Adjustment tool for a preassembled hand-held device for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions, arrangement of a hand-held device in an adjustment tool, and method for adjusting by an adjustment tool

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjustment tool (1) for adjusting a position of an adjustment part (2) during installation of the adjustment part (2) in a preassembled hand-held device (5) for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions, wherein the hand-held device (5) comprises a housing (6) having an outer housing part (7), an inner housing part (8) and a mouthpiece (9) for a user to inhale the pharmaceutical substance, and a cartridge (11) accommodated in the housing (6) and containing the pharmaceutical substance, wherein the inner housing part (8) is moveably arranged in the outer housing part (7), wherein the cartridge (11) is moveably arranged in the inner housing part (8), and wherein the adjustment part (2) is moveably attached to the inner housing part (8) to build up a force on the cartridge (11). In order to provide an automatic adjustment of the adjustment part (2) corresponding to different cartridges (11), it is proposed that the adjustment tool (1) comprises a positioning part (13) for mounting at least a part of the hand-held device (1) and for exerting a force on the adjustment part (2) of the hand-held device (1), wherein the positioning part (13) comprises an indicator element (14) that is moveably arranged on a supporting part (27) of the positioning part (13) to indicate the current position of the adjustment part (2) relative to the cartridge (11).

Description

SpecificationAdjustment Tool for a Preassembled Hand-held Device for Dispensing a Pharmaceutical Substance in Portions, Arrangement of a Hand-held Device in an Adjustment Tool, and Method for Adjusting by an Adjustment toolTechnical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an adjustment tool for adjusting a position of an adjustment part during installation of the adjustment part in a preassembled hand-held device for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions, wherein the hand-held device comprises a housing having an outer housing part, an inner housing part and a mouthpiece for a user to inhale the pharmaceutical substance, and a cartridge accommodated in the housing and containing the pharmaceutical substance, wherein the inner housing part is moveably arranged in the outer housing part, wherein the cartridge is moveably arranged in the inner housing part, and wherein the adjustment part is moveably attached to the inner housing part to build up a force on the cartridge.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention also relates to an arrangement of a handheld device having a cartridge containing a pharmaceutical substance in an adjustment tool for adjusting a force exerted on the cartridge.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for adjusting, by an adjustment tool, a position of an adjustment part in a preassembled hand-held device for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions, wherein the hand-held device comprises a housing with an outer housing part and in inner housing part moveably arranged in the outer housing part and an inner housing part moveably arranged in the outer housing part, a cartridge containing the pharmaceutical substance encompassed by the inner housing part, and the adjustment part.Prior Art

[0004] A hand-held device, as particularly described here, is referred to as an inhaler. Such inhalers should only deliver substances to the user in a dispensing position of the hand-held device, when the user has taken a mouth piece of the hand-held device into his mouth and is currently inhaling. In the course of inhaling, the cartridge is moved relative to the housing of the hand-held device from a rest position to the dispensing position. When moving into the dispensing position, a valve of the cartridge is pressed into the cartridge against the force of a valve spring and a predetermined amount of pharmaceutical substances is withdrawn from the cartridge. The substance is usually under pressure. With regard to such cartridges and valves reference is made to EP 2275479 Al and US 2016 / 0084385 Al, for example. These explanations are also correspondingly important for the hand-held devices that are disclosed here.

[0005] In order secure dispensing of the pharmaceutical substance, an adjustment part, for example a spring element, is used to exert a force on the cartridge. This may compensate for small height tolerances of different cartridges, especially cartridges of different manufacturers.

[0006] The height differences of the cartridges can cause various problems for the performance of the hand-held device. Therefore, the adjustment part preferably has to have different positions within the housing of the hand-held device in order to apply the cartridge with optimum pressure for enabling the movement of the cartridge from the rest position to the dispensing position and thereby to also enable the withdrawal of substance from the cartridge by a defined amount.

[0007] Normally, the individual height of a cartridge to be positioned in the hand-held device would be checked manually in order to adjust a corresponding position of the adjustment part within the housing of the hand-held device. However, this is uncomfortable and time consuming.Summary of the Invention

[0008] Therefore, the invention aims to provide an adjustment tool for determining and adjusting a position of the adjustment part in the hand-held device.

[0009] In order to attain this objective, it is proposed an adjustment tool that comprises a positioning part for clamping at least a part of the hand-held device and for exerting a force on the adjustment part of the hand-held device, wherein the positioning part comprises an indicator element that is moveably arranged on a supporting part of the positioning part to indicate the current position of the adjustment part relative to the cartridge.

[0010] The adjustment tool allows a manual or automatic assembling of the hand-held device with regard to the position of the adjustment part within the housing of the hand-held device. The adjustment tool may also provide a base part for mounting for example a first part of the hand-held device and the positioning part for clamping at least a second part of the hand-held device. The base part may usually be used for mounting a lower part of the hand-held device that comprises a mouth piece through which the user can inhale the pharmaceutical substance. The positioning part may preferably be designed to mount a top side of the hand-held device that is opposite to the mouth piece. This top side of the hand-held device can be opened especially by a manufacturer for inserting the cartridge into the hand-held device and also for inserting the adjustment part into the housing. The top side of the housing is usually closed by a cover. The base part does not have to be a mandatory part of theadjustment tool itself. Instead, the base part may be a part of another device or tool.

[0011] The positioning part of the adjustment tool can be moved relative to the hand-held device, especially by moving the positioning part along a guide, for example a guide that connects the positioning part with a base part of the adjustment tool or another tool or device. The adjustment tool is preferably operated by an actuator or comprises an actuator that is capable of moving the positioning part. A guide may be used that comprises for example one or more pillars that are connected both to a base part and the positioning part of the adjustment tool. For example, pillars of the base part may be inserted into corresponding bushes or through holes of the positioning part. However, also other types of connection between the base part and the positioning part may be used, for example a tongue and groove joint or others. The main point is, that the positioning part is moveable comfortably relative to the base part in order to individually fix the position of the positioning part relative to the base part. This also allows to apply a force to the positioning part in order to adjust the position of the adjustment part within the housing of the hand-held device.

[0012] The positioning part comprises an indicator element for indicating the position of the adjustment part in the housing and especially relative to the cartridge. This ensures the ability of the adjustment part to apply sufficient force on the cartridge independent of the individual height of the cartridge and thus the position of a top part of the cartridge in the dispensing position. The correct adjustment of the position of the adjustment part within the housing of the hand-held device ensures that the cartridge can attain the identical dispensing position independent of its individual height. Thereby, it can be ensured that always a same portion of pharmaceutical substance is withdrawn from the cartridge with each stroke of the hand-held device.

[0013] The indicator element is part of the positioning part and moveable relative to a supporting part of the positioning part. From a current position of the indicator element relative to the supporting part, the adjustment tool can conclude the current position of the adjustment part relative to the cartridge and thereby the correct assembling of the adjustment part within the housing of the hand-held device.

[0014] It is proposed that the indicator element abuts the inner housing part of the hand-held device in order to indicate the current position of the adjustment part due to a movement of the inner housing part relative to the adjustment part. Then the adjustment part is moved, for example screwed, into the inner housing part, the inner housing part does not move relative to the positioning part as long as the adjustment part does not contact the cartridge and / or the cartridge did not yet reach its lowermost position in the housing of the handheld device. That means, that the adjustment part is for example screwed into an inner thread of the inner housing part until it contacts the top part of the cartridge. Then, as the cartridge and the adjustment part cannot further move down into the inner housing part, it stops and the inner housing part takes on the motion and is moved relative to the unmovable adjustment part in opposite direction. The upward movement of the inner housing part causes also an upward movement of the indicator element of the adjustment tool away from the cartridge due to the contact between the inner housing part of the hand-held device and the indicator element of the adjustment tool.

[0015] Preferably, the indicator element is coupled to a displacement sensor or is part of a displacement sensor. Particularly, the displacement sensor can be an optical sensor or an inductive sensor. Furthermore, other kinds of displacement sensor can be used. An optical sensor may be for example a photoelectric barrier. An inductive sensor can be according to one embodiment a linear variabledifferential transformer (LVDT), wherein the indicator element is coupled to the movable core.

[0016] It is furthermore proposed that the indicator element is floatingly mounted into a recess of the positioning part. The floating mount of the indicator element allows a free movability of the indicator element relative to the supporting part of the positioning part. The recess could be for example a through hole of the supporting part that surrounds the indicator element at least partially. Preferably, the recess has with regard to at least one front side an inner diameter that is smaller than a widest outer diameter of the indicator element in order to secure the indicator element in the recess such that the indicator element could not escape out of the supporting part. Dependent on a contact of the indicator element with the inner housing part of the hand-held device, the indicator element can, however, can move relative to the supporting part, namely within the recess of the positioning part.

[0017] Preferably, the indicator element is biased by a spring force of a spring element that supports itself on the one hand against the supporting part and on the second hand against the indicator element. The spring element can be for example a coil spring that is inserted into a cylindrical recess of the positioning part. The restoring force of the spring element moves the indicator element to a front side of the positioning part that abuts the top part of the hand-held device. Thereby, in a fully relaxed state of the spring element, the indicator element can contact the inner housing part of the hand-held device. Furthermore, besides a coil spring, also other types of spring elements could be used, for example flat springs or others.

[0018] According to a further possible embodiment, it is provided that the adjustment tool comprises a guide for guiding a movement of the positioningpart, especially a movement relative to a base part. The positioning part could be moved particularly by an actuation element of a pneumatic actuator or a motor. The guide could be designed in different ways, for example as one or more pillars on the base part that engage in through holes or bushes of the positioning part. Furthermore, also a tongue and groove joint or other could be used. The guide guides the movement of the positioning part and adjusts the positioning part relative to the hand-held device such that the top part of the housing of the hand-held device could be precisely engaged by the adjustment tool, especially the positioning part of the adjustment tool.

[0019] It is furthermore proposed, that the positioning part comprises an adjustment element to be inserted into a corresponding slot of the adjustment part of the hand-held device. The adjustment element can be for example a adjustment element like a hex tool, that can be inserted into a corresponding hex slot of the adjustment part in order to screw an outer thread of the adjustment part into an inner thread of the inner housing part of the hand-held device. The adjustment element is advantageously inserted into an inner cavity or recess of the indicator element that itself is preferably inserted into a cavity or recess of the positioning part of the adjustment tool.

[0020] Preferably, the indicator element has a cylindrical shape, such that the adjustment element could be rotated within the cavity or recess of the indicator element. Due to a form-fit or at least corresponding shapes of the outer contour of the adjustment element and the inner contour of the indicator element, the adjustment element can also be perfectly positioned with regard to the adjustment part of the hand-held device.

[0021] Most preferably, a concentrical alignment of the adjustment element, the indicator element and the positioning part of the adjustment tool can beachieved. Furthermore an ideal positioning of the adjustment element relative to the slot of the adjustment part can be achieved.

[0022] Furthermore, it is proposed, that the adjustment element comprises an indicator pin that is floatingly mounted into a recess of the adjustment element, wherein the indicator pin is particularly associated with a sensor for measuring a position or movement of the indicator pin relative to the recess of the adjustment element. The adjustment element provides a support for the indicator pin. The indicator pin is guided within the recess of the adjustment element in order to floatingly move up and down relative to the recess of the adjustment element. The indicator pin is used especially for measuring a position or a movement of the cartridge within the inner housing part of the hand-held device.

[0023] When the adjustment element is moved in the direction of the handheld device, the indicator pin is at first inserted into a through hole of the adjustment part of the hand-held device. This hole is preferably a through hole located in the central part of the slot of the adjustment part. Thereby, not only the indicator pin, but also the adjustment element itself is adjusted relative to the adjustment part of the hand-held device. Dependent on the inner diameter of the hole and the outer diameter of the indicator pin, the adjustment element can be inserted precisely into the slot.

[0024] When the cartridge moves down as a follow-up of the adjustment part being screwed into an inner thread of the inner housing part, the indicator pin follows the movement of the cartridge due to for example the gravitational force that acts on the indicator pin. Furthermore, it is also possible to bias the indicator pin by a restoring force of a spring element. Then, the functionality, especially the movement, of the indicator pin is independent on the orientationof the adjustment tool relative to the gravitational force. The tip of the indicator pin rests on the top of the cartridge and follows the movement of the cartridge when the adjustment part is moved deeper into the inner housing part in the direction of the cartridge. Thereby, it can be monitored when the cartridge reaches a defined end position in the housing of the hand-held device.

[0025] The movement or position of the indicator pin can be monitored by a sensor like for example an optical sensor or a capacitive sensor. The indicator pin thus provides an additional safety feature that can be used as an add-on feature. However, this feature is not mandatory for the functionality of the adjustment tool.

[0026] Besides the adjustment tool, it is also provided an arrangement of a hand-held device having a cartridge containing pharmaceutical substance in an adjustment tool for adjusting a force exerted on the cartridge, the cartridge being moveable between a rest position and a dispensing position, the rest position being blocked by a removable holding part, the hand-held device comprising a housing having an outer housing part, an inner housing part and a mouthpiece for a user to inhale the pharmaceutical substance, the inner housing part exerting force on the cartridge in order to move the cartridge from the rest position to the dispensing position, the hand-held device further comprising an adjustment part being moveable relative to the inner housing part and into contact with the cartridge, the adjustment tool having a positioning part for moving the inner housing part in an adjustment position and an adjustment element for adjusting the adjustment part relative to the inner housing part by moving the adjustment part into contact with the cartridge, a movement of the inner housing part due to contact between the adjustment part and the cartridge being detectable in order to determine a correct position of the adjustment part relative to the inner housing part.

[0027] The arrangement comprises the adjustment tool, especially an adjustment tool as according to one of the previous embodiments, and a preassembled hand-held device for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions, wherein the hand-held device comprises a housing having an outer housing part, an inner housing part and a mouthpiece for a user to inhale the pharmaceutical substance, and a cartridge accommodated in the housing and containing the pharmaceutical substance, wherein the inner housing part is moveably arranged in the outer housing part, wherein the cartridge is moveably arranged in the inner housing part, and wherein the adjustment part is moveably attached to the inner housing part, especially screwed into the inner housing part, to build up a force on the cartridge.

[0028] The adjustment tool provides the indicator element for determining a correct position of the adjustment part of the hand-held device relative to the inner housing part in order to ensure an optimal functionality of the hand-held device independent on a certain size, especially height, of the cartridge. As the indicator element is in contact with the inner housing part of the hand-held device and is floatingly arranged on a supporting part of the positioning part, it follows a movement of the inner housing part of the hand-held device, preferably due to gravitational force and / or a restoring force of a spring element. When the adjustment part of the hand-held device is moved into the inner housing part, particularly screwed into an inner thread of the inner housing part, the adjustment part finally contacts a top part of the cartridge and is stopped there, if the cartridge is in its lowermost position with the housing of the hand-held device. When the adjustment part is then further rotated, it cannot move down further due to the contact with the cartridge, and thus, the inner housing part is moved up, especially screwed up, relative to the adjustment part and in a direction away from the cartridge. This movement leads to a movement of the indicator element relative to the supporting part ofthe positioning part, because the indicator element rests on the moving inner housing part of the hand-held device.

[0029] Furthermore proposed is a method for adjusting, by an adjustment tool, a position of an adjustment part in a preassembled hand-held device for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions, wherein the hand-held device comprises a housing with an outer housing part and an inner housing part moveably arranged in the outer housing part, a cartridge containing the pharmaceutical substance encompassed by the inner housing part, and the adjustment part, the method comprising the steps of: mounting the hand-held device to a positioning part of the adjustment tool; contacting the outer housing part of the hand-held device by a supporting part of the positioning part; contacting the inner housing part of the hand-held device by an indicator element floa- tingly mounted on the supporting part of the positioning part; inserting an adjustment element of the positioning part into a corresponding slot of the adjustment part of the hand-held device; moving the adjustment part relative to the inner housing part; detecting by a displacement sensor a movement of the indicator element relative to the supporting part of the positioning part due to a movement of the inner housing part of the hand-held device relative to the outer housing part of the hand-held device.

[0030] At first, the preassembled hand-held device, which already comprises the cartridge and the adjustment part, is positioned relative to the adjustment tool, preferably between a base part and the positioning part of the adjustment tool. Then, the positioning part is moved in the direction of the hand-held device until the indicator element contacts the inner housing part of the handheld device. The supporting part of the positioning part is further moved down until it contacts the outer housing part of the hand-held device.

[0031] The movement of the positioning part is preferably caused by an actuator element or a motor, especially an electric motor. When the supporting part and the indicator element rest on respective parts of the hand-held device, the adjustment element, for example a screwdriver, is inserted into a slot of the adjustment part and pushes / screws the adjustment part deeper into the inner housing part, preferably along an inner thread. Thereby, the indicator element follows the movement of the adjustment part in the direction of the cartridge. The adjustment part finally contacts the cartridge and is stopped there. By for example further rotation of the adjustment part (in its lowermost position), the inner housing part takes up the motion and is screwed up relative to the adjustment part and away from the cartridge. This leads to a movement of the inner housing part in the direction of the positioning part. Thereby, also the indicator element is moved relative to the supporting part of the positioning part. This motion can be detected by the displacement sensor and indicates a position of the adjustment part relative to the inner housing part. Dependent on the detection signal, the downward motion of the adjustment element can be stopped.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0032] The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:Fig. 1 a set of an adjustment tool and a preassembled hand-held device for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions;Fig. 2 a perspective exploded view of the hand-held device with a housing, a cartridge and an adjustment part;Fig. 3 a section through the adjustment tool and the hand-held device according to Fig. 1 along line III;Fig. 4 a section through the adjustment tool and the hand-held device during a first assembling step; Fig. 5 a section through the adjustment tool and the hand-held device during a second assembling step;Fig. 6 a section through the adjustment tool and the hand-held device during a third assembling step;Fig. 7 a section through the adjustment tool and the hand-held device during a fourth assembling step;Fig. 8 a section through the adjustment tool and the hand-held device during a fifth assembling step;Fig. 9 a section through the adjustment tool and the hand-held device during a sixth assembling step; Fig. 10 a side view of the preassembled hand-held device in a lowermost position of the cartridge;Fig. Ila a lower part of the hand-held device showing a coupling arm of the inner housing part in a preassembled position of the cartridge;Fig. 11b a detailed view of the coupling arm having an oblong hole;Fig. 12a a lower part of the hand-held device showing a coupling arm of the inner housing part in a fully assembled position of the cartridge;Fig. 12b a detailed view of the coupling arm having an oblong hole.Description of the Embodiments

[0033] Shown and described is with reference to figures 1 and 2 an arrangement of a hand-held device 5 and an adjustment tool 1 for adjusting a position of an adjustment part 2 of the hand-held device 5 during an assembling process.

[0034] The hand-held device 5 is used for dispensing of preferably sprayable pharmaceutical substance in portions. The substance is contained in a cartridge 11, shown in figure 2. The cartridge 11 has - according to for example figure 10 - a valve 29 which rests in a valve seat 30 of the hand-held device 5 and releases substance if pressed into the cartridge 11. Usually, pushing the valve into the cartridge 11 is achieved by pressing on an opposite face of the cartridge 11. The motion of the cartridge 11 from a rest position to a dispensing position can be enabled by a mechanism (not shown) of the hand-held device 5 that acts on a stop part 34 of the cartridge 11.

[0035] The substance in the cartridge 11 is usually under pressure, so that a portion of the substance is sprayed, when the valve is pressed into the cartridge 11. A defined amount of substance is then withdrawn from the cartridge 11 and can be inhaled by a user of the hand-held device 5. In order to be able to spray a further portion of the substance, the cartridge 11 must first be relieved again,with the valve 29 moving back into an initial position (rest position of the cartridge 11).

[0036] The pressing on the opposite face of the cartridge 11 is for example initiated by opening a closure cap 10 that covers a mouth piece 9 of the hand-held device 5. The pressing on the opposite face of the cartridge 11 by means of opening the closure cap 10 occurs due to a mechanical connection between the cap 10 and an inner housing part 8 of a housing 6 of the hand-held device 5. As shown especially in figures 10 to 12, the inner housing part 8 has at least one coupling arm 32, preferably two coupling arms 32, which has an oblong hole 33, in which an eccentric 31 of the closure cap 10 engages.

[0037] The housing 6 of the hand-held device 5 further has an outer housing part 7. The inner housing part 8 and the outer housing part 7 are preferably cylindrical and arranged concentrically. The inner housing part 8 is movably arranged in the outer housing part 7, namely floatingly slidable. The inner housing part 8 comprises - as according to the embodiment of figure 3 - an inner thread 28 and an inner recess for retaining the cartridge 11.

[0038] The hand-held device 5 comprises furthermore the adjustment part 2 that is here for example screwed into the thread 28 of the inner housing part 8. Here, the adjustment part 2 has for example an outer threaded part 3 that engages into the thread 28 of the inner housing part 8. The adjustment part 2 has furthermore a support part 4 connected to the threaded part 3. The support part 4 is arranged to abut a top side of the cartridge 11, when the hand-held device 5 is finally assembled.

[0039] According to one exemplary embodiment of a hand-held device 5, by swivelling the cap 10 away from the mouth piece 9, the cartridge 11 is movedfrom a rest position in a dispensing position. The movement is for example operated by a mechanism that connects the cap 10 with the inner housing part 8. The adjustment part 2 of the fully assembled hand-held device 5 acts on the cartridge 11 by the restoring force of a spring element 26 (see figure 3) that is located between the threaded part 3 and the support part 4 of the adjustment part 2.

[0040] In the exemplary embodiment and preferably, the coupling arms 32 of the inner housing part 8 can interact with the eccentric 31 formed on the cap 10 that closes the mouth piece 9. For this purpose, reference is made to figures 10 to 12. The eccentric 31 is preferably accommodated in an oblong hole 33 on preferably each of the coupling arms 32.

[0041] When the mouth piece closure cap 10 is displaced to an open position, the inner housing part 8 is pulled downwards, in the direction of the valve seat 30, into a clamped position. As a result, the spring element 26 is deformed and thus tensioned and exerts a corresponding pressure on the cartridge 11.

