Inhalation activatable dispensers

Claim 1

An inhalation activatable dispenser for use with an aerosol container having a valve for dispensing aerosol from an outlet in the container, the valve having a hollow stem which is movable relative to the container between an outer closed position and an inner discharging position of the valve, said dispenser including a housing having a mouthpiece and an air passage therethrough terminating at said mouthpiece, the housing being adapted to receive such an aerosol container, having a support block with a socket adapted to receive said stem and a through orifice communicating between said socket and said air passage, and said dispenser including latch means having parts movable between an engaged position and a release position for preventing when said parts are in said engaged position the movement of said container and said support block toward each other upon the application of a force to bias the container and said support block toward each other and for affording when said parts are in said release position movement of said container and said support block toward each other in response to said force to move said stem to its inner discharge position, said parts of said latch means comprising a vane mounted on said housing in said air passageway between said orifice and said mouthpiece for movement toward said mouthpiece solely under the influence of inhalation through said mouthpiece from a blocking to a non-blocking position with respect to said passageway during the application of said force to move said parts from said engage to said release position so that inhaling at the mouthpiece causes movement of said vane to its non-blocking position which allows said force to move said stem relative to the container to its inner discharging position to dispense aerosol into the air passage for inhalation by the patient.