Dose indicating device
First Claim
1. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, the indicating device comprising:
- a housing component;
an actuator reciprocally moveable a plurality of actuations along a linear path;
a gear engageable by said actuator and rotatable about a rotation axis; and
an indicator member rotatably mounted to said housing component about said rotation axis, said indicator member comprising numerical dosage indicia corresponding to a set of consecutive whole numbers, wherein said set of consecutive whole numbers includes a first number and a last number, wherein the difference between the first number and the last number is at least 60, wherein said indicator member is rotatable a maximum amount to the next consecutive whole number in response to each consecutive reciprocal movement of said actuator, wherein said indicator member is rotatable between at least a first position wherein said first number is visible to a user and a last position wherein said last number is visible to a user, and wherein said indicia are maintained a fixed distance relative to said rotation axis as said indicator member is rotated between said first and last positions.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
338 Citations
23 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, the indicating device comprising:
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a housing component; an actuator reciprocally moveable a plurality of actuations along a linear path; a gear engageable by said actuator and rotatable about a rotation axis; and an indicator member rotatably mounted to said housing component about said rotation axis, said indicator member comprising numerical dosage indicia corresponding to a set of consecutive whole numbers, wherein said set of consecutive whole numbers includes a first number and a last number, wherein the difference between the first number and the last number is at least 60, wherein said indicator member is rotatable a maximum amount to the next consecutive whole number in response to each consecutive reciprocal movement of said actuator, wherein said indicator member is rotatable between at least a first position wherein said first number is visible to a user and a last position wherein said last number is visible to a user, and wherein said indicia are maintained a fixed distance relative to said rotation axis as said indicator member is rotated between said first and last positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, the indicating device comprising:
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a housing component; an actuator reciprocally moveable a plurality of actuations along a linear path; and an indicator member rotatably mounted to said housing component about a rotation axis, said indicator member comprising numerical dosage indicia corresponding to a set of consecutive whole numbers, wherein said set of consecutive whole numbers includes a first number and a last number, wherein the difference between the first number and the last number is at least 60, wherein said indicator member is rotatable a maximum amount to the next consecutive whole number in response to each consecutive reciprocal movement of said actuator, wherein said indicator member is rotatable between at least a first position wherein said first number is visible to a user and a last position wherein said last number is visible to a user, and wherein said indicia are maintained a fixed distance relative to said rotation axis as said indicator member is rotated between said first and last positions, wherein said set of consecutive whole numbers are arranged in a helical pattern on said indicator member. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A dispensing device for dispensing metered dosages of medicament comprising:
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a container comprising a plurality of dosages of medicament, wherein said container has a first end comprising a valve stem and an opposite second end; a housing component coupled to said second end of said container; an actuator reciprocally movable in a plurality of actuations; a gear engageable by said actuator and rotatable about a rotation axis; and an indicator member rotatably mounted to said housing component about said rotation axis, said indicator member comprising numerical dosage indicia corresponding to a set of consecutive whole numbers, wherein said set of consecutive whole numbers includes a first number and a last number, wherein the difference between the first number and the last number is at least 100, wherein said indicator member is rotatable between at least a first position wherein said first number is visible to a user and a last position wherein said last number is visible to a user, and wherein none of said indicia overlap so as to cover other of said indicia as said indicator member is rotated between said first and last position. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A dispensing device for dispensing metered dosages of medicament comprising:
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a container comprising a plurality of dosages of medicament, wherein said container has a first end comprising a valve stem and an opposite second end; a housing component coupled to said second end of said container; and an indicator member rotatably mounted to said housing component about a rotation axis, said indicator member comprising numerical dosage indicia corresponding to a set of consecutive whole numbers, wherein said set of consecutive whole numbers includes a first number and a last number, wherein the difference between the first number and the last number is at least 100, wherein said indicator member is rotatable between at least a first position wherein said first number is visible to a user and a last position wherein said last number is visible to a user, and wherein none of said indicia overlap so as to cover the other of said indicia as said indicator member is rotated between said first and last position, wherein said indicia are maintained a fixed distance relative to said rotation axis as said indicator member is rotated between said first and last positions, and wherein said set of consecutive whole numbers are arranged in a helical pattern on said indicator member. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, the method comprising:
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successively dispensing a plurality of metered dosages of medicament from a container; rotating a gear about a rotation axis in response to each dispensation of a metered dose of medicament; rotating an indicator member an incremental amount about said rotation axis in response to each rotation of said gear; and successively displaying numerical dosage indicia disposed on said indicator member, wherein said dosage indicia corresponds to a set of consecutive whole numbers, wherein said set of consecutive whole numbers includes a first number and a last number, wherein the difference between the first number and the last number is at least 100, and maintaining said indicia a fixed distance relative to said rotation axis while successively displaying said numerical dosage indicia. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification