Methods and systems for supplying aerosolization devices with liquid medicaments

Abstract

A method is described for supplying a metered amount of a liquid medicament to an aerosolizing device. The method utilizes a dispenser comprising an elongate dispenser body having a proximal end and a tip at a distal end through which a liquid medicament is dispensed. The dispenser further comprises a dispensing mechanism that operates to dispense a metered quantity of the liquid medicament from the tip each time the dispenser body is compressed. The dispenser is grasped with one hand such that the fingers wrap around the dispenser body, with the thumb closest to the proximal end and the last finger closest to the tip. The tip is inserted into an opening of an inhaler and the elongate body is forced toward the tip to cause the dispenser body to compress, thereby operating the dispensing mechanism and causing a metered quantity of the liquid medicament to eject into the inhaler.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a nonprovisional application claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 624,531, filed Apr. 16, 2012, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Various types of inhalers exist for aerosolizing liquids. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,550, incorporated herein by reference, describes an inhaler that comprises a dispensing apparatus in which a membrane with tapered apertures is vibrated such that liquid in contact with a rear face of the membrane is dispensed from a front face of the membrane as an aerosol. Other examples of single dose inhaler systems and medicaments that may be aerosolized are described in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2011 / 0168172 and 2001 / 0168170, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.[0003]One aspect of such inhalers is the need to supply a metered amount of liquid medicament to the dispensing apparat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]The dispenser may be repeatedly compressed to dispense multiple metered quantities of the liquid medicament into the chamber. Further, the tip may include one or more alignment features that assist to keep the dispenser generally perpendicular to the housing while dispensing the liquid medicament so that it may be aerosolized.

Problems solved by technology

However, delivering a known quantity of a liquid medicament (that typically must be stored in a sterile environment) has proven to be challenging, particularly when the metered quantity needs to be dispensed in a controlled and repeatable fashion.

Images