3m Innovative Properties Company

Richard D Brewer

Stephen J Howgill

Graham R Purkins

Peter D Hodson

Adam J Stuart

Craig Davidson

Rachel Striebig

Benjamin J Holden

Jason A Graves

Stephen D Helm

Graham V Jackson

Matthew A Goring

John Fielding

Rachael V Shaw

Neale F Griffiths

Paul A Charnock

Stuart A McGlasson

Anthony W Balkwill

David Jc Steven

Rachel Streibig

Peter D;3M Drug Delivery Syst Hodson

David J C Steven

Stuart A Mcglasson

An actuator for an inhaler, in particular a nasal actuator, is disclosed, the actuator comprising a body, a stem post and fixing means for fixing the stem post in the body. The body comprises a delivery passage for delivery of a medicament and a canister opening for insertion of a canister having a metering valve with a valve stem. The stem post comprises a stem socket for receiving the valve stem of a canister and comprises an orifice for discharging a medicament to the delivery passage. The stem post and body are adapted so they cooperate to define a transition chamber when the stem post is fixed in the body. Also disclosed is a method of forming an component for an actuator for an inhaler, and a method of assembling an actuator for an inhaler by inserting the stem post through the canister opening and into the body thereby.

Actuator for an inhaler

A dose counter for use in connection with a device adapted for metered dispensing of a medication is described. The dose counter has a first count indicator that has a first indicia bearing surface, with the first count indicator being rotatable about a first axis. The dose counter also has a second count indicator that has a second indicia bearing surface, with the second count indicator being rotatable about a second axis. The second axis is disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the first axis, and the first and second indicia bearing surfaces align at a common viewing area to collectively present at least a portion of a medication dosage count.

Dose counter

An aerosol metering valve comprising: (a) a valve stem movable between a rest position and a firing position comprising: a body portion comprising a circumferential sealing surface (b) a valve body comprising: a body wall, and an internal chamber defined at least in part by the body wall; and (c) a metering gasket having an inner periphery defining an aperture, being disposed near the most interior end of the internal chamber and being configured to be able to form a transient, substantially fluid-tight face seal against the circumferential sealing surface of the valve stem, where at the rest position of the valve stem, the body portion of the valve stem is located within the internal chamber and as the valve stem is moved from its rest position towards its firing position the circumferential sealing surface of the valve stem contacts the metering gasket to form a face seal thereby closing a metering chamber and thereafter further movement of the valve stem towards its firing position causes the metering gasket to deflect while maintaining the seal with the circumferential sealing surface of the valve stem; and wherein the metering gasket in an unbiased configuration is an annular disc having a substantially planar form and where the valve is constructed and arranged such that the inner periphery of the metering gasket is urged out of said substantially planar form at the rest position of the valve stem, or wherein the metering gasket is pre-biased into a dished-shape.

Metered dose valve

This application discloses a dose counter device of the type for use on an aerosol dispensing assembly having an aerosol container and an actuator. The dose counter device is used for indicating the release of a dose of aerosol medication caused by the application of a force, in an axial direction, on the aerosol dispensing assembly. The dose counter device has a cap, a slider and a first counter ring. The cap is moved in a first direction along an axis of the container, which causes movement of the slider in a first linear direction laterally, relative to the axis of the container, as a function of the movement of the cap in the first direction. The first counter ring is rotated through a first arc in a first circumferential direction about the axis of the container, as a function of the movement of the slider in the first linear direction. The cap is then moved in a second opposite direction, which causes the slider to move in a second opposite linear direction, which in turn causes rotation of the first counter ring through a second arc in the first circumferential direction about the axis of the container. A sum of the first and second arcs of movement of the first counter ring defines a circumferential extent of movement of the first counter ring relative to the cap that indicates a single dose of aerosol medication dispensed from the container.

Method and apparatus for metered dose dispensing

Inhaler

Growing community of inventors

Loughborough, United Kingdom

Richard D Brewer