GB2025515A - Dispensing device and container adapted thereto - Google Patents

Abstract

A toothpaste dispensing device comprises a container 12 charged with toothpaste and a pump 16 to suck the toothpaste from the container and to discharge it onto a toothbrush outside of the dispenser. One embodiment of toothpaste container 12 comprises a rigid mount which has a discharge port 12a formed therein and a displacement member 15 which with the rigid mount forms a chamber for containing toothpaste. Other container embodiments are described having collapsible walls. The pump embodiment shown has a flexible wall 17 collapsible by a lever 19, and lip valves 18A, 18B. Other pump embodiments described have manually- actuated pistons or electric motor- driven gear pumps. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dispensing device and container to be adapted thereto This invention relates to a dispensing device for dispensing a fluid and a container for use with such a device.

In this specification the word fluid is used in a broad sense to include liquids or pasty materials having a very high viscosity, such as toothpaste. In fact, preferred embodiments of the invention comprise toothpaste dispensing devices .

Most people brush their teeth every day, once in the morning and again in the evening, so that the number of times that an individual brushes his teeth during his life time is very large.

Before brushing one's teeth, it is necessary to dispense a proper quantity of toothpaste onto the toothbrush. In performing this operation, generally a tube containing toothpaste is held in one hand the cap of the tube is removed with the other. Thereafter, the tube is squeezed to discharge a proper quantity of toothpaste onto the toothbrush. Next the cap is put back onto the tube and the tube is returned to its original place. This series of actions is somewhat troublesome, especially when it it repeated day after day. Moreover, although the tube itself is portable, it is not attached to a permanent fixture and is apt to be misplaced, particularly if there are young children in the house.

According to this invention there is provided a dispensing device for dispensing a fluid such as toothpaste, said device comprising, a main structure to which a container charged with fluid to be dispensed is detachably attached, pump means provided in said main structure and adapted, at the time of operation, to suck fluid from within said container and to discharge fluid from said container to a point outside said main structure, and an operative member disposed on said main structure in a depressable manner and adapted to actuate said pump means when depressed.

In one embodiment said pump means comprises a pipe made of elastic material, and wherein said operative member, when depressed, causes said pipe to be deformed, a first one-way valve provided on said pipe at one end thereof and adapted to allow the fluid to move in only one direction from said container into said pipe, and a second one-way valve provided on said pipe at the other end thereof and adapted to allow the fluid to move only in one direction from said pipe to the outside thereof, whereby, when said operative member is depressed and said pipe is deformed thereby fluid inside said pipe causes said second one-way valve to open, fluid thus being discharged to said point outside the main structure and as said pipe undergoes resilient restoration upon release of the pressure on said operative member, said first oneway valve is opened to cause said fluid to be sucked from within said container.

In another embodiment said pump means comprises a piston which undergoes displacement when said operative member is depressed, a pump structure adapted to change in internal capacity according to the displacement of said piston, a first one-way valve provided on said pump structure at one end thereof and adapted to allow the fluid to move only in one direction from said container into said pump structure, and a second one-way valve provided on said pump structure at the other end thereof and adapted to allow the fluid to move only in one direction from said pump structure to the outside thereof, where by, when said piston is displaced in one direction by depression of said operative member, the fluid inside said pump structure causes said second one-way valve to open, fluid thus being discharged to said point outside said main structure and as said piston undergoes displacement and restoration in the reverse direction upon release of the pressure on said operative member, said first one-way valve is opened to cause said fluid to be sucked from within said container.

In a further embodiment the device further comprises a switch adapted to be closed by said operative member, said dispensing device structure having a passage extending from a port of said container to the outside of said structure formed therein, and said pump means comprising an electromotive pump installed in said passage, and a motor operated responsive to closing of said switch to drive said electromotive pump.

Preferably said operative member extends so that one end thereof reaches below and near bottom discharge port of said pump means, whereby said operative member may be pressed at said one end by the tip of a toothbrush to displace said toothbrush to a position where the brush of said toothbrush is at said point outside said main structure.

Advantageously said operative member comprises a first part extending to a position beneath and near said second one-way valve which part is adapted to be depressed by the tip of a toothbrush, and a second part for pressing said pipe laterally to deform said pipe in response to the displacement of said operative member due to the depressing oper action.

