Counting device and aerosol administration inhaler

Abstract

The counting device comprises an indicating ring and a transmission rod, the indicating ring can rotate around a first axis, at least two layers of gear rings are arranged on the inner circumference of the indicating ring, and the adjacent layers of gear rings are arranged in a staggered mode; the transmission rod is arranged on the inner side of the indicating ring and can rotate around a second axis, at least two layers of transmission teeth are arranged on the transmission rod, and the transmission teeth of the adjacent layers are arranged in a staggered mode; wherein the first axis and the second axis are arranged in parallel, when the inhaler dispenses one or more doses, the transmission rod is meshed with the gear ring through the transmission teeth to drive the indication ring to rotate, and a preset counting mark is generated in a display area of the device. According to the counting device, a layered tooth distribution optimized transmission structure is adopted, the forming difficulty of a transmission rod is reduced, the size precision is improved, meanwhile, the problem that the number of transmission teeth is difficult to increase due to the fact that the radial space is limited is solved, the counting frequency of the indication ring is increased, dose counting display is refined, and the precise counting function is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of medical devices, and in particular to a counting device and an aerosol dosing inhaler. Background Art

[0002] As air pollution becomes increasingly serious, the number of patients suffering from respiratory diseases at home and abroad is increasing, and respiratory drugs are gradually entering the field of vision of pharmaceutical companies, doctors and patients. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the two most serious respiratory diseases that affect patients. According to statistics from the World Health Organization in 2013, respiratory diseases have jumped to the third highest mortality rate, with a mortality rate of 14.09%. However, as new technologies have made great progress in pulmonary inhalation drug delivery, the majority of patients also prefer to use inhalation drug delivery to treat lung diseases and bronchial diseases. Recently, inhalation drug delivery from metered dose inhalers (MDIs) has become the main route chosen by drugs involved in the treatment of respiratory diseases.

[0003] Currently, MDI type inhalers are widely used to deliver bronchodilators and steroids to asthma patients. One of the disadvantages of using such known inhalers is that the patient cannot easily determine the amount of medication in the container. In extreme cases, the patient may be unable to dispense a dose of the required medication because the medication in the container has been exhausted, resulting in accidents.

[0004] It is known that a Chinese patent with publication number CN102652026B discloses a dose counter which adopts a mechanical advancement display technology, that is, the advancement of the display is triggered before or after the starting dose. In the dose counter, the indicator member is driven by a worm and is ideally constructed and arranged to cause a predetermined technical marking movement when one or more doses are dispensed.

[0005] It was found during actual use that the indicator component of the drug delivery inhaler can only perform the predetermined design marking movement after multiple doses have been dispensed (for example, after ten or even more doses), and its counting frequency is relatively low. The patient cannot accurately know how many doses or drugs have been dispensed / remained, which in turn affects the user experience. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a counting device and an aerosol dosing inhaler, which can improve the counting frequency of the indicator ring by optimizing the transmission structure, thereby further refining the dosage counting display and achieving the purpose of accurate counting.

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is achieved by the following technical solutions: A counting device, installed in an inhaler, comprising: an indicator ring, rotatable about a first axis, the inner circumference of the indicator ring being provided with at least two layers of toothed rings, and the toothed rings of adjacent layers being arranged alternately; and A transmission rod, which is arranged on the inner side of the indicator ring and can rotate around the second axis, and the transmission rod is provided with at least two layers of transmission teeth, and the transmission teeth of adjacent layers are arranged in a staggered manner; The first axis is arranged parallel to the second axis, and when the inhaler dispenses one or more doses, the transmission rod engages the gear ring through the transmission teeth to drive the indicator ring to rotate and generate a predetermined counting mark on the display area of ​​the device.

[0008] In some embodiments, the gear rings correspond to the transmission teeth one by one, and when the transmission teeth of one layer are meshed with the corresponding gear rings, the transmission teeth of the remaining layers are in a non-meshing state with the corresponding gear rings.

[0009] In some embodiments, among all the toothed rings on the inner circumference of the indicator ring, the protrusion height of the toothed rings on the upper layer is greater than the protrusion height of the toothed rings on the lower layer; Among all the transmission teeth on the transmission rod, the tooth diameter of the transmission teeth on the upper layer is smaller than the tooth diameter of the transmission teeth on the lower layer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the number of teeth in each layer of the transmission teeth does not exceed 6.

[0011] In some embodiments, the transmission rod is further provided with a driven tooth driving the transmission rod to rotate around a second axis, and the driven tooth is located below the indicator ring.

[0012] In some embodiments, the outer circumference of the indicator ring is used to indicate how many doses or drugs have been dispensed from the container, and / or how many doses or drugs remain in the container.

[0013] In some embodiments, the indicator ring is configured so that a predetermined count mark occurs no more than every five dispensed doses.

