Indicating device for aerosol container

An inhalation device for dispensing metered dosages of medicaments from a container comprising:

• a housing having a longitudinally extending cavity and a well located at a bottom of said cavity, said housing having a generally open end at a top of said cavity;
• 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 medicaments, said valve stem dispensing one of said plurality of said metered dosages when said valve stem is moved to the open position, said container disposed in said cavity of said housing such that said valve stem is received within said well and such that a bottom end of said container extends from the generally open end of said housing so as to be exposed to the user, said container reciprocally moveable within said housing along said longitudinal extent of the cavity such that said valve stem is moved between said open and closed position by engagement with said well;
• and
• an indicating device comprising:
• a base member mounted to the bottom end of said container extending from said generally open end of said housing;
• a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along said longitudinal axis;
• an indicator member rotatably mounted in said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal movement of said cap member relative to said base member and of said container relative to said housing, said indicator member comprising a plurality of teeth;
• a drive mechanism comprising a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted to one of said base member and said cap member about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal movement of said cap member relative to said base member and of said container relative to said housing, a drive member coaxially mounted with said ratchet wheel, and a pawl mounted on the other of said base member and said cap member, said pawl selectively engaged with said ratchet wheel upon each longitudinal movement of said cap member relative to said base member so as to rotate said ratchet wheel and said drive member an incremental amount, and wherein said drive member is selectively engaged with at least one of said plurality of said indicator member teeth upon a predetermined number of longitudinal axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member so as to rotate said indicator member an incremental amount.

An indicating device for indicating the number of metered doses dispensed from or remaining in a container, said indicating device comprising:

• a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
• a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member axially moveable relative to said base member;
• an indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member;
• and
• means responsible to said axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member for rotating said indicator member an incremental amount upon a predetermined number of said axial movements, wherein said predetermined number of axial movements is greater than one.

An indicating device for indicating the number of metered doses dispensed from or remaining in a container, said indicating device comprising:

• a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
• a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;
• an indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member;
• and
• a mechanism selectively engaged between said cap member and said indicator member wherein said mechanism rotates said indicator member an incremental amount upon a predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member, wherein said predetermined number of axial movements is greater than one.

An indicating device for indicating the number of metered doses dispensed from or remaining in a container, said indicating device comprising:

• a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
• a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;
• an indicator member disposed in said cap member;
• and
• an engagement member disposed on one of said indicator member and said cap member and engaging the other of said indicator member and said cap member so as to prevent axial movement between said cap member and said indicator member and such that said indicator member is rotatably mounted to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the axial path defined by the movement of said cap member relative to said base member.

A method for indicating the number of metered dosages of medicaments dispensed from or remaining in a container having a valve stem extending longitudinally therefrom and moveable between a closed position and an open position, said container dispensing said metered dosage when said valve stem is moved to the open position, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing having a well and an exhaust port, said well communicating with said exhaust port, said housing having a generally open end opposite said well;
• providing said container filled with a predetermined number of measured dosages, said container moveably supported in said housing along a longitudinal axis, said container comprising a valve stem received within said well of said housing and moveable between a closed and open position as said container is moved longitudinally within said housing, said container adapted to discharge a measured dosage when said valve stem is moved to the open position, said container having a bottom end extending from the generallu open end of said housing;
• providing an indicating device comprising:
• a base member mounted to the bottom end of said container extending from said generally open end of said housing;
• a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative too said base member along said longitudinal axis;
• an indicator member rotatably mounteds to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal movement of said cap member relative to said base member and of said container relative to said housing, said indicator member comprising a plurality of teeth;
• and
• a drive mechanism comprising a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted to one of said base member and said cap member about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal movement of said cap member relative to said base member and of said container relative to said housing, a drive member coaxially mounted with said ratchet wheel, and a pawl mounted on one of said base member and said cap member;
• moving said cap member towards said base member so as to move said container along said longitudinal axis and thereby move said valve stem to the open position so as to discharge a measured dosage through said well and said port;
• moving said cap member away from said base member;
• engaging said ratchet wheel with said pawl upon one of said steps of moving said cap member toward and away from said base member so as to rotate said ratchet wheel and said drive member;
• and
• engaging said indicator member with said drive member so as to rotate said indicator member.

