Dose indicating device

• US 7,100,530 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Original Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Inventors: Lu, Winston Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): REIS, TRAVIS M
• Application Number:
  US10/869,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20050126469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 116/307, 116/306, 116/309, 116/311, 116/312, 116/313, 116/316, 116/317, 116/284, 116/299, 235/453, 128/200.23, 128/203.15, 128/205.2, 222/30, 222/38, 222/23, 222/36
• US Class Current: 116/307
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0075 on a disc
• 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: G06M 1/163 with drums
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 1/241 Drums
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 1/248 Discs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 11/23 the advertising or display material forming part of rotating members, e.g. in the form of perforations, prints, or transparencies on a drum or disc

Abstract

An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes 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. A shaft is non-rotatably mounted to one of the cap member and the base member and defines an axis. An indicator member is rotatably mounted on the shaft and is rotatable in at least a first direction. One of the shaft and the indicator member has a helical groove while the other of the shaft and the indicator member has a follower disposed in the groove. The indicator member is moveable relative to the shaft along the axis as the indicator member is rotated in the first direction. In another embodiment, the indicating device includes first, second and third indicator members. In yet another embodiment, the indicating device includes a housing having a longitudinally extending cavity shaped to receive the container and an indicator member disposed in the cavity and having a longitudinally extending wall shaped to surround at least a portion of the container. The indicator member is rotatably mounted within the housing and is rotatable relative thereto about a longitudinal axis. The indicator member includes a driven gear. A drive gear is disposed in the housing and includes a drive portion selectively engaged with the driven gear. An actuator is adapted to move with the container and is selectively engaged with the drive gear.

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 reciprocally moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;

a shaft mounted to one of said cap member and said base member, said shaft defining an axis; and

an indicator member rotatably mounted on said shaft, said indicator member rotatable about said shaft in at least a first direction;

wherein one of said shaft and said indicator member comprise a helical groove and the other of said shaft and said indicator member comprises a follower disposed in said groove, wherein said indicator member is translatably moveable relative to said shaft along said axis as said indicator member is rotated in said first direction about said axis.

2. 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 shaft mounted to one of said cap member and said base member, said shaft defining an axis; and

an indicator member rotatably mounted on said shaft, said indicator member rotatable about said shaft in at least a first direction;

wherein one of said shaft and said indicator member comprise a helical groove and the other of said shaft and said indicator member comprises a follower disposed in said groove, wherein said indicator member is moveable relative to said shaft along said axis as said indicator member is rotated in said first direction; and

wherein the other of said cap member and said base member comprises at least one pawl and wherein said indicator member comprises a ratchet gear, wherein said at least one pawl selectively engages said ratchet gear and rotates said indicator member an incremental amount in said first direction as said cap member is moved relative to said base member along said axial path.

3. The indicating device of claim 2 further comprising at least one non-return member extending from said one of said cap member and said base member, wherein said at least one non-return member selectively engages said ratchet gear and prevents said indicator member from rotating in a second direction opposite said first direction.

4. The indicating device of claim 2 wherein said indicator member comprises a cylinder having an outer circumferential surface with dosage indicia applied thereto.

5. The indicating device of claim 4 wherein said dosage indicia is arranged in a helical pattern.

6. The indicating device of claim 5 wherein said dosage indicia comprise numbers.

7. The indicating device of claim 6 wherein said dosage indicia comprise colors.

8. The indicator device of claim 4 wherein said indicator member is moveable along said shaft between at least first and second positions, said indicator member comprises at least first and second ratchet gears positioned at opposite ends of said cylinder, and wherein said other of said cap member and said base member comprises at least first and second spaced apart pawl members, wherein said first pawl member is positioned to selectively engage said first ratchet gear when said cylinder is in a first position, and wherein said second pawl member is positioned to selectively engage said second ratchet gear when said cylinder is moved to said second position.

9. The indicating device of claim 4 wherein one of said cap member and said base member comprises viewing window, wherein said dosage indicia are visible through said viewing window.

10. The indicating device of claim 2 wherein said shaft is non-rotatably mounted to said cap member and said base member comprises said at least one pawl.

11. A method for indicating the number of metered dosages of substance dispensed from or remaining in a container comprising:

providing a base member adapted to be mounted to the container, a cap member moveably connected to said base member, a shaft mounted to one of said cap member and said base member, said shaft defining an axis, and an indicator member rotatably mounted on said shaft, said indicator member rotatable about said shaft in at least a first direction, wherein one of said shaft and said indicator member comprise a helical groove and the other of said shaft and said indicator member comprises a follower disposed in said groove;

reciprocally moving said cap member relative to said base member along an axial path;

rotating said indicator member about said shaft in a first direction;

moving said follower in said groove; and

translating said indicator member relative to said shaft along said axis while said rotating said indicator member about said shaft.

