Patents by Inventor Winston Z. Lu

Winston Z. Lu 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: 9968748
    Abstract: An indicating device for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes a first housing member having laterally spaced apart first and second guide members and a second housing member. The first and second housing members are moveable relative to each other along a longitudinal axis. The second housing member includes laterally spaced apart first and second guides shaped to receive the first and second guide members respectively, and wherein the first and second guides are not shaped to receive the second and first guide members respectively. A biasing member biases the second member relative to the first member along the longitudinal axis. An indicating member is disposed between the first and second housing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: TRUDELL MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Robert Morton, Winston Z. Lu
  • Patent number: 9656032
    Abstract: A system of medicament dispensers includes a plurality of dispenser housings each having a unique first indicia and a plurality of containers each having a unique second indicia. The unique second indicia of each of the containers corresponds to one of the unique first indicia of a corresponding one of the dispenser housings. Methods for associating various containers and dispensers is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Trudell Medical International
    Inventors: Winston Z. Lu, Robert Morton, Joaquim Balles
  • Publication number: 20150297843
    Abstract: A system of medicament dispensers includes a plurality of dispenser housings each having a unique first indicia and a plurality of containers each having a unique second indicia. The unique second indicia of each of the containers corresponds to one of the unique first indicia of a corresponding one of the dispenser housings. Methods for associating various containers and dispensers is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: TRUDELL MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: WINSTON Z. LU, Robert Morton, Joaquim Balles
  • Patent number: 8869735
    Abstract: An indicating device includes a housing having a longitudinally extending cavity shaped to receive the container and an indicator member disposed in the cavity and having a longitudinally extending wall shaped to surround at least a portion of the container. The indicator member is rotatably mounted within the housing and is rotatable relative thereto about a longitudinal axis. The indicator member includes a driven gear. A drive gear is disposed in the housing and includes a drive portion selectively engaged with the driven gear. An actuator is adapted to move with the container and is selectively engaged with the drive gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Trudell Medical International, Inc.
    Inventor: Winston Z. Lu
  • Publication number: 20140165998
    Abstract: An indicating device for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes a first housing member having laterally spaced apart first and second guide members and a second housing member. The first and second housing members are moveable relative to each other along a longitudinal axis. The second housing member includes laterally spaced apart first and second guides shaped to receive the first and second guide members respectively, and wherein the first and second guides are not shaped to receive the second and first guide members respectively. A biasing member biases the second member relative to the first member along the longitudinal axis. An indicating member is disposed between the first and second housing members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: TRUDELL MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: ROBERT MORTON, Winston Z. Lu
  • Patent number: 8578934
    Abstract: An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes at least one first indicator member incrementally moveable to a plurality of positions and a second indicator member moveable in response to a predetermined number of movements of the at least one first indicator member. The at least one first indicator member includes primary dosage indicia adapted to indicate the number of dosages of substance that have been dispensed from or remain in the container. The second indicator member includes secondary dosage indicia adapted to indicate that less than a minimum predetermined number of dosages of substance remain in the container. In one preferred embodiment, the primary dosage indicia are configured as numerical indicia and the secondary dosage indicia are configured as color indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Trudell Medical International
    Inventors: Robert Morton, Winston Z. Lu
  • Publication number: 20120222671
    Abstract: An indicating device includes a housing having a longitudinally extending cavity shaped to receive the container and an indicator member disposed in the cavity and having a longitudinally extending wall shaped to surround at least a portion of the container. The indicator member is rotatably mounted within the housing and is rotatable relative thereto about a longitudinal axis. The indicator member includes a driven gear. A drive gear is disposed in the housing and includes a drive portion selectively engaged with the driven gear. An actuator is adapted to move with the container and is selectively engaged with the drive gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventor: WINSTON Z. LU
  • Patent number: 8079362
    Abstract: A method for displaying dosage indicia includes engaging a dispenser housing with a container in an engaged position, moving the container relative to the dispenser housing along a longitudinal axis while the container and the dispenser housing are in the engaged position, moving a valve between a closed position and an open position in response to moving the container relative to the dispenser housing and thereby dispensing metered dosages of substance when the valve is moved to the open position, moving the container relative to the dispenser housing to a disengaged position, moving an indicating portion with the container as the container is moved relative to the dispenser housing between the engaged and disengaged positions, and moving the indicator member relative to the container along the longitudinal axis while the container is in the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Trudell Medical International
    Inventors: Winston Z. Lu, Robert W. Morton
  • Patent number: 8074594
    Abstract: An indicating device suitable for indicating a number of metered dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container. The indicating device includes at least one primary indicator member having primary dosage indicia, configured as numeric indicia, and a second indicator member having secondaiy dosage indicia, configured with at least two different colors. The primary and secondary indicator members are coaxially mounted. In one embodiment, a device for dispensing dosages of the substance also includes a dispenser housing and a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Trudell Medical International
    Inventor: Winston Z. Lu
  • Publication number: 20100163031
    Abstract: An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes at least one first indicator member incrementally moveable to a plurality of positions and a second indicator member moveable in response to a predetermined number of movements of the at least one first indicator member. The at least one first indicator member includes primary dosage indicia adapted to indicate the number of dosages of substance that have been dispensed from or remain in the container. The second indicator member includes secondary dosage indicia adapted to indicate that less than a minimum predetermined number of dosages of substance remain in the container. In one preferred embodiment, the primary dosage indicia are configured as numerical indicia and the secondary dosage indicia are configured as color indicia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Robert Morton, Winston Z. Lu
  • Publication number: 20100095962
    Abstract: An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes a base member adapted to be mounted to the container and a cap member moveably connected to the base member. The cap member is moveable relative to the base member along an axial path. A shaft is non-rotatably mounted to one of the cap member and the base member and defines an axis. An indicator member is rotatably mounted on the shaft and is rotatable in at least a first direction. One of the shaft and the indicator member has a helical groove while the other of the shaft and the indicator member has a follower disposed in the groove. The indicator member is moveable relative to the shaft along the axis as the indicator member is rotated in the first direction. In another embodiment, the indicating device includes first, second and third indicator members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventor: Winston Z. Lu
  • Publication number: 20100000532
    Abstract: A method for displaying dosage indicia includes engaging a dispenser housing with a container in an engaged position, moving the container relative to the dispenser housing along a longitudinal axis while the container and the dispenser housing are in the engaged position, moving a valve between a closed position and an open position in response to moving the container relative to the dispenser housing and thereby dispensing metered dosages of substance when the valve is moved to the open position, moving the container relative to the dispenser housing to a disengaged position, moving an indicating portion with the container as the container is moved relative to the dispenser housing between the engaged and disengaged positions, and moving the indicator member relative to the container along the longitudinal axis while the container is in the engaged position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Winston Z. Lu, Robert W. Morton
  • Patent number: 7621273
    Abstract: An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes at least one first indicator member incrementally moveable to a plurality of positions and a second indicator member moveable in response to a predetermined number of movements of the at least one first indicator member. The at least one first indicator member includes primary dosage indicia adapted to indicate the number of dosages of substance that have been dispensed from or remain in the container. The second indicator member includes secondary dosage indicia adapted to indicate that less than a minimum predetermined number of dosages of substance remain in the container. In one preferred embodiment, the primary dosage indicia are configured as numerical indicia and the secondary dosage indicia are configured as color indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Trudell Medical International
    Inventors: Robert Morton, Winston Z. Lu
  • Patent number: 7584712
    Abstract: An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes a base member adapted to be mounted to the container and a cap member moveably connected to the base member. The cap member is moveable relative to the base member along an axial path. A shaft is non-rotatably mounted to one of the cap member and the base member and defines an axis. An indicator member is rotatably mounted on the shaft and is rotatable in at least a first direction. One of the shaft and the indicator member has a helical groove while the other of the shaft and the indicator member has a follower disposed in the groove. The indicator member is moveable relative to the shaft along the axis as the indicator member is rotated in the first direction. In another embodiment, the indicating device includes first, second and third indicator members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Trudell Medical International
    Inventor: Winston Z. Lu
  • Patent number: 7543582
    Abstract: An indicating device includes an indicating portion and an actuator portion. At least a part of the indicating portion is moveable with a container between engaged and disengaged positions relative to a dispenser housing. The indicating portion includes at least one indicator member. The container is moveable relative to the at least one indicator member along the longitudinal axis when the container is in the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Trudell Medical International
    Inventors: Winston Z. Lu, Robert W. Morton
  • Patent number: 7100530
    Abstract: An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of metered dosages that have been dispensed from or remain in a container includes a base member adapted to be mounted to the container and a cap member moveably connected to the base member. The cap member is moveable relative to the base member along an axial path. A shaft is non-rotatably mounted to one of the cap member and the base member and defines an axis. An indicator member is rotatably mounted on the shaft and is rotatable in at least a first direction. One of the shaft and the indicator member has a helical groove while the other of the shaft and the indicator member has a follower disposed in the groove. The indicator member is moveable relative to the shaft along the axis as the indicator member is rotated in the first direction. In another embodiment, the indicating device includes first, second and third indicator members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Trudell Medical International, Inc.
    Inventor: Winston Z. Lu