Dispensing device

• US 9,265,901 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Original Assignee: Trudell Medical International (Trudell Medical Limited)
• Inventors: Lawrence, Greg, Scarrott, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, RACHEL T
• Application Number:
  US13/414,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20120247458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0076 on a drum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0081 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0086 Inhalation chambers
• 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: G09F 11/04 the elements being secured to rotating discs G09F11/025 takes precedence

Abstract

A dispenser includes a dispenser housing, an indicating device connected to the dispenser housing and a container removably engaged with the dispenser housing. The container and the dispenser housing remain connected as the container is moved between an engaged position and a disengaged position relative to the dispenser housing. The dispenser housing includes an upper portion pivotally connected to a lower portion.

Claims

1. A dispenser that dispenses dosages of a substance comprising:

a container comprising an end portion and a valve stem extending from said end portion; and

a dispenser housing comprising;

a lower portion having a support block and a mouthpiece; and

an upper portion pivotally connected to said lower portion about a pivot axis oriented non-parallel to a longitudinal axis and moveably coupled to said container, wherein said upper portion and said container are pivotable together relative to said lower portion from a first position, wherein said valve stem is engaged with said support block in an engaged position, to a second position, wherein said valve stem is disengaged from said support block in a disengaged position, and wherein said container is moveable relative to said upper portion along said longitudinal axis at least when said upper portion is in said first position, and wherein said container remains moveably coupled to said upper portion as said upper portion and said container are pivotable relative to said lower portion from said first position to said second position.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising an indicating device connected to said lower portion of said dispenser housing, said indicating device comprising an indicator comprising dosage indicia.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said upper portion is moveably connected to said container with a retainer.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said retainer comprises a retainer ring disposed around a portion of said container and an engaging portion extending from said retainer ring and moveably engaging said upper portion.

5. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said upper portion comprises a guide and said retainer comprises an arm extending parallel to said longitudinal axis, wherein said arm extends through said guide.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein said arm comprises an engaging portion retaining said arm in said guide as said container is moved relative to said upper portion.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are engaged and define an interior cavity when in said first position.

9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are engaged with a friction fit when in said first position.

10. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein said lower portion comprises a first rim and said upper portion comprises a second rim engaging said first rim when said lower and upper portions are in said first position.

11. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are pivotally connected with a hinge pin defining said pivot axis.

12. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are integrally formed and pivotally connected with a living hinge defining said pivot axis.

13. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said container holds a medicament.

14. A dispenser adapted to dispense dosages of a substance from a container comprising:

a dispenser housing comprising;

a lower portion having a support block defining a first longitudinal axis and a mouthpiece; and

an upper portion defining a second longitudinal axis, said upper portion pivotally connected to said lower portion about a pivot axis oriented non-parallel to said first longitudinal axis, wherein said upper portion is pivotable relative to said lower portion about said pivot axis from a first position, wherein said first and second longitudinal axes are co-axial, to a second position, wherein said first and second longitudinal axes are non-parallel; and

a retainer adapted to be coupled to and in direct contact with said container, said retainer moveably connected to said upper portion, wherein said retainer is co-axial with said second longitudinal axis in said second position.

15. The dispenser of claim 14 further comprising an indicating device connected to said lower portion of said dispenser housing, said indicating device comprising an indicator comprising dosage indicia.

16. The dispenser of claim 14 wherein said retainer comprises a retainer ring adapted to be disposed around a portion of the container and an engaging portion extending from said retainer ring and moveably engaging said upper portion.

17. The dispenser of claim 16 wherein said upper portion comprises a guide and said retainer comprises an arm extending parallel to said second longitudinal axis and comprising said engaging portion, wherein said arm extends through said guide.

18. The dispenser of claim 17 wherein said engaging portion retains said arm in said guide as said retainer is moved relative to said upper portion.

19. The dispenser of claim 14 wherein said pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis.

20. The dispenser of claim 14 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are engaged and define an interior cavity when in said first position.

21. The dispenser of claim 20 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are engaged with a friction fit when in said first position.

22. The dispenser of claim 20 wherein said lower portion comprises a first rim and said upper portion comprises a second rim engaging said first rim when said lower and upper portions are in said first position.

23. The dispenser of claim 14 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are pivotally connected with a hinge pin defining said pivot axis.

24. The dispenser of claim 14 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are integrally formed and pivotally connected with a living hinge defining said pivot axis.

25. A method of using a dispenser housing having a container that dispenses dosages of a medicament, the method comprising:

providing a container comprising a valve stem disposed in a support block formed in a lower portion of said dispenser housing, said support block defining a longitudinal axis, wherein a portion of said container is moveably connected to an upper portion of said dispenser housing pivotally connected to said lower portion about a pivot axis oriented non-parallel to said longitudinal axis;

successively moving said container relative to said support block along said longitudinal axis a plurality of times and thereby dispensing a plurality of dosages of medicament;

indicating to a user the number of dosages of medicament dispensed from or remaining in said container;

disengaging said valve stem of said container from said support block in said lower portion while maintaining a connection between said container and said upper portion; and

pivoting said upper portion and said container about said pivot axis relative to said lower portion while maintaining a connection between said upper portion and said container.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are engaged and define an interior cavity when said container is being successively moved relative to said support block.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are engaged with a friction fit when in said first position.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein said lower portion comprises a first rim and said upper portion comprises a second rim engaging said first rim when said lower and upper portions are engaged and define said interior cavity.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein said pivoting said upper portion relative to said lower portion comprises pivoting said upper portion relative to said lower portion about a hinge pin defining said pivot axis.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein said upper and lower portions are integrally formed, and wherein said pivoting said upper portion relative to said lower portion comprises pivoting said upper portion relative to said lower portion about a living hinge defining said pivot axis.

32. The method of claim 25 further comprising a retainer coupled to said container and moveably coupled to said upper portion, and wherein said successively moving said container relative to said support block comprises moving said retainer relative to said upper portion.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said upper portion comprises a guide and said retainer comprises an arm extending parallel to said longitudinal axis, wherein said moving said retainer relative to said upper portion comprises moving said arm relative to said guide.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising retaining said arm in said guide with an engaging portion.