Patent Publication Number: US-2007095851-A1

Title: Dispenser

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The present application claims priority from UK patent application No. 0 316 352.4 filed 11 Jul. 2003, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
      The present application is related to the three International patent applications filed concurrently herewith by the Applicant (Glaxo Group Limited) under the title ‘A Dispenser’ which respectively claim priority from UK patent application Nos. 0 316 345.8, 0 316 348.2 and 9 316 355.7 all filed on 11 Jul. 2003. The contents of these applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing unit products, for instance pills, such as pharmaceutical pills. The term “pill” is meant to embrace tablets, capsules and the like, and other solid oral dosage forms, whether pharmaceutical or otherwise.  
      There is previously known a child-resistant closure cap for a pill bottle which includes a digital display that indicates how many pills have been taken from the bottle in the day and how long ago the last pill was taken that day. The display is reset at the start of the next day. This is known as the MEMS® SmartCap Monitor of Aardex Limited (www.aardex.ch). A drawback of this cap is that it is removed from the pill bottle to enable the patient to access the bottle contents in the normal way, i.e. by tipping of the bottle. The removal of the cap is recorded by the cap and results in the pill count and time-since-last dose, functions of the display being updated. However, the cap is not capable of recording how many pills are removed from the bottle, if any, upon cap removal. Accordingly, the display may be inaccurate as removal of the cap does not necessarily mean that the patient subsequently removes the number of pills required in the prescribed dosing regime.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      According to the present invention there is provided a dispenser according to claim  1  hereof.  
      Other aspects and preferred features of the invention are set out in the other claims (including those in the related applications referred to above) and in the exemplary embodiments hereinafter to be described with reference to the accompanying FIGURES of drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a standard container for containing and dispensing pharmaceutical pills comprising a bottle and a lid.  
       FIG. 2  shows a hand-held dispenser for pharmaceutical pills according to an embodiment of the present invention comprising the bottle and the lid of  FIG. 1  and a dispensing module., the dispensing module being mounted on the bottle and the lid being mounted on the dispensing module.  
       FIG. 3  shows the dispenser without the lid.  
       FIGS. 4A  and B are side views of the dispensing module.  
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the dispensing module.  
      FIGS.  6 A-C are perspective end views of the dispensing module showing how a battery can be replaced.  
      FIGS.  7 A-E are longitudinal sectional views of the dispensing module illustrating its operation to dispense a pill therefrom and showing the internal channel structure of the module.  
       FIGS. 8A  and B are schematic views of the channel structure in the dispensing module.  
      FIGS.  9 A-C are schematic views illustrating the dispensing of a pill from the dispensing module.  
      FIGS.  10 -C correspond to FIGS.  9 A-C, but show the inclusion of switches to control operation of an electronic dose counter of the dispensing module.  
       FIG. 11  shows the dispenser being pressed against a user&#39;s palm to “blot” out a pill therefrom.  
       FIG. 12  shows a display of the electronic dose counter illustrating the segmented nature thereof.  
      FIGS.  13 A-C are perspective side views of a modified version of the dispenser.  
       FIGS. 14A  and B are perspective exploded views of the lid of the modified dispenser of FIGS.  13 A-C. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF DRAWINGS  
      In the FIGURES of drawings there is shown a hand-held dispenser  1  of the invention for dispensing pills  3 , in this embodiment pharmaceutical pills. The dispenser has a container or bottle  100 , a lid  200  and a dispensing module  300  releasably mountable on the bottle  100 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , the bottle  100  in this embodiment is of standard pill bottle construction, having a hollow body  101  which is formed with a base  103 , on which the dispenser  1 , when assembled, is able to stand upright, and a neck  105 , through which an access opening  107  is provided to the internal volume of the body  101  in which the pills  3  are contained. The access opening  107  is sized so as to enable the pills  3  to be tipped out of the bottle  100 .  
      The body  101  is preferably formed from a plastics material or glass. The plastics material may be a polyethylene, for instance low density polyethylene (LDPE), or polypropylene (PP), for example.  
      The neck  105  has an outer circumferential surface  109  on which is provided a screw thread profile  111 .  
      The lid  200 , which is preferably of a plastics material, has an annular skirt  201  which depends from. an end wall  203 . The annular skirt  201  has an inner circumferential surface on which is provided a screw thread profile (not shown) which is complementary to the screw thread profile  111  on the bottle neck  105 . In this way, the lid  200  is able to be screwed onto the bottle neck  105  to sealingly close the access opening  107 . Preferably, the screw fitting between the bottle  100  and the lid  200  is of a child-resistant nature, i.e. a force additional to turning is needed to remove the lid  200  from the bottle  100 . As examples, there may be mentioned “squeeze-and-turn” and “push-and-turn” closures.  
      Of course, other types of co-operable connection structures on the bottle  100  and lid  200  could be used, again preferably being of a child-resistant type, namely requiring two different types of force to be applied for removal of the lid  200  from the bottle  100 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 2-7 , the dispensing module  300  has a hollow body  301 , which is preferably of a plastics material, having a lower end  303  and an upper end  305 . The body  301  has an internal cavity  307  to which there is provided a lower opening  309  in the lower end  303 , and an upper opening  311  in the upper end  305 .  
      The lower end  303  defines an annular skirt  313  about the lower opening  309  having an inner circumferential surface  315  on which is provided a first screw thread profile  317  complementary to the screw thread profile  111  on the bottle neck  105 . Thus, the dispensing module  300  is able to be screw mounted onto the bottle neck  105 , in similar fashion to the lid  200 . The first screw thread profile  317  may form a child-resistant connection with the bottle neck screw thread profile  111 , and is conveniently identical to the lid screw thread profile.  
      At the module upper end  305  there is located a nozzle  319  of tubular form having a lumen  321  which defines the upper opening  311 . The nozzle  319  is arranged for sliding movement in the dispensing module  300  along its longitudinal axis. A spring or other biasing mechanism  320  (see  FIG. 5 ) is provided to bias the nozzle  319  outwardly to a rest position, as shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , for example.  
      The nozzle  319  has an outer circumferential surface  323  on which is provided a second screw thread profile  325  of the dispensing module  300 . The second screw thread profile  325  is complementary to the lid screw thread profile thereby enabling the lid  200  to be screwed onto the nozzle  319  when in its rest position to close the upper opening  311 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Moreover, when the lid  200  is mounted on the nozzle  319 , the nozzle  319  is unable to be slid inwardly from its rest position through abutment of the lid skirt  201  with an annular shoulder  327  of the dispensing module body  301 .  
      Again, the second screw thread profile  325  preferably co-operates with the lid screw thread profile to form a child-resistant connection. Conveniently, the second screw thread profile  325  is identical to the screw thread profile  111  on the bottle neck  105 .  
      It will therefore be seen that the dispenser  1  enables the lid  200  to be replaced on the bottle  100  by the dispensing module  300  and then in turn mounted on the nozzle  319  to close the upper opening  311  of the module  300  (the “assembled state”). Thus, the dispensing module  300  can be mounted on a standard pill bottle and be closed by the lid for the standard bottle. This is shown in  FIG. 2 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , the module internal cavity  307  has a funnel-like configuration, having a cylindrical entrance  329  at the lower opening  309 , with tapered sides  330 , and a generally rectangular slot  331 , which extends towards the upper opening  311  through the lumen  321  of the nozzle  319 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the slot  331  has a lower section  332  of a first width w 1 , which is greater than the diameter pd of the pills  3 , and an upper section  334  of a second width w 2  less than the first width w 1 , but greater than the pill diameter pd, but less than twice the pill diameter pd. The upper slot section  334  is offset to the lower slot section  332 . Moreover, the lower slot section  332  has a base surface  336  which tapers in the upward direction.  
      When the dispenser  1  is inverted in its assembled state, the pills  3  are gravity fed from the bottle  100  into the dispensing module  300  through the communicating access and lower openings  107 , 309 . The pills  3  so transferred into the dispensing module  300  are funnelled firstly by the tapered sides  330  into the lower slot section  332 . In this regard, the tapered sides  330  act to funnel the pills  3  into the slot  331  in the same predetermined orientation. In this embodiment, the pills  3  are circular and funnelled into the slot  331  in a radial orientation so that they are arranged circumference-to-circumference in the slot  331 .  
