US3598294A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Inhalation-responsive aerosol dispenser
Assignee: Dart Industries Inc
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Filing: 1969-11-13
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Granted: 1971-08-10
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Expires: 1989-11-13
Abstract
Abstract An inhalation-responsive medicament dispenser provided with a housing having therein an aerosol-dispensing device comprising a container equipped with a metering valve spring biased outwardly toward a charging position and movable inwardly into a discharging position. A main spring engages the housing and the aerosol container to bias the metering valve toward its discharging position. A charging lever opposes the action of the main spring to enable the container to move to a position permitting the metering valve to occupy its charging position, and a latch releasably retains the charging lever in a position corresponding to the charging position of the metering valve. An inhalation-responsive vane releases the latch, upon inhalation by the patient through a mouthpiece with which the dispenser is equipped, whereupon the main spring moves the container into a position corresponding to the discharging position of the metering valve, the latter then discharging a metered amount of medicament from the aerosol container into the mouthpiece for inhalation by the patient. Pivotally connected to the housing is a cover which encloses the mouthpiece when the dispenser is not in use. An actuating cam pivotally connected to the cover, and responsive to closing movement thereof, sets the charging lever, the latch and the vane in positions corresponding to the charging position of the metering valve. Subsequently, the cover may be opened so that the patient may inhale through the mouthpiece to obtain a metered amount of medicament in the manner previously recited.
Inventors
- 👤 Nathan D Hedrick
- 👤 Albert M Hughes Jr
- 👤 Paul B Mckeehan
- 👤 Charles G Thiel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:26
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M15/00; A61M15/0091; A61M15/0096; A61M15/009
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
In an inhalation-actuable dispenser, the combination of: a. a housing having an air passage therethrough which terminates in a mouthpiece; b. a cover for said mouthpiece pivotally connected to said housing for movement between an open and a closed position; c. aerosol-dispensing means in said housing and capable of being placed in either a charging condition or a discharging condition and communicating with said mouthpiece; d. spring-means biasing said aerosol-dispensing means toward its discharging condition; e. charging means for placing said aerosol-dispensing means in its charging condition in opposition to the action of said spring means; f. latch means for releasably retaining said aerosol-dispensing means in its charging condition; g. actuating means connected to said cover and responsive to movement thereof between said open and said closed position for actuating said charging means and said latch means; and h. inhalation-responsive means in said air passage, and actuable by air flowing therethrough toward said mouthpiece, for releasing said latch means so that said spring means places said aerosol-dispensing means in its discharging condition, whereby said aerosol-dispensing means discharges into said mouthpiece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
In an inhalation-actuable dispenser, the combination of: a. a housing having an air passage therethrough which terminates in a mouthpiece; b. a cover for said mouthpiece pivotally connected to said housing for movement between an open and a closed position; c. aerosol-dispensing means in said housing and capable of being placed in either a charging condition or a discharging condition and communicating with said mouthpiece; d. spring-means biasing said aerosol-dispensing means toward its discharging condition; e. charging means for placing said aerosol-dispensing means in its charging condition in opposition to the action of said spring means; f. latch means for releasably retaining said aerosol-dispensing means in its charging condition; g. actuating means connected to said cover and responsive to movement thereof between said open and said closed position for actuating said charging means and said latch means; and h. inhalation-responsive means in said air passage, and actuable by air flowing therethrough toward said mouthpiece, for releasing said latch means so that said spring means places said aerosol-dispensing means in its discharging condition, whereby said aerosol-dispensing means discharges into said mouthpiece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
239 words
In an inhalation-actuable dispenser, the combination of: a. a housing having an air passage therethrough which terminates in a mouthpiece; b. a cover for said mouthpiece pivotally connected to said housing for movement between an open and a closed position; c. aerosol-dispensing means in said housing and including a container having a metering valve means relatively movable between charging and discharging positions of said metering valve means and communicating with said mouthpiece; d. spring means for relatively biasing said metering valve means and said container toward said discharging position of said Metering valve means; e. charging means for affording movement of said metering valve means and said container into said charging position of said metering valve means in opposition to the action of said spring means; f. latch means for releasably retaining said metering valve means in said charging position in opposition to the action of said spring means; g. actuating means connected to said cover and responsive to movement thereof between said open and said closed position for actuating said charging means and said latch means; and h. inhalation-responsive means in said air passage, and actuable by air flowing therethrough toward said mouthpiece, for releasing said latch means so that said spring means produces relative movement of said metering valve means and said container into said discharging position of said metering valve means, whereby said metering valve means discharges a metered amount from said container into said mouthpiece.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
239 words
