Indicating device with warning dosage indicator

• US 8,578,934 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Original Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Inventors: Morton, Robert, Lu, Winston Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ostrup, Clinton T
• Application Number:
  US12/579,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20100163031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.14, 128/200.22, 128/200.23, 128/200.21, 128/913, 128/203.12, 128/203.13, 128/203.14, 128/203.23
• US Class Current: 128/205.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0073 on a ring
• 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: A61M 2205/6045 having complementary physical shapes for indexing or registration purposes

Abstract

An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes at least one first indicator member incrementally moveable to a plurality of positions and a second indicator member moveable in response to a predetermined number of movements of the at least one first indicator member. The at least one first indicator member includes primary dosage indicia adapted to indicate the number of dosages of substance that have been dispensed from or remain in the container. The second indicator member includes secondary dosage indicia adapted to indicate that less than a minimum predetermined number of dosages of substance remain in the container. In one preferred embodiment, the primary dosage indicia are configured as numerical indicia and the secondary dosage indicia are configured as color indicia. In another aspect, a device for dispensing dosages of a substance includes a dispenser housing and a container disposed in the dispenser housing. The indicating device is located adjacent to and is actuated by one or the other of the top or bottom of the container. A method for indicating the number of metered dosages of medicaments dispensed from or remaining in the container is also provided.

Claims

1. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, said indicating device comprising:

a first dose indicator member rotatable about a first axis, wherein said first dose indicator member is moveable about said first axis to a plurality of positions and wherein said first dose indicator member comprises first dosage indicia;

a second dose indicator member rotatable between a plurality of positions about a second axis, wherein said second dose indicator member comprises second dosage indicia, and wherein said first and second axes are parallel and spaced apart, and wherein said first dose indicator member is engageable with and rotates said second dose indicator member about said second axis after a predetermined number of movements of said first dose indicator member, wherein each of said first and second dose indicator members comprise first and second circumferential faces lying parallel to said first and second axes, wherein said first and second dosage indicia are applied to said first and second circumferential faces; and

a drive gear rotatable about a third axis, wherein said drive gear is engageable with said first dose indicator member.

2. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein said first and second dose indicator members are formed respectively with first and second diameters, wherein said second diameter is less than said first diameter.

3. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein said first dose indicator member comprises a drive tooth engageable with said second indicator member.

4. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second faces are oriented in the same direction.

5. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein said first dosage indicia comprises numerical indicia.

6. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein said second dosage indicia comprise different colors.

7. The indicating device of claim 1 wherein said second dosage indicia comprise alphanumeric characters.

8. The indicating device of claim 1 further comprising a housing, wherein said first and second dose indicators and said drive gear are rotatably mounted in said housing, and wherein said housing comprises a viewing window.

9. The indicating device of claim 1 further comprising an actuator reciprocally moveable along a path substantially perpendicular to said third axis, wherein said actuator is engageable with said drive gear so as to rotate said drive gear about said third axis.

10. The indicating device of claim 9 wherein said actuator comprises a pawl member configured to successively engage teeth formed on said drive member.

11. A medication delivery device comprising:

a dispenser housing having a support block;

a container filled with medicament and comprising a first end with a valve stem disposed in said support block and a second end opposite said first end;

an indicating device connected to one of said second end of said container or said dispenser housing, said indicating device comprising;

a first dose indicator member rotatable about a first axis, wherein said first indicator member is moveable about said first axis to a plurality of positions and wherein said first indicator member comprises first dosage indicia;

a second dose indicator member rotatable between a plurality of positions about a second axis, wherein said second dose indicator member comprises second dosage indicia, and wherein said first and second axes are parallel and spaced apart, and wherein said first dose indicator member is engageable with and rotates said second dose indicator member about said second axis after a predetermined number of movements of said first dose indicator member, wherein each of said first and second dose indicator members comprise first and second circumferential faces lying parallel to said first and second axes, wherein said first and second dosage indicia are applied to said first and second circumferential faces; and

a drive gear rotatable about a third axis, wherein said drive gear is engageable with said first dose indicator member.

12. The medication delivery device of claim 11 wherein said first and second dose indicator members are formed respectively with first and second diameters, wherein said second diameter is less than said first diameter.

13. The medication delivery device of claim 11 wherein said first indicator dose member comprises a drive tooth engageable with said second dose indicator member.

14. The medication delivery device of claim 11 wherein each of said first and second faces are oriented in the same direction.

