GB2319176A - Toothbrush holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A toothbrush holder is in the form a support 13 with a plurality of removable vessels 17 for containing sterilising liquid and of a size to accommodate the head of a toothbrush. The brush handles are supported by grooves or notches 22 in a rear plate 20 of the support. Alternative wall-mounted structures are described as also is a free standing embodiment (Figs 13-15) in which the vessels and support notches are arranged in a circle round a central pillar.

Description

TOOTBBRUSB HOLDER The present invention relates to a toothbrush holding device and sterilizer for the hygienic safe storage of toothbrushes utilising the holding device with a sterilizing or other hygienic liquid.

Toothbrush holders are well known for bathrooms and comprise wall mounted or free standing versions and are capable of storing various sizes and shapes of toothbrushes. Such holders commonly comprise an apertured horizontal support for receiving the handle of a toothbrush with the head/bristles being uppermost and resting on the support surface. Sometimes a very much larger aperture is incorporated in the horizontal support for receiving a beaker in the same plane as the bristles of the toothbrush which are locatable around the top of the beaker.

According to the present invention a toothbrush holding device for enabling the hygienic storage of at least one toothbrush comprises at least one container or receptacle for receiving the head and bristles of a toothbrush and for receiving a liquid in which said head and bristles may be immersed, and a support for maintaining each toothbrush in a position wherein the head and bristles remain in said container or receptacle.

Preferably the support also supports the or each liquid container (vessel) or receptacle and may either be a free-standing support or one that may be wall mounted.

Preferably retaining means will be provided on the support such as to retain the toothbrush in an inverted, upwardly extending disposition with the head and bristles in the container. The retaining means of the support may include a recessed portion or portions in which the handle of the or each toothbrush may rest when in an inverted disposition with the head and bristles in the receptacle.

Preferably the support of the holding device will carry a plurality of the receptacles so that different members of a household may use the same holding device and the support may have a plurality of apertures for receiving the receptacles which may be arranged in straight line or circularly arranged - preferably in a circular support and in the latter case preferably rotatably mounted on a support base.

Each container or receptacle will preferably have indicator means which may be differently coloured or otherwise indicated to enable personal identification and the colours of the toothbrushes may be coordinated, if desired.

Preferably each receptacle or container will be of a size to receive only the head and bristles of a toothbrush to be submerged in a liquid in the receptacle or container and possibly only a small adjacent portion of the stem or handle and preferably of minimal diameter so as not to waste treatment or anti-bacterial fluid.

Preferably the or each receptacle will have a lifting handle extending from its upper rim or edge and preferably such handles will be differently coloured.

In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a plurality of receptacles or vessels each for receiving the head of a toothbrush and for receiving a liquid in which the bristles of the toothbrush may be submerged, a support bracket formed by extrusion or from a sheet of angled sheet preferably of plastics material and angled to form a horizontal or generally horizontal or slightly inclined from horizontal support portion having a plurality of receptacle-receiving apertures, and to form an upwardly extending portion with a fold or extension above the receptacle-receiving apertures having recesses, one for each aperture, for retainably receiving the handle of an inverted toothbrush when the head rests in a receptacle located in a receptacle receiving aperture. Preferably the receptacles, at least, will be of clear or transparent plastics material and preferably have a lifting handle or extension extending upwardly from the upper edge or rim.

The receptacles will each be of a size as mentioned above to receive the head of a toothbrush and economise on liquid. Where the support bracket is formed so that two opposite edges of the sheet do not form the support edges for a free-standing device, or even where they do securing means such as apertures such as of the "key-hole" type, will be provided for securement of the support to a wall with screws.

The present invention incorporates a toothbrush holder with a set of receptacles for holding an antibacterial solution. The head of each toothbrush will be housed in a receptacle such that the head will be submerged in the anti-bacterial solution contained within it (the receptacle) and be sterilised.

A holder can be made to store from one up to any number of toothbrushes as the design can be elongated and more receptacles added. For the purposes of demonstration the designs documented relate to a two-receptacle and a four-receptacle version. The holder may comprise a wall mountable version or a free standing version. The receptacles are detachable from their holders so that the anti-bacterial solution can be replenished. Furthermore, the receptacles could be of varying sizes and shapes so as to be able to house the various toothbrush designs on the market. Moreover, the design incorporates a mechanism for holding each toothbrush securely in place.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figs. 1A and 1B are perspective views from above and the rear of a wall-mountable support forming part of a toothbrush holding device of the present invention for receiving two or four receptacles respectively with the containers or receptacles being as illustrated in Fig. 4; Fig. 2 illustrates various stages of separation of three containers or receptacles relative to the four receptacle supports of Fig. lB; Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of a wall mounting bracket of the supports of Figs. 1A and 1B and Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a receptacle for receiving the head and bristles of a toothbrush and treatment liquid; Figs. 5 and SA are perspective views from above and to the rear of modified embodiments of the invention of two and four receptacle versions where the holding devices are free-standing with Fig. 5B illustrating a toothbrush in position; Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view from the rear of a toothbrush holding device similar to that of Fig.

5B with the four receptacles being displaced above the receiving apertures therefor; Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6 but of the holding device being for wall mounting only and similar to that of Fig. 1B.

Fig. 8 is a front perspective view of a toothbrush holding device similar to the embodiment of Fig. 5A; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing a toothbrush in position and one receptacle removed; Fig. 10 is a front perspective of the preferred embodiment; Fig. 11 is a front perspective similar to Fig. 10 with the receptacles removed; Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the support part of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of device showing a free-standing circular support for the containers and toothbrushes; Fig. 14 is an elevation of the support of Fig. 13; and Fig. 15 is a perspective view from above of the support of Figs. 13 and 14 with six containers - one removed.