      The pills are then gravity fed into the upper slot section  334  by the tapered base surface  336  of the lower slot section  332 . In this way, a single-line queue  333  of pills  3  is formed in the upper slot section  334 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , for example.  
      Preferably, the lower and upper Blot sections  332 , 334  have dimensions relative to the pills  3  as shown in FIGS.  8 A-B. That is to say, the lower slot section  332  preferably has a depth dl from its entrance to the side edge of the tapered base surface  336  which is greater than  1 . 5  times the pill diameter pd. Furthermore, the upper slot section  334  preferably has a depth d 2  which is less than the pill diameter pd, but greater than the pill width pw. This enables dispensing of the pills  3  to occur while preventing or inhibiting the pills jamming and disabling operation. It allows pills  3  already in the dispensing module  300  to move down the slot  331  even when pills  3  are blocking the entrance  329 .  
      As will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 7, 9  and  10 , the dispensing module  300  has a dispensing mechanism  350  which is actuable to dispense one pill  3  from the upper opening  311  per actuation. In this embodiment, the nozzle  319  forms the actuator of the dispensing mechanism  350 . The dispensing mechanism  350  further has a gate  351  comprising a movable part  353  carried by the lumen  321  of the nozzle  319 , and a stationary part  355  in front of the slot  331 .  
      The movable part  353  comprises a first switch member  357  on a first side of the nozzle lumen  321 , and a guide member  359  on the opposite side of the nozzle lumen  321 . The first switch member  357  is arranged so as to slide over the outer surface of the upper slot section  334  when the nozzle is depressed, whereas the guide member  359  is arranged so as to slide inside the upper slot section  334 .  
      The first switch member  357  has a resilient arm  358  which is biased to an outboard rest state. This is the open state of the first switch member  357 . The guide member  359 , on the other hand, has a curved guide surface  360  which, in the rest position of the nozzle  319 , forms an extension of a side wall  340  of the upper slot section  334  at the outlet end thereof.  
      As shown in  FIG. 7E , for example, the stationary part  355  comprises a side extension  361  of the upper slot section  334  and a finger  363  which extends from the side extension  361  transversely to the slot axis and which is spaced from the outlet end of the upper slot section  334  by a distance at least equal to the pill diameter pd. Moreover, the finger  363  is offset to the slot axis on the same side of the axis as the first switch member  357 .  
      When the nozzle  319  is in its outboard, rest position, the movable and stationary parts  353 , 355  co-operate to form a barrier across the upper opening  311 , i.e. the gate  351  is closed. This is shown in  FIGS. 7A, 9A  and  10 A. More particularly, the guide surface  360  ends adjacent the finger  363  on one side thereof, and the switch arm  358  is in its rest state disposed adjacent the finger  363  on the other side.  
      As mentioned previously, when the dispenser  1  is inverted, a queue  333  of pills  3  forms in the slot  331 . As will be appreciated from  FIGS. 7A, 9A  and  10 A, the pill  3  at the front of the queue (hereinafter the “leading pill”) passes out of the slot  331  and slides down the guide surface  360  and comes to rest on the finger  363  and against the switch arm  358 . The other pills  3  in the queue  333  are stacked-up behind the leading pill offset thereto.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 7, 9  and  10 , in order to dispense the leading pill  3  of the queue  333  from the dispenser  1 , the nozzle  319  is depressed inwardly. This results in the switch and guide members  357 , 359  moving inwardly. As the first switch member  357  moves inwardly, the switch arm  358  closes through its interaction with the leading pill  3 . In this relation, the guide surface  360  may have a camming action which pushes the leading pill  3  sideways against the switch arm  358 . Eventually, a gap  367  is formed between the first switch member  357  and the finger  363  large enough for the leading pill  3  to fall out of the nozzle  319  (see  FIGS. 7E, 9C  and  10 C). In other words, the gate  351  has been opened.  
      As shown in  FIG. 11 , a pill  3  can be dispensed in this manner by a user pushing the nozzle  319  into their palm. Such action causes the leading pill  3  to be “blotted” out of the dispenser  1  into the palm as the nozzle  319  is slid inwardly from its rest position to actuate the dispensing mechanism  350 . This action is natural and a logical progression from the tipping out of pills from a conventional pill bottle.  
