CA1236736A - Device for administering medicament to patients - Google Patents
Device for administering medicament to patientsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1236736A CA1236736A CA000509193A CA509193A CA1236736A CA 1236736 A CA1236736 A CA 1236736A CA 000509193 A CA000509193 A CA 000509193A CA 509193 A CA509193 A CA 509193A CA 1236736 A CA1236736 A CA 1236736A
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- pack
- medicament
- blister
- sheet
- container
- Prior art date
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Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
This invention relates to a device for administering medicaments to patients, and more particularly, to a blister pack which comprises a circular carrier disc provided with a plurality of blisters or containers arranged in a circle and each containing a dose of medicament in particulate form.
The blisters or containers of the blister pack are located in holes in a support member and a plunger is arranged to enter the chamber of the blister or container registered with it, which registration is achieved by the use of an external member which rotates the support to register the blister with the plunger in turn, so that when the blister or container is opened, medicament can be withdrawn by a patient inhaling through a mouthpiece.
This provides a convenient way of administering medicament to a patient, and can be used with medicaments in finely divided solid form or in liquid form.
This invention relates to a device for administering medicaments to patients, and more particularly, to a blister pack which comprises a circular carrier disc provided with a plurality of blisters or containers arranged in a circle and each containing a dose of medicament in particulate form.
The blisters or containers of the blister pack are located in holes in a support member and a plunger is arranged to enter the chamber of the blister or container registered with it, which registration is achieved by the use of an external member which rotates the support to register the blister with the plunger in turn, so that when the blister or container is opened, medicament can be withdrawn by a patient inhaling through a mouthpiece.
This provides a convenient way of administering medicament to a patient, and can be used with medicaments in finely divided solid form or in liquid form.
Description
1 This is a divisiohal application oE
Canadian patent application serial number 433,~78 filed on October 7, 1983.
BACKGROUND OF THE` INVENTION
To this end, in another of its aspects, the invention provides a pack comprising a circular carrier disc provided with a plurality of containers arranged in a circle and each con-taining a dose of medicamen-ts in par-ticulate form, -the containers being openable to permit the medicament therein to be released.
This invention relates to devices by which a medicament can be administered to or by patients inhaling through the devices. The medicaments may be in solid finely divided form or fluid form. Such devices are now ; 15 quite well known for administering medicaments con-tained in capsules to patients suffering from bronchial conditions such as, for example, bronchial asthma. It is well known for medicament in powder or other finely divided form to be supplied in capsules which are loaded by a patient into such a device which is sometimes called an "insufflator".
The medicament is then released from the capsule and inha:Led by -th~ pa-tient, usually through the mouth, bu-t some-times through the nose.
The specifica-tion of PCT Application Publication No. W082/01~70 and U.K. Patent SpeciEica-tion No. 133795~
both describe devices for dispensing medicamen-t in finely divided Eorm from capsules. In each of these previously described devices, the capsules are mounted on a ro-tatable support member on which each capsule in turn can be brought 73~
1 to a position in which it is opened -to enable medicament to exit Erom the capsule to permit it to be inhaled by a patient inhaling -through.a mouthpiece of the device.
In the device described ln U K. Specif:ication No. 138795~, the capsules may be mounted in a so-called blister pack.
There are disadvan-tages in the use of capsules, which are made O:e gelatin, to contaln medieaments. Gelatin is relat:ively uns-table and is lacking in physical streng-th so that -the capsules need to be pro-tected by packaging, for example in ylass bo-ttles. Environmental deyradation of bo-th the capsules and their contents may occur in a rela-tively short -time.
An object of the present invention is to provide a more convenient way oE administeriny medicamen-t to such patients than has been possible hitherto and which avoids the need to pack medicaments in capsules. The device of the presen-t inven-tion makes use of the technique of packing medicaments by loading them in bli.ster packs, that is -to say, packs comprising a shee-t, which may be laminated, of foil or plastics material which acts as a carrier and which is provided witn a number of breakable or openable eontainers called "blis-ters" incorporating a shee-t secu:red on a Eirst sheet to fo:rm a cover or lid. Such b:Llster paclcs are in common use wi-th tablets o:E one kind o.r arlother, bu-t we have diseovered that -they ean also be used w:ith rned.icamen-ts in finely divided so:Lid form or :in :Liqu:id form.