[0042] The force acting on the cartridge 11 is preferably adjustable. The setting can be achieved by changing an effective distance between the adjustment part 2 and the cartridge 11. This is especially advantageous, if the hand-held device 5 is equipped with cartridges 11 of different heights. The adjustment part 2 can be adjusted relative to the cartridge 11 by using corresponding threads of the adjustment part 2 and the inner housing part 8, namely the threaded part 3 of the adjustment part 2 and the thread 28 of the inner housing part 8, as will be described later.

[0043] Basically, a certain load may bear on the cartridge 11 even when it is in an initial position (figures 12a and 12b). However, it is preferred that the cartridge 11 is not charged in the initial position.

[0044] The housing 6 is preferably formed like a sleeve, preferably a cylindrical sleeve. The housing 6 comprises the inner housing part 8 and the outer housing part 7 aligned concentrically. The inner housing part 8 and the adjustment part 2 are preferably arranged in a nested manner, with the adjustment part 2 being on the inside of the inner housing part 8. The housing 6 can furthermore be designed in two or more parts with regard to a longitudinal extension of the hand-held device 5. For example, a lower part can comprise the mouth piece 9 and a valve seat 30, whereas the upper part supports the adjustment part 2. The two or more parts can be snapped together.

[0045] During the assembling process of the hand-held device 5, the housing 6 of the hand-held device 5 is equipped with the cartridge 11. Due to the fact, that the cartridge 11 is usually not provided by the manufacturer of the hand-held device 5, certain differences in the height of the provided cartridges 11 can occur. Further, the manufacturing processes and other variables create a wider tolerance of cartridge heights. This can cause various problems in performance of the hand-held device 5 itself.

[0046] The adjustment tool 1 is therefore used in order to fit the hand-held device 5 to different heights of cartridges 11 during the assembling process.

[0047] The exemplary adjustment tool 1 according to the embodiment of figure 1 comprises a base part 12 and a positioning part 13. However, the base part 12 does not have to be a mandatory part of the adjustment tool 1 itself. The base part 12 mounts here for example a lower part of the hand-held device 5.The positioning part 13 mounts exemplarily a top part of the hand-held device 5 and provides a mechanism for adjusting the adjustment part 2 of the handheld device 5 relative to the cartridge 11.

[0048] The positioning part 13 can be moved relative to the base part 12, preferably by an actuator (not shown), for example a pneumatic actuator, or a motor, particularly an electric motor.

[0049] The positioning part 13 has an indicator element 14. The indicator element 14 is here for example concentrically mounted in a recess 17 of a supporting part 27 of the positioning part 13. The recess 17 of the positioning part 13 comprises preferably a spring element 15 that acts on the one hand on a partial area of the indicator element 14, and on the other hand on a partial area of the supporting part 27. The indicator element 14 is floatingly mounted within the recess 17 and can be slid up and down.

[0050] The positioning part 13 furthermore has a displacement sensor 16 for detecting a current position of the indicator element 14 relative to the supporting part 27 of the positioning part 13. The displacement sensor 16 is here only for example an optical sensor like a light barrier. The functionality of this displacement sensor 16 will be described later. Alternatively, also other kinds of sensor could be used, for example other optical sensors or different kinds like inductive sensors, capacitive sensors or magnetic sensors.

[0051] The base part 12 of the adjustment tool 1 has for example two guides 18 in the form of pillars that engage in corresponding bushes of the positioning part 13.

[0052] The indicator element 14 of the adjustment tool 1 is preferably also formed cylindrically and provides an inner cylindrical cavity to support especially a base part 35 of an adjustment element 19. The adjustment element 19 is here for example a screwdriver. The base part 35 of the adjustment element 19 has also preferably a corresponding outer cylindrical shape and is concentrically positioned in the inner volume of the indicator element 14.

[0053] The adjustment element 19 has according to this embodiment furthermore a indicator pin 21. The indicator pin 21 is slidably arranged in an inner volume (recess 22) of the adjustment element 19, especially the base part 35 of the adjustment element 19. The indicator pin 21 is arranged to rest on a top part of the cartridge 11 of the hand-held device 5, when the positioning part 13 is in contact with the hand-held device 5. The functional aspects of this indicator pin 21 are later described.

[0054] An actuation element 23, for example an element of an electric motor, can be coupled to the adjustment element 19 as shown in figure 1.

[0055] Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the components of the preassembled hand-held device 5, namely a housing group, the cartridge 11 and the adjustment part 2. The housing group comprises here for example the outer housing part 7, the inner housing part 8, the mouth piece 9 and the cap 10. The adjustment part 2 has the threaded part 3 and the support part 4. The support part 4 is arranged to contact the top surface of the cartridge 11 in the finally adjusted position (figures 12a and 12b).

[0056] The support part 4 is biased against the threaded part 3 by the spring element 26. The spring element 26 supports itself on the one hand against a lower face of the threaded part 3 and on the other hand against an inner surfaceof the front side of the support part 4. The support part 4 is here for example cup-shaped and houses a partial area of the threaded part 3 against which the spring element 26 biases. The spring element 26 is thereby at least with regard to its circumference surrounded by the cup-shaped support part 4.

[0057] The threaded part 3 of the adjustment part 2 has a central slot 20, here in the form of a hex slot 20 for a hex tool. The slot 20 can however be formed otherwise, such that it corresponds to the respective adjustment element 19. The slot 20 is formed as a through hole 24 with an upper part (slot 20) having a greater diameter than a lower part that faces the support part 4 and the cartridge 11 respectively.

