Claims for Patent: 7,967,011

Summary for Patent: 7,967,011

Title:	Inhalation device
Abstract:	Actuator for an inhaler for delivering medicament by inhalation, having a mouthpiece for guiding medicament to the mouth of a user; and a removable protection cap for the mouthpiece. The cap is secured to the mouthpiece by a cap retaining member that engages a mating recess in the mouthpiece outer periphery. The cap includes at least one release button arranged to provide an elastic deformation of the cap inner periphery that disengages the cap retaining member from the recess.
Inventor(s):	Hodson; Darren (Shropshire, GB), Rasmussen; Jorgen (Struer, DK)
Assignee:	AstraZeneca AB (Sodertalje, SE)
Application Number:	11/346,558
Patent Litigation and PTAB cases:	See patent lawsuits and PTAB cases for patent 7,967,011
Patent Claims:	1. An actuator for an inhaler for delivering medicament by inhalation, the actuator comprising: a main body tubular member having a longitudinal opening configured to receive a medicament canister, and a lateral ovoid opening configured to receive a mouthpiece; an ovoid, tubular mouthpiece having a major axis, a minor axis, an outer periphery, a mating recess formed in the outer periphery at an end of the minor axis, and at least one catch arm for engaging the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member; and a removable protection cap for the mouthpiece, said cap having a cap major axis, a cap minor axis, a cap retaining member disposed in a cap inner periphery and extending along the cap minor axis for engaging the mating recess formed in the mouthpiece, and a release button formed in the cap at each end of the cap major axis; wherein the release buttons on either end of the cap major axis are arranged to provide an elastic deformation of the cap inner periphery, which disengages the cap retaining member from the mating recess without disengaging the at least one catch arm from the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member. 2. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein a section of a cap inner periphery comprising the cap retaining member encloses the mouthpiece outer periphery in a close mating relationship, and the release buttons each include a transverse section of cap inner periphery that is spaced apart from the mouthpiece outer periphery. 3. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second catch arms disposed at opposing ends of the major axis of the mouthpiece, for engaging the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member. 4. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second catch arms disposed at opposing ends of the minor axis of the mouthpiece, for engaging the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member. 5. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second catch arms disposed at opposing ends of the minor axis of the mouthpiece, and third and fourth catch arms disposed at opposing ends of the major axis of the mouthpiece, for engaging the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member. 6. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the cap comprises an essentially ovoid mating section, with bulged sections about the major axis forming the release buttons. 7. An inhaler comprising the actuator according to claim 1 and a canister containing medicament disposed in the longitudinal opening of the main body tubular member. 8. The inhaler according to claim 7, wherein the inhaler is a pressurized metered dose inhaler. 9. An inhaler for delivering medicament by inhalation, the inhaler comprising: an actuator comprising: a main body tubular member having a longitudinal opening configured to receive a medicament canister, and a lateral ovoid opening configured to receive a mouthpiece; an ovoid, tubular mouthpiece having a major axis, a minor axis, an outer periphery, a mating recess formed in said mouthpiece outer periphery at an end of the minor axis, and at least one catch arm for engaging the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member; and a removable protection cap for the mouthpiece, said cap having a cap major axis, a cap minor axis, a cap retaining member disposed in a cap inner periphery and extending along the cap minor axis for engaging the mating recess formed in the mouthpiece, and a release button formed in the cap at each end of the cap major axis; and a canister containing medicament disposed in the longitudinal opening of the main body tubular member of the actuator; wherein the release buttons on either end of the cap major axis are arranged to provide an elastic deformation of the cap inner periphery, which disengages the cap retaining member from the mating recess without disengaging the at least one catch arm from the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member. 10. The inhaler according to claim 9, wherein a section of a cap inner periphery comprising the cap retaining member encloses the mouthpiece outer periphery in a close mating relationship, and the release buttons each include a transverse section of cap inner periphery that is spaced apart from the mouthpiece outer periphery. 11. The inhaler according to claim 9, wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second catch arms disposed at opposing ends of the major axis of the mouthpiece, for engaging the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member. 12. The inhaler according to claim 9, wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second catch arms disposed at opposing ends of the minor axis of the mouthpiece, for engaging the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member. 13. The inhaler according to claim 9, wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second catch arms disposed at opposing ends of the minor axis of the mouthpiece, and third and fourth catch arms disposed at opposing ends of the major axis of the mouthpiece, for engaging the lateral ovoid opening in the main body tubular member. 14. The inhaler according to claim 9, wherein the cap comprises an essentially ovoid mating section, with bulged sections about the major axis forming the release buttons. 15. The inhaler according to claim 9, wherein the inhaler is a pressurized metered dose inhaler. 16. An actuator for an inhaler for delivering medicament by inhalation, the actuator comprising: a main body tubular member having a longitudinal opening configured to receive a medicament canister, and a lateral opening configured to receive a mouthpiece; a tubular mouthpiece having an outer periphery, a mating recess formed in the mouthpiece outer periphery on a top side of the mouthpiece, and at least one catch arm disposed on the mouthpiece for engaging the lateral opening in the main body tubular member; and a removable protection cap for the mouthpiece, said cap having a cap retaining member disposed in a cap inner periphery and extending along a diameter of the mouthpiece to engage the mating recess, and at least two release buttons formed in the cap on opposing lateral sides of the mouthpiece; wherein the release buttons are arranged to provide an elastic deformation of the cap inner periphery, so as to disengage the cap retaining member from the mating recess without disengaging the at least one catch arm from the lateral opening in the main body tubular member. 17. The actuator according to claim 16, wherein a section of cap inner periphery comprising the cap retaining member encloses the mouthpiece outer periphery in a close mating relationship, and the release buttons each include a transverse section of cap inner periphery that is spaced apart from the mouthpiece outer periphery. 18. The actuator according to claim 16, wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second catch arms disposed at opposing lateral sides of the mouthpiece, respectively, for engaging the lateral opening in the main body tubular member. 19. The actuator according to claim 16, wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second catch arms disposed at opposing top and bottom sides of the mouthpiece, respectively, for engaging the lateral opening in the main body tubular member. 20. The actuator according to claim 16, wherein the mouthpiece includes first and second catch arms disposed at opposing lateral sides of the mouthpiece, a third catch arm disposed at a top side of the mouthpiece, and a fourth catch arm disposed at a bottom side of the mouthpiece, for engaging the lateral opening in the main body tubular member.