US 11,771,851 B2
Testing method for a dry powder inhaler
Denis Henry O'Sullivan, Kilkeny (IE); and Daniel R Buck, Waterford (IE)
Assigned to NORTON (WATERFORD) LIMITED, Waterford (IE)
Filed by NORTON (WATERFORD) LIMITED, Waterford (IE)
Filed on Jun. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/337,325.
Application 17/337,325 is a continuation of application No. 16/477,380, previously published as PCT/EP2018/051023, filed on Jan. 16, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 1700727 (GB), filed on Jan. 16, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0283348 A1, Sep. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. A61M 15/00 (2006.01); A61M 16/14 (2006.01); G01N 15/06 (2006.01); G01N 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 15/0008 (2014.02) [A61M 15/0001 (2014.02); A61M 15/0086 (2013.01); A61M 15/0091 (2013.01); A61M 16/14 (2013.01); G01N 15/06 (2013.01); A61M 2202/064 (2013.01); G01N 2015/0046 (2013.01); G01N 2015/0693 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a dry powder inhaler, the inhaler being operable to discharge a dose of medicament in a form of a dry powder plume, the method comprising:
providing a first dry powder inhaler in accordance with a first design, the first dry powder inhaler containing a dry powder formulation, and the first design intended to achieve a desired set of plume geometric and/or dynamic characteristics;
testing the first dry powder inhaler via a testing method comprising:
actuating the first dry powder inhaler to discharge a dose of the dry powder formulation in the form of a discharged dry powder plume,
illuminating the plume with a source of electromagnetic radiation;
capturing one or more images of a pattern of radiation reflected or diffracted by an electromagnetically illuminated plume, and
processing the images to determine a processed set of plume geometric and/or dynamic characteristics of the discharged dry powder plume, the processed set of plume geometric and/or dynamic characteristics being different than the desired set of plume geometric and/or dynamic characteristics; and
based on the processed set of plume geometrical and/or dynamic characteristics of the discharged dry powder plume, modifying the first design of the first dry powder inhaler to generate a second design of a second dry powder inhaler having the desired set of plume geometric and/or dynamic characteristics.