Patent EA-000334-B1 (EA)
Title: Mechanical counter for a metering apparatus
Inventor: CIRILLO PASQUALE
IPC: A61M15/00
Filed: 1996-12-19
Abstract: 1. A mechanical counter for a metering apparatus having two coaxially arranged housing portions which are rotated relative to each other when the metering apparatus is operated, the counter comprising  - at least one spindle with a screw thread thereon,  - whose axis extends substantially parallel to the axis of the metering apparatus and  - which is disposed in the region of the peripheral surface of the metering apparatus and - which is mounted in the vicinity of the spindle ends with respective rotary mountings on the first housing portion - a tooth arrangement at the spindle end which is closest to the second housing portion,  - at least one projection at the edge of the second housing portion, for engaging the tooth arrangement and rotating the spindle, - a cursor movable along the spindle by the screwthread when the spindle rotates, and - a scale which is disposed adjacent the cursor. 2. A mechanical counter according to Claim 1 having  - two rotary mountings, preferably in the form of snap-action mountings. 3. A mechanical counter according to Claim 1 or 2 having  - a pinion at the one end of the spindle, which is in the vicinity of the second housing portion and which provides the tooth arrangement, and  - projections on a part of the periphery of the second housing portion, which engage into the pinion on a part of the rotary movement: of the two housing portions relative to each other 4. A mechanical counter according to Claim 3 having -a pinion having four teeth, - and two projections on the second housing portion. 5 A mechanical counter according to Claim 3 having  - a pinion with four teeth of which two oppositely disposed teeth are wider than the other two teeth, wherein a flank of the wider teeth bears against the inner peripheral surface of the second housing portion,  - two projections on the edge of the second housing portion, and an opening between the two projections which is larger than the width of the wider teeth of the pinion. 6 A mechanical counter according to any one of Claim 1 to 5 having  - a transmission ratio of half a spindle revolution to two actuations of the metering apparatus 7 A mechanical counter according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein  - the pinion on the spindle screwthread is matched to the number of the metering portions and the displacement travel of the cursor. 8 A mechanical counter according Co any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein  - the spindle has means for inhibiting unwanted movement preferably- in the form of a positively locking tooth arrangement. 9. A mechanical counter according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 having  - at least one resilient limb with a screwthread engagement portion on the cursor, which screwthread engagement nortion engages into the screwthread on the spindle. 10. A mechanical counter according to Claim 9 having  - a recess for receiving the screwthread engagement portion at the other end of the spindle. 11. A mechanical counter according to any one of Claims 1 to 10 having at least one resetting projection on the cursor. 12. A mechanical counter according to any one of Claims 1 to 11 having  - a cover over the first housing portion, which cover is connected thereto releasably in the axial direction and covers over the spindle, wherein the cover is transparent in a region-wise manner or comprises transparent material. 13. A mechanical counter according to Claim 12 having  - at least one entrainment means on the inside of the cover. 14. A mechanical counter according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 having - a gear on the other end of the spindle, and - ring gear with means for inhibiting unwanted movement, preferably with a flange, with which the gear - engages, and - which is mounted coaxially rotatably relative to the first housing portion. 15. A mechanical counter according to Claim 14 having  - at least one first marking on the flange of the ring gear, which marking, after less than 360 degree rotation of the ring gear relative to the first housing portion, is disposed opposite a second marking which is in a fixed position relative to the first housing portion. 16. A mechanical counter according to Claim 15 having a second marking on the first housing portion, or a window in a cover on the first housing portion. 17. A mechanical counter according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 having  - a second spindle with means for inhibiting unwanted movement, which is arranged in substantially parallel relationship with the first spindle, and  - a cursor - which is possibly not displaceable - with rotary securing on the second spindle, and  - a one-tooth transmission assembly comprising - a projection wheel at one end of the first spindle and  - a gear at the corresponding end of the second spindle, into which the projection wheel at the end of the first spindle engages, and  - a scale which is disposed adjacent the cursor on the second spindle. 18. A mechanical counter according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 having  - a roller, on which a helical line is drawn with a revolution over the entire length of the roller and the surfaces on the two sides of the helical line are marked in different ways, preferably coloured with two colours, and  - a narrow transparent strip in the cover throuqh which a strip on the peripheral surface of the roller is visible, and possibly a scale beside the transparent strip. 19. A mechanical counter according Co any one of Claims 1 to 13 having  - a second spindle with means for inhibiting unwanted movement, which is arranged in substantially parallel relationship with the first spindle, and - a cursor with rotary securing on the second spindle, and - a one-tooth transmission assembly comprising  - a tooth arrangement at the end of the second spindle, which is closest to the second housing portion, and  - projections at the edge of the second housing portion, which engage into the tooth arrangement at the end of the second spindle upon rotation of the housing portions relative to each other. 20. A metering apparatus having two coaxially arranged housing portions which are rotated relative to each other when the metering apparatus is operated, the metering apparatus comprising a mechanical counter according to any preceding Claim. 21. A metering apparatus having two coaxially arranged housing portions which are rotated relative to each other when the metering apparatus is operated, the metering apoaratus having a mechanical counter comprising a screwthreaded spindle mounted in bearing means on one of the housing portions in a peripheral region thereof so that it is rotated by movement of the other housing portion, and a cursor movable, by the screwthread, relative to marker means, the arrangement being such that movement of the cursor with respect to the marker means provides a measure of the number or operations of the apparatus. 22. A metering apparatus according to Claim 21, wherein the cursor can be temporarily released from the screwthread for resetting. 23. A metering apparatus according to Claim 21 or 22, including means for indicating the number of times the cursor has moved through its path of travel. 24. A metering apparatus according to Claim 21, 22 or 23 wherein the spindle axis is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the housing portions and the spindle has a gear thereon which cooperates with means on said other housing portion to effect rotation of the spindle. 25. A metering apparatus according to Claim 24 wherein the spindle is rotated during only part of the relative rotation of the housing portions. 26. A metering apparatus according to any one of Claims 21-25, wherein the counter is as defined in any one of Claims 1-19. 27. A metering apparatus according to any one of Claims 20-26, which is a metered dose inhaler.