JP2003530164A - Mouthpiece for granule inhaler - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Object] To provide a mouthpiece for decomposing a mass of granules without increasing inhalation resistance during use, which is used for an inhaler for granules. A mouthpiece (11) for use in a granule inhaler (10) has an inlet (13) and an outlet (14) for the granule, and extends across the mouthpiece (11) body. A plurality of wing-shaped members (16) are provided, which are arranged alternately so that the mass of the granule sometimes is disassembled when passing through the mouthpiece (11), and the wing-shaped member (16) is arranged in the traveling direction of the granule. Along the length of the wing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to granule inhalers, and in particular to mouthpieces for use in such inhalers, which are provided with means for ensuring that the size of airborne granules is minimized.

[0002]

[Prior art]

Conventional inhaler mouthpieces have used various means for dispersing granules inhaled by the patient. Examples of such means include the use of staggered blades, sieves, baffles, filters and the like.

In particular, as disclosed in EP 0237507, it is known to provide one or more deflectable members immovably fixed inside the mouthpiece of an inhaler. Due to the narrow cross section, the air flow is accelerated near the deflecting member. This air flow is centripetally accelerated and the particles or agglomerates of the granules collide with each other or collide with the wall of the deflecting member and are decomposed into finer particles.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

A major drawback of such a configuration is that the narrowed mouthpiece reduces the area through which air flows, which increases inhalation resistance and makes it more difficult for patients with respiratory illness to take the correct dose of medication. Is to be.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a mouthpiece for decomposing a lump of granules without increasing inhalation resistance at the time of use, and a mouthpiece for use in an inhaler for granules. To do.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a mouthpiece for an inhaler for granules, the mouthpiece body having an inlet and an outlet for the granule, and the mouthpiece. A plurality of wing-shaped members extending transversely to the piece body and arranged in a staggered manner so that the mass of granule drug in use is decomposed as it passes through the mouthpiece; (EN) Provided is a mouthpiece having a wing shape having a long cross section along the traveling direction of the medicine.

The mass of granules collides with the surface of at least one of the blade-shaped members to promote decomposition. Alternatively, some of the granules collide with the wall of the mouthpiece or another mass of granules to change direction. In addition, the shearing action of the air passing around the granule mass also causes the mass to break up.

It is preferable that the wing-shaped member has a shape in which both or one of the leading edge and the trailing edge is sharp. As a result, no or little granules adhere to the leading edge or trailing edge. I also experimented with a wing-shaped member having a round cross-sectional shape, but a static region of air flow was created around the wing-shaped member, and a considerable amount of granule drug adhered to the leading edge and the trailing edge of the wing-shaped member. Was found to exist. A further disadvantage of airfoil-shaped members with a round cross-section is that they are poorly aerodynamically influenced and affect the suction resistance. Therefore, the long wing-shaped member according to the invention provides the optimum solution.

The wing-shaped member is preferably arranged such that its major axis is parallel to the traveling direction of the air passing through the mouthpiece.

[0010]   The blade-shaped members are arranged in several rows from the inlet to the outlet.

Preferably, the major axes of the cross sections of adjacent airfoil members in the same row are 1.5-2.5 mm in a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the leading and trailing edges of the airfoil members,
More preferably, they are separated by 1.8 to 2.2 mm. The major axis dimension of the cross section of the blade-shaped member is 3.8 to 4.8 mm, preferably 4.1 to 4.5 mm.

The short axis of the cross section of the blade-shaped members in adjacent rows has a length of 4 to 5 m in the direction of air flow.
m apart, preferably 4.5 mm apart. The short axis dimension of the cross section of the blade-shaped member is 0.6 to 1.2 mm, preferably 0.9 mm.

[0013] Preferably, the granule-deflecting member projects from the inner wall surface of the mouthpiece and functions as an additional wing-shaped member. The provision of these granule deflecting members ensures that the air flow through the granule mouthpiece is redirected so that there is no linear flow.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inhaler 10 is provided with a mouthpiece 11 having a passage 12 formed therein, and when used, a granule drug (not shown) entrained in the flow of air is passed through the passage 12 Is aspirated while passing through. The passage 12 has an inlet 13 and an outlet 14. Mouthpiece 11
The inlet 13 is connected to the supply pipe 15. The granules are sucked while passing through the supply pipe 15. A plurality of airfoil-shaped members 16 are provided across the passage 12. The blade-shaped members 16 are arranged alternately. This is the arrow 17 in FIG.
This is because the air flow takes a meandering path from the inlet 13 to the outlet 14 of the mouthpiece 11, as shown in FIG. The airfoil-shaped member 16 has an elongated cross section in the direction of air flow, and further has a sharpened leading edge 18 and trailing edge 19.

FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the blade-shaped member 16. Granule deflecting members 20 are provided on the upper and lower portions (in FIG. 3) of the mouthpiece 11. The granule deflecting member 20 has a shape obtained by cutting the wing-shaped member 16 in half, and has an outer surface having the same shape as the wing-shaped member 16.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mouthpiece 11 cut in half. As can be seen from this figure, the wing-shaped member 16 and the granule-deflecting member 20 extend from the inner wall surface of the mouthpiece 11 and are in contact with the corresponding inner wall surface of the other half (not shown). With such an arrangement, all granules are diverted by the surface of either the wing-shaped member 16 or the granule-deflecting member 20 and the flow of granules is disrupted by the time it enters the inlet 13 and reaches the outlet 14. There is no.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a part of an inhaler having a mouthpiece according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] It is a perspective view which shows arrangement | positioning of the blade-shaped member by embodiment of this invention.

