HK1150788B - Dosing device for the inhalation of a powder substance - Google Patents

Description

Dosing device for inhaling a powdery substance

The present invention relates to a dosing device for inhalation of a powdery substance, in particular of a medical type, which can be activated by a suction air flow of a user, as described in the preamble of the independent claim.

A dosing device of this type is known from WO2006/021546A 1. The amount of substance dispensed in the dosing chamber is moved to a closed, ready-to-empty position. The piston is moved and opens the dosing chamber due to the suction. The dosing chamber is then connected to an air flow path for emptying the amount of dispensed substance from the dosing chamber and carrying it into the inhaled air flow.

In view of the known prior art, the object of the present invention is to improve a metering device of the type mentioned in an advantageous manner with regard to optimizing the air guidance. WO2/26299 has suggested that the suction air flow serves both for displacing the dosing rod and for supplying the substance through the mouthpiece. However, this solution is only used in the upright position of the dosing device, i.e. it cannot be used in practice in a bed. Moreover, there is also a risk of decomposition of the inhaled substance.

The technical problem of optimal air guidance is substantially solved by the subject matter of claim 1. The two air flows merge in an annular chamber, wherein one air flow first opens the metering chamber and then merges with the other air flow in the annular chamber. Due to the selected configuration of the piston, only a small mass has to be moved for moving the piston with a large active surface, which facilitates the movement of the piston from the emptying-ready position to the emptying-release position by means of the suction air flow of the user. Accordingly, only a small energy of the suction air flow is required to release the dosing chamber. In addition, the fine design of the piston makes it possible to achieve increased air energy during the intake process.

In some advantageous embodiments, it is provided that the upper edge of the piston protrudes in its upper end position over an annular wall belonging to the annular chamber, and the cover of the annular chamber preferably has peripherally extending, protruding vanes which leave gaps between them. The cover section is arranged downstream of the blades, which is an inclined, coherent baffle wall. It is also preferred that the piston, which is flowed through by air during inhalation, i.e. during the suction application by the user, releases the path to the annular chamber above, i.e. in the emptying release position of the metering chamber, said piston resting sealingly against the annular wall on the annular chamber side. The annular chamber acts in the form of a swirl chamber, wherein an optimum distribution of the powder to be sucked in the suction air is achieved. The powder to be inhaled consists, for example, of a matrix, such as lactose, which can be transported by means of a suction stream and which is suitable as a carrier for the finely divided pharmaceutical fine particles adhering to the surface. Such substrates are usually provided with different dimensions. As a result of the suction air containing the powder flowing through the annular chamber, the powder particles are approximately equalized in their size, i.e. the larger powder particles are broken apart by the vortex and the centrifugal force generated by the vortex. The suction air containing the powder is sucked through the gap formed between the vanes extending radially outwards on the cap side, from where it tends to intensively enter the mouthpiece of the dosing device. The vanes and the gaps, which have the same width when viewed in the circumferential direction, can be distributed over the circumference of the cover. It is however also possible to provide vanes and/or gaps of different width in the circumferential direction. As a result, a forced flow guidance of the powder-containing air flow through the gap provided on the top side in each case into the inlet bearing is formed on the end side of the annular chamber, as viewed in the direction of circulation of the annular chamber. In one development of the subject matter of the invention, it is provided that a part of the blades is designed wider in the circumferential direction in order to form deflecting backwall blades for the suction air flow containing the powder. The deflecting rebounding wall vanes are preferably directed first in the axial direction of the annular cavity. The deflecting bounce wall vanes force the incoming suction airstream to turn to a surrounding plane oriented transverse to the annular cavity. By impacting the deflected backwall vanes at relatively high velocities, comminution of larger powder particles has been achieved. The metering rod is held in a slidable manner along the axial extension of the inner cylinder in the inner cylinder which is rotatable together with the closure cap. The rotation of the inner cylinder is transmitted to the dosing rod. The inner cylinder is provided with an axially extending channel on the side of the housing wall, which channel starts at the discharge side of the metering chamber and ends in an annular chamber, wherein deflecting rebounding wall vanes are provided for deflecting the axial air flow direction into the surrounding plane. Accordingly, the deflecting rebounding wall vanes are arranged in the axial extension of the channel in a cover-like manner, leaving a radial outflow opening. After the piston lifting caused by the suction and the consequent release of the dosing chamber, the dispensed dose of substance is sucked through the passage and delivered through the annular chamber to the user who forms the suction air flow. In a preferred embodiment, the deflection from radial flow to axial flow is effected by two channel deflection regions which are connected directly one after the other and each of which causes a 45-degree deflection of the flow. It is therefore further preferred to provide a channel intermediate section extending at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to a plane oriented transversely to the device axis, which intermediate section connects the emptying side of the dosing chamber with the axially extending channel.

