# US 10,369,307 B2 · Dispenser > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,307 B2 - Document ID: US10369307B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/420,995 - Filed: 2017-01-31 - Published: 2017-06-01 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2005-09-09 - Applicants: Clinical Designs Limited - Inventors: Raymond John Bacon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369307B2 ## CPC - A61M 15/0091: {mechanically breath-triggered} - A61M 11/006: {operated by applying mechanical pressure to the liquid to be sprayed or atomised} - A61M 13/00: Insufflators for therapeutic or disinfectant purposes {, i.e. devices for blowing a gas, powder or vapour into the body (hand-held units in which gas flow is produced by muscular energy at the moment of use B05B11/062)} - A61M 15/0021: {Mouthpieces therefor} - A61M 15/0065: {Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices (A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52)} - A61M 15/0068: {Indicating or counting the number of dispensed doses or of remaining doses} - A61M 15/009: {using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans (pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08)} - A61M 15/0096: {Hindering inhalation before activation of the dispenser} - A61M 15/0093: {without arming or cocking, e.g. acting directly on the delivery valve} - A61M 2202/064: Powder - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A medicated inhalant dispenser has a plastics material body having a mouthpiece. A pressurized, inhalant source has a canister and a sprout which his moved towards the canister for release of a dose from the canister. The sprout is accommodated in a junction member, which is movable by a cam connected to a pivotal cover for the mouthpiece. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An enclosed aerosol source combination comprising an assembled combination of the aerosol source, a body and an enclosure: the aerosol source having: a canister, a spout at one end of the canister, the spout being movable inwards of the canister for substance release, a spring urging the spout outwards of the canister with a force required to be overcome for release movement inwards, and a valve for releasing a substance from the canister on longitudinal movement of the spout against the spring; the body having: a mouthpiece for inhalation/insufflation of the substance; a moveable junction member for receiving the spout; and a dispense mechanism able to be cocked to move the junction member and receive a substance dose and to be triggered by inhalation releasing the substance dose; the enclosure having: at least one dispense-mechanism positioning feature at a determined position; and a location member for the canister, the location member configured to be adjusted to provide a determined dose of the spout with respect to the at least one dispense-mechanism positioning feature after the aerosol canister has been assembled into the enclosure, an arrangement of the assembled combination being such that on movement of the spout through determined stroke with respect to the dispense-mechanism, positioning feature and against the spring substance release is predictable. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one dispense-mechanism positioning feature is an enclosure abutment feature for the body included in the combination, the body having: a second abutment feature for abutment of the enclosure abutment feature; the two abutment features being connected together by a connection means. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connection means of the two abutment features are selected from the group consisting of interengagement of complementary features, a welded joint and an adhesive joint. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location member is a compressed end location member for the canister in the enclosure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the location member is a part added to the enclosure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 5, wherein the location member is a washer of aluminium honeycomb material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the location member is a deformable part of the enclosure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 7, wherein the location member is an integrally moulded honeycomb or set of radial ribs. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 7, wherein the location member includes a rigid disc or washer pressed into the deformable part of the enclosure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enclosure is imperforate at the end of the canister opposite from the spout and along a side thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enclosure is skeletal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An adjustment method of the enclosed aerosol source as claimed in claim 1, the method consisting in the steps of: measuring the overall length of the source from the distal end of the source's spout to the source's other end; adjusting the location member for the canister; and assembling the aerosol source, the body and the enclosure to form the enclosed aerosol source combination. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The adjustment method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the location member is a compressed end location member for the canister in the enclosure, and wherein: the adjusting consists of compressing the location member to a standard dimension less the overall length of the source, the standard dimension being the distance from a support for the location member and the at least one dispense-mechanism positioning feature and a fixed use dimension from the at least one dispense-mechanism positioning feature to the distal end of the spout. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The adjustment method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the location member is adjusted by machining. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The adjustment method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the adjustable location is adjusted by crushing with a force controlled to be a determined amount higher than the dose release force of the source. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The adjustment method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the crush force is substantially double the release force. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The adjustment method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the location member is adjusted by plastic deformation of the location member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) An adjustment method utilising the enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 1, comprising the steps of: measuring the overall length of the source from the distal end of the source's spout to the source's other end, wherein the measuring consists of indirectly measuring the overall length of the source by measuring a position of an end of the source with respect to a datum in the body, with the source and the spout held towards the junction member with no end float; and adjusting the location member so as to provide a determined position of the spout with respect to the at least one dispense-mechanism positioning feature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The adjustment method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the measuring is carried out with the dose release mechanism in a state for moving the spout for release of a dose from the source and the source urged towards the junction member for such release and the adjustment being compensated for stroke of the junction member and the spout. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The adjustment method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the measuring step is made with the spout in a quiescent position with respect to the source and with the junction member and the dose release mechanism being in their normal rest position state from which they are moved for dose release. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The adjustment method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the adjustment of the location member is such that the canister is supported with negligible end float. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The enclosed aerosol source combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is devoid of any feature intended for longitudinal location of the canister.