US8474447 — Inhaler device

USPTO Abstract

The invention relates to a hand-held device ( 1 ), as depicted in exemplary FIG. 4 , for metered dispensing of sprayable substances, particularly medicaments for inhalation, with a cartridge ( 3 ) that can be moved into the dispensing position, by pressure being applied to a housing, and with a step-by-step indexing mechanism ( 11 ) which is entrained by the cartridge ( 3 ) in the opening travel thereof and which is used to record and display the dispensing actuations that have been performed. In order to suitably design a hand-held device of the type in question with a simplified structure, in such a way that the indexing steps can be performed smoothly and safely without connection to the cartridge, it is proposed that slits ( 19 ) extend obliquely only over part of the travel of the step-by-step indexing mechanism housing ( 34 ) and that the guide pins ( 33 ) guided therein move, over the remainder of the travel of the step-by-step indexing mechanism ( 11 ), parallel to the longitudinal axis (x-x) of the step-by-step indexing mechanism.