Patent classifications
A61M15/0076
DRY POWDER INHALER
The present invention provides in part dry powder inhaler (DPI) devices for dispensing dry powder and methods for using the same. The DPI devices feature exchangeable cartridges having drum mechanisms that prepare metered doses of dry powder, and are able to direct air in a turbulent manner sufficient to entrain and deagglomerate a dose of dry powder for delivery into a user's lungs. The DPI devices feature a reservoir of dry powder advanced by a plunger, as well as a gauge that advances with the plunger to indicate the amount of dry powder remaining in the reservoir.
Substance source
A source of gaseous, gas borne or droplet substance having: an inner pressurized container (1), a substance-release valve (2) device sealed across an end of the container (1), a spout (4) displaceable inwards of the container (1) against a spring of the valve (2) device for substance release; the source also includes: an outer enclosure enclosing the inner container along its length (12), at least partially its end (14) remote from the spout (4) and partially at its spout end (19), the outer enclosure and the inner container (1) being arranged to react force for displacement of the spout (4) on substance release; a counter (20) accommodated within the outer enclosure for counting substance release displacements of the spout (4); and a window (22) in the outer enclosure for viewing the count of the counter (20).
Dispensing device
A system of medicament dispensers includes a plurality of dispenser housings each having a unique first indicia and a plurality of containers each having a unique second indicia. The unique second indicia of each of the containers corresponds to one of the unique first indicia of a corresponding one of the dispenser housings. Methods for associating various containers and dispensers is also provided.
Indicating device
An indicating device for a dispenser that dispenses metered dosages of a medicament from a container having a valve moveable between a closed position and an open position. The indicating device includes an indicator housing having a first cover with a first vertical wall and a second cover with a second vertical wall. One of the first or second covers includes a base defining a lower surface of the indicator housing, and the other of the first or second covers includes a top defining an upper surface of the indicator housing. The first and second covers are joined with the first and second vertical walls and the base and the top defining an interior space therebetween. An indicator is rotatably disposed in the interior space of the indicator housing, with the indicator including dosage indicia. A dispensing device includes a dispenser housing and an indicating device.
Dose counter for a metered-dose inhaler
A dose counter for counting doses of medicament dispensed by or remaining in a metered-dose inhaler. The dose counter includes: a rotatably mounted gear wheel having a circular arrangement of ratchet teeth; a display coupled to the gear wheel, the display having a visible array of dose counting indicia indexable in response to rotary motion of the gear wheel; and an actuator mechanism having a driver for rotatably driving the gear wheel in response to the dispensation of a medicament dose, the driver being arranged to engage the ratchet teeth of the gear wheel. The actuator mechanism includes a pivotally mounted lever having an input portion. The lever is arranged to amplify a linear stroke at the input portion such that a linear stroke of the driver exceeds the linear input stroke. By amplifying the stroke, the risk of undercounting due to insufficient stroke length may be reduced.
DOSE COUNTER WITH LOCKOUT MECHANISM
A medicament dispenser, in particular a metered dose inhaler, which is able to count the number of time the dispenser is activated and then disable the device, which then prevents any additional medicament from being dispensed. Additional embodiments include a medicament dispenser which are adapted to display either the number of activations that have occurred or the number of activations remaining.
AEROSOL ACTUATOR AND METERED DOSE INHALER
The present disclosure discloses an aerosol actuator and a metered dose inhaler. The aerosol actuator comprises a housing and a counting unit; the housing comprises a housing body and a nozzle, the housing body being configured to communicate with the nozzle; the housing body being configured to accommodate the counting unit; the counting unit comprises a gear fixing member, a counting gear, a driving element, and an elastic member; a cavity is formed inside the gear fixing member; the counting gear is arranged in the cavity; the gear fixing member comprises a cover plate part, the cover plate part comprising a cover plate part body and a check pawl; a surface of the counting gear that is close to the cover plate part body is provided with a limiting recess; the check pawl is arranged on the cover plate part body, and the check pawl is configured to coordinate with a meshing tooth of the counting gear so as to limit a rotation direction of the counting gear; the check pawl is provided with a limiting protrusion, the limiting protrusion being configured to coordinate with the limiting recess so as to limit a rotation direction of the counting gear. The aerosol actuator enables the counting to be more accurate.