[0014] In some embodiments, each time a dose is dispensed, the transmission rod rotates 15° and the indicator ring rotates 1.6°.

[0015] In some embodiments, an actuating mechanism is further included, wherein the actuating mechanism is configured to convert the reciprocating motion along the first axis into a rotational motion about the first axis, thereby driving the transmission rod to rotate about the second axis.

[0016] In some embodiments, the actuation mechanism comprises: A transmission cylinder, which is arranged inside the indicator ring and can rotate unidirectionally around a first axis, and the transmission cylinder is in transmission connection with the transmission rod; A steering ring, disposed on the inner side of the transmission cylinder and slidably engaged therewith; An elastic member, arranged below the steering ring and between the inner bottom of the transmission cylinder; An index sleeve, disposed above the steering ring and in contact with the steering ring, the index sleeve being capable of reciprocating along the first axis; Each time the inhaler dispenses a dose, the index sleeve can drive the steering ring to rotate, thereby driving the transmission cylinder to transmit at a predetermined angle.

[0017] In some embodiments, a driving wheel is disposed at the bottom of the transmission cylinder, and the driving wheel is used to engage with the transmission rod portion for transmission.

[0018] In some embodiments, at least one groove is disposed on the inner periphery of the transmission cylinder; at least one convex rib is disposed on the outer periphery of the steering ring, and the convex rib is slidably engaged with the groove.

[0019] In some embodiments, the inner circumference of the steering ring is provided with inner vertical teeth; the bottom of the index sleeve is provided with driving teeth, and the driving teeth are in contact and cooperate with the inner vertical teeth.

[0020] In some embodiments, the outer circumference of the steering ring is provided with external vertical teeth; the outer circumference of the index sleeve is provided with a cover, and the bottom of the cover is provided with ratchet teeth, and the ratchet teeth are in contact and cooperation with the external vertical teeth.

[0021] In some embodiments, a central hole is disposed at the center of the actuation mechanism.

[0022] In some embodiments, a shell is further included, the shell being used to accommodate the indicator ring, wherein the display area is located on a side wall of the shell.

[0023] In some embodiments, a central groove and an eccentric groove are provided in the shell; wherein the central groove is used to accommodate the actuating mechanism, and the eccentric groove is used to accommodate the transmission rod.

[0024] In addition, the present invention also provides an aerosol dosing inhaler, comprising the counting device described above.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention include at least: 1. The transmission structure is optimized by layered gear arrangement, which reduces the difficulty of forming the transmission rod and improves its forming accuracy.

[0026] 2. The layered tooth design also solves the problem of limited radial space and difficulty in increasing the number of transmission teeth, which increases the counting frequency of the indicator ring, refines the dose counting display, and realizes the function of accurate counting.

[0027] 3. The indicator ring is coaxially arranged with the housing and the actuator, which occupies less space, has a compact transmission structure, and has no specific inclination angle requirement during installation, which effectively simplifies the structure of the housing and its matching parts and reduces the difficulty of parts molding and assembly.

[0028] 4. By driving the aerosol can up and down, the indicator ring can be triggered to count, which has the advantages of easy operation and accurate counting and reading. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the counting device of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the counting device of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the counting device of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the hidden actuating mechanism of the counting device of the present invention and the partial structure after the cover is closed.

[0033] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the transmission structure of the indicator ring and the transmission rod.

[0034] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the actuator mechanism.

[0035] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the actuating mechanism and the transmission rod.

[0036] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the state of the counting device of the present invention before being installed in the inhaler.

[0037] Fig. 9 It is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of the aerosol dosing inhaler of the present invention.

[0038] In the figure: 1, housing; 11, center groove; 12, eccentric groove; 13, display area; 14, ball head surface; 15, stopper; 16, clamping part; 2. Actuating mechanism; 21. Transmission cylinder; 211. Driving wheel; 212. Groove; 22. Steering ring; 221. Inner vertical teeth; 222. Protruding ribs; 223. Outer vertical teeth; 23. Elastic member; 231. Blades; 24. Index sleeve; 241. Driving teeth; 242. Grooves; 243. Claws; 25. Central hole; 3. Transmission rod; 31. Driven tooth; 32. Transmission tooth; 4. Indicator ring; 41. Gear ring; 5. Cover; 51. Ratchet; 52. Inner convex part; 53. Receiving groove; 6. Inhaler; 61. Window; 62. Nozzle; 63. Vertical rib; 631. Buckle; 7. aerosol can; 71. valve head; 72. can body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present invention more comprehensive and complete and to fully convey the concepts of example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or similar structures, and thus their repeated description will be omitted.

[0040] The words expressing positions and directions described in the present invention are all explained with reference to the accompanying drawings as examples, but they can be changed as needed, and all such changes are included in the protection scope of the present invention.

