Medicament-containing dispenser provided with a display for presenting indicia to a user

• US 9,056,174 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Astrazeneca AB (Astrazeneca PLC)
• Original Assignee: Astrazeneca AB (Astrazeneca PLC)
• Inventors: Bradshaw, Douglas, Burstall, Oliver, Campbell, Patrick, Cooke, Charles, Cramer, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan-Uyen (Jackie) T
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRYANT, ERIC C
• Application Number:
  US12/864,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20110041842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0026 Hinged caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0045 using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
• 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 15/0075 on a disc
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/584 having a color code

Abstract

A medicament-containing dispenser, such as an inhaler, comprises an outlet for dispensing medicament, e.g. a mouthpiece or a nasal adaptor. The dispenser also comprises a display for presenting indicia to a user. The dispenser further comprises an outlet cover movable between a first position in which it covers the outlet and a second position in which the outlet is uncovered, wherein, when the outlet cover is in the first position, indicia is visible in the display, and wherein, when the outlet cover is in the second position, indicia is out of sight to the user.

Claims

1. A medicament-containing dispenser, comprising:

an outlet for dispensing the medicament;

a display for presenting an indicia to a user, the indicia representing dosing information;

an outlet cover movable between a first position in which the outlet cover covers the outlet and a second position in which the outlet is uncovered;

a concealing member adapted to conceal the display;

wherein, when said outlet cover is in said first position, the indicia is visible in said display; and

wherein, when said outlet cover is in said second position, the indicia is out of view to the user.

2. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a circuit configured to disable the display, wherein the display electronically presents the indicia.

3. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said concealing member comprises the outlet cover, wherein said display is concealed by the outlet cover when the outlet cover is in the second position.

4. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein said display is a first display and the indicia is a first indicia, the medicament-containing dispenser further comprising a second display for presenting a second indicia to a user,

wherein, when said outlet cover is in said first position, the first indicia is visible in the first display and the second indicia is not visible in the second display, and

wherein, when said outlet cover is in said second position, the second indicia is visible in the second display and the first indicia is not visible in the first display.

5. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 4,

wherein, when said outlet cover is in said first position, the first display is visible and the second display is concealed by said concealing member, and

wherein, when said outlet cover is in said second position, the second display is visible and the first display is concealed by said concealing member.

6. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein said concealing member comprises the outlet cover, wherein said first and second displays are concealed by the outlet cover when the outlet cover is in the second and first positions, respectively.

7. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first display presents the first indicia indicating a number of doses that have been dispensed or remain to be dispensed from the medicament-containing dispenser.

8. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second display presents the second indicia indicating a current dispensing state of the medicament-containing dispenser.

9. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 8, wherein the medicament-containing dispenser is variable between at least two of the following dispensing states:

a dose is ready for dispensing, and

a dose has been correctly dispensed, and

a dose has been incorrectly dispensed.

10. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first display has a different geometrical shape compared to the second display.

11. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet cover is slidable between said first and second positions.

12. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet cover is rotatable between said first and second positions.

13. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a housing, wherein at least one of said first and second displays comprises at least one of an opening and a window in the housing through which the first indicia and the second indicia are presentable.

14. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first indicia presented by the first display and the second indicia presented by the second display is mechanically changeable.

15. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the medicament-containing dispenser is an inhaler, wherein said outlet includes at least one of a mouthpiece and a nasal adaptor through which a user is enabled to inhale the medicament.

16. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein said display is a first display and the indicia is a first indicia, the medicament-containing dispenser further comprising a second display for presenting a second indicia to a user,

wherein the circuit is further configured to

enable display of the first indicia in the first display and disable display of the second indicia in the second display when said outlet cover is in said first position, and

enable display of the second indicia in the second display and disable display of the first indicia in the first display when said outlet cover is in said second position.

17. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first display presents the first indicia indicating a number of doses that has been dispensed or remains to be dispensed from the medicament-containing dispenser.

18. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second display presents the second indicia indicating a current dispensing state of the medicament-containing dispenser.

19. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 18, wherein the dispenser is variable between at least two of the following dispensing states:

a dose is ready for dispensing, and

a dose has been correctly dispensed, and

a dose has been incorrectly dispensed.

20. The medicament-containing dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet cover is pivotable between said first and second positions.