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 into 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. The piercing member is movable between a first piercing position and a second piercing position, and at the second piercing position rather than the first piercing position, a tip of the piercing member is closer to the longitudinal axis.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The following various embodiments relate to inhalers. [Background technology]

[0002] Research has been conducted into inhalers that deliver a target substance directly to the user's lungs. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0065204 discloses a dry powder inhaler. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] The inhaler according to various embodiments is based on inducing vortex behavior in the functional agent powder.

[0004] The inhaler according to various embodiments is intended to induce smooth ejection of functional substance powder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In one embodiment, the inhaler includes a holder including an opening and an internal space communicating with the opening, a piercing member protruding into the internal space, and a functional substance containing member inserted from the opening along the longitudinal axis of the holder into the internal space of the holder and containing the functional substance, wherein the piercing member is movable between a first piercing position and a second piercing position, and the tip of the piercing member is closer to the longitudinal axis at the second piercing position than at the first piercing position.

[0006] In one embodiment, the piercing member can include a first piercing member and a second piercing member spaced apart from the first piercing member along the longitudinal axis.

[0007] The first piercing member and the second piercing member may be positioned opposite each other about the longitudinal axis.

[0008] The tip of the first piercing element and the tip of the second piercing element can face a longitudinal axis of the holder.

[0009] The piercing member is protrudable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first piercing position being a state in which the piercing member is returned, and the second piercing position being a state in which the piercing member is protruding toward the longitudinal axis.

[0010] In one embodiment, the piercing element may be pivotally coupled to the holder and further include a stop member that contacts the piercing element to prevent rotation of the piercing element toward the opening, the stop member preventing rotation of the piercing element toward the opening, and the first piercing position may be a position in which the tip of the piercing element is rotated toward the opposite side of the opening, and the second piercing position may be a position in which the tip of the piercing element is rotated toward the longitudinal axis.

[0011] According to an embodiment, at least one of the functional material containing member and the holder may be provided with a marker that indicates the length to which the functional material containing member is inserted into the internal space.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the functional substance containing member may include a stick that can be inserted into the inner space of the holder, and a capsule that is disposed inside the stick and contains the functional substance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to various embodiments, vortex flow behavior of the functional material powder can be induced.

[0014] According to various embodiments, the internal airflow introduced into the inhaler penetrates the center of the functional substance containing member, thereby enabling smooth discharge of functional substance powder.

[0015] The effects of the inhalers according to the various embodiments 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]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows an inhaler according to various embodiments. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 illustrates the operation of an inhaler according to various embodiments. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows an inhaler according to various embodiments. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 illustrates the operation of an inhaler according to various embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The terms used in the embodiments are generally used and widely used at present, taking into consideration the functions of the present invention. However, these may change depending on the intentions of engineers working in the field, legal precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant may arbitrarily select terms, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present invention should not be simply defined by their names, but should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present invention.

[0018] Throughout the specification, when any part "includes" any component, this does not exclude other components, but means that it further includes other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary. Furthermore, terms such as "unit" and "module" used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be realized in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0019] As used herein, when a phrase such as "at least one of" precedes an element in a sequence, it modifies the entire element and not each individual element in the sequence. For example, the phrase "at least one of a, b, and c" should be interpreted as including a, b, c, or a and b, a and c, b and c, or a, b, and c.

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates an inhaler 100 according to various embodiments, and FIG. 2 illustrates an inhaler 100 according to various embodiments in operation.

[0021] The inhaler 100 of one embodiment delivers a functional substance to a user, for example, the inhaler 100 of one embodiment may comprise an inhaler that delivers a dried pharmacological substance or nicotine in aerosol form to the user's lungs.

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

[0023] In one embodiment, the holder 110 may be cylindrical with an internal space, and the internal space may be sized to allow the functional material containing member 130, which will be described later, to be inserted therein. An opening into which the functional material containing 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 disposed inside the holder 110, and the other side of the first piercing member 121 has a cutting edge that protrudes toward the longitudinal axis C of the holder 110. One side of the second piercing member 122 is disposed inside the holder 110, and the other side of the second piercing member 122 has a cutting edge that protrudes toward the longitudinal axis C of the holder 110.

[0025] The first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 may 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 spaced apart from each other in the ±Y direction shown in FIG.

