Abstract: An inhaler for inhaling pulverulent medicament from within a capsule comprises a chamber 24 within which the capsule is free to rotate while having its longitudinal axis in the median plane of the chamber and thus generally parallel to the front and rear walls 30 and 31 of the chamber, by virtue of the fact that the spacing between said front and rear walls is less than the axial length of the capsule but just greater than the diameter of the capsule. The device includes pins 21 serving as opening means to pierce the ends of the capsule while it is seated in a recess 25, whereupon the retraction of the pins 21 allows the capsule to be entrained into swirling airflow in the chamber 24 during inhalation of air through air inlets 26 and out through a mouthpiece nozzle 27.

Abstract: A powder composition for inhalation comprising at least one microfine drug and a carrier, in which at least a portion of the said carrier comprises an antistatic agent.

Abstract: An inhaler for powdered medicament in capsules has a swirling chamber which can be opened to allow access of a closed capsule into the swirling chamber for operation of capsule-opening means in the swirling chamber. Access to the swirling chamber is gained by a pivoting cover member (22) which is provided with interlock means associated with the capsule-opening means to ensure that the capsule opening means cannot be operated while the cover member is in its open position to allow access of the user's finger to the region (28) of the swirling chamber (26,28) where the capsule-opening pins (30) could damage the user's finger. A further embodiment of an inhaler has a removable capsule reservoir having a container portion (74) with a closure (76) removable to reveal the interior of said reservoir and closable to define one entire side face of said reservoir, the closure member (76) being hinged to the container portion at thin film hinge (78).

Abstract: An inhaler for inhaling pulverulent medicament from within a capsule comprises a chamber (24) within which the capsule is free to rotate while having its longitudinal axis in the median plane of the chamber and thus generally parallel to the front and rear walls (30) and (31) of the chamber, by virtue of the fact that the spacing between said front and rear walls is less than the axial length of the capsule but just greater than the diameter of the capsule. The device includes pins (21) serving as opening means to pierce the ends of the capsule while it is seated in a recess (25), whereupon the retraction of the pins (21) allows the capsule to be entrained into swirling airflow in the chamber (24) during inhalation of air through air inlets (26) and out through a mouthpiece nozzle (27).