Patents by Inventor Stephen J. Howgill

Stephen J. Howgill has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8479732
    Abstract: A dose counter for use in connection with a device adapted for metered dispensing of a medication is described. The dose counter has a first count indicator that has a first indicia bearing surface, with the first count indicator being rotatable about a first axis. The dose counter also has a second count indicator that has a second indicia bearing surface, with the second count indicator being rotatable about a second axis. The second axis is disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the first axis, and the first and second indicia bearing surfaces align at a common viewing area to collectively present at least a portion of a medication dosage count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Adam J. Stuart, Graham R. Purkins, Rachel V. Striebig, Stephen J. Howgill, Peter D. Hodson, Richard D. Brewer, Benjamin J. Holden
  • Patent number: 8459253
    Abstract: A dose counting device for use with a medicinal metered dose dispensing device, the device including an actuator having at least one finger that is designed for reciprocal movement comprising an outward stroke and a return stroke, an annular member having a helical thread segment formed about a circumferential arc on a part of its surface, and a drive nut positioned around a radial cross-section of the annular member and having an internal helical rib engaged with said helical thread segment on the annular member whereby rotation of the drive nut about the circumferential arc of the annular member results in rotational movement of the annular member, the outer surface of the drive nut comprising one or more driving surfaces for engagement by said at least one finger on the actuator during said reciprocal movement to cause rotation of the drive nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Stephen J. Howgill
  • Publication number: 20130037021
    Abstract: An actuator (2) for an inhaler (1) comprising a longitudinally extending body (3), a delivery passage at (or near to) a first end of the body (3) and a retained cover (7) for the delivery passage, the actuator (2) having at least one profile (9) arranged to guide the cover (7) from a closed position occluding at least a user-opening (6) of the delivery passage to a remote location in which the user-opening (6) of the delivery passage is unoccluded wherein the cover (7) and the at least one profile (9) are configured and arranged such that, in use of the actuator (2), in the guided movement of the cover (7) from the closed position to the remote location, the cover (7) is glided by the user towards the second end of the body (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard D. Brewer, Craig Davidson, Graham R. Purkins, Stephen J. Howgill
  • Publication number: 20110042419
    Abstract: An aerosol metering valve comprising: (a) a valve stem movable between a rest position and a firing position comprising: a body portion comprising a circumferential sealing surface (b) a valve body comprising: a body wall, and an internal chamber defined at least in part by the body wall; and (c) a metering gasket having an inner periphery defining an aperture, being disposed near the most interior end of the internal chamber and being configured to be able to form a transient, substantially fluid-tight face seal against the circumferential sealing surface of the valve stem, where at the rest position of the valve stem, the body portion of the valve stem is located within the internal chamber and as the valve stem is moved from its rest position towards its firing position the circumferential sealing surface of the valve stem contacts the metering gasket to form a face seal thereby closing a metering chamber and thereafter further movement of the valve stem towards its firing position causes the metering gask
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Peter D. Hodson, Matthew A. Goring, Stephen J. Howgill, John Fielding, Rachel V. Shaw, Paul A. Charnock, Stuart A. McGlasson, Stephen D. Helm, Graham V. Jackson, Anthony W. Balkwill, Jason A. Graves
  • Publication number: 20100229855
    Abstract: A dose counting device for use with a medicinal metered dose dispensing device, the device comprising an actuator having at least one finger that is designed for reciprocal movement comprising an outward stroke and a return stroke, an annular member having a helical thread segment formed about a circumferential arc on a part of its surface, and a drive nut positioned around a radial cross-section of the annular member and having an internal helical rib engaged with said helical thread segment on the annular member whereby rotation of the drive nut about the circumferential arc of the annular member results in rotational movement of the annular member, the outer surface of the drive nut comprising one or more driving surfaces for engagement by said at least one finger on the actuator during said reciprocal movement to cause rotation of the drive nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventor: Stephen J. Howgill
  • Publication number: 20090173346
    Abstract: This application discloses a dose counter for use in connection with a device adapted for metered dispensing of a medication. The dose counter has a first count indicator that has a first indicia bearing surface, with the first count indicator being rotatable about a first axis. The dose counter also has a second count indicator that has a second indicia bearing surface, with the second count indicator being rotatable about a second axis. The second axis is disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the first axis, and the first and second indicia bearing surfaces align at a common viewing area to collectively present at least a portion of a medication dosage count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Adam J. Stuart, Graham R. Purkins, Rachel V. Striebig, Stephen J. Howgill, Peter D. Hodson, Richard D. Brewer, Benjamin J. Holden
  • Publication number: 20080202515
    Abstract: An inhalation device (1) comprising two or more hermetically sealed receptacles (39), each receptacle containing a single dose of a pressurized formulation comprising a pharmaceutically active ingredient and a liquefied aerosol propellant consisting of HFA 134a, HFA 227 or a mixture thereof and wherein at least a portion (39a) of each receptacle is perforable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Peter D. Hodson, Stephen J. Howgill, Graham R. Purkins
  • Patent number: 6102179
    Abstract: A device for the transmission of one-way torque comprising an outer annular member having a plurality of radially inwardly projecting teeth each comprising a driving surface and a cam surface, and a shaft concentrically mounted with respect to the outer annular member and comprising a plurality of drive elements each having a driving surface and a cam surface. Rotation of the shaft or outer annular member in its driving direction causes engagement of a driving surface of at least one drive element with a driving surface of at least one tooth thereby resulting in joint rotation of the shaft and outer annular member. Rotation of the shaft or outer annular member in its non-driving direction causes engagement of the cam surface of at least one drive element with the cam surface of at least one tooth resulting in additional relative movement, substantially radially, between the drive element and tooth, thereby preventing rotational movement being transmitted between the shaft and the outer annular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Astra Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Peter D. Hodson, Stephen J. Howgill, Anthony C. L. Wass
  • Patent number: D687945
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: 3M innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard D. Brewer, Craig Davidson, Graham R. Purkins, Stephen J. Howgill
  • Patent number: D687946
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard D. Brewer, Craig Davidson, Graham R. Purkins, Stephen J. Howgill
  • Patent number: D687947
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard D. Brewer, Craig Davidson, Graham R. Purkins, Stephen J. Howgill