Abstract: A dispenser provides pulmonary delivery of a powder dose to a subject. The dispenser is adapted to be brought into connection with an actuator which introduces an amount of a gas for dispensing the powder dose. The dispenser includes a chamber for receiving the powder dose and a valve for permitting passage of the powder dose only when the actuator introduces the gas into the dispenser. The powder dose is passed from the dispenser for pulmonary delivery to the subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for dislodging powder carried on the surface of a flexible sheet material. The device incorporates a resettable impactor including a head for striking the sheet material, wherein the head comprises an elongate striking surface which is curved in both planes orthoganol to the plan of the sheet material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dry powder inhaler having one or more deaglommeration channels through which an airstream containing entrained medicament particles passes. Each channel has a substantially constant cross-sectional area and a bend having a radius of curvature of no greater than 10 mm.

Abstract: A powdered medicament-mixed gas injecting apparatus includes a first passage having a gas supply opening at one end thereof for supplying gas. A second passage includes a container-fitting end portion at one end thereof for fitting thereto a container opening of a powdered medicament container in which powdered medicament is accommodated. One end is closed and the other end is provided with the container opening. The other end of the second passage is coupled with the other end of the first passage. The second passage serves for introducing supply gas fed from the gas supply opening of the first passage to the powdered medicament container, and for introducing powdered medicament-mixed gas which has been formed by mixing the supply gas with the powdered medicament in a direction opposite to a direction in which the supply gas is fed. The second passage allows gas to pass bidirectionally therethrough.

Abstract: A device for delivering a quantity of material endoscopically to an intended site of application within a body through an incision or entrance wound includes a handle portion with movable trigger means, and an endoscopic portion. A reservoir or cartridge containing material for delivery may be disposed in the handle or endoscopic portion of the delivery device. In operation, the trigger means may be operated in such a manner so as to cause a discharge of a metered quantity of material from the proximal end of the endoscopic tube.

Abstract: A breath-actuated dry powder medicament inhalator device having a housing and a conduit mounted within the housing defining an air passageway therethrough having an aperture in the sidewall thereof. A blister-type strip of sealed containers arranged in a matrix of rows and columns wherein the columns extend generally diagonally to the longitudinal axis of the strip is secured in a two-piece cage adapted for being rotatably mounted around the conduit of the inhalator device. Advancement means are provided for rotatably moving the two-piece cage and blister strip contained thereby in a generally helical pathway relative to the conduit so as to successively advance each of the sealed containers of the blister strip into registration with the conduit aperture.

Abstract: In the inhaler for the repeated inhalation of powdered pharmaceuticals there is arranged, in a housing (13) which has a rotatable cap (4), a dosing wheel with dosing chambers (22) between the intermediate floor (21) and a frame (20), which is supported on the baseplate (14). The rotatable cap (4), which is supported on the lid (17) by means of a spring (12), has an axially arranged cylinder (7) which projects through the lid (17), the intermediate floor (21) and the frame (20) into the housing (13) and is the drive shaft for the dosing wheel (1). The housing (13) is provided with a supply chamber (2) whose bottom part (intermediate floor (21)) has an opening (23) whose cross-section corresponds to that of the dosing chambers (22).

Abstract: A powder inhaler and process are provided for aerosolizing finely powdered or pulverized medication and a gas provided in a pillow or blister-type container of extremely thin elastic suitable plastic construction. The pillow is compressed between an anvil with a conical depression and a confronting conical piston. The conical depression has a small orifice at its apex, and the periphery of the pillow is restrained so that compression between the conical pillow and the conical depression produces explosive rupture of the pillow and exit of the gas and medication at a very high speed up to supersonic through said orifice. Medication particle clumps are very efficiently separated into separate particles, and the gas/medication exiting from the orifice are conveyed through a very small area linear or curved tube to a dispersal chamber or directly to a patient, movement through the tube producing a shearing action further enhancing separation of aggregated particles of powder medication.

Abstract: A device for delivering a quantity of material endoscopically to an intended site of application within a body through an incision or entrance wound includes a handle portion with movable trigger means, and an endoscopic portion. A reservoir or cartridge containing material for delivery may be disposed in the handle or endoscopic portion of the delivery device. In operation, the trigger means may be operated in such a manner so as to cause a discharge of a metered quantity of material from the proximal end of the endoscopic tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for conducting a talc pleurodesis includes a thoracic tube which includes a talc chamber. At one end of said tube is a rubber bulb. In the opposite end of the tube is a tip that includes a constriction or valve. Talc is placed into the talc chamber and the tip is inserted into the chest cavity between the lung and the chest cavity. The bulb is then pressed forcing air through the tube and forcing talc into the chest cavity. The constriction prevents the talc from free flowing through the end of the tube. However, the constriction is such that under pressurized air, the talc can flow from the tip. This permits pleurodesis to be conducted with dry talc very easily and evenly under direct vision with the aid of a thorascope.

Abstract: An apparatus for administering an aerosol of a solid particulate medicament (e.g., amiloride) to the lungs of a patient is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a solid particulate medicament aerosol generator and an impactor assembly for removing large particles of medicament from the aerosol produced by the aerosol generator. The impactor assembly comprises an enclosed chamber having an inlet opening and an outlet opening formed on opposite sides thereof. The aerosol generator is connected to the inlet opening. A first impactor plate is positioned in the chamber, with the first impactor plate adjacent the inlet opening. The first impactor plate has an uninterrupted primary impaction surface formed thereon, with the primary impaction surface substantially axially aligned with the inlet opening and having a diameter not less than the inlet opening. The first impactor plate has at least one exhaust opening formed therein in fluid communication with the outlet opening.

Abstract: An apparatus to force powdered agent, such as a thrombic agent, into the operative site of a laparoscopic procedure includes an elongated tube, a powder chamber and a mechanism to force the powder through the tube. Generally, this mechanism will be a source of pressurized air such as an air bulb, a syringe or a tank or cartridge of gas. In an alternate embodiment, the chamber can receive a tubular capsule full of the powder which is open at both ends so that air forced through the tube will force powder in the capsule through the tube and into the operative site.

Abstract: This dispenser is designed to be employed in delivering a prescribed quantity of medication into a nostril of a patient. Primarily, it consists of a main body having a U-shaped chamber therein, for containing a measured quantity of medication received from a barrel of the device by rotation of a plunger in the barrel, and the main body is transparent for visually observing a pair of painted and indented dots provided in the leg portions of the medication chamber. An oral blow tube is also provided for air pressure to be applied to the chamber to dispense the medication out of the chamber into a flexible and transparent nasal tube that is insertable into a nostril of a patient.

Abstract: A device for dispensing an aerosol from an aerosol module containing aerosol under pressure wherein there is a cocking device for readying it for release of the pressurized aerosol, a sear for retaining the cocking device in a non-operative position following readying and a vane operable by inhalation on the part of a user to disable the sear to thus release the cocking device to effect expulsion of aerosol from the aerosol module.

Abstract: A pushbutton for use with a spray device for mixing a primary substance with a predetermined quantity of a secondary substance stored in such a manner as to be sheltered from the air. The pushbutton is constituted by a first piece (2) which is moveable relative to a second piece (1) containing the emission channel (11) of the pushbutton. The first piece (2) includes containers (22) advantageously disposed like rounds in the cylinder of a revolver. Each container (22) contains the desired quantity of the secondary substance and is hermetically closed by a membrane (23). When the user actuates the pushbutton, a suitable resilient piece (3) and suitable connection pieces (15, 25) ensure that the user automatically displaces the first piece (2) in such a manner that the membrane (23) of one of the containers (22) is pierced and the corresponding dose of secondary substance is delivered into the emission channel (11) so as to be sprayed out together with the main substance.

Abstract: An inhaler for the inhalation of powdered pharmaceutical compositions from capsules. The inhaler comprises a chamber for receiving the capsules, which chamber has a greater internal width and a greater length than the diameter and length, respectively, of the capsule and which chamber comprises at one narrow end an air inlet and at the other end an air outlet, so that during inhalation through the inhaler the capsule is set in vibration.

Abstract: An inhaler is described for introducing a solid substance in particulate form into the inhaled air of a user. The inhaler comprises a body in which is provided an endless orbital path 3 for one or more balls 4. Air enters the path via an air inlet optionally through an intake conduit. Air leaves the orbital path 3 in a centripetal direction through an air discharge system and an air outlet. The solid substance to be inhaled is provided, preferably in the form of a film, on the surface of the orbital path or on the surface of the ball. A user inhales through the air outlet 8, and this causes air to be drawn into the orbital path through the air inlet. This causes the ball to circulate around the orbital path, in which process solid substance is dislodged and caused to flow with the air out through the outlet.

Abstract: An interconnect connects a vial to a syringe for the transfer of material to the syringe or back to the vial. The interconnect includes a vial connecting mechanism and a tapered sleeve to receive the syringe. A metering port allows control of the material transfer rate and prevents partial transfers which could cause material spillage.

Abstract: An apparatus comprised of a canister having a valved opening thereon and containing, under pressure, heparin and a low boiling point propellant is disclosed. The valved opening can be activated to release a metered dose of aerosolized heparin to a patient or preferably to an inhalation device which improves efficiency with respect to the amount of heparin reaching the lungs of the patient.

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.

Abstract: An inhalation activatable dispenser for use with an aerosol container in which a latch mechanism releasing vane is pivotably mounted in an air passage between an aerosol outlet valve and a mouthpiece, and the latch mechanism cannot be released if force to activate the dispenser is not applied before a patient inhales.

Abstract: This invention is a hand operated powder dispenser, and includes a case having a powder chamber, and a trigger activated mechanism that slides a ram rod through the chamber to move the powder out a dispensing opening.

Abstract: The device includes a sprayer of powdered substances having a conveying line which includes a coaxially arranged drain pipe and a catheter. The sprayer includes a piston with a valve and a cylindrical housing having a valve and a diametral partition with an opening. The partition divides the sprayer into a delivery portion and a spraying portion.

Abstract: A device for administering medicaments to patients comprises a housing containing a cylindrical chamber. A support is arranged inside the chamber to support a carrier, such as a blister pack. The blister pack has a plurality of containers or blisters arranged in a circle. When a blister pack is located on the support its blisters are located in holes in the support member. A plunger is arranged to enter the chamber through a hole to engage and open a blister registered with it. When the blister is opened, medicament can be withdrawn by a patient inhaling through a mouthpiece. An external member is provided to rotate the support member to register the blister with the plunger in turn. Air can conveniently enter the chamber through a hole in a cover which is removable to permit blister packs to be loaded into the chamber onto the support member.

Abstract: A device for administering powdered substances into deep-seated cavities of an organism includes a sprayer of powdered substances, a conveying line including a drainage pipe and a catheter, a hollow cylindrical body divided by a diametral partition and a cover, and a first sleeve positioned in the diametral partition and a second sleeve positioned in the cover. Both sleeves have openings that are coaxial with the conveying line.

Abstract: An oral inhalation apparatus having a flow responsive valve associated therewith for controlling the flow of medication from an aerosol canister into one's lungs. An aerosol canister is received within a housing and the outlet thereof is received within a tubular passageway so that when the canister is pressed down respective to the housing, the valve means associated with the canister is moved to the open position. A second valve means is positioned downstream of the canister valve means and is spring loaded into the normally closed position. When the patient places a mouthpiece of the apparatus within his mouth and inhales, a sail device is moved downstream in reaction to the flow of inhaled air, thereby moving the second valve to the open position which releases medication into the mouthpiece. Consequently, when the patient initially depresses the canister, thereby opening the canister valve, there is no flow from the canister.

Abstract: A dosage inhalator for the inhalation of a pharmacologically active compound in solid, micronized form is disclosed. The inhalator comprises a propellant container, a propellant dispensing unit, and a dosing unit for dosing the pharmacologically active compound. The dosing unit comprises a storage chamber for the active compound, a dose loading unit directly connected thereto, and a nozzle. The dose loading unit comprises a movable perforated membrane, and a holder for the perforated membrane. The membrane is displaceable between a first position where active compound is introduced into the perforations of the membrane, and second position where the perforations of the membrane are inserted into a propellant passage. While the membrane is in the second position, the propellant dispensing unit may be operated, allowing propellant originally stored in the propellant container to remove the active compound from the perforations inserted into the propellant passage and carry said compound out the nozzle.

Abstract: There is provided an aerosol inhalation device, suitable for use in association with a pressurized medicament container (10), comprising an elongate member (1) provided at one end with a mouthpiece (5), and adjacent the other end being pivotably connected (3,4) to an aerosol dispenser (2), the aerosol dispenser (2) comprising a body (6) and a spray orifice (9), the elongate member (1) being pivotable to an open inhalation position, in which the spray orifice (9) is directed towards the mouthpiece (5), and to a closed position, in which the elongate member (1) fits around the body (6) of the aerosol dispenser (2), and is of such a length that the mouthpiece (5) is able to fit over the end of the aerosol dispenser (1).

Abstract: An inhalation device for a powdered medicament contained initially in a container, which device comprises a swirl chamber adapted to receive a medicament container and having air inlets thereinto and a mouthpiece in communication therewith; a container receiving cavity also in communication with said swirl chamber; and piercing means operable to pierce a medicament container when in the cavity and to withdraw from the pierced container, said cavity being provided with obstructive means to prevent the container re-entering the cavity after being pierced.