      As further shown in  FIGS. 7D, 7E ,  9 C and  10 C, inward movement of the nozzle  319  not only causes the leading pill  3  to be dispensed, but causes the guide member  359  to push the remaining pills  3  in the queue  333  inwardly as well. This action helps to free pills  3  which would otherwise jam the dispensing module  300 .  
      Return of the nozzle  319  to its rest position closes the gate  351  in preparation for the next dispensing cycle.  
      It will therefore be understood that the dispenser  1  has a dispensing mechanism  350  which operates to dose one pill  3  from the dispenser  1  per actuation.  
      From  FIG. 5  it will be seen that the dispensing module  300  is formed from an assembly of component parts, predominantly of a plastic material. More particularly, the module  300  has an outer casing  370 , which provides the first screw thread profile  317 , an inner insert  375 , which co-operates with the outer casing  370  to define the funnel-like channel configuration, an outer insert  380  which presents the nozzle  319  and is slidably mountable in the outer casing  370  for sliding movement relative to the inner insert  375 , and a collar  385  fixable to the outer casing  370  which presents an aperture  387  behind which the electronic display  401  is disposed.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 2-6  and  11 , the dispensing module  300  is further provided with an electronic dose counter  400 , having a circular electronic visual display  401 , preferably a liquid crystal display (LCD), on which is numerically displayed the number of pills  3  contained in the dispenser  1 . After each dispensing cycle, the counter  400  decrements the number displayed on the display  401  by one.  
      The electronic counter  400  is powered by a battery  402 , e.g. a 3 volt CR2016 lithium cell or similar capacity variant, and has a printed circuit board (PCB)  403  on which is mounted a microcontroller (not shown), e.g. an Epson S1CG0N16, and other appropriate electronic componentry, as will be understood by the skilled person in the art. The microcontroller is programmed to control the number displayed on the display  401 , and in this connection may be connected to the display  401  through an elastomer, such as a flexible heat-seal connector. Moreover, the microcontroller is electrically connected to the first switch member  357  forming part of the gate  351  and also to a second switch member  367  carried by the nozzle  319  (FIGS.  10 A-C).  
      Thus, the microcontroller receives a first electrical input signal when the resilient arm  358  of the first switch member  357  is closed as it interacts with the leading pill  3  as the nozzle  319  is depressed. In other words, the first input signal is indicative that a pill  3  has passed the first switch member  357  and has been dispensed. Alternatively, the first switch member  357  may be configured such that it is closed, and hence produces the first input signal, when the gate  351  is closed. For instance, by the leading pill  3  bearing against the switch arm  358  when the dispenser  1  is inverted.  
      The second switch member  367  also has a resilient arm  369 . The resilient arm  369  of the second switch member  367  is biased to an open position, but when the nozzle  319  is actuated it abuts an internal surface  371  of the nozzle  319  (FIGS.  10 A-C) causing it to close. This results in a second electrical input signal being received by the microcontroller, which signal is representative of the nozzle  319  have been depressed a sufficient amount to effect dispensing (i.e. actuated).  
      Thus, the microcontroller receives two input signals, each independently indicating dispensing. Both signals are required to be received by the microcontroller for it to act to decrement the number on the display  401 . This is because the first input signal indicates the presence of a pill  3  (the leading pill) at the gate  351  due to its dependence on a pill triggering the first switch member  357 , while the second input signal represents full travel of the nozzle  319  which should ensure dispensing of the pill  3  detected by the first switch member  357 . This provides a fail-safe mode of counting.  
      When the dispenser  1  is first used, the microcontroller is programmed to display the “label claim” of pills contained therein. This may be a factory setting, or set by the prescribing medical practitioner or pharmacist. Each time the dispenser  1  is actuated, and the microcontroller receives the two input signals, which may be required to be simultaneously received or, more likely, sequentially (i.e. the first switch member  357  re-opens before the second switch member  367  closes), perhaps within a specified time period, it operates to cause the electronic display to decrement the number displayed by one. There may also be a requirement that both switches  357 , 367  need to be re-opened for the microcontroller to update the display  401 . That is to say, the microcontroller is programmed or configured such that it will only operate to decrement the count when the two input signals are not only received, but switched-off by the switches re-opening. This adds a further fail-safe.  
