Patent ID: 8051851
Filing Date: 2011-11-08
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. An inhaler ( 1 ) for powdered medicaments, for providing a large number of doses of pharmaceutical powder of medicament from a single reservoir space ( 2 ) or a multiplicity of reservoir spaces, which medicament can be received by a patient by means of an air stream, the inhaler further comprising an activating device ( 4 ) for manual engagement by the patient for repeatedly metering a dose of medicament to be administered to the patient, and further comprising an advancing mechanism ( 25 ) for advancing a counter or indexing means ( 8 ) each time the activating device ( 4 ) has been engaged by the patient so that a dose of medicament has been released for administration to the patient, wherein the counter or indexing means ( 8 ) comprises an index ( 9 ), the index ( 9 ) being detectable by a detection means ( 10 ) of the inhaler, and the detection means ( 10 ) being coupled to a locking mechanism ( 12 ), the locking mechanism ( 12 ) blocking the activating device ( 4 ) and/or any transportation mechanism ( 5 ) of the inhaler ( 1 ) delayed by a predetermined number of metering cycles since detection of the index ( 9 ), wherein the predetermined number of metering cycles since detection of the index ( 9 ) is at least one and wherein the activating device ( 4 ) is arrested in a position different from normal operation position to unambiguously indicate the blocking state of the inhaler.