US1985001A - Inhaler - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 18, 1934. H. M. THOMETZ INHALER Filed July 1, 1935 lhvllllmvllll [W lb J lilllllllllliil lllllllllllllllllllffllulllmh L 2 ZgZZ Patented Dec. 18, 1934 y I I Q UNITED STATES j PATENT OFFICE.

was mamm- App cation July 1, 1933,v Serial 80. 678,577 40mm; (01.128-200) The present invention relates to an inhaler The invention in the present instance is pri-' but more particularly to a novel and improved marily intended as a pocket inhaler in which a form of inhaler adapted to contain aporousmamedicament or an inhalant remedy that has a terial to be saturated with a proper volatile sedative and soothing action on inflamed mucus I medicament through which air is drawn with membranes throughout the entire respiratory the volatilized substance into the nostrils" of tract may be conveniently carried in the pocket the user. or hand bag .of a person for intermittent use so The primary object of the present invention as to relieve congestion, check secretion and aid is to provide a novel and improved form of inin the treatment of colds, hay fever, hyperhaler, which automatically closes after each use aesthetic rhinitis, sinus infections, nasal con- 10 thereof, so as to prevent the evaporation of the gestion from whatever cause, asthma and volatile medicinal substance with which the debronchitis. vice is charged. W In illustrating one form of my invention -I A further object of the invention is to provide have shown the same as comprising an outer a novel and improved inhaler of the portable or cylindrical casing generally indicated by-the ref-1.15 pocket type form which can be concealed in erence character 10. This casing 10 is-provided the palm of one hand and manipulated or opened with a closed bottom 11 and an opening at the by the thumb of the same hand without making upper end thereof. The upper portion of the oneself or the device conspicuous. casing 10 is provided with a reduced portion, as

A further object 'ofthe invention isto provide. shown at 12, forming a shoulder 13. This re- 20 a novel and improved inhaler in which the outer duced portion 12 telescopically receives in fricv 4 1 casing is provided with internal longitudinally tional engagement therewith, a cap or nozzle 14. extending spaced apart ribs soas to reduce the Located on one side of the casing 10 and extend-- friction resistance of and permit an internal ing vertically through the reduced portion 12- 4 85 cylindrical casing which contains the medicaand extending into the casing proper a short as meat to reciprocate therein with perfect ease so distance below the top thereof, is a slot 15. The that the action of the spring may automaticap 14 is provided with an'internal longitudically close and prevent the evaporation of the nally extending rib 22' which is adapted to seat medicament. in the complementary slot 15 of the casing 10. 80 These and other objects are accomplished by Located within the 1 cylindrical casing 10, at providing a construction and arrangement of the equally spaced apartdistances within the intervarious parts in the manner hereinafter defnal circumference thereof, are three spaced scribed and particularly pointed out in the ap-- apart inwardly projecting ribs 16 which project pended claims. inwardly with respect to the diameter of .the in-Q 85 Referring to the drawing: side of the casing 10 a few thousandths of an Fig. 1 is an enlarged longitudinally crosssecinch, but for the purpose of illustration, are extional view of my improved form of inhaler aggerated in this drawing. The purpose of showing the same in'closed position; these inwardly projecting ribs 16 is to reduce Fig. 2 'is a similar enlarged longitudinalcross' the frictional resistance of the reciprocating 40 sectional viewshowing the inhaler open and internal container hereinafter described. Lo- "40 ready for use; cated adjacent the'lower portion of the con- Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view with tainer 10 and extending through each of the a portion thereof broken away showing the conribs 16 are spaced apart apertures 1'7. Iteciprostruction andoperation of the outside casing cally mounted within the casing 10 isa cylin- 4 with respect to the internal cylinder drical container, generally indicated by the ref- Fig. 4' is a cross sectional view taken on the erence character 18. The lower end of this line 4-4 in Fig. 1; cylindrical. casing 18 is opened while the upper Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken. on the end is provided with a top, generally indicated line 5-5 in Fig. 2; by the reference character 19, and is also pro- Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the vided with arcuate spaced openings of which 50 line 6-6 in Fig. 2;- there are four in number and generally indi- Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the cated by the reference character 20. This top line 7-7 in Fig. 2; and portion 19 forms a substantially disc shaped flat Fig; 8 is a perspective view of the external surface, as shown at 21, and is of sufficient cylinder or casing. diameter to cover the opening 22 located in the as nozzle 14, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the draw-' ing. Formed integrally with'the internal container l8 'and extending laterally with'respect thereto is a. laterally projecting lug 23 which'is adapted to extend through the slot 15 in the. outer casing 10 as clearly shown in Figs. 1, :2"

and -3'of the drawing. Located in the lower portion ofthe inner cylindrical casing 18 and adapted to register with the perforation 17 in the casing 10 when in one position, are spaced apart apertures 24. The inner cylindrical cas-' ing- 18 is automatically pressed. upwardly with respect to the outer casing 10 by means of-a helically coiled spring which has its large diameter engaging the lower edge and opened' end of the inner casing 18 and its lower. end and small diameter seated on an upwardly projecting boss 26 formed in the bottom 11 of the outer casing. Loosely contained. within the inner cylindrical. casing 18 is anunmedicated dry porous filler28 which is adapted to be saturated with any suitable medicament which .will relieve the conditions previously referred to of the respiratory tract.

The operation'yof my improved inhaler is as follows: Let us assume that the inhaler is in the closed position shown in Fig- 1 and that the operator is desirous of charging or saturating the dry porous illler 28 with a medicament.

