초록 ▼

A dose counter for a metered dose inhaler comprises actuator means (341), drive means (350) for driving a rotary gear (360) in step-wise fashion in response to displacement of said actuator means (341), said rotary gear (360) comprising a wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth (not shown) around

A dose counter for a metered dose inhaler comprises actuator means (341), drive means (350) for driving a rotary gear (360) in step-wise fashion in response to displacement of said actuator means (341), said rotary gear (360) comprising a wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth (not shown) around its periphery. Means (364) are provided to prevent reverse rotation of the rotary gear (360). A flexible tape (368) is provided with a visible array of incrementing integers on its surface indicating the number of medicament doses remaining in the inhaler. The tape (368) indexes by a single integer in response to each step of the step-wise rotary motion of the rotary gear (360). A control surface (371) regulates the position of engagement and disengagement between the drive means (350) and the rotary gear (360). In an alternative embodiment (FIG. 6), the control surface (371) is omitted and the means for preventing reverse rotation comprise a stepless restraint (664).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A dose counter for a metered dose inhaler, the counter comprising:actuator means; rotary gear means having a wheel mounted on a spindle, said wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth around a periphery of said wheel; drive means for driving said rotary gear means in step-wise fashion in response

1. A dose counter for a metered dose inhaler, the counter comprising:actuator means; rotary gear means having a wheel mounted on a spindle, said wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth around a periphery of said wheel; drive means for driving said rotary gear means in step-wise fashion in response to displacement of said actuator means; reverse rotation prevention means to prevent reverse rotation of said rotary gear means; display means coupled to said rotary gear means, said display means having a visible array of incrementing integers on a surface thereof indexable by a single integer in response to each step of the step-wise motion of the rotary gear means; and a control surface to regulate a position of engagement and disengagement between said drive means and said wheel, wherein the reverse rotation prevention means is a friction clutch.