Claims for Patent: 8,746,242

Summary for Patent: 8,746,242

Title:	Medicament dispenser
Abstract:	A medicament dispenser for use with at least one medicament carrier carrying multiple distinct medicament portions, said medicament dispenser comprising (a) a dispensing mechanism actuable for dispensing the distinct medicament portions carried by the at least one medicament carrier; (b) a mouthpiece; and (c) a cover for the mouthpiece, the cover being movably mounted to the dispenser for sequential movement from a first position, in which the mouthpiece is covered, to a second position, in which the mouthpiece is at least part-uncovered, to a third position in which the mouthpiece is uncovered; wherein the cover is adapted to couple with the dispensing mechanism such that movement of the cover from the second position to the third position, but not the first position to the second position, results in actuation of the dispensing mechanism.
Inventor(s):	Connell; Hugh Alexander (Evesham, GB), Harvey; Stephen James (Ware, GB), Tansley; Robert William (Bidford on Avon, GB)
Assignee:	Glaxo Group Limited (Brentford, Middlesex, GB)
Application Number:	11/996,762
Patent Claims:	1. A medicament dispenser for use with at least one medicament carrier carrying multiple distinct medicament portions, said medicament dispenser comprising (a) a dispensing mechanism actuable for dispensing the distinct medicament portions carried by said at least one medicament carrier; (b) a mouthpiece; and (c) a cover for said mouthpiece, said cover being movably mounted to the dispenser for sequential movement from a first position, in which said mouthpiece is covered, to a second position, in which said mouthpiece is part-uncovered, to a third position in which said mouthpiece is uncovered; wherein said cover is adapted to couple with said dispensing mechanism such that movement of the cover from the first position to the second position does not result in actuation of the dispensing mechanism, but any further movement of the cover from the second position to the third position results in actuation of the dispensing mechanism. 2. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1 including a plurality of said medicament carriers each carrying multiple distinct medicament dose portions. 3. A medicament dispenser according to claim 2 wherein the dispenser is an inhalation device, the medicament dose portions of each carrier are in powdered form and the dispenser is adapted such as to enable a user to inhale at the mouthpiece for simultaneous inhalation by the user of the medicament dose portions dispensed from the medicament carriers by the dispensing mechanism on actuation thereof by movement of the cover from the second position to the third position. 4. A medicament dispenser according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of said medicament carriers consists of a first and a second medicament carrier, each of said medicament carriers carrying distinct medicament portions in powder form, each of said medicament dose portions of said first medicament carrier comprising a bronchodilator as the active medicament component and each of said medicament dose portions of said second medicament carrier comprising an anti-inflammatory as the active medicament component. 5. A medicament dispenser according to claim 4, wherein said bronchodilator is a beta-agonist and said anti-inflammatory is a corticosteroid. 6. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said at least one medicament carrier is an elongate form medicament carrier. 7. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises: i) a receiving station for receiving each medicament carrier; ii) a release for releasing a distinct medicament portion from each medicament carrier on receipt thereof by said receiving station; iii) an outlet for communication with the mouthpiece and with said distinct medicament portion of each medicament carrier releasable by said release; and iv) an indexer for individually indexing the distinct medicament portions of each medicament carrier. 8. A medicament dispenser according to claim 7, for use with at least one blister strip form medicament carrier, the at least one blister strip form medicament carrier having multiple distinct pockets for containing medicament dose portions, wherein said pockets are spaced along the length of and defined between two peelable sheets secured to each other, and in which the release comprises a peeler positioned to engage a base sheet and a lid sheet of a pocket which has been received in said receiving station for peeling apart such a base sheet and lid sheet, to open such a pocket. 9. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cover couples directly with the dispensing mechanism. 10. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cover couples mechanically with the dispensing mechanism. 11. A medicament dispenser according to claim 10 wherein the housing defines an inlet for the mouthpiece arranged such that the inlet is covered by the mouthpiece cover in its first position, part-uncovered by the mouthpiece cover in its second position and fully revealed when the mouthpiece cover is in its third position. 12. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a housing, wherein the dispensing mechanism is within the housing and the cover is in movable connection with the housing. 13. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cover is arranged for movement on a rotational path. 14. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cover interacts with a ratchet of the dispensing mechanism, which in turn selectively interacts with a drive gear of the dispensing mechanism for drive of the dispensing mechanism. 15. A medicament dispenser according to claim 14, adapted such that on movement of the cover from the first position until the second position the ratchet is disengaged from the drive gear and on movement from the second position to the third position the ratchet is in engagement with the drive gear. 16. A medicament dispenser according to claim 14, wherein the dispensing mechanism is provided with an anti-return feature to prevent return movement of the drive gear on return movement of the cover from the third position to the first position. 17. A medicament dispenser according to claim 14, wherein the ratchet and drive gear are respectively provided with at least one first and second ratchet feature for providing unidirectional driving engagement of the ratchet and drive gear. 18. A medicament dispenser according to claim 17, wherein the at least one first and second ratchet feature are constructed and arranged such that they are disengaged except when the cover is positioned from the second position to the third position after moving the cover towards the third position. 19. A medicament dispenser according to claim 14, wherein the cover is connected to the ratchet. 20. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the at least one medicament carrier carries distinct medicament portions in powder form. 21. A medicament dispenser according to claim 20, comprising a single medicament carrier wherein each medicament portion comprises both a bronchodilator and an anti-inflammatory as active medicament components thereof. 22. A medicament dispenser according to claim 21, wherein said bronchodilator is a beta-agonist and said anti-inflammatory is a corticosteroid. 23. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the coupling of the cover with the dispensing mechanism is adapted such that only movement of the cover from the second position to the third position results in actuation of the dispensing mechanism. 24. A medicament dispenser according to claim 23, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a first part to which the cover is connected and which moves with the cover, a second part drivable by the first part to operate on the at least one medicament carrier for dispensing of the distinct medicament portions, and an interface between the first and second parts which is adapted so that the first part is only able to drive the second part when the cover moves from the second position to the third position. 25. A medicament dispenser according to claim 24, wherein the interface is formed by a ratchet arrangement. 26. A medicament dispenser according to claim 25, wherein the ratchet arrangement comprises a ratchet and a drive gear. 27. A medicament dispenser according to claim 26, wherein the ratchet and drive gear are respectively provided with at least one first and second ratchet feature for providing unidirectional driving engagement of the ratchet and drive gear. 28. A medicament dispenser according to claim 27, wherein the at least one first and second ratchet feature are constructed and arranged such that they are disengaged except when the cover is positioned from the second position to the third position after moving the cover towards the third position. 29. A medicament dispenser according to claim 25, wherein the ratchet arrangement has first and second components respectively provided with at least one first and second ratchet feature for providing unidirectional driving engagement between the first and second components. 30. A medicament dispenser according to claim 29, wherein the cover is connected to the first component.