초록 ▼

An inhaler is provided with a closure which may be moved between a closed and open position in order to cover and uncover a mouthpiece. The closure is associated with a revolvable element including a restricting member. Movement of the closure from the open position to the closed position causes the

An inhaler is provided with a closure which may be moved between a closed and open position in order to cover and uncover a mouthpiece. The closure is associated with a revolvable element including a restricting member. Movement of the closure from the open position to the closed position causes the revolvable element to revolve around an axis X thereby placing the restricting member in a restricting position which restricts relative movement between a container unit and the housing such that unintentional actuation of the inhaler is prevented. The inhaler is useful, for example, in the treatment of asthma.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An inhaler for use with a container unit containing a medicament formulation to be dispensed, comprising: a housing for the container unit and in which the container unit is relatively movable thereto to cause dispensing of a dose of the medicament formulation from the container unit for inhalati

1. An inhaler for use with a container unit containing a medicament formulation to be dispensed, comprising: a housing for the container unit and in which the container unit is relatively movable thereto to cause dispensing of a dose of the medicament formulation from the container unit for inhalation by a user through a dispensing outlet of the inhaler;a closure movable between a closed position, in which the closure closes the dispensing outlet, and an open position, in which the dispensing outlet is open; anda revolvable element comprising a restricting member, the revolvable element in use being revolvable around an axis between a first position, which places the restricting member in a non-restricting position which does not restrict relative movement between the container unit and the housing for dispensing of the dose of the medicament formulation, and a second position, which places the restricting member in a restricting position which does restrict relative movement between the container unit and the housing such that dispensing of the dose of the medicament formulation is prevented;wherein the closure is associated with the revolvable element such that movement of the closure from the closed position to the open position causes the revolvable element to move the restricting member from the restricting position to the non-restricting position and vice-versa; andwherein a hinge is disposed between the revolvable element and the closure, so that the closure is hingably movable relative to the revolvable element,wherein the closure is able to be hinged relative to the revolvable element towards the restricting member, andwherein the hinge allows the revolvable element and the closure to be hinged into facing relationship when the closure is in its open position so that the restricting member is covered by the closure. 2. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the revolvable element revolves around a fixed axis. 3. The inhaler of claim 2 wherein the fixed axis of the revolvable element passes through the inhaler housing. 4. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein during movement of the closure from the open to the closed position the container unit is not required to move relative to the housing in order to prevent dispensing of the dose of the medicament formulation. 5. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the restricting member has a restricting surface and wherein movement of the closure from the open to the closed position causes the revolvable element to revolve from the first position to the second position and thereby bring the restricting member into its restricting position in which the restricting surface restricts relative movement between the housing and the container unit. 6. The inhaler of claim 5, wherein the restricting surface is a curved surface. 7. The inhaler of claim 6, wherein the curved surface is of constant radius about the axis. 8. The inhaler of claim 5, wherein the revolvable element comprises a generally semi-circular section mounted on the axis and whose circumferential surface forms the restricting surface. 9. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the axis around which the revolvable element is revolvable passes through the revolvable element. 10. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the revolvable element is generally ‘P’-shaped. 11. The inhaler of claim 10 wherein the axis around which the revolvable element is revolvable passes through the semicircular part of the ‘P’-shape. 12. The inhaler of claim 10, wherein the restricting member has a restricting surface and wherein movement of the closure from the open to the closed position causes the revolvable element to revolve from the first position to the second position and thereby bring the restricting member into its restricting position in which the restricting surface restricts relative movement between the housing and the container unit, and wherein the semicircular surface of the ‘P’ forms the restricting surface of the restricting member. 13. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the revolvable element is able to be disposed inside the closure when in its open position. 14. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the revolvable element and the closure are comprised in a single component part. 15. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the closure is adapted to be releasably secured to the housing when in the open position. 16. The inhaler of claim 15 wherein the closure is adapted to form a base for the inhaler when secured to the housing. 17. The inhaler of claim 16 wherein the base is adapted to form a stand for the inhaler. 18. The inhaler of claim 1 with the proviso that the inhaler is not a breath-operated inhaler. 19. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the inhaler is a manually-actuable, breath-coordinated inhaler. 20. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the inhaler is a pMDI. 21. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the container unit is a pressurised container unit. 22. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the container unit comprises a container which contains the medicament formulation. 23. The inhaler of claim 22 in which an accessory is attached to the container. 24. The inhaler of claim 23, wherein the accessory is attached at the leading end of the container. 