Spray dispenser counter

• US 6,651,844 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schering Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Schering Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Spitz, Jason S., Tomaka, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buechner, Patrick M
• Application Number:
  US10/081,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20030160061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 222/32, 222/36, 222/38, 222/39, 222/30, 222/641, 222/644, 222/646, 222/321.6, 222/321.9, 222/402.2, 128/200.14, 128/205.23
• US Class Current: 222/38
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1073 Springs
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/108 Means for counting the number of dispensing strokes

Abstract

A counter for counting delivered doses from a spray dispenser of a type having a main body holding a fluid substance to be dispensed and a cap with a pump and nozzle mounted on the main body, the counter including: a counter body having an upper recess for receiving the main body; a button in an arcuate lower depression on the counter body for actuation by a person'"'"'s thumb when a dose is dispensed; a display on the counter body for displaying a number of doses dispensed from the main body; a circuit which changes the number of doses display each time that the button is depressed; a set button for setting a starting number which is displayed on the display, corresponding to a predetermined number of doses remaining in the spray dispenser; and a sound generator which generates an audible sound upon each depression of the button.

Claims

1. A counter for counting delivered doses of a spray dispenser of a type having a container main body for holding a fluid substance to be dispensed and an attached cap having a spray actuator slidably mounted thereon, the counter comprising:

a counter body having an upper recess for receiving a lower portion of the container main body therein;

a button provided externally on a lower end of the counter body for engagement by a user and simultaneous activation by a user when the actuator is slidably moved with respect to the container main body to deliver a spray dose;

a display on the counter body for displaying a number of doses remaining in or dispensed from said container main body; and

a circuit which decrements or increments the number of doses displayed by the display each time that the button is depressed.

2. The counter according to claim 1, wherein said button is positioned at an underside of said counter body.

3. The counter according to claim 2, wherein said underside of said counter body has an arcuate depression and said button is positioned in said arcuate depression for actuation by a thumb of a person when a dose is dispensed from said spray dispenser.

4. The counter according to claim 1, further comprising at least one set button for setting a starting number which is displayed on said display, corresponding to a predetermined number of doses dispensed from or remaining in said spray dispenser.

5. The counter according to claim 1, further including a sound generator which generates an audible sound upon each depression of said button.

6. The counter according to claim 1, wherein said circuit includes a central processing unit which decrements or increments the number of doses displayed by the display each time that the button is depressed.

7. The counter according to claim 6, further comprising at least one set button for providing a signal to said central processing unit which, in response thereto, sets a number which is displayed on said display, corresponding to a predetermined number of doses dispensed from or remaining in said spray dispenser.

8. The counter according to claim 6, further including a sound generator which generates an audible sound, and wherein said central processing unit actuates said sound generator to generate said audible sound upon each depression of said button.

9. The counter according to claim 8, wherein said central processing unit controls said sound generator to generate an audible sound a predetermined time interval after said button has been depressed.