A total of two air flow paths are provided, one of which is used to empty the dosing chamber and the second of which is directed into an annular chamber immediately before the mouthpiece, in which the two air flows merge. Accordingly, a particle-containing air flow generated during the intake process is guided separately. The part of the air quantity required for the suction is supplied to the annular chamber through the first air flow channel. When the dosing chamber is closed, the dosing chamber can be opened through this air flow passage, for example by a piston loaded by suction air. By dividing the air flow passage, an air flow free of particles is first formed. At a defined inhalation, approximately 50 liters of air per minute flow through the device, which air quantity results from the addition of at least two air flows, wherein a portion of the air quantity is first supplied via the first flow path which opens the dosing chamber. The opening of such a dosing chamber (for example by displacement of the piston from the emptying-ready position to the emptying-release position) is effected in a preferred embodiment at a starting pressure of 2kPa, further at an air flow of 18 to 22 liters of air per minute. The air flow which is directed directly from the dosing chamber to the second air flow channel which is connected in the annular chamber before the mouthpiece has a significantly higher flow rate than the air flow which results in the discharge.

In a preferred embodiment, the second air flow is sucked in by the grille wall section. The grille wall section leaves a free open cross section which allows the desired amount of air to be easily drawn in. The air inlet grille surface is preferably also placed on the outer cylinder, which is not rotatable relative to the inner cylinder and which also guides the closing cap, on the side of the metering rod opposite to the discharge direction of the metering chamber. A clear separation of the air flow channels in the structure is thus achieved.

A compact design of such a dosing device is also achieved in that a flow channel directed to the dosing chamber is arranged below the air inlet grille surface also in the position occupied by the dosing chamber in the emptying-ready position, which flow channel even allows visual inspection of whether the dosing chamber is filled and closed. In a preferred embodiment, the channel extends through the outer cylinder in the region of the correspondingly shaped air inlet below the air inlet grille surface for the first air flow channel. According to this embodiment, the two air flow passages open to the same side of the outer cylinder with respect to the air intake port. By means of the flow channel arranged below the air inlet grille surface, the dosing chamber is preferably emptied perpendicular to the device axis in the emptying release position in order to convey the dispensed substance through the second air flow channel, the annular chamber penetrating the mouth piece, all this being achieved as a result of the suction loading of the user. In a further preferred embodiment, the inner space of the inner cylinder is used entirely for the free distribution of air sucked in through the air inlet grille face and is in fluid communication with the annular chamber.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the housing wall of the outer cylinder has at least one, preferably two, radially opposite inlet openings. The other air flow path, which is divided into two further air flow paths at least in the emptying-ready position, is reached through this special air inlet. In a preferred development of the subject matter of the invention, it is therefore provided that the air inlet opens tangentially into the annular chamber with a common flow direction, which in turn points into the flow direction defined by the two further air flow channels. An initial triggering is achieved by the air inlet to divert the other air flow paths to the desired flow direction within the annular chamber.

The substance to be inhaled is stored in a storage chamber into which the dosing chamber is inserted for filling. In order to support the filling process of the metering chamber and also to keep the uppermost layer of the stored substance passed through by the metering chamber always fluffy, a rotor-like blade is attached to the lower edge of the inner cylinder, for example clamped to the inner cylinder, said blade interacting with an inwardly directed stator-like shoulder of the wall of the storage chamber. Thus, the addition of the substance to the reservoir and the density in the reservoir can be kept constant. In addition, the fluffing effect in the area around the dosing chamber excludes agglomeration of the substance particles. The rotor interacting with the stator is also designed in such a way that, when the rotor-like blade is moved back during the covering and tightening of the closing cap, the uppermost substance layer is subjected to a slight pressure when the metering chamber is lowered into the storage chamber, in order to provide a relatively uniform uppermost substance mass region in the storage chamber, which is assigned to the metering chamber.

Finally, it has proven advantageous to provide a filling position indicator in the region of the storage chamber wall, which can identify the degree of filling. In the simplest configuration, the filling position indicator can be coupled directly to the axial movement of a pressure piston which is arranged in the reservoir and which acts on the stored substance quantity from below in the direction of the inner cylinder. The pressure piston changes as the substance is removed, which can be observed by the filling state indicator.

The invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing, which shows only one embodiment. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a dosing device according to the invention in the basic position in which the lid is closed;

FIG. 2 is another vertical sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper region of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1, the situation relating to a storage chamber for the substance to be inhaled being almost empty;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is another view corresponding to FIG. 1, during removal of the closure;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a vertical view as shown in FIG. 1, but after the closure cap has been removed and the dosing chamber has thus been moved to an emptying-ready position;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, taken in relation to the condition shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a subsequent view from FIG. 8, however, in relation to the position during inhalation;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a further partial sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, but related to the state shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is another vertical view corresponding to FIG. 1, in relation to an intermediate position of the process of reclosing the closure after inhalation;

FIG. 15 is a subsequent view of FIG. 14, taken in relation to an intermediate position;

FIG. 16 is a subsequent view from FIG. 15, taken in relation to an intermediate position of continued tightening of the closure;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the dosing device in an emptying-ready position, taken along line XVII-XVII in FIG. 8;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view through the dosing device along line XVIII-XVIII shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 17 taken along line XIX-XIX in FIG. 11, taken in relation to the purge release position;

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the storage chamber discharging the substance stored therein, taken along line XX-XX in FIG. 11;

FIG. 21 is a perspective detail view of the inner cylinder of the dosing device;

FIG. 22 is another perspective view of the inner cylinder barrel;

FIG. 23 is a perspective detail view of a dosing stem of the dosing device;

FIG. 24 is a perspective detail view of the piston;

FIG. 25 is another perspective detail view of the rotor-like vanes disposed on the inner cylinder;

FIG. 26 is another perspective view of the rotor-like bucket;

figure 27 is a detailed view of a bottom view of the cover of the annular cavity.

