Dose Counter for Inhaler Having An Anti-Reverse Rotation Actuator

Abstract

An inhaler includes a main body having a canister housing, a medicament canister retained in a central outlet port of the canister housing, and a dose counter having an actuation member for operation by movement of the medicament canister. The canister housing has an inner wall, and a first inner wall canister support formation extending inwardly from a main surface of the inner wall. The canister housing has a longitudinal axis X which passes through the center of the central outlet port. The first inner wall canister support formation, the actuation member, and the central outlet port lie in a common plane coincident with the longitudinal axis X such that the first inner wall canister support formation protects against unwanted actuation of the dose counter by reducing rocking of the medicament canister relative to the main body of the inhaler.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A metered dose inhaler comprising:
 a body configured to retain a canister during movement of the canister from an at-rest position to a firing position;   an actuator movable, in response to movement of the canister, to engage an incremental output member and to drive the incremental output member in a count direction, the actuator being further configured to restrict motion of the incremental output member in a direction opposite to the count direction when the canister is in the at-rest position, and   
       an anti-back member configured to pivot into a restricting position,
 wherein in the restricting position the anti-back member restricts movement of incremental output member in a direction opposite to the count direction when the actuator is disengaged from the incremental output member. 
 
     
     
         24 . The metered dose inhaler of  claim 23  further comprising:
 a slide surface configured and dimensioned to be engaged by the actuator during a canister firing sequence. 
 
     
     
         25 . The metered dose inhaler of  claim 24  wherein the canister firing sequence is a full canister firing sequence. 
     
     
         26 . The metered dose inhaler of  claim 24  wherein the slide surface comprises a bump surface configured to disengage the actuator from the incremental output member. 
     
     
         27 . The metered dose inhaler of  claim 23  further comprising:
 a pin coupled to the actuator and engageable by canister, the pin being disengaged from the canister in the at rest position and engaged with the canister in the firing position. 
 
     
     
         28 . The metered dose inhaler of  claim 23  wherein in the at-rest position the anti-back member is in engagement with a first back face of the incremental output member and the actuator is spaced from a second back face of the incremental output member in a position wherein movement of the incremental output member in a direction opposite the count direction, would be restricted by the actuator. 
     
     
         29 . The metered dose inhaler of  claim 23  wherein the incremental output member includes drive teeth and wherein the anti-back member is configured to engage the incremental output member at the drive teeth.