Abstract: Dry powder inhalers with rotatable piercing mechanisms facilitate the use of dose container assemblies having dose containers arranged in concentric rows. A piercing mechanism is operably associated with the dose container assembly and is configured to pierce sealants that seal a dose container. The piercing mechanism is rotatable such that it can serially alternate between the two rows of dose containers. The piercing mechanism includes a rotatable drum, an elongate piercing member, and a biasing member operably associated with the piercing member. The rotatable drum has an open end, an opposite closed end, and a cylindrical wall that extends from the closed end and terminates at the open end. The closed end includes an aperture formed therein in a location adjacent to the wall. The elongate piercing member is extended and retracted through the aperture to pierce the sealants of a dose container.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers with rotatable piercing mechanisms facilitate the use of dose container assemblies having dose containers arranged in concentric rows. A piercing mechanism is operably associated with the dose container assembly and is configured to pierce sealants that seal a dose container. The piercing mechanism is rotatable such that it can serially alternate between the two rows of dose containers. The piercing mechanism includes a rotatable drum, an elongate piercing member, and a biasing member operably associated with the piercing member. The rotatable drum has an open end, an opposite closed end, and a cylindrical wall that extends from the closed end and terminates at the open end. The closed end includes an aperture formed therein in a location adjacent to the wall. The elongate piercing member is extended and retracted through the aperture to pierce the sealants of a dose container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an improved rotary coin mechanism that prevents the theft of vending machine items by preventing the maintained presence of a theft tool used by a thief to interfere with the operation of a coin detector so that a coin slot without a coin of the prescribed size can be rotated past the coin detector to allow product to vend without the insertion of a coin of the prescribed size. The invention closes a gap between the rotating coin disc and the mechanism casing after a coin slot has entered into the rotary coin mechanism casing so that the theft tool cannot be maintained in an inserted position for a sufficient range of rotation of the rotary coin mechanism handle. The invention applies to rotary coin mechanisms that require one or more coins in order to obtain the vended item.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an improved rotary coin mechanism that prevents the theft of vending machine items by preventing the maintained presence of a theft tool used by a thief to interfere with the operation of a coin detector so that a coin slot without a coin of the prescribed size can be rotated past the coin detector to allow product to vend without the insertion of a coin of the prescribed size. The invention closes a gap between the rotating coin disc and the mechanism casing after a coin slot has entered into the rotary coin mechanism casing so that the theft tool cannot be maintained in an inserted position for a sufficient range of rotation of the rotary coin mechanism handle. The invention applies to rotary coin mechanisms that require one or more coins in order to obtain the vended item.

Abstract: A sense-simile sampler delivers a sample fragrance in response to receiving an external signal, preferably via the internet. The sampler has a fragrance reservoir attached to a cylinder via a tube. A piston plunger reciprocates in the cylinder to expel the fragrance. A one-way valve controls flow of fragrance from the reservoir into the cylinder. The piston plunger is solenoid operated via signals from an internet appliance.