Inhaler

Abstract

An inhaler for inhaling a functional substance according to various embodiments includes a holder including an opening and an internal space communicating with the opening, a piercing member protruding in the internal space, and a functional substance accommodating member inserted into the internal space of the holder along the longitudinal axis of the holder from the opening to accommodate the functional substance. One stage of the piercing member is fixed to one side of the holder, and the tip of the piercing member faces the longitudinal axis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The following various embodiments relate to an inhaler.

Background Art

[0002] Research has been conducted on inhalers that directly deliver a target substance to a user's lungs. For example, Published Patent Gazette No. 10-2016-0065204 discloses a dry powder inhaler.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The inhalers according to various embodiments aim to induce a swirling behavior of the functional substance powder.

[0004] The inhalers according to various embodiments aim to induce a smooth discharge of the functional substance powder.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] An inhaler according to an embodiment includes a holder including an opening and an internal space communicating with the opening, a piercing member protruding in the internal space, and a functional substance accommodating member inserted into the internal space of the holder along the longitudinal axis of the holder from the opening and accommodating the functional substance. One stage of the piercing member is fixed to one side of the holder, and the tip of the piercing member can face the longitudinal axis.

[0006] The piercing member according to an embodiment can include a first piercing member and a second piercing member arranged to be spaced apart from the first piercing member along the longitudinal axis.

[0007] The first piercing member and the second piercing member can be arranged to face each other with the longitudinal axis as the center.

[0008] The horizontal distance perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between the tip of the first piercing member and the tip of the second piercing member is smaller than the horizontal width of the functional substance accommodating member.

[0009] The functional substance accommodating member according to one embodiment may include a stick insertable into the internal space of the holder and a capsule disposed inside the stick for accommodating the functional substance.

[0010] At least one of the stick or the holder may be provided with a marker indicating the degree to which the stick is inserted into the internal space.

[0011] The marker indicates a first insertion state and a second insertion state of the stick. The first insertion state is a position where the capsule begins to contact the piercing member, and the second insertion state may be a position where the stick reaches the tip of the internal space.

[0012] The marker may indicate a third insertion state of the stick, and the third insertion state may be a state where the stick is inserted at a position between the first insertion state and the second insertion state.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to various embodiments, the swirling behavior of the functional substance powder can be induced.

[0014] According to various embodiments, the internal airflow introduced into the inhaler can smoothly discharge the functional substance powder by passing through the center of the functional substance accommodating member.

[0015] The effects of the inhaler according to various embodiments are not limited to those mentioned above, and different effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The terms used in the embodiments are general terms that are currently widely used while considering the functions in the present invention. However, these terms may change according to the intentions or precedents of those skilled in the art, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, when specified, there are also terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant. In this case, the meaning thereof will be described in detail in the description part of the corresponding invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present invention are not just simple term names, but must be defined based on the meaning of the terms and the overall content of the present invention.

[0018] When any part of the specification states that a component "includes" something, this does not exclude other components unless otherwise stated to the contrary, but means that other components are further included. Also, terms such as "~ part" and "~ module" described in the specification mean units that process at least one function or operation, and this may be implemented in hardware or software, or in a combination of hardware and software.

[0019] As used in this specification, when an expression such as "at least any one of" is in front of an array of components, it modifies the entire components that are not each of the arranged components. For example, the expression "at least any one of a, b, and c" must be interpreted to include a, b, c, or a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c.

[0020] Figure 1 shows an inhaler 100 according to one embodiment.

[0021] Inhaler 100 according to one embodiment transmits a functional substance to a user. For example, inhaler 100 according to one embodiment can be composed of an inhaler that transmits a dried pharmacological substance or nicotine to a user's lungs in the form of an aerosol.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, inhaler 100 according to one embodiment includes a holder 110, a piercing member 120, and a functional substance accommodating member 130.

[0023] In one embodiment, the holder 110 may be configured in a cylindrical shape having an internal space, and the internal space may be formed in a size into which the functional substance accommodating member 130 described later can be inserted. An opening into which the functional substance accommodating member 130 is inserted is formed on one side of the holder 110, and the opening and the internal space are connected to each other.

[0024] In one embodiment, the piercing member 120 includes a first piercing member 121 and a second piercing member 122. One side of the first piercing member 121 is fixed inside the holder 110, and the other side of the first piercing member 121 is composed of a cutting edge protruding toward the longitudinal axis C of the holder 110. One side of the second piercing member 122 is fixed inside the holder 110, and the other side of the second piercing member 122 is composed of a cutting edge protruding toward the longitudinal axis C of the holder 110.

[0025] The first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 can be arranged to be spaced apart in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis C. For example, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other in the ±Y direction shown in FIG. 1.

[0026] Further, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 can be arranged to face each other about the axis C in the longitudinal direction. For example, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other in the ±X direction shown in FIG. 1 with reference to the central axis C.

[0027] In one embodiment, the functional substance containing member 130 includes a stick 131 and a capsule 132. For example, the stick 131 may be configured in a cylindrical shape that can be inserted into the internal space of the holder 110, and the capsule 132 may be disposed inside the stick 131.

[0028] The region where the capsule 132 is disposed in the functional substance containing member 130 may be set such that, in a state where the stick 131 reaches the tip of the internal space of the holder 110, the capsule 132 overlaps with the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122.

[0029] As an example, a functional substance may be contained in the capsule 131. For example, the functional substance may include at least one of nicotine, theanine, caffeine, taurine, a pharmacological substance, or a mixture thereof. The functional substance may have a fine granular or dry powder form.

[0030] As an example, the outer skin of the capsule 132 may be made of a material that is penetrated or cut by the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122.

[0031] In one embodiment, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 may be fixed to the holder 110 at a position where the horizontal distance (for example, the ±X direction distance in FIG. 1) between the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 is smaller than the outer diameter of the capsule 132. Here, the horizontal direction is a direction perpendicular to the axis C in the longitudinal direction.

[0032] Since the horizontal distance between the tip of the first piercing member 121 and the tip of the second piercing member 122 is smaller than the horizontal width of the capsule 132, if the stick 131 is inserted into the internal space of the holder 110, at least a part of the capsule 132 is incised by the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122, and the functional substance in the capsule 132 is exposed to the outside of the capsule 132.

[0033] In one embodiment, at least one of the stick 131 of the functional substance accommodating member 130 or the holder 110 may be provided with a marker (not shown) for indicating the degree to which the stick 131 is inserted into the internal space. When an opening region in the form of a longitudinal slit is formed in the capsule 132, the size of the slit is indirectly measured by the marker, and the size of such a slit may be set to be proportional to the single-dose amount of the functional substance.

[0034] In one embodiment, the marker can indicate the first insertion state and the second insertion state of the stick. The first insertion state is the position where the capsule starts to contact the piercing member, and the second insertion state is the position where the stick reaches the tip of the internal space.

[0035] Further, the marker indicates the third insertion state of the stick, and the third insertion state is a state where the stick is inserted at a position between the first insertion state and the second insertion state.

[0036] For example, when the stick 131 is inserted into the internal space of the holder 110 and advances toward the tip of the internal space, incision begins from the tip of the stick 131 by the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122. Here, when the stick 131 reaches the first insertion state indicated by the marker, it can be seen that the incision of the capsule 132 by the first piercing member 121 has started. The user can further advance the stick 131 in the third insertion state indicated by the marker to adjust the desired puff volume per puff. Alternatively, the user can advance the stick 131 in the second insertion state indicated by the marker to set the puff volume per puff to the maximum amount. As an example, depending on the number of puffs, the third insertion state may be maintained at the initial puff, and the puff volume of the stick 131 may be adjusted in the second insertion state at the later puff.

