Powder Delivery Devices

Abstract

A nasal delivery device for delivering substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, the delivery device comprising: a substance supply unit for supplying a dose of substance to be delivered to the nasal cavity of the subject, the substance supply unit including an inlet and an outlet; a nosepiece unit including a nosepiece for fitting to a nasal cavity of the subject and being in fluid communication with the outlet of the substance supply unit; and a mouthpiece unit including a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the inlet of the substance supply unit and through which the subject in use exhales such as to entrain substance from the container chamber and deliver the same through the nosepiece, and at least one temperature modifier for reducing a temperature of the exhaled air flow such as to reduce the absolute humidity thereof.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject comprising:
 a substance supply unit including an inlet and an outlet, the substance supply unit configured to receive a substance container holding the substance;   a mouthpiece unit including a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the inlet of the substance supply unit, and   a plurality of flow channels disposed between the mouthpiece and the inlet of the substance supply unit.   
     
     
         3 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of flow channels extends only a portion of the distance from the mouthpiece to the inlet of the substance supply unit. 
     
     
         4 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , further comprising a flow path from the mouthpiece to the substance supply unit, the flow path including a constriction adjacent to the inlet of the substance supply unit. 
     
     
         5 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of flow channels are arranged in a zig-zag configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of flow channels are arranged in a serpentine configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of flow channels includes a substantially circular cross section. 
     
     
         8 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of flow channels includes a substantially rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         9 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , furthering comprising a rupturing mechanism, the rupturing mechanism including a piercing element for rupturing the substance container. 
     
     
         10 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the substance is a powder. 
     
     
         11 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the substance container is a capsule. 
     
     
         12 . The delivery device of  claim 2 , further comprising a filter disposed adjacent the outlet of the substance supply unit. 
     
     
         13 . The delivery device of  claim 12 , wherein the filter is disposed between the substance supply unit and the nosepiece. 
     
     
         14 . A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject comprising:
 a substance supply unit including an inlet and an outlet, the substance supply unit configured to receive a substance container holding the substance;   a mouthpiece unit including a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the inlet of the substance supply unit;   a plurality of flow channels disposed between the mouthpiece and the inlet of the substance supply unit; and   a nosepiece unit including a nosepiece for fitting to a nasal cavity of the subject, the nosepiece in fluid communication with the outlet of the substance supply unit.   
     
     
         15 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of flow channels extends only a portion of the distance from the mouthpiece to the inlet of the substance supply unit. 
     
     
         16 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , further comprising a flow path from the mouthpiece to the substance supply unit, the flow path including a constriction adjacent to the inlet of the substance supply unit. 
     
     
         17 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of flow channels are arranged in a zig-zag configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of flow channels are arranged in a serpentine configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of flow channels includes a substantially circular cross section. 
     
     
         20 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of flow channels includes a substantially rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         21 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , further comprising a rupturing mechanism comprising a piercing element for rupturing the substance container. 
     
     
         22 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein the substance is a powder. 
     
     
         23 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , wherein the substance container is a capsule. 
     
     
         24 . The delivery device of  claim 14 , further comprising a filter disposed adjacent the outlet of the substance supply unit. 
     
     
         25 . The delivery device of  claim 24 , wherein the filter is disposed between the substance supply unit and the nosepiece. 
     
     
         26 . A nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising:
 a substance supply unit including an inlet, an outlet, a container chamber disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and a rupturing mechanism, the container chamber configured to contain a substance container, and the rupturing mechanism including a piercing element configured to rupture the substance container;   a mouthpiece unit including a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the inlet of the substance supply unit;   a plurality of flow channels disposed between the mouthpiece and the inlet of the substance supply unit, the plurality of flow channels being arranged in a serpentine configuration; and   a nosepiece unit including a nosepiece for fitting to a nasal cavity of the subject and a filter, the nosepiece in fluid communication with the outlet of the substance supply unit and the filter disposed at the outlet of the substance supply unit;   a constriction disposed in a flow path between the mouthpiece and the substance supply unit; and   a substance container comprising a capsule containing a powdered substance.   
     
     
         27 . In combination a substance supply unit and a plurality of unitary components which are replaceably fitted to the substance supply unit with each operation of the substance supply unit to provide a delivery device for delivery of a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, wherein:
 the substance supply unit includes a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales so as to entrain the substance from the substance supply unit; and   the unitary components each comprise a container chamber which contains a substance-containing container and is in fluid communication with the mouthpiece, and a nosepiece which is in fluid communication with the container chamber.