BRIEF SUM~lARY OF T~IE INVENT:CON
According to the present invention a device for adminis-tering medicaments to pa-tients comprises a housing with a cylindrical chamber therein; an air inle-t into the chamber; a support inside the chamber arran~ed to support a carrier provided with a container for medicament or a plurality of containers arranged in a circle; a plunger operable to engage a container registered -therewith to open the container in such a way that air being inhaled by a patient will cause the medicament to be released therefrom; means for rota-ting a carrier on the suppor-t to register the container, or each of them in turn, with the plunger; and communicating with the interior of -the chamber, an outlet through which a patient can inhale whereb~y medicament will be released from a container and entrained in the air flow produced by the patient so as to pass through the outlet. The outlet is conveniently but not essentially a mouthpiece by which a patient can inhale.
To this end, in another of its aspec-ts, the invention provides a pack comprising a circular carrier disc provi.ded wi-th a plurality of containers arranged in a circle and each containing a dose of medicament in particulate form, the containers being openable to permit the medicament -therein to be released.
The device of -the inven-tion is sui-table for adminis-tering a variety of medicamen-ts such as, for example, salbutamol, beclome-thasone dipropionate and disodium cromoglycate.
1 In ano~her oE its aspec-tsl the present invention provides a pack comprising a circular carrier disc which has a plurality of pre-filled, hermetically sealed containers formed integrally therewith and arranged in a circle, each container containing a dose of medicament in the form of a powder free to come into contact with i.nternal walls of the container, the medicament being suitable for inhalation, each container being puncturable to form a hole on each side thereof to allow, in use, air to flow through the container to entrain the powder contained therein.
Each container contains directly a dose of medicament in the form of a powder such that the powder lS free to come into contact with the internal wall' of the container and the container does no-t serve merely as an enclosure to house some other container which in turn contains the powder.
- 3a -~3~
1 BRIEF DESC-~-IPTION OF' T~IE DRA~INGS
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a device according to one embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a de-tailed view of a plunger device of the same device;
Figure 3 is an elevation of another embodiment o E the inven-tion;
Fiyure 4 is an exploded view of the embodiment illustra-ted in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of ye-t ano-ther embodimen-t of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFE~RED E~BO_ MENTS
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a medical adminis-tration device comprises a shallow cylindrical housing 1 of a plastics material which has a cylindrical chamber 2 therein.
The chamber is closed at one end 3, herein considered the bottom of the chamber, and a removable cover 4 is a close fi-t over the chamber at the other end.
A mou-thpiece ou-tle-t 5 projects outwardly from the cyllndrical wall o:E the housing 1 and communicates w:ith -the interior of the chamber 2. A perforated guard not shown, :is provided in -the mouthpiece to preven-t any so:L:id particles of an undesirably large size being inhaled 2S by a patient inhal:ing through the mouthpiece.
A rim or shoulder 6 runs round the inside wall o:E the chamber 2 -to provide an annular support on which a b:Lister pack 7 may be located.
3~
1 The blister pack 7 can con~eniently be ~ foil larninate with a plurality of frangible containers or "blisters" 8 arranged in a circle, The blisters 8 are filled with medicament in par-ticulate form, having a par-ticle size in the range of 0.5 - 10 microns.
The medicament may be with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier such as lactose or starch in par-ticulate orm, Alternatively, the medicament may be in liquid form~
The blister pack is of circular disc form, and is removably fit-ted inside -the chamber so that it is replaceable when the individual doses of medicament contained in the blis-ters have been discharged.