Alternatively said operative member is located in such a position that it can be depressed by an operator's finger.

The said device may be for dispensing toothpaste.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a container suitable for attachment to a dispensing device as de scribed above said container comprising a container structure and a mounting part which has a discharge port communicatively con nected to inside of said container structure and means for attaching said container to a dispensing device in a detachable manner, and said container structure having a member adapted to undergo displacement or deformation corresponding to reduction in volume of a fluid contained therein as fluid contained therein is withdrawn therefrom, so as not to choke or block said discharge port in the course of withdrawal of fluid from the container.

In one embodiment said container structure comprises a cylindrical structure which is formed integral with said mounting part and does not make any deformation during withdrawal of fluid from the container, and a partition wall fitted inside of said cylindrical structure in a freely displaceable manner and adapted to define a chamber inside of said cylindrical structure for containing fluid, said partition wall being displaceable toward said discharge port in response to a reduction of the volume of fluid contained within the container.

In another embodiment said container structure comprises, an opened cylindrical structure which is formed integraliy with said mounting part, has an opening formed at an end opposite to said mounting part, and does not make any deformation during the withdrawal of fluid from the container, and a flexible sheet member which covers said opening of said opened cylindrical structure to define a chamber for accommodating fluid between the same and said opened cylindrical structure, said flexible sheet undergoing deformation during the withdrawal of fluid from the container.

In a further embodiment said container structure comprises, a flexible sheet member having a shape of cylinder connected to said mounting part and defining a chamber for containing fluid and adapted to undergo bellow-like expansion and contraction, and a plurality of wire formed rings having substantially the same diameter as each other, and disposed inside of said flexible sheet member at specific intervals, mounted on the inner wall of said flexible sheet member.

In another embodiment said container structure comprises, a flexible sheet member having a shape of cylinder connected to said mounting part and defining a chamber for containing fluid and adapted to undergo bellow-like expansion and contraction, and a wire formed coil provided on an inner wall of said flexible sheet member.

In a further embodiment said container structure comprises, a hollow pipe having a hollow column extending in the axial direction thereof and communicatively connected to said discharge port, and further having a plurality of through holes formed in a wall thereof in communication with said hollow column, a plurality of pin members disposed at positions separated from said hollow pipe which pins are parallel with said hollow pipe, and a flexible sheet member having a shape of cylinder connected to said mounting part and adapted to cover said hollow pipe and said pin members and to contain fluid therein, the arrangement being such that fluid inside of said flexible sheet member may pass through said through holes and then said hollow column of said hollow pipe to reach said discharge port, said flexible sheet being restricted in part by said pin member from displacement toward said hollow pipe.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1A is a side view in vertical section, showing a first embodiment of a toothpaste dispensing device and a toothpaste container according to the invention, with the toothpaste container attached to the dispensing device; Figures 18 and 1Care fragmentary vertical sectional views of the device shown in Fig. 1A showing the operative part thereof in its operating state and its restored state respectively; Figure 2 is a side view, partially in vertical section. showing an empty toothpaste container from which all the toothpaste has been used mounted on a toothpaste dispensing device;; Figure 3 is a side view, partially in vertical section, showing a dispensing device and an alternative toothpaste container according to the present invention, in a state where the toothpaste container has been attached to the dispensing device; Figure 4 is a side view, partially in vertical section, showing the dispensing device of Fig.

3, in a state where almost all the toothpaste in the container has been discharged; Figures 5 and 6 are side views, partially in vertical section, showing a dispensing device according to the present invention, respectively in the state where a full toothpaste container of a further type in accordance with the invention has been attached thereto and in the state where almost entire toothpaste in the container has been discharged; Figures 7 and 8 are side views, partially in vertical section, showing a dispensing device according to the present invention, respectively in the state where a full toothpaste container of yet a further type in accordance with the invention is attached thereto and in the state where almost entire toothpaste in the container has been discharged;; Figure 9A is a side view, partially in vertical section, showing a dispensing device accord ing to the present invention to which a toothpaste container of yet another another type in accordance with the invention has been attached; Figure 9B is a horizontal sectional plan view of the container shown in Fig. 9A taken along the line 1XB-1XB in Fig. 9A; Figure lOis a horizontal sectional plan view of the container shown in Fig. 9B, in a state where almost all the toothpaste within the container has been discharged; and Figures ii to 14 are vertical sectional views showing, the operative parts of further respective embodiments of the toothpaste dispensing device and a toothpaste container according to the present invention.