[0041] See also Fig. 9 As shown, the present invention discloses a counting device, which is installed in the inhaler 6 and is used to count the doses that have been dispensed or are left, and provide a counting mark that is readable by the user.

[0042] from Figures 1 to 3 It can be seen that the counting device mainly comprises a housing 1, an actuating mechanism 2, a transmission rod 3 and an indicator ring 4. The actuating mechanism 2, the transmission rod 3 and the indicator ring 4 are contained in the housing 1 as main working parts and can be retained by a cover 5. In the counting device, basically only the indicator ring 4 can be viewed by the user.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, the housing 1 is a generally cylindrical structure with an open top, and a central groove 11 and an eccentric groove 12 are provided on the inner bottom thereof, for accommodating the actuating mechanism 2 and the transmission rod 3 respectively, and the central groove 11 and the eccentric groove 12 are kept in communication. The indicator ring 4 is arranged against the inner wall of the housing 1, and a display area 13 cooperating therewith is provided on the side wall of the housing 1. In some examples, at least the display area 13 of the housing 1 is made of a transparent material. Alternatively, in other options, the display area 13 of the housing 1 may also be a hollow area (not shown) to directly expose the counting mark portion of the indicator ring 4.

[0044] Figure 3 and Figure 6The specific structure of the actuating mechanism 2 is shown, which includes a transmission cylinder 21, a steering ring 22, an elastic member 23 and an index sleeve 24, all of which are oriented about a first axis (A), for example, the transmission cylinder 21 can rotate around the first axis (A), and the index sleeve 24 can reciprocate along the first axis (A). In general, the actuating mechanism 2 is configured to convert the reciprocating motion along the first axis into a rotational motion around the first axis, thereby driving the transmission rod 3 to rotate around a second axis (B). More specifically, when the inhaler 6 dispenses a dose, the steering ring 22 can cause the transmission cylinder 21 to rotate, and the transmission cylinder 21 can cause the transmission rod 3 to rotate, and then cause the indicator ring 4 to rotate, so as to achieve the counting purpose.

[0045] Combination Figure 2 As shown, in the actuating mechanism 2, the transmission cylinder 21 is rotatably disposed in the central groove 11, which can rotate unidirectionally around the first axis (A) and can transmit power to the transmission rod 3 (see Figure 7 ). Specifically, the bottom surface of the transmission cylinder 21 is provided with a coaxially arranged driving wheel 211, which synchronizes the rotation of the transmission cylinder 21 and can engage with the driven tooth 31 at the middle position of the transmission rod 3, thereby driving the rotation of the transmission rod 3. In some examples, the driving wheel 211 can be an integrated part of the transmission cylinder 21, and its outer diameter should not exceed the outer diameter of the transmission cylinder 21, while in an alternative option, the driving wheel 211 can also be a separate component indirectly connected to the bottom surface of the transmission cylinder 21. In addition, the transmission cylinder 21 should have an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the steering ring 22 to allow the steering ring 22 to be arranged inside it and move (reciprocate and rotate) about the first axis (A).

[0046] The steering ring 22 has at least two interaction areas, wherein the first interaction area is an inner vertical tooth 221 arranged on the inner circumference of the steering ring 22, the inner vertical tooth 221 is continuous in the circumferential direction, and is used to contact and cooperate with the index sleeve 24 arranged above it. Specifically, the inner vertical tooth 221 can contact and interact with the driving teeth 241 evenly spaced at the bottom of the index sleeve 24. As the index sleeve 24 is pressed down, the steering ring 22 will also move down and rotate. The second interaction area is a convex rib 222 arranged on the outer circumference of the rotating ring, the convex rib 222 is evenly spaced in the circumferential direction (specifically, it can be four), and is used to contact and cooperate with the transmission cylinder 21 outside it, that is, the convex rib 222 can contact and interact with the groove 212 on the inner side of the transmission cylinder 21. Ideally, the convex rib 222 fits well in the groove 212, with only a small gap therebetween, to ensure smooth transmission. In a preferred example, the ribs 222 and the grooves 212 are usually vertical and parallel to the first axis (A), and the rotating ring is usually transmitted to the transmission cylinder 21 and causes its rotation. In addition, the steering ring 22 may also include a third interaction area, such as an outer vertical tooth 223 that is also arranged on the outer periphery of the steering ring 22. The outer vertical tooth 223 is continuous in the circumferential direction and higher than the inner vertical tooth 221, and is used to contact and cooperate with the cover 5 above it. Specifically, the outer vertical tooth 223 can contact and interact with the ratchet teeth 51 evenly spaced at the bottom of the cover 5. In the state where no dose is dispensed, the biasing force provided by the elastic member 23 engages the outer vertical tooth 223 and the ratchet teeth 51 together, thereby preventing the steering ring 22 and / or the transmission cylinder 21 from any rotational movement during storage and shipping to trigger dose counting.

