Medicament dispensing device and method for the use thereof

A method for dispensing metered dosages of a substance from a container, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a dispenser housing;
• providing said container filled with a predetermined number of measured dosages, said container moveably supported in said dispenser housing;
• providing an indicating device comprising an indicator housing, at least one engagement member disposed in said indicator housing, a plurality of indicator members coaxially mounted in said housing and an actuator coupled to and moveable with said container relative to said plurality of indicator members, wherein said plurality of indicator members comprises at least a first and second indicator member, wherein at least one of said plurality of indicator members comprises dosage indicia and wherein said first indicator member comprises a first plurality of teeth, at least one of said first and second indicator members comprising an advancement member and at least the other of said first and second indicator members comprising a second plurality of teeth,
• moving said container relative to said dispenser housing a first predetermined number of movements;
• moving said actuator with said container relative to said dispenser housing and relative to said first indicator member said first predetermined number of movements;
• selectively engaging at least one of said first plurality of teeth on said first indicator member with said actuator and thereby rotating said first indicator member a first predetermined amount in response to said first predetermined number of movements of said actuator relative to said first indicator member;
• moving said container relative to said dispenser housing a second predetermined number of movements;
• rotating said first indicator member a second predetermined amount in response to said second predetermined number of movements of said container relative to said dispenser housing;
• selectively engaging said advancement member with said at least one engagement member and thereby biasing said advancement member into operable engagement with at least one of said second plurality of teeth of said at least the other of said first and second indicator members as said first indicator member is rotated said second predetermined amount, and thereby rotating said second indicator member a third predetermined amount with said advancement member in response to said second predetermined number of movements of said container relative to said dispenser housing.

A kit having components capable of being assembled as a dispensing device for dispensing metered dosages of a medicament from a container, the kit comprising:

• a dispenser housing having a longitudinally extending cavity and a well located at a bottom of said cavity, said housing having an exhaust port communicating with said well;
• said container comprising a valve stem extending longitudinally therefrom and moveable between a closed position and an open position, said container containing a plurality of metered dosages of said substance, said valve stem adapted to dispense one of said plurality of said metered dosages when said valve stem is moved to the open position, said container adapted to be disposed in said cavity of said dispenser housing and said valve stem received within said well;
• and
• an indicating device comprising:
• an indicator housing;
• at least one engagement member disposed in said indicator housing;
• a plurality of indicator members coaxially mounted in said indicator housing, wherein said plurality of indicator members comprises at least a first and second indicator member, wherein at least one of said plurality of indicator members comprises dosage indicia, wherein said first indicator member comprises a first plurality of teeth, wherein at least one of said first and second indicator members comprises an advancement member and at least the other of said first and second indicator members comprises a second plurality of teeth, and wherein said at least one engagement member is adapted to selectively engage said advancement member so as to bias said advancement member into operable engagement with at least one of said second plurality of teeth of said at least the other of said first and second indicator members as said first indicator member is rotated relative to said second indicator member;
• and
• an actuator adapted to be coupled to said container, said actuator member moveable relative to said plurality of indicator members and adapted to selectively engage at least one of said first plurality of teeth of said first indicator member so as to advance said first indicator member a first incremental amount in response to the movement of said actuator relative to said plurality of indicator members.