Powder delivery device

Abstract

Provided is a device for the dispensing of powders of the type in which a generated gas flow entrains the powder to be dispensed and carries the powder from the device via a barrel. The barrel has a bore including a main portion with a continuous internal surface, and is characterized in that the length of the main portion is at least fifteen times its maximum internal diameter; and/or the internal bore of the main portion is tapered; and/or the barrel has an outwardly flared outlet portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for the dispensing of a haemostatic composition in dry powder form comprising:
 a barrel comprising:
 a bore including a main portion with a continuous internal surface through which a generated gas flow entrains the powder to be dispensed, and 
 an outwardly flared outlet portion having an internal diameter and an external diameter, 
   wherein:
 a length of the main portion is at least fifteen times a maximum internal diameter of the bore; 
 the internal diameter and external diameter of the outlet portion increases from an upstream end to a downstream end of the outlet portion; 
 the maximum internal diameter of the main portion is from 1 mm to 6 mm; and 
 the device is charged with a quantity of the haemostatic composition in dry powder form for delivery to internal tissue exposed during surgical procedures or after traumatic injury. 
   
     
     
         2 . A device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the internal bore of the main portion is tapered. 
     
     
         3 . A device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the barrel is rigid. 
     
     
         4 . A device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the length of the main portion of the barrel is at least eighteen times or at least twenty times the maximum internal diameter of the bore. 
     
     
         5 . A device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the length of the main portion is between about 30 mm and 100 mm. 
     
     
         6 . A device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the barrel is flexible. 
     
     
         7 . A device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the main portion of the barrel has a length of between 50 mm and 300 mm. 
     
     
         8 . A device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the internal diameter of the barrel is between 1 mm and 5 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the main portion of the barrel comprises a plastic tube. 
     
     
         10 . A device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the barrel incorporates one or more malleable elongate members. 
     
     
         11 . A device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the elongate malleable members are wires or rods. 
     
     
         12 . A device as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the wires or rods are embedded in the plastic material from which the barrel is formed. 
     
     
         13 . A device as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the one or more elongate malleable members are one or more copper or copper-coated steel wires. 
     
     
         14 . A device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the internal diameter of the main portion decreases from an upstream end to a downstream end of the main portion. 
     
     
         15 . A device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the internal diameter of the main portion increases from an upstream end to a downstream end of the main portion. 
     
     
         16 . A device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the internal diameter of the main portion increases from an upstream end to a downstream end of the main portion or decreases from the upstream end to the downstream end of the main portion at a taper angle of 0.5° to 3°. 
     
     
         17 . A device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outlet portion has a length of between 5 mm and 25 mm. 
     
     
         18 . A device as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the internal diameter of the outlet portion increases from the upstream end to the downstream end by a factor of two or more. 
     
     
         19 . A device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the barrel is provided with a mounting that enables an orientation relative to the main portion of the device of which it forms part to be varied. 
     
     
         20 . A device as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the mounting is a ball-and-socket connector.