DISPENSING APPARATUS

• US 20110048418A1
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Consort Medical PLC (Recipharm AB)
• Original Assignee: Consort Medical PLC (Recipharm AB)
• Inventors: WARBY, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,616,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0076 on a drum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/106 reciprocating
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 1/126 by hydraulic means

Abstract

A dispensing apparatus comprises: a housing suitable to receive in use a pressurised dispensing container capable of dispensing metered doses of a product; and a dose counter; wherein the dispensing apparatus further comprises a hydraulic system for activating the dose counter based on movement of the received pressurised dispensing container.

A combination of the dispensing apparatus and a pressurised dispensing container which comprises a dispensing canister, a metering valve and a ferrule.

A dose counter for counting activations of a pressurised dispensing container comprising: a hydraulic system; and a counter; the hydraulic system comprising a hydraulic cylinder with a primary piston, a secondary piston and a working fluid, wherein the secondary piston is coupled to, or otherwise operates the counter and the primary piston is engaged by, fixed to, coupled to, or otherwise moved by, a pressurised dispensing container.

Claims

1. Dispensing apparatus comprising:

a housing suitable to receive in use a pressurised dispensing container capable of dispensing metered doses of a product; and

a dose counter;

wherein the dispensing apparatus further comprises a hydraulic system for activating the dose counter based on movement of the received pressurised dispensing container.

2. Dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hydraulic system comprises a hydraulic cylinder comprising a primary piston, a secondary piston and a working fluid.

3. Dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein, in use, the primary piston is engaged by, fixed to, coupled to, or otherwise moved by, the received pressurised dispensing container.

4. Dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the secondary piston comprises, or is coupled to, or otherwise moves, a trigger, wherein the trigger is operative to activate the dose counter.

5. Dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein a working cross-sectional area of the secondary piston is less than a working cross-sectional area of the primary piston such that movement of the primary piston by a unit distance produces a movement of the secondary piston that is greater than unit distance.

6. Dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dose counter is a mechanical dose counter.

7. Dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the mechanical dose counter comprises a counter wheel.

8. Dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hydraulic system is located within the housing beneath the received pressurised dispensing container.

9. Dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the received pressurised dispensing container comprises a dispensing canister, a metering valve and a ferrule and the hydraulic system is engaged by, fixed to, or coupled to, the ferrule of the received pressurised dispensing container.

10. A combination of a dispensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and a pressurised dispensing container comprising a dispensing canister, a metering valve and a ferrule.

11. A dose counter for counting activations of a pressurised dispensing container comprising:

a hydraulic system; and

a counter;

the hydraulic system comprising a hydraulic cylinder with a primary piston, a secondary piston and a working fluid, wherein the secondary piston is coupled to, or otherwise operates the counter and the primary piston is engaged by, fixed to, coupled to, or otherwise moved by, a pressurised dispensing container.

12. A dose counter as claimed in claim 11 wherein a working cross-sectional area of the secondary piston is less than a working cross-sectional area of the primary piston such that movement of the primary piston by a unit distance produces a movement of the secondary piston that is greater than unit distance.

13. A dose counter as claimed in claim 11 which forms an integral part of a dispensing apparatus.

14. A dose counter as claimed in claim 11 further comprising a dose counter housing at least partially enclosing the hydraulic system and the counter to form a hydraulic dose counter unit.

15. A dose counter as claimed in claim 14 adapted to be removeably, semi-permanently or permanently attached to a pressurised dispensing container.