Granted Patent B2

US 12,629,484 · App. 17/266,121 · Granted May 19, 2026

Inventors: Frank Bartels (Hattingen, DE); Juergen Rawert (Cologne, DE)

A61M11/007

Abstract

Claims (35)

1 . An inhalation device for generation of an aerosol of a medically active liquid, the inhalation device comprising:

a housing comprising therein:

a reservoir configured to store the medically active liquid;

a pumping unit located downstream from the reservoir;

a nozzle located downstream from the pumping unit;

the pumping unit comprising a hollow cylindrical part and a piston, the hollow cylindrical part having an interior space with a defined cross section configured to receive an end portion of the piston, wherein the hollow cylindrical part and the piston are linearly moveable relative to one another forming a pumping chamber with a variable volume;

a plunger mechanically coupled to the piston or to the hollow cylindrical part of the pumping unit and having a cross section larger than the cross section of the hollow cylindrical part, the plunger configured to translate in a reciprocating linear movement within the housing; and

a pressure chamber having a variable internal volume defined by the housing and a position of the plunger in the housing, the pressure chamber configured to receive a pressurized gas, wherein

the pressure chamber comprises an inlet valve and an outlet valve with separate ports into the pressure chamber, and

the pressurized gas is configured to exert a force on and translate the plunger within the housing increasing the variable internal volume of the pressure chamber and delivering mechanical energy to the pumping unit to decrease the variable volume of the pumping chamber and generate the aerosol of the medically active liquid.

2 . The inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the cross section of the plunger to the cross section of the hollow cylindrical part is greater than 2.

3 . The inhalation device according to claim 2 , wherein the ratio of the cross section of the plunger to the cross section of the hollow cylindrical part is greater than 10.

4 . The inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressurized gas is provided by:

a container filled with pressurized or liquefied gas, or

a chamber configured to temporarily hold and controllably release said pressurized gas.

5 . The inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein the piston is hollow.

6 . The inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein a check valve is arranged upstream of the pumping unit in order to block backflow of liquid in the direction of the reservoir.

7 . The inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein a spring is provided, which is configured to be loaded by a propulsive movement of the plunger, and which is configured, by unloading its stored energy, to effect a retropulsive movement of the plunger.

8 . The inhalation device according to claim 7 , wherein the spring is an elastic spring, a gas spring, or a magnetic spring.

9 . The inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is an impingement nozzle.

10 . The inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein the variable volume of the pumping chamber ranges from a maximum of about 100 to 500 μl.

11 . The inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein the pumping unit via the pressure chamber is configured to provide a pressure of at least 100 bar inside the pumping chamber.

12 . The inhalation device according to claim 1 , wherein

(i) the plunger; and

(ii) the piston or the hollow cylindrical part are moveable in a direction parallel to a vertical plane.

13 . A method for generating an aerosol of a liquid by means of an inhalation device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the following steps:

providing, in a filling phase, a negative gauge pressure inside the pumping chamber by increasing its volume, thereby filling the pumping chamber with liquid from the reservoir due to said negative gauge pressure;

providing, in an emission phase, a positive gauge pressure inside the pressure chamber having said second cross section, thereby effecting a movement of the plunger;

transferring said movement mechanically to the piston or to the cylindrical part, such that the volume of the pumping chamber is reduced, and a positive pressure is generated inside its interior space; and

emitting the medically active liquid from the pumping chamber through the nozzle.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the positive gauge pressure within the pressure chamber is provided by opening a valve to a container with a pressurized gas, or by manually pressurizing said pressure chamber.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein, subsequent to the emission of liquid from the pumping chamber due to the reduction of its volume, the method further comprises releasing stored energy from a temporary storage of mechanical energy which has been loaded during the emission phase thus increasing the pumping chamber's interior volume again, resulting in a generation of the negative pressure therein, thus refilling the pumping chamber with medically active liquid from the reservoir.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein, at the beginning of the refilling phase, discharging the pressure chamber's content to the atmosphere.

17 . A method of inhalatively administering a medically active liquid to an animal or human, the method comprising inhalatively administering the medically active liquid in aerosolized form with the inhalation device of claim 1 to the animal or human.

18 . A method for the treatment, stabilization or prevention of a pulmonary disease or condition by inhalative administration of a medically active liquid, comprising generating and administering the medically active liquid using an inhalation device according to claim 1 .

Assignments (2)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (25)