EP1386630A1 — Powder inhaler

USPTO Abstract

A powder inhaler comprises a container (7) for storing a powdered medicament, a metering member (15) having a dosing recess (18) to be filled with a dose of the powdered medicament, and a mouthpiece (3) being in communication with an inhalation channel (27) of the powder inhaler. Furthermore, the powder inhaler comprises a protective member (19) which is slidingly moveable on the metering member (15) between a closed position, in which it at least covers the dosing recess (18) of the metering member (15) if the metering member (15) is in an inhalation position, and an open position, in which it exposes the dosing recess (18) thereby enabling inhalation of the dose of the powdered medicament contained in the dosing recess (18). The protective member (19) is preferably coupled to an inhalation actuated mechanism (21-23) in such a manner that the inhalation actuated mechanism (21-23) moves the protective member (19) from its closed position to its open position only if there is an inhalation suction force exerted by a user which exceeds a predetermined level. This prevents the dose contained in the dosing recess (18) from falling out of the dosing recess, unless there is no inhalation process initiated by the user. Therefore, the powder inhaler can also be operated reliably upside down. Furthermore, a deagglomerator arrangement (cyclone), which may be incorporated in such a powder inhaler, is proposed which comprises a vortex chamber (73) having a diameter between 6 mm and 8 mm, preferably 8 mm.