25. The inhaler of claim 22, wherein the container is a pressurised container. 26. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the revolvable element consists of the restricting member. 27. The inhaler of claim 1 adapted such that when the closure is in the closed position the restricting member is positioned to abut against the container unit thereby restricting movement of the container unit relative to the housing so as to prevent dispensing of a dose of the medicament formulation and such that when the closure is in the open position the restricting member is positioned so as not to abut against the container unit thereby allowing the container unit to move relative to the housing and allow dispensing of a dose of the medicament formulation. 28. The inhaler of claim 27, wherein the restricting member has a restricting surface and wherein movement of the closure from the open to the closed position causes the revolvable element to revolve from the first position to the second position and thereby bring the restricting member into its restricting position in which the restricting surface restricts relative movement between the housing and the container unit by abutting against the container unit when the closure is in the closed position. 29. The inhaler of claim 27, wherein the restricting member is adapted to abut against an accessory of the container unit when the closure is in its closed position. 30. The inhaler of claim 1 including the container unit in the housing. 31. A closure for use with an inhaler which comprises a housing for receiving therein a container unit containing a medicament formulation and in which the container unit is relatively movable to cause dispensing of a dose of the medicament formulation from the container unit for inhalation by a user through a dispensing outlet of the inhaler; the closure being adapted to be movably mounted on the inhaler for movement between a closed position, in which the closure closes the dispensing outlet, and an open position, in which the dispensing outlet is open;the closure comprising a revolvable element comprising a restricting member, the revolvable element being adapted to revolve about an axis on movement of the closure between its closed and open positions, and the revolvable element being placed in first and second positions when the closure is in its open and closed positions respectively;the first position placing the restricting member in a non-restricting position which does not restrict relative movement between the container unit and the housing for dispensing of the dose of the medicament formulation, and the second position placing the restricting member in a restricting position which does restrict relative movement between the container unit and the housing such that dispensing of the dose of the medicament formulation is prevented;wherein the closure has a closure part which closes the dispensing outlet, andwherein a hinge is disposed between the revolvable element and the closure part, so that the closure part is hingably movable relative to the revolvable element,wherein the closure part is able to be hinged relative to the revolvable element towards the restricting member, andwherein the hinge allows the revolvable element and the closure part to be hinged into facing relationship so that the restricting member is covered by the closure part. 32. The closure of claim 31 wherein the hinge enables the revolvable element to be disposed in the closure part. 33. The closure of claim 31 wherein the restricting member has a restricting surface and wherein movement of the closure from the open to the closed position causes the revolvable element to revolve from the first position to the second position and thereby bring the restricting member into its restricting position in which the restricting surface restricts relative movement between the housing and the container unit. 34. The closure of claim 31 wherein the axis around which the revolvable element is revolvable passes through the revolvable element. 35. The closure of claim 31 wherein the revolvable element is generally ‘P’-shaped. 36. The closure of claim 35 wherein the axis around which the revolvable element is revolvable passes through the semicircular part of the ‘P’-shape. 37. The closure of claim 35 wherein the restricting member has a restricting surface, and wherein the semiconductor surface of the ‘P’ forms the restricting surface of the restricting member. 38. The closure of claim 31 wherein the revolvable element and the closure part are comprised in a single component part that is optionally integrally formed. 39. The closure of claim 1 wherein the revolvable element has a mounting for mounting to an axle of the inhaler for revolving thereabout. 40. The inhaler of claim 14 wherein the revolvable element and the closure are comprised in a single component part that is integrally formed. 41. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the revolvable element and the closure are connected at the hinge. 42. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the hinge has a hinge axis about which the closure is hingably movable and the hinge axis is essentially parallel to, but spaced from, the axis about which the revolvable element is revolvable. 43. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the hinge is such that the relative angle between the closure and the revolvable element is able to change when the revolvable element revolves about the axis. 44. The inhaler of claim 1 wherein the hinge is such that the closure is free to be hinged relative to the revolvable element in a first direction, for moving the closure from the closed position towards the open position whilst the restricting member is in the restricting position, and in a second, opposite direction, for moving the closure over the restricting member when in the non-restricting position. 45. The closure of claim 31 wherein the revolvable element and the closure part are connected at the hinge. 46. The closure of claim 31 wherein the hinge has a hinge axis about which the closure part is hingably movable and the hinge axis is essentially parallel to, but spaced from, the axis about which the revolvable element is revolvable. 47. The closure of claim 31 wherein the hinge is such that the relative angle between the closure part and the revolvable element is able to change when the revolvable element revolves about the axis. 48. The closure of claim 31 wherein the hinge is such that the closure part is free to be hinged relative to the revolvable element in two, opposing directions, one of which moves the closure part over the restricting member.