The metering device 1 shown in the individual figures for the inhalation of powdery substances 2, in particular of the medical type, is realized as a portable, short-rod-shaped pocket device with a cylindrical housing 3 of defined shape.

The cylindrical, tubular housing 3 has an outer cylinder 4 on the head side, which is rotatable relative to the housing 3 about the device axis x. The outer cylinder is rotatably fixed to the housing 3 in the region of the end-side radial step 5.

The likewise cylindrical, tubular outer cylinder 4 merges at the head side of the device 1 into a mounted mouthpiece 6 which is shaped appropriately for the mouth, for example flattened. The mouthpiece 6 is covered in a protective manner by means of a cup-shaped closure cap 7. The closure cap is designed as a threaded cap, so that an internal thread 8 assigned to the cap engages on a corresponding external thread 9 on the outer wall of the housing 3.

The outer cylinder 4 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the closure cap 7, for which purpose it has, on the outside of the housing wall, vertically oriented ribs 10 which interact with correspondingly positioned, notch-like vertical grooves 11 on the inside of the wall of the closure cap 7. Accordingly, the screwing operation of the closure cap 7 causes the outer cylinder 4 to rotate about the device axis x.

On the root side, the end edge of the cup-shaped closure cap 7 engages in a stop-limiting manner and in a sealing manner via a cone with respect to an annular shoulder 12, which is realized as a result of the aforementioned projection of the cylindrical housing 3.

The closure cap 7 simultaneously serves as an actuating handle 13 for discharging the powdered substance 2 in repeatable portions 14, so that the axial thread travel of the thread engagement between the internal thread 8 and the external thread 9 is used. The substance 2 is contained (possibly refilled) in a storage chamber 15 of the housing 3. The substance portions 14 are each fed by the dosing device to a transition point U located outside the storage chamber 15.

The quantifiable article is a (mostly medical) powder substance 2. Such as micronized drug fine particles that may adhere to the surface of a substrate, such as lactose, that can be transported by an air stream.

A pot-shaped pressure floor 16 closes the lower part of the storage chamber 15, which floor is spring-loaded in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 by means of a compression spring 17. The pressure spring 17 is supported with its base end turn on a bottom cover 18, which closes the housing 3. Said bottom cover engages in a snap-in manner on a section of the housing 3 with a larger cross-section inside the wall, wherein a corresponding snap-in collar 19 of the bottom cover 18 engages in a matching annular groove of the housing 3.

The head-side end turn of the pretensioned compression spring 17 acts in a loaded manner on the internal shoulder 20 of the hollow piston 21 of the piston-like arrangement 16/21. As shown, the stepped pot-shaped pressure base 16 is snap-connected to the hollow piston 21 in the region of the inner shoulder 20.

The head edge of the pressure floor 16 forms an annular lip 22 which, owing to its rubber-elastic material, slides without loss over the wall of the storage chamber 15.

In the embodiment shown, the compression spring 17 is a cylindrical spring, the length of which measured in the relaxed state is approximately ten times the maximum compressed length. The compression length is defined by the axial displacement dimension of the pressure floor 16 between a lower position, shown in fig. 1, corresponding to the filling position, and an upper position, shown in fig. 4, in which the pressure floor 16 stops at the reservoir 15. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, such compressed length is specified as 15 mm. Due to the spring configuration, in particular due to the spring length selected, a constant spring force on the pressure floor 16 is achieved over the entire compression length, which results in the substance remaining uniformly compressed throughout the use of the device 1.

A hollow upstanding pin 23 projects centrally from the bottom cover 18. The hollow upright pin forms a spring chamber 24 for the pressure spring 17 together with a hollow piston 21 which surrounds the upright pin at a distance. In the middle of the hollow standing pin 23, a hygroscopic material in the form of a drying agent box 25 is collected. The storage chamber 15 is closed at the transition side of the outer cylinder 4 axially connected to the housing 3 by a chamber cover 26 formed integrally with the outer wall of the storage chamber 15. The center of the cover 26 is penetrated by a cylindrical section 27 of a rotating part 28 extending in a vertical plane to the device axis x. The rotary part is essentially plate-shaped and is connected to the outer cylinder 4 in a rotationally fixed manner so that it can be rotated about the device axis x relative to the chamber cover 26. A cylindrical section 27 extends through the chamber cover 26 on the underside of the rotational part 28. The lower free end face of the cylindrical section 27 lies in the plane of the chamber cover 26 which covers the plane of the storage chamber 15.

The recess in the cover 26 is larger in diameter than the cylindrical section 27. In the remaining annular gap, a support for the rotor blade R is positioned, which is annular in basic profile. The rotor blade is connected to the cylindrical section 27 in a rotationally fixed manner.

The inner surface of the rotor ring 30 facing the storage chamber 15 lies in the plane of the end face of the cylindrical section 27 pointing in the respective direction.

The rotor R shown in detail in fig. 25 and 26 has vanes 29 on the underside, i.e. on the side facing the storage chamber 15. The blades are here spherical-segment blades 29 which project radially outward beyond a rotor ring 30 of the rotor R. The vanes 29 engage underneath the region of the chamber cover 26 which adjoins the rotor R radially outwards, the surface of the vane 29 facing the chamber cover 26 being flat. The surface of the vane 29 abuts against the facing cavity cover surface. In the radial direction, the vanes 29 extend all the way to the inner wall of the storage chamber 15. Starting from this radially outer region, the blades 29 rise convexly radially inward in cross section to an axial height approximately corresponding to the extent to which the blades 29 project radially beyond the rotor ring 30.