[0047] The elastic member 23 providing bias is generally annular in structure, and is located between the bottom of the turning ring 22 and the inner bottom of the transmission cylinder 21, and has a plurality of spirally extending blades 231 at the edge, and these blades 231 are biased upward and contact the bottom surface of the turning ring 22, so that the turning ring 22 always tends to move toward the index sleeve 24 and the cover 5, thereby causing the inner vertical teeth 221 to engage with the driving teeth 241, and the outer vertical teeth 223 to engage with the ratchet teeth 51, and the relative rotation position of the index sleeve 24 and the turning ring 22 is such an engagement at any stage of operation. It is ideal that the number of blades 231 is controlled to be 4-6, and more blades 231 means that the elastic member 23 can provide a stronger force to meet the reset design requirements (due to the change in the arrangement of the indicator ring 4 occupying the space inside the shell, the size of the elastic member 23 is correspondingly reduced, but the biasing force can be enhanced by increasing the number of blades 231). On the other hand, this also requires the user to apply a greater force to the index sleeve 24 to drive the turning ring 22 to rotate, thereby avoiding dose counting caused by misoperation.

[0048] The index sleeve 24 is designed to contact and cooperate with the steering ring 22 after passing through the cover 5, that is, the driving teeth 241 (for example, there may be five) at the bottom of the index sleeve 24 contact and interact with the inner vertical teeth 221 on the inner periphery of the steering ring 22, and at the same time, it is hoped that the index sleeve 24 can stably move along the first axis (A). In some examples, the index sleeve 24 is evenly spaced with multiple grooves 242 (for example, there may be five) at intervals around the body, which are used to slide and guide with the inner convex portion 52 at the mating opening of the cover 5 to allow the index sleeve 24 to move vertically stably relative to the cover 5, while restricting the index sleeve 24 on the cover 5. In addition, the periphery of the index sleeve 24 is provided with multiple claws 243 (for example, there may be five), which extend radially outward from the top of the index sleeve 24 to dock with a target bottle / can, such as an aerosol can 7 that can provide a specific dose.

[0049] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the above-mentioned actuating mechanism 2 is in a static state, biased by the elastic member 23, and the vertical surface of the ratchet 51 at the bottom of the cover 5 can abut against the vertical surface of the outer vertical tooth 223 of the turning ring 22. In addition, the rib 222 of the turning ring 22 is always in sliding engagement with the groove 212 of the transmission cylinder 21. As the user triggers the inhaler 6 to dispense a dose, the index sleeve 24 is pressed downward, and the drive tooth 241 of the index sleeve 24 moves toward and engages with the inner vertical tooth 221 of the turning ring 22. The interaction area between the drive tooth 241 and the inner vertical tooth 221 is constructed to have opposite angled surfaces, and when force is applied to them, the drive tooth 241 and the inner vertical tooth 221 will force the turning ring 22 to rotate clockwise. However, since the ratchet 51 and the outer vertical tooth 223 remain engaged initially, any rotational movement of the turning ring 22 is limited, and therefore, the applied force can only cause the index sleeve 24 to continue to move downward. During this period, if the user has withdrawn the force applied to the index sleeve 24 before the steering ring 22 is separated from the cover 5, the steering ring 22 will return to the initial position and no dose count will be recorded. However, once the steering ring 22 is separated from the cover 5 and continues to move downward, a dose count will be counted and is therefore irreversible. In addition, if the steering ring 22 is separated from the cover 5, since the index sleeve 24 cannot rotate, the interaction between the driving tooth 241 and the inner vertical tooth 221 will cause the steering ring 22 to start rotating clockwise and move forward one unit. At the same time, the convex rib 222 on the outside of the steering ring 22 cooperates with the groove 212 to drive the transmission to rotate synchronously, and cause the driving wheel 211 at its bottom to rotate clockwise and move forward one unit, thereby causing the transmission rod 3 to move counterclockwise.

[0050] See you next time Figures 2 to 7As shown, the transmission rod 3 is arranged between the inner side of the indicator ring 4 and the outer side of the actuating mechanism 2, and can rotate around the second axis (B). Preferably, the second axis (B) is arranged parallel to the first axis (A), which is conducive to the contact and interaction (engagement) between the actuating mechanism 2 and the transmission rod 3, and the transmission rod 3 and the indicator ring 4, and maintains a good transmission effect. When the inhaler 6 dispenses one or more doses, the transmission rod 3 can drive the indicator ring 4 to rotate clockwise.

