Receptacle packaging with inhaler-accommodating geometry

Abstract

A packaging for a receptacle loadable into an inhaler for pulmonary delivery of the contents of the receptacle. The packaging includes a base and a cover, which base has a surface defining a well that accommodates the receptacle. The well-defining surface includes a first region and a differently shaped second region, which first surface region is shaped to support the receptacle in alignment within the well, and which second surface region accommodates a first end of the receptacle aligned in the well and has a mouth geometry enlarged from the first surface region to allow a portion of an inhaler to be inserted therein to receive the first end of the receptacle for scooping the receptacle into the inhaler from the well.

1 . A packaging for a unit dosage form, said packaging comprising: 
 a base having a well-defining surface that defines a well that accommodates the unit dosage form;    a cover for said well, said cover being at least partially removable to allow access to the unit dosage form;    wherein said well-defining surface includes a first surface region and a differently shaped second surface region, said first surface region shaped to support the unit dosage form in alignment within the well, said second surface region accommodating a first end of the receptacle aligned in the well and having a mouth geometry enlarged from said first surface region to allow a portion of a delivery device to be inserted therein to receive the first end of the unit dosage form for scooping into the delivery device from said well.    
   
   
       2 . A packaging for an inhaler receptacle, the receptacle having a shell body enclosing an interior hollow filled with a powdered pharmaceutical that may pass from the hollow when the body is pierced or otherwise opened by operation of an inhaler loaded with the receptacle for pharmaceutical administration, said packaging comprising: 
 a base having a well-defining surface that defines a well that accommodates the receptacle;    a cover for said well to maintain sterility of the receptacle within said well, said cover being at least partially removable to allow access to the receptacle; p 1  wherein said well-defining surface includes a first region and a differently shaped second region, said first region shaped to support the receptacle in alignment within the well, said second region accommodating a first end of the receptacle aligned in the well and having a mouth portion enlarged from said first region to allow a portion of an inhaler to be inserted therein to receive the first end of the receptacle for scooping the receptacle into the inhaler from said well.    
   
   
       3 . The packaging of  claim 2  wherein said second region includes a concave surface characterized by a radius of curvature that is greater than a radius of curvature of a proximal end of the receptacle.  
   
   
       4 . The packaging of  claim 3  wherein said second region includes a concave surface characterized by a radius of curvature that is twice the radius of curvature of a proximal end of the receptacle.  
   
   
       5 . The packaging of  claim 3  wherein said first region includes a concave surface characterized by a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of curvature of said second region.  
   
   
       6 . The packaging of  claim 2  wherein said mouth portion includes a sloping surface facing the first end of the receptacle, said sloping surface including a concave portion wherein said sloping surface has an angle of between 30° and 60° from vertical.  
   
   
       7 . The packaging of  claim 2  wherein said mouth portion includes a sloping surface facing the first end of the receptacle, said sloping surface including a concave portion and a convex portion, said concave portion being deeper within said well than said convex portion.  
   
   
       8 . The packaging of  claim 7  wherein, along a longitudinal cross-section of said well through a central length of the receptacle aligned within said well, an inflexion point between said concave portion and said convex portion is disposed within a middle portion of the depth of the well.  
   
   
       9 . The packaging of  claim 2  wherein said mouth portion includes a concave surface facing the first end of the receptacle and extending below the central height of the receptacle, said concave surface having a curvature with a larger radius than a radius of curvature of the first end of the receptacle, whereby the receptacle can ramp up said concave surface when being scooped from the well.  
   
   
       10 . The packaging of  claim 2  wherein said well-defining surface includes a third region that forms a receptacle stop surface for abutment by a second end of the receptacle aligned within said well during scooping of the receptacle from said well.  
   
   
       11 . The packaging of  claim 10  wherein a bottom end of said third region transitions to a bottom of the well along a surface having a radius of curvature, wherein the ratio of the radius of curvature of said transition surface to the radius of curvature of a second end of the receptacle is less than 1.3.  
   
   
       12 . The packaging of  claim 9  wherein a bottom end of said third region transitions to a bottom of the well along a surface having a radius of curvature, wherein the radius of curvature of said transition surface is smaller than a radius of curvature of a second end of the receptacle.  
   
   
       13 . The package of  claim 12  wherein the slope of said third region is 5° from vertical.  
   
   
       14 . The packaging of  claim 2  wherein said well-defining surface comprises an inhaler stop surface.  
   
   
       15 . The packaging of  claim 1  wherein said well-defining surface comprises a thermoplastic blister.  
   
   
       16 . The packaging of  claim 1  wherein said cover comprises a layer that is connected to said base to be peelable from over the entire well to fully expose the receptacle within said well.  
   
   
       17 . A kit comprising a packaging of any one of claims  2 - 16  having disposed therein a receptacle comprising an inhalable powdered pharmaceutical and an inhaler.  
   
   
       18 . A method of loading an inhalation chamber of an inhaler with a receptacle filled with a powdered pharmaceutical without manually touching the receptacle, said method comprising: 
 providing a receptacle packaged within a blister pack, the blister pack including an asymmetrical well defined by a base of the blister pack, the lower section of the well having a first end and a second end, the portion of the well proximate the first end having a first width and serving as a mouth portion, the portion of the well adjacent the second end portion having a width lesser than the first width for aligning the receptacle, wherein the mouth portion is sized and shaped to accommodate a tip of the inhaler;    opening a cover of the blister pack to expose at least the mouth region of the well and at least an end of the receptacle;    inserting into the mouth region of the well the tip of the inhaler having an opening leading to the inhalation chamber; and    moving the inhaler and blister pack relative to each other such that the inhaler scoops the receptacle out of the well and through the inhaler opening so as to enter the inhalation chamber.