Claims for Patent: 8,062,264

Summary for Patent: 8,062,264

Title:	Fluid dispensing device
Abstract:	A fluid dispensing device for dispensing a fluid product having a dispensing member mounted for movement along an axis X-X from a first position to a second position which causes a dose of a fluid product to be dispensed, and a finger-operable actuator member movable in an actuating direction generally transverse to the axis to cause at least one cam surface thereof to cam the dispensing member from the first position to the second position. The at least one cam surface has a commitment section, oriented at a first angle to the axis selected such that a minimum actuating force is required to be applied to the actuator member to cause the at least one cam follower surface to ride over the commitment section onto the drive section. The commitment section of the cam surface is arcuate.
Inventor(s):	Godfrey; James William (Ware, GB), Hedley; Mark Graham (Ware, GB)
Assignee:	Glaxo Group Limited (Greenford, Middlesex, GB)
Application Number:	11/911,060
Patent Claims:	1. A fluid dispensing device for dispensing a fluid product having: a dispensing outlet from which the fluid product is dispensable, a supply of the fluid product, a dispensing member mounted for movement in a dispensing direction along an axis from a first position to a second position which causes a dose of the fluid product in the supply to be dispensed from the dispensing outlet, and a finger-operable actuator member mounted for movement in an actuating direction which is generally transverse to the axis, wherein the actuator member has at least one cam surface and the dispensing member has at least one cam follower surface, wherein the actuator member is movable in the actuating direction to cause the at least one cam surface to bear against the at least one cam follower surface to force the at least one cam follower surface to ride on the cam surface to cam the dispensing member in the dispensing direction from the first position to the second position, wherein the at least one cam surface has a concavely arcuate commitment section, and an adjacent convexly arcuate drive section, wherein the concavely arcuate section and the convexly arcuate section define a continuously curved cam surface such that the entire cam surface is continuously curved, wherein the device is configured and arranged such that, in use, the at least one cam follower surface successively rides on the commitment and drive sections of the at least one cam surface, on movement of the actuator member in the actuating direction, to cam the dispensing member from the first position to the second position, and wherein the commitment section is constructed such that a minimum actuating force is required to be applied to the actuator member to cause the at least one cam follower surface to ride on the commitment section onto the drive section. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the commitment section has a radius of curvature in the range of about 5-20 mm. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the drive section has an arcuate transition sub-section contiguous with the commitment section. 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the transition sub-section has a radius of curvature in the range of about 1-5 mm. 5. The device of claim 3, wherein the arcuate transition sub-section of the drive section has a first radius of curvature and a remainder of the drive section has a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature. 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first arcuate portion has a radius of curvature in the range of about 1-5 mm and the second arcuate portion has a radius of curvature in the range of about 15-40 mm. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the minimum actuating force is in the range of about 10-45 N. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator member is mounted in the device for movement on an arcuate path in the actuating direction. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein, in use, the at least one cam surface bears against the at least one cam follower surface at a contact point on the at least one cam surface, a tangent to the contact point forms an angle to the axis, and the device is configured and arranged such that when the contact point is on the drive section of the cam surface, the angle to the axis remains constant, or substantially constant, as the actuator member moves in the actuating direction. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator member is mounted for pivotal movement about a first end thereof and the at least one cam surface is disposed on the actuator member remote from the first end. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the dispensing member is a dispensing container in which the supply of the fluid product is contained. 12. The device of claim 10, wherein the dispensing direction is an upward direction and the first end of the actuator member is a lower end thereof. 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the at least one cam follower surface is disposed towards an upper end of the dispensing member. 14. The device of claim 11, wherein the dispensing container has a pump which is caused to pump the dose of the fluid product from the dispensing outlet in response to the dispensing container being moved in the dispensing direction by the actuator member. 15. The device of claim 1, wherein the dispensing outlet is in a nozzle sized and shaped for insertion into a nostril of a human body. 16. The device of claim 1, wherein the supply contains a volume of fluid medicament formulation. 17. A fluid dispensing device for dispensing a fluid product comprising; a housing, a dispensing member mounted within the housing, for movement in a dispensing direction along an axis from a first position to a second position, a finger operable actuator member moveably mounted to the housing, for movement in an actuating direction, wherein the finger operable actuator member has at least one cam surface and the dispensing member has at least one cam follower surface, wherein the at least one cam surface is a continuously curved surface comprising a first surface of concave constant radius, an adjoining second surface of constant convex radius, and an adjoining third surface of constant convex radius, and the at least one cam follower surface is adapted to ride sequentially on the first surface, onto the second surface, on the second surface onto the third surface, and on the third surface, such that actuation of the lever causes the dispensing member to move from the first position to the second position, wherein the actuating member and actuator member are adapted such that a threshold force must be applied to the finger operable actuator member to enable movement of the at least one cam follower surface sequentially on the first surface onto the second surface, on the second surface onto the third surface. 18. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the third convex surface has a radius of curvature greater than the second convex surface. 19. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the cam follower surface is rounded. 20. A fluid dispensing device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the at least one cam surface defines an s-shaped curve.