Drug and drug metering and packaging and transport

摘要

A dry powder inhaler comprises a first chamber in which a dry powder may be deaggregated by a vibrator and separated by size, and a second chamber in which the size-separated deaggregated powder may be picked up by an air stream and carried for introduction into a patient. Electronic circuitry (48) is included for controlling dosing. In another embodiment of the invention, a fluid sensor is employed to activate and control various components of an inhalation device. The fluid sensor includes an acoustic element (208), such as a microphone, positioned within said inhalation device to detect fluid within the device and output signals representative of the frequency and/or amplitude of the fluid. These signals control and activate an electrostatic plate (226) and/or a high frequency vibrator (228). In yet another embodiment of the invention, electrostatic phototechnology is used to package microgram quantities of fine powders such as drugs in discrete capsule and tablet form. An electrostatic "image" (325A) having a given size and charge density is exposed to ionised drug powder to attract a known amount of drug to the image. The resultant drug "image" (326A) is then transferred (330) to an open ended capsule (329), a partially formed table (360) or edible wafer (384) or belt (390). The capsule is then sealed, e.g. by capping, or the tablet finished.