12. A method for indicating the number of metered dosages of substance dispensed from or remaining in a container comprising:

providing a base member adapted to be mounted to the container, a cap member moveably connected to said base member, a shaft mounted to one of said cap member and said base member, said shaft defining an axis, and an indicator member rotatably mounted on said shaft, said indicator member rotatable about said shaft in at least a first direction, wherein one of said shaft and said indicator member comprise a helical groove and the other of said shaft and said indicator member comprises a follower disposed in said groove;

moving said cap member relative to said base member along an axial path;

rotating said indicator member about said shaft in a first direction;

moving said follower in said groove; and

moving said indicator member relative to said shaft along said axis;

wherein the other of said cap member and said base member comprises at least one pawl and wherein said indicator member comprises a ratchet gear, and wherein said rotating said indicator member comprises selectively engaging said ratchet gear with said at least one pawl.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing at least one non-return member extending from said one of said cap member and said base member, and selectively engaging said ratchet gear with said at least one non-return member and to thereby prevent said indicator member from rotating in a second direction opposite said first direction.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said indicator member comprises a cylinder having an outer circumferential surface with dosage indicia applied thereto.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said moving said indicator member relative to said shaft along said axis comprises moving said indicator member along said shaft between at least first and second positions, and wherein said indicator member comprises at least first and second ratchet gears positioned at opposite ends of said cylinder, and wherein said other of said cap member and said base member comprises at least first and second spaced apart pawl members, wherein said rotating said indicator member when in said first position comprises selectively engaging said ratchet gear with said first pawl member, and wherein rotating said indicator member when in said second position comprises selectively engaging said ratchet gear with said second pawl member.

16. A dispensing device including an indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, said dispensing device comprising:

a housing having a longitudinally extending cavity shaped to receive the container;

said container comprising first and second longitudinally spaced ends;

a valve stem extending longitudinally away from said first end of said container in a direction opposite said second end, said valve stem coupled to said housing;

an indicator member disposed in said cavity and having a longitudinally extending wall surrounding at least a portion of the container between said first and second ends of said container, said indicator member rotatably mounted within said housing and rotatable relative thereto about a longitudinal axis, said indicator member comprising a driven gear;

a drive gear disposed in said housing and comprising a drive portion selectively engaged with said driven gear; and

an actuator adapted to move with the container, said actuator selectively engaged with said drive gear.

17. The dispensing device of claim 16 wherein said wall defines at least a part of a cylinder.

18. The dispensing device of claim 16 wherein said housing comprises a first housing and further comprising a second housing disposed in a bottom of said first housing, wherein said drive gear and said actuator are disposed at least in part in said second housing, wherein said second housing is positioned adjacent an end of said indicator member.

19. The dispensing device of claim 16 wherein said housing has a longitudinally extending viewing window, wherein an outer surface of said wall of said indicator member has dosage indicia disposed thereon and visible through said viewing window.

20. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages of a substance 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 reciprocally moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;

a first indicator member comprising first primary dosage indicia and a second indicator member comprising second primary dosage indicia, wherein said first and second primary dosage indicia are adapted to indicate the number of dosages of substance that have been dispensed from or remain in the container, said first indicator member comprising a plurality of first driven teeth and a plurality of driving teeth, said second indicator member comprising a first advancement member selectively engaged with at least one of said plurality of said first driven teeth;

a third indicator member comprising secondary dosage indicia, wherein said secondary dosage indicia is adapted to indicate that less than a minimum predetermined number of dosages of substance remain in the container, said third indicator member comprising a plurality of second driven teeth;

wherein said first, second and third indicator members are rotatably mounted in one of said cap member and said base member, and wherein said one of said cap member and said base member comprises a first engagement member selectively engaged with and biasing at least one of said plurality of second driven teeth into engagement with at least one of said plurality of said driving teeth on said first indicator member, and wherein said one of said cap member and said base member comprises a second engagement member selectively engaged with and biasing said first advancement member into selective engagement with said at least one of said plurality of said first driven teeth.

21. The indicating device of claim 20 wherein said first, second and third indicator members are rotatably mounted on said cap member.

22. The indicating device of claim 20 wherein said first and second primary dosage indicia comprise numbers and wherein said secondary dosage indicia comprises color.