Patent · US Expired

Inhaler

US5797391A · kind A · utility

78Cited by
4References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 28, 1993
Grant dateAug 25, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 28, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61M2205/0233
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An inhaler for powdered medicament in capsules has a swirling chamber which can be opened to allow access of a closed capsule into the swirling chamber for operation of capsule-opening means in the swirling chamber. Access to the swirling chamber is gained by a pivoting cover member (22) which is provided with interlock means associated with the capsule-opening means to ensure that the capsule opening means cannot be operated while the cover member is in its open position to allow access of the user's finger to the region (28) of the swirling chamber (26,28) where the capsule-opening pins (30) could damage the user's finger. A further embodiment of an inhaler has a removable capsule reservoir having a container portion (74) with a closure (76) removable to reveal the interior of said reservoir and closable to define one entire side face of said reservoir, the closure member (76) being hinged to the container portion at thin film hinge (78). The capsule container is closed by a sliding cover (16) held to the container (74) for sliding movement along a second face of the closure reservoir opposite said first face defined by the closure (76).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.