[0026] In addition, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 may be disposed facing each other around the longitudinal axis C. For example, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 may be disposed spaced apart from each other in the ±X directions shown in FIG. 1 based on 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 area in which the capsule 132 is placed in the functional substance containing member 130 may be set so that when the functional substance containing member 130 is inserted into the internal space of the holder 110, the capsule 132 is positioned facing the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122.

[0029] For example, the capsule 131 may contain a functional substance. 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 be in the form of fine granules or a dry powder.

[0030] For example, the outer shell of the capsule 132 may be made of a material that can be pierced 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 are movable between a first piercing position (e.g., the position of the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 in FIG. 2(a)) and a second piercing position (e.g., the position of the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 in FIG. 2(b)), and the tip of the piercing member 120 is closer to the longitudinal axis C at the second piercing position than at the first piercing position.

[0032] Here, the horizontal distance (e.g., in FIG. 1, the ±X direction distance) between the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 at the first piercing position may be set to be larger than the outer diameter of the functional substance containing member 130, and the horizontal distance (e.g., in FIG. 1, the ±X direction distance) between the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 at the second piercing position may be set to be smaller than the outer diameter of the capsule 132.

[0033] For example, before the functional material containing member 130 is inserted into the internal space of the holder 110, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 are placed at the first piercing position. Thereafter, the functional material containing member 130 may be inserted into the internal space of the holder 110 without being obstructed by the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122. With the functional material containing member 130 inserted into the internal space of the holder 110, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 may be placed at the second piercing position. At the second piercing position, the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 pierces the capsule 132, thereby opening at least a portion of the capsule 132 and exposing the functional material in the capsule 132 to the outside.

[0034] In one embodiment, the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 may be formed to protrude in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis C (e.g., ±X direction in FIG. 1). Here, the first piercing position is a state in which the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 is restored, and the second piercing position is a state in which the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 protrudes toward the longitudinal axis C. For example, an elastic member that assists the protrusion or restoration of the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 may be provided.

[0035] In one embodiment, at least one of the stick 131 of the functional substance containing member 130 or the holder 110 may be provided with a marker (not shown) indicating the length of insertion of the stick 131 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 the slit is set to be proportional to the amount of the functional substance to be puffed at one time.

[0036] The operation of the inhaler 100 according to various embodiments will now be described with reference to FIG.

[0037] 2(a), the functional material containing member 130 may be inserted into the inner space of the holder 110. Here, the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 is at the first piercing position.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 2, the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 can be moved from the first piercing position to the second piercing position, and the capsule 132 is pierced by the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122.

[0039] When the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 returns to the first piercing position, a through hole may be formed in the capsule 132 .

[0040] Alternatively, the stick 131 may be separated from the internal space of the holder 110 with the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 inserted into the capsule 132, and at this time, a longitudinal slit may be formed in the capsule 132.

[0041] The capsule 132 may have an open area in the form of a through hole or slit formed by the first piercing member 121 and an open area in the form of a through hole or slit formed by the second piercing member 122. The open areas are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis C, so that airflow passing through the open areas can pass through the central area of ​​the capsule 132.

[0042] 2(c), at least a portion of the functional substance containing member 130 is separated from the holder 110. Here, the functional substance containing member 130 may be completely separated from the holder 110, or the functional substance may be transferred with the capsule 132 inserted in the holder 110. In this case, the functional substance can be more efficiently prevented from being separated and unnecessary leakage of the functional substance can be prevented compared to when the functional substance containing member 130 is completely separated from the holder 110.

[0043] When the user bites one end of the stick 131 and inhales while the open area is formed in the capsule 132, external air flows into the interior space of the holder 110 through an airflow hole (not shown) formed in the holder 110, and then flows into the capsule 132 through the open area formed by the second piercing member 122. The air then escapes through the open area formed by the first piercing member 121 and reaches the user, along with the functional material in the capsule 132. The eccentric position of the open area allows the air to pass through the center of the capsule 132, inducing a vortex flow of the functional material. This vortex flow induces smooth movement of the functional material, resulting in smoother dispensing of the functional material.

[0044] For example, if the capsule 132 is positioned loosely within the stick 131, the air flow caused by the eccentric position of the open area may induce rotation of the capsule 132. As a result, the ejection of the functional material may be more vigorous.