The charnber 2 contains a central open cylindrical support eolurnn 9 upstanding fr~n the bottom wall 3 of the ~! 15 ehamber. A elamp dise memb~r lO is removably fitted inside the chamber 2 and has on its underside a plurality of loeating pegs, not shown, whieh ~ngage inside the support eolumn. The elamp member lO is rotatable inside the ehamber. In use, the elamp member is plaeed on top of a blister paek 7 whieh has already been loaded into the ehamber and ls loeated on the support shoulder 6. The bli,ster paek 7 is preferably a eireular dise of foil laminate material with blisters or eontainers 8.~ The elamp member lO has a plurality of apertures 11 whieh are arranged in a elrele and so spaeecl from eaeh other that eaeh of thern will reeeive one of the blisters 8 of the blister paek 7. A
knob 12 is upstanding frorn the elamp member lO and when the lid 4 is fitted on the housing 1 the knob 12 will projeet through an aperture 13 in the top of the lid 4.
This knob c~n be turned by the pati ent to rotate the clamp member 10 and since the blis-ters 8 o E the blister pack 7 are located in the aper-tures 11 in the clamp plate 10 rotation of the clamp member will also ro-tate the blister 5 pack. A plurality of protuberances or pips 14 are provided on the top of the clamp member 10 and engage in a recess 15, Figure 2, on the underside of the cover 4 to make sure that the clamp plate is correctly aligned in position. As will be seen, the knob 12 is flut:ed to L0 provide openings between the knob and the hole 13 thxough which air can enter the chambex 2 from the outside.
The cover 9 also has an aperture 16 in which a plunger 17 contained in a plunger housing 18 can be received. The plunger has an annular shoulcler 19 and a spring 20 can 15 bear between the shoulder 19 and the bottom of the plunger housing 18 to urge the plunger into an upper or inoperative position. The plunger may be provided with a knife edge 21 or other means to enable the blister to be openedr When the plunger 17 is aepressed against the action of the 20 spring 20, the lower edge portion 21 of the piunger wi] l pass throuyh an aperture 22 in the plunger housing to pass through a blister 8 located in register with the plunger.
Such enyagement will open the blister, and permit the release oE medicarnent therefrom. This action will so 25 open the blister tha-t when a patient inhales air will pass through the blister r the medicamen t being entrained in the alr flow and exitiny through the mouthpiece 5 via a transEer cavity 2 3 inside the charnber in conununication with the mouthpiece 5 . By rota tion of the knob 12 the clamp ~æ~
1 member 10 and the blister pack 7 can be rotated to bring each blister in turn into location beneath the plunger.
The various protuberances or pips 14 will in turn en~age in the recess 15 to make sure that the blister pack is correctly registered with the plunger.
It is not essential that the plunger have a knife 21 to open the blister. If desired a needle can be used to perforate the blister or the plunger ~ay have a pointed end or even a blunt end or any other convenient opening means may be used.
~ he mouthpiece cover can have a lockin~ member 24 which can be engaged with the plunger when the device is not in use to prevent accidental actuation of the plunger.
In use, the patient needing a dose of medicament may hold the device with the mouthpiece in his ~ou ~ The patient then depresses the plunger to open the blister and give access to the medicament therefrom and inhales through the mouthpiece so that the medicament will be entrained in the air flow and will enter the lungs of the patient. If desired, the mouthpiece can be provided with air inlet apertures ~5 to improve the air flow as the patient inhales.
In a ~odification not illustrated the underside~ of the blister pack can be supported on another clamp plate instead of the support rim or shoulder 6.
The blister pack is conveniently arranged to provide a sufficient number of individual doses for a patient for ~3~
1 use during a convenient period such as one day or more.
The housing can be modified by providing an additional chambex, not visible, at the botto~., this additional chamber being closed by a removable cover 26. This additional chamber can be used to store replace~e~t blister packs.
The mouthpiece may, if desired, be arranged so that a patient may use it to inhale through the nose.
