Mouthpiece cover for an inhaler
A mouthpiece cover for an inhaler is described. The mouthpiece cover is designed for use with a dry powder inhaler and is provided with structural features to prevent a patient from inhaling the cover.
1. A cover for an inhaler mouthpiece, the cover comprising:
a substantially hollow body including a front end and a back end, wherein the hollow body is configured to be insertable onto the inhaler mouthpiece;
an external surface including a top surface, a first side surface extending from the front end to the back end, a second side surface extending from the front end to the back end, a substantially flat bottom surface, and a beveled front surface extending between the top surface and the substantially flat bottom surface;
a grip-tab configured for handling the cover during placing said cover onto said inhaler mouthpiece and removing said cover from said inhaler mouthpiece, wherein the grip-tab extends outwardly from a location where the beveled front surface and the bottom surface meet at the front end and wherein the grip-tab includes a flat grip-tab bottom surface congruent and co-planar with the substantially flat bottom surface and the grip-tab further comprises a flat grip-tab top surface; and
an internal surface comprising protrusions configured to promote a tight fitting of said cover on said inhaler mouthpiece;
wherein the beveled front surface is configured to prevent a subject from inhaling said cover when the cover is mounted on said inhaler mouthpiece, and
wherein the flat grip-tab bottom surface has a trapezoidal shape and the flat grip-tab top surface has a trapezoidal shape.
2. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the grip-tab includes rib or ridge structures.
3. The cover of claim 1 , wherein said grip-tab is substantially flat.
4. The cover of claim 1 , wherein said grip-tab extends outwardly and laterally from said inhaler mouthpiece.
5. The cover of claim 1 , wherein when mounted on said inhaler mouthpiece, the cover is configured to prevent a user from closing his or her lips.
6. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the substantially hollow body has a tapered end.
7. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the beveled front surface has an obtuse angle.
8. The cover of claim 7 , wherein the obtuse angle is greater than about 95 degrees.
9. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the substantially hollow body having an opening to an internal volume and a closed end that contacts an inhaler mouthpiece outlet.
10. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the grip-tab has a rectilinear shape.
11. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the grip-tab has a width and the inhaler mouthpiece has a width and the width of the grip-tab is 20% greater than the width of the inhaler mouthpiece.
12. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are configured to provide a pinch grip removal force of less than 10 pounds.
13. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are configured to provide a pinch grip removal force of less than 6 pounds.
14. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the top surface extends to the front end but not to the back end.