[0045] FIG. 3 illustrates an inhaler 200 according to various embodiments, and FIG. 4 illustrates an inhaler 200 according to various embodiments in operation.

[0046] 3, an inhaler 200 according to one embodiment includes a holder 210, a piercing member 220, and a functional substance containing member 230. The holder 210 has the same or similar structure and function as the holder 110 described above, and the functional substance containing member 230 including a stick 231 and a capsule 232 has the same or similar structure and function as the functional substance containing member 130 described above, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, a description thereof will be omitted.

[0047] In one embodiment, the piercing member 220 includes a first piercing member 221 and a second piercing member 222. One side of the first piercing member 221 is pivotally connected to the inside of the holder 210, and the other side of the first piercing member 221 comprises a cutting edge. One side of the second piercing member 222 is pivotally connected to the inside of the holder 210, and the other side of the second piercing member 222 may comprise a cutting edge.

[0048] The first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 may be spaced apart in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis C. For example, the first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 may be spaced apart in ±Y directions in FIG. 3. Alternatively, the first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 may be arranged to face each other centered on the longitudinal axis C. For example, the first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 may be spaced apart in ±X directions in FIG. 3 based on the central axis C.

[0049] In one embodiment, the first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 are movable between a first piercing position (e.g., the position of the first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 in FIG. 4(a)) and a second piercing position (e.g., the position of the first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 in FIG. 4(b)), and at the second piercing position, the tip of the first piercing member 221 or the tip of the second piercing member 220 may be closer to the longitudinal axis C of the holder 210 than at the first piercing position.

[0050] Here, the horizontal distance (e.g., in Figure 3, the ±X direction distance) between the tip of the first piercing member 221 and the tip of the second piercing member 222 at the first piercing position may be set to be larger than the outer diameter of the functional substance containing member 230, and the horizontal distance (e.g., in Figure 3, the ±X direction distance) between the tip of the first piercing member 221 and the tip of the second piercing member 222 at the second piercing position may be set to be smaller than the outer diameter of the capsule 232.

[0051] For example, before the functional material containing member 230 is inserted into the internal space of the holder 210, the first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 may be placed at the first piercing position. Thereafter, the functional material containing member 230 may be inserted into the internal space of the holder 210 without being obstructed by the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222. With the functional material containing member 230 inserted into the internal space of the holder 210, the first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 may be placed at the second piercing position. At the second piercing position, the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222 pierces the capsule 232, thereby opening at least a portion of the capsule 232 and exposing the functional material in the capsule 232 to the outside.

[0052] In one embodiment, the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222 may be pivotally coupled to the holder 210. For example, the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222 may be coupled to the inside of the holder 210 in a hinged manner, and the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222 may be rotated between a first piercing position in which the tip of the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222 is rotated toward the opposite side of the opening of the holder 210 and a second piercing position in which the tip of the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222 is rotated toward the longitudinal axis C.

[0053] In one embodiment, the inhaler 200 according to the embodiment further includes a stop member 240 that contacts the piercing member 220 and prevents rotation of the piercing member 220. The stop member 240 prevents the piercing member 220 from rotating toward the opening, allowing the piercing member 220 to rotate only between the first piercing position and the second piercing position. An open area in the form of a longitudinal slit may be formed in the capsule 232 via the stop member 240.

[0054] For example, the stop member 240 may include a first stop member 241 that contacts the first piercing member 221 and a second stop member 242 that contacts the second piercing member 222. For example, the first stop member 241 is located between the first piercing member 221 and the opening and contacts the first piercing member 221 to prevent the tip of the first piercing member 221 from rotating toward the opening. Similarly, the second stop member 242 is located between the second piercing member 222 and the opening and contacts the second piercing member 222 to prevent the tip of the second piercing member 221 from rotating toward the opening.

[0055] In one embodiment, the inhaler 200 according to one embodiment may further include an elastic element (not shown) for rotating the piercing member 220 to the second piercing position. For example, the elastic element may be a coil spring, which connects the stop member 240 and the piercing member 220 and can return the piercing member 220 rotated at the first piercing position to the second piercing position.