[0058] The support part 4 of the adjustment part 2 has furthermore and for example a corresponding guide 25 for insertion of the indicator pin 21 that is floatingly mounted in the recess 22 of the adjustment element 19. The guide 25 is also formed as a through hole and arranged concentrically with regard to the slot 20 and the through hole 24.

[0059] The adjustment of the adjustment part 2 within the housing 6 of the hand-held device 5 by means of the adjustment tool 1 is now further described.

[0060] At first, the preassembled hand-held device 5 is mounted into the base part 12 of the adjustment tool 1. At that stage, the hand-held device 5 comprises the housing 6, the cartridge 11 and the adjustment part 2. The adjustment part 2 may be pre-screwed by a small amount into the corresponding inner thread 28 of the inner housing part 8 of the hand-held device 5. However, the adjustment part 2 is not yet adjusted to the discrete height of the cartridge 11.

[0061] For mounting the hand-held device 5 to the adjustment tool 1, the base part 12 of the adjustment tool 1 preferably comprises a recess 17 that is designed in a form corresponding manner with regard to the outer contour of the housing 6 of the hand-held device 5, for example also including the mouth piece 9 and its cap 10 respectively.

[0062] The positioning part 13 of the adjustment tool 1 is then moved towards the base part 12. This can be done either manually by a user of the adjustment tool 1, or automatically by an actuation element 23, for example by use of an actuator, for example an electric motor. The movement is guided by the guides 18 that connect the base part 12 with the positioning part 13.

[0063] According to the exemplary embodiment shown in figure 4, at first the indicator element 14 of the adjustment tool 1 contacts the inner housing part 8 of the hand-held device 5. As the indicator element 14 is floatingly mounted into the supporting part 27 of the positioning part 13, it is moved by gravitation and the spring element 15 of the positioning part 13 in a lowermost position (relative to the supporting part 27) shown in figures 1 and 3, until a mechanical force of for example an actuator or motor acts on the supporting part 27 of the positioning part 13 and moves the supporting part 27 toward the base part 12 as shown later in figure 5. In the lowermost position, the indicator element 14 protrudes slightly above the neighbouring areas of the supporting part 27.

[0064] When the positioning part 13 is further moved downwards toward the base part 12, also the supporting part 27 gets in contact with the housing 6 of the hand-held device 5, namely with the outer housing part 7 (shown in figure 5). When the supporting part 27 moves down, the indicator element 14 however stays in the same position (relative to the inner housing part 8) as before, due to the floating mounting. The indicator element 14 remains in con-tact with the inner housing part 8. The indicator element 14 pushes the inner housing part 8 into the outer housing part 7 due to the restoring force of the spring element 15 and / or due to its weight.

[0065] In the position according to figure 5, the displacement sensor 16 may measure the position of the indicator element 14 relative to the supporting part 27 of the positioning part 13. This position corresponds here for example to a distance "a" between the indicator element 14 and the supporting part 27 as shown in figure 5. This position will be defined as zero and defines a reference for all later measurements by the displacement sensor 16. However, the measurement of a reference is not necessary as will become clear later. This is only an optional feature.

[0066] As a facultative feature, the indicator pin 21 can optionally be used to indicate a movement of the cartridge 11 relative to the housing 3. Therefore, the adjustment element 19 is moved manually or by actuator or motor toward the hand-held device 5, unless the tip of the indicator pin 21 touches the top surface of the cartridge 11. The indicator pin 21 is therefore slidingly mounted into the recess 22 of the adjustment element 19. The indicator pin 21 moves floatingly in the adjustment element 19 by force of gravitation. A position of the indicator pin 21 relative to a base part 35 of the adjustment element 19 can be measured by a sensor, for example an optical or electromagnetic sensor (not shown). The sensor can be, according to an embodiment, alternatively an inductive sensor like an LVDT (Linear Variable Differential Transformer).

[0067] After positioning the tip of the adjustment element 19 into the slot 20, which here is both hexagonal, the adjustment element 19 is rotating, either manually or by automatic means (figure 7). The adjustment part 2 of the handheld device 5 rotates for example in a clockwise direction and moves deeperinto the inner thread 28 of the inner housing part 8 until the support part 4 of the adjustment part 2 contacts the cartridge 11 (figure 8).

[0068] As the adjustment part 2 cannot further be screwed toward the cartridge 11 and the inner housing part 7 is with its coupling arms 32 in the lowermost position as according to figures Ila and 11b, the screwing direction is changed to the opposite direction, here for example an anticlockwise direction. This means, that the inner housing part 8 is screwed up relative to the now stationary adjustment part 2 until the coupling arms 32 of the inner housing part 8 reach at a position according to figures 12a and 12b. The upward movement of the inner housing part 8 is possible because of the floating mounting of the inner housing part 8 within the outer housing part 7 of the hand-held device 5.

[0069] The further clockwise rotation of the adjustment part 2, even after detecting the upward movement of the inner housing part 8, causes a compression of the cartridge 11. In order to thus avoid over tightening of the adjustment part 2 and damaging the cartridge 11, the indicator pin 21 is used to indicate a movement of the cartridge 11. The indicator pin 21 is preferably connected to a displacement sensor (not shown), for example a LVDT. If the sensor detects a movement of the cartridge 11, an anticlockwise rotation of the adjustment part 2 can be initiated in order to avoid load on the cartridge 11.

[0070] The inner housing part 8 can for example move upward toward the positioning part 13 by for example fractions of one millimetre or up to one or more millimetres corresponding to the sizes of the oblong hole 33 an the eccentric 31. Here, for example a movement distance of 0.5 mm is possible.