[0051] As you can see, Figures 3 to 5 It is clearly shown that the transmission rod 3 includes two interaction areas, wherein the first interaction area is a driven tooth 31 arranged on the rod body, which is used to mesh with the driving wheel 211 in the actuating mechanism 2 to realize the transmission from the actuating mechanism 2 to the transmission rod 3, which will not be repeated here. The second interaction area is a transmission tooth 32 arranged on the rod body but located above the driven tooth 31, which is used to contact and interact with the indicator ring 4 to realize the transmission from the transmission rod 3 to the indicator ring 4. Specifically, at least one layer of transmission teeth 32 is arranged on the transmission rod 3, and correspondingly, at least one layer of toothed ring 41 is arranged on the inner side of the indicator ring 4, and the transmission teeth 32 and the toothed ring 41 mesh with each other. Compared with the existing worm gear transmission method, the above transmission structure is simple, more reliable, and has lower requirements for the arrangement of the indicator ring 4. In some examples, the transmission teeth 32 can be an integrated part of the transmission rod 3, or in an alternative selection, the transmission teeth 32 can also be a separate component indirectly connected to the transmission rod 3.

[0052] Preferably, at least two layers of transmission teeth 32 are arranged on the transmission rod 3, and correspondingly, at least two layers of toothed rings 41 are also arranged on the inner side of the indicator ring 4. The toothed rings 41 of adjacent layers are arranged in a staggered manner, and the transmission teeth 32 of adjacent layers are arranged in a staggered manner, and when the transmission teeth 32 of one layer are meshed with the corresponding toothed rings 41, the transmission teeth 32 of the remaining layers are in a non-meshing state with the corresponding toothed rings 41. It can be understood that the space between the inner side of the indicator ring 4 and the outer side of the actuator 2 is limited, especially limited by the size of the counting device itself, so on this basis, the diameter of the transmission rod 3 is also limited, which leads to the number of transmission teeth 32 that can be arranged on the transmission rod 3 at the same layer or the same horizontal height is also limited. In addition, affected by process and / or size factors, the number of transmission teeth 32 around the transmission rod 3 is usually designed to be no more than 6 at the same height level. As mentioned above, the transmission rod 3 and the indicator ring 4 specifically divide the transmission teeth 32 and the corresponding tooth ring 41 into layers, such as two layers each, and each layer of the transmission rod 3 is evenly distributed with three transmission teeth 32 (not shown) in the circumferential direction, so as to cope with the challenges of process and precision brought by the same layer arrangement. More advantageously, the layered arrangement solves the problem that it is difficult to increase the number of transmission teeth 32 due to limited radial space. This method makes full use of the vertical space and can increase the number of transmission teeth 32. For example, each layer is divided into three layers, and each layer of the transmission rod 3 is evenly distributed with 3 to 5 transmission teeth 32 in the circumferential direction, so as to further increase the number of teeth that can contact the tooth ring 41 around the transmission rod 3. By increasing the tooth number ratio of the transmission teeth 32 to the tooth ring 41, the transmission rod 3 is allowed to have more opportunities to contact the tooth ring 41 of the indicator ring 4 every time it rotates one circle, which eventually leads to an increase in the rotation frequency of the indicator ring 4, thereby further refining the number of doses or drugs that have been distributed / remaining (for example, the indicator ring 4 is prompted to move forward one unit from the original 10 doses to the current 5 doses to prompt the indicator ring 4 to move forward one unit), which is convenient for users to understand the status.

[0053] See also Figure 5 As shown, in a specific example, two layers of transmission teeth 32 are provided on the transmission rod 3. For the convenience of distinction, the transmission teeth 32 of the upper layer are referred to as the first transmission teeth, and the transmission teeth 32 of the lower layer are referred to as the second transmission teeth. Similarly, two layers of toothed rings 41 are also provided on the inner side of the indicator ring 4. The toothed rings 41 of the upper layer are referred to as the first toothed ring, and the toothed rings 41 of the lower layer are referred to as the second toothed ring. During the transmission process between the transmission rod 3 and the indicator ring 4, the first transmission teeth may be first meshed with the first toothed ring, at which time, the second transmission teeth are in a separated state from the second toothed ring. As the transmission rod 3 continues to rotate, after the first transmission teeth are separated from the first toothed ring, the second transmission teeth quickly take over and enter the meshing state with the second toothed ring, and this cycle is alternated to drive the indicator ring 4 to rotate and count.

[0054] In addition, in other examples, if necessary, each layer of transmission teeth 32 or each layer of gear rings 41 can also be arranged neatly (not shown), and poor contact between any layer of transmission teeth 32 and gear rings 41 will not affect the transmission of other layers, thereby ensuring the transmission reliability and fault tolerance between the transmission rod 3 and the indicator ring 4.