A modified device which does not use the clamp member 10 is lllustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The device of this modification comprises a housing 30 having a chamher 31 therein. A mouthpiece 32 projects outwardly frorn the cylindrical wall of the housing 30 in a generally radial direction and communicates with the interior of the chamber 31. A perforated guard 33 is provided at the entranc.e to the mouthpiece 32. A rim or shoulder 34 runs round the inside wall of the ch~mber 31 to provide an annular support for a support member 35 in the form of a circular plate or disc. This support member is arranged to receive a blister pack 36. The blister pack 36 has a plurality of frangible containers 37 arranged in a circular row. These containers are in the form of "blisters" of a generally conical form as clear].y shown in E'igure 4 and contain a medicament as descxibed with reference to Figure 1. The support member 35 has a plurality of holes 38 equal in number to.the number of blisters 37 of the blister pack 36. The conical portion of one blister 37 is located in each of thP holes 38 when the ~3~
1 device is loaded and in use. An external rotatable member 39 with a knurled edge 40 is located in face con-tact with the bottom of the housing 30. A spindle or the like 41 with radial projections 42 extends centrally from the support member 35 through a hole 43 in the bottom of the housiny 30 and into an opening 44 of complementary shape in a spigot 45 of the member 39. The spigot 95 passes through the hole 43 and the spindle 41 and 42 engages in the opening 44 so that rotation of the member 39 will cause similar rotation to the support member 35. A removable cover 46 fits on top of the housing 30. An opening 47 is provided in the cover 46 and engages a projection 48 in the housing 30 so as correctly to locate the cover. The cover 46 carries a bracket 49 on which a lever or trigger 50 is pivotally mounted. A plunger 51 is located on the lever or trigger S0 and extends through a hole 52 in the cover. A spring 53 is provided to bear between the triggex or lever 50 and ,the top of the cover 46 to urg,e'the lever or trigger upward~. .
The hole 52 is so positioned that each hole 38 ln the support me~er 35 w.ill register with this hol.e as the support ~ember 35 is rotated.
~hen one of the holes 38 is in register with the hole 52 the txigyer 50 can be depressed so that its plunger 51, which may be in the form of a needle, will pierce through the blister 37 located in that hole (i.e. pierce the top and g g~2~
1 the bottom of the blister) thereby to permit powder to exit from the blister. Some powder will fall into a tray-like compartment 54 inside the chamber 31. When the pakient inhales, air passes through the pierced blister so that powder will be entrained in the airflow and will, wlth powder Ervm the co~partment 54, he withdrawn through the guard 33 and the mouthpiece 32. When the devlce is not in use, the mouthpiece 32 can be enclosed in a mouthpiece cover or sheath 55 which has a channel-like extension 56 which will engage with the bracket 49 to prevent the plunger 51 being depressed to enter through the hole 37.
When the device is in use and the patient inhales through the mouthpiece 32 it is, of course, essential for air to be able to enter the interior of the chamber 31~
,~
Any suitable air inlets can be provided. Conveniently~
however, air can enter through the hole 52 the plunger or needle 51 being smaller in diamet~r than the diameter of the hole 52 so that it serves as an air inletO
Figu.re 5 illustrates a modi~ied device which can convenienkly be used to administer two difEerent medicaments to a patient at separate times. Treatment of certain patlents does require that they inhale two dif:Eerent kinds of medicament. In the device illustrated in Figure 5, a common housiny 57 contai.ns two chambers equivalent to the chc~mber 2 of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 and 2 or to the chamber 31 - 10 ~
1 of the embodLment illustrated in Figures 3 and ~. These two chambers are enclosed by removable covers 58 and blister packs contained in the chambers can be rotated in the manner previously described by rotation of knurled wheels, knobs or other members 59~ Outlet mouthpieces 60 pxoject outwardly rom the common housing 57, each one o these outlets 60 leading into one of the chambers enclosed by the common housing. Trigger mechanisms 61 axe provided to enable the blisters of the blister packs contained in the chambers to be pierced so that the contents thereof can be inhaled by the patient.
Canadian patent application serial number 433,~78 filed on October 7, 1983.
BACKGROUND OF THE` INVENTION
To this end, in another of its aspects, the invention provides a pack comprising a circular carrier disc provided with a plurality of containers arranged in a circle and each con-taining a dose of medicamen-ts in par-ticulate form, -the containers being openable to permit the medicament therein to be released.
