Claims for Patent: 11,395,888

Summary for Patent: 11,395,888

Title:	Inhalers and related methods
Abstract:	An inhaler housing (14) for an inhaler (10) for inhaling inhalable substances, the inhaler having: a body (14) and a dose counter (24) with a return spring (28), wherein a distinct guide surface (162) is provided for guiding the end of the return spring into a recess (152), the distinct guide surface being wider than an entrance mouth (160) of the recess, a dose counter chamber (22) being provided which is separated from a tubular interior space (182) of the inhaler by a barrier (180), the barrier including a stepped upper wall area (184) including at least three steps (186, 188, 190, 192) at different levels, the inhaler having a valve stem block (62) having an inner bore and a valve stem block having a seal (224) in the inner bore with a second diameter which is smaller than a first diameter of the inner bore, the inhaler having a canister (150) being adapted to move during operation between 1 and 4 mm, a drive being arranged to apply a firing force of between 15 N and 60 N of force to the canister at a position of the canister relative to a valve stem (54) at which the canister fires.
Inventor(s):	Buck; Daniel (County Waterford, IE), Prendergast; Paul (County Carlow, IE), Walsh; Declan (County Kilkenny, IE)
Assignee:	Norton (Waterford) Limited (Waterford, IE)
Application Number:	16/134,401
Patent Claims:	1. A breath actuated inhaler having a drive adapted to drive a pressurized canister so as to retract a metering valve stem into the pressurized canister to fire the pressurized canister, the pressurized canister comprising a metering chamber and an interior reservoir, and being adapted to move during operation between 1 and 4 mm between end positions of its length of travel relative to the valve stem, the drive being arranged to apply a firing force of greater than 35 N and less than 60 N to the pressurized canister at a position of the pressurized canister relative to the valve stem at which the pressurized canister fires, the breath actuated inhaler further having a metering valve spring and a dose counter with a dose counter biasing element that cooperate together with the drive to hold the pressurized canister in a ready-to-fire configuration in which the pressurized canister is displaced from the end positions and the metering chamber is isolated from the atmosphere and wherefrom, in response to air flow, the pressurized canister is movable to close communication between the metering chamber and the interior reservoir and to open communication between the metering chamber and the atmosphere, and a vacuum chamber external to the metering chamber, wherein the metering valve spring and the dose counter biasing element combine with a vacuum force from the vacuum chamber to oppose a force from the drive when the pressurized canister is in the ready-to-fire configuration. 2. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 in which the drive comprises a drive spring. 3. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 in which the pressurized canister is arranged to move between 1 and 3 mm between the end positions. 4. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 in which the drive is adapted to provide the firing force as more than 40 N and less than 60 N. 5. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 in which the firing force is more than equal to that required to fire the pressurized canister. 6. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 wherein the dose counter biasing element comprises a dose counter return spring, and wherein the firing force is greater than the sum at the point of firing of opposing forces applied to the pressurized canister by the metering valve spring in the pressurized canister and the dose counter return spring. 7. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 wherein the interior reservoir contains a hydrofluoroalkane propellant. 8. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 7 wherein the propellant comprises a cosolvent. 9. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 wherein the interior reservoir contains one or more active ingredients. 10. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 9, wherein the one or more active ingredients comprise beclomethasone dipropionate or tiotropium bromide. 11. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 wherein the pressurized canister comprises a primeless metering valve. 12. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 further comprising an actuator system for operating the drive. 13. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 12 wherein the actuator system including the vacuum chamber external to the metering chamber has a vacuum release system operable to permit the drive to drive movement of the pressurized canister relative to the valve stem. 14. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 13 wherein the vacuum release system is air flow actuatable. 15. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 12 wherein the actuator system or drive includes or is operated as a latch, trigger or switch. 16. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1 wherein the drive is configured to hold the valve stem depressed with the metering chamber of the pressurized canister communicating with atmosphere. 17. A method of treating a respiratory disease or disorder comprising actuating the inhaler of claim 1 to administer a therapeutically effective amount of one or more active ingredients. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of actuating the inhaler comprises inhaling through the inhaler. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the respiratory disease or disorder is asthma. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the respiratory disease or disorder is COPD. 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more active ingredients comprise a corticosteroid. 22. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more active ingredients comprise beclomethasone dipropionate or tiotropium bromide. 23. The method of claim 17, wherein the pressurized canister is adapted to move during operation about 4 mm between end positions of its length of travel relative to the valve stem. 24. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 1, wherein the dose counter biasing element comprises a dose counter return spring. 25. A breath actuated inhaler having a drive adapted to drive a pressurized canister so as to retract a metering valve stem into the pressurized canister to fire the pressurized canister, the pressurized canister comprising a metering chamber and an interior reservoir, and being adapted to move during operation between 1 and 4 mm between end positions of its length of travel relative to the valve stem, the drive being arranged to apply a firing force of greater than 35 N and less than 60 N to the pressurized canister at a position of the pressurized canister relative to the valve stem at which the pressurized canister fires, the breath actuated inhaler further having a metering valve spring and a dose counter with a dose counter biasing element that cooperate together with the drive to hold the pressurized canister in a ready-to-fire configuration in which the pressurized canister is displaced from the end positions and the metering chamber is isolated from the atmosphere and wherefrom, in response to air flow, the pressurized canister is movable to close communication between the metering chamber and the interior reservoir and to open communication between the metering chamber and the atmosphere, the breath actuated inhaler further having an actuator system for operating the drive, wherein the actuator system includes a vacuum chamber external to the metering chamber having a vacuum release system operable to permit the drive to drive movement of the pressurized canister relative to the valve stem, and the metering valve spring, a vacuum force from the vacuum chamber, and the dose counter biasing element combine to oppose a force from the drive when the pressurized canister is in the ready-to-fire configuration. 26. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 25 wherein the vacuum release system is air flow actuatable. 27. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 25 wherein the actuator system or drive includes or is operated as a latch, trigger or switch. 28. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 25 wherein the dose counter biasing element comprises a dose counter return spring, and wherein the firing force is greater than the sum at the point of firing of opposing forces applied to the pressurized canister by the metering valve spring in the pressurized canister and the dose counter return spring. 29. The breath actuated inhaler of claim 25 wherein the drive is configured to hold the valve stem depressed with the metering chamber of the pressurized canister communicating with atmosphere. 30. A method of treating a respiratory disease or disorder comprising actuating the inhaler of claim 25 to administer a therapeutically effective amount of one or more active ingredients.