Claims for Patent: 4,524,769

Summary for Patent: 4,524,769

Title:	Dosage inhalator
Abstract:	A powder inhalator which is activated by the air flow generated at inhalation and which is intended for inhalation of solid pharmacologically active compound in micronized form, said inhalator comprising a nozzle 2, an air conduit 6, a dosing unit 10 comprising a storage chamber 5 for the active compound and dosing means 8, and a maneuvering unit 1, characterized in that the dosing unit 10 comprises a storage chamber 5 for the active compound, a perforated membrane 4, a holder 9 for the said perforated membrane, and dosing means 8 for introducing active compound into the perforations in the perforated membrane 4, whereby means are arranged for displacing the membrane 4 in relation to the dosing means 8, whereby in a first position solid active compound in micronized form is introduced into the perforations in part of the area of the membrane 4 and in a second position the said part of the membrane 4 is inserted in the air conduit 6 for the air to be inhaled.
Inventor(s):	Wetterlin; Kjell I. L. (S Sandby, SE)
Assignee:	Aktiebolaget Draco (Lund, SE)
Application Number:	06/389,213
Patent Claims:	1. A dosage inhalator for dispensing to a patient a micronized solid, pharmacologically active compound in dry powdered form having a particle size of less than 5 micrometers suspended in a gas, comprising: a nozzle; a conduit connected to the nozzle; a storage chamber adjacent said conduit for storing said active compound to be dispensed by said inhalator; a perforated membrane having a plurality of preselected perforated portions each holding and dispensing a reproducible unit dose of less than 50 mg. of said micronized compound, said membrane being mounted for movement between said conduit and said storage chamber so that one of said preselected portions is positioned across said conduit whereby the active compound held in the perforation thereof can be dispensed into the conduit and another of said preselected portions thereof is disposed within said storage chamber; dose loading means for introducing said active compound in the storage chamber into the perforation of the preselected portion of said membrane disposed within the storage chamber; and maneuvering means for displacing the perforated membrane through a plurality of positions whereby successive preselected portions of the perforated membrane holding the active compound are positioned across said conduit for dispensing the active compound. 2. A dosage inhalator according to claim 1, wherein the perforated membrane is mounted for rotation. 3. A dosage inhalator according to claim 2, wherein the dose loading means includes a scraper and a spring urging the scraper against the perforated membrane, the scraper and the spring being arranged in the storage chamber. 4. A dosage inhalator according to claim 2, wherein the dose loading means includes a scraper and the maneuvering means includes a spring urging the perforated membrane against the scraper. 5. A dosage inhalator according to claim 2, 3, or 4, wherein each perforation has a frustoconical shape with a larger end and a smaller end, the larger end being located closer to the nozzle. 6. A dosage inhalator according to claim 5 wherein each preselected portion of the membrane has a plurality of perforations of substantially the same size therein for holding and dispensing a share of the reproducible dose dispensed by said preselected portion. 7. A dosage inhalator according to claim 1, further comprising an active compound stored in the storage chamber, the active compound being terbutaline. 8. A dosage inhalator according to claim 1, further comprising an active compound stored in the storage chamber, the active compound being budesonide. 9. A dosage inhalator according to claim 1 wherein the unit dose of the active compound held and dispensed by each preselected perforated portion of the membrane is in the range of about 0.1 mg. to 5 mg. 10. A dosage inhaler for administering a micronized pharmacologically active substance to a patient comprising: a gas conduit means through which gas passes for carrying said micronized substance to be administered; a membrane having a plurality of preselected perforated portions each adapted to hold and dispense a reproducible unit dose of less than 50 mg of said active substance, in dry powder form, having a particle size of less than 5 micrometers, which membrane is movably connected to said gas conduit means so that one of said preselected portions can be positioned within said gas conduit means to dispense substance held in said preselected portion and the remaining preselected portion can be in a position external to said gas conduit means to receive said active substance, said membrane being movable through a plurality of positions whereby each preselected portion of the membrane can be successively positioned within said gas conduit to dispense the unit dose of the active substance held therein and whereby each preselected portion from which said active substance has been dispensed can be moved to said external position to receive active substance. 11. A dosage inhaler according to claim 10 wherein said portions of the perforated membrane are each adapted to hold and dispense a dose of said active substance in the range of about 0.1 mg. to 5 mg. 12. A dosage inhalator according to claim 10 wherein each of said preselected portions of the membrane has a plurality of perforations of substantially the same size therein, each such perforation being adapted to hold and dispense a share of the reproducible dose dispensed by said preselected portion.