[0055] Or Figure 2 As shown, the indicator ring 4 is arranged in the peripheral area of ​​the entire actuating mechanism 2 and is arranged close to the inner wall of the housing 1, and it can also rotate around the first axis (A). It can be seen from the above diagram that the indicator ring 4 is basically arranged coaxially with the housing 1 or the actuating mechanism 2, which results in it occupying very little space, being very compact in structure, and having no specific inclination angle requirements during installation, and simplifying the structure of the housing 1 and the matching part thereof, effectively reducing the cost and assembly difficulty.

[0056] Continue as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the indicator ring 4 has an interaction area and a marking area. Specifically, the interaction area is at least one layer of toothed ring 41 arranged on the inner side thereof, which is used to mesh with the transmission teeth 32 on the transmission rod 3 to realize the transmission of the transmission rod 3 to the indicator ring 4, which will not be repeated here. In some examples, the toothed ring 41 can be an integrated part of the indicator ring 4, and in an alternative selection, the toothed ring 41 can also be a separate component indirectly connected to the inner side of the indicator ring 4. The marking area is the outer peripheral surface of the indicator ring 4, which can generate a predetermined counting mark in the display area 13 of the counting device when the inhaler 6 dispenses one or more doses, so as to provide the user with the amount of the dose or the medicine that has been dispensed / remained. In some examples, the outer peripheral surface of the indicator ring 4 can be provided with a mark or used as a mark bearing surface to indicate how many doses or medicines have been dispensed in the container, and / or how many doses or medicines are left in the container. It can be imagined that the marks on the outer peripheral surface of the indicator ring 4 are arranged in a column of gradually increasing or decreasing digital forms, so as to facilitate the user to quickly understand the amount of the dose or medicine. Alternatively, if desired, the marking may be colored, for example, by changing color (transitioning from green to red) to indicate the relative level of dose or drug remaining in the container.

[0057] See also Figures 1 to 3As shown, it can be seen from the above that the actuating mechanism 2 in the counting device can convert the reciprocating motion along the first axis (A) into a unidirectional motion of clockwise rotation around the first axis (A), and thereby drive the transmission rod 3 to rotate counterclockwise around the second axis (B), thereby prompting the indicator ring 4 to also rotate clockwise around the first axis (A), and generate a predetermined counting mark with the display area 13 of the device. Ideally, the indicator ring 4 is configured so that a predetermined counting mark movement occurs every time the inhaler 6 dispenses a dose, for example, every time a dose is dispensed, the transmission rod 3 rotates 15° and the indicator ring 4 rotates 1.6°. In other options, the indicator ring 4 can also be configured so that a predetermined counting mark movement occurs after a plurality of doses are dispensed, for example, a predetermined counting mark movement occurs every time no more than five dispensed doses are dispensed.

[0058] In summary, the counting device of the present invention creatively designs the transmission teeth 32 in layers in the transmission link between the transmission rod 3 and the indicator ring 4, so as to facilitate the integral molding or connection of the transmission teeth 32 and the transmission rod 3, and solves the problem that the number of transmission teeth 32 is difficult to increase due to limited radial space. By utilizing the axial space to increase the number of transmission teeth 32, the transmission rod 3 has more opportunities to contact the indicator ring 4 every time it rotates, thereby increasing the rotation frequency of the indicator ring 4, further refining the dose counting, and facilitating the user to accurately understand the status. In addition, the indicator ring 4 is coaxially arranged with the housing 1 and the actuator 2, which occupies less space and has a very compact transmission structure. In addition, the indicator ring 4 has no specific inclination angle requirement during installation, and also simplifies the structure of the housing 1 and the matching part thereof, effectively reducing the cost and assembly difficulty.

[0059] See also Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in the counting device, the lower end of the transmission rod 3 is installed in the eccentric groove 12 of the housing 1, and the upper end is connected to the receiving groove 53 at the bottom of the cover 5 to ensure the stability of the rotation of the transmission rod 3. At the same time, the driven wheel of the transmission rod 3 is arranged below the indicator ring 4 to prevent interference with the rotation of the gear ring 41. This arrangement requires the transmission rod 3 to be assembled before the indicator ring 4. Therefore, in order to facilitate assembly, in some embodiments, among all the gear rings 41 on the inner circumference of the indicator ring 4, the protrusion height of the upper gear ring 41 is greater than the protrusion height of the lower gear ring 41. Correspondingly, among all the transmission teeth 32 on the transmission rod 3, the tooth diameter of the upper transmission teeth 32 is smaller than the tooth diameter of the lower transmission teeth 32. In this example, the gear ring 41 is in the form of being small at the top and large at the bottom, and the transmission teeth 32 are also in the form of being small at the top and large at the bottom, which is conducive to the assembly of the two, and the gear ring 41 can well lock the transmission teeth 32 and the transmission rod 3 in the eccentric groove 12 to prevent the problem of axial movement.

