Abstract:
A healthy pleasurable inhalation device for humans comprises a tubular portion containing a flavored powder easily dissolvable in saliva and a mouthpiece configured to distribute the powder in the user&#39;s mouth. The tubular portion contains apparatus to meter the mixing of powder with air as the user inhales through the device. A variety of configurations for the device tubular portion and mouthpiece are presented.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The field of the invention pertains to oral devices that provide a pleasurable experience. Foods and similar items, such as chewing gum, provide such experiences. Non-food items, such as cigarettes, cigars, smoking pipes and chewing tobacco, also provide such experiences. Disclosed below is a device intended to healthfully substitute for cigarettes, cigars and smoking pipes, in particular.  
         [0002]     The human respiratory tract can be divided into upper and lower airways. The upper airway tract includes the nose, mouth, pharynx and larynx. The lower airway tract consists of the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles. The division between the upper and lower airways is usually taken as the junction of the larynx and the trachea. The new device, and its technology, is based on oral inhalation.  
         [0003]     Considering the oral airway tract, the passage for oral flow can also be divided into three regions: (1) the entrance consisting of lips, front teeth and the leading edge of the tongue, (2) the middle region and arching channel bounded by the tongue and the hard palate, and (3) the oral pharynx where the passage joins the nasopharynx and the flow becomes vertical. While the flow rate of air obviously varies, the flow rate is assumed to be 0.5 L/sec.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     An objective of the invention is to enable people to “enjoy” the sensation of inhalation. The invention in its fundamental form consists of a generally tubular device with a mouthpiece. The tubular portion contains a flavored powder and a configuration that meters the flow of powder into the air stream leading to the mouth. The size and shape of the tubular portion can vary, depending on the amount of powder capacity desired for the device and also depending on appearance and comfort factors pertinent to the users.  
         [0005]     Use of the new device is somewhat similar to the use of smoking tobacco. When the user inhales through the mouthpiece, fresh air flows into the distal end, through the internal configuration of the tubular portion and mouthpiece, and then into the user&#39;s mouth. With each inhalation, flavored powder is mixed with the flowing air to be deposited in the user&#39;s mouth.  
         [0006]     Upon inhalation, the powder particles deposit on the tongue, in particular. Since the human tongue is particularly sensitive to taste and certain nasal passages sense smell during exhalation, the brain develops a pleasurable experience with the device. By design, the device causes deposit of the powder in the front portion of the respiratory tract, namely from the teeth to the middle portion of the palate. Deposition of the powder in this portion of the respiratory tract is important because the powder can cause bitterness if the powder particles reach the pharynx.  
         [0007]     The device is designed to control the two-phase flow (of air and powder) for deposit of the powder particles in the first and second regions and to avoid deposit of particles in the third region and beyond. To achieve this particular result with the two-phase flow, the new device allows variation of the following physical aspects: the airflow speed, volumetric airflow rate, airflow direction, the powder density, powder particle size and quickness of powder solubility in saliva. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the device;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a longitudinal cross-section of the device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3A  is an end view of the mouthpiece of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3B  is a cross-section of the mouthpiece of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3C  is a perspective view of the mouthpiece of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4A  is a cross-section of a gate shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of a gate shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5A  is an end view demonstrating the airflow of the angled channels in  FIG. 3B ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5B  is a side view demonstrating the airflow of the angled channels in  FIG. 3B ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a longitudinal cross-section of the second embodiment of the device;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a longitudinal cross-section of the third embodiment of the device;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a longitudinal cross-section of the fourth embodiment of the device;  
         [0020]      FIG. 9A  is a longitudinal cross-section of the mouthpiece of the fourth embodiment;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9B  is an inner end view of the mouthpiece of  FIG. 9A ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a longitudinal cross-section of the fifth embodiment of the device;  
