Inhalers

Abstract

An inhaler comprises a pump 17, a drug dosing device 15 and a cyclone 1 which delivers an aerosol of powdered medicament from the drug dosing device 15 into a chamber 11 when the pump 17 is activated. The aerosol is inhaled by the user through a mouthpiece 13.

1 . An inhaler comprising: 
 a chamber having a mouthpiece;    a cyclone arranged to eject an aerosol of medicament into the chamber; and    a drug dosing device arranged to provide a dose of powdered medicament to the cyclone.    
     
     
         2 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drug dosing device is arranged to provide a dose of powdered medicament entrained in an airflow to the cyclone.  
     
     
         3 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cyclone is in the form of a cylinder of a diameter between about 2 and 15 mm.  
     
     
         4 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the cylinder is between 4 and 10 mm.  
     
     
         5 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is comparable in volume to the cyclone.  
     
     
         6 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the chamber has a volume of around 300 ml.  
     
     
         7 . An inhaler comprising: 
 a chamber having a mouthpiece; and    an aerosolizing device having an inlet for taking in an airflow and an outlet for expelling an aerosol into the chamber,    wherein the inlet of the aerosolizing device is connected to the chamber, such that, in use, the airflow is drawn from the chamber to generate the aerosol.    
     
     
         8 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the chamber receives a plunger which is arranged to force air through the aerosolizing device as the plunger moves through the chamber.  
     
     
         9 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the aerosolizing device is mounted on the plunger.  
     
     
         10 . An inhaler comprising a chamber having a mouthpiece and a plunger received in the chamber, wherein the plunger is arranged to force air through an aerosolizing device to generate an aerosol of medicament in the chamber for inhalation through the mouthpiece.  
     
     
         11 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the cyclone is in the form of a cylinder of a diameter between about 2 and 15 mm.  
     
     
         12 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the chamber is comparable in volume to the cyclone.  
     
     
         13 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the chamber is comparable in volume to the cyclone.  
     
     
         14 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the chamber is comparable in volume to the cyclone.  
     
     
         15 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the chamber has a volume of around 300 ml.  
     
     
         16 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the chamber has a volume of around 300 ml.  
     
     
         17 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the chamber has a volume of around 300 ml.  
     
     
         18 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the chamber has a volume of around 300 ml.  
     
     
         19 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the chamber has a volume of around 300 ml.  
     
     
         20 . An inhaler as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the chamber has a volume of around 300 ml.