[0060] Or Figure 4As shown, in some embodiments, the inner bottom of the housing 1 is provided with a ball head surface 14, which is only slightly higher than the inner bottom of the housing 1, and the indicator ring 4 and part of the actuating mechanism 2 (transmission cylinder 21) are placed and rotated thereon, thereby reducing surface friction and improving the smoothness of the rotation of the indicator ring 4 and the transmission cylinder 21. In the example described, the ball head surface 14 can be directly injection molded on the inner bottom of the housing 1, or can be placed on the inner bottom of the housing 1 as a separate component.

[0061] In some embodiments, a stopper 15 is provided on the inner bottom edge of the housing 1, which is used to correct the indicator ring 4 at the starting position to ensure that it returns to zero at the beginning, and to stop it at the end position to prevent the indicator ring 4 from counting beyond the preset regulations, resulting in counting errors caused by it advancing beyond zero in subsequent use. Specifically, in the toothed ring 41 at the bottom of the indicator ring 4, there is only one protrusion extending downward and contacting the stopper 15. At the starting position, the protrusion extending downward alone contacts one side of the stopper 15 to correct the indicator ring 4 to zero. When the indicator ring 4 rotates one circle and the dose counting is completed, the protrusion extending downward alone contacts the other side of the stopper 15, thereby limiting the indicator ring 4 from continuing to advance beyond zero.

[0062] See also Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, the present invention also provides an aerosol dosing inhaler 6, comprising the above-mentioned counting device. The counting device is arranged in the inhaler 6, and its display area 13 is directly opposite to the window 61 of the inhaler 6. When in use, the aerosol can 7 is inserted into the inhaler 6, so that its valve head 71 is connected to the nozzle 62 of the inhaler 6, and the can body 72 is connected to the actuating mechanism 2 of the counting device, and the aerosol can 7 is driven to move up and down, so that the indicator ring 4 can be triggered to count, which is convenient to operate and the count reading is more accurate.

[0063] Combination Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, a central hole 25 is provided at the center of the actuating mechanism 2, and the central hole 25 passes through the cover 5, the actuating mechanism 2 and the housing 1, so as to allow the valve head 71 of the aerosol can 7 to be connected with the nozzle 62 of the inhaler 6, thereby realizing the function of aerosol delivery.

[0064] See also Figure 2 and Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the outer periphery of the housing 1 is provided with at least two clamps 16, and the clamps 16 are used to locate and engage with the target component (e.g., the inhaler 6). Specifically, the inner wall of the housing 1 is formed with at least two vertical ribs 63, which are used to strengthen the structural strength of the inhaler 6 and can guide and prevent the installation of the clamps 16. In addition, the bottom of the vertical ribs 63 is formed with a buckle 631 corresponding to the clamps 16, so that the housing 1 can be locked in the inhaler 6 after being installed in place, thereby improving the stability and convenience of the installation.

[0065] In addition, the present invention also discloses a counting and driving method for an aerosol dosing inhaler 6 , comprising steps S1 to S3 .

[0066] S1, providing an inhaler 6, wherein a counting device is provided at a nozzle 62 of the inhaler 6, and the counting device comprises an indicator ring 4, a transmission rod 3 and an actuating mechanism 2; S11, at least two layers of gear rings 41 are provided on the inner circumference of the indicator ring 4, and at least two layers of transmission teeth 32 are provided on the transmission rod 3; S12, making the gear rings 41 of adjacent layers staggered and the transmission teeth 32 of adjacent layers staggered; S2, inserting the aerosol can 7 into the inhaler 6, so that the valve head 71 is connected to the nozzle 62 of the inhaler 6, and the can body 72 is connected to the actuating mechanism 2 of the counting device; S3, pressing the aerosol can 7 to dispense one or more doses, causing the actuating mechanism 2 to drive the transmission rod 3 to rotate, which in turn causes the indicator ring 4 to rotate and generate a predetermined counting mark on the display area 13 of the counting device; S31, the actuating mechanism 2 converts the axial reciprocating motion of pressing the aerosol can 7 into a circumferential rotational motion; S32, causing the actuating mechanism 2 to drive the transmission rod 3 to rotate; S33, when the transmission teeth 32 of one layer of the transmission rod 3 are meshed with the corresponding gear ring 41, the transmission teeth 32 of the remaining layers are in a non-meshing state with the corresponding gear ring 41; S34, the transmission rod 3 drives the indicator ring 4 to rotate, and generates a predetermined counting mark in the display area 13 of the counting device according to the dosage dispensing situation.

