Claims for Patent: 8,347,879

Summary for Patent: 8,347,879

Title:	Fluid dispensing device
Abstract:	A fluid dispensing device is disclosed having a housing and a fluid discharge device. The fluid discharge device is arranged to be actuated by one or more levers so as to apply a force transversely to the fluid discharge device which is used to move a container forming part of the fluid discharge device along a longitudinal axis of the fluid discharge device to cause actuation of a pump forming part of the fluid discharge device. A pre-load means is used to prevent actuation of the pump until a pre-determined force is applied to each lever of sufficient magnitude to guarantee the production of a well developed efficient spray from the fluid dispensing device.
Inventor(s):	Davies; Michael Birsha (Ware, GB), Godfrey; James W. (Ware, GB)
Assignee:	Glaxo Group Limited (Greenford, Middlesex, GB)
Application Number:	10/513,201
Patent Claims:	1. A fluid dispensing device for spraying a fluid into a body cavity comprising a housing, a nozzle at an upper end of the device for insertion into a body cavity, a fluid discharge device moveably housed within the housing, the fluid discharge device having a longitudinal axis and comprising a container for storing the fluid to be dispensed and a compression pump having a suction inlet located within the container and a discharge tube extending along the longitudinal axis for transferring fluid from the pump to the nozzle and at least one finger-operable lever pivotally supported at a lower end thereof on the housing so as to be pivotable into the housing, transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fluid discharge device, from a rest position to an actuated position to apply a force to an actuating member connected to a neck of the container to cause the container to move upwards along the longitudinal axis towards the nozzle so as to actuate the compression pump, wherein a pre-load is formed between the at least one lever and the actuating member to prevent pivoting of the at least one lever from the rest position to the actuated position for actuation of the compression pump until a predetermined force is applied to the at least one lever, wherein the actuating member and the at least one lever have surfaces which slidingly interact when the at least one lever pivots from the rest position to the actuated position to cause the container to move upwards along the longitudinal axis, wherein the pre-load is formed by one of the surfaces having first and second surface portions on which the other surface successively slides as the at least one lever pivots from the rest position to the actuated position, and wherein the first surface portion is steeper than the second surface portion. 2. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said container contains a volume of fluid medicament formulation. 3. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fluid medicament formulation is in the form of a solution formulation. 4. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fluid medicament formulation is in the form of a suspension formulation. 5. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fluid medicament formulation comprises an anti-inflammatory medicament compound. 6. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said medicament compound is a glucocorticoid compound. 7. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said glucocorticoid compound is selected from the group consisting of 6.alpha., 9.alpha.-Difluoro-17.alpha.-(1-oxopropoxy)-11.beta.-hydroxy-16.- alpha.-methyl-3-oxo-androsta-1,4-diene-17.beta.-carbothioic acid S-fluoromethyl ester; 6.alpha., 9.alpha.-difluoro-17.alpha.-[(2-furanylcarbonyl)oxy]-11.beta.-hydroxy-16.- alpha.-methyl-3-oxo-androsta-1,4-diene-17.beta.-carbothioic acid S-fluoromethyl ester; and 6.alpha., 9.alpha.-Difluoro-11.beta.-hydroxy-16.alpha.-methyl-17.alpha.-[(4-methyl-- 1,3-thiazole-5-carbonyl)oxy]-3-oxo-androsta-1,4-diene-17.beta.-carbothioic acid S-fluoromethyl ester. 8. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fluid medicament formulation comprises a medicament compound selected from the group consisting of PDE4 inhibitors, leukotriene antagonists, iNOS inhibitors, tryptase and elastase inhibitors, beta-2 integrin antagonists and adenosine 2a agonists. 9. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating member is connected to the container neck by a collar. 10. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating member and the housing comprising mating guides for guiding longitudinal movement of the container during actuation. 11. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first surface portion is inclined at a lesser angle to the longitudinal axis than the second surface portion. 12. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 configured as a nasal inhaler. 13. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the surface of the actuating member has the first and second surface portions. 14. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one lever is repeatedly movable between the rest and actuated positions for repeated actuation of the compression pump. 15. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle is aligned with the longitudinal axis. 16. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the nozzle is disposed on the housing. 17. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of the at least one lever is spaced upwardly from its pivot point. 18. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the surface of the at least one lever is provided at an upper end of the at least one lever. 