Container, nebulizer and use

A nebulizer (1) for dispensing a fluid (2), the nebulizer (1) comprising a replaceable container (3) containing the fluid (2), the container including:

• a housing (29)
• a nebulizer housing (24) for receiving the container (3);
• and
• a housing part (18) which is detachable from the nebulizer housing (24) for replacing the container (3);
• and
• an indicator device (25) for at least one of counting, indicating a number of uses performed, and indicating a number of uses still possible with the container (3),
• wherein the indicator device (25) comprises an indicator housing (31) which is inseparably connected with the housing (29) opposite to at least one of an outlet and a head (28) of the container (3),
• wherein at least one of the indicator device (25) and the indicator housing (31) is connected to the container (3) via ultrasonic forming, which softens but does not melt a portion of the at least one of the indicator device (25) and the indicator housing (31) such that the portion is deformed over a corresponding portion of the container (3),
• wherein the container (3) is moveable axially within the nebulizer housing (24) during nebulization,
• wherein the indicator housing (31) is separable from the nebulizer housing (24) and housing part (18), so that the indicator device (25) is replaceable together with the container (3), and
• wherein the indicator device (25) or the indicator housing (31) includes a gripping section (32), which extends over a protrusion of the container (3) or into an indention at the housing (29) of the container (3), thereby facilitating connection of the indicator housing (31) of the indicator device (25) to the housing (29) of the container (3).

A method of forming a container (3) for a nebulizer (1), the container (3) containing a fluid (2), and the container (3) comprising:

• (i) a housing (29);
• and (ii) an indicator device (25) for at least one of counting, indicating a number of uses performed, and indicating a number of uses still possible with the container (3), where the indicator device (25) includes an indicator housing (31), the method comprising:
• inseparably connecting the indicator housing (31) with the housing (29) opposite to at least one of an outlet and a head (28) of the container (3),
• connecting at least one of the indicator device (25) to the indicator housing (31) via ultrasonic forming with the container (3), which softens but does not melt a portion of the at least one of the indicator device (25) and the indicator housing (31) such that the portion is deformed over a corresponding portion of the container (3), and
• forming or bending a gripping section (32) of the indicator device (25) or the indicator housing (31) over a protrusion of the container (3) or into an indention at the housing (29) of the container (3), thereby facilitating connection of the indicator housing (31) of the indicator device (25) to the housing (29) of the container (3).

A container (3) for a nebulizer (1), the container (3) containing a fluid (2), and the container (3) comprising:

• a housing (29);
• and
• an indicator device (25) for at least one of counting, indicating a number of uses performed, and indicating a number of uses still possible with the container (3),
• wherein the indicator device (25) comprises an indicator housing (31) which is inseparably connected with the housing (29) opposite to at least one of an outlet and a head (28) of the container (3),
• wherein at least one of the indicator device (25) and the indicator housing (31) is connected via ultrasonic forming with the container (3), and
• wherein the housing (29) is made of metal and the indicator housing (31) is made of plastic.