Handheld dosage-dispensing instrument for powderous or pasteous dosage material

An instrument for dispensing a powderous or pasteous substance in measured quantities, comprising:

• a dispensing unit, comprising:
• a shutter bolt, mounted for vertical movement;
• a discharge orifice;
• a shutter element;
• arranged to selectively close the discharge orifice;
• and
• a control unit, configured as a grip handle and comprising:
• a body being generally elongate with a part that projects laterally therefrom when the instrument is oriented in a operating position, the body having a hollow space therein;
• and
• a holder device, the holder device configured to removably receive a dispensing unit for operation;
• an actuator, whose action is directed at an installed dispensing unit, the actuator comprising:
• a motor;
• a transmission, at least major portions of the motor and the transmission contained in the hollow space;
• an actuator element;
• arranged for operation by a user in the laterally-projecting part;
• and
• a drive shaft, arranged in the laterally-projecting part to be oriented essentially vertically when the instrument is operated with an installed dispensing unit, the motor acting through the transmission to rotate the drive shaft, a first end of the drive shaft facing towards the actuator element and a second end of the drive shaft facing towards the shutter bolt of the installed dispensing unit, such that movement of the actuator element by the user moves the drive shaft axially from a disengaged home position to an engaged position in which the second end mechanically engages the shutter bolt, and, by further movement of the actuator element, the user brings the drive shaft into a range of open positions in which the shutter element opens the discharge orifice to a variable, position-dependent extent.