[0071] Figure 9 shows a distance a' that relates to the movement distance compared with the initial distance a between the indicator element 14 and the supporting part 27. The difference between distance a' and distance a can be measured by the displacement sensor 16 as an indication for the current position of the adjustment part 2 relative to the inner housing part 8, that means an indication for the fact that the adjustment part 2 is perfectly positioned with regard to the respective height of this cartridge 11.

[0072] However, a comparison between distances a' an a is not necessary, because the upward motion of the inner housing part 8 as such in combination with the uppermost possible position of the inner housing part 8 as according to figures 12a and 12b is an indication of the correct position of the adjustment part 2. As soon as the displacement sensor 16 recognizes an upward movement of the indicator element 14, the perfect position of the adjustment part 2 relative to the cartridge 11 can be assumed and the movement of the adjustment element 19 can be stopped.

[0073] Here, the displacement sensor 16 is an optical sensor. However, also other sensors can be used, for example inductive sensors like an LVDT.

[0074] An optional evaluation device connected to the displacement sensor 16 can evaluate the movement of the indicator element 14 and thereby the optimum position of the adjustment part 2 relative to the cartridge 11.

[0075] The positioning part 13 of the adjustment tool 1 is then finally lifted up relative to the base part 12 and the assembled hand-held device 5 can be removed from the adjustment tool 1.

[0076] The above statements serve to explain the solutions covered by the application as a whole, which each also independently advance the prior art at least by the following feature combinations, wherein two, several or all of these feature combinations can also be combined, specifically:

[0077] An adjustment tool, characterized in that the adjustment tool 1 comprises a positioning part 13 for clamping at least a part of the hand-held device 1 and for exerting a force on the adjustment part 2 of the hand-held device 1, wherein the positioning part 13 comprises an indicator element 14 that is move- ably arranged on a supporting part 27 of the positioning part 13 to indicate the current position of the adjustment part 2 relative to the cartridge 11.

[0078] An adjustment tool, characterized in that the indicator element 14 abuts the inner housing part 8 in order to indicate the current position of the adjustment part 2 due to a movement of the inner housing part 8 relative to the adjustment part 2.

[0079] An adjustment tool, characterized in that the indicator element 14 is coupled to or is part of a displacement sensor 16, particularly an optical sensor or an inductive sensor.

[0080] An adjustment tool, characterized in that the indicator element 14 is floatingly mounted into a recess 17 of the positioning part 13.

[0081] An adjustment tool, characterized in that the indicator element 14 is biased by a spring force of a spring element 15 that supports itself on the one hand against the supporting part 27 and on the second hand against the indicator element 14.

[0082] An adjustment tool, characterized in that the adjustment tool 1 comprises a guide 18 for guiding a movement of the positioning part 13 relative to the base part 12, wherein the positioning part 13 is particularly moved by an actuation element 23 of a pneumatic actuator or a motor.

[0083] An adjustment tool, characterized in that the positioning part 13 comprises an adjustment element 19 to be inserted into a corresponding slot 20 of the adjustment part 2 of the hand-held device 5.

[0084] An adjustment tool, characterized in that the adjustment element 19 comprises an indicator pin 21 that is floatingly mounted into a recess 22 of the adjustment element 19, wherein the indicator pin 21 is particularly associated with a sensor for measuring a position or movement of the indicator pin 21 relative to the recess 22 of the adjustment element 19.

[0085] An arrangement of a hand-held device 5 having a cartridge 11 containing a pharmaceutical substance in an adjustment tool 1 for adjusting a force exerted on the cartridge 11, the cartridge 11 being moveable between a rest position and a dispensing position, the rest position being blocked by a removable holding part, the hand-held device 5 comprising a housing 6 having an outer housing part 7, an inner housing part 8 and a mouthpiece 9 for a user to inhale the pharmaceutical substance, the inner housing part 8 exerting force on the cartridge 11 in order to move the cartridge 11 from the rest position to the dispensing position, the hand-held device 5 further comprising an adjustment part 2 being moveable relative to the inner housing part 8 and into contact with the cartridge 11, the adjustment tool 1 having a positioning part 13 for moving the inner housing part 8 in an adjustment position and an adjustment element 19 for adjusting the adjustment part 2 relative to the inner housing part 8 by moving the adjustment part 2 into contact with the cartridge 11, amovement of the inner housing part 8 due to contact between the adjustment part 2 and the cartridge 11 being detectable in order to determine a correct position of the adjustment part 2 relative to the inner housing part 8.

[0086] A method for adjusting, by an adjustment tool 1, a position of an adjustment part 2 in a preassembled hand-held device 5 for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions, characterized in that the hand-held device 5 comprises a housing 6 with an outer housing part 7 and an inner housing part 8 moveably arranged in the outer housing part 7, a cartridge 11 containing the pharmaceutical substance encompassed by the inner housing part 8, and the adjustment part 2, the method comprising the steps of: mounting the hand-held device 5 to a positioning part 13 of the adjustment tool 1; contacting the outer housing part 7 of the hand-held device 5 by a supporting part 27 of the positioning part 13; contacting the inner housing part 8 of the hand-held device 5 by an indicator element 14 floatingly mounted on the supporting part 27 of the positioning part 13; inserting an adjustment element 19 of the positioning part 13 into a corresponding slot 2 of the adjustment part 2 of the hand-held device 5; moving the adjustment part 2 relative to the inner housing part 8; detecting by a displacement sensor 16 a movement of the indicator element 14 relative to the supporting part 27 of the positioning part 13 due to a movement of the inner housing part 8 of the hand-held device 5 relative to the outer housing part 7 of the hand-held device 5.

