Claims for Patent: 6,170,717

Summary for Patent: 6,170,717

Title:	Valve for aerosol container
Abstract:	Valve for an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a substance in a liquid propellant contained therein. The valve comprises a valve body (1) having at least one orifice (16) to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve. The valve further comprises a ring (18) disposed around the valve body (1), the ring being positioned below the at least one orifice to reduce the volume of suspension that can be accommodated within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is orientated with the valve at the bottom, the ring having at least one portion of reduced axial thickness to provide a trough (19) around the valve body below the at least one orifice.
Inventor(s):	Di Giovanni; Patrick (Le Vaudrueil, FR), Rogerson; Cheryl Vanessa (Essex, GB)
Assignee:	Glaxo Wellcome Inc. (Research Triangle Park, NC)
Application Number:	09/331,801
Patent Claims:	1. A valve for use in an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a drug particles in a liquid propellant contained therein comprising: a valve body; at least one orifice in the valve body to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve; a ring disposed around the valve body and positioned below the at least one orifice, the ring having a trough below the at least one orifice and an annular wall interrupted with a plurality of slots forming a plurality of vanes, wherein, upon shaking of the aerosol container, the suspension flows around the plurality of vanes assisting in dispersion of drug particles in the suspension. 2. A metering valve for use in an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a drug particles in a liquid propellant contained therein comprising: a valve body, at least one orifice in the valve body to allow a quantity of a suspension to pass from a container into a sampling chamber, a ring disposed around the valve body and positioned below the at least one orifice, the ring being capable of reducing the volume of suspension accompanied within the container, the ring having a trough below the at least one orifice and having an annular wall interrupted with a plurality of slots forming a plurality of vanes, wherein, upon shaking of the aerosol container, the suspension flows around the plurality of vanes assisting in dispersion of drug particles in the suspension, a metering chamber, the sampling chamber having an axial length, a transfer passage between the sampling chamber and the metering chamber to transfer a quantity of suspension, a valve stem, and a dispensing passage within the valve stem to disperse a dose of suspension from the metering chamber, wherein the valve stem is slideably movable within the valve body such that in a first position the dispensing passage is isolated from the metering chamber and the metering chamber is in communication with the sampling chamber via the transfer passage, and wherein the valve stem is slideably moveable within the valve body such that in a second position the dispensing passage is in communication with the metering chamber and the transfer passage is isolated from the metering chamber. 3. The metering valve of claim 2, wherein the at least one orifice is at least one slot extending substantially axially. 4. The metering valve of claim 3, wherein the at least one slot extends substantially the axial length of the sampling chamber. 5. The metering valve of claim 3 including more than two slots. 6. The metering valve of claim 2, wherein the ring further includes a seat adapted to accommodate a gasket to seal the container. 7. The metering valve of claim 2 including more than 2 slots and more than 2 vanes. 8. The meting valve of claim 2, wherein the suspension includes a medicament selected from the group consists of analgesics, anginal preparations, antiallergics, antiinfectives, antihistamines, antiinflammatories, antitussives, diuretics, anticholinergics, hormones, xanthines, therapeutic proteins, therapeutic peptides, and combinations thereof in liquified HFA 134a. 9. The metering valve of claim 8, wherein the medicament is fluticasone propionate. 10. A metering valve comprising: a valve body; at least one orifice in the valve body to allow a quantity of a suspension to pass from a container into a sampling chamber, means for reducing the volume of suspension accompanied within the container, an annular wall interrupted with a plurality of slots forming a plurality of means for assisting dispersion of drug particles in the suspension, a metering chamber, the sampling chamber having an axial length, a transfer passage between the sampling chamber and the metering chamber to transfer a quantity of suspension, a valve stem, and a dispensing passage within the valve stem to dispense a dose of suspension from the metering chamber, wherein the valve stem is slibeably moveable within the valve body such that in a first position the dispensing passage is isolated from the metering chamber and the metering chamber is in communication with the sampling chamber via the transfer passage, and wherein the valve stem is slideably moveable within the valve body such that in a second position the dispensing passage is in communication with the metering chamber and the transfer passage is isolated from the metering chamber. 11. The metering valve of claim 2, wherein the ring is further capable of reducing the volume of suspension accompanied within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is oriented with the valve at the bottom, wherein the trough is circumferential around the valve body, and wherein the trough is provided by a portion of reduced axial thickness in the ring below the at least one orifice.