Indicating device for aerosol container
First Claim
1. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, said indicating device comprising:
- a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;
a first indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about a first axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member;
a second indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about a second axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member;
wherein said first indicator member selectively engages said second indicator member upon completion of one cycle of said first indicator member so as to rotate said second indicator member an incremental amount.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An indicating device for indicating the number of metered doses of medicaments that have been dispensed from or remain in a container having a valve stem extending longitudinally therefrom and moveable between an open and closed position. The indicating device includes a base member adapted to be mounted to the container, a cap member moveably connected to the base member, one or more indicator members rotatably mounted to the cap member and an indicating mechanism adapted to rotate the indicator member an incremental amount upon a predetermined number of axial movements of the cap member relative to the base member. A preferred embodiment of the indicating device includes a ratchet wheel, a drive member selectively engaging the indicating member, a pawl selectively engaging the ratchet wheel, and a non-return member adapted to selectively engage the ratchet wheel so as to maintain a unidirectional rotation of the ratchet wheel. In one embodiment, the indicating device also includes a usage indicator member having usage indicia that indicates the number of usage cycles completed or remaining for the indicating device. A method for indicating the number of metered doses dispensed from or remaining in the container comprises moving the cap member toward and away from the base member, engaging the ratchet wheel with the pawl and engaging the indicating member with the drive member. A method of assembling an inhalation device including an indicating device is also provided.
322 Citations
68 Claims
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1. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, said indicating device comprising:
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a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;
a first indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about a first axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member;
a second indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about a second axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member;
wherein said first indicator member selectively engages said second indicator member upon completion of one cycle of said first indicator member so as to rotate said second indicator member an incremental amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, said indicating device comprising:
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a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;
a first indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member;
a second indicator member rotatably mounted to one of said cap member and said base member about an axis substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of said first indicator member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
wherein said first indicator member selectively engages said third indicator member upon one complete rotation of said first indicator member so as to rotate said third indicator member an incremental amount.
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13. The indicating device of claim 11 further comprising a drive member coaxially mounted with said second indicator member, said drive member selectively engaged with said first indicator member upon a predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member so as to rotate said first indicator member an incremental amount relative to said cap member.
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14. The indicating device of claim 13 further comprising a ratchet wheel coaxially mounted with said drive member and said second indicator member, and a pawl connected to the other of said base member and said cap member, said pawl selectively engaged with said ratchet wheel upon each said axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member so as to rotate said ratchet wheel, said drive member and second indicator member an incremental amount.
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15. The indicating device of claim 14 wherein said ratchet wheel, said drive member and said second indicator member are rotatably mounted to said cap member, and wherein said pawl is connected to said base member.
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16. The indicating device of claim 13 wherein said drive member is axially moveable with respect to said second indicator member.
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17. The indicating device of claim 16 wherein said first indicator member comprises a plurality of teeth, said drive member selectively engaged with at least one of said teeth as said drive member rotates, and wherein at least one of said plurality of teeth has a cut-away portion, said drive member axially moveable between a disengaged position wherein said drive member is positioned in said cut-away portion of said at least one of said teeth so as to avoid engagement therewith and an engaged reset position wherein said drive member is positioned to selectively engage the portion of said at least one of said plurality of teeth that is not cut-away.
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18. The indicating device of claim 13 wherein said second indicator member comprises dosage indicia, said second indicator member rotating in response to each axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member.
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19. The indicating device of claim 18 wherein said first indicator member comprises dosage indicia, said dosage indicia of said first and second indicator members in combination are adapted to indicate the dosages remaining in or dispensed from the container.
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20. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, said indicating device comprising:
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an indicating device housing adapted to be mounted to the container;
a dosage indicator member disposed in said housing, said dosage indicator member comprising dosage indicia which are adapted to indicate the number of dosages dispensed from or remaining in the container;
a usage indicator member disposed in said housing, said usage indicator member comprising usage indicia which indicate the number of usage cycles completed by or remaining for said indicating device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for indicating the number of dosages dispensed from or remaining in a container, the method comprising:
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providing an indicating device comprising a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;
a first indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member; and
a second indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member;
successively moving said cap member toward and away from said base member a predetermined number of times corresponding to a cycle of said first indicator member; and
selectively engaging said second indicator member with said first indicator member upon completion of said cycle and rotating said second indicator member an incremental amount. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for indicating the number of dosages dispensed from or remaining in a container, the method comprising:
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providing an indicating device comprising a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;
a first indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member; and
a second indicator member rotatably mounted to one of said cap member and said base member about an axis substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of said first indicator member;
successively moving said cap member toward and away from said base member along said axial path a predetermined number of times;
moving said second indicator member an incremental amount upon each of said predetermined axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member; and
moving said first indicator member an incremental amount upon said predetermined number of axial movements. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method for indicating the number of dosages dispensed from or remaining in a container, the method comprising:
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providing an indicating device comprising an indicating device housing adapted to be mounted to the container;
a dosage indicator member disposed in said housing, said dosage indica or member comprising dosage indicia visible to a user which indicate the number of dosages dispensed from or remaining in the container; and
a usage indicator member disposed in said housing, said usage indicator member comprising usage indicia visible to the user which indicate the number of usage cycles completed by or remaining for said indicating device;
moving said dosage indicator member a predetermined number of times corresponding to a usage cycle; and
selectively engaging said usage indicator member with said dosage indicator member upon completion of said usage cycle and rotating said usage indicator member an incremental amount. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification