Inhaler

The inhaler addresses issues of aerosol formation, spray adjustment, refilling convenience, and hygiene by integrating a removable canister with a needle valve, lever, relief valve, and counter, ensuring fine particle delivery and user convenience.

JP7739695B2Active Publication Date: 2025-09-17KT&G CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023559054
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2022-07-01
Filing Date
2023-06-02
Publication Date
2025-09-17
Estimated Expiration
2043-06-02

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing inhalers face challenges in easy aerosol formation, adjustment of spray amount, convenience in refilling and inhalation, hygiene issues due to difficult mouthpiece cleaning, and lack of features like a filling lever, relief valve, and counter.

Method used

An inhaler design with an integrated canister that is removable and easy to clean, featuring a needle valve for aerosol formation, a lever for refilling, a relief valve for gas discharge, and a counter for tracking composition levels, ensuring fine particle aerosol delivery and user convenience.

Benefits of technology

The inhaler facilitates easy aerosol formation, adjusts spray amount, allows convenient refilling and inhalation, addresses hygiene concerns, and provides user-friendly features like a removable mouthpiece, filling lever, relief valve, and counter.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

An inhaler according to one embodiment includes a housing having one side, another side opposite the one side, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the one side and the other side; a mouthpiece disposed on one side of the housing; a reservoir communicating with the mouthpiece and storing an inhalable composition; and a canister containing the inhalable composition stored in the reservoir and connected to the reservoir in an openable and closeable manner; and the canister can be removably connected to the reservoir inside the housing.
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The inhaler is disclosed. [Background technology]

[0002] In general, an inhaler is a device used to inhale a composition such as a drug in a liquid or gaseous state through the oral or nasal cavity during the inhalation process. Such an inhaler includes a container containing an inhalable composition, and the composition is ejected from the container through a narrow tube and finally into the oral or nasal cavity through an inhalation port, where it is inhaled by the user.

[0003] The above-mentioned background art was possessed or acquired by the inventors in the process of deriving the contents of the disclosure of this application, and cannot necessarily be said to be publicly known art that was disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of this application. [Prior art document] [Patent documents] [Patent Document 1] Republic of Korea Patent Registered Publication No. 10-2021229 (Published on September 11, 2019) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of one embodiment is to provide an inhaler that allows for easy aerosol formation and adjustment of the amount of sprayed aerosol, is convenient for refilling and inhalation due to its integrated canister, and allows for easy replacement of the canister.

[0005] An object of one embodiment is to provide an inhaler that solves hygiene issues by applying a mouthpiece that is easy to remove and clean, and that takes into consideration various user conveniences such as a filling lever, a relief valve, and a counter.

[0006] The problems to be solved in the embodiments are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above object, one embodiment of an inhaler includes a housing having one side, another side opposite the one side, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the one side and the other side; a mouthpiece disposed on one side of the housing; a reservoir communicating with the mouthpiece and storing an inhalable composition; and a canister containing the inhalable composition stored in the reservoir and connected to the reservoir in an openable and closable manner; wherein the canister can be removably connected to the reservoir inside the housing.

[0008] According to one aspect, the device may further include a nozzle extending from the mouthpiece to the reservoir; and a needle valve movably disposed inside the nozzle; wherein when no inhalation force is applied to the mouthpiece, the needle valve is maintained in a first state in which the nozzle is sealed, and when inhalation force is applied through the mouthpiece, the needle valve is switched to a second state in which the nozzle is opened.

[0009] According to one aspect, the nozzle may further include a sealing member fixedly installed on one side of the nozzle, wherein a first gap is formed between a tip of the needle valve and the nozzle and a lower end of the needle valve contacts the sealing member in the first state, and a second gap is formed between the tip of the needle valve and the sealing member in the second state.

[0010] According to one aspect, the device may further include a lever having one side that forms part of the housing and the other side that is movable between the bottom surface of the canister and the other side of the housing, and when the lever is pressed, the one side of the lever is moved in a first direction toward the canister, and the other side of the lever is pressed to move the canister in a second direction toward the storage location.

[0011] According to one aspect, the storage system may further include a relief valve that is installed in the storage so as to be spaced apart from the canister and that operates to open and close the storage to the outside, and the lever may be controlled so that the relief valve is opened first, and then the canister is opened.

[0012] According to one aspect, the device may further include a counter rotatably disposed between the canister and the lever, the counter rotating a certain angle upon actuation of the lever to indicate the amount of the inhalable composition remaining in the canister.

[0013] According to one aspect, the canister further includes a cover having one side rotatably coupled to the housing and the other side detachably coupled to a corresponding position on the bottom surface of the canister; and a cover lock disposed adjacent to one side of the cover and slidably movable between a locked position that restricts rotation of the cover and an unlocked position that allows rotation of the cover; and the cover lock may open the relief valve in the unlocked position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one embodiment of the inhaler, it is easy to form aerosol and adjust the amount of spray, and since it is an integrated canister, it is convenient to refill and inhale, and the canister can be easily replaced.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the inhaler, a mouthpiece that is easy to remove and clean is applied, thereby solving hygiene issues, and various features such as a filling lever, a relief valve, and a counter are provided for user convenience.

[0016] The effects of the inhaler according to one embodiment are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inhaler according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an inhaler according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an inhaler according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 shows the inhaler in a first state and a second state. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an inhaler according to one embodiment with the lever unpressurized. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an inhaler according to one embodiment with the lever compressed. [Figure 7] This shows a relief valve that operates in conjunction with a lever. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of an inhaler according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] A counter that operates in conjunction with a lever. [Figure 10] 1 shows the counter that is rotated when the lever is pressed. [Figure 11] Shows a counter that returns to its original position when the canister is removed. [Figure 12] 1 illustrates a cover and cover lock for an inhaler according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] 1 shows an inhaler 10 according to one embodiment with the bar lock in a locked position. [Figure 14] 1 shows an inhaler according to one embodiment with the cover lock in the unlocked position. The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to further understand the technical concept of the present invention, so the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the details shown in such drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. When referring to components in each drawing, please note that the same components are designated by the same reference numerals as much as possible, even if they are displayed in different drawings. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments, if a detailed description of related known structures or functions is deemed to hinder understanding of the embodiments, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0019] Furthermore, in describing components of the embodiments, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are merely used to distinguish the component from other components, and do not limit the essence, procedure, or order of the components. When a component is described as being "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but that there may also be another component "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" between the components.

[0020] Components having functions common to those included in any of the embodiments will be described using the same names in other embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, the description of one embodiment is applicable to the other embodiments, and detailed descriptions will be omitted to the extent that they overlap.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inhaler 10 according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an inhaler 10 according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an inhaler 10 according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows the inhaler 10 in a first and second condition.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of inhaler 10 with lever 300 unpressurized.

[0026] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of inhaler 10 with lever 300 compressed.

[0027] FIG. 7 shows a relief valve 700 that operates in conjunction with the lever 300 .

[0028] FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of an inhaler 10 according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 9 shows a counter 900 that operates in conjunction with the lever 300 .

[0030] FIG. 10 shows the counter 900 being rotated when the lever 300 is pressed.

[0031] FIG. 11 shows the counter 900 returning to its original position when the canister 200 is removed.

[0032] FIG. 12 shows the cover 500 and cover lock 600 of the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment.

[0033] FIG. 13 shows the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment with the cover lock 600 in the locked position.

[0034] FIG. 14 shows the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment with the cover lock 600 in the unlocked position.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 1, an inhaler 10 according to one embodiment includes a housing 101 and a mouthpiece 102.

[0036] Housing 101 includes a first surface formed on one side, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the first surface and the second surface. The first surface of housing 101 is, for example, a surface located at the top of housing 101, and the second surface is, for example, a bottom surface of housing 101. Hereinafter, the direction from the second surface to the first surface is defined as a first direction, and the direction from the first surface to the second surface is defined as a second direction.

[0037] The mouthpiece 102 may be disposed on a first surface of the housing 101. A user can inhale the inhalable composition contained in the inhaler 10 through the mouthpiece 102. In this case, the user can inhale the composition, for example, in an aerosol state, or in the form of a powder. Hereinafter, an inhaler 10 according to one embodiment will be described using an inhaler 10 that sprays the inhalable composition in an aerosol state as an example.

[0038] 1 and 2, reservoir 103 may be disposed inside housing 101. One side of canister 200 is connected to reservoir 103, and the inhalable composition contained in canister 200 may be transferred to reservoir 103 and stored therein. In addition, the inhalable composition stored in reservoir 103 is expelled in an aerosol state through mouthpiece 102 when a user inhales through mouthpiece 102, so that the inhalable composition stored in reservoir 103 is gradually consumed. The composition stored in reservoir 103 is expelled in an aerosol state when a user inhales through mouthpiece 102. At this time, inhale interlock valve 105, which opens and closes reservoir 103, is actuated by the inhalation force, and the opening and closing operation of inhale interlock valve 105 may be controlled by piston 106.

[0039] The canister 200 may be attached to the inside of the housing 101. In this case, the canister 200 may be replaceably attached to the inside of the housing 101. The canister 200 may contain an inhalable composition therein. The composition of the canister 200 may be filled in a certain amount inside the reservoir 103.

[0040] Lever 300 may be pressed by a user to fill the composition contained in canister 200 into reservoir 103. Lever 300 may form one side surface of housing 101, or may be located adjacent to the second surface. When a user presses lever 300, lever 300 pushes up the bottom surface of canister 200, connecting nozzle 220 of canister 200 to reservoir 103, allowing the composition to move from canister 200 to reservoir 103 through nozzle 220.

[0041] In the following description, the direction from one side surface of the housing 101 where the lever 300 is located toward the canister 200 is defined as a first direction, and the direction from the second surface of the housing 101 toward the first surface is defined as a second direction.

[0042] Meanwhile, the reservoir 103 is provided with a relief valve 700, and a relief vent hole 400 is provided on the first surface of the housing 101. The relief valve 700 is linked to the lever 300 via the relief bar 800 and the first protruding member 350, and operates to open first before the lever 300 pushes up the canister 200, thereby discharging residual gas in the reservoir 103 before filling the reservoir 103 with the inhalable composition.

[0043] 8, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment allows the user to visually check the remaining amount of composition stored in the reservoir 103 through a display window 120 provided in the housing 101. The inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may also include a counter 900 that counts the number of refills in conjunction with the up and down movement of the canister 200 when the reservoir 103 is being refilled, and a display window 110 that displays the remaining amount of composition in the canister 200.

[0044] Additionally, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may be provided with a cover 500 and a cover lock 600 that prevent the canister 200 from being removed.

[0045] The inhaler 10 described above has a needle valve system applied to the inside of the housing 101, which was developed to solve problems that occur when aerosol is sprayed into the user's nasal or oral cavity. This needle valve system will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

[0046] Generally, when a pinch valve type inhaler is used, when aerosol is sprayed through a nozzle with a circular cross-sectional area, the sprayed aerosol particles may be too large and wet the inside of the user's mouth. Also, when the end of the spray nozzle is located inside the mouth, the aerosol may hit the mouth hard during spraying. To solve these problems, the present invention uses a needle valve type.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 3, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may further include a reservoir 103, a nozzle 104, and a needle valve 105.

[0048] Reservoir 103 may be disposed within housing 101. Reservoir 103 may store an inhalable composition.

[0049] The nozzle 104 may connect the mouthpiece 102 to the reservoir 103. The nozzle 104 may be provided as a tube extending from the mouthpiece 102 to the reservoir 103.

[0050] The needle valve 105 may be movably disposed inside the nozzle 104. For example, the needle valve 105 can move up and down inside the nozzle 104. Such a needle valve 105 can open or close the nozzle 104 depending on its position inside the nozzle 104. That is, the needle valve 105 can open the nozzle 104 so that the mouthpiece 102 and the reservoir 103 communicate with each other, or close the nozzle 104 so that the mouthpiece 102 and the reservoir 103 are separated from each other.

[0051] In the needle valve method using such a needle valve 105, the needle-shaped valve 105 is located in the middle of the nozzle 104, so that the cross-sectional area for spraying the aerosol can be maintained in a doughnut shape. Also, by spraying the aerosol in a narrower section for the same spray area, finer particles can be formed, and since the nozzle 104 for spraying the aerosol is located at the lower end of the mouthpiece 102 and is far from the oral cavity, the phenomenon of hitting or wetting the inside of the oral cavity can be reduced.

[0052] The nozzle 104 can be switched between a first state and a second state by the needle valve 105. In the first state, the nozzle 104 is sealed, and in the second state, the nozzle 104 is opened. In the first state, the mouthpiece 102 and the reservoir 103 can be separated from each other. In the second state, the mouthpiece 102 and the reservoir 103 can be connected to each other. That is, in the second state, the inhalable composition stored in the reservoir 103 can be ejected into the mouthpiece 102 through the nozzle 104 as shown by the arrow.

[0053] Alternatively, the needle valve 105 may be operated in a suction-linked manner.

[0054] Specifically, when no inhalation force is applied to the mouthpiece 102, the needle valve 105 can maintain the nozzle 104 in the first state. When inhalation force is applied through the mouthpiece 102, the needle valve 105 can move in the second direction to switch the nozzle 104 to the second state.

[0055] With further reference to FIG. 3, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may further include a piston 106, a spring 107, a passageway 108, and a negative pressure creating portion 109.

[0056] The piston 106 may be disposed inside the housing 101, and one end of the needle valve 105 may be coupled to one surface of the piston 106. The piston 106 may reciprocate vertically within the cylinder.

[0057] The spring 107 may be installed under the piston 106. In this case, the spring 107 may be installed in a preloaded state.

[0058] The passage 108 may be formed inside the housing 101. The passage 108 may connect the mouthpiece 102 and the piston 106. Specifically, one end of the passage 108 may be connected to one side of the mouthpiece 102, and the other end may be connected to the bottom of the piston 106. In this case, one end of the passage 108 may be connected to the mouthpiece 102 at a position away from the position where the nozzle 104 is connected to the mouthpiece 102. Such a passage 108 may transmit the suction force applied to the mouthpiece 102 to the piston 106.

[0059] The negative pressure generating unit 109 may be formed between the piston 106 and one end of the passage 108 connected to the piston 106. The negative pressure generating unit 109 may form a space between the piston 106 and the passage 108. When an inhalation force is applied to the mouthpiece 102, the inhalation force transmitted through the passage 108 can reach the negative pressure generating unit 109, and the negative pressure generating unit 109 can generate negative pressure. As a result, the negative pressure generating unit 109 can induce the piston 106 to move in the second direction.

[0060] Consequently, when no inhalation force is applied to mouthpiece 102, spring 107 pushes piston 106 up in the first direction, maintaining needle valve 105 and nozzle 104 in the first state. On the other hand, when inhalation force is applied to mouthpiece 102, the inhalation force is transmitted to negative pressure generating unit 109 through passage 108, and the negative pressure generated in negative pressure generating unit 109 causes piston 106 to move in the second direction, overcoming the preload of spring 107. As a result, needle valve 105 moves in the second direction, and nozzle 104 is switched to the second state.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 4, the nozzle 104 and the needle valve 105 in the first and second states will be described in more detail.

[0062] FIG. 4(a) shows the inhaler 10 in a first state, and FIG. 4(b) shows the inhaler 10 in a second state.

[0063] In the first state, the nozzle 104 and needle valve 105 may be in contact with each other, isolating the mouthpiece 102 and the reservoir 103 .

[0064] In the second state, the needle valve 105 may be moved in the second direction so that the nozzle 104 and the needle valve 105 are no longer in contact with each other, and the mouthpiece 102 and the reservoir 103 may be in communication with each other through the nozzle 104. This allows the inhalable composition in the reservoir 103 to be sprayed from the reservoir 103 to the outside through the mouthpiece 102.

[0065] Specifically, the nozzle 104 may include a first nozzle portion 1041 and a second nozzle portion 1042 .

[0066] The first nozzle portion 1041 may be the portion adjacent to the mouthpiece 102 .

[0067] The second nozzle portion 1042 may be, for example, a portion located below the first nozzle portion 1041 and adjacent to the reservoir 103 .

[0068] Such a nozzle 104 may be formed such that the first nozzle portion 1041 has a smaller diameter than the second nozzle portion 1042 .

[0069] The needle valve 105 may include a first valve portion 1051 and a second valve portion 1052 .

[0070] The first valve portion 1051 may be a portion formed at the tip of the needle valve 105. The first valve portion 1051 may move adjacent to the first nozzle portion 1041 or the second nozzle portion 1042 during vertical movement by the piston 106. For example, in the first state, the first valve portion 1051 may be positioned adjacent to the first nozzle portion 1041. Furthermore, in the second state, the first valve portion 1051 may move in the second direction so as to be adjacent to the second nozzle portion 1042.

[0071] The second valve portion 1052 may be, for example, a portion formed below the first valve portion 1051. The lower end of the second valve portion 1052 may be coupled to one surface of the piston 106. This allows the needle valve 105 to reciprocate vertically when the piston 106 reciprocates vertically.

[0072] Such a needle valve 105 may be formed such that the first valve portion 1051 has a smaller diameter than the second valve portion 1052 .

[0073] Also, first valve portion 1051 may be formed to have a smaller diameter than first nozzle portion 1041. In other words, first valve portion 1051 may not contact either first nozzle portion 1041 or second nozzle portion 1042 in the first state or the second state.

[0074] Meanwhile, the nozzle 104 may further include a sealing member 1043 provided in the second nozzle portion 1042. The sealing member 1043 may be made of, for example, an O-ring or a quad ring made of an elastic material such as silicone or rubber. The inner diameter of the sealing member 1043 may be larger than the diameter of the first valve portion 1051 and may be equal to or smaller than the diameter of the second valve portion 1052. Alternatively, the inner diameter of the sealing member 1043 may be larger than the diameter of the first nozzle portion 1041.

[0075] The second valve portion 1052 may be disposed adjacent to the sealing member 1043 in the first state. That is, in the first state, the second valve portion 1052 may contact the sealing member 1043. This may seal the reservoir 103 to prevent aerosol leakage through the nozzle 104.

[0076] Meanwhile, in the second state, the second valve portion 1052 may be moved in the second direction beyond the sealing member 1043 and out of contact with the nozzle 104. This allows the inhalable composition stored in the reservoir 103 to be ejected into the mouthpiece 102 through the nozzle 104.

[0077] 4(b), the gap formed between the first nozzle portion 1041 and the first valve portion 1051 is defined as a first gap G1, and the gap formed between the sealing member 1043 and the first valve portion 1051 is defined as a second gap G2. Due to the structures of the nozzle 104 and the needle valve 105 described above, the first gap G1 can be formed to be smaller than the second gap G2.

[0078] The first gap G1 may be formed in the first state or the second state, and the second gap G2 is formed when the first valve portion 1051 is positioned adjacent to the sealing member 1043, so that the needle valve 105 can be formed in the second state when moved in the second direction.

[0079] The second gap G2 allows the movement of the inhalable composition ejected from the reservoir 103. The first gap G1 controls the size of the aerosol particles that pass through the second gap G2. That is, since the first gap G1 is smaller than the second gap G2, it allows only the movement of fine particles in the aerosol. As a result, only aerosol particles that can pass through the first gap G1 can move to the mouthpiece 102 and be ejected to the user.

[0080] That is, when the nozzle 104 is opened by the suction force, the aerosol is eventually sprayed out through the first gap G1, but the initial spray from the reservoir 103 occurs through the second gap G2 formed between the sealing member 1043 and the first valve portion 1051.

[0081] That is, both the nozzle 104 and the needle valve 105 are processed in a straight shape, and the first gap G1 is always formed regardless of whether the nozzle 104 is open or closed, so that the actual opening and closing is formed between the sealing member 1043 and the needle valve 105.

[0082] The first gap G1 may be formed to 0.015 to 0.03 mm to spray aerosol particles that are sufficiently small. For example, if the first gap G1 is smaller than 0.015 mm, the liquid composition may have difficulty moving through the narrow gap and be sprayed mainly as gas, with some droplets spat out weakly, like boiling. In contrast, if the first gap G1 is larger than 0.03 mm, the liquid composition may be sprayed mainly as large droplets, resulting in an excessive spray volume per unit time, which may cause the user's nasal or oral cavity to feel wet. Furthermore, if the second gap G2 is formed too narrow due to manufacturing tolerances of the sealing member 1043, a similar phenomenon to that observed when the first gap G1 is narrow may occur. In consideration of this, the second gap G2 may be formed to be sufficiently larger than the first gap G1. As a result, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment is capable of spraying aerosol particles of fine particles and easily adjusting the spray volume.

[0083] As described above, in the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment, the needle valve 105 is normally pushed upward in a first direction by the preload of the spring 107, maintaining the nozzle 104 closed. However, in the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment, when the user applies inhalation force through the mouthpiece 102, negative pressure is generated below the piston 106, causing the piston 106 to move downward against the preload of the spring 107. As a result, the needle valve 105 connected to the piston 106 descends, forming a second gap G2 between the sealing member 1043 and the needle valve 105. As a result, the inhalable composition in the reservoir 103 can be ejected in an aerosol state via the second gap G2 and the first gap G1 to the outside, for example, into the user's oral cavity. When the user stops inhaling, the piston 106 and the needle valve 105 further rise due to the restoring force of the spring 107, closing the nozzle 104 and stopping the aerosol ejection.

[0084] The inhaler 10 described above is fitted with a lever 300 that facilitates filling the reservoir with the inhalable composition of the canister, the detailed construction and actuation mechanism of such lever 300 being specifically described below with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

[0085] 5 and 6, one side of the lever 300 of the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may form part of the housing 101, and the other side may be movable between the bottom surface of the canister 200 and the second surface of the housing 101. When one side of the lever 300 is pressed by a user, the other side of the lever 300 can move the canister 200 in a direction toward the reservoir 103. As a result, a portion of the inhalable composition in the canister 200 moves to the reservoir 103 and is stored there.

[0086] For example, when the lever 300 is pressed by a user, it is moved in a first direction, and at this time, the canister 200 is moved in a second direction by the lever 300.

[0087] For example, the reservoir 103 may be disposed adjacent to the first surface of the housing 101. The canister 200 may be disposed between the reservoir 103 and the second surface of the housing 101. That is, the canister 200 may be disposed perpendicular to the second surface of the housing 101, and in this case, may be disposed adjacent to the side of the housing 101 opposite to the side surface formed by the lever 300. That is, the canister 200 may be disposed such that its bottom surface is adjacent to the second surface of the housing 101 and its top surface is adjacent to the first surface of the housing 101.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 5, lever 300 may include a first lever member 310 and a second lever member 320 .

[0089] The first lever member 310 may form part of one of the side surfaces of the housing 101 .

[0090] The second lever member 320 may extend from the first lever member 310 towards the canister 200 .

[0091] 6, when the first lever member 310 is pressed by the user and moved in a first direction, the second lever member 320 also moves in the first direction and is inserted between the bottom surface of the canister 200 and the second surface of the housing 101. This causes the canister 200 to move in a second direction. That is, the second lever member 320 can push the canister 200 up toward the storage location 103.

[0092] Referring to FIG. 6 , the second lever member 320 may include a first inclined surface 3201. The first inclined surface 3201 may be formed in a shape that decreases in height along the first direction. That is, the height of a portion closer to the canister 200 may be smaller than the height of a portion closer to the first lever member 310. The first inclined surface 3201 may be inserted between the bottom surface of the canister 200 and the second surface of the housing 101 when the first lever member 310 is pressed. In this case, the first inclined surface 3201 may come into contact with the bottom surface of the canister 200, and the corners of the bottom surface may slide on the first inclined surface 3201. As a result, the bottom surface of the canister 200 is pushed up in the second direction. That is, when the first lever member 310 is pressed, the canister 200 may be moved in the second direction due to the shape of the first inclined surface 3201.

[0093] 5 and 6, the lever 300 of the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may further include a third lever member 330.

[0094] The third lever member 330 may have one end fixed inside the housing and the other end connected to the first lever member 310. Alternatively, the third lever member 330 may be located between the first lever member 310 and the second lever member 320. The third lever member 330 may be formed, for example, by a compression spring. As shown in FIG. 6, the third lever member 330 may be compressed in a first direction when the first lever member 310 is compressed. When the first lever member 310 is not compressed, the third lever member 330 can be restored as shown in FIG. 5 to return the second lever member 320 to its original position. When the second lever member 320 returns to its original position, the canister 200 also returns to its original position, and the filling of the inhalable composition into the reservoir 103 is stopped.

