Claims for Patent: 5,394,868

Summary for Patent: 5,394,868

Title:	Inhalation device for powdered medicaments
Abstract:	A powder dispenser 10 includes a powder housing 28 for holding a supply of powdered material to be dispensed, the powder housing including a first conduit 32 extending there through in displaced relation to the powdered material; a metering plate 16 having only a single receptacle area 24 for holding a metered amount of the powdered material above a gas-permeable powder retainer 26 mounted at the metering plate, and being positioned below the powdered material, and the metering plate and the powder housing being rotatable with respect to each other so that the receptacle area is adapted to be in selective communication with the supply of powdered material or the first conduit; a base housing 48 being mounted below the metering plate and including a second conduit 52 in alignment with the first conduit at least concurrently with alignment of the receptacle area and the first conduit; a spring 62 for biasing the base housing and the powder housing toward each other; a mouthpiece 92 for enabling inhalation of the metered amount of powdered material from the receptacle area in the metering plate through the first conduit in the container, the mouthpiece being in fluid communication with the first conduit.
Inventor(s):	Ambrosio; Thomas J. (Kendall Park, NJ), Manthena; Srinivas (Bloomfield, NJ), Sochon; Henry R. (Clifton, NJ)
Assignee:	Schering Corporation (Kenilworth, NJ)
Application Number:	08/167,811
Patent Claims:	1. A powder dispenser comprising: powder housing means holding a supply of powdered material to be dispensed, said powder housing means including a first conduit extending therethrough in displaced relation to said supply of powdered material; metering plate means holding a metered amount of said powdered material, said metering plate means including only a single receptacle area therein for holding said metered amount of said powdered material, said metering plate means being positioned below said supply of powdered material, and said metering plate means and said powder housing means being rotatable with respect to each other so that said single receptacle area is adapted to be in fluid communication selectively with said supply of powdered material or said first conduit; base housing means disposed below said metering plate means and including a second conduit in alignment with said first conduit when said receptacle area is in alignment with said first conduit; spring means for biasing said base housing means and said powder housing means toward each other; and mouthpiece means for enabling inhalation of said metered amount of powdered material from said single receptacle area in said metering plate means through the first conduit in said powder housing means, said mouthpiece means being in fluid communication with said first conduit. 2. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said powder housing means has a generally cylindrical configuration with a central axis, and said first conduit extends substantially axially therethrough at a position radially offset from said central axis and substantially parallel thereto. 3. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said single receptacle area of said metering plate means is formed by a plurality of perforations which retain powder therein until said powder is dispensed. 4. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said metering plate means comprises an upper termination of said base housing means. 5. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said metering plate means comprises a gas-permeable material, and said single receptacle area comprises a recess in said metering plate means. 6. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, further including rotation limiting means for limiting rotation of said powder housing means relative to said metering disk means to an incremental angle of rotation. 7. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, further including rotational drive means for rotating said powder housing means with respect to said metering disk means so that said first conduit is in fluid communication with said receptacle area, in association with movement of said mouthpiece means to an exposed position to enable inhalation therefrom. 8. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said powder housing is bi-directionally rotatable with respect to said metering disk means between a first position in which said single receptacle area is in fluid communication with said supply of powdered material and a second position in which said single receptacle area is in fluid communication with said first conduit. 9. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, further including scraper means for scraping said powdered material into said single receptacle area during relative rotation of said metering plate means and said powder housing means, said scraper means being positioned between said supply of powdered material and said metering plate means. 10. A powder dispenser according to claim 9, wherein said scraper means includes a scraper plate having a plurality of holes therein, said scraper plate being interposed between said supply of powdered material and said single receptacle area. 11. A powder dispenser according to claim 10, further including means for rotatably fixing said scraper plate with said powder housing means. 12. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said single receptacle area of said metering plate means is formed by a gas-permeable filter, mesh or perforated plate element located at a lower portion of an opening provided in said metering plate means, said element having a height less than the thickness of said metering plate means. 13. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said single receptacle area of said metering plate means is formed by a gas-permeable filter, mesh or perforated plate element contacting a lower surface of said metering plate means and covering an opening which defines said receptacle area. 14. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, further including cylindrical wall means for holding said metering plate means in rotatable relation to said powder housing means. 15. A powder dispenser according to claim 14, further including securement means for rotatably fixing said powder housing means with said base housing means, while permitting axial movement there between. 16. A powder dispenser according to claim 1, further including moisture barrier means for preventing moisture from exhalation from passing into the dispenser through the mouthpiece means. 17. A powder dispenser according to claim 16, wherein said moisture barrier means includes a flap pivotally mounted in said mouthpiece means only for opening movement during inhalation. 18. A powder dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein said powder housing means further includes a third conduit therein for holding said supply of powdered material. 19. A powder dispenser according to claim 18, wherein said powder housing means has a generally cylindrical configuration with a central axis, and said third conduit extends substantially axially therethrough at a position radially offset from said central axis and substantially parallel thereto. 20. A powder dispenser according to claim 18, wherein said powder housing means further includes manifold means for supplying the powdered material from said third conduit to said single receptacle area. 21. A powder dispenser according to claim 20, further including scraper means for scraping said powdered material into said single receptacle area during relative rotation of said metering plate means and said powder housing means, said scraper means being positioned in said manifold means. 22. A powder dispenser according to claim 21, wherein said scraper means includes at least one scraper plate arranged in said manifold means, each said scraper plate having a lower edge extending as far as a lower surface of said powder housing means.