A first embodiment of the toothpaste dispensing device and a toothpaste container according to the present invention will first be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

A toothpaste dispensing device has a main structure or housing 11 which is made of synthetic resin or the like, and has a bore with an internal coupling thread 11 a on the top thereof. A cartridge-type toothpaste container 1 2 which has been charged with toothpaste 1 3 is attached to the main structure 11 by screwing a boss with an external thread 1 2b, whih boss is formed around a discharge port 1 2a on the bottom of the container 1 2 as viewed in Fig. 1 into the internal coupling thread 11 a of the main structure 11. A movable partition wall 1 5 within the container for partitioning the toothpaste within the container from a top space which is also within the container is provided with seal members 1 4 about the periphery thereof and is fitted in a slidingly movable manner inside the toothpaste container 1 2. On top of the container 12, is formed an air vent 1 2c.

A pump 1 6 mounted within the structure 11 comprises a pipe 1 7 of elastic or flexible material such as rubber and so called duckbill valves 1 8A and 1 8B which are installed at the top and bottom of the pipe 1 7 as one-way valves. The duckbill valves 1 8A and 1 8B both face downwards. The top duckbill valve 1 8A communicates with the discharge port 1 2a of the container 1 2.

Each of duckbill valves 1 8A and 1 8B comprises a pair of left-and-right valve parts 18a and each function as a one-way valve for passing the toothpaste 1 3 in the downward direction only.

An operative lever 1 9 is pivotally mounted by a pin 22 to the main structure 11, and moreover, has, near the upper end thereof, a roller 20 supported rotatably, and at the lower end thereof, a push piece 21 having a recess 21 a therein. This operative lever 19 normally assumes a position in which the roller 20 makes contact with the outer periphery of the pipe 1 7 in the pump 16 and the push piece 21 is at a position near and below the duckbill valve 18B.Moreover, the above mentioned operative lever 1 9 is adapted to undergo rotational displacement when the push piece 21 is depressed by a toothbrush 23 so that as a result of the displacement the toothbrush 23 is allowed to come to a position beneath the duckbill valve 18B. On rotation of the operative lever 19, a proper quantity of toothpaste 1 3 is discharged onto the brush part 23a of the toothbrush 23, as will be described hereinafter.

The mechanism for attaching the container 1 2 to the main structure 11 is not limited to the above described screw-on mechanism, but other mechanism such as a bayonet mechanism in which the container 1 2 is mounted by inserting and then rotating it, and a so-called quick mounting mechanism may be also adopted. In other words, any mechanism which allows attachment and detachment through a simple operation may be adopted.

In the above described embodiment, the container 1 2 is disposed with the axis thereof extending vertically, as indicated in Fig. 1A and Fig. 2. However, since the toothpaste 1 3 is sucked and discharged by means of the pump 16, the container 1 2 may be disposed horizontally without meeting any difficulties.

Moreover, the type of valve mounted on the top and bottom of the pump 1 6 is not limited to the duckhill valves 18A and 18B, but other one-way valves using members such as balls may be also adopted.

The operation of the above described device for applying toothpaste onto the brush will now be described.

First, the toothbrush 23 is brought to make contact at it brush end with the recess 21 a in the push piece 21 on the operative lever 19, with the brush part 23a of the toothbrush facing upward, and is then pressed in the direction indicated by arrow A. This causes the operative layer 1 9 to turn clockwise about the pin 22, as indicated in Fig. 1 B. As the lever 1 9 turns, the roller 20 presses the wall of flexible pipe 1 7 of the pump 1 6 rightwards in the same figure, thus increasing the internal pressure in the pipe 1 7. Consequently, the top duckbill valve 18A is kept closed, thus preventing reverse flow of the toothpaste 1 3.