         [0023]      FIG. 11A  is a longitudinal cross-section of an alternative mouthpiece for the device of  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 11B  is an end view of the mouthpiece of  FIG. 11A ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  is a longitudinal cross-section of the device of  FIG. 10  with the mouthpiece of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 13  is a partial longitudinal cross-section of a further modification of the device of  FIGS. 10-12 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 14  is a longitudinal cross-section of the complete device of  FIG. 13 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 15  is a longitudinal cross-section of the sixth embodiment of the device, including a filter adjacent the mouthpiece;  
         [0029]      FIG. 15A  is a plan view of the filter of  FIG. 15 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 16  is a plan view of an alternate form of the filter of  FIG. 15 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 17  is a longitudinal cross-section of the seventh embodiment of the device;  
         [0032]      FIG. 18  is a plan view of the inner tube cap in the device of  FIG. 17 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 19  is a perspective view of an optional non-cylindrical mouthpiece;  
         [0034]      FIG. 20  is a longitudinal cross-section of the device of  FIG. 17  with the mouthpiece of  FIG. 19  attached;  
         [0035]      FIG. 21A  is a perspective view of a modified distal end cap;  
         [0036]      FIG. 21B  is a longitudinal cross-section of the end cap of  FIG. 21A ;  
         [0037]      FIG. 21C  is a plan view of the end cap of  FIG. 21A ;  
         [0038]      FIG. 22A  is a plan view of an inner sealing strip;  
         [0039]      FIG. 22B  is a perspective view of the folded inner sealing strip;  
         [0040]      FIG. 23A  is a partial longitudinal cross-section of the device showing the modified end cap of  FIG. 21  and the sealing strip of  FIG. 22 ;  
         [0041]      FIG. 23B  is a partial perspective view of the end cap and sealing strip assembled together;  
         [0042]      FIG. 24  is a longitudinal cross-section of the device showing the sealing strip partially removed;  
         [0043]      FIG. 25  is a longitudinal cross-section of the device showing the sealing strip fully removed;  
         [0044]      FIG. 26  is a longitudinal cross-section of the eighth embodiment of the device;  
         [0045]      FIG. 26A  is a distal end view of the device of  FIG. 26 ;  
         [0046]      FIG. 26B  is a lateral cross-section view of the device of  FIG. 26 ;  
         [0047]      FIG. 27A  is a partial side view of the mouthpiece of the device of  FIG. 26 ;  
         [0048]      FIG. 27B  is a longitudinal partial cross-section of the mouthpiece of the device of  FIG. 26 ;  
         [0049]      FIG. 27C  is an end view of the mouthpiece of the device of  FIG. 26 ;  
         [0050]      FIG. 28A  is a lateral cross-section of a modified distal end for the device of  FIG. 26 ;  
         [0051]      FIG. 28B  is a horizontal longitudinal partial cross-section of the distal end of  FIG. 28A ;  
         [0052]      FIG. 28C  is a vertical longitudinal partial cross-section taken along the line  28 C of  FIG. 28A ; and  
         [0053]      FIG. 28D  is a second lateral cross-section taken along the line  28 D of  FIG. 28B . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0054]     Illustrated in  FIG. 1  is the basic external appearance of the device. There is a mouth portion or mouthpiece  1 , a cylindrical main body  2  that is hollow or tubular, and a distal end filter or end cap  3  to admit air into the device. In general, the device is somewhat thicker and longer than a cigarette but thinner and shorter than a large cigar.  
         [0055]     In  FIG. 2  when there is no airflow drawn through the device, a flavored powder  17  is confined in the area between pushup ring  16 , inner tube  13 , outer tube  14 , lower gate  25  and upper gate  18 . When a user inhales, air  11  flows into the device through distal end filter  3 . The air then flows through inner tube  13  and channel  23  of the lower gate  25  toward upper gate  18 . Before the air reaches channel  24  of upper gate  18 , the air flows through a region containing the flavored powder  17 . The air entrains a certain amount of powder and becomes a two-phase flow through channel  24  of upper gate  18 . The two-phase flow  21  passes through channel  20  in the mouthpiece  19  and finally into the mouth through angled channel  27 .  
         [0056]     As air passes through the region between the lower gate  25  and upper gate  18  and the flavored powder becomes entrained, additional powder is continuously supplied to this region in response to the compression spring  15  acting against the ring  16  and powder  17 .  
         [0057]     The angled channels  27  at the exit of the mouthpiece  19  direct the two-phase flow at an angle selected to distribute the powder in the user&#39;s mouth and avoid passage of powder into the pharynx. The powder will impinge the user&#39;s tongue, palate and other surfaces normally coated with saliva, rather than pass further to the pharynx.  
