Claims for Patent: 8,069,851

Summary for Patent: 8,069,851

Title:	Aeorosolization 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 aerosolizable 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 AG (Basel, CH)
Application Number:	12/456,807
Patent Claims:	1. A handheld aerosolization apparatus comprising: a housing having at least two air inlets, the inlets configured and dimensioned to produce a swirling airflow; an endpiece comprising a perforated member and an aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation outlet, the endpiece being connectable to the housing to define a chamber, the chamber being sized to receive a capsule which contains an aerosolizable pharmaceutical formulation, the endpiece further comprising a shield which covers at least one air inlet, wherein the shield comprises at least one covering portion, whereby the covering portion prevents blockage of at least one air inlet by a user grasping the apparatus; and a puncturing mechanism disposed within the housing for creating one or more openings in the capsule, the puncturing mechanism comprising an alignment guide and a puncture member, wherein the alignment guide comprises a surface which advances to contact and align the capsule while the alignment guide and puncture member are advanced into the capsule to create an opening in the capsule, and wherein the surface comprises one or more protrusions for contacting the capsule. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the shield comprises at least two covering portions intermediate to two open portions. 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the shield comprises at least four covering portions intermediate to at least four open portions. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the shield covering portions and open portions are displaced from said air inlets. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the endpiece is removably connected to the housing and wherein the endpiece may be removed from the housing to provide access to the chamber. 6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the shield extends longitudinally along the apparatus. 7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the shield extends transversely along the apparatus. 8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the chamber is elongated and wherein the capsule is received lengthwise within the elongated chamber.