Due to this configuration, the vanes 29 of the rotor R project into the stored substance of the storage chamber 15. The shoulder formed by the chamber cover 26 forms the stator St when interacting with the rotor R or the blades 29 which are rotatable relative to the storage chamber 15.

The rotor R is clamped to the cylindrical section 27 of the rotating part 28 by means of a rotor ring 30.

The cylindrical section 27 receives a sealing sleeve 31 in the center. The sealing sleeve is made of a rubber material or a similar elastic material. The sealing sleeve has a guide bore 32 in the middle, which is cut-off in cross section, for a dosing rod 33 with a corresponding cross section.

In the simplest configuration, the sealing sleeve 31 and a further annular seal 35 arranged between the rotary part 28 and the housing-side housing section 34 engaging the chamber cover 26 can be produced together with the rotary part 28 and also with the inner cylinder, which will be described in more detail further, in a two-component injection molding process. Correspondingly, however, it is also possible to arrange the rubber or elastomer part afterwards in the production process.

The hollow piston 21, which is connected in a snap-fit manner to the pressure bottom 16, has a radial cantilever 36 on the base side. An axially oriented indicator projection 37 is formed on the radial cantilever, which overlaps the storage chamber wall on the outside of the wall. The axial position which is reached depending on the position of the pressure floor is visible from the outside by the user through a viewing window 38 provided in the housing. A filling status indicator 39 is thus obtained.

Due to the corresponding design, the metering rod 33 acts as a movable metering chamber 40 for the substance portion 14 to be emitted, wherein the movement of the metering rod 33 takes place linearly along the longitudinal center axis x-x of the device 1, which is designed essentially rotationally symmetrically, and is superimposed on a rotational movement about the longitudinal center axis x-x. The metering rod 33 is formed substantially as a flat part with a longitudinally extending rectangular cross section. In the embodiment shown, the ratio of the length of the narrow side to the wide side is approximately 1: 3.

The metering rod 33 forms an almost cross-grooved tip at the end facing away from the mouthpiece 6. Here, two mirror-symmetrical oblique sides project from the respective broad sides of the dosing rod 33 (see fig. 20).

The cross-sectional configuration of the metering rod 33 and the tip of the free end region have a displacement effect in the middle region with respect to the fluffy mass of powdered substance 2, due to the synchronization of the rotation of the metering rod 33.

The dosing chamber 40 is designed as a transverse bore extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal middle axis x-x, which has a bore axis through the broad side of the dosing rod 33. The transverse bore is conically shaped in such a way that it narrows toward the wide side of the metering rod 33. Furthermore, it can be seen, for example, from fig. 2 that the dosing chamber 40, which is formed in the end region of the dosing rod 33 projecting into the mass, is arranged eccentrically with respect to the broad side of the dosing rod 33, i.e. offset laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis x-x.

The stroke of the dosing chamber 40, which is linear and superimposed by a rotational movement, is such that the cross section of the guide hole 32 is closed by the scraping effect of filling the dosing chamber over the entire length of said hole 32 in both end positions of the dosing rod 33.

The mouthpiece-side end of the closure cap 7 forms a rest position 41 between the dosing lever 33 and the closure cap 7, which is disengaged in the event of an overload. The closure-cap-side latching means is a resilient collar which is formed in the region of the free end of a hollow cylinder 43 which is arranged in the middle of the closure cap 42 on the underside. The respective end of the metering rod 33 is rotationally symmetrical in cross section, wherein a disk-shaped radial flange 44 also projects in the transition region from the flat component section to the cylindrical end section. The end region of the metering rod 33 facing away from the flat part is formed with a locking head 45 at an axial distance from the radial flange 44. A waisted annular groove 46 is formed between the locking head and the radial flange 44. Inwardly directed projections 47 of the resilient tongues of the collar snap into this annular groove. The locking head 45 can pass over the projection 47 in both axial directions. The latch can be quite robust, since it is released and connected again when the cover is moved by the screw thread.

The central opening 48 of the mouthpiece 6 is formed in the region of the distributor 49. The distributor piece 49 is open towards the outside, i.e. tapers away from the storage chamber 15, wherein its wall 50 merges into an annular, roof-shaped cover section 51 toward the storage chamber 15. At the same time, this closes the upper part of the outer cylinder 4 with the mouth piece 6.

The intermediate free space created by the distributor 49 is penetrated in the middle by the hollow cylinder 43 of the bearing boss 47 in the lid closed position. The annular space formed between the hollow cylinder 43 and the distributor wall is filled in this case in the lid-closed position by a further drying agent box 52.

The outer cylinder 4 accommodates an inner cylinder 53 which is centrally penetrated by the metering rod 33 and, in the lid-closed position, by the hollow cylinder 43 on the side of the closure lid. The inner cylinder is connected to the outer cylinder 4 in a rotationally fixed manner.

The inner cylinder 53 is essentially designed as a hollow body and supports an axially displaceable piston 54 in the middle. The piston 54 is guided, for example, by a guide section 55 which is circular in cross section in the lower half of the inner cylinder 53 facing the storage chamber 15.