[0095] Specifically, the canister 200 of the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may include a container 210 and an injection port 220 .

[0096] The container 210 may contain an inhalable composition.

[0097] The nozzle 220 may have one side connected to the reservoir 103 and the other side located within the housing 210. Such nozzle 220 may be actuated to open or close relative to the reservoir 103. For example, the nozzle 220 may be opened when the first lever member 310 is pressurized. When the nozzle 220 is opened, the inhalable composition stored in the housing 210 is allowed to move to the reservoir 103. On the other hand, when the first lever member 310 is not pressurized, the nozzle 220 may be closed. When the nozzle 220 is closed, the path of movement of the inhalable composition to the reservoir 103 is blocked, and therefore filling of the reservoir 103 is halted.

[0098] On the other hand, when lever 300 is pressed when all of the inhalable composition in reservoir 103 has been consumed, reservoir 103 is filled with 10 to 15 inhalations of the inhalable composition. In order to fill reservoir 103 with 10 to 15 inhalations of the inhalable composition, lever 300 must be pressed for 3 to 5 seconds.

[0099] The opening and closing of the nozzle 220 is controlled by whether or not the user applies pressure to the lever 300 .

[0100] As described above, when the first lever member 310 is pressurized, the second lever member 320 pushes up the bottom of the canister 200, i.e., the bottom of the accommodating portion 210. At this time, as shown in Fig. 6, the accommodating portion 210 moves in the second direction, but one side of the nozzle 220 may be fixed relative to the reservoir 103. That is, the position of the nozzle 220 does not move within the housing 101, but the position of the other side of the nozzle 220 within the accommodating portion 210 may change due to the accommodating portion 210 moving up in the second direction.

[0101] For example, when the other side of nozzle 220 is pushed deeply into housing 210, the nozzle is opened. As a result, the inhalable composition in housing 210 can move to reservoir 103 through nozzle 220. At this time, the inhalable composition can be moved due to the pressure difference between reservoir 103 and housing 210. That is, when the inhalable composition filled in reservoir 103 by the user is consumed through the emission of aerosol, the pressure in reservoir 103 decreases, and when nozzle 220 is opened, the inhalable composition can move from housing 210 to reservoir 103. On the other hand, if reservoir 103 is sufficiently filled with inhalable composition, the inhalable composition may not be further moved to reservoir 103 even when the user presses lever 300 to open nozzle 220.

[0102] The canister 200 may further include a first elastic member (not shown) located in the accommodating portion 210, which is compressed and restored by applying pressure to the injection port 220. The first elastic member may be, for example, a compression spring.

[0103] As described above, because one side of the nozzle 220 is fixed to the reservoir 103, when the accommodating unit 210 receives an external force in the second direction from the lever 300, one side of the nozzle 220 is pressurized. At this time, the first elastic member is compressed when pressure is applied to one side of the nozzle 220, causing the accommodating unit 210 to move in the second direction around the nozzle 220 as an axis, as shown in FIG. 6. When the lever 300 is released from pressure by the user and returns to its original position, the external force of the lever 300 on the canister 200 is also removed. At this time, the first elastic member is restored and moves the accommodating unit 210 in the opposite second direction. In other words, when no external force is applied to the bottom of the accommodating unit 210 by the second lever member 320, the first elastic member can return the accommodating unit 210 to its original position, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0104] The inhaler 10 according to one embodiment described above allows a user to easily fill the reservoir 103 with the inhalable composition contained in the canister 200 by pressing the lever 300 .

[0105] The inhaler 10 according to one embodiment described above is a system in which an inhalable composition contained in a canister 200 is filled into the reservoir 103, and if residual gas remains in the reservoir 103 during repeated refilling, it may be difficult to fill the reservoir 103 with the composition from the canister 200. Therefore, in order to facilitate filling the reservoir 103, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment is provided with a relief valve 700 that is linked to the filling lever 300, and the detailed configuration and operating mechanism of the relief valve 700 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 7.

[0106] 7, a relief valve 700 of an inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may be installed in the reservoir 103, spaced apart from one side of the canister 200. The relief valve 700 may be opened or closed to connect or disconnect the reservoir 103 to the outside.

[0107] The opening or closing operation of the relief valve 700 may be controlled by the aforementioned lever 300. For example, when the lever 300 is pressed by a user, the lever 300 can be controlled so that the relief valve 700 is opened first, followed by the canister 200.

[0108] As such, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment is provided with a relief valve 700 linked to the lever 300, which allows residual gas in the reservoir 103 to be discharged and the inhalable composition to be smoothly filled from the canister 200 into the reservoir 103.

[0109] The lever 300 may be pressed by a user. At this time, the lever 300 moves toward the canister 200 and reaches a first position, and when the lever 300 is further pressed by the user, it reaches a second position. When the lever 300 is in the first position, the relief valve 700 is opened, and when the lever 300 is in the second position, the relief valve 700 is closed and the injection port 220 of the canister 200 is opened.

[0110] Specifically, the relief valve 700 may be linked to the lever 300 via a relief bar 800 and may be opened or closed by raising or lowering the relief bar 800. The relief bar 800 may be disposed between the lever 300 and the canister 200. One end of the relief bar 800 may be connected to the relief valve 700, and the other end may extend toward the lever 300. The relief bar 800 may open the relief valve 700 while moving in the second direction, and close the relief valve 700 while returning to its original position.

[0111] The lever 300 may include a first support member 340 and a first protruding member 350 .

[0112] The first support member 340 may extend towards the canister 200 .

[0113] The first protrusion member 350 may be rotatably coupled to the first support member 340 around a rotation axis provided on the first support member 340. The first protrusion member 350 may have an end portion formed on one side thereof that protrudes radially from the rotation axis. The end portion of the first protrusion member 350 may be disposed in an upright state facing the first surface of the housing 101.

[0114] The other end of the relief bar 800 may be located between the first protruding member 350 and the second surface of the housing 101. In addition, the end of the first protruding member 350 may be inclined in a direction away from the canister 200 around the rotation axis.