[0087] A method, characterized in that the adjustment part 2 is moved in the direction of the cartridge 11 until the adjustment part 2 contacts the cartridge 11, wherein after contact the inner housing part 8 is automatically moved in a direction away from the cartridge 11.Reference List1 Adjustment tool 26 Spring element2 Adjustment part 27 Supporting part3 Threaded part 28 Thread4 Support part 29 Valve5 Hand-held device 30 Valve seat6 Housing 31 Eccentric7 Outer housing part 32 Coupling arm8 Inner housing part 33 Oblong hole9 Mouth piece 34 Stop part10 Cap 35 Base part11 Cartridge12 Base part13 Positioning part a distance14 Indicator element a' distance15 Spring element16 Displacement sensor17 Recess18 Guide19 Adjustment element20 Slot21 indicator pin22 Recess23 Actuation element24 Through hole25 Guide

Claims

Claims1. Adjustment tool (1) for adjusting a position of an adjustment part (2) during installation of the adjustment part (2) in a preassembled hand-held device (5) for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions, wherein the hand-held device (5) comprises a housing (6) having an outer housing part (7), an inner housing part (8) and a mouthpiece (9) for a user to inhale the pharmaceutical substance, and a cartridge (11) accommodated in the housing (6) and containing the pharmaceutical substance, wherein the inner housing part (8) is moveably arranged in the outer housing part (7), wherein the cartridge (11) is moveably arranged in the inner housing part (8), and wherein the adjustment part (2) is moveably attached to the inner housing part (8) to build up a force on the cartridge (11), wherein the adjustment tool (1) comprises a positioning part (13) for clamping at least a part of the hand-held device (1) and for exerting a force on the adjustment part (2) of the hand-held device (1), wherein the positioning part (13) comprises an indicator element (14) that is moveably arranged on a supporting part (27) of the positioning part (13) to indicate the current position of the adjustment part (2) relative to the cartridge (11).

2. Adjustment tool (1) according to claim 1, wherein the indicator element (14) abuts the inner housing part (8) in order to indicate the current position of the adjustment part (2) due to a movement of the inner housing part (8) relative to the adjustment part (2).

3. Adjustment tool (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the indicator element (14) is coupled to or is part of a displacement sensor (16), particularly an optical sensor or an inductive sensor.

4. Adjustment tool (1) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the indicator element (14) is floatingly mounted into a recess (17) of the positioning part (13).

5. Adjustment tool (1) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the indicator element (14) is biased by a spring force of a spring element (15) that supports itself on the one hand against the supporting part (27) and on the second hand against the indicator element (14).

6. Adjustment tool (1) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the adjustment tool (1) comprises a guide (18) for guiding a movement of the positioning part (13) relative to the base part (12), wherein the positioning part (13) is particularly moved by an actuation element (23) of a pneumatic actuator or a motor.

7. Adjustment tool (1) according to one of the previous claims, wherein the positioning part (13) comprises an adjustment element (19) to be inserted into a corresponding slot (20) of the adjustment part (2) of the hand-held device (5).

8. Adjustment tool (1) according to claim 7, wherein the adjustment element (19) comprises an indicator pin (21) that is floatingly mounted into a recess (22) of the adjustment element (19), wherein the indicator pin (21) is particularly associated with a sensor for measuring a position or movement of the indicator pin (21) relative to the recess (22) of the adjustment element (19).

9. Arrangement of a hand-held device (5) having a cartridge (11) containing a pharmaceutical substance in an adjustment tool (1) for adjusting a forceexerted on the cartridge (11), the cartridge (11) being moveable between a rest position and a dispensing position, the rest position being blocked by a removable holding part, the hand-held device (5) comprising a housing (6) having an outer housing part (7), an inner housing part (8) and a mouthpiece (9) for a user to inhale the pharmaceutical substance, the inner housing part (8) exerting force on the cartridge (11) in order to move the cartridge (11) from the rest position to the dispensing position, the handheld device (5) further comprising an adjustment part (2) being moveable relative to the inner housing part (8) and into contact with the cartridge (11), the adjustment tool (1) having a positioning part (13) for moving the inner housing part (8) in an adjustment position and an adjustment element (19) for adjusting the adjustment part (2) relative to the inner housing part (8) by moving the adjustment part (2) into contact with the cartridge (11), a movement of the inner housing part (8) due to contact between the adjustment part (2) and the cartridge (11) being detectable in order to determine a correct position of the adjustment part (2) relative to the inner housing part (8).

10. Method for adjusting, by an adjustment tool (1), a position of an adjustment part (2) in a preassembled hand-held device (5) for dispensing a pharmaceutical substance in portions, wherein the hand-held device (5) comprises a housing (6) with an outer housing part (7) and an inner housing part (8) moveably arranged in the outer housing part (7), a cartridge (11) containing the pharmaceutical substance encompassed by the inner housing part (8), and the adjustment part (2), the method comprising the steps of: mounting the hand-held device (5) to a positioning part (13) of the adjustment tool (1); contacting the outer housing part (7) of the hand-held device by a supporting part (27) of the positioning part (13);contacting the inner housing part (8) of the hand-held device by an indicator element (14) floatingly mounted on the supporting part (27) of the positioning part (13); inserting an adjustment element (19) of the positioning part (13) into a corresponding slot (2) of the adjustment part (2) of the hand-held device (5); moving the adjustment part (2) relative to the inner housing part (8); detecting by a displacement sensor (16) a movement of the indicator element (14) relative to the supporting part (27) of the positioning part (13) due to a movement of the inner housing part (8) of the hand-held device (5) relative to the outer housing part (7) of the hand-held device (5).

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the adjustment part (2) is moved in the direction of the cartridge (11) until the adjustment part (2) contacts the cartridge (11), wherein after contact the inner housing part (8) is automati- cally moved in a direction away from the cartridge (11).

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