The section of the inner cylinder 53 facing away from the storage chamber 15 is formed with a piston head displacement region 56 of increased cross section relative to the guide section 55, the axially oriented region wall 57 of which has radial openings 58, 58' and 58 ″. These radial openings are in fluid communication with the outer cylinder side grille wall section 59.

Below the grille wall section 59, a radially oriented flow channel 60 is also formed at the base of the inner cylinder-side guide section 55, which flow channel is likewise open toward the grille wall section 59. The flow channel may also serve as a visual inspection window for the dosing rod 33. Which merges into the free space left in the middle by the guide section 55. A channel intermediate section 61 is connected to the guide section 55 diametrically opposite the flow channel 60, said channel intermediate section extending from the guide section 55 at an angle of 45 ° to a plane oriented perpendicularly to the axis x, rising toward the associated wall of the outer cylinder 4, in order then to merge at the end into an axially oriented channel 62. The channel 62 is formed by an axially oriented, slit-like, radially outwardly opening groove in the inner cylinder surface. The radial covering of the channel 62 is achieved by a correspondingly assigned wall of the outer cylinder 4.

In addition to the radial opening 58, which is visible, for example, in the sectional view in fig. 1, two further radial openings 58' and 58 ″ are provided, which, viewed in a plane oriented transversely to the axis x, each form an angle of 90 ° with the radial opening 58 and which are connected in direct air flow communication with the grille wall section 59 by a corresponding formation of the inner cylinder wall.

The axially oriented channel 62 merges with its end facing the mouthpiece 6 into an annular chamber 63. The annular chamber forms a vortex chamber. The cover 64 is roof-shaped in cross section and has peripherally extending, projecting blades 65, 66. These blades engage circumferentially on the inner wall of the outer cylinder 4 and leave gaps 67 between them, as seen in the circumferential direction, through which air-flow connections can be made between the annular chamber 63 and a further annular chamber 68 remaining between the distributor part cover section 51 and the annular chamber cover 64.

The cover 64 is fixed on the inner cylinder 53 on the inside of the wall by means of an axially oriented flange 69.

The annular chamber bottom 63 is formed by an annular flange 70 projecting radially outwardly outside the wall of the inner cylinder 53, axially spaced from the vanes 65, 66 of the cover 64. The annular flange is supported peripherally inside the wall of the outer cylinder 4. The annular flange 70 is interrupted by the axially oriented channel 62. The annular chamber 63 is delimited radially inwardly by wall sections on the end side of the inner cylinder 4, which serve as latching means for the cover 64. The annular chamber wall thus formed is provided with a notch-like indentation 71 for connecting the annular chamber 63 with the piston head displacement region 56 in an air-flow-suitable manner.

As can be further seen in particular from the sectional view in fig. 18, the outer cylinder wall is provided with two diametrically opposed air inlets 72 at the level of the annular chamber 63. These inlet openings open tangentially into the annular chamber 63 and predetermine a common flow direction. Accordingly, a predetermined flow of air within the annular cavity 63 is achieved by suction through the air inlet 72. The axially oriented channels 62 open, as seen in the flow direction, directly downstream of the openings of the air inlet openings 72 in the annular chamber 63, so that the air flow entering the annular chamber 63 through the axial channels 62 is deflected in a targeted manner into the desired swirl direction through the air inlet openings 72.

The blades of the cover 64 are configured with different widths, as viewed in the circumferential direction. Two diametrically opposed blades 65 thus have a width dimension, viewed in the circumferential direction, of about three times the other blade 66. One such widening vane 65 covers the region in which the axial channel 62 opens into the annular chamber 63. Thus forming deflecting rebounding wall vanes 73 for the suction air flow entering the annular cavity 63 through the axial channels 62.

As can be further seen from the detailed view in fig. 27, the vane 66 extends in the circumferential direction over an angle β of 15 ° in the exemplary embodiment described. The gap 67 formed between the vanes 66 and 65 also extends in the circumferential direction over an angle α of 15 °, while the edge of the wider vane 65 encloses an angle δ of 45 °.

Other distributions are also possible (e.g., smaller blades-larger gaps; larger blades-smaller gaps; irregular blade and gap configurations).

An interruption 74 is arranged in the annular chamber 63 adjacent to the inlet of the axial channel 62 into the annular chamber 63 in the flow direction through the air inlet 72. The interruption delimits the circumferential path of the annular chamber 64, which is not a continuous annular chamber but rather is designed to be interrupted, respectively, due to this design. On the rear side of the interruption 74 facing the flow direction is an ascending ramp 75 which connects the ring cavity bottom to the ring cavity cover with the gap 67. A forced diversion of the air flow axially upwards in the end region of the annular chamber 63 to the further annular chamber 68 is thus achieved.

The axially displaceable piston 54 held in a rotationally fixed manner in the inner cylinder 53 firstly has a disk-shaped piston head 76 which is open towards the mouthpiece. The piston head is conically open in cross section. Two axially oriented tongues 77 extending parallel to one another are formed on the underside of the piston disk. The piston 54 is made of a rubber type material.

The tongue 77, which receives the cross-sectional profile of the guide section 55 of the inner cylinder 53 on the outside of the wall, is labelike at its lower free edge and also has a material-thickened sealing surface 78 in its free edge region.

