Inhaler

Abstract

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

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The following various embodiments relate to inhalers.

Background Art

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

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

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

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

Means for Solving the Problems

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

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

[0007] The first piercing member and the second piercing member may be arranged to face each other around the longitudinal axis.

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

[0009] The functional substance containing member according to one embodiment may include a stick that can be inserted into the internal space of the holder, and a capsule disposed inside the stick that contains the functional substance.

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

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

[0012] The marker indicates a third insertion state of the stick, and the third insertion state may be a state in which the stick is inserted in a position between the first insertion state and the second insertion state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to various embodiments, eddy flow behavior of functional material powders can be induced.

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

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

[0016] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows inhalers according to various embodiments. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the operating states of inhalers according to various embodiments. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the puff state of inhalers according to various embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] The terminology used in the embodiments has been selected from commonly used terms, taking into account the functions of the present invention, but this may change depending on the intentions of the articulators working in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In addition, there are terms that the applicant has arbitrarily selected, where their meaning will be described in detail in the description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present invention are not simply names of terms, but must be defined based on the meaning of the term and the overall content of the present invention.

[0018] When any part of the specification "includes" any component, this does not exclude other components unless otherwise stated, but rather means that it includes other components. Furthermore, terms such as "~part" and "~module" used in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented in hardware or software, or by a combination of hardware and software.

[0019] As used herein, when an expression such as “at least one of the following” precedes an array of components, it modifies the entire component, not each of the individual components in the array. For example, the expression “at least one of a, b, and c” must be interpreted as including a, b, c, or a and b, a and c, b and c, or a, b, and c.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0026] Furthermore, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 can be arranged facing each other around the longitudinal axis C. For example, the first piercing member 121 and the second piercing member 122 may be arranged spaced apart from each other in the ±X directions shown in Figure 1 with respect to the central axis C.

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

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

[0029] As an example, the capsule 131 may contain a functional substance. For example, the functional substance may contain 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] As an example, the outer shell of the capsule 132 may be made of a material that is penetrated or cut by the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122.

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

[0032] Because the horizontal distance between the tip of the first piercing member 121 and the tip of the second piercing member 122 is smaller than the horizontal width of the capsule 132, when the stick 131 is inserted into the internal space of the holder 110, at least a portion of the capsule 132 is cut open by the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122, and the functional material inside the capsule 132 is exposed to the outside of the capsule 132.

[0033] In one embodiment, at least one of the stick 131 of the functional substance containing member 130 or the holder 110 may be provided with a marker (not shown) that indicates the extent to which the stick 131 is inserted into the internal space. If a longitudinal slit-shaped open area is formed in the capsule 132, the size of the slit can be indirectly measured by the marker, and the size of such a slit may be set to be proportional to the amount of the functional substance dispensed in one puff.

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

[0035] Furthermore, the marker indicates the third insertion state of the stick, which is the state in which the stick is inserted in a position between the first insertion state and the second insertion state.

[0036] For example, as the stick 131 is inserted into the internal space of the holder 110 and moves forward toward the tip of the internal space, the first piercing member 121 or the second piercing member 122 begins to cut from the tip of the stick 131. Here, when the stick 131 reaches the first insertion state indicated on the marker, it is clear that the cutting of the capsule 132 by the first piercing member 121 has begun. The user can adjust the desired single puff amount by further advancing the stick 131 in the third insertion state indicated on the marker. Alternatively, the user can set the single puff amount to the maximum amount by advancing the stick 131 in the second insertion state indicated on the marker. As an example, depending on the number of puffs, the third insertion state may be maintained during the initial puff, and the puff amount of the stick 131 may be adjusted in the second insertion state during later puffs.

[0037] Figures 2 and 3 show the operating state of the inhaler 100 according to one embodiment. Figure 2 shows the functional substance containing member 130 inserted into the internal space of the holder 110, and Figure 3 shows the functional substance in a state where a portion of the capsule 132 has been cut open and is transferable.

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

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

[0040] The capsule 132 has a slit-shaped open region formed by the first piercing member 121 and a slit-shaped open region formed by the second piercing member 122. Since the open regions are formed to be separated along the longitudinal axis C, the airflow passing through the open regions can pass through the central region of the capsule 132.

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

[0042] When the user performs an inhalation action by biting one section of the stick 131 with the open region formed in the capsule 132, external air flows into the internal space of the holder 110 through the airflow hole (not shown) formed in the holder 110, and the air flows into the capsule 132 through the open region formed by the second piercing member 122. Next, the air escapes through the open region formed by the first piercing member 121 and reaches the user, at which time the functional substance inside the capsule 132 is also transferred to the user. Due to the eccentric position of the open region, the air passes through the central part of the capsule 132 and at the same time induces vortex flow behavior of the functional substance. This vortex flow behavior induces smooth movement of the functional substance, and the discharge of the functional substance becomes smoother.

[0043] For example, if the capsule 132 is positioned without being fixed within the stick 131, the airflow generated by the eccentric position of the open area may induce rotation of the capsule 132. As a result, the discharge of the functional substance will be more vigorous.

[0044] The above description of embodiments is illustrative only, and a person with ordinary skill in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent different embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the invention must be determined by the appended claims, and all differences that are equivalent to those described in the claims must be interpreted as being included within the scope of protection determined by the claims.

Claims

1. An inhaler for inhaling functional substances, A holder including an opening and an internal space communicating with the opening, The piercing member protruding from the aforementioned internal space, A functional material containing member is inserted into the internal space of the holder along the longitudinal axis of the holder from the opening and contains the functional material, Includes, One side of the piercing member is fixed to one side of the holder, and the tip of the piercing member faces the longitudinal axis. The functional material containing member is A stick that can be inserted into the internal space of the holder, A capsule containing the functional substance is placed inside the stick, Includes, An inhaler wherein at least one of the stick or the holder is provided with a marker indicating the extent to which the stick is inserted into the internal space.

2. The piercing member is, First piercing member and A second piercing member is arranged to be spaced apart from the first piercing member along the longitudinal axis, The inhaler according to claim 1, including the following:

3. The inhaler according to claim 2, wherein the first piercing member and the second piercing member are arranged facing each other around the longitudinal axis.

4. The inhaler according to claim 3, wherein the horizontal distance perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between the tip of the first piercing member and the tip of the second piercing member is smaller than the horizontal width of the functional substance containing member.

5. The marker indicates the first insertion state and the second insertion state of the stick. The inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the first insertion state is a position in which the capsule begins to come into contact with the piercing member, and the second insertion state is a position in which the stick reaches the tip of the internal space.

6. The marker indicates the third insertion state of the stick, The inhaler according to claim 5, wherein the third insertion state is a state in which the stick is inserted in a position between the first insertion state and the second insertion state.

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