19. An actuating system for a fluid dispensing device for dispensing a fluid from a dispensing container, the system comprising: an actuating member for connection to a neck of the dispensing container, a housing having an upper end and an axis, wherein the housing is adapted to house the dispensing container for movement along said axis, and at least one finger-operable lever pivotally mounted at a lower end thereof on the housing so as to be pivotable into the housing, transversely with respect to the axis, from a rest position to an actuated position to apply a force to the actuating member, when the dispensing container is present in the housing with the actuating member connected to the neck, to move the dispensing container upwards along the axis so as to cause dispensing of fluid from the dispensing container, wherein a pre-load is formed between the at least one lever and the actuating member to prevent pivoting of the at least one lever from the rest position to the actuated position and dispensing from the dispensing container until a pre-determined force is applied to the at least one lever, wherein the actuating member and the at least one lever have surfaces which are adapted in use to slidingly interact when the at least one lever pivots from the rest position to the actuated position to move the dispensing container upwards along the axis, wherein the pre-load is formed by one of the surfaces having first and second surface portions on which the other surface is adapted in use to successively slide as the at least one lever pivots from the rest position to the actuated position, and wherein the first surface portion is steeper than the second surface portion. 20. An actuating system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first surface portion is inclined at a lesser angle to the axis than the second surface portion. 21. An actuating system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the surface of the actuating member has the first and second surface portions. 22. An actuating system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one lever is repeatedly movable between the rest and actuated positions for repeated actuation of the dispensing container. 23. An actuating system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the surface of the at least one lever is spaced upwardly from its pivot point. 24. An actuating system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the surface of the at least one lever is provided at an upper end of the at least one lever. 25. An actuating system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the housing further has a nozzle for insertion into a body cavity. 26. An actuating system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the body cavity is a human nostril. 27. An actuating system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the nozzle is disposed on the upper end of the housing 28. An actuating system as claimed in claim 25 wherein the nozzle is aligned with the axis. 29. A fluid dispensing device comprising an actuating system as claimed in claim 19 and further comprising the dispensing container mounted in the housing with the actuating member connected to a neck of the dispensing container. 30. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the dispensing container comprises a pump which is actuated when the dispensing container is moved upwards along the axis. 31. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the dispensing container has a longitudinal axis which extends parallel to the axis. 32. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the dispensing container is compressed when it moves upwardly along the axis to dispense fluid therefrom. 33. A fluid dispensing device for dispensing a fluid from a dispensing container comprising: a housing having an upper end, a dispensing container movably housed in the housing for movement along a longitudinal axis of the dispensing container, and at least one finger-operable lever pivotally mounted at a lower end thereof on the housing so as to be pivotable into the housing, transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis, from a rest position to an actuated position to apply a force to the dispensing container to move the dispensing container upwardly along the longitudinal axis so as to cause dispensing of fluid from the dispensing container, wherein a pre-load is formed between the at least one lever and the dispensing container to prevent pivoting of the at least one lever from the rest position to the actuated position and dispensing from the dispensing container until a pre-determined force is applied to the at least one lever, wherein the dispensing container and the at least one lever have surfaces which are adapted to slidingly interact when the at least one lever pivots from the rest position to the actuated position to move the dispensing container upwards along the longitudinal axis, wherein the pre-load is formed by one of the surfaces having first and second surface portions on which the other surface is adapted to successively slide as the at least one lever pivots from the rest position to the actuated position, and wherein the first surface portion is steeper than the second surface portion. 34. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the surface of the dispensing container is presented by an actuating member connected to a neck of the dispensing container. 35. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the first surface portion is inclined at a lesser angle to the axis than the second surface portion. 36. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 34, wherein the surface of the actuating member has the first and second surface portions. 37. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the at least one lever is repeatedly movable between the rest and actuated positions for repeated actuation of the dispensing container. 38. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the surface of the at least one lever is spaced upwardly from its pivot point. 39. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the surface of the at least one lever is provided at an upper end of the at least one lever. 40. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the housing further has a nozzle for insertion into a body cavity. 41. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the body cavity is a human nostril. 42. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 40, wherein the nozzle is disposed on the upper end of the housing. 43. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the dispensing container comprises a pump which is actuated when the dispensing container is moved upwards along the axis. 44. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the dispensing container is compressed when it is moved upwardly along the axis to dispense fluid therefrom. 45. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 42, wherein the nozzle is aligned with the longitudinal axis.