Indicating device with warning dosage indicator

A device for dispensing dosages of a substance from a container, the device comprising:

• a dispenser housing having a longitudinally extending cavity and a well located at a bottom of said cavity, said housing having an exhaust port communicating with said well;
• said container comprising a valve stem extending longitudinally therefrom and moveable between a closed position and an open position, said container containing a plurality of said dosages of said substance, said valve stem dispensing one of said plurality of said dosages when said valve stem is moved to the open position, said container disposed in said cavity of said dispenser housing and said valve stem received within said well, said container reciprocally moveable within said dispenser housing along said longitudinal extend of said cavity such that said valve stem is moved between said closed and said open positions by engagement with said well;
• and
• an indicating device comprising:
• at least one first indicator member moveable to a plurality of positions;
• and
• a second indicator member moveable in response to a predetermined number of movements of said at least one first indicator member, wherein a final one of said predetermined number of movements of said at least one first indicator member corresponds to a first one of a minimum predetermined number of dosages of substance being dispensed from the container, wherein the minimum predetermined number of dosages of substance is greater than zero, wherein said at least one first indicator member comprises primary dosage indicia adapted to indicate the number of dosages of substance that have been dispensed from or remain in the container, and wherein said second indicator member comprises secondary dosage indicia adapted to indicate that less than the minimum predetermined number of dosages of substance remain in the container;
• and
• an actuator engaged by and moveable with said container, said actuator operably coupled with said at least one first indicator member, wherein said actuator moves said at least one first indicator member between said plurality of positions.

A method for indicating the number of measured dosages of substance dispensed from or remaining in a container having a valve stem extending longitudinally therefrom and moveable between a closed position and an open position, said container dispensing one of said measured dosages when said valve stem is moved to the open position, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing having a well and an exhaust port, said well communicating with said exhaust port, said housing having a generally open end opposite said well;
• providing said container filled with a predetermined number of measured dosages, said container moveably supported in said housing along a longitudinal axis, said container comprising said valve stem received within said well of said housing and moveable between a closed and open position as said container is moved longitudinally within said housing, said container adapted to discharge one of said measured dosages when said valve stem is moved to the open position;
• providing an indicating device comprising:
• at least one first indicator member moveable to a plurality of positions;
• a second indicator member moveable in response to a predetermined number of movements of said at least one first indicator member, wherein a final one of said predetermined number of movements of said at least one first indicator member corresponds to a first one of a minimum predetermined number of measured dosages of substance being dispensed from the container, wherein the minimum predetermined number of measured dosages of substance is greater than zero, wherein said at least one first indicator member comprises primary dosage indicia indicating the number of measured dosages of substance that have been dispensed from or remain in the container, and wherein said second indicator member comprises secondary dosage indicia indicating that less than a minimum predetermined number of measured dosages of substance remain in the container;
• and
• an actuator engaged by and moveable with said container;
• reciprocally moving said container relative to said housing and thereby successively moving said valve stem between the closed and open positions;
• dispensing a measured dosage of substance through said well and said port upon each reciprocal movement of said container relative to said housing;
• moving said actuator with said container;
• moving said at least one first indicator member in response to the movement of said actuator upon a predetermined number of reciprocal movements of said container relative to said housing and thereby indicating the number of measured dosages of substance that have been dispensed from or remain in the container;
• and
• moving said second indicator member in response to said predetermined number of movements of said at least one first indicator member and thereby indicating that less than said minimum predetermined number of measured dosages of substance remain in the container.