SHEET DRIVER FOR USE IN A DRUG DISPENSER

• US 20100059052A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited (Glaxosmithkline Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited (Glaxosmithkline Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tansley, Robert William, Davies, Michael Birsha
• Granted Patent: US 8,776,788 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.150
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0026 Hinged caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0043 Non-destructive separation of the package, e.g. peeling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0045 using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0051 the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0055 the used dosages being coiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0075 on a disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0081 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/123 with incorporated reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sheet driver for use in a drug dispenser including a drug carrier (100) having a plurality of pockets (102, 103, 104) for containing drug wherein said pockets are spaced along the length of and defined between first (106) and second (105) sheets secured to each other and separable by drivable pulling action, the sheet driver comprising a base (220); ascending from the base, a shaft (230) defining a rotational axis; on the base, a drive surface (225) for receipt of drive to rotate the base about the rotational axis; about the shaft, a torsion spring (240) defining first (242) and second (244) spring legs; mounting about the shaft and the torsion spring for rotation about the rotational axis, a hub (250) defining a hub surface for receipt of a sheet of the drug carrier. A first leg receiver (224) of the base receives the first spring leg of the torsion spring and a second leg receiver (252) of the hub receives the second spring leg of the torsion spring such that relative rotation of the base and the hub results in tensioning of the torsion spring. The shaft further defines a shaft cavity (232) co-axial with the rotational axis and the hub further defines a hub aperture (254), the sheet driver further comprising within said shaft cavity, an indicator pin (210) having a side member (212) and an indicator pin head that may project through said hub aperture; also within the shaft cavity, a spring (238) for biasing said indicator pin out of the shaft cavity; and provided to the hub, an engagement member (256) for selectively engaging said side member of the indicator pin to prevent movement thereof along the rotational axis in response to the relative positioning of the base and the hub.

Claims

1. A sheet driver for use in a drug dispenser including a drug carrier having a plurality of pockets for containing drug wherein said pockets are spaced along the length of and defined between first and second sheets secured to each other and separable by drivable pulling action, said sheet driver comprising

(a) a base;

(b) extending from said base, a shaft defining a rotational axis;

(c) at said base, a drive surface for receipt of drive to rotate the base about said rotational axis;

(d) about said shaft, a torsion spring defining first and second spring legs;

(e) mounting about the shaft and said torsion spring for rotation about the rotational axis, a hub defining a hub surface for receipt of a sheet of said drug carrier; and

(f) a first leg receiver of the base for receipt of said first spring leg of the torsion spring, a second leg receiver of said hub for receipt of said second spring leg of the torsion spring, such that relative rotation of the base and the hub results in tensioning of the torsion spring,

wherein the shaft further defines a shaft cavity co-axial with the rotational axis and the hub further defines a hub aperture, the sheet driver further comprising

(g) within said shaft cavity, an indicator pin having a side member and an indicator pin head that may project through said hub aperture;

(h) also within the shaft cavity, a spring for biasing said indicator pin out of the shaft cavity; and

provided to the hub, an engagement member for selectively engaging said side member of the indicator pin to prevent movement thereof along the rotational axis in response to the relative positioning of the base and the hub.

2. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the base is of essentially circular form.

3. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is integral with the base.

4. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the drive surface defines a gearing surface.

5. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the drive surface extends circumferentially about the base.

6. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the drive surface is integral with the base.

7. A sheet driver according to claim 6, wherein the base defines a rim and the drive surface is provided to said rim.

8. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the drive surface is provided to a separate part, which associates with the base.

9. A sheet driver according to claim 8, wherein said separate part comprises a ring that fits over and is received by a rim of the base.

10. A sheet driver according to claim 9, wherein the drive surface is provided to the outer circumference of the ring.

11. A sheet driver according to claim 9, wherein an inner circumferential surface of the ring is also provided with gearing and the base is provided with a ratchet arm such that the base and ring are in ratcheted engagement.

12. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the first and second spring legs protrude from first and second ends of the spring.

13. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the hub fits over the torsion spring and shaft.

14. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the hub is provided with sheet engaging means for engaging the end of a sheet.

15. A sheet driver according to claim 14, wherein the sheet engaging means comprises surface marking or coating provided to the hub to enhance the frictional contact between the hub and the sheet.

16. A sheet driver according to claim 14, wherein the sheet engaging means comprises loop-engaging means for engaged receipt of a looped end of a sheet.

17. A sheet driver according to claim 1, additionally comprising a lock for locking the rotation of the hub relative to the base.

18. A sheet driver according to claim 17, wherein the lock locates at a defined rotational spacing from a start position at which the torsion spring is not tensioned, and the or each locking position defines a tensioning of the torsion spring.

19. A sheet driver according to claim 17, wherein the hub is provided with a locking pin receivable by one or more locking pin receivers of the base.

20. A sheet driver according to claim 17, wherein the base is provided with a locking pin receivable by one or more locking pin receivers of the hub.

21. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein, in the absence of engagement with the engagement member of the hub, the indicator pin is biased to adopt a ‘

popped out’

position, in which the indicator pin head projects through the hub aperture.

22. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the shaft cavity and the hub aperture typically define an essentially circular profile for receipt of an indicator pin with a pin body having an essentially circular cross-section.

23. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the indicator pin head has the same cross-sectional area as the body of the indicator pin.

24. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the indicator pin head has a greater cross-sectional area than the body of the indicator pin.

25. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the indicator pin head has a coloured head portion.

26. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the side member comprises a projecting side member.

27. A sheet driver according to claim 26, wherein the wall of the shaft, which defines the shaft cavity, is provided with a slot or groove that is arranged to receive the projecting side member of the indicator pin.

28. A sheet driver according to claim 27, wherein said slot or groove extends lengthways along the shaft.

29. A sheet driver according to claim 27, wherein the projecting side member is shaped to define a key profile and the slot or groove defines a corresponding lock profile to enable reversible ‘

lock and key’

engagement therebetween.

30. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the spring within the shaft cavity is a compression spring.

31. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein said selective engagement of the engagement member of the hub with the side member of the pin occurs only when the relative rotational displacement of the base and the hub is above a pre-determined minimum displacement.

32. A sheet driver according to claim 31, wherein said selective engagement of the engagement member of the hub with the side member of the pin occurs only when the relative rotational displacement of the base and the hub is greater than 20°

, preferably greater than 30°

from a ‘

start’

position.

33. A sheet driver according to claim 1, wherein the engagement member of the hub is provided to a rim that extends around the hub aperture.

34. A sheet driver according to claim 33, wherein the engagement member defines a broken rim form having a part rim and a missing rim segment, wherein the part rim engages the side member of the indicator pin and the missing rim segment allows the side member to project through the hub aperture.

35. A drug dispenser for use with one or more drug carriers, each having a plurality of pockets for containing drug wherein said pockets are spaced along the length of and defined between first and second sheets secured to each other and separable by drivable pulling action, said dispenser having an internal dispensing mechanism for accessing said drug contained within each of said one or more drug carriers, said mechanism comprising,

(i) a receiving station for receiving a pocket of each of the one or more drug carriers;

(ii) an opener for opening said pocket of each of the one or more drug carriers on receipt thereof by said receiving station, said opener including a sheet driver according to claim 1;

(iii) an outlet, positioned to be in communication with an opened pocket through which a user can access drug from such an opened pocket; and

(iv) an indexer for individually indexing the pockets of each of the one or more drug carriers, said indexer being interconnected with said sheet driver such that movement of one correlates with the movement of the other.

36. A drug dispenser according to claim 35, wherein the opener comprises a peeler positioned to engage a base sheet and a lid sheet of a pocket which has been received in said receiving station for peeling apart such a base sheet and lid sheet, to open such a pocket, said peeler including the sheet driver for pulling apart a lid sheet and a base sheet of a pocket that has been received at said receiving station.

37. A drug dispenser according to claim 35 arranged to receive a single elongate form drug carrier.

38. A drug dispenser according to claim 35 arranged to receive plural elongate form drug carriers.

39. A drug dispenser according to claim 35, wherein the indexer comprises a rotatable index wheel having pocket receiving recesses therein.

40. A drug dispenser according to claim 35, additionally comprising an actuating driver for actuating the indexer and sheet driver.

41. A drug dispenser according to claim 36, wherein the peeler additionally comprises a guide for guiding the lid sheet and base sheet along separate paths at the opening station.

42. A drug dispenser according to claim 35, wherein the indicator pin head of the sheet driver is arranged in a ‘

popped out’

position thereof to lock with an element of the internal dispensing mechanism, thereby preventing further use of the drug dispenser.

43. A drug dispenser according to claim 42, wherein the indicator head of the indicator pin is arranged to selectively engage and lock the opener of the internal dispensing mechanism.

44. A drug dispenser according to claim 42, wherein the indicator head of the indicator pin is arranged to selectively engage and lock the indexer of the internal dispensing mechanism.

45. A drug dispenser according to claim 43, wherein the opener and/or the indexer is provided with a pin-receiving element sized and shaped for locking receipt of the indicator pin head.

46. A drug dispenser according to claim 45, wherein the pin-receiving element has a form selected from the group consisting of a cavity, slot, groove, indent or aperture.

47. A drug dispenser according to claim 35 in the form of an inhalation device, additionally comprising:

(I) a housing;

(II) within said housing, the internal dispensing mechanism; and

(III) provided to the housing, a mouthpiece, capable of communication with the outlet.

48. A drug dispenser according to claim 47, further comprising:

(IV) in movable connection to the housing, a cover for said mouthpiece, said mouthpiece cover being movable from a first position, in which said mouthpiece is covered, to a second position, in which said mouthpiece is at least part-uncovered, wherein said mouthpiece cover is capable of coupling with said internal dispensing mechanism such that further movement of the mouthpiece cover from the second position to a third position results in actuation of the internal dispensing mechanism.

49. A drug dispenser according to claim 48, wherein the indicator pin head of the sheet driver is arranged in a ‘

popped out’

position thereof to lock with the movable mouthpiece cover, thereby preventing further use of the drug dispenser.

50. A drug dispenser according to claim 49, wherein the movable mouthpiece cover is provided with a pin-receiving element sized and shaped for locking receipt of the indicator pin head.

51. A drug dispenser according to claim 50, wherein the pin-receiving element has a form selected from the group consisting of a cavity, slot, groove, indent or aperture.

52. A drug dispenser according to claim 50, wherein the pin-receiving element locates at an inner surface of the movable mouthpiece cover.

53. A drug dispenser device according to claim 50, wherein the pin-receiving element of the mouthpiece cover is positioned relative to the ‘

popped out’

position of the indicator pin head to lock the mouthpiece cover in the first position, in which the mouthpiece is covered.

54. A drug dispenser device according to claim 50, wherein the movable mouthpiece cover is provided on one edge with a ramp surface arranged such that on moving the mouthpiece cover from third to second or second to first positions the interaction of said ramp surface with the indicator pin head in its ‘

popped out’

position causes the pin head to be depressed.

55. A drug dispenser device according to claim 54, wherein the indicator pin head remains so depressed until the mouthpiece cover is in its first position, in which the indicator pin again ‘

pops out’

to lock with the pin-receiving element of the movable mouthpiece cover.

56. A drug dispenser device according to claim 48, wherein the mouthpiece cover is arranged for rotational movement about an axis.

57. A drug dispenser device according to claim 56, wherein the movable mouthpiece cover interacts with a ratchet gear, which in turn interacts with a drive gear for drive of the internal dispensing mechanism.