In an inhalation-actuable dispenser, the combination of: a. a housing having an air passage therethrough which terminates in a mouthpiece; b. a cover for said mouthpiece pivotally connected to said housing for movement between an open and a closed position; c. aerosol-dispensing means in said housing and including a container having a metering valve means relatively movable between charging and discharging positions of said metering valve means and communicating with said mouthpiece; d. spring means for relatively biasing said metering valve means and said container toward said discharging position of said Metering valve means; e. charging means for affording movement of said metering valve means and said container into said charging position of said metering valve means in opposition to the action of said spring means; f. latch means for releasably retaining said metering valve means in said charging position in opposition to the action of said spring means; g. actuating means connected to said cover and responsive to movement thereof between said open and said closed position for actuating said charging means and said latch means; and h. inhalation-responsive means in said air passage, and actuable by air flowing therethrough toward said mouthpiece, for releasing said latch means so that said spring means produces relative movement of said metering valve means and said container into said discharging position of said metering valve means, whereby said metering valve means discharges a metered amount from said container into said mouthpiece.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
264 words
In an inhalation-actuable dispenser, the combination of: a. a housing having an air passage therethrough which terminates in a mouthpiece; b. a cover for said mouthpiece pivotally connected to said housing; c. aerosol-dispensing means in said housing and including a container having a metering valve means relatively movable between charging and discharging positions of said metering valve means, said metering valve means being spring biased outwardly toward said charging position; d. a seat for said metering valve means in said housing and having passage means for conveying a discharge from said metering valve means to said mouthpiece; e. spring means for biasing said container toward said seat to bias said metering valve means inwardly relative to said container toward said discharging position of said metering valve means; f. charging means for opposing the action of said spring means to enable said container to move away from said seat so that said metering valve means may occupy said charging position; g. latch means for releasably retaining said charging means in a position corresponding to said charging position of said metering valve means; h. actuating means connected to said cover and responsive to closing movement thereof for actuating said charging means and said latch means; and i. inhalation-responsive vane means in said air passage, and actuable by air flowing therethrough toward said mouthpiece, for releasing said latch means so that said spring means produces movement of said container toward said seat to move said metering valve means into said discharging position, whereby said metering valve means discharges a metered amount from said container into said mouthpiece.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
264 words
In an inhalation-actuable dispenser, the combination of: a. a housing having an air passage therethrough which terminates in a mouthpiece; b. a cover for said mouthpiece pivotally connected to said housing; c. aerosol-dispensing means in said housing and including a container having a metering valve means relatively movable between charging and discharging positions of said metering valve means, said metering valve means being spring biased outwardly toward said charging position; d. a seat for said metering valve means in said housing and having passage means for conveying a discharge from said metering valve means to said mouthpiece; e. spring means for biasing said container toward said seat to bias said metering valve means inwardly relative to said container toward said discharging position of said metering valve means; f. charging means for opposing the action of said spring means to enable said container to move away from said seat so that said metering valve means may occupy said charging position; g. latch means for releasably retaining said charging means in a position corresponding to said charging position of said metering valve means; h. actuating means connected to said cover and responsive to closing movement thereof for actuating said charging means and said latch means; and i. inhalation-responsive vane means in said air passage, and actuable by air flowing therethrough toward said mouthpiece, for releasing said latch means so that said spring means produces movement of said container toward said seat to move said metering valve means into said discharging position, whereby said metering valve means discharges a metered amount from said container into said mouthpiece.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
An inhalation-actuable dispenser as defined in claim 3 wherein: a. said charging means includes a charging lever pivotally connected at one end to said housing; b. the other end of said charging lever is connected to said latch means; and c. said charging lever is connected intermediate its ends to said spring means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
An inhalation-actuable dispenser according to claim 3 wherein: a. said vane means includes a vane having at one end a pivot shaft journaled in said housing; b. said pivot shaft has a flat thereon; and c. said latch means includes a latch provided with a hook engageable with said pivot shaft and having an end slidable across said flat to release said latch means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
An inhalation-actuable dispenser as defined in claim 5 wherein said actuating means includes means for pivoting said pivot shaft into a position to engage said hook with said pivot shaft with said end of said hook out of register with said flat.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
An inhalation-actuable dispenser according to claim 3 wherein: a. said vane means includes a vane pivotable between a latching position and a latch-releasing position; and b. said actuating means includes means for pivoting said vane into said latching position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
An inhalation-actuable diSpenser as defined in claim 3 wherein: a. said actuating means includes cam means pivotally connected to said cover and having a cam in engagement with said latch means; and b. said latch means is connected to said charging means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
An inhalation-actuable dispenser according to claim 8 wherein: a. said vane means includes a vane pivotable in said housing between a latching position and a latch-releasing position; and b. said cam means includes a cam for pivoting said vane into its latching position concurrently with actuation of said charging means and said latch means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
An inhalation-actuable dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuating means includes means for latching said cover in its closed position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-09 | 1975-02-08 | 1975-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-09 | 1979-02-08 | 1979-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-09 | 1983-02-08 | 1983-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |