Dose Delivery Device for Inhalation with First and Second Portions to Open a Dose Chamber

Abstract

A dose may be stored by a delivery device and dispersed and delivered in a metered fashion to a subject, such as by the subject inhaling via a mouthpiece of the delivery device. One or more chambers of the device may have a toroidal shape and may be arranged to be selectively opened for fluid communication with a flow path of the delivery device, such as by sliding the chamber relative to a portion of the flow path. The flow path may include a restriction that permits air to bypass the chamber, and/or the chamber may be arranged so that fluid entering the chamber interacts with fluid exiting the chamber so as to enhance dispersion of the dose.

1 . A dose delivery device comprising:
 a first portion defining a portion of a dose chamber for containing a dose, the first portion including an openable opening, and being shaped to facilitate entrainment of dose in the first portion into air flowing into and out of the first portion;   a second portion positioned relative to the first portion, wherein the openable opening of the first portion is configured to be opened to receive air flow such that the first portion and second portion define an air flow path from an inlet opening to an outlet opening and into the dose chamber; and   a second air flow path extending from an inlet to an outlet for fluid communication with a mouthpiece, the air flow path arranged for fluid communication with the outlet opening such that dose-entrained air from the outlet opening enters the second air flow path;   wherein when the opening of the first portion is opened, the inlet opening and the outlet opening are positioned at the opening of the first portion and separated by structure that directs inlet air flow toward the opening of the first portion.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion is movable relative to the first portion to open the openable opening to the first portion. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion translates relative to the first portion to open the openable opening to the first portion. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the structure between the inlet and outlet openings directs air flow entering the dose chamber away from the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a part of the dose chamber has a U-shape. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein air flow entering the dose chamber follows a part of the “U” shape. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the structure between the inlet and outlet openings includes a curved surface to direct inlet air flow toward the opening of the first portion. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the structure between the inlet and outlet openings prevents air flow entering the dose chamber from flowing directly to the outlet opening. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the dose chamber contains a dose. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the air flow path includes a restriction between the inlet and the outlet and dose-entrained air from the outlet opening enters the air flow path at the restriction. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein flow in the air flow path where the dose-entrained air from the outlet opening enters the air flow path is along an axis, and wherein the first portion is slidably movable relative to the second portion along the axis to open the fluid communication. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet opening includes a plurality of outlet channels. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet opening includes a plurality of inlet channels. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet and outlet openings are arranged at different locations along a length of the air flow path. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the inlet opening is located at an upstream location of the air flow path relative to the outlet opening. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the mouthpiece in fluid communication with the outlet, and wherein movement of a part of the mouthpiece causes movement of the first portion relative to the second portion to open the opening to the first portion. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an obstacle that blocks flow in the dose chamber to the outlet opening. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein air flow entering the dose chamber is directed along a surface that leads to the obstacle. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the surface leading to the obstacle is curved. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the obstacle creates turbulent flow in the dose chamber.