[0115] When the lever 300 is pressed in the first direction, the first support member 340 may limit the rotation of the first protruding member 350. In other words, the first protruding member 350 may be restricted from rotating in a direction away from the canister 200 with its end portion standing up toward the first surface of the housing 101.

[0116] Therefore, when the lever 300 is pressed, the first protrusion member 350 also moves in the first direction and reaches the first position, but in this case, the first protrusion member 350 does not rotate while in contact with the relief bar 800, and can push the relief bar 800 up in the second direction.

[0117] Eventually, when the lever 300 reaches the first position, the inhalable composition remaining in the reservoir 103 is expelled to the outside.

[0118] On the other hand, when the lever 300 returns to its original position, the first support member 340 may allow the first protruding member 350 to rotate. In other words, the first protruding member 350 may not be restricted from rotating in the direction toward the canister 200 with its end portion standing upright toward the first surface of the housing 101.

[0119] Therefore, when the lever 300 moves in the opposite direction to the first direction after passing the first position or at the second position, the first protrusion member 350 does not push up the relief bar 800, but can return to its original position while passing over the relief bar 800.

[0120] 7, the distance between first inclined surface 3201 of second lever member 320 and the bottom surface of canister 200 may be greater than the distance between first protruding member 350 and relief bar 800. Therefore, when lever 300 moves in the first direction, first protruding member 350 can contact the other end of relief bar 800 first before first inclined surface 3201 contacts the bottom surface of canister 200. In other words, just before lever 300 pushes up canister 200 to fill reservoir 103, relief valve 700 installed in reservoir 103 can be opened first.

[0121] On the other hand, when the canister 200 is opened, that is, when the lever 300 reaches the second position and the first inclined surface 3201 pushes the canister 200 up in the second direction, the first protruding member 350 can be positioned between the relief bar 800 and the canister 200.

[0122] Eventually, when the lever 300 reaches the second position, the inhalable composition contained in the canister 200 can be filled into the reservoir 103 .

[0123] Alternatively, the nozzle 220 may be opened when the lever 300 is in the second position. When the nozzle 220 is opened, the inhalable composition contained in the container 210 is allowed to move to the reservoir. On the other hand, the nozzle 220 may be closed when the lever 300 is not in the second position. When the nozzle 220 is closed, the path of movement of the inhalable composition to the reservoir 103 is blocked, and therefore filling of the reservoir 103 is stopped.

[0124] The opening and closing of the nozzle 220 is controlled by whether or not the user applies pressure to the lever 300 .

[0125] The inhaler 10 according to the above-described embodiment is provided with a relief valve 700 linked to the filling lever 300 to remove residual gas from the reservoir 103 before filling, in order to prevent the pressure of residual gas remaining in the reservoir 103 from interfering with the entry of new composition when the reservoir 103 is refilled with a composition using the filling lever 300.

[0126] In addition, in the inhaler 10 according to the embodiment described above, the filling lever 300 operates in two stages, with the relief valve 700 being opened in the first stage to indicate the pre-filling state, and the relief valve 700 being closed in the second stage while filling is performed.

[0127] The inhaler 10 according to the above-described embodiment needs to notify the user of the remaining amount of composition in the canister 200 so that the user knows when to replace the canister 200. Therefore, the inhaler 10 according to the embodiment has a counter function that counts the number of fills of the fill lever 300 and conversely informs the user of the number of remaining fills. The counter 900 that performs this function calculates the number of fills taking into account the total amount of composition and the volume of the reservoir 103, counts the number of fills, and estimates the remaining number of fills. A counting method that operates mechanically in conjunction with the operation of the fill lever 300 may be used.

[0128] Counter 900 is described in more detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0129] 9, the counter 900 of the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may be rotatably mounted on one of the sides of the housing 101. In this case, the counter 900 may be disposed between the canister 200 and the lever 300. The counter 900 may be mounted so as to rotate in conjunction with the lever 300. For example, the counter 900 may rotate a certain angle in response to the operation of the lever 300, and may indicate to the user the amount of inhalable composition remaining in the canister 200 using a color, number, or the like.

[0130] Specifically, the counter 900 may include a first counter member 910 and a second counter member 920 .

[0131] The first counter member 910 may be formed in a circular shape, and its center may be rotatably coupled to the inside of the housing 101. One surface of the first counter member 910 may be marked with a symbol or the like that indicates the remaining amount of the canister 200. For example, one surface of the first counter member 910 may be marked with different colors or a series of numbers along the circumferential direction.

[0132] A plurality of second counter members 920 may be provided, each formed in a sawtooth shape, and arranged at regular intervals around the circumference of the first counter member 910.

[0133] The second counter member 920 engages with the lever 300 and is moved in the circumferential direction when the canister 200 is opened, causing the first counter member 910 to rotate.

[0134] In this case, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may further include a fixing portion 930 to prevent the first counter member 910 from rotating in a direction other than the direction of rotation caused by the lever 300 .

[0135] The fixing portion 930 may have one end rotatably coupled to the housing 101 and the other end formed in a hook shape. The other end of such a fixing portion 930 may engage with the second counter member 920. This allows the fixing portion 930 to restrict the rotation of the first counter member 910 in one direction. In other words, the fixing portion 930 allows the second counter member 920 to rotate in a direction toward the canister 200 by the lever 300, but does not allow the second counter member 920 to rotate in a direction away from the canister 200.

[0136] As described above, when the lever 300 of the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment is pressed by a user, the canister 200 is opened and the reservoir 103 is filled with an inhalable composition. At this time, the lever 300 and the counter 900 are linked to each other, so that the counter 900 rotates in response to the operation of the lever 300, indicating the remaining amount of the canister 200. When the lever 300 is pressed by a user, it is moved in a first direction, which in turn moves the canister 200 in a second direction and rotates the counter 900.

[0137] 9 and 10, the lever 300 may include a second support member 360 and a second protruding member 370.

[0138] The second support member 360 may extend in a first direction toward the canister 200 .

[0139] The second protrusion member 370 may be rotatably coupled to the second support member 360 around a rotation axis provided on the second support member 360. The second protrusion member 370 may have an end portion formed on one side thereof that protrudes radially from the rotation axis. The end portion of the second protrusion member 370 may be disposed in an upright state facing the first surface of the housing 101.

