Abstract: An inhaler is disclosed. It comprises a housing to receive a strip of blisters each having a puncturable lid and containing a dose of medicament for inhalation by a user, a mouthpiece through which a dose of medicament is inhaled by a user and, an actuator operable to sequentially move each blister into alignment with a blister piercing member. The actuator is also operable to cause the blister piercing element to puncture the lid of a blister such that, when a user inhales through the mouthpiece, an airflow through the blister is generated to entrain the dose contained therein and carry it out of the blister and via the mouthpiece into the user's airway.

Abstract: An inhaler (1) is disclosed. It comprises a housing (2) to receive a strip (6) of blisters (6a) each having a puncturable lid (6c) and containing a dose of medicament for inhalation by a user, a mouthpiece through which a dose of medicament is inhaled by a user and, an actuator (3) operable to sequentially move each blister into alignment with a blister piercing member (7, 9). The actuator is also operable to cause the blister piercing element to puncture the lid of a blister such that, when a user inhales through the mouthpiece, an airflow through the blister is generated to entrain the dose contained therein and carry it but of the blister and via the mouthpiece into the user's airway.

Abstract: An Inhaler for delivering an aerosolised dose of a powdered drug for inhalation by a user is disclosed. The inhaler comprises a drug entreinment device to a receive a package having a piercable lid containing a dose to be delivered, the device including a drug outlet tube terminating with a primary piercing element to pierce an opening in said lid when a package is located in the inhaler, a secondary piercing member to pierce a plurality of peripheral openings in said lid and, an airflow path to enable the supply of a charge of gas into the package via said peripheral openings to scour the interior of a pierced package such that all or substantially all of the dose is entrained in the gas and flows out of the package via the drug outlet tube. A medicament pack is also disclosed.

Abstract: An inhaler (1) for the delivery of a dose of powdered medicament for inhalation by a user comprising a housing (2) containing a cylinder (5) defining a chamber (5a) and a piston (6) movably received in the cylinder to enable a user to generate a charge of compressed air in the chamber to entrain a dose when the charge is released, wherein the cylinder and the piston include co-operating means (8, 9) thereon operable to draw the piston into the cylinder to compress a charge of air in the chamber in response to rotation of the piston.

Abstract: An Inhaler for delivering an aerosolized dose of a powdered drug for inhalation by a user is disclosed. The inhaler comprises a drug entrainment device vice to a receive a package having a piercable lid containing a dose to be delivered, the device including a drug outlet tube terminating with a primary piercing element to pierce an opening in said lid when a package is located in the inhaler, a secondary piercing member to pierce a plurality of peripheral openings in said lid and, an airflow path to enable the supply of a charge of gas into the package via said peripheral openings to scour the interior of a pierced package such that all or substantially all of the dose is entrained in the gas and flows out of the package via the drug outlet tube. A medicament pack is also disclosed.

Abstract: A blister piercing element for puncturing the Hd of a blister containing a dose of medicament for inhalation by a user is disclosed. The piercing element comprising an outlet opening for the passage of medicament entrained in an airflow out of the blister and, a piercing head extending beyond and overhanging the opening that cuts a flap in a lid of a blister and pushes it away from the opening during insertion.

Abstract: An inhaler (1) for the delivery of a dose of powdered medicament for inhalation by a user comprising a housing (2) containing a cylinder (5) defining a chamber (5a) and a piston (6) movably received in the cylinder to enable a user to generate a charge of compressed air in the chamber to entrain a dose when the charge is released, wherein the cylinder and the piston include co-operating means (8, 9) thereon operable to draw the piston into the cylinder to compress a charge of air in the chamber in response to rotation of the piston.

Abstract: An inhaler for producing an inhalable aerosol of a powdered medicament includes an aerosolizing device in the form of a vortex chamber 1. The vortex chamber 1 has a tangential inlet port 3 and an axial port 2. The ratio of the diameter of the vortex chamber 1 to the diameter of the exit port 2 is between 4 and 12. The length of the exit port 2 is less than its diameter. The cross-section of the inlet port 3 is rectangular and is defined at the bottom and at the radially outermost edge by the walls of the vortex chamber 1. The cross-sectional area of the inlet conduit 7, which supplies the medicament in a gas flow to the inlet port 3, decreases in the direction towards the vortex chamber 1. The inlet conduit 7 may be curved. The inhaler is capable of repeatably producing an aerosol of a medicament with a high proportion of particles in the range 1 to 3 microns, while using a 20 relatively small amount of energy.

