Abstract: An infusion pump includes a piezoelectric actuator located in a housing and operable to deflect a flexible wall of a detachable pump body. The pump body defines a chamber of variable volume with non-return inlet and outlet valves. The pump body is disposable and connected to the housing by a releasable connector which biases the wall into operative engagement with the transducer. The transducer is provided with sense electrodes to measure the amplitude of deflection which is used to trigger alarms indicating the presence of bubbles in the chamber or of occlusion.

Abstract: An inhaler for medical aerosols includes a flow sensor 32 in the form of a piston which is movable against a spring bias 35 in response to inhalation. Movement of the piston unseats a valve member 30 allowing a pressurized dose to be released through a nozzle 67. A uniform impedance to the flow of air is provided throughout the movement of the piston to avoid any discontinuity in the flow. The apparatus is particularly suited for inhalers used in the treatment of asthma.

Abstract: The lower end of a first hollow vertical cylinder curves inwardly to merge with the upper end of a lower second cylinder. A hollow vertical piston extends through a top opening of the first cylinder into the first cylinder and is vertically movable therein with a lower end of the piston slidably engaging the inner surface of the first cylinder. A vertical member has upper and lower integral sections, the lower section being enlarged with respect to the upper portion, the upper section being engagable or disengagable with the upper end of the piston to define a first closed or open port therewith. A third vertical hollow cylinder has a lower end in continuous fluid sealing engagement with the inner surface of the second cylinder. An upper end of the third cylinder is engagable or disengagable with the lower section to define a second closed or open port therewith. The first port is open when the second port is closed and vice versa.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus (1) comprises a housing (2) defining a chamber (3) receiving liquid (4) to be dispensed and comprising a perforate membrane which defines a front wall of the chamber. A vibrating device (8) is connected to the housing and is operable to vibrate the perforate membrane to dispense droplets of liquid through holes (25) in the perforate membrane. The housing comprises an annular member (11) having a relatively thin inner annular portion (68) connected to the perforate membrane and a relatively thick outer annular portion (66) connected to the vibrating device. The apparatus is suitable for dispensing pharmaceutical products as an atomized mist and provides a hand-held inhaler for oral inhalation.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus (1) for dispensing a liquid product (24) from a pressurized dispensing container (21) comprises a collapsible chamber metering valve (2) in which an elastomeric sleeve (4) overlays an external surface (53) of the valve body (6) to define a metering chamber (7) therebetween and is collapsible on actuation of the valve into substantially conformal contact with the external surface such that a volume of liquid is dispensed which is equal to the volume of liquid displaced from the metering chamber. The valve is nestably received within a cup (3) with seal means (15) operable between the mouth of the cup and an outer end of the valve such that a closed collecting chamber (11) is defined between the valve and the cup. Means (25) are provided to communicate in use between the collecting chamber and that part of the container in which a liquid product is contained when the container is held in a predetermined orientation for operation of the valve.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for nasal administration of an aerosol product is provided with a housing for a pressurized dispensing container with a pivoted cover which in its closed position encloses an outlet duct of the housing. The container is received in a chamber of the housing which is sealed by a bellows portion. An openable closure provides access to the chamber for insertion and removal of the container. The apparatus seals the chamber against ingress of foreign matter between use and encloses the outlet duct to prevent soiling.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus (10) for use in a pressurized dispensing container (12) comprises a valve (18) mounted in a cup member (11) and an elastomeric vessel (13) forming a collapsible chamber (23). The vessel (13) is attached to the mounting and depends from the cup cylindrically surrounding the valve body (18). The vessel is attached to the cup member by having a flange (14) which is thermally bonded to the thermoplastic layer (5) covering the internal surface of the cup member. The flange (14) includes grooves (9) which prevent contamination from sputtering during thermal bonding. The apparatus has application for medical products including edible foam dispensed from containers having an internal fill pressure.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus comprises a pressurised dispensing container (3), a housing (2) for the container defining a bore, the container having a body (50) which is axially slidable in the bore, the container having a collapsible metering valve (8) located at a first end (6) of the body for dispensing metered quantities of fluid and actuated by axial depression of a valve stem (9) defining a dispensing flowpath, a valve actuator (11) fixedly connected to the housing at a corresponding first end (7) thereof and defining a further dispensing flowpath for product fluid dispensed through the stem, and trigger means (30) operable to urge the container body axially towards the first end of the housing such that the valve stem is depressed by relative movement together of the valve and actuator and thereby dispensing a metered quantity of fluid, wherein the container body defines a chamber (4) and the container includes means (5) dividing the chamber into a product fluid reservoir (25) communicating with the valve an

Abstract: A collapsible chamber metering valve for use in a pressurized dispensing container 2 comprises a generally cylindrical body 3, an elastomeric sleeve 12 coaxially overlaying the body and defining a collapsible chamber 14 therebetween, the body defining an internal chamber 18, channel means 31 providing a fluid flowpath between the internal chamber and the collapsible chamber, an axially slidable valve actuating stem 6 extending coaxially through the internal chamber, outlet valve means 33 operable between the stem and the body at the outer end of the internal chamber so as to dispense fluid therefrom in an open condition of the valve and inlet valve means 21 operable between the body and the stem at the inner end of the internal chamber to admit fluid thereto in a closed condition of the valve wherein the inlet valve means comprises an annular seal portion 29 of the sleeve cooperating with an inner end portion 8 of the stem extending therethrough and wherein the sleeve further comprises an annular shoulder por

Abstract: A pump assembly (1) for an atomizing piston pump comprising a piston (16) slidably located in a cylinder (4), a variable volume fluid storage chamber (5) in communication with the cylinder on one side of the piston, means (18) for varying the volume of the chamber, resilient means (17) urging the varying means into a position corresponding to the minimum volume of the chamber, a fluid flow passageway (30, 31) through the piston, a resilient valve member (25) normally closing the passageway and deforming means (23) for deforming the valve member so as to open the passageway only after the piston has moved relative to the cylinder by a predetermined amount greater than zero. The pump assembly has application to dispensing metered doses of medicinal products and ensures that the dispensed dose is independent of finger pressure applied to the actuator.

Abstract: Dispensing apparatus 1 for a pressurized dispensing container has a valve, a valve actuator and a flow regulator comprising a washer 13 located in a housing 11 such that an aperture 14 of the washer forms a constriction presenting an impedance to the flow. The washer is resiliently deformable to vary the impedance presented by the constriction in response to variation in the pressure differential across the washer such that in use with a pressurized container having a finite resource of pressurizing gas the tendency for the flow rate to decrease with depletion of the gas pressure is compensated by a tendency for the flow rate to increase due to decreased impedance of the flow regulator. The washer has a recessed downstream face 16 which co-operates with a planar seat 15 of the housing such that the washer deforms towards the seat. The apparatus enables containers to be pressurized with nitrogen while maintaining a constant flow rate throughout the dispensing life of the container.

Abstract: A valve (10) for dispensing metered doses from a pressurized dispensing container (17) has a valve cup (13) attached to the container. A valve housing (11) fixed to the valve cup has within it nested components (30, 31) the inner one of which defines a metering chamber (16). A valve stem (12) slides through seals (14, 15) one of which is trapped between the valve cup (13) and the inner nested component (30). The other seal (15) is trapped between the nested components. The valve stem is urged into an inoperative position by a spring (60) located within the valve housing but outside the metering chamber. The inner and outer nested components have unequal numbers of castellations (41, 42) formed in their edges around the valve stem to permit flexing of the seal (15) during filling of the container.