Indicating device for aerosol container

• US 6,729,330 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Original Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Inventors: Grychowski, Jerry R., Foley, Martin P., Schmidt, James Nick, Scarrott, Peter Mykola
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MITCHELL, TEENA KAY
• Application Number:
  US10/104,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20020153005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/200.14, 128/200.23, 128/203.12, 128/203.15, 128/203.21, 128/205.23, 222/32.36, 222/38.18, 604/58, 116/311, 116/312, 116/307, 116/317, 116/318
• US Class Current: 128/205.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0068 Indicating or counting the number of dispensed doses or of remaining doses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0075 on a disc
• 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: G06M 1/041 for drum-type indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 1/283 with drums

Abstract

An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container including a base member adapted to be mounted to the container and a cap member moveably connected to the base member. The cap member is moveable relative to the base member along an axial path between a first position and a second position a predetermined number of axial movements. An indicator member is rotatably mounted to the cap member. A first lock member disposed on the base member, and a second lock member is disposed on one of the indicator member and the cap member. The first and second lock members are engaged after the predetermined number of axial movements of the cap member relative to the base member, wherein the first and second lock members maintain the cap member and the base member in one of the first position and the second position when engaged. In another aspect, a preferred embodiment of a method for indicating the number of metered dosages of medicaments dispensed from or remaining in a container is provided.

Claims

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 between a first position and a second position a predetermined number of axial movements;

an indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member;

a first lock member disposed on said base member; and

a second lock member disposed on said indicator member;

wherein said first and second lock members are engaged after said predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member, wherein said first and second lock members maintain said cap member and said base member in one of said first position and said second position when engaged.

2. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein said first lock member comprises a first axially extending post having an end portion, and wherein said second lock member comprises a second axially extending post having an end portion, wherein said end portions of said first and second posts are engaged upon said predetermined number of axial movements.

3. The indicating device of claim 2 wherein said cap member and said base member are distal when in said first position and wherein said cap member and said base member are proximate when in said second position, wherein said end portions of said first and second posts maintain said cap member and said base member in said first position when abutted.

4. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein said first lock member comprises a first catch member, and wherein said second lock member comprises a second catch member, wherein said catch members are engaged upon said predetermined number of axial movements.

5. The indicating device of claim 4 wherein said cap member and said base member are distal when in said first position and wherein said cap member and said base member are proximate when in said second position, wherein said catch members maintain said cap member and said base member in said second position when engaged.

6. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein said predetermined number of axial movements comprises a first predetermined number of axial movements, and further comprising a drive member rotatably mounted to one of said cap member and said base member, wherein said drive member is selectively engaged with said indicator member upon a second predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member so as to rotate said indicator member an incremental amount relative to said cap member.

7. The indicating device of claim 6 wherein said indicator member is rotatably mounted to said cap about a first axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member, and wherein said drive member is rotatably mounted to said cap member about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis of said indicator member.

8. The indicating device of claim 6 wherein said second predetermined number of axial movements is greater than one.

9. The indicating device of claim 6 further comprising a ratchet wheel coaxially mounted with said drive member and a pawl connected to one of said base member and said cap member, wherein said pawl is selectively engaged with said ratchet wheel and rotates said ratchet wheel and said drive member upon each said axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member.

10. The indicating device of claim 9 wherein said ratchet wheel and said drive member are rotatably mounted to said cap member, and wherein said pawl is connected to said base member.

11. The indicating device of claim 9 further comprising a non-return member attached to one of said cap member and said base member, said non-return member selectively engaging said ratchet wheel so as to maintain a unidirectional rotation of said ratchet wheel.

12. The indicating device of claim 9 wherein said indicator member comprises a plurality of teeth and said drive member comprises a single drive tooth, said single tooth of said drive member selectively engaged with at least one of said plurality of teeth on said indicator member once upon every complete rotation of said drive member, said complete rotation of said drive member accomplished by making said second predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member.

13. The indicating device of claim 1 further comprising a return mechanism disposed between said cap member and said base member, said return mechanism biasing said cap member away from said base member.

14. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein said indicator member comprises dosage indicia, and wherein said cap member further comprises a viewing window, wherein said dosage indicia is visible to a user through said viewing window.

15. A method for indicating the number of metered dosages of medicaments dispensed from or remaining in a container, said method comprising:

providing an indicating device comprising;

a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;

a cap member moveably connected to said base member;

an indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member;

a first lock member disposed on said base member; and

a second lock member disposed on said indicator member;

moving said cap member relative to said base member a predetermined number of axial movements between a first position and a second position; and

engaging said first and second lock members after said predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member and thereby maintaining said cap member and said base member in one of said first position and said second position.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said first lock member comprises a first axially extending post having an end portion, and wherein said second lock member comprises a second axially extending post having an end portion, and wherein said engaging said first and second lock members upon said predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member comprises engaging said end portions of said first and second posts and wherein said maintaining said cap member and said base member in one of said first position and said second position comprises maintaining said cap member and said base member in said first position.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said cap member and said base member are distal when in said first position and wherein said cap member and said base member are proximate when in said second position.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said first lock member comprises a first catch member, and wherein said second lock member comprises a second catch member, and wherein said engaging said first and second lock members upon said predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member comprises engaging said first and second catch members and wherein said maintaining said cap member and said base member in one of said first position and said second position comprises maintaining said cap member and said base member in said second position.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said cap member and said base member are distal when in said first position and wherein said cap member and said base member are proximate when in said second position.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said providing said indicating device further comprises providing a return mechanism disposed between said cap member and said base member, and further comprising biasing said cap member away from said base member from said second position to said first position with said return member.