Nasal delivery devices
View Patent ↗An exhalation breath-actuated nasal delivery device for and a method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, the delivery device comprising: a nosepiece ( 40 ) for fitting to a nostril of a subject; a mouthpiece ( 42 ) through which the subject in use exhales; and delivery unit ( 64 ), as one of a mechanical delivery pump ( 66 ) or a nebulizer ( 115 ), for delivering a substance to the nosepiece ( 40 ); and an actuation mechanism ( 74 ) for actuating the delivery unit in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece, and preferably when at least one or both of the pressure at or the flow rate through the nosepiece exceeds a predetermined threshold.
1. An exhalation breath-actuated nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising:
a nosepiece for filling to a nostril of a subject;
a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales;
a nozzle for directing a substance through the nosepiece;
a mechanical delivery pump fluidly connected to the nozzle for delivering a substance to the nozzle; and
an actuation mechanism for actuating the mechanical delivery pump in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece.
2. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism includes a trigger mechanism for actuating the delivery pump at a predeterminable pressure.
3. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism includes a trigger mechanism for actuating the delivery pump at a predeterminable flow rate.
4. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism includes a trigger mechanism for actuating the delivery pump at one or both of a predeterminable pressure and a predeterminabie flow rate.
5. The delivery device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath is in use delivered through the nosepiece.
6. The delivery device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flow channel fluidly connected to the nosepiece through which a gas flow, separate to an exhaled air flow from an exhalation breath of the subject, is in use delivered; and
a gas supply unit for supplying a gas flow to the flow channel.
7. The delivery device of claim 6 , wherein the gas supply unit is configured to be actuated by exhalation through the mouthpiece.
8. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the delivery pump comprises a liquid delivery pump for delivering a metered volume of a liquid.
9. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the delivery pump comprises a powder delivery pump for delivering a metered amount of a powder.
10. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured to deliver an aerosol.
11. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured to deliver a jet.
12. A method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising the steps of:
providing a nasal delivery device to the nasal cavity of a subject, the delivery device including a nosepiece for filling to a nostril of the subject, a mouthpiece through which the subject exhales, a nozzle for directing a substance through the nosepiece, and a mechanical delivery pump fluidly connected to the nozzle for delivering a substance to the nozzle; and
actuating the delivery pump in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece to deliver a substance through the nosepiece.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of actuating the delivery pump comprises the step of:
actuating the delivery pump in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece on generation of a predeterminable pressure at the nosepiece.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of actuating the delivery pump comprises the step of:
actuating the delivery pump in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece on generation of a predeterminable flow rate through the nosepiece.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of actuating the delivery pump comprises the step of:
actuating the delivery pump in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece on generation of one or both of a predeterminable pressure at or a predeterminable flow rate through the nosepiece.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the delivery device further comprises a flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath is delivered through the nosepiece.
17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
delivering a gas flow, separate to an exhaled air flow from an exhalation breath of the subject, through the nosepiece.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the delivery pump comprises a liquid delivery pump for delivering a metered volume of a liquid.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the delivery pump comprises a powder delivery pump for delivering a metered amount of a powder.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the substance is delivered as an aerosol.
21. The method of claim 12 , wherein the substance is delivered as a jet.
22. An exhalation breath-actuated nasal delivery device for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising:
a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of a subject;
a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales;
a nebulizer for delivering an aerosol including a substance to the nosepiece; and
an actuation unit for actuating the nebulizer when at least one or both of the pressure at or the flow rate through the nosepiece exceeds a predetermined threshold in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece.
23. The delivery device of claim 22 , further comprising:
a flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath is in use delivered through the nosepiece.
24. The delivery device of claim 23 , wherein the actuation unit includes a flow regulator for regulating a flow of exhaled air from an exhalation breath.
25. The delivery device of claim 22 , further comprising:
a flow channel fluidly connected to the nosepiece through which a gas flow, separate to an exhaled air flow from an exhalation breath of the subject, is in use delivered; and
a gas supply unit for supplying a gas flow to the flow channel.
26. The delivery device of claim 25 , wherein the gas supply unit is configured to be actuated by exhalation through the mouthpiece.
27. The delivery device of claim 22 , wherein the nebulizer comprises an ultrasonic nebulizer.
28. The delivery device of claim 22 , wherein the nebulizer comprises a flow-generated nebulizer.
29. The delivery device of claim 22 , wherein the nebulizer comprises an electrohydrodynamic nebulizer.
30. A method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising the steps of:
providing a nasal delivery device comprising a nosepiece for fitting to a nostril of a subject, a mouthpiece through which the subject exhales, and a nebulizer for delivering an aerosol including a substance to the nosepiece; and
actuating the nebulizer when at least one or both of the pressure at or the flow rate through the nosepiece exceeds a predetermined threshold in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein:
the delivery device further comprises a flow channel fluidly connecting the nosepiece and the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath is delivered through the nosepiece.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein:
the delivery device further comprises a flow regulator for regulating a flow of exhaled air from an exhalation breath.
33. The method of claim 30 , further comprising the step of:
delivering a gas flow, separate to an exhaled air flow from an exhalation breath of the subject, through the nosepiece.
34. The method of claim 30 , wherein the nebulizer comprises an ultrasonic nebulizer.
35. The method of claim 30 , wherein the nebulizer comprises a flow-generated nebulizer.
36. The method of claim 30 , wherein the nebulizer comprises an electrohydrodynamic nebulizer.