      Of course, the dispenser  1  could be operated with just one of the switch members  357 , 367 . For instance, as represented in  FIG. 7 , only the first switch S member  357  may be included in the dispenser  1 .  
      Eventually, the display  401  will record that no pills  3  are left. In this regard, the microcontroller may be programmed to cause the display  401  to flash when the number of pills left is at or below a predetermined threshold to warn the user that a new supply of pills is, or will shortly be, needed. As an example, the microcontroller may operate to cause the display to flash the number displayed. The display  401  may flash when the number displayed is zero.  
      In addition to the counter function, the microcontroller and electronic display are also operatively connected such that a ‘time since last dose’ function is displayed by the display  401 . This is particularly useful when the pills  3  are pharmaceutical pills.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4A , about the circumference  407  of the display  401  there is provided a scale  409  representing the time since a pill was last dispensed, in this instance each section between the adjacent indicia  411  of the scale  409  representing six hour periods, although, of course, other time periods could be represented.  
      After the microcontroller registers the dispensing of a pill  3  through triggering of the first and second switches  357 , 367 , a timer in the microcontroller is activated and at predetermined intervals thereafter discrete time segments  413  are displayed on the display  401  adjacent the scale  409 . In this embodiment each time segment  413  represents two hour periods, although again other time periods could be represented. Thus, after two hours from last dispensing, a first time segment  413  is displayed in the first section of the scale. This is repeated after each further two hour period until another pill is dispensed to re-set the ‘time since last dose’ function. Preferably, as each new time segment  413  is displayed, the previous time segments  413  remain resulting in a time segment chain being formed.  
      The user of the dispenser  1  will know the dosing regime for the pills  3  (i.e. the time interval between pill taking), either from the prescribing medical practitioner, pharmacist or information leaflet packed with the dispenser  1 , and is provided with a visible indication of the time left till the next pill dose is needed, or of the lateness of the next dose. Thus, the dispenser  1  aids in compliance of the user in following the prescribed dosing regime. If need be, the microcontroller can be pre-programmed to cause the display to flash when the time since the last dose corresponds to the prescribed dosing regime, e.g. by flashing the time segments and/or the. number of pills left.  
      A preferred display  401  for the dispenser  1  is shown in  FIG. 12 . As will be seen, the display  401  is a segmented display, having a plurality of independently activatable segments, including the circumferentially-arranged time segments  413  for the ‘time since last dose’ function. In addition, the display  401  has a pair of seven-segment number-forming display sections  415 .  
      FIGS.  6 A-C show the sequence of steps for removing the battery  402  from the dispensing module  300  for replacement with a new battery. More particularly, the battery is held in a battery holder  425  having a recess  427  for accommodating the battery  402 . The battery holder  425  is slidably mounted into a slot  429  formed in the tapered side  330  in the cylindrical entrance  329  at the lower module opening  309 . To this end, the battery holder  402  has a tapered surface  431  so that, when slid into the slot  429 , it sits flush with the tapered side  330 . To remove the battery holder  425  to replace the battery  402 , a screw driver or other like implement is used to lever the battery holder  425  out of the slot  429 .  
      By enabling the battery  402  to be replaced enables the dispensing module  300  to be re-usable. Nonetheless, the dispensing module  300  may be configured such that the battery  402  is not able to be removed, e.g. in the event the module  300  is designed to be a single-use component which is to be disposed of after use.  
      For tamper-proofing of the dispenser  1 , a label  500  can be wrapped around the dispenser  1  so as to cover the bottle and the dispensing module  300 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . As will be appreciated, if the bottle  100  and dispensing module  300  are disconnected this will damage the label  500  since this bridges the joint between the bottle  100  and the dispensing module  300 . This is particularly advantageous where the dispensing module  300  has a re-set button or the like for re-setting the dose counter back to the label claim” which is only accessible when the module  300  is free of the bottle lo 0 .  