With the increase of the internal pressure within the pipe 17, the bottom duckbill valve 18B is opened, thus allowing a proper quantity of toothpaste to discharge through the valve 18B onto the brush part 23a of the toothbrush 23, which brush part 23a is now positioned exactly beneath the bottom duckbill valve 18B.

The quantity of toothpaste 1 2 discharged can be varied by varying the distance which the toothbrush 23 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow A. The larger the distance the toothbrush 23 is moved, the greater is the quantity of the toothpaste 1 3 discharged and applied onto the toothbrush 23.

As soon as the required quantity of tooth paste 13 is applied onto the brush part 23a, the toothbrush 23 is pulled back in the direction shown by arrow B, thus releasing the pushing action on the operative lever 1 9. As the pushing force on the operative lever 1 9 is released, the pipe 1 7 becomes free from the pushing pressure exerted by the roller 20, and progressively undergoes resilient restoration to its original shape.

As a consequence, the pressure inside the pipe 1 7 decreases and the duckbill valve 18B is closed as indicated in Fig. 1C. Thus, since the one-way valve employed is a duckbill valve, the toothpaste emerging from the described apparatus is nipped off sharply upon closing of the valve. At the same time, the other duckbill valve 18A is opened and toothpaste 1 3 from the container 1 2 is sucked and drawn into the pipe 17. Furthermore, the restoration of the pipe 1 7 to its original shape causes the operative lever 1 9 to be turned counterclockwise to its original position.

Repetition of the operation set forth above causes the toothpaste 1 3 in the container 1 2 to be dispensed and progressively consumed and allows the movable partition wall 1 5 to descend progressively. The container 1 2 and the movable partition wall 1 5 finally assume the state indicated in Fig. 2.

When the toothpaste 1 3 is dispensed as described above, the container 1 2 does not undergo any deformation but the partition 1 5 merely moves downwardly within the container. As a consequence the discharge port 1 2a is free from any danger of being choked shut so that the toothpaste dispensing operation can at all times be conducted smoothly without any inteference until the toothpaste in container 1 2 is totally consumed.

Moreover, when the movable partition wall 1 5 descends within the container 1 2 with the falling level of the toothpaste 13, the movable wall 1 5 rubs or scrapes the inner wall of the container 12, ensuring that no residual toothpaste 1 3 remains on the inner wall of the container 12. As a result, substantially all of the toothpaste 1 3 is eventually discharged and none remains in the container to be wasted. Moreover, as the movable partition wall 1 5 descends, air at atmospheric pressure enters the top space formed in the container 1 2 through the air vent 1 2 C.

After all the toothpaste has been used, the empty container 1 2 is rotated and detached from the main structure 11, and then a new container charged with the toothpaste may again be attached as indicated in Fig. 1.

Although the toothpaste container 1 2 is described above has a movable partition wall 1 5 accommodated therein, the container charged with toothpaste may be of any other structural arrangement provided that the container does not deform near the discharge port to cause blockage thereof as the toothpaste 1 3 is discharged.

Various other embodiments of the container will be described hereinafter.

Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of a container for use in the present invention.

This container 31 comprises a rigid container half 32 which has the discharge port 1 2a and is opened at the top, and a reversable diaphragm 33 made of flexible sheet material which is hermetically fitted to the top of the container half 32. As the toothpaste 1 3 contained in the container 31 is dispensed and reduced in volume, the diaphragm 33 progressively undergoes flexible displacement downwards. However, as the container half 32 does not undergo any deformation, the passage 1 2a for discharging the toothpaste is free from any danger of being blocked. In its final state, the reversable diaphragm 33 is reversed and adheres to the inner surface of the container half 32 so that almost all of the toothpaste initially within the container is discharged.

Fig. 5 shows a third embodiment of a container for use in the present invention.

This container 34 has a structural arrangement wherein a cylindrical diaphragm 36 made of flexible thin sheet material is adhered to the upper side of a mount plate 35 having a discharge port, and a plurality of reinforcing rings 37 are fitted inside of the cylindrical diaphragm 36.

As the toothpaste 1 3 in the container 34 is dispensed and reduced in volume, the cylindrical diaphragm 36 undergoes collapsing and contracting deformation, and finally assumes the state indicated in Fig. 6. Accordingly, the discharging passage is never choked in the course of the toothpaste discharging operation, and almost all of the toothpaste 1 3 initially within the container is finally discharged.