This invention relates to devices by which a medicament can be administered to or by patients inhaling through the devices. The medicaments may be in solid finely divided form or fluid form. Such devices are now ; 15 quite well known for administering medicaments con-tained in capsules to patients suffering from bronchial conditions such as, for example, bronchial asthma. It is well known for medicament in powder or other finely divided form to be supplied in capsules which are loaded by a patient into such a device which is sometimes called an "insufflator".
The medicament is then released from the capsule and inha:Led by -th~ pa-tient, usually through the mouth, bu-t some-times through the nose.
The specifica-tion of PCT Application Publication No. W082/01~70 and U.K. Patent SpeciEica-tion No. 133795~
both describe devices for dispensing medicamen-t in finely divided Eorm from capsules. In each of these previously described devices, the capsules are mounted on a ro-tatable support member on which each capsule in turn can be brought 73~
1 to a position in which it is opened -to enable medicament to exit Erom the capsule to permit it to be inhaled by a patient inhaling -through.a mouthpiece of the device.
In the device described ln U K. Specif:ication No. 138795~, the capsules may be mounted in a so-called blister pack.
There are disadvan-tages in the use of capsules, which are made O:e gelatin, to contaln medieaments. Gelatin is relat:ively uns-table and is lacking in physical streng-th so that -the capsules need to be pro-tected by packaging, for example in ylass bo-ttles. Environmental deyradation of bo-th the capsules and their contents may occur in a rela-tively short -time.
An object of the present invention is to provide a more convenient way oE administeriny medicamen-t to such patients than has been possible hitherto and which avoids the need to pack medicaments in capsules. The device of the presen-t inven-tion makes use of the technique of packing medicaments by loading them in bli.ster packs, that is -to say, packs comprising a shee-t, which may be laminated, of foil or plastics material which acts as a carrier and which is provided witn a number of breakable or openable eontainers called "blis-ters" incorporating a shee-t secu:red on a Eirst sheet to fo:rm a cover or lid. Such b:Llster paclcs are in common use wi-th tablets o:E one kind o.r arlother, bu-t we have diseovered that -they ean also be used w:ith rned.icamen-ts in finely divided so:Lid form or :in :Liqu:id form.
BRIEF SUM~lARY OF T~IE INVENT:CON
According to the present invention a device for adminis-tering medicaments to pa-tients comprises a housing with a cylindrical chamber therein; an air inle-t into the chamber; a support inside the chamber arran~ed to support a carrier provided with a container for medicament or a plurality of containers arranged in a circle; a plunger operable to engage a container registered -therewith to open the container in such a way that air being inhaled by a patient will cause the medicament to be released therefrom; means for rota-ting a carrier on the suppor-t to register the container, or each of them in turn, with the plunger; and communicating with the interior of -the chamber, an outlet through which a patient can inhale whereb~y medicament will be released from a container and entrained in the air flow produced by the patient so as to pass through the outlet. The outlet is conveniently but not essentially a mouthpiece by which a patient can inhale.
To this end, in another of its aspec-ts, the invention provides a pack comprising a circular carrier disc provi.ded wi-th a plurality of containers arranged in a circle and each containing a dose of medicament in particulate form, the containers being openable to permit the medicament -therein to be released.
The device of -the inven-tion is sui-table for adminis-tering a variety of medicamen-ts such as, for example, salbutamol, beclome-thasone dipropionate and disodium cromoglycate.
1 In ano~her oE its aspec-tsl the present invention provides a pack comprising a circular carrier disc which has a plurality of pre-filled, hermetically sealed containers formed integrally therewith and arranged in a circle, each container containing a dose of medicament in the form of a powder free to come into contact with i.nternal walls of the container, the medicament being suitable for inhalation, each container being puncturable to form a hole on each side thereof to allow, in use, air to flow through the container to entrain the powder contained therein.
Each container contains directly a dose of medicament in the form of a powder such that the powder lS free to come into contact with the internal wall' of the container and the container does no-t serve merely as an enclosure to house some other container which in turn contains the powder.
