# US 12,759,784 B2 · Spray dispensers for chemical irritants and methods of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,784 B2 - Document ID: US12759784B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/890,142 - Filed: 2024-09-19 - Published: 2025-03-27 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-09-22 - Assignees: Security Equipment Corporation - Applicants: Security Equipment Corporation - Inventors: Anthony E. Sprouse, II - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759784B2 ## CPC - B65D 83/38: Details of the container body (pressure relief devices B65D83/70) - B65D 83/384: the container body being an aerosol container located in an outer shell or in an external container - B65D 83/40: Closure caps (actuator caps B65D83/20) - F41H 9/10: Hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellant gases or chemicals - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - F41H: ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Spray dispensers for spraying a stream of chemical irritant, and methods of use. Such a spray dispenser resembles a lipstick case and is configured to spray a chemical irritant. The dispenser includes a lid that is pivotally attached to a body adapted to contain a canister that contains the chemical irritant, and also preferably includes an anti-rotation actuator for dispensing the chemical irritant. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spray dispenser for spraying a stream of a chemical irritant comprising: an elongate body having a longitudinal axis extending from a bottom end to a top end of the body, the body defining an interior cavity configured to receive a canister containing the chemical irritant; a lid coupled to the top end of the body by a hinge so as to pivot between a closed position that covers the top end of the body and an open position that exposes the top end of the body; an actuator at the top end of the body configured to selectively dispense the stream of chemical irritant from the canister disposed in the interior cavity when the lid is pivoted to the open position; and an anti-rotation actuator assembly that prevents the actuator from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the body, the anti-rotation actuator assembly comprising a retention collar on which the hinge is carried, a first radial surface on the retention collar engaging a second radial surface carried by the body to prevent the retention collar from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the body; wherein the actuator extends into a lid cavity defined inside the lid when the lid is pivoted to the closed position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the body has a tubular shape and the lid has a tubular shape that together define a single overall tubular shape that resembles a lipstick container. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the retention collar is releasably received in the top end of the body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the anti-rotation actuator assembly comprises: a longitudinal keyway disposed on one of an inner peripheral surface of the retention collar and an outer peripheral surface of the actuator; and a key disposed on the other of the inner peripheral surface of the retention collar and the outer peripheral service of the actuator; wherein the key is slidably received in the longitudinal keyway such that the actuator can slide longitudinally relative to the retention collar and the key and the longitudinal keyway prevent the actuator from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises: a peripheral sidewall extending downwardly from an outer peripheral edge of a top wall; and a spray outlet nozzle for emitting a spray of the chemical irritant radially outwardly from the sidewall; wherein the spray outlet nozzle is aligned to emit the spray of the chemical irritant substantially parallel with a rotational axis of the hinge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the retention collar further comprises a stepped annular shoulder surrounding an annular neck spaced radially inwardly from an outer peripheral surface of the retention collar, wherein the hinge is disposed radially outward from an longitudinally aligned with the annular neck and stepped annular shoulder, and wherein in the closed position a rim of the lid is disposed on the annular shoulder and has a slip fit onto the annular neck. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the actuator further comprises a recess in the top wall radially aligned with and spaced apart from the spray outlet nozzle and extending to a diametrically opposite portion of the peripheral sidewall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the retention collar further comprises a coupler that releasably couples to the canister such that a dispensing tube from the canister fluidly connects to a spray orifice in the actuator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The spray dispenser of claim 8, wherein the coupler comprises a plurality of resilient fingers that snap fit onto the canister and encircle the dispensing tube. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, further comprising the canister containing the chemical irritant and disposed in the interior cavity of the body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The spray dispenser of claim 10, wherein the canister comprises an aerosol valve mounted in a top end of the canister with a mounting cup, and the dispensing tube comprises a valve stem of the aerosol valve, and the retention collar comprises a coupler that releasably couples to a rim of the mounting cup. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein with the lid rotated about the hinge in the closed position, the spray dispenser has a length along the longitudinal axis of about 5 cm to about 15 cm, and wherein each of the body and the lid has a diameter of about 1 cm to about 7.5 cm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a lanyard hook disposed on an exterior surface of at least one of the body and the lid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The spray dispenser of claim 1, wherein the chemical irritant comprises at least one of a pepper spray and mace. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method of using the spray dispenser of claim 1, the method comprising: pivoting the lid about the hinge from the closed position to the open position to expose the actuator; pointing the actuator so as to spray a stream of the chemical irritant toward an intended target; and engaging the actuator to spray the stream toward the intended target. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising pivoting the lid about the hinge from the open position to the closed position to cover the actuator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising preventing rotation of the actuator about the longitudinal axis relative to the hinge using the anti-rotation actuator assembly.