Patents Assigned to Astech Projects Limited
  • Patent number: 8197120
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with testing of inhalers used for medicament delivery. Such devices are often intended to be first shaken by a user to prepare them, and then fired by operation of some mechanical mechanism. In order to automate testing, the invention provides a shake device having a carriage 14 for receiving and releasably mounting one or more inhalers. The carriage is mounted upon a guideway for linear movement upon it. A linear motor 26 is operatively coupled to the carriage to reciprocally drive it to shake the mounted inhaler(s). A system embodying the invention may further comprise a fire device having a movable firing member 54, 56 for engaging with an inhaler mounted in the carriage and actuating its firing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Astech Projects Limited
    Inventors: David Westmoreland, Sean Scott
  • Patent number: 7721589
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides an automated system for performing repeated testing using an impactor which comprises a cup manifold defining multiple impaction cups, an impactor head defining transfer passages, and a nozzle manifold which defines multiple nozzles and is disposable between the cup manifold and the impactor head, so that in the assembled impactor a route is defined for through-flow via the impaction cups, the nozzles and the transfer passages. The system comprises an impaction station for performing impaction testing using the assembled impactor; a cup manifold recovery station for recovering sample material from the impactor cups in a solvent; an impactor head cleaning station; and at least one handling system for assembling the impactor for impaction, and for subsequently disassembling the impactor and delivering the cup manifold and the impactor head to their respective stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignees: Glass Group Limited, Astech Projects Limited, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher Ian Hansford, Dominic Ewan Harvey, Willi Juergen Kumb, Anthony Michael Moran, William Leroy Roberts
  • Patent number: 7669488
    Abstract: The application describes an automated system for carrying out tests using a cascade impactor 10 of the type having multiple impactor stages each comprising a respective stage body 30, the stage bodies being shaped to enable them to be assembled in a stack in which they locate one upon another. The system includes an expander device 90 having respective arms for supporting each of the stage bodies, and a mechanism for separating the arms along the axial direction to disassemble the impactor 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Astech Projects Limited
    Inventors: Michael James Bridge, Dominic Ewan Harvey, Christopher Ian Hansford
  • Publication number: 20080316857
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with testing of inhalers used for medicament delivery. Such devices are often intended to be first shaken by a user to prepare them, and then fired by operation of some mechanical mechanism. In order to automate testing, the invention provides a shake device having a carriage 14 for receiving and releasably mounting one or more inhalers. The carriage is mounted upon a guideway for linear movement upon it. A linear motor 26 is operatively coupled to the carriage to reciprocally drive it to shake the mounted inhaler(s). A system embodying the invention may further comprise a fire device having a movable firing member 54, 56 for engaging with an inhaler mounted in the carriage and actuating its firing mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: ASTECH PROJECTS LIMITED
    Inventors: David Westmoreland, Sean Scott
  • Publication number: 20080047372
    Abstract: The application describes an automated system for carrying out tests using a cascade impactor 10 of the type having multiple impactor stages each comprising a respective stage body 30, the stage bodies being shaped to enable them to be assembled in a stack in which they locate one upon another. The system includes an expander device 90 having respective arms for supporting each of the stage bodies, and a mechanism for separating the arms along the axial direction to disassemble the impactor 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: ASTECH PROJECTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael James Bridge, Dominic Ewan Harvey, Christopher Ian Hansford