      FIGS.  13 A-C show a modified version of the dispenser  1  of the previous FIGURES illustrating the operation of child resistant closure (CRC) connections between the dispensing module  300  and the container  100 , and the dispensing module  300  and the lid  200 . For simplicity, the same reference numerals are used for the same dispenser features.  
      A child resistant closure (CRC) connection is any type of connection which prevents easy removal of a closure to any type of container (which may include a dispensing module). Generally, easy removal is achieved through unidirectional movement of the closure or container relative to each other so that access to the container is achieved. Unidirectional movement is movement in a single linear or circumferential direction. For example, a closure may comprise a screw thread and can become detached from the container by simply rotating it in one direction. Alternatively, a closure may be a hinged lid which is opened by rotating it about its hinge. Therefore, some types of child resistant connection (CRC) operate by requiring more complex movement of the closure or container in two or more directions.  
      The annular skirt  313  of the dispensing module comprises a tab  802 . The body  301  of the dispensing module  300  is constructed from resilient material such that on application of inwardly directed forces on opposite sides of the body  301 , the body  301  flexes outwards at a position 90 degrees about the longitudinal axis of the dispensing module  300  from the points of application of the forces. Hence, if the inwardly directed forces are applied at 90 degrees from the tab  802 , the tab  802  will flex outwards. The container  100  comprises a notch  804  into which the tab  802  will fit when the dispensing module  300  is screwed on to the container  100 . When the tab  802  is located in the notch  804 , rotation of the dispensing module  300  is prevented and the dispensing module  300  is locked to the container  100 . By applying inwardly directed forces on each side of the body  301  at 90 degrees from the position of the tab  802 , the tab  802  is forced outwards and thereby released from the notch  804  such that the dispensing module  300  can be unscrewed from the neck  105  of the container  100 . The tab  802  and notch  804  are dimensioned such that the tab  802  fits into the notch  804  when the dispensing module  300  is screwed down fully onto the container  100 . A click may be heard as the tab  802  locks into the notch  804 . This type of child resistant closure (CRC) connection can be referred to as a “squeeze-and-turn” connection. Hence, forces in two directions are required to release the dispensing module  300  from the container  100 , specifically: (i) an inward radial force on the skirt  313 ; and (ii) a circumferential force on the body  301  of the dispensing module  300 .  
      At a position 90 degrees around the circumference of the skirt  313  from the tab  802 , there may be a disrupted surface  806  which acts as a grip for application of a turning force to the dispensing module  100 . The disrupted surface  806  also marks the point at which a user should apply an inwardly directed force. The disrupted surface  806  may be vertical or horizontal parallel grooves formed in the surface of the body  301 .  
      The lid  200  comprises an alternative type of child resistant closure (CRC) connection to that employed between the dispensing module  300  and the container  100 . The provision of two different types of child resistant closure connections between the dispensing module  300  and the container  100 , and the dispensing module  300  and the lid  200  ensures that the dispensing module  300  is not released from the container  100  as the lid  200  is disengaged from the dispensing module  300 , and alternatively that the lid  200  is not released from the dispensing module  300  as the dispensing module  300  is disengaged from the container  100 .  
       FIGS. 14A and 14B  show one type of child resistant closure (CRC) connection employed in the lid  200 . The lid  200  comprises an inner connector structure  910  on which a screw thread  912  is formed for engaging with the second screw thread  325  of the dispensing module  300 . The inner connector structure  910  is generally free to rotate in one direction in an outer shell  920  of the lid  200  when no vertical force is applied to the cap  200 . The outer shell  920  and inner connector structure  910  are formed as separate cup-like components which are mated with each other during manufacture. A first lip  914  around the circumference of an outer surface of the inner connector structure  910  engages with a second lip  924  around an inner surface of the outer shell  920  to hold the inner connector structure  910  within the outer shell  920 . The inner connector structure  910  is movable in a vertical direction to a limited extent inside the outer shell  920 , but the outer shell  920  is prevented from being removed from the inner connector structure  910  by the presence of the first and second lips  914 ,  924 .  
      The outer shell  920  and inner connector structure  910  form a clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism includes first teeth  915  located around the outer circumference of a first side wall  913  of the inner connector structure  910  and second teeth  925  located around the inner circumference of a second side wall  923  of the outer shell  920 .  