The flat part of the metering rod 33 is guided between the tongues 77, wherein the sealing surface 78 has a scraping and sealing effect when interacting with the flat part of the metering rod 33.

In the basic position of the device shown in fig. 1, the lip-shaped free edge of the tongue 77 acts on the cylindrical portion 27 on the upper side in the axial groove.

In this basic position, the disk-shaped piston head 76 rests in a defined manner on the bottom area of the piston head displacement area 56. The free end of the piston head 76 bears with its annular edge region sealingly against a correspondingly associated inner wall of the inner cylinder 53.

Furthermore, in this basic position, the head of the dosing rod 33, i.e. its radial flange 44 and its latching head 45, is located in the groove formed by the disk-shaped configuration of the piston head 76.

In this case, the piston head 76 is located at an axial distance below the cover 64.

The working principle of the device 1 is as follows:

in preparation for inhalation, the closure cap 7 is first unscrewed. During the screwing-off of the closure cap 7, the outer cylinder 4 and the inner cylinder 53 are rotated synchronously by the coupling and, in the exemplary embodiment, all parts arranged above the storage chamber plane and not connected to the housing 3 in a rotationally fixed manner. Correspondingly, the metering rod 33 is also rotationally synchronized, wherein the metering rod 33 is also moved axially by the screwing-off movement of the closure cap 7 past the rest position 41, which causes the metering chamber 40 to be screwed into the emptying preparation position B shown in fig. 6 and 7, which covers the flow channel 60 and is also closed.

By the eccentric arrangement of the dosing chamber 40 with respect to the axis of rotation of the dosing rod 33, an optimum filling of the dosing chamber is achieved by inserting the mass helically with the support of the rotor. Here, the dosing chamber 40 has an opening area with an increasing diameter in the direction of rotation.

The simultaneously rotating blades 29 of the rotor R in this case cause the region of the mass pile to be always fluffy, wherein a foaming effect is achieved. When the rotor R is rotated relative to one another-when the closure cap 7 is screwed on again-the vanes 29, together with the rotor St, scrape the mass 2 off the stator-side surface and press the mass 2 downward, so that homogenization of the mass stack is achieved. The blades 29 of the rotor R act on the mass respectively in both directions of rotation.

When the emptying preparation position B of the dosing lever 33 is reached, the dosing lever is locked in place. For this purpose, the radial flange 44 of the dosing rod 33 is moved behind a finger catch 79 formed on the underside of the cover 64.

As the screw movement of the closure cap 7 continues, the latching in the region of the stop position 41 between the hollow cylinder 43 and the dosing lever 33 is cancelled. The projections 47 correspondingly leave the annular groove 46, after which the closure cap 7 can be removed. The device 1 is now ready for inhalation.

By screwing the closure flap 7, sufficient force can be provided to establish the latching of the annular projection 44 and the finger latch 79 and to further release the latching between the latching head 45 and the lid-side projection 47.

The tongue 77 of the piston 54 covers the dosing chamber 40 on both sides. Accordingly, the mass fraction 14 does not partially escape at this point. But is reliably collected in the dosing chamber 40. Double dosing is thus prevented when no inhalation takes place and when the closure cap 7 is closed. The device 1 can also be set aside in an emptying-ready position B of the dosing chamber 40. Even a normal impact on the device 1 does not result in a leakage of the mass 4 to be inhaled which would cause an erroneous inhalation result.

The inhalation process is carried out automatically by the user's suction air loading, further in the simplest way by inhalation.

Air is drawn through the mouthpiece 6, which first of all causes the piston 54 to move axially towards the cover 64 by air loading of the piston head 76. In the illustrated embodiment, the trigger pressure is about 2 kgPa. Triggering takes place as impulsively as possible.

The upper free edge region of the piston head 76 engages on the underside on the annular wall 80 of the cover 64 in the raised position. The annular space of the inner cylinder 53 surrounding the free edge region of the piston head 76 widens radially, so that the piston 54 is passed radially around in the region of the piston head 76. A primary air flow a is thereby obtained which flows through the grille wall section 59, the radial openings 58, 58' and 58 ″ into the piston head displacement region 56 and, via the annular region left radially outside the piston head 76, into the annular chamber 63 via the aperture 71. About 85% to 90% of the total inhaled air volume is delivered through the air flow path.

At the same time, air is sucked in directly into the annular chamber 63 via the always open radial air inlet 72, in order to predetermine the direction of the vortex flow in the annular chamber 63.

Due to the axially moving piston 54, the tongues 77 are likewise moved axially to release the dosing chamber 40. The axial displacement of the support piston 54 is effected in that the guide section 55 of the receiving tongue 77 is slightly expanded in the direction of the piston head 76, so that the friction between the tongue 77 and the wall of the guide section 55 is reduced. The friction between the tongue 77 and the flat part of the dosing rod 33 is also minimal in the area of the sealing surface 78.

The dosing chamber 40 is then in the emptying release position F, in which the flow path between the flow channel 60 and the channel middle section 61 is freely open. The air flow b conveyed by this mass is in the exemplary embodiment shown approximately 10 to 15% of the volume of the intake air.

