Patent attributes
The present invention relates to a disposable dispensing apparatus for delivering a powdered product nasally or orally. The apparatus comprises a housing (1) defining an outlet (7) and a shaft (32) having a storage chamber (33) therein for a product provided with a first inlet (34) and a first outlet (35). A sheathing means (4) is slidably mounted on the shaft and has a second inlet (42) and a second outlet closed by a frangible membrane (44). There is also provided a variable volume means (2) operatively connected to the shaft. The shaft is movable, on operation of the variable volume means to reduce the variable volume so as to pressurize gas in an interior of the variable volume means, from an initial storage position in which the first and second inlets are out of alignment so as to close a gas flow path, to a dispensing position in which the first and second inlets are brought into alignment by action of the housing against the sheathing means. At the same time, the frangible membrane is ruptured by the shaft so as to open the gas flow path, such that pressurized gas from the interior of the variable volume means is discharged along the gas flow path comprising the first and second inlets, storage chamber, second outlet and first outlet, to thereby entrain powdered product and dispense it through the housing outlet.
