Counter for metered dose inhaler

• US 8,215,299 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intech Biopharm Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Synmosa Biopharma Corporation
• Inventors: Wu, Wei-Hsiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven
• Application Number:
  US12/768,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20110265788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.14, 128/200.18, 128/200.23, 128/203.15, 128/203.12, 128/205.23, 128/203.23, 222/32, 222/36, 222/162, 116311-315, 116/317, 116/318
• US Class Current: 128/200.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• 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

Abstract

A dose counter is provided for coupling with a metered dose inhaler. The dose counter includes a top cover that has a top forming an observation window. The top cover forms an interior space receiving therein a circuit board and an electrical cell supplying electrical power. The circuit board includes a counting circuit and a display screen that is arranged under the window. As such, in the use of the inhaler, depression of the top cover actuates the inhaler and causes the display screen to display the number of times of actuation so as to allow a user to realize the remaining number of times for use of the inhaler thereby improving safety of medication use.

Claims

1. A dose counter adapted to install on an end of a medication canister, does counter comprising a top cover, a circuit board, a positioning ring, an electrical cell, and a bottom cap, and characterized in that:

the top cover has a top forming a transparent window, the top cover receiving and retaining therein the circuit board, the positioning ring, the electrical cell, and the bottom cap, an elastic device being arranged between the circuit board and the positioning ring, the circuit board forming a counting circuit that is constituted by a micro-controller unit, the counting circuit being in electrical connection with a display screen, an increment button, and a reset button; and

the positioning ring has a top forming a projection, which opposes an underside of the increment button, the positioning ring forming an accommodation chamber, which receives and retains therein positive and negative terminals and the electrical cell, which are electrically connected to the circuit board through electrical conductors, the positioning ring being coupled to the top cover, the bottom cap being coupled to an underside of the positioning ring;

wherein the dose counter is releasably installed on the end of the medication canister with the bottom cap and the medication canister is mounted to a mouthpiece by having an end tube fit into a pump inside the mouthpiece, whereby depression of the dose counter causes the number of times of depression of the dose counter to be displayed.

2. The dose counter according to claim 1, wherein the top of the top cover forms an opening adjacent to the window, the circuit board comprising a reset button in connection with the counting circuit, the reset button being received in the opening.

3. The dose counter according to claim 1, wherein the top cover forms a plurality of coupling holes and the circuit board forms a plurality of through holes, bolts being respectively put through the through holes of the circuit board to secure the circuit board to the coupling holes of the top cover.

4. The dose counter according to claim 1, wherein the top cover forms at least two fixation pegs on a circumferential portion around the window and the positioning ring forms through holes corresponding to the two fixation pegs of the top cover, bolts being respectively put through the through holes to secure the positioning ring to the fixation pegs of the top cover.

5. The dose counter according to claim 1, wherein the positioning ring has a bottom to which a bottom ring is mounted, the bottom ring having a bottom forming retention pins, the bottom ring forming through holes, bolts being respectively put through the through holes of the bottom ring and through holes defined in the positioning ring to couple the bottom ring to the top cover, the bottom cap having a top forming retention slots that receive and engage the retention pins of the bottom ring.

6. The dose counter according to claim 1, wherein the bottom cap has a circumferential portion forming a resilient structure, the resilient structure of the bottom cap being releasably fit to the medication canister.