Nozzle for a Nasal Inhaler

Abstract

There is provided a nasal dispensing nozzle for use with a fluid medicament discharge pump device having a discharge outlet for discharge of pumped fluid medicament, the nasal dispensing nozzle comprising a body defining a fluid flow channel; an inlet port defining an inlet to said channel, said inlet port shaped for receipt of said discharge outlet to enable delivery of said pumped fluid medicament to the channel; and an outlet port defining an outlet from the channel. The channel is shaped to impart acceleration and angular momentum to the pumped fluid medicament. The body is comprised of a mating assembly of like component parts and suitably, defines a cylindrical form.

1 . A nasal dispensing nozzle for use with a fluid medicament discharge pump device having a discharge outlet for discharge of pumped fluid medicament, the nasal dispensing nozzle comprising
 a body defining a at least one fluid flow channel;   an inlet port defining an inlet to said at least one channel, said inlet port shaped for receipt of said discharge outlet to enable delivery of said pumped fluid medicament to the at least one channel; and   an outlet port defining an outlet from the at least one channel,   wherein the at least one channel is shaped to impart acceleration and angular momentum to the pumped fluid medicament, and wherein the body is comprised of a mating assembly of like component parts.   
     
     
         2 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1  comprising a single fluid flow channel. 
     
     
         3 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1  comprising from two to three fluid flow channels. 
     
     
         4 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is in the form of a cylinder. 
     
     
         5 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid flow channel defines at least one screw path. 
     
     
         6 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 5 , wherein said at least one screw path is symmetric about a screw axis. 
     
     
         7 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 6 , wherein the body is symmetric about said screw axis. 
     
     
         8 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 6 , wherein the screw axis corresponds to the pumping axis of the fluid medicament discharge device. 
     
     
         9 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 5 , wherein from two to three screw paths are defined. 
     
     
         10 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 5 , wherein the number of screw paths corresponds to the number of like component parts of said mating assembly. 
     
     
         11 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the at least one fluid flow channel decreases from said inlet to said outlet thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the like component parts are configured as mirror images, one of the other. 
     
     
         13 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the mating assembly is comprised of two mating halves. 
     
     
         14 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 13 , wherein the body is in the form of a cylinder such that each mating half defines a 180° segment of the cylinder. 
     
     
         15 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the mating assembly is comprised of three mating thirds. 
     
     
         16 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 15 , wherein the body is in the form of a cylinder such that each mating third defines a 120° segment of the cylinder. 
     
     
         17 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein each like component part is formable by a moulding process. 
     
     
         18 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein each like component part comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         19 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the body defines a shaped outlet port locating upstream of the at least one fluid flow channel. 
     
     
         20 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 19 , wherein said shaped outlet port defines a tapering profile. 
     
     
         21 . A dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet port is provided with a reversible stopper. 
     
     
         22 . A nozzle housing assembly for reversible receipt of a fluid medicament discharge pump device for spraying a fluid medicament into a nasal cavity, the nozzle housing assembly comprising a nozzle housing defining a cavity; and engageable with said nozzle housing, a dispensing nozzle according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         23 . A nozzle housing assembly according to  claim 22 , wherein said cavity is shaped for receipt of a cylindrical nozzle. 
     
     
         24 . A fluid medicament dispensing device comprising a nozzle housing assembly according to  claim 23  and received thereby, a fluid medicament discharge pump device. 
     
     
         25 . A fluid medicament dispensing device according to  claim 24 , wherein the fluid medicament discharge pump device comprises a hollow casing defining a reservoir for containing a volume of fluid medicament and a pump having a suction inlet extending within the hollow casing, the pump having a discharge outlet extending from a first end of the hollow casing for co-operation with the dispensing nozzle to enable pumped delivery of fluid from the reservoir to the dispensing nozzle. 
     
     
         26 . A fluid medicament dispensing device according to  claim 24 , wherein said reservoir contains a volume of fluid medicament formulation. 
     
     
         27 . A fluid medicament dispensing device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein said fluid medicament formulation is in the form of a solution formulation. 
     
     
         28 . A fluid medicament dispensing device as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein said fluid medicament formulation is in the form of a suspension formulation. 
     
     
         29 . A fluid medicament dispensing device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the fluid medicament formulation comprises an anti-inflammatory medicament compound. 
     
     
         30 . A fluid medicament dispensing device as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein said medicament compound is a glucocorticoid compound. 
     
     
         31 . A fluid medicament dispensing device as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein said glucocorticoid compound is selected from the group consisting of 6α,9α-Difluoro-17α-(1-oxopropoxy)-11β-hydroxy-16α-methyl-3-oxo-androsta-1,4-diene-17β-carbothioic acid S-fluoromethyl ester; 6α,9α-difluoro-17α-[(2-furanylcarbonyl)oxy]-11β-hydroxy-16α-methyl-3-oxo-androsta-1,4-diene-17β-carbothioic acid S-fluoromethyl ester; and 6α,9α-Difluoro-11β-hydroxy-16α-methyl-17α-[(4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-5-carbonyl)oxy]-3-oxo-androsta-1,4-diene-17β-carbothioic acid S-fluoromethyl ester. 
     
     
         32 . A fluid medicament dispensing device as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein said medicament compound is selected from the group consisting of PDE4 inhibitors, leukotriene antagonists, iNOS inhibitors, tryptase and elastase inhibitors, beta-2 integrin antagonists and adenosine 2a agonists.