초록 ▼

An atomizer for a fluid, in particular, a fluid for medical aerosol therapy. In order to allow simplified operation and improved safety in use, the atomizer has a counter device for counting the number of operations of the atomizer and the number of containers inserted. The atomizer is locked agains

An atomizer for a fluid, in particular, a fluid for medical aerosol therapy. In order to allow simplified operation and improved safety in use, the atomizer has a counter device for counting the number of operations of the atomizer and the number of containers inserted. The atomizer is locked against further operation and/or against removal of the current container or insertion of a new container, if a certain number of operations of the atomizer and/or a certain number of containers inserted has/have been reached or exceeded.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. Atomizer for a fluid, comprising: a container with a fluid, at least one counter device for counting at least one of the operations of the atomizer and the number of containers inserted, and a housing part formed of a plurality of housing parts, one of which is detachable fro

What is claimed is: 1. Atomizer for a fluid, comprising: a container with a fluid, at least one counter device for counting at least one of the operations of the atomizer and the number of containers inserted, and a housing part formed of a plurality of housing parts, one of which is detachable from the atomizer for at least one inserting and exchanging the container, a pressure generator for pressurizing the fluid from the container which is separate from the container and is mounted in one of the housing parts, wherein the at least one counter device comprises at least a first counter for counting the operations of the atomizer, the first counter being arranged on one of the housing parts, the first counter being adapted to lock the atomizer against further operation of the current container if a certain number of operations of the atomizer is reached or exceeded in a first locked state, and wherein the first counter is only exchangeable or replaceable with the container to which it is permanently connected thereto. 2. Atomizer for a fluid, comprising: a container with a fluid, a pressurizer for pressurizing of the fluid that is separate from the container, a counter device for counting operations of the atomizer, and a housing part detachable from the atomizer for at least one inserting and exchanging the container, wherein the counter device comprises a first counter for counting the operations of the atomizer, the first counter being adapted to lock the atomizer against further operation of the current container if a certain number of operations of the atomizer is reached or exceeded in a first locked state, and wherein the counter device is adapted to lock the atomizer against further operation if a certain number of containers have been used or a certain number of total operations of the atomizer with the current container has been reached or exceeded in a second locked state, wherein the counter device is mechanically driven by tensioning of the pressurizer, and wherein the first counter is only exchangeable or replaceable with the container to which it is permanently connected thereto. 3. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein a locking element of the atomizer necessary for at least one delivery and atomization of fluid is locked in one of the first and the second locked states. 4. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein at least one counter device is constructed and arranged to register each tensioning of the pressurizer and to count the tensioning as an operation of the atomizer. 5. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein tensioning of at least one of the pressurizer and a drive spring for the pressurizer is locked in one of the first and second locked state. 6. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein the housing part is rotatable for at least one of extraction, fluid delivery, pressurization and atomization of the fluid, and wherein the housing part is locked against rotation in one of the first and second locked states. 7. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein the first locked state is resettable by detaching the housing part and changing the container. 8. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein the housing part is secured against detachment from the atomizer in the second locked state. 9. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein the counter device is a purely mechanically operating device. 10. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein the counter device has a display device for displaying at least one of the number of operations already performed or still possible by the atomizer and the number of containers inserted or that can still be inserted in the atomizer. 11. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein the housing part is rotatable in one direction of rotation for at least one of tensioning of a pressurizing drive spring and for delivering fluid. 12. Atomizer according to claim 2, wherein the pressurizer is provided with a drive spring, the drive spring being operable for producing a force for causing atomization of the fluid. 13. Atomizer for a fluid, comprising: a container with a fluid, at least one counter device for counting at least one of the operations of the atomizer and the number of containers inserted, and a housing part detachable from the atomizer for at least one inserting and exchanging the container, wherein the at least one counter device comprises at least a first counter for counting the operations of the atomizer arranged on the housing part, the first counter being adapted to lock the atomizer against at least one of further operation and removal of the current container or insertion of a new container if a certain number of operations of the atomizer is reached or exceeded in a first locked state, wherein the counter device comprises a second counter adapted to lock the atomizer against further operation if a certain number of containers have been used, wherein the first and second counters are drivingly coupled, and wherein the first counter is only exchangeable or replaceable with the container to which it is permanently connected thereto. 14. Atomizer according to claim 13, further comprising a pressure generator for pressurizing the fluid in the container which is separate from the container. 15. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the fluid is a liquid in an unpressurized state. 16. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein in one of the first and the second locked states, a locking element of the atomizer necessary for at least one delivery and atomization of fluid is locked. 17. Atomizer according to claim 13, further comprising at least one of a pressurizer and a drive spring, wherein tensioning of the at least one of the pressurizer and the drive spring is locked in one of the first and second locked state. 18. Atomizer according to claim 13 wherein the housing part is rotatable for at least one of extraction, fluid delivery, pressurization and atomization of the fluid, and wherein the housing part is locked against rotation in one of the first and second locked states. 19. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the first locked state is resettable by detaching the housing part and changing the container. 20. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the housing part is secured against detachment from the atomizer in the second locked state. 21. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the container is adapted to perform an axial movement during at least one of fluid extraction, fluid delivery, pressurization and atomization, and wherein the counter device registers said movement of the container or an end position of said movement and counts the registering thereof as an operation of the atomizer. 22. Atomizer according to claim 21, wherein an operating element for the counter is provided on the container, the counter device registering the movement or a position of the container by interaction with the operating element. 23. Atomizer according to claim 22, wherein the operating element is rotatably mounted on the container. 24. Atomizer according to claim 22, wherein the operating element has an arm-shaped section which interacts with at least one counting ring of the counter device so that, when the container moves, the counting ring is rotated by an increment or counter step. 25. Atomizer according to claim 22, wherein the counter device is operable to cause the atomizer to be locked against at least one of further operation and removal of the current container or insertion of a new container, when at least one of a certain number of operations of the atomizer have been performed and a certain number of containers has been inserted. 26. Atomizer according to claim 21, wherein the counter device registers the reaching or passing of an end position of the container, an end position of the tensioned atomizer, or a movement of the container when tensioning or releasing the atomizer or a drive spring and counts the registering thereof as an operation of the atomizer. 27. Atomizer according to claim 21, wherein the counter device is adapted to register the movement of the container in a contact-free manner. 28. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the counter device is a purely mechanically operating device. 29. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the counter device is adapted to register an action from among each extraction of fluid from the container, each tensioning of a drive spring of a pressurizer of the atomizer and each atomization and to count the registering thereof as an operation of the atomizer. 30. Atomizer according to claim 13, the counter device is adapted to count the number of operations performed by the atomizer or that can still be performed with the current container. 31. Atomizer according to claim 30, wherein the counter is resettable when the container is changed, and wherein the resetting is locked in the assembled state of the atomizer. 32. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the counter device is adapted to count and display the total number of all operations of the atomizer that have been performed or are still possible with more than one container. 33. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the counter device has a display device for displaying at least one of the number of operations already performed or still possible by the atomizer and the number of containers inserted or that can still be inserted in the atomizer. 34. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the housing part is rotatable in one direction of rotation for at least one of tensioning of a pressurizing drive spring and for delivering fluid. 35. Atomizer according to claim 13, further comprising a pressurizer with a drive spring, the drive spring being operable for producing a force for causing atomization of the fluid. 36. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the first and second counters are separable from each other for changing of the container. 37. Atomizer according to claim 36, wherein the first counter is exchangeable when changing the container. 38. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein at least the first counter is connected in a non-detachable manner to the housing part. 39. Atomizer according to claim 38, wherein the first counter is arranged in an axial front end area of the housing part. 40. Atomizer according to claim 38, wherein the first counter surrounds the container in a circular fashion. 41. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the housing part along with the container and the first counter form an exchangeable unit. 42. Atomizer according to claim 13, further comprising a housing upper part to which said housing part is detachably connectable and wherein the second counter is rotatably connected with the housing upper part in a undetachable manner. 43. Atomizer according to claim 35, further comprising a movable or rotatable inner part for tensioning said drive spring. 44. Atomizer according to claim 43, wherein the second counter is arranged on said inner part. 45. Atomizer according to claim 43, wherein the counter device comprises a threaded spindle with a rider, the threaded spindle being rotated by a rotation of said inner part. 46. Atomizer according to claim 45, wherein the rider is operable as a blocking element in one of the first and second locked states, so that rotation of the inner part is blocked. 47. Atomizer according to claim 35, further comprising a locking device for locking a locking element, the locking device being operable for releasing the locking element to trigger delivery of the fluid. 48. Atomizer according to claim 47, further comprising a movable or rotatable inner part for tensioning said drive spring and wherein the locking device is arranged on said inner part. 49. Atomizer according to claim 48, wherein, in at least one of the first and second locked state, at least one of rotation of the inner part and operation of the locking element is blocked. 50. Atomizer according to claim 47, wherein the locking device has a lock part which is movable parallel to a longitudinal axis of the atomizer, said lock part, in a locked state, blocking operation of the atomizer. 51. Atomizer according to claim 50, further comprising a housing upper part to which said housing part is detachably connectable, wherein the lock part, in the locked state, engages between the locking element and the housing upper part. 52. Atomizer according to claim 50, wherein the locking device has a control part that is peripherally movable in relation to the longitudinal axis of the atomizer for operation of the lock part. 53. Atomizer according to claim 45, further comprising a locking device for locking a locking element, the locking device being operable for releasing the locking element to trigger delivery of the fluid; wherein the locking device has a lock part which is movable parallel to a longitudinal axis of the atomizer, said lock part, in a locked state, blocking operation of the atomizer, wherein the locking device has a control part that is peripherally movable in relation to the longitudinal axis of the atomizer for operation of the lock part, and wherein the control part is operably moved by the rider to block operation of the atomizer. 54. Atomizer according to claim 53, wherein the control part, during operation of the atomizer, is peripherally movable for operation of the lock part. 55. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the first and second locked states is irreversable. 56. Atomizer according to claim 13, further comprising a purely mechanical means for atomization of the liquid. 57. Atomizer according to claim 13, wherein the atomizer is a portable inhaler for medicinal aerosol therapy.