[0067] In the above counting driving method, the aerosol can 7 is driven to move up and down, and the indicator ring 4 can be triggered to count, which is convenient to operate and the count reading is accurate. In addition, by arranging the gear ring 41 and the transmission teeth 32 in layers, the transmission rod 3 has more opportunities to contact the indicator ring 4 every time it rotates, thereby increasing the rotation frequency of the indicator ring 4, further refining the dosage counting, and facilitating the user to accurately understand the status.

[0068] In some embodiments, the indicator ring 4 can rotate around a first axis (A), the first axis (A) is located at the center of the counting device. The transmission rod 3 can rotate around a second axis (B), the second axis (B) is located at an eccentric position of the counting device, and the second axis is arranged parallel to the first axis (A).

[0069] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations on the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, substitute and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the invention without departing from the principles and purpose of the present invention. All such changes should fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A counting device installed in an inhaler, characterized in that: include: An indicator ring, rotatable about a first axis, wherein at least two layers of toothed rings are arranged on the inner circumference of the indicator ring, and the toothed rings of adjacent layers are arranged alternately; as well as A transmission rod, which is arranged on the inner side of the indicator ring and can rotate around the second axis, and the transmission rod is provided with at least two layers of transmission teeth, and the transmission teeth of adjacent layers are arranged in a staggered manner; The first axis is arranged parallel to the second axis, and when the inhaler dispenses one or more doses, the transmission rod engages the gear ring through the transmission teeth to drive the indicator ring to rotate and generate a predetermined counting mark on the display area of ​​the device.

2. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gear rings correspond to the transmission teeth one by one. When the transmission teeth of one layer are meshed with the corresponding gear rings, the transmission teeth of the remaining layers are in a non-meshing state with the corresponding gear rings.

3. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Among all the toothed rings on the inner circumference of the indicator ring, the protrusion height of the toothed rings on the upper layer is greater than the protrusion height of the toothed rings on the lower layer; Among all the transmission teeth on the transmission rod, the tooth diameter of the transmission teeth on the upper layer is smaller than the tooth diameter of the transmission teeth on the lower layer.

4. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of teeth of each layer of transmission teeth does not exceed 6.

5. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transmission rod is also provided with a driven tooth driving the transmission rod to rotate around a second axis, and the driven tooth is located below the indicator ring.

6. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer circumference of the indicator ring is used to indicate how many doses or drugs have been dispensed from the container, and / or how many doses or drugs remain in the container.

7. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The indicator ring is configured so that a predetermined count mark occurs no more than every five dispensed doses.

8. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each time a dose is dispensed, the transmission rod rotates 15° and the indicator ring rotates 1.6°.

9. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also includes an actuating mechanism configured to convert the reciprocating motion along the first axis into a rotational motion about the first axis, thereby driving the transmission rod to rotate about the second axis.

10. The counting device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The actuating mechanism comprises: A transmission cylinder, which is arranged inside the indicator ring and can rotate unidirectionally around a first axis, and the transmission cylinder is in transmission connection with the transmission rod; A steering ring, disposed on the inner side of the transmission cylinder and slidably engaged therewith; An elastic member, arranged below the steering ring and between the inner bottom of the transmission cylinder; An index sleeve, disposed above the steering ring and in contact with the steering ring, the index sleeve being capable of reciprocating along the first axis; Each time the inhaler dispenses a dose, the index sleeve can drive the steering ring to rotate, thereby driving the transmission cylinder to transmit at a predetermined angle.

11. The counting device according to claim 10, characterized in that: A driving wheel is arranged at the bottom of the transmission cylinder, and the driving wheel is used for partially meshing and transmitting with the transmission rod.

12. The counting device according to claim 10, characterized in that The inner circumference of the transmission cylinder is provided with at least one groove; the outer circumference of the steering ring is provided with at least one convex rib, and the convex rib is slidably engaged with the groove.

13. The counting device according to claim 10, characterized in that The inner circumference of the steering ring is provided with inner vertical teeth; the bottom of the index sleeve is provided with driving teeth, and the driving teeth are in contact and matched with the inner vertical teeth.

14. The counting device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The outer periphery of the steering ring is provided with external vertical teeth; the outer periphery of the index sleeve is provided with a sealing cover, and the bottom of the sealing cover is provided with ratchet teeth, and the ratchet teeth are in contact and matched with the external vertical teeth.

15. The counting device according to claim 9, characterized in that A central hole is disposed at the center of the actuating mechanism.

16. The counting device according to claim 1, characterized in that It also includes a shell, which is used to accommodate the indicator ring, wherein the display area is located on the side wall of the shell.

17. The counting device according to claim 16, characterized in that A central groove and an eccentric groove are arranged in the shell; wherein the central groove is used to accommodate the actuating mechanism, and the eccentric groove is used to accommodate the transmission rod.

18. An aerosol dosing inhaler, characterized in that: Comprising a counting device as described in any one of claims 1-17.

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