- 3a -~3~
1 BRIEF DESC-~-IPTION OF' T~IE DRA~INGS
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a device according to one embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a de-tailed view of a plunger device of the same device;
Figure 3 is an elevation of another embodiment o E the inven-tion;
Fiyure 4 is an exploded view of the embodiment illustra-ted in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of ye-t ano-ther embodimen-t of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFE~RED E~BO_ MENTS
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a medical adminis-tration device comprises a shallow cylindrical housing 1 of a plastics material which has a cylindrical chamber 2 therein.
The chamber is closed at one end 3, herein considered the bottom of the chamber, and a removable cover 4 is a close fi-t over the chamber at the other end.
A mou-thpiece ou-tle-t 5 projects outwardly from the cyllndrical wall o:E the housing 1 and communicates w:ith -the interior of the chamber 2. A perforated guard not shown, :is provided in -the mouthpiece to preven-t any so:L:id particles of an undesirably large size being inhaled 2S by a patient inhal:ing through the mouthpiece.
A rim or shoulder 6 runs round the inside wall o:E the chamber 2 -to provide an annular support on which a b:Lister pack 7 may be located.
3~
1 The blister pack 7 can con~eniently be ~ foil larninate with a plurality of frangible containers or "blisters" 8 arranged in a circle, The blisters 8 are filled with medicament in par-ticulate form, having a par-ticle size in the range of 0.5 - 10 microns.
The medicament may be with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier such as lactose or starch in par-ticulate orm, Alternatively, the medicament may be in liquid form~
The blister pack is of circular disc form, and is removably fit-ted inside -the chamber so that it is replaceable when the individual doses of medicament contained in the blis-ters have been discharged.
The charnber 2 contains a central open cylindrical support eolurnn 9 upstanding fr~n the bottom wall 3 of the ~! 15 ehamber. A elamp dise memb~r lO is removably fitted inside the chamber 2 and has on its underside a plurality of loeating pegs, not shown, whieh ~ngage inside the support eolumn. The elamp member lO is rotatable inside the ehamber. In use, the elamp member is plaeed on top of a blister paek 7 whieh has already been loaded into the ehamber and ls loeated on the support shoulder 6. The bli,ster paek 7 is preferably a eireular dise of foil laminate material with blisters or eontainers 8.~ The elamp member lO has a plurality of apertures 11 whieh are arranged in a elrele and so spaeecl from eaeh other that eaeh of thern will reeeive one of the blisters 8 of the blister paek 7. A
knob 12 is upstanding frorn the elamp member lO and when the lid 4 is fitted on the housing 1 the knob 12 will projeet through an aperture 13 in the top of the lid 4.
This knob c~n be turned by the pati ent to rotate the clamp member 10 and since the blis-ters 8 o E the blister pack 7 are located in the aper-tures 11 in the clamp plate 10 rotation of the clamp member will also ro-tate the blister 5 pack. A plurality of protuberances or pips 14 are provided on the top of the clamp member 10 and engage in a recess 15, Figure 2, on the underside of the cover 4 to make sure that the clamp plate is correctly aligned in position. As will be seen, the knob 12 is flut:ed to L0 provide openings between the knob and the hole 13 thxough which air can enter the chambex 2 from the outside.
The cover 9 also has an aperture 16 in which a plunger 17 contained in a plunger housing 18 can be received. The plunger has an annular shoulcler 19 and a spring 20 can 15 bear between the shoulder 19 and the bottom of the plunger housing 18 to urge the plunger into an upper or inoperative position. The plunger may be provided with a knife edge 21 or other means to enable the blister to be openedr When the plunger 17 is aepressed against the action of the 20 spring 20, the lower edge portion 21 of the piunger wi] l pass throuyh an aperture 22 in the plunger housing to pass through a blister 8 located in register with the plunger.
Such enyagement will open the blister, and permit the release oE medicarnent therefrom. This action will so 25 open the blister tha-t when a patient inhales air will pass through the blister r the medicamen t being entrained in the alr flow and exitiny through the mouthpiece 5 via a transEer cavity 2 3 inside the charnber in conununication with the mouthpiece 5 . By rota tion of the knob 12 the clamp ~æ~
1 member 10 and the blister pack 7 can be rotated to bring each blister in turn into location beneath the plunger.