The dosing chamber is emptied by suction from the flow channel 60, which proceeds from the smaller pore surface of the dosing chamber 40 towards the larger pore surface. Two deflections of approximately 45 ° each to the bent channel middle section 61 and from there to the axially oriented channel 62 lead in the type of a collision plate effect to a first break-up of larger powder particles, which further leads to improved suction results.

The substance-containing air flow flowing axially at a high velocity into the annular chamber 63 through the channel 62 is deflected into the circumferential direction by the deflecting rebounding wall vanes 73 and by the support of the initial flow in the radial air inlet 72. A further breaking up of the larger powder particles takes place on the deflecting backwall vanes 73.

Due to this construction, the air flow containing the substance is guided outside the piston area. The piston 54 is only surrounded by air without powder.

An optimum distribution of the portion 14 of the substance to be sucked in is achieved in the annular chamber 63. The air containing the substance flows out through the gap 67 for inhalation. Relatively heavy powder particles, which may not be or not sufficiently crushed, are finally deflected over the interruption 74 into the annular chamber 68.

The air flows a and b, which initially flow essentially axially, are deflected in the annular chamber 63 into a common horizontal circumferential direction in order to then enter the bearing part 6 together axially through the cover 64.

Giving the user a number of characteristics of a successful inhalation. One is to provide an optical check that the piston 54 remains in its raised position after the lift caused by the suction of air due to a given, even smaller, frictional force. In the emptying-ready position B, the piston 54 and its tongues 77 are visible through the radially outwardly opening flow channel 60. This may be further supported by a visually attractive color setting of the tongue 77. After suction and corresponding lifting of the piston 54, the tongue 77 is not visible. But instead an empty dosing chamber 40 is seen. The stop of the piston 54 on the underside of the cover 64 can be acoustically or tactilely sensed.

After the suction has taken place, even if suction is not desired from the emptying preparation position B, the closure cap 7 is screwed on again, wherein the latching between the annular collar 44 and the finger latches 79 is first released by the projections 47 by the action of the latching heads 45. The retention force of the snap-lock connection is set to be smaller than the force used for deflecting the projection 47. During the further screwing-down movement of the closure cap 7, the piston 54 returns to its basic position again via the dosing-rod-side radial flange 44. At the same time, the metering rod 33 is moved downwards into the storage chamber by an axial movement and a corresponding rotational movement. The sliding back of the piston 54 is terminated by the metering rod 33 being stopped by the free lip end of the tongue 77 on the cover side of the cylindrical part 27 facing it. As the screw-down movement continues, the projection 47 eventually snaps into the annular groove 46 of the metering rod 33. This closed latch is acoustically and tactilely perceptible to the user as a complete closing operation. It is thus also ensured that the latching between the metering rod 33 and the closure cap 7, which brings the metering rod 33 and thus the metering chamber 44 into the emptying-ready position B, is effected only in the lowermost position of the metering rod 33, in which position the metering chamber 40 is filled. Accordingly, a filled dosing chamber 40 is always provided when the dosing rod 33 is lifted.

Malfunction is reliably avoided. The closure device 1 does not properly lead to the metering rod 33, which has not risen in each case, closing off the passage between the flow channel 60 and the channel intermediate section 61 with its flat part on the one hand on the next inhalation attempt. On the other hand, the metering rod 33 is also loaded via the radial flange 44 against a correspondingly associated surface of the piston head 76. Accordingly, no airflow (other than a small air flow through the small radial air inlet 72) is created during an inhalation attempt due to the closure of the flow passage 60 and the occlusion of the piston 54. The user is thus given a clear signal that there is a wrong location. This can only be ruled out by shutting down the device 1 as intended.

All disclosed features are inventive features per se. The disclosure of the related/additional priority documents (copy of the prior application) is hereby incorporated in its entirety into the disclosure of the present application, and the features described in these documents are hereby incorporated into the claims of the present application.

List of reference numerals

1 apparatus

2 substance

3 case

4 outer cylinder

5 radial shoulder

6-mouth piece

7 closure cap

8 internal screw thread

9 external screw thread

10 Ribs

11 groove

12 annular shoulder

13 operating handle

14 mass fraction

15 storage chamber

16 pressure bottom surface

17 pressure spring

18 bottom cover

19 latch flange

20 inner shoulder

21 hollow piston

22 annular lip

23 erecting pin

24 spring chamber

25 drying agent box

26 chamber cover

27 cylindrical section

28 rotating part

29 blade

30 rotor ring

31 sealing sleeve

32 guide hole

33 quantitative rod

34 casing section

35 annular seal

36 radial cantilever

37 indicating protrusion

38 observation window

39 fill status indicator

40 quantitative cavity

41 rest position

42 closure cap

43 hollow cylinder

44 radial flange

45-degree card lock head

46 annular groove

47 convex part

48 mouthpiece mouth

49 dispensing member

50 wall

51 cover section

52 drying agent box

53 inner cylinder

54 piston

55 guide section

56 piston head moving area

57 area wall

58 radial holes

58' radial hole

58' radial hole

59 grille wall section

60 flow channel

61 middle section of channel

62 channel

63 annular chamber

64 cover

65 blade

66 blade

67 gap

68 annular cavity

69 Flange

70 annular flange

71 hole

72 air inlet

73 deflecting rebounding wall vane

74 interrupting member

75 ascending inclined plane

76 piston head

77 tongue

78 sealing surface

79 finger-shaped latch

80 annular wall

x device axis

B evacuation ready position

F evacuation Release position

R rotor

St stator

U transition position

Angle of alpha gap 67

Angle of beta blade 66

Delta angle of vane 65

a primary air flow

b substance transport stream

Claims (23)

