1. A medicament dispenser for use with at least one medicament carrier carrying multiple distinct medicament portions, said medicament dispenser comprising
(a) a dispensing mechanism actuable for dispensing the distinct medicament portions carried by said at least one medicament carrier;
(b) a mouthpiece; and
(c) a cover for said mouthpiece, said cover being movably mounted to the dispenser for sequential movement from a first position, in which said mouthpiece is covered, to a second position, in which said mouthpiece is at least part-uncovered, to a third position in which said mouthpiece is uncovered;
wherein said cover is adapted to couple with said dispensing mechanism such that movement of the cover from the second position to the third position, but not the first position to the second position, results in actuation of the dispensing mechanism.
2. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1 including a plurality of said medicament carriers each carrying multiple distinct medicament dose portions.
3. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said at least one medicament carrier is an elongate form medicament carrier.
4. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises:
i) a receiving station for receiving each medicament carrier;
ii) a release for releasing a distinct medicament portion from each medicament carrier on receipt thereof by said receiving station;
iii) an outlet for communication with the mouthpiece and with said distinct medicament portion of each medicament carrier releasable by said release; and
iv) an indexer for individually indexing the distinct medicament portions of each medicament carrier.
5. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein in the second position the mouthpiece is fully uncovered.
6. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cover couples directly with the dispensing mechanism.
7. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cover couples mechanically with the dispensing mechanism.
8. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing mechanism is within the housing and the cover is in movable connection with the housing.
9. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cover is arranged for movement on a rotational path.
10. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cover interacts with a ratchet of the dispensing mechanism, which in turn selectively interacts with a drive gear of the dispensing mechanism for drive of the dispensing mechanism.
11. A medicament dispenser according to claim 10, adapted such that on movement of the cover from the first position until the second position the ratchet is disengaged from the drive gear and on movement from the second position to the third position the ratchet is in engagement with the drive gear.
12. A medicament dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the dispensing mechanism is provided with an anti-return feature to prevent return movement of the drive gear on return movement of the cover from the third position to the first position.
13. A medicament dispenser according to claim 4, for use with at least one blister strip form medicament carrier, the at least one blister strip form medicament carrier having multiple distinct pockets for containing medicament dose portions, wherein said pockets are spaced along the length of and defined between two peelable sheets secured to each other, and in which the release comprises a peeler positioned to engage a base sheet and a lid sheet of a pocket which has been received in said receiving station for peeling apart such a base sheet and lid sheet, to open such a pocket.
14. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the at least one medicament carrier carries distinct medicament portions in powder form.
15. A medicament dispenser according to claim 14, comprising a single medicament carrier wherein each medicament portion comprises both a bronchodilator and an anti-inflammatory as active medicament components thereof.
16. A medicament dispenser according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of said medicament carriers consists of a first and a second medicament carrier, each of said medicament carriers carrying distinct medicament portions in powder form, each of said medicament dose portions of a said first medicament carrier comprising a bronchodilator as the active medicament component and each of said medicament dose portions of said second medicament carrier comprising an anti-inflammatory as the active medicament component.
17. A medicament dispenser according to claim 15, wherein said bronchodilator is a beta-agonist and said anti-inflammatory is a corticosteroid.
18. A medicament dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the coupling of the cover with the dispensing mechanism is adapted such that only movement of the cover from the second position to the third position results in actuation of the dispensing mechanism.
19. A medicament dispenser according to claim 18, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises a first part to which the cover is connected and which moves with the cover, a second part drivable by the first part to operate on the at least one medicament carrier for dispensing of the distinct medicament portions, and an interface between the first and second parts which is adapted so that the first part is only able to drive the second part when the cover moves from the second position to the third position.
20. A medicament dispenser according to claim 19, wherein the interface is formed by a ratchet arrangement.
21. A medicament dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the ratchet arrangement comprises a ratchet and a drive gear.
22. A medicament dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the ratchet and drive gear are respectively provided with at least one first and second ratchet feature for providing unidirectional driving engagement of the ratchet and drive gear.
23. A medicament dispenser according to claim 20, wherein the ratchet arrangement has first and second components respectively provided with at least one first and second ratchet feature for providing unidirectional driving engagement between the first and second components.
24. A medicament dispenser according to claim 22, wherein the at least one first and second ratchet feature are constructed and arranged such that they are disengaged except when the cover is positioned from the second position to the third position after moving the cover towards the third position.
25. A medicament dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the cover is connected to the ratchet.
26. A medicament dispenser according to claim 23, wherein the cover is connected to the first component.
27. A medicament dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the dispenser is an inhalation device, the medicament dose portions of each carrier are in powdered form and the dispenser is adapted such as to enable a user to inhale at the mouthpiece for simultaneous inhalation by the user of the medicament dose portions dispensed from the medicament carriers by the dispensing mechanism on actuation thereof by movement of the cover from the second position to the third position.