The various protuberances or pips 14 will in turn en~age in the recess 15 to make sure that the blister pack is correctly registered with the plunger.
It is not essential that the plunger have a knife 21 to open the blister. If desired a needle can be used to perforate the blister or the plunger ~ay have a pointed end or even a blunt end or any other convenient opening means may be used.
~ he mouthpiece cover can have a lockin~ member 24 which can be engaged with the plunger when the device is not in use to prevent accidental actuation of the plunger.
In use, the patient needing a dose of medicament may hold the device with the mouthpiece in his ~ou ~ The patient then depresses the plunger to open the blister and give access to the medicament therefrom and inhales through the mouthpiece so that the medicament will be entrained in the air flow and will enter the lungs of the patient. If desired, the mouthpiece can be provided with air inlet apertures ~5 to improve the air flow as the patient inhales.
In a ~odification not illustrated the underside~ of the blister pack can be supported on another clamp plate instead of the support rim or shoulder 6.
The blister pack is conveniently arranged to provide a sufficient number of individual doses for a patient for ~3~
1 use during a convenient period such as one day or more.
The housing can be modified by providing an additional chambex, not visible, at the botto~., this additional chamber being closed by a removable cover 26. This additional chamber can be used to store replace~e~t blister packs.
The mouthpiece may, if desired, be arranged so that a patient may use it to inhale through the nose.
A modified device which does not use the clamp member 10 is lllustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The device of this modification comprises a housing 30 having a chamher 31 therein. A mouthpiece 32 projects outwardly frorn the cylindrical wall of the housing 30 in a generally radial direction and communicates with the interior of the chamber 31. A perforated guard 33 is provided at the entranc.e to the mouthpiece 32. A rim or shoulder 34 runs round the inside wall of the ch~mber 31 to provide an annular support for a support member 35 in the form of a circular plate or disc. This support member is arranged to receive a blister pack 36. The blister pack 36 has a plurality of frangible containers 37 arranged in a circular row. These containers are in the form of "blisters" of a generally conical form as clear].y shown in E'igure 4 and contain a medicament as descxibed with reference to Figure 1. The support member 35 has a plurality of holes 38 equal in number to.the number of blisters 37 of the blister pack 36. The conical portion of one blister 37 is located in each of thP holes 38 when the ~3~
1 device is loaded and in use. An external rotatable member 39 with a knurled edge 40 is located in face con-tact with the bottom of the housing 30. A spindle or the like 41 with radial projections 42 extends centrally from the support member 35 through a hole 43 in the bottom of the housiny 30 and into an opening 44 of complementary shape in a spigot 45 of the member 39. The spigot 95 passes through the hole 43 and the spindle 41 and 42 engages in the opening 44 so that rotation of the member 39 will cause similar rotation to the support member 35. A removable cover 46 fits on top of the housing 30. An opening 47 is provided in the cover 46 and engages a projection 48 in the housing 30 so as correctly to locate the cover. The cover 46 carries a bracket 49 on which a lever or trigger 50 is pivotally mounted. A plunger 51 is located on the lever or trigger S0 and extends through a hole 52 in the cover. A spring 53 is provided to bear between the triggex or lever 50 and ,the top of the cover 46 to urg,e'the lever or trigger upward~. .
The hole 52 is so positioned that each hole 38 ln the support me~er 35 w.ill register with this hol.e as the support ~ember 35 is rotated.
~hen one of the holes 38 is in register with the hole 52 the txigyer 50 can be depressed so that its plunger 51, which may be in the form of a needle, will pierce through the blister 37 located in that hole (i.e. pierce the top and g g~2~
1 the bottom of the blister) thereby to permit powder to exit from the blister. Some powder will fall into a tray-like compartment 54 inside the chamber 31. When the pakient inhales, air passes through the pierced blister so that powder will be entrained in the airflow and will, wlth powder Ervm the co~partment 54, he withdrawn through the guard 33 and the mouthpiece 32. When the devlce is not in use, the mouthpiece 32 can be enclosed in a mouthpiece cover or sheath 55 which has a channel-like extension 56 which will engage with the bracket 49 to prevent the plunger 51 being depressed to enter through the hole 37.