[Figure 3] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a mouthpiece according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 4] It is a perspective view which shows the mouthpiece cut in half.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Inhaler 11 mouthpiece 12 passages 13 entrance 14 exit 15 Supply pipe 16 Wing-shaped member 17 arrows 18 Tip edge 19 rear edge 20 Granule deflection member

[Procedure for Amendment] Submission for translation of Article 34 Amendment of Patent Cooperation Treaty

[Submission Date] June 13, 2002 (2002.6.13)

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

[Claims]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0003

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

In particular, as disclosed in EP 0237507, it is known to provide one or more deflectable members immovably fixed inside the mouthpiece of an inhaler. Due to the narrow cross section, the air flow is accelerated near the deflecting member. This air flow is centripetally accelerated and the particles or agglomerates of the granules collide with each other or collide with the wall of the deflecting member and are decomposed into finer particles. WO 97/25086, powder inhalers are listed having a series of baffles for directing the flow of air carrying the granular agent. This air flow flows along the one surface of each baffle is redirected inside the conduit strikes the next baffle.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0004

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

[0004]

A major drawback of the structure described in EP 0237507 is that the narrowed shape of the mouthpiece reduces the area through which air passes, which increases inhalation resistance and respiratory diseases. It is more difficult for patients to take the correct dose of drug. Further, Oite the powder inhaler described in WO 97/25086, by the direction of air flow is changed, the flow rate of granules agent reduced intake resistance increases.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a mouthpiece for an inhaler for granules, the mouthpiece body having an inlet and an outlet for the granule, and the mouthpiece. A plurality of wing-shaped members extending transversely to the piece body and arranged in a staggered manner so that the mass of granule drug in use is decomposed as it passes through the mouthpiece; a wing shape the elongate cross-section along the traveling direction of the medicine, is disposed over the inlet or al outlet, granules agent provides a mouthpiece you characterized by passing around the time of use.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0009

[Correction method] Change

[Contents of correction]

The wing-shaped member is preferably arranged such that the long axis of its cross section is parallel to the traveling direction of the air passing through the mouthpiece.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (81) Designated countries EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, I T, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE, TR), OA (BF , BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, G M, KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ , UG, ZW), EA (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, B Z, CA, CH, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE , DK, DM, DZ, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, I S, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK , LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ, NO, NZ, PL, P T, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL , TJ, TM, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW (72) Inventor Morton, David, Alexander,             Bodden             Bath, USA 24 cu             Earl, Beechen Cliff Road,             Linthree House, Second Floor             Flat (no address) (72) Inventor Stani Force, John, Nicholas             Bath, UK 2 2 a             Tea, Bloomfield Road             Address 170, High Trees

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A mouthpiece for use in an inhaler for granules, comprising a mouthpiece body having an inlet and an outlet for the granule, and a mass of the granule in use that extends across the mouthpiece body. The wing-shaped member has a plurality of wing-shaped members arranged alternately so as to be decomposed when passing through the mouthpiece, and the wing-shaped member has a wing shape having a long cross section along the traveling direction of the granular drug. A mouthpiece. 2. The mouthpiece according to claim 1, wherein the wing-shaped member has a leading edge and a trailing edge, and both or one of them has a sharp shape. 3. The mouthpiece according to claim 1, wherein the wing-shaped members are arranged in a plurality of rows from the inlet to the outlet. 4. The mouthpiece according to claim 1, wherein a major axis of a cross section of the wing-shaped member is parallel to a flow of air passing through the mouthpiece. 5. The major axis of the cross section of the adjacent blade-shaped members in the same row has a length of 1.5 to 2.5 m in a direction perpendicular to a plane including the leading edge and the trailing edge of the blade-shaped members.
The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mouthpieces are separated from each other by m. 6. The mouthpiece according to claim 5, wherein the major axes of the wing-shaped members are separated by 1.8 to 2.2 mm. 7. The mouthpiece according to claim 1, wherein the wing-shaped member has a major axis dimension of 3.8 to 4.8 mm. 8. The mouthpiece according to claim 7, wherein the wing-shaped member has a major axis dimension of 4.1 to 4.5 mm. 9. The short axis of the cross section of the blade-shaped members of two adjacent rows is separated by 4 to 5 mm in the direction of air flow. Mouthpiece. 10. The mouthpiece of claim 9, wherein the minor axes of the wing-shaped members are separated by 4.5 mm. 11. The mouthpiece according to claim 1, wherein the wing-shaped member has a minor axis dimension of 0.6 to 1.2 mm. 12. The mouthpiece according to claim 11, wherein the wing-shaped member has a minor axis dimension of 0.9 mm. 13. The mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein a granule deflecting member is provided on an inner wall surface of the mouthpiece. 14. A method for dispersing granules using the mouthpiece according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the granules collide with the wing-shaped member one or more times, or the granules contain the mouthpiece. Of the granule mass for one or more of the following reasons: it collides with the inner wall surface of the granules, the particles of the granules collide with each other, or the shearing action of the air passing around the mass of the granule. A method for dispersing granules, characterized in that degradation is caused.