      The first and second teeth  915 ,  925  are saw-tooth shaped with a first engaging edge  931  and a second engaging edge  932 . The first engaging edge  931  is arranged vertically with respect to a longitudinal axis  990  of the cap  200  and the second engaging edge  932  is arranged at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis  990 . The angle may be 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis  990 .  
      When the first teeth  915  and second teeth  925  are engaged with each other, the inner connector structure  910  is locked to the outer shell  920  such that rotation of the outer shell  920  in a clockwise direction  980  rotates both the outer shell  920  and inner connector structure  910  because the first engaging edge  931  of each of the second teeth  925  engages with a corresponding first engaging edge  932  of each of the first teeth  915 . This way, the cap can be secured to the dispensing module  300  by rotating the outer shell  920  in a clockwise direction so that rotational force is transmitted to the inner connector structure  910  through the first engaging edges  931 , thereby permitting the inner connector structure  910  to be screwed on to the dispensing module  300 . Rotation of the outer shell  920  in an anti-clockwise direction  981  whilst the inner connector structure  910  is screwed on to the dispensing module  300  will cause the second engaging edges  932  of both the outer shell  920  and inner connector structure  910  to move over each other because these edges are at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis  990 . This way the outer shell  920  is not locked to the inner connector structure  910  and therefore the inner connector structure  910  cannot be unscrewed from the dispensing module  300 . However, when a vertical force is applied in a direction along the longitudinal axis  990  towards the dispensing module  300 , the friction force between the second engaging edges  932  of the inner connector structure  910  and outer shell  920  increases. Thus, when a vertical force is applied to the outer shell  920  at the same time as an anticlockwise rotational force, the second engaging edges  932  do not move over each other as a result of this increased friction and hence the inner connector structure  910  and outer shell  920  remain locked to each other and the inner connector structure  910  becomes unscrewed from the dispensing module  300 .  
      The cap  200  further comprises a boss  940  which comprises a lip  941 . The lip  941  is dimensioned so that the boss  940  can be inserted during manufacture into the inside of the inner connector structure  910  and is then held in place by a ridge  942  located on the inner surface of the first side wall  913  of the inner connector structure  910 . The boss  940  is free to rotate relative to the inner connector structure  910 . On application of a vertical force to the outer shell  920  towards the dispensing module  300 , a lower surface  943  of the boss  940  engages with the finger  363  in the nozzle  321  of the dispensing module  300 . Thus, an upper surface  944  of the boss  940  is forced against an end wall  945  on the inside of the inner connector structure  910  to force the first teeth  915  of the inner connector structure  910  to engage the second teeth  925  of the outer shell  920  and ensure that the second engaging surfaces  932  of the outer shell  920  and inner connector structure  910  are forced together. This way, the reaction force to a vertical force applied to the cap  920  is not transmitted via the screw thread  912  which would increase the frictional force in the thread and hinder removal of the cap  200  from the dispensing module  300 .  
      This type of child resistant closure (CRC) connection can be referred to as a “push-and-turn” connection. Hence, forces in two directions are required to release the dispensing module  300  from the container  100 , specifically: (i) a downward axial force on the end wall  203 ; and (ii) a circumferential force on the skirt  201 .  
      The screw thread on the inner connector structure of the lid  200  is dimensioned to fit the screw thread on the neck  105  of the container  100  so that the lid  200  can be used as a child resistant closure (CRC) for the container  100 . In this regard, reference to the dispensing module  300  in the aforementioned description of  FIG. 14  should be replaced with a reference to the container  100 .  
      It will, of course, be appreciated that many different types of child resistant closure can be used with the dispensing module  300 , lid  200  and container  100 . By using child resistant closures in which movement in two directions is required for disengagement and having at least one direction of movement that is different in each closure, then disengagement of one connection, whilst the other connection is being disengaged, can be prevented.  
      It will appreciated that the invention is not limited to the exemplary-embodiments herein described with reference to the accompanying FIGURES of drawings, but may be modified, varied and adopt other guises within the scope of the appended claims. As an example, the dispenser need not have a counter. For example, FIGS.  9 A-C show a dispensing mechanism which does not rely on a switch member.