A method for indicating the number of metered dosages of medicaments dispensed from or remaining in a container having a valve stem extending longitudinally therefrom and moveable between a closed position and an open position, said container dispensing said metered dosage when said valve stem is moved to the open position, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing having a well and an exhaust port, said well communicating with said exhaust port, said housing having a generally open end opposite said well;
• providing said container filled with a predetermined number of measured dosages, said container moveably supported in said housing along a longitudinal axis, said container comprising a valve stem received within said well of said housing and moveable between a closed and open position as said container is moved longitudinally within said housing, said container adapted to discharge a measured dosage when said valve stem is moved to the open position, said container having a bottom end extending from the generally open end of said housing;
• providing an indicating device for indicating the number of metered doses that have been dispensed from a container, said indicating device comprising:
• a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
• a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;
• an indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member;
• and
• a mechanism selectively engaged between said cap member and said indicator member wherein said mechanism rotates said indicator member an incremental amount upon a predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member, wherein said predetermined number of axial movements is greater than one;
• moving said cap member towards and away from said base member said predetermined number of axial movements;
• and
• engaging said indicator member with said mechanism upon reaching said predetermined number of axial movements so as to move said indicator member said incremental amount.

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

• providing a housing comprising a support block having a well and an orifice communicating with said well;
• providing said container comprising a valve stem;
• inserting said valve stem of said container into said well of said support block with said container disposed in said housing;
• providing an indicating device comprising:
• a base member;
• a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along a longitudinal axis;
• an indicator member rotatably mounted in said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal movement of said cap member relative to said base member;
• and
• a drive member rotatably mounted to one of said base member and said cap member about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal movement of said cap member relative to said base member, said drive member selectively engaged with said indicator member;
• and
• mounting said base member to said container.

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

• a housing having a longitudinally extending cavity and a well located at a bottom of said cavity, said housing saving a generally open end at a top of said cavity;
• said container comprising a valve stem extending longitudinally therefrom, said container containing a plurality of metered dosages of medicament, said valve stem adapted to be received in said well of said housing;
• and
• an indicating device comprising a base member adapted to be mounted to said container, a cap member moveably connected to said base member, wherein said cap member is moveable relative to said base member along an axial path, an indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member, and a drive member rotatably mounted to one of said cap member and said base member about an axis substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of said indicator member, wherein said drive member is selectively engaged with said indicator member upon a predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member, whereby said drive member rotates said indicator member an incremental amount relative to said cap member upon said predetermined number of axial movements.

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

• a housing having a longitudinally extending cavity and a well located at a bottom of said cavity, said housing having a generally open end at a top of said cavity;
• said container comprising a valve stem extending longitudinally therefrom, said container containing a plurality of metered dosages of medicament, said valve stem adapted to be received in said well of said housing;
• and
• an indicating device comprising a base member adapted to be mounted to said container, a cap member moveably connected to said base member, wherein said cap member is moveable relative to said base member along an axial path, an indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the axial movement of said cap member relative to said base member, and a mechanism selectively engaged between said cap member and said indicator member wherein said mechanism rotates said indicator member an incremental amount upon a predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member, wherein said predetermined number of axial movements is greater than one.

An indicating device for indicating the number of metered doses dispensed from or remaining in a container, said indicating device comprising:

• a base member adapted to be mounted to the container;
• a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member along an axial path;
• an indicator member disposed between said base member and said cap member;
• a drive member selectively engaged with said indicator member, wherein said drive member rotates said indicator member an incremental amount upon a predetermined number of axial movements of said cap member relative to said base member, wherein said predetermined number of axial movements is greater than one.

An indicating device for indicating the number of metered doses dispensed from or remaining in a container, said indicating device comprising:

• a housing;
• said container moveably disposed in said housing;
• a base member mounted to the container;
• a cap member moveably connected to said base member, said cap member moveable relative to said base member and said housing along an axial path;
• an indicator member rotatably mounted to said cap member;
• and
• an engagement member disposed on one of said cap member and said indicator member and engaging the other of said cap member and said indicator member, wherein said engagement member prevents axial movement between said cap member and said indicator member and wherein said engagement member rotatably mounts said indicator member to said cap member about an axis substantially parallel to the axial path defined by the movement of said cap member relative to said base member.