1. A dosing device (1) activatable by a user's suction air flow for inhaling a powdery substance (2) which is arranged in a storage chamber (15) and can be brought from the storage chamber into an emptying-ready position (B) by means of a dosing chamber (40) with removal of a mouthpiece closure cap (7), in which emptying-ready position the dosing chamber (40) is closed by a piston (54), wherein the piston (54) can be moved by means of the user's suction air flow in the direction of the mouthpiece (6) into an emptying-release position (F) in which the dosing chamber (40) is released/opened and the substance (2) can be extracted by means of the user's suction air flow, characterized by two air flow paths (a, B), wherein the air flow via the first air flow path (a) is initiated by moving the piston (54) from the emptying-ready position (B) into the emptying-release position (B) (F) The metering chamber (40) is opened and the air flow via the second air flow path (b) is conducted directly from the metering chamber (40) into an annular chamber (63) upstream of the mouthpiece (6), in which the two air flows, i.e. the air flow via the first air flow path (a) and the air flow via the second air flow path (b) merge.

2. Dosing device according to claim 1, characterized in that an air flow (a) is sucked in through a grille wall section (59).

3. Dosing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the air inlet grille (59) on the outer cylinder (4) which is rotationally fixed to the mouthpiece closure cap (7) is located on the side of the dosing rod (33) opposite to the discharge direction of the dosing chamber (40), wherein the dosing chamber (40) is designed on the end of the dosing rod (33).

4. Dosing device according to claim 3, characterized in that a flow channel (60) directed towards the dosing chamber (40) is arranged below the inlet grill surface (59) at the level of the position occupied by the dosing chamber (40) in the emptying-ready position (B).

5. Dosing device according to claim 3, characterized in that a plurality of vanes form a roof (64) of the annular chamber (63), wherein at least one vane (65) is designed to be sufficiently wide in the circumferential direction to form a deflecting rebounding wall vane (73) for the suction air flow.

6. Dosing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the locking head (45) of the dosing rod (33) is in each case partially sunk into an upper recess of the piston (54), the piston (54) being designed as a disc-shaped piston.

7. Dosing device according to claim 5, characterized in that the wall side of the inner cylinder (53) accommodated in the outer cylinder (4) and moved by the closing cap (7) is provided with radially extending channels (62) which issue from the emptying side of the dosing chamber (40) and terminate in the annular chamber (63), wherein the deflecting counteracting wall vanes (73) are designed to deflect the axial air flow direction into a surrounding plane.

8. Dosing device according to claim 1, characterized in that in the closed emptying-ready position (B) a channel (60) is directed to a tongue (77) flush with the dosing chamber (40).

9. Dosing device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the piston (54), which is dish-shaped in its upper region, is provided with a tongue (77) which projects from the underside of the dish and closes the dosing chamber (40) or chambers in the emptying-ready position (B), which tongue releases the dosing chamber (40) upon a movement of the piston caused by the suction air flow of the user.

10. Dosing device according to claim 9, characterized in that the upper edge of the piston (54) in its upper final position protrudes over an annular wall (80) belonging to the annular chamber (63).

11. Dosing device according to claim 10, characterized in that the top cover (64) of the annular chamber (63) is equipped with protruding vanes (65, 66) extending on the edge side, leaving gaps (67) between them.

12. Dosing device according to claim 10, characterized in that above the top cover (64) of the annular chamber (63) there is provided an obliquely standing retaining wall (51).

13. Dosing device according to claim 7, characterized in that the inner space of the inner cylinder (53) can be used entirely for free distribution of air sucked in via the air inlet grille surface (59) and is in fluid communication with the annular chamber (63).

14. A dosing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the wall of the outer cylinder (4) has at least one inlet opening (72).

15. Dosing device according to claim 14, characterized in that the inlet openings (72) open tangentially into the annular chamber (63) with a predetermined common flow direction.

16. Dosing device according to claim 7, characterized in that a rotor-like blade (29) is clamped against the lower edge of the inner cylinder (53) in the upper region of the mass, which blade interacts with and is in contact with an inwardly directed stator-like shoulder of the storage chamber wall.

17. Dosing device according to claim 16, characterized in that an indicator (39) corresponding to the actual filling position of the reservoir (15) is arranged in the area of the reservoir wall.

18. Dosing device according to claim 17, characterized in that the upward movement of a pot-shaped pressure floor (16) closing the lower part of the storage chamber (15) is prevented.

19. Dosing device according to claim 5, characterized in that the dosing rod (33) is releasably latched in its raised position.

20. Dosing device according to claim 19, characterized in that the radial flange of the dosing rod (33) is moved behind a finger catch (79) formed on the top cover (64).

21. Dosing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the powdery substance (2) is a medical-type powdery substance.

22. Dosing device according to claim 8, characterized in that in the closed emptying-ready position (B), a channel (60) is directed flush with the dosing chamber (40) towards the tongue (77) for optical inspection possibilities.

23. A dosing device according to claim 14, characterized in that the wall of the outer cylinder (4) has two diametrically opposite inlet openings (72).