[0037] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the operating states of the inhaler 100 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a state where the functional substance accommodating member 130 is inserted into the internal space of the holder 110, and FIG. 3 shows a state where a part of the capsule 132 is incised and the functional substance can be transferred.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 2, the functional substance accommodating member 130 can be inserted into the internal space of the holder 110. Here, at least a part of the capsule 132 is incised by the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122, and a longitudinal slit may be formed in the capsule 132.

[0039] As described above, the stick 131 is inserted into the internal space in either the second insertion state or the third insertion state by the marker, and the degree of opening of the slit can be adjusted.

[0040] In the capsule 132, an open area in the form of a slit is formed by the first piercing member 121 and an open area in the form of a slit is formed by the second piercing member 122. Since the open areas are formed so as to be separated along the longitudinal axis C, the airflow passing through the open areas can pass through the central region of the capsule 132.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 3, at least a part of the functional substance accommodating member 130 is separated from the holder 110. Here, the functional substance accommodating member 130 may be completely separated from the holder 110, or the functional substance may be transferred with the capsule 132 inserted into the holder 110. In this case, compared with the case where the accommodating member 130 of the functional substance is completely separated from the holder 110, the detachment of the functional substance can be efficiently prevented, and unnecessary leakage of the functional substance can be prevented.

[0042] When the user performs an inhalation operation of biting a stage of the stick 131 with the open area formed in the capsule 132, external air flows into the internal space of the holder 110 through an air flow hole (not shown) formed in the holder 110, and the air flows into the capsule 132 through the open area formed by the second piercing member 122. Next, the air exits through the open area formed by the first piercing member 121 and reaches the user. At this time, the functional substance in the capsule 132 is also transferred to the user. Due to the eccentric position of the open area, the air passes through the central portion of the capsule 132 and at the same time can induce a swirling behavior of the functional substance. The swirling behavior induces a smooth movement of the functional substance, and the discharge of the functional substance is performed more smoothly.

[0043] As an example, when the capsule 132 is arranged in a state where it is not fixed in the stick 131, the airflow (airflow) generated by the eccentric position of the open area can induce the rotation of the capsule 132. Therefore, the discharge of the functional substance is performed more actively.

[0044] The description of the above-described embodiments is merely exemplary, and those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field will be able to understand that various modifications and equivalent different embodiments will be possible hereafter. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the invention must be determined by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent to the content described in the claims should be construed as being included in the scope of protection determined by the claims.

Claims

1. An inhaler for inhaling a functional substance, comprising a holder including an opening and an internal space communicating with the opening, a piercing member protruding in the internal space, a functional substance accommodating member inserted into the internal space of the holder along the longitudinal axis of the holder from the opening and accommodating the functional substance, and one section of the piercing member is fixed to one side of the holder, and the tip of the piercing member faces the longitudinal axis, the inhaler.

2. The piercing member includes a first piercing member, and a second piercing member arranged to be spaced apart from the first piercing member along the longitudinal axis, The inhaler according to claim 1.

3. The first piercing member and the second piercing member are arranged to face each other with the longitudinal axis as the center, the inhaler according to claim 2.

4. The distance in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between the tip of the first piercing member and the tip of the second piercing member is smaller than the width in the horizontal direction of the functional substance accommodating member, the inhaler according to claim 2.

5. The functional substance accommodating member includes a stick insertable into the internal space of the holder, and a capsule arranged inside the stick and accommodating the functional substance, The inhaler according to claim 1.

6. At least one of the stick or the holder is provided with a marker indicating the degree to which the stick is inserted into the internal space, the inhaler according to claim 5.

7. The marker indicates the first insertion state and the second insertion state of the stick, The first insertion state is the position where the capsule starts to contact the piercing member, and the second insertion state is the position where the stick reaches the tip of the internal space. The inhaler according to claim 6. **Claim 8** The marker indicates the third insertion state of the stick, The third insertion state is a state where the stick is inserted at a position between the first insertion state and the second insertion state. The inhaler according to claim 7.

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