Claims for Patent: 9,010,323

Summary for Patent: 9,010,323

Title:	Inhaler and sieve for an inhaler
Abstract:	An inhaler (1) includes a sieve part (9) for administrating powdered substances such as medical substances. The inhaler (1) includes a suction air channel (6) leading to a mouthpiece (4), a substance supply container (8) that is moveable inside a receiving chamber (7) and the sieve part (9) disposed in the suction air channel (6) between the receiving chamber (7) and the mouthpiece (4). The sieve part includes a retaining edge (10), a sieve area contained in a cross sectional area within the retaining edge (10), and a protruding area (12) that protrudes to one side and has a flat portion (13).
Inventor(s):	Haerder; Lukas (Bad Neustadt/Saale, DE), Breuer; Claus (Ennigerloh, DE)
Assignee:	Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG (Ingelheim am Rhein, DE)
Application Number:	12/921,447
Patent Litigation and PTAB cases:	See patent lawsuits and PTAB cases for patent 9,010,323
Patent Claims:	1. An inhaler (1) for powdered medicinal substances, comprising: a suction air channel (6) leading to a mouthpiece (4), a substance supply container (8) movably arranged in a receiving chamber (7), and a sieve part (9) disposed in the suction air channel (6) between the receiving chamber (7) and the mouthpiece (4), said sieve part having a retaining edge (10) and a sieve area circumscribed by the retaining edge (10), wherein the sieve area comprises a convex protruding area (12) shaped to protrude from a plane in which the retaining edge is located and toward the substance supply container (8), and wherein the protruding area (12) has a flat portion (13) at an apex thereof wherein the flat portion comprises 5% or more of the sieve area extending within the retaining edge. 2. The inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the protruding area (12), viewed in cross-section, projects over the retaining edge (10) at right-angles to the plane in which the retaining edge is disposed. 3. The inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the flat portion (13) is central with respect to the sieve area, viewed in cross-section. 4. The inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the sieve area or the sieve part (9) as a whole is made of metal wires. 5. The inhaler according to claim 1, wherein the sieve area or the sieve part (9) as a whole includes a wire mesh. 6. The inhaler according to claim 5, wherein the sieve area has a mesh size of 0.4 mm or more. 7. The inhaler according to claim 5, wherein the sieve area has a mesh size of 1 mm or less. 8. The inhaler according to claim 5, wherein the sieve area has a mesh size of 0.6 to 1.0 mm or less. 9. The inhaler according to claim 5, wherein the wires have diameters of between 0.1 and 0.5 mm. 10. A sieve part (9) for an inhaler (1) for powdered medical substances, comprising: a retaining edge (10) located within a plane; and a sieve area circumscribed by the retaining edge (10), and including a convex protruding area (12) shaped to protrude from the plane in which the retaining edge is located, wherein the protruding area (12) has a flat portion (13) at an apex thereof. 11. A sieve part (9) for an inhaler for powdered medical substances, comprising: a retaining edge (10) located in a plane and defining a diameter dimension; an angular bend extending away from the retaining edge and out of the plane in one direction; and a sieve area circumscribed by the retaining edge (10) and including a convex protruding area (12) shaped to protrude from the plane in which the retaining edge is located to an apex, thereby defining a height dimension, wherein the height is between 10-20% of the diameter dimension, and wherein the protruding area (12) has a flat portion (13) at an apex thereof wherein the flat portion comprises 5% or more of the sieve area extending within the retaining edge. 12. The sieve part (9) according to claim 11, wherein the bend is formed by an outermost edge portion of the sieve part (9). 13. The sieve part (9) according to claim 11, wherein the protruding area (12) and the angular bend extend in opposite directions. 14. The sieve part (9) according to claim 11, wherein the protruding area (12) and the angular bend extend in a same direction. 15. The sieve part (9) according to claim 11, wherein the sieve part (9) is made as a whole from a flat wire mesh part by bending or deep drawing, with at least partial plastic deformation. 16. The sieve part (9) according to claim 11, wherein the sieve part (9) is made from a wire mesh part and the retaining edge (10) is purely formed by the wire mesh itself. 17. The sieve part (9) according to claim 11, wherein the sieve part (9) is made from a wire mesh part and the retaining edge (10) has an extrusion coating on the wire mesh. 18. The sieve part (9) according to claim 11, wherein the sieve part (9) is circular in configuration and the sieve area comprises a protruding area (12) providing convexity to the sieve part (9). 19. The inhaler (1) of claim 1, wherein the convex protruding area (12) is in the form of a dome-shaped region having the flat portion (13) centrally located at an apex thereof. 20. The inhaler (1) of claim 1, wherein the convex protruding area (12) is in the form of conical-shaped region having the flat portion (13) centrally located at an apex thereof. 21. An inhaler (1) for powdered medicinal substances, comprising: a suction air channel (6) leading to a mouthpiece (4); a substance supply container (8) movably arranged in a receiving chamber (7); and a sieve part (9) disposed in the suction air channel (6) between the receiving chamber (7) and the mouthpiece (4), said sieve part having a retaining edge (10), a sieve area circumscribed by the retaining edge (10), a convex protruding area (12) shaped to protrude from a plane in which the retaining edge is located and toward the substance supply container (8), and a flat portion (13) at an apex of the protruding area (12), wherein the flat portion (13) comprises between 5% and 15% of the sieve area extending within the retaining edge (10). 22. The sieve part (9) of claim 10, wherein: the retaining edge (10) defines diameter dimension; and the convex protruding area (12) protrudes to the apex, thereby defining a height dimension, wherein the height is between 10-20% of the diameter dimension.