Jun 23, 2026
Dispensing systems, dispensers, and methods for dispensing a pepper spray or other irritant from a container. Such dispensers include a cap, a nozzle within the cap so as to be translatable relative to the cap, an actuator within the cap so as to be translatable relative to the cap and relative to the nozzle, and a biasing member that urges the actuator and nozzle apart. The nozzle is configured to attach to a valve stem of a canister and has a passageway through which the pepper spray is dispersed. The dispenser has a partially actuated position following a first actuation stage resulting from the actuator being translated until the actuator abuts the nozzle without causing the nozzle to translate, and a fully actuated position following a second actuation stage resulting from the actuator being further translated to cause the nozzle to simultaneously translate with the actuator.
Jun 2, 2026
Dispensers for spraying a chemical irritant and methods of using dispensers. Such a dispenser includes a casing having an interior cavity and an access opening to the cavity. The interior cavity receives a cannister with a release valve oriented toward the access opening. An actuator is slidingly disposed in the access opening for actuating the release valve, and a retention mechanism releasably retains the actuator in the access opening. The retention mechanism includes a resilient leg and a radial shoulder extending radially inward from an interior wall of the interior cavity. The radial shoulder captures a foot of the resilient leg so as to inhibit removal of the actuator from the access opening. A wall of the actuator is operable to deflect the resilient leg radially inward to enable the foot to travel over and past the radial shoulder and allow the actuator to be removed through the access opening.
Mar 10, 2026
Smart personal safety device, system, and method. A personal safety device for dispensing a chemical irritant includes a body for receiving a product cannister, a first actuation mechanism for dispensing product from a product cannister received within the body, and a wireless data communication module coupled to the body for wirelessly transmitting a triggering signal to a remote receiver when the first actuation mechanism is actuated to dispense product from a product cannister received within the body. The wireless data communication module is separable from the body. The wireless data communication module includes a second actuation mechanism configured to actuate the data communication module when the wireless data communication module is separated from the body. The personal safety device can be incorporated into a personal safety system that can send an emergency alert signal to third parties when the chemical irritant is dispensed.
