patient port generates an air flow from the air inlet to the patient port causing pivotal movement of the vane to its open position, and an activator component movable between a restrained position and a dispensing position which movement causes dispensing of medicament from the dispensing means, the activator component being biased towards its dispensing position, the triggering mechanism being constructed and arranged such that: a) when the activator component is in the restrained position and the vane is in the closed position the activator component is held in its restrained position by mechanical blocking action of the vane either directly by the vane or via one or more movable intermediate components whose movements to release the mechanical blocking action are controlled by the vane, b) pivotal movement of the vane from its closed to its open position removes said mechanical blocking action allowing movement of the activator component to its dispensing position and c) operation of the reset means causes movement of the activator component from its dispensing to its restrained position which movement causes, directly or indirectly via one or more intermediate components, the vane to move from its open or a partially open position to its closed position if the vane is not closed.