15. The medication delivery device of claim 11 further comprising an actuator reciprocally moveable along a path substantially perpendicular to said third axis, wherein said actuator is engageable with said drive gear so as to rotate said drive gear about said third axis.

16. The medication delivery device of claim 15 wherein said actuator comprises a pawl member configured to successively engage teeth formed on said drive member.

17. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, said indicating device comprising:

a first dose indicator member rotatable about a first axis, wherein said first dose indicator member is moveable about said first axis to a plurality of positions, wherein said first dose indicator member comprises first dosage indicia and wherein said first dose indicator member has a face having a first radius; and

a second dose indicator member rotatable between a plurality of positions about a second axis, wherein said second dose indicator member comprises second dosage indicia, wherein said first and second axes are parallel and spaced apart a greater distance than said first radius, and wherein said second dose indictor member has a face having a second radius, wherein said second radius is less than said first radius.

18. The indicating device of claim 17 wherein said first dose indicator member comprises a first stop member engaging a second stop member after a maximum number of dosages have been counted.

19. The indicating device of claim 17 wherein said first dose indicator member comprises a plurality of indentations disposed around an outer circumferential surface, and further comprising a resilient indexing member having an end portion releasably engaging at least one of said indentations.

20. A medication delivery device comprising:

a dispenser housing having a support block;

a container filled with medicament and comprising a first end with a valve stem disposed in said support block and a second end opposite said first end;

an indicating device connected to one of said second end of said container or said dispenser housing, said indicating device comprising;

a first dose indicator member rotatable about a first axis, wherein said first dose indicator member is moveable about said first axis to a plurality of positions, wherein said first dose indicator member comprises first dosage indicia and wherein said first dose indicator member has a face having a first radius; and

a second dose indicator member rotatable between a plurality of positions about a second axis, wherein said second dose indicator member comprises second dosage indicia, wherein said first and second axes are parallel and spaced apart a greater distance than said first radius, and wherein said dose second indictor member has a face having a second radius, wherein said second radius is less than said first radius.

21. The medication delivery device of claim 20 wherein said first dose indicator member comprises a first stop member engaging a second stop member after a maximum number of dosages have been counted.

22. The medication delivery device of claim 20 wherein said first dose indicator member comprises a plurality of indentations disposed around an outer circumferential surface, and further comprising a resilient indexing member having an end portion releasably engaging at least one of said indentations.

23. An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container, said indicating device comprising:

a first dose indicator member rotatable about a first axis, wherein said first dose indicator member is moveable about said first axis to a plurality of positions, wherein said first dose indicator member comprises first dosage indicia, wherein said first dose indicator member comprises a first stop member;

a second dose indicator member rotatable between a plurality of positions about a second axis, wherein said second dose indicator member comprises second dosage indicia, wherein said first and second axes are parallel and spaced apart, wherein each of said first and second dose indicator members comprise first and second circumferential faces lying parallel to said first and second axes, wherein said first and second dosage indicia are applied to said first and second faces; and

a second stop member, wherein said first stop member is engageable with said second stop member after a maximum number of dosages have been counted.

24. The indicating device of claim 23 wherein said first dose indicator member comprises a plurality of indentations disposed around an outer circumferential surface, and further comprising a resilient indexing member having an end portion releasably engaging at least one of said indentations.

25. A medication delivery device comprising:

a dispenser housing having a support block;

a container filled with medicament and comprising a first end with a valve stem disposed in said support block and a second end opposite said first end;

an indicating device connected to one of said second end of said container or said dispenser housing, said indicating device comprising;

a first dose indicator member rotatable about a first axis, wherein said first dose indicator member is moveable about said first axis to a plurality of positions, wherein said first dose indicator member comprises first dosage indicia, wherein said first dose indicator member comprises a first stop member;

a second dose indicator member rotatable between a plurality of positions about a second axis, wherein said second dose indicator member comprises second dosage indicia, wherein said first and second axes are parallel and spaced apart, wherein each of said first and second dose indicator members comprise first and second circumferential faces lying parallel to said first and second axes, wherein said first and second dosage indicia are applied to said first and second faces; and

a second stop member, wherein said first stop member is engageable with said second stop member after a maximum number of dosages have been counted.

26. The medication delivery device of claim 25 wherein said first dose indicator member comprises a plurality of indentations disposed around an outer circumferential surface, and further comprising a resilient indexing member having an end portion releasably engaging at least one of said indentations.