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The liquid is poured into the opening 22 in the cap or nozzle '14, which serves as a measure and after the aperture 22 has been filled, the thumb may actuate the lug 23, so as to move it downwardly. in a slot 15- thereby moving the inner cylindrical casing 18 with respect to the outer casing 10 and permit the liquid to pass through the openings 20 inth'e inner casing to saturate the porous dry filler 28.

In the use of my improved inhaler, the device is sufliciently small and compact to fit into the palm of a hand of the user and arranged so that the thumb of the same hand may manipulate the lug 23 to move the internal container 18 downwardly with respect to the outer casing 10 against the pressure of the spring 26. When moved from the position shown. in Fig. 1. to thatshown in Fig. 2, the inhalant vapors may be drawn upwardly in the manner indicated by the arrows, through the aligned apertures 17 and 24 in the respective outside and inside casings in response to the inspiratory action of the nostrils when the inhaler is placed in position with the nozzle or cap 14 at the entrance to the nostril. It will be readily observed from the above description and illustration of thedrawing, that by providing the three internal ribs on the outer casing 10, the frictional resistance to the action of the spring and the manipulation of the lug 23 is a reduced to a minimum. That upon releasing the lug 23, the

device automatically closes thus preventing the evaporation of the inhalant contained in the inhaler.

From the above construction it will be readily seen that I have provided a simple, compact and automatically operable inhaler which can be conveniently carried about in a pocket or hand bag and which also can be concealed within 'the palm of a hand without making oneself or the device conspicuous.. 1 a

While in the above specification I have described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will of course be un derstood the same is capable of modification and that modification may be made without departing from-the'spirit and scope of the inven tion as expressed inthe following claims.

'What I claim as my invention and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

l.- An'inhaler comprising-an outer cylindrical casing, longitudinally spaced apart ribs extend-Q ing inwardly from the inner surface of said casing, a reciprocable cylindrical casing within said outer casing and: adapted toengag'e said ribs, said outer casing having alongitudinal slot adjacent-the upper-end thereof, alug carried by said inner casing and extending through said slot, for reciprocating said inner casing' with respect to said ,outer casing, a noule secured totheupper'end-of said outercasing having an aperture extending therethrough, a closure portion formed at the upper end of said inner casing and adapted to close the aperture in said nozzle, there being-spaced apart apertures in 'said outer casing extending through the ribs thereof, and a compression spring located in the'bottom of said outside casing and .engageable 'with'the lower end of said internal casing for normally actuating the inner casing, upwardly with respect to the outer casing, there being spaced apart apertures in said innercasing adaptedv to register in alignment with the apertures in. said outer casing when the inner casing is depressed with respect to the outer-..

casing.

2. An inhaler adapted to be operated by one hand comprising a cylindrical outer casing having a bottom formed integrally'therewith and opened at the top thereof, a reciprocable inner casing mounted within said outer casing, said outer casing having a longitudinal slot in the wall thereof, a lug formed on said inner casing and projecting through said slot for actuating said inner casing with respect to said;

outer casing, spaced apart longitudinally extending ribs formed in the inner surface of said inner casing forming the frictional contact between said casings, a cap frictionally secured to the upper end of said-outer casing having an aperture therein, a closure portion formed integrally with the upper part of said inner casing adapted to cover the opening in said cap, a plurality of spaced apart apertures located in the lower end of said outer casing and extending,

through said ribs, there being a plurality of spaced apertures in the lower portion of said inner casing adapted to register in alignment with the apertures in said outer casing when said inner casing assumes a predetermined posi-. tion with respect to said outer casing, and a spring mounted between said outer casing and said inner casing for automatically actuating said inner casing upwardly with respect to said outer casing and closing the aperture in said cap.

3. An inhaler adapted to be concealed in the palm of one hand and adapted to be manipulated by the thumb of the same hand, comprising a cylindrical casing having a bottom and a ren. t r ei a p uraiitri ot spaced apart apertures located in the lower. P t n of said outer casing and extendingv through said ribs,

there being a plurality oi apertures in the lower portion of said inner casing adapted to be moved into registering alignment with the apertures in said outer casing when the inner casing is depressed with respect to the outer casing, a spring for automatically moving said inner casing upwardly with respect to said outer casing for closing the aperture in said cap, and a laterally projecting lug formed: integrally with said inner casing and extending through the longitudinal slot in said outer casing whereby said inner casing may be manipulated with respect to said -outercasing for withdrawing the inhalant therethe reduced portion thereof, said cap having an aperture therein, a closure portion formed at the upper end of said internal casing having apertures therearound and arranged so as to cover the aperture in said cap, a spring mounted between the lower ends of each of said casings for normally urging said inner casing upwardly with respect to said outside casing for closing the aperture in said cap, there being a plurality of circumierentially arranged apertures at the lower portions of each of the casings adapted to register when the inner casing is depressed with respect to the outer casing, the apertures in the outer casing extending through said ribs, a helically coiled spring having one of its ends engaging a boss in the bottom or said outer casing and the other of its ends engaging the lower edge said inner casing for normally urging said inner casing upwardly with respect to said outer casing for closing the opening in said cap, and a laterally projecting lug extending through said slot in the outer casing whereby-said inner casing may be moved downwardly by the thumb of the hand in which said inhaler is supported so that the inhalent contained in the inhaler may be withdrawn by the respiratory action 01' the nostrils.

HARRY M. 'I'HOMETZ.

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