         [0058]      FIG. 3  further illustrates the structure of the mouthpiece  19 . The number of angled channels  27  can vary from one to any number depending upon channel diameter and mouthpiece diameter. Minimum channel diameter is limited by any tendency of the powder to clog in the channels  27 . The cross-sectional shape of the channels  27  can be varied for different purposes, for example, to suit various manufacturing processes.  
         [0059]     Illustrated in  FIG. 4  is the structure of either the lower gate  25  or the upper gate  18 . The gates need not be of identical size, and it may be preferential to make the passages  24  of the upper gate  18  somewhat larger to accommodate the two-phase flow as powder becomes entrained in the air.  
         [0060]      FIG. 5  illustrates test results showing the flow patterns of the two-phase flow exiting the angled channels  27  into the user&#39;s mouth. The two-phase flow clearly spreads widely from the mouthpiece  19  as intended.  
         [0061]      FIG. 6  illustrates a device including a duckbill check valve  36 . Powder  17  is contained in the space between the inner tube  35 , push plate  34  and the duckbill valve  36 . A compression spring  32  continuously urges the powder  17  toward the duckbill valve  36 . Absent inhalation, although the spring  32  pushes the powder  17  toward the duckbill check valve  36  opening  39 , the friction among the powder particles and the friction between the powder and the duckbill check valve prevent the powder from exiting the duckbill valve opening  39 .  
         [0062]     When air is inhaled through the filter or end cap  31 , the air flows  46  through the space  33  between the inner tube  35  and outer tube  42 . The air flows into a gap  41  and on into the duckbill check valve  36  picking up powder  17  in the space  43  leading  37  to the opening  39 . Exiting the opening  39 , the two-phase powder and airflow passes through the channel  27  in the mouthpiece  19  and exits  21  into the user&#39;s mouth.  
         [0063]     Illustrated in  FIG. 7  is a third embodiment of the device wherein air is drawn in through a filter or end cap  59  and then into a space  56  in the tube  53  containing a compression spring  57 . The compression spring  57  acts against a spring plate  55  made of a porous material that allows air to pass through, but does not permit the powder  17  to pass into, space  56 . The powder  17  is of sufficient particle size to permit air to flow there through and entrain some powder in the region  52 . With the entrained particles, two-phase flow occurs in channel  51  of the mouthpiece  19  and the flow enters the mouth as shown at  21 . As powder  17  is used, spring  57  continues to compress powder  17  to re-supply region  52  with adequate powder.  
         [0064]      FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate a fourth embodiment comprising modifications to the previous device. Upon inhalation, air  81  flows in both through the filter or end cap  69  and through an annular filter  72 . The air inhaled through filter  69  passes into space  66  also containing spring  67 . The air continues through the powder  17 , entrains powder in region  60  forming two-phase flow in channel  61  of mouthpiece  62 . The annular filter  72  in tube sidewall  63  leads to a plurality of slots  71  between the powder  17  and mouthpiece  62 . The flow of additional air through slots  71  entrains additional powder mixing in with the two-phase flow in channel  61 . The two-phase flow exits the mouthpiece  62  at  21 . A further optional modification comprises a non-porous spring plate  65  forcing all inhalation to be through filter  72  and slots  71 .  
         [0065]     Illustrated in  FIG. 10  is a spiral core based design wherein the spring is eliminated and a spiral core  86  is located inside the tube  89 . The powder is loosely placed  85  within the spiral core  86 . Upon inhalation, air  88  passes through filter  87  and through the powder and spiral core  86 . As the air passes through the spiral core  86  and powder, a portion of the powder is entrained, creating two-phase flow entering channel  83  in the mouthpiece  82 . The spiral core  86  creates a circulating airflow that eventually entrains all of the powder as inhalation continues. The two-phase flow then exits the mouthpiece  82  as indicated at  81 . An annular filter  84  admits additional air to adjust the mix ratio of entrained powder to air in channel  83 .  
         [0066]     The spiral core  86  lessens the likelihood that the powder will fall and compact when the device is held vertically. The pitch of the spiral core  86  should be made small to control the powder. During inhalation, the device is most likely close to horizontal but otherwise is likely to be almost vertical when packaged, shipped or stored.  
