Claims for Patent: 7,559,325

Summary for Patent: 7,559,325

Title:	Aerosolization apparatus with air inlet shield
Abstract:	An aerosolization apparatus comprises a housing defining a chamber having a plurality of air inlets. The chamber contains an aersolizable pharmaceutical formulation or is sized to receive a receptacle which contains an aerosolizable pharmaceutical formulation. A shield covers at least one of the air inlets or a portion of at least one of the air inlets. The shield prevents blockage of the air inlet by a user grasping the apparatus and inadvertently covering the air inlet. An end section is associated with the housing. The end section is sized and shaped to be received in a user's mouth or nose so that the user may inhale through the end section to inhale aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation that has exited the receptacle.
Inventor(s):	Dunkley; Michael John (Nottingham, GB), Tuckwell; Jon David (Cambridgeshire, GB), Vernon Harcourt; Edward William (Cambridge, GB), Shirgoankar; Sameer (London, GB)
Assignee:	Novartis Pharma AG (Basel, CH)
Application Number:	10/822,850
Patent Claims:	1. A handheld aerosolization apparatus comprising: a housing defining a chamber having a plurality of air inlets, the chamber being sized to receive a capsule which contains an aerosolizable pharmaceutical formulation; a puncturing mechanism in the housing for creating one or more openings in the capsule; a shield which covers at least two but not all of the air inlets, wherein the shield comprises at least two covering portions, each covering portion covering at least one inlet, wherein the two covering portions are diametrically opposed whereby the shield prevents blockage of at least two air inlets by a user grasping the apparatus; and an end section associated with the housing, the end section sized and shaped to be received in a user's mouth or nose so that the user may inhale through the end section to aerosolize the pharmaceutical formulation and to inhale aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation that has exited the capsule. 2. A handheld aerosolization apparatus comprising: a housing defining a chamber having a plurality of air inlets, the chamber being sized to receive a capsule which contains an aerosolizable pharmaceutical formulation; a puncturing mechanism in the housing for creating one or more openings in the capsule; a shield which covers at least two but not all of the air inlets, wherein the shield comprises at least two covering portions, each covering portion covering at least one inlet, wherein the at least two covering portions are separated by open portions, wherein the open portions provide direct access to at least one inlet, and whereby the shield prevents blockage of at least two air inlets by a user grasping the apparatus; and an end section associated with the housing, the end section sized and shaped to be received in a user's mouth or nose so that the user may inhale through the end section to aerosolize the pharmaceutical formulation and to inhale aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation that has exited the capsule. 3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the shield is a portion of the end section. 4. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the end section is removably connected to the housing and wherein the end section may be removed from the housing to provide access to the chamber. 5. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the shield is a portion of the end section. 6. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the shield extends longitudinally along the apparatus. 7. A handheld aerosolization apparatus comprising: a housing defining a chamber having a plurality of air inlets, the chamber being sized to receive a capsule which contains an aerosolizable pharmaceutical formulation; a puncturing mechanism in the housing for creating one or more openings in the capsule, wherein the puncture member is adapted to puncture only one end of the capsule; a shield which covers at least two but not all of the air inlets, wherein the shield comprises at least two covering portions, each covering portion covering at least one inlet, whereby the shield prevents blockage of at least two air inlets by a user grasping the apparatus; and an end section associated with the housing, the end section sized and shaped to be received in a user's mouth or nose so that the user may inhale through the end section to aerosolize the pharmaceutical formulation and to inhale aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation that has exited the capsule. 8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the chamber is elongated and wherein the capsule is received lengthwise within the elongated chamber. 9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the inlet is shaped to create a swirling airflow within the chamber. 10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the shield is a portion of the end section. 11. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the end section is removably connected to the housing and wherein the end section may be removed from the housing to provide access to the chamber. 12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the shield is a portion of the end section. 13. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the inlet is shaped to create a swirling airflow within the chamber.