Dose counter
AssigneeCipla Limited
InventorsGeena Malhotra, Xerxes Rao, Shrinivas Madhukar Purandare
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a dose counter. Particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a dose counter for use with a Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI). The dose counter comprises a rotary counting element (26) and an actuator (2). The actuator (2) is movable relative to the rotary counting element (26) and comprises a shaped part (17) which can move into and out of engagement with a complementary feature (33) of the rotary counting element (26) when the actuator (2) moves between first and second positions. When the shaped part (17) of the actuator (2) is engaged with the complementary feature (33) of the rotary counter element (26), rotation of the rotary counter element (26) is resisted.
Claims16
A dose counter comprising a rotary counting element (26, 126, 226), a rotary component and an actuator (2, 102, 202);
- wherein the actuator (2, 102, 202) is a single unitary part which comprises a catch and a shaped part (17, 217), and the rotary counting element (26, 126, 226) comprises a complementary feature (33, 233) engageable with the shaped part (17, 217) of the actuator (2, 102, 202);
- and
- wherein the rotary component is a drive wheel for driving the rotary counting element (26, 126, 226);
- the actuator (2, 102, 202) is linearly movable relative to the rotary counting element (26, 126, 226) from a first position, in which the shaped part (17, 217) engages the complementary feature (33, 233) to prevent rotation of the rotary counting element (26, 126, 226), to a second position;
- and
- wherein, when the actuator moves from the first to the second position, the shaped part (17, 217) is moved out of engagement with the complementary feature (33, 233) of the rotary counting element (26, 126, 226) to thereby allow the rotary counting element (26, 126, 226) to rotate, and the catch engages with a part of the rotary component to thereby rotate the rotary component in a first direction;
- the dose counter further comprising non-return means for preventing rotation of the drive wheel in a second direction opposite first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.