         [0067]     In the mouthpiece  82  used in  FIG. 10 , the two-phase flow leaves the mouthpiece from locations very close to the edge of the mouthpiece. Since the human mouth is usually wet due to saliva, the outlets from the mouthpiece can be blocked by the mixture of saliva and powder particles. To avoid blockage, the mouthpiece  82  is modified by locating the outlet nearer the mouthpiece centerline but retaining the angle of the outlet.  
         [0068]     As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the modified mouthpiece  90  two-phase flow channel  97  leads to two small channels  91  which angle at  92  to openings  94  and  95  near the centerline of the mouthpiece. The two-phase flow  93  thus enters the mouth from near the center of the mouthpiece.  FIG. 12  illustrates the modified mouthpiece  90  mounted on the device of  FIG. 10 .  
         [0069]     In  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the spiral core  100  of  FIGS. 10 and 12  is modified to a spring-like configuration that is attached to the mouthpiece  101 . The spiral core  100  loosely fits within the tube  102  and abuts the distal end  105  at  103 . By pushing on the mouthpiece  101 , the spiral core  100  can be compressed and released to disturb the powder in space  104  thereby eliminating the setting or blocking of the powder which can occur with settling over time.  
         [0070]     In the sixth embodiment shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , a filter  136  is positioned at the entrance to the mouthpiece  101  beyond the tube  102  and spiral core  100 . By adjusting the size of the holes  138 , the ratio of powder particles in the two-phase flow can be controlled. Moreover, the shapes of the holes  138  also affect the two-phase flow performance. For example, as shown in  FIG. 16 , the holes can be circular shaped  140 , pentagon shaped  141  or triangular shaped  142  and of differing size  139 .  
         [0071]     Illustrated in  FIGS. 17 and 18  is the seventh embodiment of the device wherein an inner tube  111  is axially located relative to the outer tube  112  thereby providing an annular gap  106 . Powder  105  is located in the inner tube  111 , and the inner tube is formed with holes  118  leading to the annular gap  106 . Powder  105  tends to flow through holes  118  into gap  106 , as shown at  110 . When a user inhales, airflow  107  enters the distal end  87  and moves  108  through the gap  106  entraining powder  110  to form a two-phase flow  109 . The two-phase flow then enters the mouthpiece  113  and flows out through passage  116 .  
         [0072]     The inner tube includes caps  114  and  115 , as shown in  FIG. 18 , and is formed with tabs  120  allowing passages for the annular gap  106 .  
         [0073]     Another modification of the mouthpiece is shown at  130  in  FIG. 19 . The modified mouthpiece  130  is generally oval shaped with the major axis horizontal and minor axis vertical in normal use by a user standing or sitting up. With the mouthpiece  130  properly mounted on the tube  112 , as best shown in  FIG. 20 , the row of holes  118  faces downwardly allowing the powder  105  to utilize gravity to exit the inner tube  111  into the annular gap  106 . As above, the air in the annular gap  106  becomes two-phase flow  109  and exits the mouthpiece at  131 .  
         [0074]     The holes  118  in the inner tube  111  of the seventh embodiment must be sealed during shipment and storage prior to use. Illustrated in  FIG. 21  is a modified end cap or filter  150  having a solid end  156  that is inserted in inner tube  111  to seal the tube end. When in use, air flows from the inner cavity  154  of the cap  150  through slots  151  and into annular gap  106  between inner tube  111  and outer tube  112 .  
         [0075]      FIG. 22A  shows the structure of a sealing strip  140  used to block the holes  118  of inner tube  111 . The sealing strip is preferably paper with perforated lines  145  and  146  near the center of the sealing strip. These two perforated lines  145  and  146  provide convenient bending lines to bend the sealing strip into the shape shown at  147  in  FIG. 22B . Near the ends  141  and  143  of the sealing strip  147  are two additional perforated lines  142  and  144  for separating the ends by force. The sealing strip  140  is bent into the shape  147  prior to assembly about the holes  118 .  
         [0076]      FIG. 23A  illustrates the sealing strip  147  inside the device between the inner tube  111  and the outer tube  112  to seal the holes  118  and prevent powder from leaking into the annular gap  106 .  FIG. 23B  illustrates the sealing strip  147  wrapped about the distal end cap  150 . The sealing strip  147  fits into notches  153  and  158  in the end cap  150 . The notches  153  and  158  allow the strip  147  to slide lengthwise when the user grasps the central part  148  of the strip.  
