Patents by Inventor Risto Virtanen

Risto Virtanen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7143764
    Abstract: A powder inhaler for administering powder by inhalation which includes: an inhaler body having an opening therein; an inhalation unit disposed in the inhaler body, the inhalation unit including an inhalation channel through which powder is in use inhaled; a dosing unit for providing a dose of powder to the inhalation channel disposed in the inhaler body so as to be rotatable about the central axis thereof, wherein the dosing unit includes a central shaft which is co-axial with the central axis of the inhaler body and has a spiral groove or protrusion on the end face thereof; and an indicating wheel for providing an indication as to the usage of the inhaler disposed in the inhaler body, the indicating wheel having a toothed periphery for engaging the spiral groove or protrusion on the shaft and being disposed such that at least a part thereof is visible through the opening and so as to be rotatable within a diametrical plane containing the central axis of the inhaler body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: AstraZeneca AB
    Inventors: Allan Dagsland, Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: 6484717
    Abstract: An inhaler for administering powder by inhalation and a method of constructing the same. The inhaler includes an inhaler body having an opening therein and an indicating wheel disposed in the inhaler body for providing an indication as to the usage of the inhaler. The indicating wheel is disposed such that at least part thereof is visible through the opening and so as to be rotatable in a diametrical plane containing a central axis of the inhaler body. The inhaler also includes a divider substantially closing one end of the inhaler body and a storage unit disposed in the inhaler body. The storage unit includes a storage chamber for storing powder for inhalation. The inhaler body and the divider are formed as a single integral unit of an opaque material and the storage unit is formed of a transparent material and has a portion which substantially fills the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Astra Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Allan Dagsland, Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: 6446626
    Abstract: An inhaler for administering powder by inhalation and a method of constructing the same, the inhaler comprising: a housing having a screw thread (28) and a substantially circular sealing surface (40) coaxial therewith; a mouthpiece (2) attached to the housing; and a cap (14) for covering at least the mouthpiece (2), the cap (14) having a screw thread (17) for engaging the screw thread (28) on the housing and a substantially circular sealing surface (15) for engaging the sealing surface (40) on the housing; wherein the sealing surfaces (15, 40) are shaped and dimensioned such that the radial force therebetween is substantially constant for any relative position where the sealing surfaces (15, 40) engage one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Astra Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: 6328032
    Abstract: An inhaler for administering powder by inhalation and a method of constructing the same, the inhaler including a member that defines a chamber for containing desiccant, the member including first and second parts which when fitted together define the chamber for containing desiccant. The first part has an outer surface provided with at least one of an internal or external spline and the second part has an inner surface provided with at least one of the other of an internal or external spline, where the splines (28, 36) are dimensioned and/or spaced so as, on fitting together the first and second parts (14, 16), rotationally to fix the first and second parts and define spaces therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Astra Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: 6142145
    Abstract: An inhaler for administering powder by inhalation, including an inhaler body having two ends and a peripheral wall therebetween; an inhalation unit disposed in the inhaler body, the inhalation unit comprising an inhalation channel, the inhalation channel having an air inlet and an outlet; a dosing unit disposed in the inhaler body for providing a dose of powder to the inhalation channel such that a stream of air containing powder may be drawn from the outlet of the inhalation channel on inhalation by a user; a divider having a first surface bounded by a periphery and which substantially closes one end of the inhaler body; a mouthpiece attached to the periphery of the divider, the mouthpiece having a substantially radially directed flange which provides a second surface and which, together with the first surface, defines an air chamber; a first inlet for the air chamber provided in the first surface within the periphery of the divider and in fluid communication with the outlet of the inhalation channel; a seco
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Astra Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Allan Dagsland, Karin Malmqvist-Granlund, Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: 6095136
