Inhaler

Abstract

Stop function of an inhaler, characterized in that a spring (5) integrated into an inhaler housing body base (2) with a positive locking lug (4) engages in a substance carrier (1) after use of all active ingredient cavities and blocks the substance carrier (1).

Description

The present invention relates to an inhaler having one or more substance carriers. At the end of use of the inhaler, the end of life must be clearly signaled to the patient. After the use of the last dose, the number zero of the counting ring of the inhaler is visualized after the last dose has been taken. In addition, the function of clocking the sub-dance carrier and the actuating element (outercase) is to be blocked. In this case, by engaging a spring injection-molded from plastic with a positively locking latching nose, the substance carriers are blocked in their further movements. The spring with a form-fit latching nose is integrated into the 2-part inhaler housing. The latching nose engages in a gear toothing of the substance carrier. Furthermore, the external actuating element, which is connected to the substance carrier, is likewise blocked in the actuating movement (outercase). The user of the inhaler can clearly recognize, on the basis of the blockage of the actuating element (outercase), that the last dose has been taken and therefore all the cavities filled with active substance have been emptied and the inhaler has been used up.In known embodiments, devices for administering powdered dry substances, for example pharmaceutical preparations, by inhalation consist of a device which is generally approximately palm-sized and in the interior of which the active substance carriers are located. These substance carrier disks are moved further stepwise for each application by relative movement of different housing parts, for example in the form of protective caps or by separate pivot levers or actuating levers, wherein the respective cavities containing the substance are opened and the active substances are thereby released for inhalation.Also known are inhalers which use one or two substance carrier disks for the administration of two different dry substances from, for example, pharmaceutical preparations. Such inhalers are described, for example, in WO2021 / 121448 A1.As a rule, in the case of a dual substance carrier disc inhaler, two different active substances are metered in simultaneously. The substance cavities are opened, for example, by stepwise removal of a film covering the cavities, or by puncturing the piercing nozzle of the sealed cover film of the covering substance carrier disc cavity. The now accessible drug is fluidized by the patient's inhalation air to subsequently enter the patient's bronchial system via a respiratory pathway and the mouthpiece. Such a substance carrier has a defined number of cavities which are filled with the active substance. Generally, the number of doses of active compound is limited to one monthly application. After the doses of active substance have been consumed, the number of active substance cavities still remaining is indicated to the patient via a counting ring.It is an object of the present invention to provide an inhaler having a stop function which, in addition to the counting ring display, signals the user the end of life of the inhaler after the last dose has been used. In this case, the further cycling of the inhaler is to be blocked after the last dose has been consumed. The actuating elements must be markedly blocked, so that the user incorrectly recognizes that the inhaler has been used up. Furthermore, the object was to integrate the stop function of the substance carriers into the two-part inhaler housing and into the substance carrier disks for cost reasons. In this case, the stop function is integrated into the two parts of the 2-part housing, consisting of body base and body half top, to form a unit, and the substance carrier disk is modified.It is an object of the present invention to provide a powder inhaler with a stop function made of injection molding of plastic, which are integrated into the already existing housing parts and into the existing substance carrier disc, wherein the substance carrier disc is modified in the toothing in the last and first cavity and the housing parts are expanded with a spring with an integrated latching nose.A further object of the present invention is to design a spring with a latching nose in such a way that it allows the substance carrier to be clocked until the last cavity is reached and subsequently blocks the substance carrier in its movement after use of the last dose.A further object of the present invention is to design a spring with a latching nose in such a way that it is not elastically deformed when it engages in the toothing of the substance carrier, a form-fitting stop having to block the spring in such a way that the latching nose can absorb the stop forces without being elastically deformed.An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and is explained in more detail in the description below.FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of the inhaler consisting of the substance carrier disc which is mounted in the body base, the toothing for pulsing the substance carrier and the spring with a form-fit latching nose. The spring is shown in the last cavity in the exemplary embodiment. In this embodiment, the inhaler is not yet blocked.FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of the inhaler consisting of the substance carrier disc which is mounted in the body base, the toothing for pulsing the substance carrier and the spring with a form-fit latching nose. In the exemplary embodiment, the spring is shown in the cavity between the last and the first cavity. In this embodiment, the inhaler is blocked. Further clocking of the substance carrier is no longer possibleFIG. 3 shows an isometric view of the inhaler consisting of the substance carrier disc which is mounted in the body base, the toothing for pulsing the substance carrier and the spring with a form-fit latching nose. In the exemplary embodiment, the spring blocks the further cycles of the substance carrier. The spring abuts a stop. This stop is selected in position and shape such that the stop forces acting on the spring prevent elastic deformation of the spring and the catch lug.FIG. 1 shows a substance carrier (1) consisting of the base body (1a) and the toothing (8) of the spring (5) with the positively locking latching nose (4), the body base (2) and the stop (7) according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, wherein the latching nose (4) is located in the last filled active substance cavity (9). The spring (5) is arranged in such a way that the latching nose (4) engages positively in the toothing (8) of the substance carriers (1), wherein the toothing (8) is designed such that the individual toothing elements of the active substance cavities (9) are all uniform in their geometry and do not block the substance carrier (1), whereas the toothing (8) between the first and the last cavity, intermediate cavity (9) is designed such that the latching nose (4) presses the spring (5) in the direction of a stop (7).FIG. 2 shows a substance carrier (1) consisting of the base body (1a) and the toothing (8) of the spring (5) with the positively locking latching nose (4), the body base (2) and the stop (7) according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, wherein the latching nose (4) is seated in the intermediate cavity (10) which is located between the first and the last active substance cavity (9), wherein the clocking is not yet blocked.FIG. 3 shows a substance carrier (1) consisting of the base body (1a) and the toothing (8), the spring (5) with the positively locking latching nose (4), the body base (2) and the stop (7) according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, wherein the latching nose (4) is seated in the intermediate cavity (10) which is located between the first and the last active substance cavity (9), wherein the intermediate cavity (10) has been clocked further by the actuating element (6), also referred to as outercase, until the spring (5) is seated on the stop and prevents a further rotation of the substance carrier.FIG. 4 shows an inhaler in isometric longitudinal section, consisting of the body base (2) and the body half top (3), and a substance carrier (1) with the active substance cavities (9) according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedWO 2021 / 121448 A1

[0003]

Claims

A stop function of an inhaler, characterized in that a spring (5) integrated into an inhaler housing body base (2) with a positively locking latching nose (4) engages in a substance carrier (1) after use of all active substance cavities and blocks the substance carrier (1).Stop function according to Claim 1, characterized in that the substance carrier (1) has a toothing (8) which contains 31 cavities, wherein the toothing (8) for the cavities filled with active substance is of uniform configuration in terms of its geometry, furthermore has a filled intermediate cavity (10) which is situated between the first and the last cavity, wherein the flanks are configured such that, when the substance carrier (1) is clocked on, a spring (5) presses against a stop (7).Stop function according to claim 1, characterised in that a spring (5) is integrated into a 2-part inhaler housing, wherein each housing shell, i.e. the lower housing shell body base (2) or the upper housing shell body half top (3), can have such a spring (5).Stop function according to claim 1, characterised in that the spring (5) has at its end a positively locking latching nose (4) which engages in the substance carrier toothing (8), and the spring (5) is furthermore designed such that it is capable of absorbing forces arising during the blockage of the substance carrier (1).Stop function according to Claim 1, characterized in that the spring (5) is pressed against a stop (7) when it is blocked, the stop (7) being designed in such a way that the spring (5) absorbs forces arising during the blocking without being elastically deformed in the process.

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