Variable proportion dispenser with cartridge replacement assembly

A variable proportion dispenser comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second variable volume containers mounted to the housing and including first and second exits and first and second movable elements by which the contents of the first and second containers Can be forced through said first and second exits as the first and second movable elements are moved from first and second starting positions towards first and second ending positions;
• first and second drive stems drivingly coupled to the first and second movable elements, the first and second drive stems including axially extending drive surfaces;
• a reciprocal drive assembly for reciprocally driving the first and second drive stems so to drive the first and second movable elements from the first and second starting positions towards the first and second ending positions in a cyclic manner, the reciprocal drive assembly including:
• first and second reciprocating drivers, including one-way drive elements, drivingly coupled to the first and second drive stems along the drive surfaces by the one-way drive elements;
• first and second stroke adjusters for adjusting the relative distances the first and second reciprocating drivers and the first and second drive stems associated therewith travel during each cycle of the reciprocal driver so that amounts and proportions of the contents of the first and second containers forced through the first and second exits during each of one or more cycles of the reciprocal drive assembly can be selected by the user while said amounts and proportions remain the same unless said relative distances are changed;
• and
• said drive surfaces and said reciprocating drivers adapted to permit a range of said relative distances to be chosen by the user through adjustment of said stroke adjusters;
• means for selectively releasing the one-way drive elements from the first and second drive stems;
• and
• means for selectively separating at lest a portion of the housing and the variable volume containers therewith from the remainder of the dispenser to provide user access to the variable volume containers.

A variable proportion dispenser comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second variable volume containers mounted to the housing and including first and second exits and first and second movable elements by which the contents of the first and second containers can be forced through said first and second exits as the first and second movable elements are moved from first and second starting positions towards first and second ending positions;
• first and second drive stems drivingly coupled to the first and second movable elements, the first and second drive stems including axially extending drive surfaces, the drive surfaces of the drive stems being at least partially defined by axially extending slots formed in the drive stems;
• a reciprocal drive assembly for reciprocally driving the first and second drive stems so as to drive the first and second movable elements from the first and second starting positions towards the first and second ending positions in a cyclic manner, the reciprocal drive assembly including:
• first and second reciprocating drivers, including one-way drive elements, drivingly coupled to the first and second drive stems along the drive surfaces by the one-way drive elements;
• first and second stroke adjusters for adjusting the relative distances the first and second reciprocating drivers and the first and second drive stems associated therewith travel during each cycle of the reciprocal driver so the amounts and proportions of the contents of the first and second containers forced through the first and second exits during each of one or more cycles of the reciprocal drive assembly can be selected by the user while said amounts and proportions remain the same unless said relative distances are changed;
• and
• said drive surface and said reciprocating drivers adapted to permit a range of said relative distances to be chosen by the user through adjustment of said stroke adjusters;
• and
• means for selectively releasing the one-way drive elements from the first and second drive stems.

A variable proportion dispenser comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second variable volume containers mounted to the housing and including first and second exits and first and second movable elements by which the contents of the first and second containers can be forced through said first and second exits as the first and second movable elements are moved from first and second starting positions towards first and second ending positions;
• first and second drive stems drivingly coupled to the first and second movable elements, the first and second drive stems including axially extending drive surfaces;
• a reciprocal drive assembly for reciprocally driving the first and second drive stems so to drive the first and second movable elements from the first and second starting positions towards the first and second ending positions in a cyclic manner, the reciprocal drive assembly including:
• first and second reciprocating drivers, including one-way drive elements, drivingly coupled to the first and second drive stems along the drive surfaces by the one-way drive elements, the one-way drive elements including spring arms positioned at an acute angle to the drive surfaces, the spring arms engaging the drive surfaces;
• first and second stroke adjusters for adjusting the relative distances the first and second reciprocating drivers and the first and second drive stems associated therewith travel during each cycle of the reciprocal driver so the amounts and proportions of the contents of the first and second containers forced through the first and second exits during each of one or more cycles of the reciprocal drive assembly can be selected by the user while said amounts and proportions remain the same unless said relative distances are changed;
• and
• said drive surfaces and said reciprocating drivers adapted to permit a range of said relative distances to be chosen by the user through adjustment of said stroke adjusters;
• and
• means for selectively releasing the one-way drive elements from the first and second drive stems.

A variable proportion dispenser comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second variable volume containers mounted to the housing and including first and second exits and first and second movable elements by which the contents of the first and second containers can be forced through said first and second exits as the first and second movable elements are moved from first and second starting positions towards first and second ending positions;
• first and second drive stems drivingly coupled to the first and second movable elements., the first and second drive stems including axially extending drive surfaces;
• a reciprocal drive assembly for reciprocally driving the first and second drive stems so to drive the first and second movable elements from the first and second starting positions towards the first and second ending positions in a cyclic manner, the reciprocal drive assembly including:
• first and second reciprocating drivers, including one-way drive elements, drivingly coupled to the first and second drive stems along the drive surfaces by the one-way drive elements;
• first and second stroke adjusters for adjusting the relative distances the first and second reciprocating drivers and the first and second drive stems associated therewith travel during each cycle of the reciprocal driver so the amounts and proportions of the contents of the first and second containers forced through the first and second exits during each of one or more cycles of the reciprocal drive assembly can be selected by the user while said amounts and proportions remain the same unless said relative distances are changed;
• and
• said drive surfaces and said reciprocating drivers adapted to permit a range of said relative distances to be chosen by the user through adjustment of said stroke adjusters;
• means for selectively releasing the one-way drive elements from the first and second drive stems;
• means for indicating the amounts of the contents of each of the first and second containers which are to be forced through the first and second exits during each of the one or more cycles of the reciprocating drive means, the indicating means includes first and second visual displays;
• the housing having first and second sides facing in opposite directions, said first and second displays located at the first and second sides, respectively.

