Registers – Operating devices – Plural registers
Patent
1997-02-13
1999-11-23
Hajec, Donald
Registers
Operating devices
Plural registers
222 18, G06M 100, B67D 530
Patent
active
059884967
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for counting doses issued by a substance dispenser, and more particularly by an inhaler of the kind used, for example, in the field of pharmacy.
In medical applications in particular, it is often necessary to spray some particular number of doses of substance contained in the dispenser, e.g. on a daily basis. To prevent mistakes in handling and/or dosage, it is desirable to provide means that serve to display the number of doses that have been sprayed, or that remain to be sprayed if the initial display gives the maximum number of doses that can be displayed (up-counter or down-counter).
Proposals have already been made, in patent EP-0 269 496 for a counter that counts actuation of the pushbutton and that comprises a count wheel mounted to rotate coaxially with the pushbutton and provided with a crown of axially extending peripheral teeth. A flexible blade secured to the pushbutton drives the wheel causing it to rotate when the pushbutton is actuated. That device is simple and cheap, but because it has only one wheel it is limited as to number of doses that can be counted.
Also, since that device transforms the axial motion of the pushbutton into rotary motion of the wheel, it is unsuitable for operating independently of the actuating pushbutton.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device for counting doses that is capable of counting an arbitrary number of doses (typically several tens to several hundreds of doses) and capable of being actuated by a member exerting movement in translation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for counting doses that is capable of counting an arbitrary number of doses (typically several tens to several hundreds of doses) and that is capable of being actuated by a member exerting movement in rotation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device for counting doses that is intended to count a predetermined number of doses and that is adapted to prevent the substance dispenser being actuated after said predetermined number of doses has been counted.
The present invention thus provides a device for counting doses of substance issued by a dispenser for fluids or powders, the device being characterized in that it comprises a first count wheel and a second count wheel, both count wheels being mounted to rotate about a fixed axis of rotation, said first count wheel comprising a set of teeth extending circumferentially about said fixed axis of rotation and co-operating with a drive member for rotating said first count wheel about said fixed axis of rotation on each use of the dispenser, said first count wheel further including a drive tongue that is movable between a rest position in which it does not co-operate with said second count wheel, and a drive position in which it does co-operate with said second count wheel to cause it to rotate about said fixed axis of rotation, said drive tongue being forced into its drive position by cam means.
More particularly, said second count wheel includes a set of teeth disposed circumferentially about said fixed axis of rotation and said drive tongue of said first count wheel includes a head at one end, said head engaging in said set of teeth of said second count wheel when said drive tongue is in its drive position.
Preferably, said first count wheel acts as a units counter and includes a peripheral set of teeth containing ten teeth, said ten teeth being uniformly distributed around said fixed axis, and each time said first count wheel has performed a complete revolution about said fixed axis of rotation said drive tongue co-operates with said cam means to rotate said second count wheel which acts as a tens counter.
Advantageously, there are provided a first locking device acting on the first count wheel to prevent it from returning in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation imposed by said drive element, and a second locking device acting on said second count wheel to prevent it fro
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Hajec Donald
Sherr Daniel
Valois S.A.
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