Patent ID: 7156258

Claim:
A counter for counting metered doses of liquid, pasty or solid products from a storage container, the counter comprising: at least one counting ring arranged coaxially with a longitudinal axis of the counter and mounted rotatably, and provided with a switching device configured to rotate the counting ring when an actuator that can be moved essentially lineally and in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the counter is actuated, and, when the actuator is actuated, a dose of the product is dispensed from the storage container, the switching device comprising a guide element and a switching element both arranged coaxially with the longitudinal axis, the switching element configured to be moved axially and azimuthally with respect to the guide element, and wherein the switching element has a projection that, when the actuator is actuated, is guided along a curved surface provided on the guide element such that a switching cam provided on the switching element is brought into engagement with a cam retainer provided on the at least one counting ring and then a rotational movement is initiated causing the at least one counting ring to be rotated by an angular increment.