Portable gas operating inhaler

a gas inhaler and portable technology, applied in the field of gas inhalers, can solve the problems of reducing the quantity of sensitive therapeutic molecules available for absorption into the blood in their original form, unable to use needles or needleless methods, and unable to administer drugs transdermally, so as to reduce the overall cost of the device and limit the overall cost

US20050121025A1Inactive Publication Date: 2005-06-09PRAXAIR TECH INC
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2005-06-09
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

The invention relates to an inhaler comprising a compressed gas, such as Heliox gas in a first chamber which is in communication with an equalization chamber having pressure lower than the pressure of the gas in the first compressed chamber and having a drug storage chamber which is detachably coupled to the equalization chamber operable such that a portion of the compressed gas from the equalization chamber fluidizes and aerosolizes the drug to produce a drug cloud and which can then be injected into a spacer where it can be inhaled by a user.
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Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inhalers used to administer a drug to a patient through the patient's lungs and, more particularly, to an improved gas inhaler. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Definitions

[0002] As used herein, “Heliox” is defined as a gas mixture of helium and oxygen whose physical properties are summarized in Table 1 depending on the concentration of Helium. TABLE 1Physical properties of Heliox at 273 K,1 atmosphere.Percentage of Helium020406080100Density (g / L)1.4291.1790.9290.6790.4290.179Viscosity (μP)204201.2198.4195.6192.8190Kinematic14.317.121.428.844.9106.1Viscosity(μm2 · s−1)

[0003] As used herein, “ambient air” is defined as that air which normally exists around us which is either inhaled and exhaled from the environment, or, pumped into a mechanical hand held device from the environment and then inhaled.

[0004] As used herein, “aerosolization” is primarily defined as the generation and then breakup of a liquid sheet into p...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

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[0127] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an inhaler 30 in accordance with the invention. Inhaler 30 comprises a high pressure chamber 32 coupled to an equalization chamber 34. High pressure chamber 32 is a small, cold rolled, low carbon steel container containing gas 52 compressed to a pressure between about 30 psig and about 1600 psig, preferably between 100 psig and about 500 psig. Gas 52 is a gas preferably containing from 0% to 100% of helium, the balance if needed being oxygen. Other compressed gases could also be used. It is preferred that the gas that is used be a dry gas. The high pressure storage allows Heliox to be stored in a container preferably 10 cc to 100 cc in volume but still provide sufficient gas for a large number of inhalations. For example, 100 cc of Heliox at 200 atmosphere will expend 200 times in volume to a volume of 20 liters when the gas is released to atmospheric pressure.

[0128] To provide Heliox at a constant pressure, the storage pressure in chambe...