Granted Patent B2

US 12,653,971 · App. 18/422,464 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Inventors: Neritan Alizoti (London, CA); Sam Bender (Thornhill, CA); Adam Meyer (London, CA); Geoffrey Nielsen (London, CA); Bart Nowak (London, CA); Peter Scarrott (London, CA)

Assignee: Trudell Medical International Inc.

A61M15/009A61M15/0008A61M15/002A61M15/0021A61M15/0086F03G5/065A61M2205/3331A61M2205/3368A61M2205/3673A61M2205/502A61M2205/8206A61M2206/16A61M2206/20

Abstract

Claims (27)

1 . A dose counter for use with a metered dose inhaler, the dose counter comprising:

a housing configured to be attached to the metered dose inhaler;

a single energy harvesting component disposed in and moveable relative to the housing, the single energy harvesting component being configured to generate electrical energy in response to movement of the single energy harvesting component relative to the housing both (i) during actuation of the metered dose inhaler and (ii) in the absence of actuation of the metered dose inhaler; and

a power storage device connected to the energy harvesting component and operable to store the electrical energy received from the energy harvesting component.

2 . The dose counter of claim 1 further comprising an output operably connected to the power storage device, wherein the output comprises one or more of a controller, sensor and/or communication protocol.

3 . The dose counter of claim 1 wherein the single energy harvesting component comprises a piezo element.

4 . The dose counter of claim 3 , wherein the single energy harvesting component comprises a mass suspended on the piezo element.

5 . The dose counter of claim 1 wherein the single energy harvesting component comprises a linear generator.

6 . The dose counter of claim 5 the linear generator comprises a magnet moveably disposed in a coil.

7 . The dose counter of claim 1 wherein the power storage device comprises a battery.

8 . The dose counter of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a first housing component moveable relative to a second housing component along a longitudinal axis, wherein the single energy harvesting component is configured to generate electrical energy in response to the movement of the first housing component relative to the second housing component.

9 . The dose counter of claim 8 wherein the single energy harvesting component comprises a piezo element, wherein the first housing component deforms the piezo element.

10 . The dose counter of claim 8 wherein the single energy harvesting component comprises a linear generator responsive to the relative movement of the first and second housing components.

11 . The dose counter of claim 1 , wherein the single energy harvesting component is movable relative to the housing in response to a pressure differential.

12 . The dose counter of claim 1 , wherein the single energy harvesting component is movable relative to the housing in response to shaking of the housing.

13 . The dose counter of claim 1 , wherein the dose counter is a top-mounted actuation indicator.

14 . A method of using a dose counter comprising:

moving a dose counter housing coupled to a metered dose inhaler;

moving a single energy harvesting component disposed in the housing in response to moving the dose counter housing, without actuating the metered dose inhaler;

harvesting energy with the same single energy harvesting component in response to the movement of the same single energy harvesting component, both with and without actuating the metered dose inhaler; and

storing the electrical energy in a power storage device disposed in the housing and connected to the energy harvesting component.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein moving the dose counter housing comprises moving a first housing component relative to a second housing component, and wherein moving the single energy harvesting component comprises moving the single energy harvesting component with the first housing component.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the single energy harvesting component comprises a piezo element, and wherein moving the single energy harvesting component with the first housing component comprises deforming the piezo element with the first housing component.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the single energy harvesting component comprises a linear generator.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein moving the single energy harvesting component is performed before actuating the metered dose inhaler.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein moving the single energy harvesting component comprises shaking the dose counter housing.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein moving the single energy harvesting component comprises vibrating the energy harvesting component.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (28)