Aerosol inhaler

Claim 2

An aerosol inhaler device for dispensing a metered amount of medication, including a housing, an air passage defined by said housing, an air inlet in communication with one end of said air passage, a mouthpiece in communication with the other end of said air passage through which a user inhales, and a means selectively actuated for dispensing a metered amount of aerosolized medication into said air passage, wherein the improvement comprises: a valve disposed in said air passage and normally operative to substantially obstruct airflow by user inhalation through said air passage; and means operative in response to actuation of said means for dispensing the aerosolized medication for permitting said valve to open by user inhalation, whereby unobstructed airflow through said air passage to said mouthpiece in response to inhalation by the user is permitted only in response to dispensinag the medication into said air passage.

Claim 3

An aerosol inhaler device as recited in claim 1, wherein said air passage comprises a venturi-shaped throat disposed to receive the dispensed medication.

Claim 4

An aerosol inhaler device for use with a container adapted to dispense a metered amount of aerosolized medication, comprising: a housing; means defining an air passage within said housing; means associated with said housing for receiving said container to dispense said metered amount of aerosolized medication into said air passage at a predetermined location; a mouthpiece communicative with one end of said air passage through which a user inhales; an air inlet communicative with the opposite end of said air passage; a valve disposed within said air passage and normally operative to substantially obstruct airflow through said air passage when a user inhales through said mouthpiece; and means disposed in operative relation with said container and operative in response to dispensing said aerosolized medication therefrom to permit said valve to open when a user inhales through said mouthpiece, so that unobstructed airflow through said air passage in response to inhalation through said mouthpiece is permitted only in response to dispensing said aerosolized medication into said air passage.

Claim 5

An aerosol inhaler device for use with a container adapted to dispense a metered amount of aerosolized medication, comprising: a housing; means defining an air passage within said housing; means associated with said housing for receiving said container to dispense said metered amount of aerosolized medication into said air passage at a predetermined location; a mouthpiece communicative with one end of said air passage through which a user inhales; an air inlet communicative with the opposite end of said air passage; a valve disposed within said air passage and normally operative to substantially obstruct airflow through said air passage when a user inhales through said mouthpiece; and means disposed in operative relation with said container and operative in response to dispensing said aerosolized medication therefrom to permit said valve to open when a user inhales through said mouthpiece, so that unobstructed airflow through said air passage in response to inhalation through said mouthpiece is permitted only in response to dispensing said aerosolized medication into said air passage.

Claim 6

An aerosol inhaler device as recited in claim 3, wherein the means for controlling the operation of said valve comprises: a lever mounted on the housing; and a stop member at one end of said lever, said stop member being normally operative to retain said valve in its closed attitude, and said lever being selectively operative in response to dispensing medication to disengage said stop member from said valve, thereby permitting said valve to open in response to user inhalation.

Claim 7

An aerosol inhaler device as recited in claim 4, further comprising bias means urging said lever to a normal position to maintain the stop member, in engaging position with the valve.

Claim 8

An aerosol inhaler device as recited in claim 3, wherein said valve is disposed within the air inlet.

Claim 9

An aerosol inhaler device as recited in claim 3, further comprising a valve seat molded into said housing and disposed so that the valve rests upon said valve seat when the valve is normally operative.

Claim 10

An aerosol inhaler device as recited in claim 3, wherein said air passage further includes a venturi-shaped throat disposed at said predetermined location at which said metered amount of aerosolized medication is dispensed into said air passage.