[0056] In one embodiment, at least one of the stick 231 of the functional substance containing member 230 or the holder 210 may be provided with a marker (not shown) that indicates the length of insertion of the stick 231 into the internal space. The size of the longitudinal slit formed in the capsule 232 is indirectly measured by the marker, and the size of the slit may be set to be proportional to the amount of the functional substance to be puffed at one time.

[0057] The operation of the inhaler 200 according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0058] 4(a), when the functional material containing member 230 is inserted into the internal space through the opening of the holder 210, the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222 is rotated so that its tip faces away from the opening (first piercing position state). Because the first piercing member 221 and the second piercing member 222 can freely rotate in the direction away from the opening, the functional material containing member 230 can be inserted into the holder 210 without being obstructed by the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222.

[0059] 4(b), when the functional material containing member 230 starts to be pulled out of the holder 210, the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222 is rotated so that its tip faces the longitudinal axis C (second piercing position state). Here, the tip of the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222 pierces the capsule 232. In this state, when the functional material containing member 230 continues to be pulled out of the holder 210, an opening region in the form of a longitudinal slit may be formed in the capsule 232 by the first piercing member 221 or the second piercing member 222.

[0060] Here, a slit may be formed by the first piercing member 221 and a slit may be formed by the second piercing member 222. The slits are formed facing each other and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis C, so that airflow passing through the slits can pass through the central region of the capsule 232.

[0061] 4(c), the functional substance containing member 230 may be completely separated from the holder 210, or may maintain a state in which the capsule 232 is inserted into the holder 210. In this case, the functional substance is prevented from being separated from the functional substance containing member 230 during transfer, compared to when the functional substance containing member 230 is completely separated from the holder 210, thereby preventing unnecessary leakage of the functional substance.

[0062] When the user bites one end of the stick 231 and inhales while the slit is formed in the capsule 232, external air flows into the interior space of the holder 210 through an airflow hole (not shown) formed in the holder 210, and then flows into the capsule 232 through the slit formed by the second piercing member 222. The air then escapes through the slit formed by the first piercing member 221 and reaches the user, along with the functional material in the capsule 232. The eccentric position of the slit allows the air to pass through the center of the capsule 232, inducing a vortex flow of the functional material. This vortex flow induces smooth movement of the functional material, resulting in smooth delivery of the functional material.

[0063] For example, if the capsule 232 is not fixed in the stick 231, the air flow generated by the eccentric position of the slit may induce rotation of the capsule 232. As a result, the discharge of the functional material may be more vigorously performed.

[0064] The above description of the embodiments is merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the invention should be determined by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent to the content described in the claims should be interpreted as being included in the scope of protection determined by the claims.

Claims

1. An inhaler for inhaling a functional substance, a holder including an opening and an interior space communicating with the opening; a piercing member protruding into the internal space; a functional substance containing member that is inserted into the internal space of the holder from the opening along the longitudinal axis of the holder and contains the functional substance; Including, the piercing member is movable between a first piercing position and a second piercing position; the tip of the piercing member is closer to the longitudinal axis at the second piercing location than at the first piercing location; the piercing member is pivotally coupled to the holder and further includes a stop member that contacts the piercing member to prevent rotation of the piercing member; The stop member prevents rotation of the piercing member toward the opening.

2. The piercing member comprises: a first piercing member; a second piercing member spaced apart from the first piercing member along the longitudinal axis; 10. The inhaler of claim 1, comprising:

3. 3. The inhaler of claim 2, wherein the first piercing member and the second piercing member are positioned opposite each other about the longitudinal axis.

4. 3. The inhaler of claim 2, wherein the distal end of the first piercing member and the distal end of the second piercing member are oriented toward the longitudinal axis of the holder.

5. 2. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the piercing member is protrudable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first piercing position being a position in which the piercing member is returned and the second piercing position being a position in which the piercing member is protruding toward the longitudinal axis.

6. 2. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the first piercing position is a position where the tip of the piercing member is rotated toward the opposite side of the opening, and the second piercing position is a position where the tip of the piercing member is rotated toward the longitudinal axis.

7. The inhaler according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the functional substance containing member and the holder is provided with a marker that indicates the length of the functional substance containing member inserted into the internal space.

8. The functional substance containing member is a stick insertable into the inner space of the holder; a capsule disposed inside the stick and containing the functional substance; 10. The inhaler of claim 1, comprising:

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