[0140] When the lever 300 is pressed, the second protruding member 370 is moved in a first direction and can apply a pressure in the first direction to one of the plurality of second counter members 920. This causes the second counter member 920 to rotate in a direction toward the canister 200, which in turn causes the first counter member 910 to rotate.

[0141] When the lever 300 is pressed in the first direction in this manner, the second support member 360 can restrict the rotation of the second protruding member 370. That is, the second protruding member 370 is restricted from rotating in a direction away from the canister 200 with its end portion standing upright toward the first surface of the housing 101.

[0142] Therefore, when the lever 300 is pressed, the second protrusion member 370 also moves in the first direction and comes into contact with the second counter member 920, and at this time, the second protrusion member 370 does not rotate but pushes the second counter member 920 to rotate it in the direction toward the canister 200.

[0143] Finally, when the lever 300 opens the canister 200, the counter 900 may rotate to indicate the amount of composition remaining in the modified canister 200.

[0144] On the other hand, the second support member 360 may allow the second protruding member 370 to rotate when the lever 300 returns to its original position. In other words, the second protruding member 370 may not be restricted from rotating in the direction toward the canister 200 with its end portion standing upright toward the first surface of the housing 101.

[0145] Therefore, when the lever 300 moves in the direction opposite to the first direction, the second protruding member 370 can return to its original position without rotating the second counter member 920.

[0146] After the reservoir 103 has been refilled with the composition a certain number of times, the counter 900 will indicate that there is no remaining amount in the canister 200, and the user can then remove the canister 200 from the housing 101.

[0147] 11, when the canister 200 is removed from the housing 101, the first counter member 910 is rotated to return to its initial position. At this time, to return to the initial position, the counter 900 rotates in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the lever 300. To allow such reverse rotation, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may further include a reset portion 940.

[0148] The reset portion 940 may be disposed between the fixed portion 930 and the counter 900. The reset portion 940 may be disposed so that one end is rotatably attached inside the housing 101 and the other end is in contact with the fixed portion 930. When the canister 200 is removed from the housing 101, the reset portion 940 can push and rotate the fixed portion 930 in a direction toward the canister 200. This allows the hook portion of the fixed portion 930 that has been engaged with the second counter member 920 to be disengaged from the second counter member 920.

[0149] The counter 900 may further include a second elastic member (not shown) provided on the first counter member 910.

[0150] The second elastic member may be compressed in the rotational direction of the counter 900 when the first counter member 910 is rotated by the lever 300. When there is no rotational constraint on the counter 900, for example, when the canister 200 is removed from the housing 101 and the rotational constraint by the fixing part 930 is released, such second elastic member can rotate the first counter member 910 to its original position.

[0151] Referring further to FIG. 3, the housing 101 of the inhaler 10 in one embodiment further includes a display window, and the remaining amount of the canister 200 displayed on the counter 900 is displayed externally through the display window 110 so that the user can check it.

[0152] The display window 110 may be made of a hole or a transparent material formed on one side of the housing 101. The display window 110 may be formed at a position corresponding to the first counter member 910 of the counter 900. Such a display window 110 can externally display the color or number displayed by the first counter member 910.

[0153] Meanwhile, in order to check the remaining amount of composition in the reservoir 103, the reservoir 103 of the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may be made of a transparent material, and the housing 101 may further include an indication window 120. The indication window 120 may be a hole formed on one side of the housing 101, or may be formed at a position corresponding to the reservoir 103. The indication window 120 can externally display the amount of inhalable composition in the reservoir 103. This allows the user to easily check whether the reservoir 103 has been filled and how much is left.

[0154] The inhaler 10 according to the above-described embodiment is provided with a counter 900 linked to the filling lever 300, and when filling the inhalable composition from the canister 200 into the reservoir 103, the counter 900 counts the number of fillings using the up and down movement of the canister 200, thereby providing information on the remaining amount of composition inside the canister 200 and when it is time to replace the canister 200.

[0155] As described above, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment has a replaceable canister 200, allowing the user to replace the existing canister 200 with a new canister 200 when the inhalable composition inside the canister 200 is used up. To do this, the cover 500 of the canister 200 must be opened. If the cover 500 is opened while there is inhalable composition remaining in the reservoir 103, the composition may be sprayed from the nozzle 220 of the canister 200, pushing the canister 200 out with great force. This can cause problems such as the canister 200 popping out and the composition getting the user's hands wet. To solve these problems, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment is equipped with a cover lock 600 as a double locking device.

[0156] 12, the cover lock 600 of the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may be located on the second surface of the housing 101. The cover lock 600 is slidably provided and may be moved by a user to the position shown in FIG. 12(a) or 12(b).

[0157] For example, Figure 12(a) shows the cover lock 600 in a locked position, where the cover lock 600 may restrict rotation of the cover 500 so that the cover 500 cannot be opened. Figure 12(b) shows the cover lock 600 moved to an unlocked position, where the cover lock 600 may allow rotation of the cover 500 so that the cover 500 can be opened. Once the cover 500 is opened, a user can remove the canister 200 from the housing 101 of the inhaler 10.

[0158] 13 and 14, one side of the cover 500 may be rotatably coupled to the housing 101, and the other side may be detachably coupled to the housing 101 at a position corresponding to the bottom surface of the canister 200. The other side of the cover 500 may be detached from the housing 101, and one side may be rotated to expose the bottom surface of the canister 200 to the outside. The rotation of one side of the cover 500 may be controlled by the cover lock 600 as described above.

[0159] Additionally, the cover lock 600 may open the relief valve 700 first before allowing the cover 500 to rotate.

[0160] 13 and 14, the relief valve 700 of the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment may be installed in the reservoir 103, spaced apart from one side of the canister 200. The relief valve 700 operates to open or close so that the reservoir 103 is connected to or isolated from the outside.

[0161] Specifically, the relief valve 700 may be opened by a relief bar 800 that rises when the cover lock 600 is in the unlocked position. The relief bar 800 may be located between the cover 500 and the cover lock 600.

[0162] Such a relief bar 800 may open the relief valve 700 while moving in the second direction and close the relief valve 700 while returning to its original position.