         [0077]     As shown in  FIGS. 24 and 25 , the user pulls the sealing strip  147  out exposing holes  118  in the inner tube  111  and uncovering the powder thereby allowing a portion to flow into the annular gap  106 . Since the two sealing strip ends  141  and  143  are larger than the notches  153  and  158  in end cap  150 ,  FIG. 21 , they cannot pass through the notches. Rather, the sealing strip breaks at perforated lines  142  and  144  leaving the ends  141  and  143  jammed in notches  153  and  158  and preventing loss of powder through notches  153  and  158 .  
         [0078]     Illustrated in  FIG. 26  is a further modification of the device. The device  200  comprises two hemi-cylindrical lumens or tubes  201  and  202 . Tubes  201  and  202  are divided by a partition  205 . Tube  202  contains powder  204  prior to use. As indicated by  203 , there is an opening between tubes  201  and  202 .  
         [0079]     On the distal end  206  of the device  200 , there is a metering slot  207  which allows airflow  208  to pass into tube  201 . When a user inhales at the end  210  of the mouthpiece  209 , air  208  flows through the slot  207  and mixes with the powder near the bottom  217  of the device  200 . The flow then becomes an air-powder two-phase flow  219  that passes through the mouthpiece  209  into the user&#39;s mouth.  
         [0080]     A thin film door  211  is located near the distal end  206 . The door  211  is normally closed, preventing powder near the bottom  217  from moving into the tube  201 , unless air  208  is drawn in by the user, forcing the door open.  
         [0081]      FIG. 27  illustrates in detail the mouthpiece  209  configuration. As the air-powder flow  219  enters the mouthpiece  209 , a barrier  255  forces the lower portion  216  of the flow toward the upper portion  218  of the flow becoming the flow  220 . The flow  220  is then re-directed  221  by surface  212  at an angle  213  just before entering the user&#39;s mouth. The weight of the powder particles causes the powder to be preferentially deposited on the tongue and surrounding saliva-coated tissues of the mouth.  
         [0082]     Illustrated in  FIG. 28  is an alternative form of the distal end for the embodiment of  FIG. 26 . Powder from tube  202  flows in the direction  232  through channel  230  and on into tube  201 . The powder does not directly flow into tube  201  after flowing into channel  230  but rather the barrier  250  forces the powder to move in directions  234  and  235  to reach openings  251  and  252 . The barrier  250  reduces the tendency of the powder to randomly flow into tube  201  and thus partially serves the purpose of thin films  211  above. The size of channel  230  can be designed to increase or decrease the flow of powder and therefore serves to meter the flow of powder.  
         [0083]     Airflow  236 ,  237  and  238  from the environment passes through air slots  240 ,  241  and  242 . Referring to  FIGS. 28A  and C, airflow  237  carries the powder after flow in the directions  234  and  235  into tube  201  as a two-phase flow (air and powder). The sizes of slots  240 ,  241  and  242  are designed to meter the flow rate of entering air.  
         [0084]     It should be noted that the mouthpiece  209  is configured such that the user naturally knows the orientation of the device to enable gravity  260  to move powder from tube  202  into tube  201 , as shown in  FIG. 26 . During manufacture, a piece of material may be inserted into channel  230  through slot  240  to prevent powder from exiting tube  202 . Just before use, the piece of material is merely extracted from slot  240 .  
         [0085]     The mouthpiece, as disclosed above, is designed to direct the air-powder mixture oblique to the throat and thereby avoid a direct path to the throat. The powder particles are sized to encourage deposit on the tongue and within the mouth tract. Preferably, the particle size is 100-250 mm. Flavor powder granules work well. The granulation processes combine all the ingredients, such as sugar, citric acid and flavor powder (coffee, mint, strawberry, etc.) into individual granules. Alternatively, sugar granules, citrus granules and flavor powder in granule form can be mixed together.  
         [0086]     Suitable flavor powders are available under the Durarome® brand produced by Firmenick, of Geneva, Switzerland. These powders are encapsulated with a substance that quickly dissolves in the mouth, thereby quickly releasing the flavor. A fine silicate anti-caking agent may be added.