Patent ID: 9610415
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: A61M,B01F,F04F,F15D

Claim:
1. A breath-actuated pressurized metered dose inhaler device for use in delivering drug particles to a patient's lungs by oral inhalation, the device comprising: (a) a medicament flow path; and (b) an enhanced eductor element comprising: a conduit comprising an inlet, an outlet, an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface forms a hollow bore extending from the inlet to the outlet, and the inner surface is a generally smooth continuous curvilinear surface; the conduit further comprising a constriction zone formed by a reduction in the diameter of a portion of the hollow bore between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the constriction zone diameter is smaller than the inlet diameter and the outlet diameter, and wherein the constriction zone has a length (L a modification member disposed upon the conduit inner surface and in the constriction zone, wherein the modification member is a protrusion that locally reduces the constriction zone diameter and cross-sectional area, and wherein the modification member has a length (L) along the main axis of the eductor, and a height (H); and a siphon channel which establishes fluid communication between the conduit outer surface and the conduit inner surface, wherein the channel is adjacent to or surrounded by the modification member; wherein the eductor element increases the local velocity of the flow of an inspiratory breath to actuate the device; and wherein the conduit is not positioned within the medicament flow path.