[0163] The movement of the relief bar 800 may be controlled by the cover lock 600 .

[0164] As shown in Figure 13, when the cover lock 600 is in the locked position, the relief bar 800 does not rise and the relief valve 700 remains closed. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 14, when the cover lock 600 is in the unlocked position, the relief bar 800 is raised by the cover lock 600 and the relief valve 700 opens.

[0165] According to one embodiment, the cover lock 600 of the inhaler 10 may include a first locking member 610 and a second locking member 620.

[0166] The first locking member 610 may slide on the second surface of the housing 101 .

[0167] The second locking member 620 may extend from the first locking member 610 toward the first surface of the housing 101. The second locking member 620 may push the other end of the relief bar 800 toward the first surface of the housing 101 when the first locking member 610 moves from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0168] Specifically, one end of the second locking member 620 is fixed to the first locking member 610, and the other end of the second locking member 620 extends toward the first surface of the housing 101. The other end of the second locking member 620 may be formed with a second inclined surface 6201 that decreases in height toward the relief bar 800.

[0169] When the first locking member 610 moves from the locked position to the unlocked position, the second inclined surface 6201 gradually moves the other end of the relief bar 800 toward the first surface of the housing 101. As the relief bar 800 moves upward toward the first surface of the housing 101 in this manner, the relief valve 700 is opened. Furthermore, when the first locking member 610 moves from the unlocked position to the locked position, the second locking member 620 including the second inclined surface 6201 returns to its original position, and the relief bar 800 moves downward toward the second surface of the housing 101, and the relief valve 700 is closed.

[0170] Eventually, when the first locking member 610 moves from the locked position to the unlocked position, the relief valve 700 opens, discharging the remaining composition in the reservoir 103, and the canister 200 is removed from the housing 101. When the first locking member 610 is again moved to the locked position, the relief valve 700 closes.

[0171] On the other hand, when the first locking member 610 is in the locked position, the second locking member 620 does not restrict the operation of the lever 300, but when the first locking member 610 is in the unlocked position, the second locking member 620 restricts the operation of the lever 300.

[0172] In one embodiment, the inhaler 10 is provided with a relief valve 700 that is linked to the lever 300, allowing residual gas in the reservoir 103 to be discharged and the inhalable composition to be smoothly filled from the canister 200 into the reservoir 103.

[0173] However, such action of the lever 300 on the relief valve 700 is permitted when the first locking member 610 of the cover lock 600 is in the locked position, as described above.

[0174] 14 , when the first locking member 610 of the cover lock 600 is in the unlocked position, the second locking member 620 can obstruct the path of movement of the lever 300 in the first direction. For example, when the first locking member 610 is in the unlocked position, the second locking member 620 can move adjacent to the first protruding member 350 to block the path of movement of the first protruding member 350. At the same time, the second locking member 620 lifts the relief bar 800, and after the lever 300 lifts the relief bar 800 to open the relief valve 700, the cover lock 600 can open only the relief valve 700 to discharge the residual material in the reservoir 103, even without performing the operation of lifting the canister 200 to open the injection port 220.

[0175] As described above, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment employs the cover lock 600 as a double locking device, thereby eliminating the problem of the canister 200 attached thereto spilling out or the composition getting on the user's hands when the canister cover 500 is easily opened. Additionally, the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment can operate the relief valve 700 to discharge residual medium from the reservoir 103 when replacing the canister 200.

[0176] In addition, in the inhaler 10 according to one embodiment, when the cover lock 600 is in the locked position, the cover 500 is not opened and the filling lever 300 operates normally, and when the cover lock 600 is in the unlocked position, only the cover 500 is opened and the filling lever 300 does not operate as it is caught by the second locking member 620. Furthermore, when the first locking member 610 is moved to the unlocked position, the inclined surface 6201 extending from the second locking member 620 pushes up the relief bar 800, opening the relief valve 700 and discharging the remaining contents in the reservoir.

[0177] As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to specific components and other specific details, limited examples, and drawings. However, these are merely provided for a more comprehensive understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described examples. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made from these descriptions. For example, the described techniques may be performed in a different manner than described, and / or the described structures, devices, and other components may be combined or combined in a different manner than described, or replaced or substituted with other components or equivalents, while still achieving suitable results. Therefore, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and all modifications equivalent to or within the scope of the following claims, including but not limited to the spirit of the present invention, are deemed to fall within the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. a housing having one surface, another surface opposite to the one surface, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the one surface and the other surface; a mouthpiece disposed on one side of the housing; a reservoir in communication with the mouthpiece, the reservoir storing an inhalable composition; and a canister containing the inhalable composition stored in the reservoir and releasably connected to the reservoir; Including, the canister is removably coupled to the reservoir within the housing; a lever having one side that forms a part of the housing and another side that is movable between the bottom surface of the canister and the other surface of the housing; When the lever is pressed, one side of the lever moves in a first direction toward the canister, and the other side of the lever presses the canister to move in a second direction toward the reservoir; a relief valve installed in the reservoir so as to be spaced apart from the canister and operable to open and close the reservoir to the outside; The lever controls the relief valve to open first, followed by the canister.

2. a housing having one surface, another surface opposite to the one surface, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the one surface and the other surface; a mouthpiece disposed on one side of the housing; a reservoir in communication with the mouthpiece, the reservoir storing an inhalable composition; and a canister containing the inhalable composition stored in the reservoir and releasably connected to the reservoir; Including, the canister is removably coupled to the reservoir within the housing; a lever having one side that forms a part of the housing and another side that is movable between the bottom surface of the canister and the other surface of the housing; When the lever is pressed, one side of the lever moves in a first direction toward the canister, and the other side of the lever presses the canister to move in a second direction toward the reservoir; a counter rotatably disposed between the canister and the lever; The counter rotates a set angle upon actuation of the lever to indicate the amount of the inhalable composition remaining in the canister.

3. a cover having one side rotatably coupled to the housing and the other side detachably coupled to a corresponding position on the bottom surface of the canister; and a cover lock disposed adjacent one side of the cover and slidably movable between a locked position that restricts rotation of the cover and an unlocked position that allows rotation of the cover; further comprising 10. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the cover lock opens the relief valve in an unlocked position.

Citation Information

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