Fig. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of a container for use in the present invention.

This container 38 has the same structural arrangement as that of the container 34 except that a single reinforcing coil spring 39 is provided instead of a plurality of reinforcing rings 37. This container 38 finally deforms as indicated in Fig. 8.

Figs. 9A and 9B shows a fifth embodiment of a container for use in the present invention.

This container 40 has a structural arrangement wherein a vertical pipe 41 having a large number of through holes 41 a passing through its wall into its inner void 41 b is inserted into the discharge port of the mount plate 35 and is fixed thereto. Vertical reinforcing pins 42 (four in this example), are embedded in the mount plate Jj to project upwards and a cylindrical flexible diaphragm 36 is provided to enclose the four pins 42.

In use of this container 40, the toothpaste 1 3 flows through holes 41 a into the inner void 41 b of the pipe 41 and is then discharged from the discharge port. Accordingly, the cylindrical diaphragm 36 undergoes deformation until, in the end it assumes the state indicated in Fig. 1 0. The deformation of the cylindrical diaphragm 36 toward the pipe 41 is restricted in certain regions by the pins 42, thus ensuring that not all of the holes 41 a in the pipe 41 are blocked.

In the above containers 31, 34, 38 and 40, it is preferable to employ a structural arrangement wherein an outer shell made of synthetic resin is provided to surround and protect the flexible thin sheet material of the diaphragm.

Fig. 11 shows the operative part of a second embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention. Parts in Fig. 11 which correspond to parts in Fig. 1 are designated by like reference numerals. Detailed description of such parts will not be repeated.

A pump 51 mounted within the main structure 11 includes a vertical pipe 52, and a horizontal pipe 53 which is communicatively connected at right angles to the pipe 52 at an intermediate part thereof between non return valves 1 BA, 1 BB. An operative lever 54 is urged to rotate counterclockwise about a pivot point intermediate its ends by a coil spring 56. A piston 55 which is fitted inside the pipe 53 to be slidable in the directions indicated by the arrows A and B is pivotally connected to the upper end of the operative lever 54.

When the push piece 21 on the lower end of the lever 54 is pushed by the toothbrush, the operative lever 54 is turned clockwise about the pivot point against the force of the spring 56, and the piston 55 is slid for a specific distance in the direction indicated by arrow B. Accordingly, a compressing force is exerted on the toothpaste 1 3 within the pipe 52 and an appropriate quantity of the toothpaste 1 3 is dispensed through the bottom duckbill valve 18B onto the toothbrush.

Then, the toothbrush is pulled in the direction indicated by arrow B, thereby allowing the operative lever 54 to turn counterclockwise under the force of the spring 56 and causing the piston 55 to slide in the restoring direction indicated by arrow A. As the piston 55 slides back, toothpaste 1 3 from the container 1 2 is drawn by suction through the top duckbill valve 18A into the pipe 52.

Fig. 1 2 shows a third embodiment of the toothpaste dispensing device according to the present invention. Parts in Fig. 1 2 which correspond to parts in Fig. 1 are designated by like reference numerals, and detailed description of such parts will be omitted.

Instead of the pump 1 6 associated with the duckbill valve 18 employed in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the toothpaste dispensing device of this embodiment has an electromotive pump 57 such as a gear pump provided at an intermediate part or a discharge path 11 b formed in the main structure 11 and has a one-way valve 58 mounted on the lower end of the discharge path 11 b. The electromotive pump 57 is directly connected with a motor cell 61 to which a battery or cell 59 and a switch 60 are connected in series.

An operative lever 62 is pivotally supported with its actuation arm 62 b confronting the switch 60.

When a toothbrush is pushed against a pushpart 62a of the lever 62, the operative lever 62 turns clockwise and the actuation arm 62b closes the switch 60 to start the rotation of the motor 61. As a result, the pump 57 is driven, and a toothpaste 1 3 is discharged through the valve 58, and is dispensed onto the brush part of the toothbrush.

As the toothbrush is pulled back, the lever 62 turns counterclockwise back to its original position under the force of a spring (not shown) to open the switch 60 and stop the motor 61 and the pump 57, thereby terminating the toothpaste dispensing operation.