A variable proportions dispenser comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second variable volume containers mounted to the housing and including first and second exits and first and second movable elements by which the contents of the first and second containers can be forced through said first and second exits as the first and second movable elements are moved from first and second starting positions towards first and second ending positions;
• first and second drive stems drivingly coupled to the first and second movable elements, the first and second drive stems including axially extending drive surfaces;
• a reciprocal drive assembly for reciprocally driving the first and second drive stems so to drive the first and second movable elements from the first and second starting positions towards the first and second ending positions in a cyclic manner, the reciprocal drive assembly including:
• first and second reciprocating drivers, including one-way drive elements, drivingly coupled to the first and second drive stems along the drive surfaces by the one-way drive elements;
• first and second stroke adjustors for adjusting the relative distances the first and second reciprocating drivers and the first and second drive stems associated therewith travel during each cycle of the reciprocal driver so the amounts and proportions of the contents of the first and second containers forced through the first and second exits during each of one or more cycles of the reciprocal drive assembly can be selected by the user while said amounts and proportions remain the same unless said relative distances are changed;
• and
• said drive surfaces and said reciprocating drivers adapted to permit a range of said relative distances to be chosen by the user through adjustment of said stroke adjusters;
• means for selectively releasing the one-way drive elements from the first and second drive stems;
• and
• means for indicating the amounts of the contents of each of the first and second containers which are to be forced through the first and second exits during each of the one or more cycles of the reciprocating drive means, the indicating means including:
• first and second indicators coupled to and axially movable with the first and second movable elements;
• and
• means for magnifying the axial movement of the first and second indicators over the corresponding axial movement of the first and second movable elements.

A variable proportion dispenser comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second variable volume containers mounted to the housing and including first and second exits and first and second movable elements by which the contents of the first and second containers can be forced through said first and second exits as the first and second movable elements are moved from first and second starting positions towards first and second ending positions;
• first and second drive stems drivingly coupled to the first and second movable elements, the first and second drive steps including axially extending drive surfaces;
• a reciprocal drive assembly for reciprocally driving the first and second drive stems so to drive the first and second movable elements from the first and second starting positions towards the first and second ending positions in a cyclic manner, the reciprocal drive assembly including:
• first and second reciprocating drivers, including one-way drive elements, drivingly coupled to the first and second drive stems along the drive surfaces by the one-way drive elements;
• first and second stroke adjusters for adjusting the relative distances the first and second reciprocating drivers and the first and second drive means associated therewith travel during each cycle of the reciprocal driver so the amounts and proportions of the contents of the first and second containers forced through the first and second exits during each of one or more cycles of the reciprocal drive assembly can be selected by the user while said amounts and proportions remain the same unless said relative distances are changed;
• said drive surfaces and said reciprocating drivers adapted to permit a range of said relative distances to be chosen by the user through adjustment of said stroke adjusters;
• and
• a sliding body slidably mounted to the housing;
• means for selectively releasing the one-way drive elements from the first and second drive stems;
• and
• a first indicator movably mounted to the sliding body and coupled to the first stroke adjuster to indicate the amount of the contents of the first variable volume container which is forced through the first exit during each of the one or more cycles of the reciprocal drive assembly, the first stroke adjuster being threadably mounted to the sliding body for movement therewith, the first stroke adjuster including a first set of external threads, having a first direction of twist, formed thereon by which the first stroke adjuster is threadably mounted to the slidable body, the first stroke adjuster including a second set of external threads, having a second direction of twist, formed at least partially coextensively with the first set of external threads, the first indicator engaging the second set of external threads.

A variable proportion dispenser comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second pharmaceutical-containing cartridges mounted within the housing, the cartridges each including a movable piston, an exit end and a pharmaceutical between the piston and the exit end;
• a reciprocating drive assembly comprising:
• first and second drive stems adapted to engage the pistons of the first and second cartridges to drive the contents of the cartridges through the exit ends;
• a sliding body slidably mounted to the housing for movement in delivery and return directions;
• first and second reciprocating drivers, carried by the sliding body, including one-way drive elements coupled to the first and second drive stems, the one-way drive elements and the first and second drive stems configured so that the first and second reciprocating drivers move the first and second drive stems only towards the first and second cartridges during the movement of the sliding body;
• means for adjusting the distance the first and second reciprocating drivers move the first and second drive stems towards the first and second cartridges during the movement of the sliding body in the delivery direction;
• and
• the stroke adjusting means includes an axially extending first dose adjuster element having first and second sets of opposite-hand threads formed at least partially coextensively along an outer surface thereof, the first set of threads engaging the sliding body so that the first dose adjuster moves with the sliding body;
• an indicator movably mounted to the sliding body for axial movement along the sliding body and for engaging the second set of threads, so that rotary adjustment of the first dose adjuster element causes the indicator to move relative to the sliding body by virtue of the movement of the first dose adjuster element within the sliding body and by virtue of the movement of the indicator along the second set of threads;
• means for selectively releasing the one-way drive elements from the first and second drive stems;
• and
• means for selectively separating at least a portion of the housing and the variable volume containers therewith from the remainder of the dispenser to provide user access to the variable volume containers.