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Last Updated: March 29, 2024

Details for Patent: 6,805,116


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Title: Inhalation device
Abstract:An actuator for an inhaler for administering medicament by inhalation, comprising: a main body (102) comprising an elongate tubular member (108) for receiving a canister (107) containing medicament and having a valve stem (111) extending therefrom, the tubular member (108) including a lateral opening (114) at one end thereof; and an outlet assembly (104) comprising a mouthpiece for guiding medicament to the mouth of a user and a nozzle block (120) for receiving the valve stem (111) of the canister (107) and delivering medicament from the canister (107) into the mouthpiece, the outlet assembly (104) being detachably mounted, through the lateral opening (114), to the main body (102) at an angle transverse to the length of the tubular member (108); characterized in that one of the main body (102) and the outlet assembly (104) further comprises at least one resiliently biased member, which is configured to engage with at least one part of the other of the main body (102) and the outlet assembly (104) and thereby hold the outlet assembly (104) to the main body (102), and at least one release component which in use is acted upon to enable release of the outlet assembly (104) from the main body (102).
Inventor(s): Hodson; Darren (Shropshire, GB), Rasmussen; J.o slashed.rgen (Struer, DK)
Assignee: AstraZeneca AB (Sodertalje, SE)
Filing Date:Jan 06, 2003
Application Number:10/336,757
Claims:1. An actuator for an inhaler for administering medicament by inhalation, comprising: a main body comprising an elongate tubular member for receiving a canister containing medicament and having a valve stem extending therefrom, the tubular member including a lateral opening at one end thereof; and an outlet assembly comprising a mouthpiece for guiding medicament to the mouth of a user and a nozzle block for receiving the valve stem of the canister and delivering medicament from the canister when present into the mouthpiece, the outlet assembly being detachably mounted, through the lateral opening, to the main body at an angle transverse to the length of the tubular member; wherein one of the main body and the outlet assembly further comprises at least one resiliently biased member, which is configured to engage with at least one part of the other of the main body and the outlet assembly and thereby hold the outlet assembly to the main body, and at least one release component which in use is acted upon to enable release of the outlet assembly from the main body.

2. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the tubular member includes a further opening at the other end thereof through which a canister is in use fitted.

3. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises a foot at the one end of the tubular member which is configured such that, with a canister fitted therein, the actuator will stand unsupported with the tubular member extending generally vertically.

4. The actuator according to claim 3, wherein a bottom surface of the foot includes a recess for receiving a thumb or a finger of a user.

5. The actuator according to claim 4, wherein the recess is concave.

6. The actuator according to claim 3, wherein a bottom surface of the foot is flat.

7. The actuator according to any of claims 1, wherein the main body and the outlet assembly are composed of materials having different constitution.

8. The actuator according to claim 7, wherein the main body and the outlet assembly are of different colour.

9. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the outlet assembly is formed as a single integral moulding.

10. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle block includes a bore having an opening for receiving the valve stem of a canister and a spray orifice configured to direct a spray into the mouthpiece.

11. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the outlet assembly comprises first and second resiliently-biased arms which each support a catch member and the main body comprises first and second projections which extend inwardly from an inner surface thereof, the catch members on the first and second arms and the projections on the main body being arranged to engage one another when the outlet assembly is inserted fully into the main body.

12. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein the first and second arms are radially opposed.

13. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein the first and second arms extend rearwardly.

14. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein the outlet assembly further comprises a further resiliently-biased arm which extends at an angle downwardly from the nozzle block, the distal end of the further arm including a catch member which, when the outlet assembly is inserted fully into the main body, engages behind a part of the tubular member defining the lateral opening.

15. The actuator according to claim 14, wherein the further arm extends forwardly.

16. The actuator according to claim 14, wherein the at least one release component further comprises a projection which extends downwardly from the further arm.

17. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein the outlet assembly further comprises a second further resiliently-biased arm which supports a catch member which, when the outlet assembly is inserted fully into the main body, engages behind a part of the tubular member defining the lateral opening.

18. The actuator according to claim 17, wherein the second further arm extends rearwardly.

19. The actuator according to any of claim 1, wherein the main body includes at least one opening for accessing the at least one release component.

20. The actuator according to claim 19, wherein the at least one opening is provided in the foot of the main body.

21. The actuator according to claim 19, wherein the at least one release component comprises a part which extends into or through the at least one opening.

22. The actuator according to claim 21, wherein the at least one release component comprises first and second projections disposed on an interconnecting element which interconnects the catch members on the first and second arms such that when the projections on the interconnecting element are acted upon the catch members on the first and second arms are disengaged from the respective projections on the main body so as to allow withdrawal of the outlet assembly from the main body.

23. An inhaler comprising the actuator according to claim 1 and a canister containing medicament.

24. The inhaler according to claim 23, wherein the inhaler is a pressurised metered dose inhaler.

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