Patent ID: 6446627
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: A61M,G06M

Abstract:
A dose counter for a metered dose inhaler, the counter comprising:actuator means; rotary gear means having a wheel mounted on a spindle, said wheel having a plurality of ratchet teeth around a periphery of said wheel; drive means for driving said rotary gear means in step-wise fashion in response to displacement of said actuator means; reverse rotation prevention means to prevent reverse rotation of said rotary gear means; display means coupled to said rotary gear means, said display means having a visible array of incrementing integers on a surface thereof indexable by a single integer in response to each step of the step-wise motion of the rotary gear means; and a control surface to regulate a position of engagement and disengagement between said drive means and said wheel, wherein the reverse rotation prevention means is a friction clutch.