Patent ID: 7305986

Claim:
A capsule to contain drug for use in an inhaler comprising at least one keying surface on an outside surface of a distal end of the capsule that is adapted to orient the capsule within the inhaler or identifies the drug to be placed in the capsule and at least one hole allowing air to pass in, through and out of the capsule, wherein the capsule comprises a first tube and a second tube, wherein: (a) the first tube comprises a long axis, having an inner and an outer surface radial to the long axis, wherein the tube is open at one end perpendicular to the long axis and closed at one end perpendicular to the long axis; and wherein the first tube has at least one protrusion on its outer surface; and (b) the second tube comprises a long axis, having an inner and an outer surface radial to the long axis, wherein the tube is open at one end perpendicular to the long axis and closed at one end perpendicular to the long axis and wherein the second tube has at least one protrusion on its inner surface; and wherein the outer circumference of the first tube is approximately equal to the inner circumference of the second tube, such that the open end of the first tube can slide snugly into the open end of the second tube; and wherein a protrusion on the outer surface of the first tube may slide past a protrusion on the inner surface of the second tube, locking the tubes together; and wherein the first tube and the second tube each have one or more secondary holes other than the openings at the end of each tube, wherein at least one secondary hole in the first tube may be made coincident with at least one secondary hole in the second tube when the first tube is slid onto the second tube in the unlocked position by rotation of the first and second tubes about their long axes, and wherein when the first tube is locked onto the second tube at least two secondary holes in the first tube may be made coincident with at least two secondary holes in the second tube by rotation of the first and second tubes about their long axes.