Abstract: Concepts for conveniently arranging devices for the transduction of signals to and from voltage and current domains to infrared radiation domains is described. Specifically, optoelectronic components and methods of making the same are described. In one aspect, the optoelectronic component includes a base substrate having a pair of angled (or substantially perpendicular) faces with electrical traces extending therebetween. A semiconductor chip assembly is mounted on the first face of the base substrate and a photonic device is mounted on the second face. Both the semiconductor chip assembly and the photonic device are electrically connected to traces on the base substrate. The semiconductor chip assembly is generally arranged to be electrically connected to external devices. The photonic devices are generally arranged to optically communicate with one or more optical fibers. The described structure may be used with a wide variety of photonic devices.

Abstract: An inhaler for dispensing medicament in the form of a dry powder is powder is provided with an airway (50) through which a dose travels from an ejection zone to an outlet of the airway. The airway (50) has an inlet means which is so arranged as to create a jacket of air, flowing through a part of the airway extending from the ejection zone to the outlet. The jacket of air surrounds said dose and thereby prevents it form impinging on the airway walls. This reduces accumulation of material on the airway walls, and thus improves the consistency of performance of the inhaler. Preferably, the inlet means includes a throat for producing a stream of fast flowing air which creates a zone of low pressure in front of the ejection zone, thereby to facilitate ejection of a dose.

Abstract: An inhaler for producing an inhalable aerosol of a powdered medicament includes an aerosolizing device in the form of a vortex chamber (1). The vortex chamber (1) has a curved wall (12), a tangential inlet port (3) and an axial exit port (2). The radius R of the vortex chamber (1) decreases with angular extend ?. The reduction in effective cross-sectional area of the vortex chamber accelerates the gas flow between the inlet (3) and the outlet (2) to reduce deposition of the medicament.

Abstract: Concepts for conveniently arranging devices for the transduction of signals to and from voltage and current domains to infrared radiation domains is described. Specifically, optoelectronic components and methods of making the same are described. In one aspect, the optoelectronic component includes a base substrate having a pair of angled (or substantially perpendicular) faces with electrical traces extending therebetween. A semiconductor chip assembly is mounted on the first face of the base substrate and a photonic device is mounted on the second face. Both the semiconductor chip assembly and the photonic device are electrically connected to traces on the base substrate. The semiconductor chip assembly is generally arranged to be electrically connected to external devices. The photonic devices are generally arranged to optically communicate with one or more optical fibers. The described structure may be used with a wide variety of photonic devices.

Abstract: An inhaler for producing an inhalable aerosol of a powdered medicament includes an aerosolising device in the form of a vortex chamber 1. The vortex chamer 1 has a tangential inlet port 3 and an axial port 2. The ratio of the diameter of the vortex chamber 1 to the diameter of the exit port 2 is between 4 and 12. The length of the exit port 2 is less than its diameter. The cross-section of the inlet port 3 is rectangular and is defined at the bottom and at the radially outermost edge by the walls of the vortex chamber 1. The cross-sectional area of the inlet conduit 7, which supplies the medicament in a gas flow to the inlet port 3, decreases in the direction towards the vortex chamber 1. The inlet conduit 7 may be curved. The inhaler is capable of repeatably producing an aerosol of a medicament with a high proportion of particles in the range 1 to 3 microns, while using a 20 relatively small amount of energy.

Abstract: An inhaler for producing an inhalable aerosol of a powdered medicament includes an aerosolising device in the form of a vortex chamber (1), The vortex chamber (1) has a curved wall (12), a tangential inlet port (3) and an axial exit port (2). The radius R of the vortex chamber (1) decreases with angular extend &thgr;. The reduction in effective cross-sectional area of the vortex chamber accelerates the gas flow between the inlet (3) and the outlet (2) to reduce deposition of the medicament.