As the power source for the motor 61, mains electricity, the voltage of which may be reduced by a transformer if necessary, may be used instead of the cell 59.

Fig. 1 3 shows another embodiment of the toothpaste dispensing device, in which a finger operated push-button 63 is used instead of the operative lever 54 illustrated in Fig. 11. Parts in Fig. 1 3 which correspond to parts in Fig. 11 are designated by like reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

The push-button 63 is directly connected to the piston 55 and projects to the right from the main structure 11. The push-button 63 is normally maintained in the rightward or extended position by a coil spring 64.

For dispensing toothpaste, the toothbrush 23 is positioned beneath the bottom duckbill valve 18B, and then the push-button 63 is depressed by operator's finger 65 against the force of the coil spring 64 to move the piston 55 left-ward. As a result, an appropriate quantity of toothpaste 1 3 is dispensed onto the toothbrush 23, as in the device shown in Fig.

11.

Fig. 14 shows another embodiment of a toothpaste dispensing device, in which a pushbutton 66 is used instead of the operative lever 62 in Fig. 12. Parts in Fig. 14 which correspond to parts in Fig. 1 2 are designated by like reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

The left end part of pushbutton 66 is accommodated within a cavity 1 1c, formed in the main structure 11 and is positively held by a coil spring 67 at the position indicated in Fig. 14. The switch 60 is also disposed in the cavity 11 c.

For dispensing toothpaste, the toothbrush 23 is positioned beneath the bottom duckbill valve 18B, and the pushbutton 66 is then depressed against the force of the coil spring 67 by the operator's finger 65. Thus the pump 67 is driven to dispense to toothpaste 1 3 onto the toothbrush 23, as in the case of the preceding embodiment shown in Fig. 1 2.

In each of the above described embodiments, through a single operation of pushing a lever or a button by the tip of a toothbrush or the finger, a proper or appropriate quantity of toothpaste may be automatically dispensed from the container. Therefore, the toothpaste can be dispensed by an extremely simple operation that is convenient for repeated daily usage. Moreover, because the toothpaste dispensing operation is generaily interesting for children, the toothpaste dispensing device of the present invention serves to induce children who dislike brushing their teeth to brush them. Furthermore, since the main structure 11 of the device is a permanent fixture, intended to be firmiy mounted on a bathroom wall, for example, there is no danger of it being misplaced as there is in the case of the conventional toothpaste tube.

Claims (28)

1. A dispensing device for dispensing a fluid such as toothpaste, said device comprising, a main structure to which a container charged with fluid to be dispensed is detachably attached, pump means provided in said main structure and adapted, at the time of operation, to such fluid from within said container and to discharge fluid from said container to a point outside said main structure, and an operative member disposed on said main structure in a depressable manner and adapted to actuate said pump means when depressed.

2. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 in which said pump means comprises a pipe made of elastic material, and wherein said operative member, when depressed, causes said pipe to be deformed, a first oneway valve provided on said pipe at one end thereof and adapted to allow the fluid to move in only one direction from said container into said pipe, and a second one-way valve provided on said pipe at the other end thereof and adapted to allow the fluid to move only in one direction from said pipe to the outside thereof, whereby when said operative member is depressed and said pipe is deformed thereby, fluid inside said pipe causes said second one-way valve to open fluid thus being discharged to said point outside the main structure, and as said pipe undergoes resilient restoration upon release of the pressure on said operative member, said first one-way valve is opened to cause said fluid to be sucked from within said container.

3. A toothpaste dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 in which said pump means comprises a piston which undergoes displace ment when said operative member is de pressed, a pump structure adapted to change in internal capacity according to the displacement of said piston, a first one-way valve provided on said pump structure at one end thereof and adapted to allow the fluid to move only in one direction from said container into said pump structure, and a second one-way valve provided on said pump structure at the other end thereof and adapted to allow the fluid to move only in one direction from said pump structure to the outside thereof, whereby, when said piston is displaced in one direction by depression of said operative member, the fluid inside said pump structure causes said second one-way valve to open, fluid thus being discharged to said point outside said main structure and as said piston undergoes displacement and restoration in the reverse direction upon release of the pressure on said operative member, said first one-way valve is opened to cause said fluid to be sucked from within said container.

4. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises a switch adapted to be closed by said operative member, said dispensing device structure having a passage extending from a port of said container to the outside of said structure formed therein, and said pump means comprising an electromotive pump installed in said passage, and a motor operated responsive to closing of said switch to drive said electromotive pump.

5. A dispensing device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said operative member extends so that one end thereof reaches below and near a bottom discharge port of said pump means, whereby said operative member may be pressed at said one end by the tip of a toothbrush to displace said toothbrush to a position where the brush of said toothbrush is at said point outside said main structure.

6. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 2 or any claim dependent thereon said operative member comprises a first part extending to a position beneath and near said second one-way valve which part adapted to be depressed by the tip of a toothbrush, and a second part for pressing said pipe laterally to deform said pipe in response to the displacement of said operative member due to the depressing operation.

7. A dispensing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which said operative member is located in such a position that it can be depressed by an operators finger.

8. A dispensing device according to any one of the preceding claims for dispensing toothpaste.

9. A dispensing device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A dispensing device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 11 of the accompanying draw ings.

11. A dispensing device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Fig.

12 of the accompanying drawings.

1 2. A dispensing device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Fig.

1 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 3. A dispensing device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 14 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A container suitable for attachment to a dispensing device claimed in any one of the preceding claims, said container comprising a container structure and a mounting part which has a discharge port communicatively connected to inside of said container structure and means for attaching said container to a dispensing device in a detachable manner, and said container structure having a member adapted to undergo displacement or deformation corresponding to reduction in volume of a fluid contained therein as fluid contained therein is withdrawn therefrom, so as not to choke or block said discharge port in the course of withdrawal of fluid from the container.

1 5. A container as claimed in claim 14, in which said container structure comprises a cylindrical structure which is formed integral with said mounting part and does not make any deformation during withdrawal of fluid from the container, and a partition wall fitted inside of said cylindrical structure in a freely displaceable manner and adapted to define a chamber inside of said cylindrical structure for containing fluid, said partition wall being displaceable toward said discharge port in response to a reduction of the volume of fluid contained within the container.

16. A container as claimed in claim 14 in which said container structure comprises, an opened cylindrical structure which is formed integrally with said mounting part, has an opening formed at an end opposite to said mounting part, and does not make any deformation during the withdrawal of fluid from the container and a flexible sheet member which covers said opening of said opened cylindrical structure to define a chamber for accommodating fluid between the same and said opened cylindrical structure, said flexible sheet undergoing deformation during the withdrawal of fluid from the container.

17. A container as claimed in claim 14 in which said container structure comprises; a flexible sheet member having a shape of cylinder connected to said mounting part and defining a chamber for containing fluid and adapted to undergo bellow like expansion and contraction, and a plurality of wire formed rings having substantially the same diameter as each other, and disposed inside of said flexible sheet member at a specific interval, mounted on the inner wall of said flexible sheet member.

18. A container as claimed in claim 14 in which said container structure comprises, a flexible sheet member having a shape of cylinder connected to said mounting part and defining a chamber for containing fluid and adapted to undergo bellow-like expansion and contraction, and a wire formed coil provided on an inner wall of said flexible sheet member.

19. A container as claimed in claim 14 in which said container structure comprises, a hollow pipe having a hollow column extending in the axial direction thereof and communicatively connected to said discharge port, and further having a plurality of through holes formed in a wall thereof in communication with said hollow column, a plurality of pin members disposed at positions separated from said hollow pipe which pipes are parallel with said hollow pipe, and a flexible sheet member having a shape of cylinder connected to said mounting part and adapted to cover said hollow pipe and said pin members and to contain fluid therein, the arrangement being such that fluid inside of said flexible sheet member may pass through said through holes and then said hollow column of said hollow pipe to reach said discharge port, said flexible sheet being restricted in part by said pin member from displacement toward said hollow pipe.

20. A container according to any one of claims 1 4 to 1 9 when charged with a fluid.

21. A container according to any one of claims 14 to 1 9 when charged with toothpaste.

22. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

23. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

25. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

26. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.

27. A dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 1 3 in combination with a container according to any one of claims 14 to 26.

28. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.