Dispenser

Abstract

A hand-held dispenser ( 1 ) for dispensing a multiplicity of unit products ( 3 ) having a storage area ( 100 ) for storing the unit products, an outlet opening ( 311 ) through which the unit products are dispensable from the dispenser, a dispensing mechanism ( 350 ) actuable to dispense the unit products through the outlet opening, and a timing mechanism ( 409,411,413 ) adapted in use to time the period since last dispensing of a unit product.

1 . A hand-held dispenser for dispensing a multiplicity of unit products having a storage area for storing the unit products, an outlet opening through which the unit products are dispensable from the dispenser, a dispensing mechanism actuable to dispense the unit products through the outlet opening, and a timing mechanism adapted in use to time the period since last dispensing of a unit product.  
   
   
       2 . The dispenser of  claim 1  in which the timing mechanism is adapted in use to indicate the time since last dispensing.  
   
   
       3 . The dispenser of  claim 1  having a display forming part of the timing mechanism on which, in use, the time since last dispensing is graphically indicated thereon.  
   
   
       4 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the timing mechanism has a controller programmed with a predetermined dispensing regime for dispensing of the unit products and the controller controls the timing mechanism so that it provides an alert when dispensing of the unit products is required in accordance with the dispensing regime.  
   
   
       5 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the timing mechanism is an electronic timing mechanism.  
   
   
       6 . The dispenser of  claim 3  wherein the display is an electronic display.  
   
   
       7 . The dispenser of  claim 1  further having a dispensing indicator for indicating the number of unit products left in, or dispensed from, the dispenser.  
   
   
       8 . The dispenser of  claim 7  wherein the dispensing indicator is integrated with the dispenser such that it is automatically updated in response to the dispensing of the unit products therefrom.  
   
   
       9 . The dispenser of  claim 7  in which the dispensing indicator has a display to indicate the number of unit products left or dispensed.  
   
   
       10 . The dispenser of  claim 9  in which the dispensing indicator is adapted to represent the number of unit products left or remaining in graphical form on the display.  
   
   
       11 . The dispenser of  claim 10  in which the number of unit products is represented with numerical indicia.  
   
   
       12 . The dispenser of  claim 7  in which the display is an electronic display.  
   
   
       13 . The dispenser of  claim 7  wherein the dispensing indicator is an electronic indicator.  
   
   
       14 . The dispenser of  claim 7  in which the dispensing indicator is a dispensing counter.  
   
   
       15 . The dispenser of  claim 1  having the unit products.  
   
   
       16 . The dispenser of  claim 15  wherein the unit products are pharmaceutical products.  
   
   
       17 . The dispenser of  claim 16  wherein the pharmaceutical products are oral dosage forms.  
   
   
       18 . The dispenser of  claim 15  wherein the unit products are pills.  
   
   
       19 . The dispenser of  claim 1  in which the dispensing mechanism is adapted to dispense a predetermined number of unit products per actuation.  
   
   
       20 . The dispenser of  claim 19  wherein the predetermined number is one.  
   
   
       21 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the storage area is provided in a first dispenser part and the timing mechanism and outlet opening are provided in a second dispenser part attached to the first dispenser part.  
   
   
       22 . The dispenser of  claim 21  wherein the dispensing mechanism is provided in the second dispenser part.  
   
   
       23 . The dispenser of  claim 21  wherein the first and second dispenser parts are releasably attached.  
   
   
       24 . The dispenser of  claim 21  wherein the first dispenser part has an access opening through which the unit products are transferable from the storage area into the second dispenser part and the dispenser has a closure which is selectively connectable with the first and second dispenser parts to respectively close the access opening and the outlet opening.  
   
   
       25 . The dispenser of  claim 24  wherein the closure is a cap.  
   
   
       26 . The dispenser of  claim 24  wherein the closure, on the one hand, and the first and second dispenser parts, on the other hand, have co-operable connecting structures for selectively connecting the closure to the first and second dispenser parts.  
   
   
       27 . The dispenser of  claim 26  wherein the connecting structures on the first and second dispenser parts are the same.  
   
   
       28 . The dispenser of  claim 26  wherein the second dispenser part has a further connecting structure which is co-operable with the connecting structure of the first dispenser part which co-operates with the connecting structure of the closure to enable connection of the first and second dispenser parts.  
   
   
       29 . The dispenser of  claim 1  in which the timing mechanism is operatively coupled to the dispensing mechanism so as to be actuated in response to actuation of the dispensing mechanism.  
   
   
       30 . The dispenser of  claim 1  in which the timing mechanism is operatively coupled to a detector adapted to detect the dispensing of a unit product from the dispenser whereby the timing mechanism is actuated in response to the detector detecting dispensing of a unit product.  
   
   
       31 . A dispensing module for attachment to a container for a multiplicity of unit products in the form of the second dispenser part of  claim 22 .  
   
   
       32 . (canceled)  
   
   
       33 . (canceled)