When the device is in use and the patient inhales through the mouthpiece 32 it is, of course, essential for air to be able to enter the interior of the chamber 31~
,~
Any suitable air inlets can be provided. Conveniently~
however, air can enter through the hole 52 the plunger or needle 51 being smaller in diamet~r than the diameter of the hole 52 so that it serves as an air inletO
Figu.re 5 illustrates a modi~ied device which can convenienkly be used to administer two difEerent medicaments to a patient at separate times. Treatment of certain patlents does require that they inhale two dif:Eerent kinds of medicament. In the device illustrated in Figure 5, a common housiny 57 contai.ns two chambers equivalent to the chc~mber 2 of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 and 2 or to the chamber 31 - 10 ~
1 of the embodLment illustrated in Figures 3 and ~. These two chambers are enclosed by removable covers 58 and blister packs contained in the chambers can be rotated in the manner previously described by rotation of knurled wheels, knobs or other members 59~ Outlet mouthpieces 60 pxoject outwardly rom the common housing 57, each one o these outlets 60 leading into one of the chambers enclosed by the common housing. Trigger mechanisms 61 axe provided to enable the blisters of the blister packs contained in the chambers to be pierced so that the contents thereof can be inhaled by the patient.
Claims (14)
1. A pack comprising a circular carrier disc which has a plurality of pre-filled, hermetically sealed containers formed integrally therewith and arranged in a circle, each container containing a dose of medicament in the form of a powder free to come into contact with internal walls of the container, the medicament being suitable for inhalation, each container being puncturable to form a hole on each side thereof to allow, in use, air to flow through the container to entrain the powder contained therein.
2. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the containers are generally conical form.
3. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the carrier disc comprises a foil laminate material.
4. A pack as claimed in claim 1 which is in the form of a blister pack and which comprises a first sheet in which are defined a plurality of blisters, and a secured sheet secured to the first sheet to form a lid, the said blisters and the said secured sheet defining the containers between them.
5. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the medicament comprises salbutamol or beclomethasone dipropionate in powder form.
6. A pack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the medicament comprises sodium cromoglycate in powder form.
7. A pack as claimed in claim 5 or 6 in which the particle size of the medicament is substantially in the range 0.5 - 10 microns.
8. A pack as claimed in claim 1 in which the medicament includes a solid pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
9. A pack as claimed in claim 8 in which the carrier is lactose.
10. A pack as claimed in claim 2 wherein the carrier disc comprises a foil laminate material.
11. A pack as claimed in claims 2, 3 or 5 which is in the form of a blister pack and which comprises a first sheet in which are defined a plurality of blisters, and a secured sheet secured to the first sheet to form a lid, the said blisters and the said secured sheet defining the containers between them.
12. A pack as claimed in claims 2, 3 or 8 wherein the medicament comprises salbutamol or beclomethasone dipropionate in powder form.
13. A pack as claimed in claims 2, 3 or 4 wherein the medicament comprises sodium cromoglycate in powder form.
14. A pack as claimed in claims 4, 5 or 6 in which the medicament includes a solid pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000509193A CA1236736A (en) | 1982-10-08 | 1986-05-14 | Device for administering medicament to patients |
Applications Claiming Priority (6)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8228887 | 1982-10-08 | ||
| GB8228887 | 1982-10-08 | ||
| GB838314307A GB8314307D0 (en) | 1983-05-24 | 1983-05-24 | Medical administration devices |
| GB8314307 | 1983-05-24 | ||
| CA000438678A CA1224992A (en) | 1982-10-08 | 1983-10-07 | Device for administering medicament to patients |
| CA000509193A CA1236736A (en) | 1982-10-08 | 1986-05-14 | Device for administering medicament to patients |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1236736A true CA1236736A (en) | 1988-05-17 |
Family
ID=27167384
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000509193A Expired CA1236736A (en) | 1982-10-08 | 1986-05-14 | Device for administering medicament to patients |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1236736A (en) |
-
1986
- 1986-05-14 CA CA000509193A patent/CA1236736A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |