Dispenser monitoring system
First Claim
1. An electronic dispenser monitoring system for a dispenser actuatable along an actuation axis to dispense a quantity of material, comprising:
- a housing having a lower portion for mounting on a dispenser and an upper portion having a cavity;
said actuation axis extending from said upper portion through such a dispenser which is affixed to the lower portion of said housing; and
an electronic dispenser monitoring circuit disposed in said cavity and including a switching device including an elastomeric membrane switch and at least one contact plate which is engaged by said membrane switch in response to actuation of such a dispenser, a counter circuit, responsive to said switching device, for registering that a quantity of material has been dispensed, and a display device, responsive to said counter circuit, for indicating the status of the material in such a dispenser;
said upper portion further including a rigid lower member which acts as a stop for said elastomeric membrane switch, said elastomeric membrane switch actuating said switching device via said at least one contact plate in response to actuation of such a dispenser.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dispenser monitoring system for a dispenser actuatable along its actuation axis to dispense a quantity of material includes a housing having a lower portion for mounting on a dispenser and an upper portion having a cavity; and a dispenser monitoring circuit disposed in the cavity including a switching device responsive to actuation of the dispenser container; a counter circuit, responsive to the switching device, for registering that a quantity of material has been dispensed; and a display device, responsive to the counter circuit, for indicating the status of the material in the dispenser.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. An electronic dispenser monitoring system for a dispenser actuatable along an actuation axis to dispense a quantity of material, comprising:
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a housing having a lower portion for mounting on a dispenser and an upper portion having a cavity;
said actuation axis extending from said upper portion through such a dispenser which is affixed to the lower portion of said housing; andan electronic dispenser monitoring circuit disposed in said cavity and including a switching device including an elastomeric membrane switch and at least one contact plate which is engaged by said membrane switch in response to actuation of such a dispenser, a counter circuit, responsive to said switching device, for registering that a quantity of material has been dispensed, and a display device, responsive to said counter circuit, for indicating the status of the material in such a dispenser; said upper portion further including a rigid lower member which acts as a stop for said elastomeric membrane switch, said elastomeric membrane switch actuating said switching device via said at least one contact plate in response to actuation of such a dispenser. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An electronic inhalator dosage monitoring system for a metered dose inhalator canister actuatable along an actuation axis to dispense a metered dose comprising:
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a housing having a lower portion for mounting on a metered dose inhalator canister, and an upper portion having a cavity;
said actuation axis extending from said upper portion through such an inhalator canister which is affixed to the lower portion of said housing; andan electronic dosage monitoring circuit disposed in said cavity and including a switching device including an elastomeric membrane switch and at least one contact plate which is engaged by said membrane switch in response to actuation of such an inhalator canister, a counter circuit, responsive to said switching device, for registering that a dose has been dispensed, and a display device, responsive to said counter circuit, for indicating the number of doses remaining in such an inhalator canister; said upper portion further including a rigid lower member which acts as a stop for said elastomeric membrane switch, said elastomeric membrane switch actuating said switching device via said at least one contact plate in response to actuation of such an inhalator canister. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A dispenser monitoring system for a dispenser actuatable along an actuation axis to dispense a quantity of material, comprising:
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a housing having a lower portion for mounting on a dispenser and an upper portion having a cavity;
said actuation axis extending from said upper portion through such a dispenser which is affixed to the lower portion of said housing;
said lower portion being tapered to be narrower at its lower end for accommodating a range of sizes of dispensers; anda dispenser monitoring circuit disposed in said cavity and including a switching device including an elastomeric membrane switch and at least one contact plate which is engaged by said membrane switch in response to actuation of such a dispenser, a counter circuit, responsive to said switching device, for registering that a quantity of material has been dispensed, and an electronic display device, responsive to said counter circuit, for indicating the status of the material in such a dispenser; said upper portion further including a rigid lower member which acts as a stop for said elastomeric membrane switch, said elastomeric membrane switch actuating said switching device via said at least one contact plate in response to actuation of such a dispenser. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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50. An inhalator dosage monitoring system for a metered dose inhalator canister actuatable along an actuation axis to dispense a metered dose comprising:
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a housing having a lower portion for mounting on a metered dose inhalator canister, and an upper portion having a cavity;
said actuation axis extending from said upper portion through such an inhalator canister which is affixed to the lower portion of said housing;
said lower portion being tapered to be narrower at its lower end for accommodating a range of sizes of canisters; anda dosage monitoring circuit disposed in said cavity and including a switching device including an elastomeric membrane switch and at least one contact plate which is engaged by said membrane switch in response to actuation of such an inhalator canister, a counter circuit, responsive to said switching device, for registering that a dose has been dispensed, and an electronic display device, responsive to said counter circuit, for indicating the number of doses remaining in such an inhalator canister; said upper portion further including a rigid lower member which acts as a stop for said elastomeric membrane switch, said elastomeric membrane switch actuating said switching device via said at least one contact plate in response to actuation of such an inhalator canister.
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51. A dispenser monitoring system for a dispenser actuatable along an actuation axis to dispense a quantity of material, comprising:
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a housing having a lower portion for mounting on a dispenser and an upper portion having a cavity;
said actuation axis extending from said upper portion through such a dispenser which is affixed to the lower portion of said housing; anda dispenser monitoring circuit disposed in said cavity and including a switching device including an elastomeric membrane switch and at least one contact plate which is engaged by said membrane switch in response to actuation of such a dispenser, a counter circuit, responsive to said switching device, for registering that a quantity of material has been dispensed, an electronic display device, responsive to said counter circuit, for indicating the status of the material in such a dispenser;
said display device includes a storage device for accumulating and storing for display the history of the number of dispenser actuations in a predetermined time period;said upper portion further including a rigid lower member which acts as a stop for said elastomeric membrane switch, said elastomeric membrane switch actuating said switching device via said at least one contact plate in response to actuation of such a dispenser.
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52. An inhalator dosage monitoring system for a metered dose inhalator canister actuatable along an actuation axis to dispense a metered dose, comprising:
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a housing having a lower portion for mounting on a metered dose inhalator canister, and an upper portion having a cavity;
said actuation axis extending from said upper portion through such an inhalator canister which is affixed to the lower portion of said housing; anda dosage monitoring circuit disposed in said cavity and including a switching device including an elastomeric membrane switch and at least one contact plate which is engaged by said membrane switch in response to actuation of such an inhalator canister, a counter circuit, responsive to said switching device, for registering that a dose has been dispensed, and an electronic display device, responsive to said counter circuit, for indicating the number of doses remaining in such an inhalator canister;
said display device includes a storage device for accumulating and storing for display the history of the number of inhalator canister actuations in a predetermined time period;said upper portion further including a rigid lower member which acts as a stop for said elastomeric membrane switch, said elastomeric membrane switch actuating said switching device via said at least one contact plate in response to actuation of such an inhalator canister.
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Specification