METERED-DOSE INHALER
First Claim
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1. A dose counter for a metered-dose inhaler, the counter comprising:
- an actuator;
a rotary gear;
a driver for driving the rotary gear in a step-wise fashion in response to displacement of the actuator, the rotary gear comprising a wheel mounted on a spindle which wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth around its periphery;
a pawl to prevent reverse rotation of the rotary gear; and
a display coupled to the rotary gear, the display having a visible array of incrementing integers on a surface thereof indexable by a single integer in response to each step of the step-wise rotary motion of the rotary gear;
wherein the pawl comprises at least two ratchet teeth which are radially spaced such that one of the teeth engages with the ratchet teeth of the wheel following each step of the step-wise rotary motion of the rotary gear.
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Abstract
A metered dose inhaler dose counter, the counter includes: an actuator; a rotary gear wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth; a driver for driving the rotary gear in a step-wise fashion in response to displacement of the actuator; a pawl that prevents reverse rotation of the rotary gear; and a display coupled to the rotary gear.
28 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A dose counter for a metered-dose inhaler, the counter comprising:
- an actuator;
a rotary gear;
a driver for driving the rotary gear in a step-wise fashion in response to displacement of the actuator, the rotary gear comprising a wheel mounted on a spindle which wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth around its periphery;
a pawl to prevent reverse rotation of the rotary gear; and
a display coupled to the rotary gear, the display having a visible array of incrementing integers on a surface thereof indexable by a single integer in response to each step of the step-wise rotary motion of the rotary gear;
wherein the pawl comprises at least two ratchet teeth which are radially spaced such that one of the teeth engages with the ratchet teeth of the wheel following each step of the step-wise rotary motion of the rotary gear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- an actuator;
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18. The use of a pawl comprising at least two ratchet teeth for preventing miscounting in a dose counter of a metered dose inhaler.
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19. The use of a pawl comprising at least two ratchet teeth for preventing undercounting in a dose counter of a metered dose inhaler.
Specification