58. A drug dispenser device according to claim 57, wherein in the first position the ratchet gear is spaced from the drive gear and in the second position the ratchet gear engages the drive gear such that further movement thereof to the third position results in movement of the drive gear, and hence advancement of the internal dispensing mechanism.

59. A drug dispenser according to claim 1, additionally comprising at least one drug carrier having a plurality of pockets containing drug wherein said pockets are spaced along the length of and defined between first and second sheets secured to each other and separable by drivable pulling action.

60. A drug dispenser according to claim 59, wherein said at least one drug carrier comprises a lid sheet which is hermetically sealed to a base sheet except in the region of the blisters such that said lid sheet and base sheet can be peeled apart by said drivable pulling action.

61. A drug dispenser according to claim 59, wherein the leading end of either the base or lid sheet or is looped for receipt by the hub.

62. A drug dispenser according to claim 59, wherein the drug is in powdered or tablet form.

63. A drug dispenser according to claim 62, wherein the drug is selected from the group consisting of albuterol, salmeterol, fluticasone propionate and beclomethasone dipropionate and salts thereof and any combination thereof.

64. A drug dispenser according to claim 63, wherein said combination comprises salmeterol xinafoate and fluticasone propionate.

65. A drug dispenser according to claim 62, wherein the drug additionally comprises an excipient.

66. A spool for winding up a tape comprising a rotatable part for rotating the spool, a hub part mounted to the rotatable part for rotation therewith to wind the tape up thereon, a biasing mechanism for biasing the hub part to rotate relative to the rotatable part to a first rotary position, and a fault indicator for indicating a fault in the tape when the hub part is in the first rotary position on the rotatable part.

67. The spool of claim 66, wherein the fault indicator is movable from a first position to a second position only when the hub part is in the first rotary position, said movement of the fault indicator to the second position indicating a fault in the tape.

68. The spool of claim 67, further comprising a biasing mechanism for biasing the fault indicator to move from the first position to the second position and a latch for latching the fault indicator in the first position thereof when the hub part is not in the first rotary position.

69. The spool of claim 68, wherein the latch is a surface of the hub part which acts on the fault indicator when not in the first rotary position.

70. The spool of claim 67, wherein the fault indicator is housed within the spool when in the first position and protrudes from the spool when in the second position.

71. The spool of claim 66, wherein the fault indicator is carried by the rotatable part.

72. The spool of claim 70, wherein the hub part has an aperture through which the fault indicator is able to protrude when the hub is in the first rotary position.

73. The spool of claim 69, wherein the fault indicator is housed within the spool when in the first position and protrudes from the spool when in the second position, and the hub part has an aperture through which the fault indicator is able to protrude when the hub is in the first rotary position, and wherein the latch surface is a rim of the aperture.

74. The spool of claim 73, wherein the rim of the aperture and the fault indicator have complementary non-circular shapes which are only aligned in the same orientation as each other when the hub part is in the first rotary position.

75. The spool of claim 66, wherein the hub part and the rotatable part have co-operable surfaces for holding the hub part in the first rotary position on the rotatable part.

76. A device comprising a tape, a tape advancing mechanism and a fault indicator adapted to protrude from the device on failure of the tape to indicate said failure.

77. The device of claim 76, wherein the tape advancing mechanism comprises an actuating member operable to actuate the tape advancing mechanism, and wherein the fault indicator and the actuating member are adapted to engage when the fault indicator protrudes from the device to prevent operation of the actuating member.

78. A device comprising a tape, a tape advancing mechanism, and a fault indicator adapted to protrude from the device on failure of the tape to advance, wherein the tape advancing mechanism comprises a spool for winding up a tape comprising a rotatable part for rotating the spool, a hub part mounted to the rotatable part for rotation therewith to wind the tape up thereon, a biasing mechanism for biasing the hub part to rotate relative to the rotatable part to a first rotary position, wherein the fault indicator is comprised in the spool for indicating a fault in the tape when the hub part is in the first rotary position on the rotatable part.

79-80. -80. (canceled)