    Abstract: An inhaler for administering powder by inhalation and a method of constructing the same, the inhaler including a member which defines a chamber for containing desiccant, the member including first and second parts which when fitted together define the chamber for containing desiccant and include cooperating detent means for holding the same together on fitting, wherein the first part has an outer surface provided with at least one of an internal or external spline and the second part has an inner surface provided with at least one of the other of an internal or external spline, the splines being dimensioned and spaced relative to the cooperating detent means such that, when the first and second parts are fitted together, the at least one external spline is engaged within the at least one internal spline before any resistance to further insertion is caused by the cooperating detent means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Astra Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: 4907583
    Abstract: Device in a previously known powder inhalator intended for inhalation of an air flow which contains pharmacologically active compound in micronized form. The powder inhalator comprises a nozzle unit (2) with a nozzle aperture (2a) as well as a container unit (3) with a releasing or dosing unit (6) for delivering the active compound. The air flow generated by inhalation is at least partly aspirated through an air conduit (7) located in the container unit (3), which conduit extends from an air inlet (8), communicating with the environment, via said releasing or dosing unit (6), up to said nozzle unit (2). According to the invention, deflector devices are stationarily arranged in the container unit (3) and/or in the nozzle unit (2), said deflector devices, for example in the shape of a helical channel portion (13), being arranged to create a powerful deflecting movement for the purpose of disrupting said powder particles into the respirable particle size distribution (less than 5 .mu.m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Draco
    Inventors: Kjell I. L. Wetterlin, Risto Virtanen, Jan A. R. Andersson
  • Patent number: 4668218
    Abstract: An indicating means in a dosage dispensing device for medicaments, particularly a dosage inhaler which indicates a number of dosages administered from the dosage dispensing device. The indicating means includes a rotatable disc (1) having apertures (2) passing therethrough which can be filled with a medicament in particle form. By rotating the disc the apertures can be brought into an air channel or duct (3) through which air is inhaled. The rotatable disc has associated with a central portion a spiral groove or ridge (4) which can engage with peripheral teeth (8) on a toothed wheel (6), such that rotation of the disc (1) results in rotation of the toothed wheel and the toothed wheel is provided with one or more markings (9) which are visible from outside the dosage inhaler upon rotating the disc a predetermined number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1987
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Draco
    Inventor: Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: 4641644
    Abstract: An aerosol inhalation device in pocket-size which has one dosage dispensing position and one storage position, and which comprises a two-part telescoping deceleration chamber (2, 3) with rectangular cross-section and a socket (1) for an exchangeable aerosol container. The socket is connected with the inner chamber part (2) so that it can be telescopically inserted therein to form a storage position. In dosage dispensing position the socket is extended from the deceleration chamber, pivoted at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the chamber and locked in the angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1987
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Draco
    Inventors: Jan A. R. Andersson, Nils F. E. Moren, Kjell I. L. Wetterlin, Kaija A. Snellman Wasenius, Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: 4361243
    Abstract: There is illustrated in the drawings a discharge tube mounting a nozzle which is releasably closed at its outer, terminal end by a plug. A spaced distance above the base of the nozzle there is mounted a flange ring arranged to extend around the nozzle circumference, the flange ring being cut at one point. A rotatable and removable closing cap is fitted over the nozzle and includes at its lower rim an inwardly projecting nib configured to be captured between the flange ring and the upper rim of the tube to secure the cap to the tube, and to pass through the cut portion of the flange ring when aligned with it, to allow removal of the cap. The lower rim of the closing cap or the upper rim of the discharge tube mounts a separate background ring, preferably of a different color than the closing cap and discharge tube, and the ring is disposed behind a downwardly extending arrow-shaped indicator on the cap and behind an upwardly extending arrow-shaped indicator on the upper rim of the discharge tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1982
    Assignee: Perlos Oy
    Inventor: Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: D441446
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Astra Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Allan Dagsland, Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: D276654
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Draco
    Inventors: Kaija A. Snellman-Wasenius, Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: D276847
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Draco
    Inventors: Sven G. Nyman, Kaija A. Snellman-Wasenius, Risto Virtanen
  • Patent number: D417732
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Astra Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Allan Dagsland, Risto Virtanen, Steven McGugan
  • Patent number: D417912
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Astra Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Allan Dagsland, Risto Virtanen