Powder filling apparatus and methods for their use

Abstract

The invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for the metered transport of fine powders into receptacles. According to one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus is provided which comprises a hopper having an opening. The hopper is adapted to receive a bed of fine powder. At least one chamber, which is moveable to allow the chamber to be placed in close proximity to the opening, is also provided. An element having a proximal end and a distal end is positioned within the hopper such that the distal end is near the opening. A vibrator motor is provided to vibrate the element when within the fine powder.

1. A method for transporting a fine powder, comprising:
 placing the fine powder into a hopper having an opening therein; 
 vibrating a vibratable element within the fine powder, wherein the vibratable member has a distal end in the vicinity of the opening, and wherein the vibratable member is vibrated in an up and down motion relative to the powder in the hopper; 
 moving the distal end of the vibratable element laterally through the fine powder while the vibratable element is vibrating; and 
 capturing at least a portion of the fine powder exiting the opening within a chamber, wherein the captured powder is sufficiently uncompacted so that it may be dispersed upon removal from the chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the vibratable element is coupled to an ultrasonic horn, and wherein the vibrating step comprises actuating the ultrasonic horn. 
     
     
       3. A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the vibratable element is vibrated at a frequency in the range from about 1,000 Hz to about 180,000 Hz. 
     
     
       4. A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the distal end has an end-member attached thereto which is vibrated over the chamber. 
     
     
       5. A method as in  claim 4 , wherein the end-member is vertically spaced apart from the chamber by a distance in the range from about 0.01 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
       6. A method as in  claim 5 , wherein the end-member is vertically space apart from the chamber by a distance in the range from about 0.01 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
       7. A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising moving the distal end of the element across the opening while vibrating the element. 
     
     
       8. A method as in  claim 7 , further comprising periodically levelling the powder within the hopper. 
     
     
       9. A method as in  claim 8 , wherein the levelling step comprises placing a projecting member on the vibratable element at a location spaced apart from a distal end of the vibratable element. 
     
     
       10. A method as in  claim 1 , wherein multiple chambers are aligned with the opening, and further comprising moving the vibratable element along the opening to pass over each chamber. 
     
     
       11. A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the fine powder comprises a medicament composed of individual particles having a mean size in the range from about 1 μm to 100 μm. 
     
     
       12. A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the capturing step further comprises drawing air through the chamber which is positioned below the opening, wherein the drawn air assists in drawing the fine powder into the chamber. 
     
     
       13. A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising transferring the captured powder from the chamber to a receptacle. 
     
     
       14. A method as in  claim 13 , wherein the transferring step comprises introducing a compressed gas into the chamber to expel the captured powder into the receptacle. 
     
     
       15. A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the amount of captured powder to be a unit dosage amount. 
     
     
       16. A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the adjusting step comprises providing a thin plate below the hopper, with the plate having an aperture that is aligned with the chamber, and further comprising moving the chamber relative to the plate to scrape the excess powder from the chamber. 
     
     
       17. A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the hopper is a primary hopper, and wherein the placing step comprises transferring the powder from a secondary hopper to the primary hopper. 
     
     
       18. A method as in  claim 17 , further comprising vibrating the secondary hopper to transfer the powder to the primary hopper. 
     
     
       19. A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising dispensing the powder from the chamber and changing the size of the chamber. 
     
     
       20. Apparatus for transporting a fine powder, comprising:
 a hopper having an opening therein, the hopper being adapted to receive the fine powder; 
 at least one chamber which is movable to allow the chamber to be placed in close proximity to the opening; 
 a vibratable member having a proximal end and a distal end, the vibratable member being positionable within the hopper such that the distal end is near the opening; 
 a vibrator motor to vibrate the vibratable member when within the fine powder in an up and down motion; and 
 a mechanism for moving the vibratable member over the chamber while the vibratable member is vibrating. 
 
     
     
       21. An apparatus as in  claim 20 , further comprising a rotatable member having a plurality of chambers about its periphery which are alignable with the opening, and wherein the moving mechanism is configured to translate the vibratable member along the opening so that the vibratable member passes over each chamber. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus as in  claim 20 , wherein the moving mechanism comprises a linear drive mechanism which translates the vibratable member along the opening at a rate that is less than about 100 cm/s. 
     
     
       23. An apparatus as in  claim 20 , wherein the vibrator motor vibrates the vibratable member at a frequency in the range from about 1,000 Hz to about 180,000 Hz. 
     
     
       24. An apparatus as in  claim 20 , wherein the vibrator motor comprises an ultrasonic horn which vibrates the element in said up and down motion relative to the powder. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus as in  claim 24 , wherein the vibratable element is cylindrical in geometry and has a diameter in the range from about 1.0 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
       26. An apparatus as in  claim 25 , further comprising an end member at the distal end of the vibratable member. 
     
     
       27. An apparatus as in  claim 26 , wherein the end member radially extends from the vibratable element. 
     
     
       28. An apparatus as in  claim 26 , further comprising a powder levelling member spaced above the end member. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus as in  claim 20 , wherein the chamber is disposed within a rotatable member which is placed in a first position having the chamber aligned with the opening, and a second position having the chamber aligned with a receptacle. 
     
     
       30. An apparatus as in  claim 29 , further comprising a plurality of hoppers disposed above a plurality of rotatable members which each include a plurality of chambers, and further comprising a plurality of vibratable elements and a plurality of vibrators to vibrate the elements. 
     
     
       31. An apparatus as in  claim 29 , wherein the chamber is formed in a change tool, and wherein the change tool is removably coupled to the rotatable member. 
     
     
       32. An apparatus as in  claim 21 , further comprising a port in the bottom of the chamber, and a vacuum source in communication with the port to assist in drawing the fine powder from the hopper and into the chamber. 
     
     
       33. An apparatus as in  claim 32 , further comprising a filter disposed across the port. 
     
     
       34. An apparatus as in  claim 32 , further comprising a source of compressed gas in communication with the port to eject the captured powder from the chamber and into the receptacle. 
     
     
       35. An apparatus an in  claim 34 , further comprising a controller for controlling actuation of the gas source and the vacuum source. 
     
     
       36. An apparatus as in  claim 20 , further comprising a plate disposed below the hopper, with the plate having an aperture that is aligned with the chamber, and wherein the chamber is movable relative to the plate to allow excess powder to be scraped from the chamber. 
     
     
       37. An apparatus as in  claim 20 , wherein the hopper is a primary hopper and further comprising a secondary hopper disposed above the primary hopper to transfer powder to the primary hopper. 
     
     
       38. An apparatus as in  claim 37 , further comprising a snaking shaking mechanism to vibrate the secondary hopper. 
     
     
       39. A system for transporting a fine powder, comprising:
 a plurality of rotatable members each having a row of chambers about their periphery; 
 a hopper disposed above each rotatable member, wherein each hopper includes an opening; 
 a vibratable element that is positionable within each of the hoppers, wherein each vibratable element has a distal end near the opening; 
 a vibrator coupled to each vibratable element to vibrate the elements in an up and down motion; and 
 a mechanism to translate each vibratable element along each of the hoppers while the elements are vibrating. 
 
     
     
       40. A system as in  claim 39 , further comprising a controller to control rotation of the vibratable members, the vibrators, and the translation mechanism. 
     
     
       41. A method for transporting a fine powder, comprising:
 placing the fine powder into a hopper having an opening therein;   vibrating a vibratable element within the fine powder, wherein the vibratable member has a distal end in the vicinity of the opening, and wherein the vibratable member is vibrated in an up and down motion relative to the powder in the hopper;   moving the distal end of the vibratable element laterally through the fine powder while the vibratable element is vibrating; and   capturing at least a portion of the fine powder exiting the opening within a chamber.   
     
     
       42. A method as in claim 41, wherein the vibratable element is coupled to an ultrasonic horn, and wherein the vibrating step comprises actuating the ultrasonic horn. 
     
     
       43. A method as in claim 41, wherein the vibratable element is vibrated at a frequency in the range from about 1,000 Hz to about 180,000 Hz. 
     
     
       44. A method as in claim 41, wherein the distal end has an end-member attached thereto which is vibrated over the chamber. 
     
     
       45. A method as in claim 44, wherein the end-member is vertically spaced apart from the chamber by a distance in the range from about 0.01 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
       46. A method as in claim 41, further comprising moving the distal end of the element across the opening while vibrating the element. 
     
     
       47. A method as in claim 46, further comprising periodically levelling the powder within the hopper. 
     
     
       48. A method as in claim 47, wherein the levelling step comprises placing a projecting member on the vibratable element at a location spaced apart from a distal end of the vibratable element. 
     
     
       49. A method as in claim 41, wherein multiple chambers are aligned with the opening, and further comprising moving the vibratable element along the opening to pass over each chamber. 
     
     
       50. A method as in claim 41, wherein the fine powder comprises a medicament composed of individual particles having a mean size in the range from about 1 micrometer to 100 micrometers. 
     
     
       51. A method as in claim 41, wherein the capturing step further comprises drawing air through the chamber which is positioned below the opening, wherein the drawn air assists in drawing the fine powder into the chamber. 
     
     
       52. A method as in claim 41, further comprising transferring the captured powder from the chamber to a receptacle. 
     
     
       53. A method as in claim 52, wherein the transferring step comprises introducing a compressed gas into the chamber to expel the captured powder into the receptacle. 
     
     
       54. A method as in claim 41, further comprising adjusting the amount of captured powder to be a unit dosage amount. 
     
     
       55. A method as in claim 54, wherein the adjusting step comprises providing a thin plate below the hopper, with the plate having an aperture that is aligned with the chamber, and further comprising moving the chamber relative to the plate to scrape the excess powder from the chamber. 
     
     
       56. A method as in claim 41, wherein the hopper is a primary hopper, and wherein the placing step comprises transferring the powder from a secondary hopper to the primary hopper. 
     
     
       57. A method as in claim 56, further comprising vibrating the secondary hopper to transfer the powder to the primary hopper. 
     
     
       58. A method as in claim 41, further comprising dispensing the powder from the chamber and changing the size of the chamber.