28. (canceled)
29. A medicament dispenser according to claim 21, wherein the ratchet and drive gear are respectively provided with at least one first and second ratchet feature for providing unidirectional driving engagement of the ratchet and drive gear.
30. A medicament dispenser according to claim 29, wherein the at least one first and second ratchet feature are constructed and arranged such that they are disengaged except when the cover is positioned from the second position to the third position after moving the cover towards the third position.
31. A medicament dispenser according to claim 16, wherein said bronchodilator is a beta-agonist and said anti-inflammatory is a corticosteroid.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A refuse collection apparatus for use with a building having an exterior wall, comprising:
a chute having an upper end and an opposed lower end, said chute including a body portion extending between said upper and lower ends;
a refuse container having a bottom wall and a continuous side wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall, said container side wall defining an open top and an interior area;
a lid releasably coupled to an upper edge of said side wall and configured to cover said container open top, said chute lower end being fixedly attached to said lid;
wherein said lid defines an opening positioned in communication with said chute lower end such that refuse passing through said chute is communicated to said container open area;
an exhaust fan operatively mounted to said lid in communication with said container interior area and configured to withdraw air from said container interior area when actuated;
an input station coupled to said chute upper end and configured to interface with the building wall, said input station having an access door selectively movable between an open configuration providing access to said chute body portion and a closed configuration preventing access to said chute body portion; and
wherein said input station includes an access door sensor configured to detect when said access door is at said open configuration, said access door sensor being electrically connected to said exhaust fan and configured to actuate said exhaust fan when said sensor detects that said access door is at said open configuration.
2. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 1, wherein:
said refuse container includes a fullness sensor situated in said container interior area configured to detect when said container is full of refuse; and
said input station includes a visual indicator electrically connected to said fullness sensor and configured to be illuminated when said fullness sensor is indicative that said container is full of refuse.
3. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said access door sensor and said visual indicator are covered by said access door when said access door is at said closed configuration and are exposed when said access door is at said open configuration.
4. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said exhaust fan includes:
a solar cell configured to collect solar energy and to convert said solar energy from to electrical current;
a rechargeable battery electrically connected to said solar cell and configured to store electrical current converted from solar energy collected by said solar cell; and
wherein said rechargeable battery is electrically connected to said fullness sensor, said visual indicator, said exhaust fan, and said access door sensor.
5. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said fullness sensor includes:
a platform situated in said refuse container on said bottom wall of said container;
a plurality of springs spaced apart from one another adjacent a bottom side of said platform, said springs configured to be compressed by weight upon said platform; and
at least one pressure sensor situated adjacent at least one of said plurality of springs and configured to be actuated when said springs are compressed a predetermined amount.
6. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said exhaust fan includes a charcoal filter.
7. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said chute is constructed of a flexible material.
8. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said access door includes a spring configured to bias said access door toward said closed configuration, said exhaust fan being deactivated when said access door is at said closed configuration.
9. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said refuse container is removably coupled to said lid such that said container is removable therefrom to be collected by trash collection personnel.
10. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a spring-loaded flap positioned in said chute body portion adjacent said chute lower end, said flap configured to prevent air from said refuse container from flowing upwardly into said chute.
11. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said input station is configured to interface with a building window.
12. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising an odor control module adjacent said input station access door and configured to direct an anti-odor substance into said upper end of said chute when said access door is moved to said open configuration.
13. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said odor control module includes an anti-bacterial substance.
14. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said odor control module includes an anti-bacterial substance in combination with said anti-odor substance.
15. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said odor control module includes a removable anti-odorant cartridge.
16. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 12, further comprising a disinfectant spray module positioned in said refuse container and electrically connected to said exhaust fan.
17. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said disinfectant spray module is configured to dispense an anti-infection substance into said container interior area when said exhaust fan is deactivated.
18. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a disinfectant spray module positioned in said refuse container and electrically connected to said exhaust fan, said disinfectant spray module being situated adjacent said open top of said refuse container.
19. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 5, further comprising:
an odor control module adjacent said input station access door and configured to direct an anti-odor substance into said upper end of said chute when said access door is moved to said open configuration; and
a disinfectant spray module positioned in said refuse container and electrically connected to said exhaust fan, said disinfectant spray module being configured to dispense an anti-infection substance into said container interior area when said exhaust fan is deactivated.
20. The refuse collection apparatus as in claim 19, wherein said access door includes a spring configured to bias said access door toward said closed configuration, said exhaust fan being deactivated when said access door is at said closed configuration.