DOSE COUNTER FOR A METERED-DOSE INHALER

摘要

A dose counter for counting doses of medicament dispensed by or remaining in a metered-dose inhaler. The dose counter includes a rotatably mounted first gear wheel having ratchet teeth and a display coupled to the first gear wheel, the display having a visible array of dose counting indicia indexable in response to rotary motion of the first gear wheel. The dose counter further includes an actuator mechanism having a first ratchet drive pawl for engaging the ratchet teeth of the first gear wheel in response to the dispensation of a medicament dose, and a second ratchet drive pawl for engaging the ratchet teeth of a gear wheel coupled to the display. In use, a first ratchet tooth of the first gear wheel is rotatably driven by the first pawl and then a second ratchet tooth of the gear wheel coupled to the display is rotatably driven by the second pawl.

主权项

1. A dose counter for counting doses of medicament dispensed by or remaining in a metered-dose inhaler, the dose counter comprising:
a rotatably mounted first gear wheel having a circular arrangement of ratchet teeth; a display coupled to the first gear wheel, the display having a visible array of dose counting indicia indexable in response to rotary motion of the first gear wheel; and an actuator mechanism having a first ratchet drive pawl for engaging the ratchet teeth of the first gear wheel in response to the dispensation of a medicament dose, wherein the actuator mechanism further comprises a second ratchet drive pawl for engaging the ratchet teeth of either the first gear wheel or a second gear wheel that is coupled to the display, and wherein the actuator mechanism is configured such that, in use of the dose counter for counting a dispensed dose, a first ratchet tooth of the first gear wheel is engaged and rotatably driven by the first ratchet drive pawl and then a second ratchet tooth of either the first gear wheel or the second gear wheel is coupled to the display is engaged and rotatably driven by the second ratchet drive pawl.