Refillable device with counting means

• US 7,080,642 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2000
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Hodson, Peter D., Dunn, Philip M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOSTER GREENE, DINNATIA JO
• Application Number:
  US10/169,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20030205227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,044 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.11, 128/200.12, 128/200.14, 128/200.21, 128/200.23, 128/202.22, 128/203.12, 128/203.15, 128/205.23, 128/205.24, 128/DIG.1, 128/DIG.6
• US Class Current: 128/200.21
• 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 15/0068 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: A61M 2202/064 Powder

Abstract

A refillable medical device comprising a base unit (4) adapted to be engaged with a refill unit (2), the device comprising means for counting the number of different refill units which are engaged with the base unit (4). The device may be in the form of a dry powder or pressurised aerosol inhaler, needleless injector, intravenous drip system etc. The device may comprise means to disable the device after a predetermined number of refill units have been used with the base.

Claims

1. A refillable medical device comprising a base unit adapted to be engaged with a refill unit, wherein the device includes medicament and a counter that indicates the number of fresh refill units that have been engaged with the base unit without repeatedly counting the same refill unit, and after a predetermined number of fresh refills have been used with the base unit, the base unit becomes disabled or engagement of a fresh refill unit is prevented.

2. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the counter includes a chamber adapted to receive a tab attached to the refill unit so as to engage and detach the tab from the refill unit.

3. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the chamber is dimensioned to accommodate a predetermined number of tabs whereupon engagement of a fresh refill unit with the base unit is prevented.

4. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base unit is constructed so that tabs present in the chamber are visible.

5. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base unit includes a display that indicates the number of fresh refill units that have been engaged with the base unit, the display incrementally advancing upon engagement of a fresh refill unit.

6. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 5 in which the display is in the form of a rotatable disc.

7. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 6 in which the rotatable disc is associated with a toothed wheel that is engaged by a finger attached to a refill unit to incrementally move the disc, and the base unit adapted to deform or break said finger to prevent subsequent engagement of the finger with the toothed wheel.

8. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 2 in which the tab is detached from the refill unit when the refill unit is detached from the base unit.

9. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a dry powder inhaler and the refill unit is in the form of a cassette bearing powdered medicament.

10. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a pressurized aerosol inhaler and the refill unit comprises a pressurized aerosol container.

11. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the inhaler is breath-actuated.

12. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 1 in the form of a needleless injector.

13. A refillable medical device as claimed in claim 1 in the form of an intra-venous drip system.