Patent Description:
In general, an inhaler is a device used to inhale a composition such as medication through the oral cavity or nasal cavity as a liquid or gas in the process of inhalation. Such an inhaler may include a container accommodating an inhalable composition, and the composition may be sprayed from the container through a thin tube to the oral cavity or nasal cavity through an intake to be inhaled by a user.

The above description has been possessed or acquired by the inventor(s) in the course of conceiving the present disclosure and is not necessarily an art publicly known before the present application is filed. <CIT> relates to a medication inhaler provided for delivery of a medication to a patient from a canister having a valve stem, such as a MDI canister. The medication inhaler includes a chamber body having a fresh air inlet and a hollow spacer chamber. The inhaler further includes a canister retainer configured to move the canister between operational and stored positions, and an actuation lever for actuation of the valve stem to deliver a medication fluid into the hollow spacer chamber. In one example, the hollow spacer chamber tapers. In addition or alternatively, the chamber body includes a nozzle having an outlet, and a fresh air inlet having an outlet proximate the outlet of the nozzle. In addition or alternatively, the medication inhaler includes a canister adapter for accommodation of various size canisters. In addition or alternatively, the chamber body includes an inlet portion having a geometry for guiding the valve stem.

An object according to an embodiment is to provide an inhaler having a structure in which a double locking device is applied to solve a problem that a canister cover is easily opened so that a canister mounted on the inside is discharged to the outside, and a relief valve is operated to discharge a medium residue in a reservoir when the canister is replaced.

The technical tasks obtainable from the present disclosure are non-limited by the above-mentioned technical tasks. And, other unmentioned technical tasks can be clearly understood from the following description by those having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains.

An inhaler according to the invention for achieving the above objects includes: a housing having one surface, the other surface opposite to the one surface, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the one surface and the other surface; a canister which is mounted on inside of the housing to be replaceable and accommodates an inhalable composition; a reservoir which is connected to the canister to store the inhalable composition from the canister; a relief valve which is provided on the reservoir and operates so that the reservoir is opened or closed to the outside; and a cover having one side rotatably coupled to the housing and the other side detachably coupled to a position corresponding to a bottom surface of the canister. The cover is opened so that the canister is removed from the housing after the relief valve is opened.

According to the invention, the inhaler further includes a cover lock which is disposed adjacent to the one side of the cover, wherein the cover lock is slidable to a first position restricting rotation of the cover and a second position allowing the rotation of the cover.

According to an aspect, the inhaler may further include a relief bar having one end coupled to the relief valve and the other end extending toward the cover lock. The relief bar may be positioned between the cover and the cover lock.

According to an aspect, the cover lock may include: a first locking member which is slidable on the other surface of the housing; and a second locking member which extends from the first locking member toward the one surface of the housing. The relief bar may move toward the one surface of the housing when the first locking member moves to the second position.

According to an aspect, the second locking member may include an inclined surface having a height decreasing toward the other end of the relief bar, and when the first locking member moves to the second position, the inclined surface may move the other end of the relief bar toward the one surface of the housing.

The relief bar may open the relief valve when the relief bar moves toward the one surface of the housing, and close the relief valve when the relief bar returns to an original position.

According to the inhaler according to an embodiment, there is an effect that a double locking device is applied to solve a problem that a canister cover is easily opened so that a canister mounted on the inside is discharged to the outside, and a relief valve is operated to discharge a medium residue in a reservoir when the canister is replaced.

The effects of the inhaler are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other unmentioned effects can be clearly understood from the following description by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.

The accompanying drawings illustrate desired embodiments of the present disclosure and are provided together with the detailed description for better understanding of the technical idea of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the illustrative drawings. Regarding the reference numerals assigned to the components in the drawings, it should be noted that the same components will be designated by the same reference numerals, wherever possible, even though they are shown in different drawings. Further, in the following description of the present embodiments, a detailed description of publicly known configurations or functions incorporated herein will be omitted when it is determined that the detailed description obscures the subject matters of the present embodiments.

In addition, the terms first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used to describe constituent elements of the embodiments. These terms are used only for the purpose of discriminating one constituent element from another constituent element, and the nature, the sequences, or the orders of the constituent elements are not limited by the terms. When one constituent element is described as being "connected", "coupled", or "attached" to another constituent element, it should be understood that one constituent element can be connected or attached directly to another constituent element, and an intervening constituent element can also be "connected", "coupled", or "attached" to the constituent elements.

The same name may be used to describe an element included in the embodiments described above and an element having a common function. Unless otherwise mentioned, the descriptions on the embodiments may be applicable to the following embodiments and thus, duplicated descriptions will be omitted for conciseness.

<FIG> is a perspective view of an inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment.

<FIG> illustrates a cover <NUM> and a cover lock <NUM> of the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment.

<FIG> illustrates the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment in which the cover lock <NUM> is in a first position.

<FIG> illustrates the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment in which the cover lock <NUM> is in a second position.

Referring to <FIG>, the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment may include a housing <NUM>, a mouthpiece <NUM>, a reservoir <NUM>, a canister <NUM>, and a lever <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> may include a first surface formed on one surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the first surface and the second surface. The first surface of the housing <NUM> may be, for example, a surface located on the top of the housing <NUM>, and the second surface may be, for example, a bottom surface of the housing <NUM>.

The mouthpiece <NUM> may be disposed on the first surface of the housing <NUM>. A user may inhale an inhalable composition accommodated in the inhaler <NUM> through the mouthpiece <NUM>. At this time, the user may inhale the composition, for example, in the form of an aerosol or in the form of a powder. Hereinafter, the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment will be described using the inhaler <NUM> that sprays an inhalable composition in the form of an aerosol as an example.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, a reservoir <NUM> may be disposed inside the housing <NUM>. Since one side of the canister <NUM> is connected to the reservoir <NUM>, the inhalable composition accommodated in the canister <NUM> may be moved to and stored in the reservoir <NUM>. In addition, as the user applies a suction force through the mouthpiece <NUM>, the inhalable composition stored in the reservoir <NUM> may be discharged through the mouthpiece <NUM> in the form of an aerosol, and accordingly, the inhalable composition stored in the reservoir <NUM> may be gradually consumed.

The canister <NUM> may be mounted inside the housing <NUM>. In this case, the canister <NUM> may be mounted interchangeably inside the housing <NUM>. In addition, the canister <NUM> may accommodate an inhalable composition therein. A certain amount of the composition of the canister <NUM> may be filled in the reservoir <NUM>.

The inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment may further include the cover <NUM> and the cover lock <NUM> for preventing the canister <NUM> mounted on the housing <NUM> from being separated.

The cover <NUM> and the cover lock <NUM> will be described in more detail with reference to <FIG> below.

Referring back to <FIG> and <FIG>, the lever <NUM> may be pressed by the user to fill the inside of the reservoir <NUM> with the composition accommodated in the canister <NUM>. The lever <NUM> may form one side surface of the housing <NUM> and may be positioned adjacent to the second surface. When the user presses the lever <NUM>, the lever <NUM> may push up a bottom surface of the canister <NUM> so that an injection hole <NUM> of the canister <NUM> communicates with the reservoir <NUM>, and the composition may move from the canister <NUM> to the reservoir <NUM> through the injection hole <NUM>.

Hereinafter, a direction from one side surface of the housing <NUM> where the lever <NUM> is located to the canister <NUM> is defined as a first direction, and a direction from the second surface of the housing <NUM> to the first surface is defined as a second direction.

Meanwhile, the relief valve <NUM> may be provided on the reservoir <NUM>, and a relief vent hole <NUM> may be provided on the first surface of the housing <NUM>. The relief valve <NUM> may be interlocked with the lever <NUM> through a relief bar <NUM>, a relief bar movement protrusion <NUM>, or the like, and the relief valve <NUM> may operate to open before the lever <NUM> pushes the canister <NUM> up. Accordingly, a residual gas in the reservoir <NUM> may be discharged before the reservoir <NUM> is filled with the inhalable composition.

In addition, in the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment, the user may visually identify a remaining amount of the composition stored in the reservoir <NUM> through a viewing window (not shown) provided on the housing <NUM>. In addition, the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment may include the counter (not shown) that counts the number of times of filling in connection with a vertical movement of the canister <NUM> during the filling of the reservoir <NUM>, and a display window (not shown) that displays a remaining amount of the composition in the canister <NUM>. The composition stored in the reservoir <NUM> may be sprayed in the form of an aerosol as the user applies a suction force to the mouthpiece <NUM>. At this time, an inhalation interlocking valve <NUM> that opens and closes the reservoir <NUM> by the suction force may operate, and the opening and closing operation of the inhalation interlocking valve <NUM> may be controlled by a piston <NUM>.

As described above, the canister <NUM> may be mounted on the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment to be replaceable. Accordingly, when the inhalable composition in the canister <NUM> is used up, the user may replace the existing canister <NUM> with a new canister <NUM>. For this, the cover <NUM> of the canister <NUM> is opened, however, when the cover <NUM> is opened in a state where the inhalable composition remains in the reservoir <NUM>, the composition may be sprayed from the injection hole <NUM> of the canister <NUM> and push the canister <NUM> with a strong force. At this time, a problem that the canister <NUM> is discharged and a problem that the composition wets the user's hand may occur. To solve such problems, the cover lock <NUM> as a double locking device may be applied to the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the cover lock <NUM> of the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment may be positioned on the second surface of the housing <NUM>. The cover lock <NUM> may be provided to be slidable, and may be moved to a position shown in <FIG> by the user.

For example, <FIG> shows the cover lock <NUM> in the first position, and in the first position, the cover lock <NUM> may restrict the rotation of the cover <NUM> so that the cover <NUM> is not opened. <FIG> shows the cover lock <NUM> moved to the second position, and in the second position, the cover lock <NUM> may allow the rotation of the cover <NUM> so that the cover <NUM> is opened. When the cover <NUM> is opened, the user may remove the canister <NUM> from the housing <NUM> of the inhaler <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the cover <NUM> may have one side rotatably coupled to the housing <NUM>, and the other side detachably coupled to the housing <NUM> at a position corresponding to the bottom surface of the canister <NUM>. The other side of the cover <NUM> may be separated from the housing <NUM> and the one side thereof may rotate to expose the bottom surface of the canister <NUM> to the outside. The rotation of the one side of the cover <NUM> may be controlled by the cover lock <NUM> as described above.

In addition, the cover lock <NUM> may first open the relief valve <NUM> before allowing the cover <NUM> to rotate.

Referring back to <FIG> and <FIG>, the relief valve <NUM> of the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment may be provided on the reservoir <NUM> to be spaced apart from the one side of the canister <NUM>. This relief valve <NUM> may be opened or closed to allow the reservoir <NUM> to communicate with the outside or block the reservoir <NUM> from the outside.

For example, the relief valve <NUM> may be opened by the relief bar <NUM> that is raised when the cover lock <NUM> is in the second position.

Specifically, the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment may further include the relief bar <NUM> having one end coupled to the relief valve <NUM> and the other end extending toward the cover lock <NUM>. The relief bar <NUM> may be positioned between the cover <NUM> and the cover lock <NUM>.

The relief bar <NUM> may open the relief valve <NUM> as the relief bar <NUM> moves in the second direction, and may close the relief valve <NUM> as the relief bar <NUM> returns to its original position.

The movement of the relief bar <NUM> may be controlled by the cover lock <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, when the cover lock <NUM> is in the first position, the relief bar <NUM> does not rise and the relief valve <NUM> may remain closed. On the other hand, as shown in <FIG>, when the cover lock <NUM> is in the second position, the relief bar <NUM> may be raised by the cover lock <NUM>, and the relief valve <NUM> may be opened.

The cover lock <NUM> of the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment may include a first locking member <NUM> and a second locking member <NUM>.

The first locking member <NUM> may slide on the second surface of the housing <NUM>.

The second locking member <NUM> may extend from the first locking member <NUM> toward the first surface of the housing <NUM>. The second locking member <NUM> may push up the other end of the relief bar <NUM> toward the first surface of the housing <NUM> when the first locking member <NUM> moves from the first position to the second position.

Specifically, one end of the second locking member <NUM> may be fixed to the first locking member <NUM>, and the other end of the second locking member <NUM> may extend toward the first surface of the housing <NUM>. An inclined surface <NUM> having a height decreasing toward the relief bar <NUM> may be formed on the other end of the second locking member <NUM>.

When the first locking member <NUM> moves from the first position to the second position, the inclined surface <NUM> may gradually move the other end of the relief bar <NUM> toward the first surface of the housing <NUM>. When the relief bar <NUM> rises toward the first surface of the housing <NUM> as described above, the relief valve <NUM> may be opened. In addition, when the first locking member <NUM> moves from the second position to the first position, the second locking member <NUM> including the inclined surface <NUM> may return to its original position and the relief bar <NUM> may move down toward the second surface of the housing <NUM>, thereby closing the relief valve <NUM>.

As a result, when the first locking member <NUM> moves from the first position to the second position, the relief valve <NUM> may be opened, the remaining composition in the reservoir <NUM> may be discharged, and the canister <NUM> may also be removed from the housing <NUM>. Also, when the first locking member <NUM> is moved to the first position again, the relief valve <NUM> may be closed.

Meanwhile, when the first locking member <NUM> is in the first position, the second locking member <NUM> does not restrict the operation of the lever <NUM>, but when the first locking member <NUM> is in the second position, the second locking member <NUM> may restrict the operation of the lever <NUM>.

The lever <NUM> may include a support member <NUM> and a protrusion member <NUM>.

The support member <NUM> may extend toward the canister <NUM>.

The protrusion member <NUM> may be rotatably coupled to the support member <NUM> around a rotation shaft provided in the support member <NUM>. The protrusion member <NUM> may have an end portion protruding in a radial direction from the rotation shaft at one side. The end portion of the protrusion member <NUM> may be disposed in a standing state toward the first surface of the housing <NUM>.

The other end of the relief bar <NUM> may be positioned between the protrusion member <NUM> and the second surface of the housing <NUM>. In addition, the end portion of the protrusion member <NUM> may be inclined in a direction away from the canister <NUM> with respect to the rotation shaft.

When the lever <NUM> is pressed in the first direction, the support member <NUM> may restrain the rotation of the protrusion member <NUM>. That is, the rotation of the protrusion member <NUM> in a direction away from the canister <NUM> may be restrained in a state where the end portion stands toward the first surface of the housing <NUM>.

Therefore, when the lever <NUM> is pressed, the protrusion member <NUM> also moves in the first direction to reach the first position, and at this time, the protrusion member <NUM> may come into contact with the relief bar <NUM> and push the relief bar <NUM> up in the second direction without rotating.

As described above, the opening or closing operation of the relief valve <NUM> may be controlled by the lever <NUM>. For example, when the lever <NUM> is pressed by the user, the lever <NUM> may control the relief valve <NUM> so that the relief valve <NUM> is opened first and then the canister <NUM> is opened.

As described above, as the relief valve <NUM> interlocked with the lever <NUM> is applied to the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment, the residual gas in the reservoir <NUM> may be discharged and the reservoir <NUM> may be smoothly filled with the inhalable composition from the canister <NUM>.

However, the operation of the lever <NUM> with respect to the relief valve <NUM> may be allowed when the first locking member <NUM> of the cover lock <NUM> is in the first position, as described above.

Referring to <FIG>, when the first locking member <NUM> of the cover lock <NUM> is in the second position, the second locking member <NUM> may block a path of the lever <NUM> moving in the first direction. For example, when the first locking member <NUM> is in the second position, the second locking member <NUM> may be moved adjacent to the protrusion member <NUM>, thereby blocking the moving path of the protrusion member <NUM>. At the same time, the second locking member <NUM> may raise the relief bar <NUM>. Accordingly, although the operation in which the lever <NUM> raises the relief bar <NUM> to open the relief valve <NUM>, and then raises the canister <NUM> to open the injection hole <NUM> is not performed, the cover lock <NUM> may open only the relief valve <NUM> to discharge the remaining composition in the reservoir <NUM>.

As described above, in the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment, the cover lock <NUM> may be applied as a double locking device to solve a problem that the canister cover <NUM> is easily opened so that the canister <NUM> mounted on the inside is discharged to the outside or the composition wets the user's hands. In addition, when the canister <NUM> is replaced, the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment may operate the relief valve <NUM> to discharge a medium residue in the reservoir <NUM>.

In addition, in the inhaler <NUM> according to an embodiment, when the cover lock <NUM> is in the first position, the cover <NUM> does not open and the filling lever <NUM> may normally operate, and when the cover lock <NUM> is in the second position, only the cover <NUM> may be opened and the filling lever <NUM> may be caught by the second locking member <NUM> and may not operate. In addition, when the first locking member <NUM> is moved to the second position, the inclined surface <NUM> extending from the second locking member <NUM> may push the relief bar <NUM> up to open the relief valve <NUM> and discharge the residue in the reservoir.

Claim 1:
An inhaler (<NUM>) comprising:
a housing (<NUM>) having one surface, the other surface opposite to the one surface, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the one surface and the other surface;
a canister (<NUM>) which is mounted on inside of the housing (<NUM>) to be replaceable and accommodates an inhalable composition;
a reservoir (<NUM>) which is connected to the canister (<NUM>) to store the inhalable composition from the canister (<NUM>);
a relief valve (<NUM>) which is provided on the reservoir (<NUM>) and operates so that the reservoir (<NUM>) is opened or closed to the outside;
a cover (<NUM>) having one side rotatably coupled to the housing (<NUM>) and the other side detachably coupled to a position corresponding to a bottom surface of the canister (<NUM>); and
a cover lock (<NUM>) which is disposed adjacent to the one side of the cover (<NUM>),
wherein the cover (<NUM>) is opened so that the canister (<NUM>) is removed from the housing (<NUM>) after the relief valve (<NUM>) is opened, and
wherein the cover lock (<NUM>) is slidable to a first position restricting rotation of the cover (<NUM>) and a second position allowing the rotation of the cover (<NUM>).