| 摘要 |
A novel inhaler is provided for delivering a substance in a finely divided form. The inhaler includes a body defining a storage chamber for the substance to be delivered, and further defining an inhalation passage through which air is drawn via a mouthpiece. A metering member is operable to transfer a volumetric dose of the substance from the storage chamber to the inhalation passage, the metering member having a metering surface which provides at least one dispensing cup, and which is movable between a first position in which at least one dispensing cup is presented to the storage chamber to receive a dose of the substance, and a second position in which a dose of the substance is presented to the inhalation passage in the dispensing cup which is upwardly open in use. Cup clearing means is provided for ensuring that at least one dispensing cup is free from the substance before being presented to the storage chamber. The cup clearing means includes means for moving at least one dispensing cup into a position from which, in normal use of the inhaler, any of the substance remaining in the dispensing cup would tend to fall, under the influence of gravity, out of the dispensing cup, after a dose of the substance has been presented in the dispensing cup to the inhalation passage, and before the dispensing cup is again presented to the storage chamber. |