In Figs. 1 to 4 a wall mountable embodiment of the invention is illustrated whilst in Figs. 5 and 5B freestanding versions are illustrated with two or four receptacles and which also may have apertures for wall mounting possibilities (not shown).

Toothbrush holding devices are illustrated in Figs.

1 to SB having a frame or main body 1, as an angled sheet member having an apertured horizontal portion 4 of body 1 which incorporates one or more detachable containers or receptacles 2. These receptacles 2 are used for the purpose of holding anti-bacterial solution and the head of a toothbrush such that the bristles of each toothbrush head is submerged when it is not in use i.e. when stored in the device. A carrying exterior or finger grip 3 is provided on each receptacle to facilitate handling when replenishing anti-bacterial solution. A notch or groove 5 is provided in an upper part of body 1 - one for each receptacle - for receiving the shaft of a toothbrush and retaining/securing such with the bristles being in the associated receptacle.

The body 1 of the wall mounted version is semipermanently secured to the walls or elsewhere with aid of screws, nails or other means (not shown). Elongate adjusting securing slots 7 are provided at the rear in the securing bracket 6 on the mounting version. However, as the free standing version is without the bracket 6 and the front and the rear of the body is made to size so as to accommodate the receptacles and allow the holder to stand free. After the frame has been sited, the receptacles can be set into their allocated housing 4 into the frame (1).

There the anti-bacterial solution can be replenished in the receptacles.

In the embodiment of Figs. 9 to 12, a preferred embodiment of holding device 11 is illustrated and is suitable for receiving two toothbrushes. The device 11 comprises a support member 12 formed from a sheet of preferably clear plastics material (which may be tinted/coloured for aesthetic effect) which is angled so as to provide two feet portions 13,14, a horizontal portion 15 with two apertures 16 each for receiving an open-topped liquid container or receptacle 17 of transparent plastics and having an upper enlargement or collar 18 which rests on the upper surface of portion 15. Each receptacle 17 has an extension 19 forming a handle to act as means to facilitate handling and lifting of the receptacles 17 from the portion 15.

An upstanding mounting portion 20 extends from portion 15 and has inverted key-hole mounting apertures 21 extending therethrough. The sheet material is then angled forwarding to produce an overhang 22 and then angled rearwardly to provide top portion 23 and in the interjoining regions recesses or cut-outs 24 are provided of semi-circular shape to receive the stem or handle 25 of a toothbrush 26 and each located relative to its associated receptacle 17 so as to maintain the toothbrush 26 with its head/bristles 27 in the associated receptacle 17 and, in use, immersed in anti-bacterial or sterilising solution in receptacle 17. (If in a modification (not shown) a single layer top portion is provided, the cut outs or recesses may have an upstanding collar or rim on the upper side provided to improve the positioning of the toothbrush).

The sheet material is then downwardly angled to provide rear portion 28 having two inverted key-hole apertures 28' aligned with apertures 21 for permitting wall mounting if desired. The rear wall extending to form rear foot portion 14 for surface location of the device.

It will be appreciated the containers or receptacles 17 are of a size to receive the bristles and head of the toothbrush and sufficient liquid for sterilization purposes.

Instead of a holding device for two toothbrushes as illustrated in Figs. 9 to 12, a device with any desired number of receptacles may be provided.

In the embodiment of Figs. 13 to 15 a circular arrangement is shown, comprising a base member 29 from which there extends a rotatably mounted support column 30 on which there is mounted a circular disc-like support 31 having a plurality of circularly disposed, circular container receiving apertures 32 and into which fit six containers 33 with outer upper collars to locate and having handles 34. The containers 33 are preferably of transparent plastics material and of a size to receive the head of a toothbrush (not shown). On the top of column 30 is mounted a disc-like member 35 having six recessed portions 36 each for receiving and supporting the handle of an inverted toothbrush (not shown) whose head is locatable in a container 33 and immersible in a solution therein.

Column- 30 and the parts thereon will preferably be rotatable by the bottom of column 30 being rotatably mounted in the base member 29.

Claims (17)

5.A Tl#.C

1. A toothbrush holding device for enabling the hygienic storage of at least one toothbrush comprises at least one container or receptacle for receiving the head and bristles of a toothbrush and for receiving a liquid in which said head and bristles may be immersed, and a support for maintaining each toothbrush in a position wherein the head and bristles remain in said container or receptacle.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the support also supports the or each liquid container (vessel) or receptacle.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the support is either a free-standing support or one that may be wall mounted.

4. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which retaining means are provided on the support such as to retain the toothbrush in an inverted, upwardly extending disposition with the head and bristles in the container.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, which the retaining means of the support includes a recessed portion or portions above the receptacle in which the handle of the or each toothbrush may rest when in an inverted disposition with the head and bristles in the receptacle.

6. A device as claimed in any of claims 21 to 6, in which the support carries a plurality of said receptacles to enable a plurality of toothbrushes to be individually stored and/or treated.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, in which each container or receptacle has differentiating indicator means and/or support portions associated therewith to distinguish the receptacles from each other.

8. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, in which each receptacle or container is of a size to receive only the head and bristles of a toothbrush, in use, to be submerged in a liquid in the receptacle or container and possibly only a small adjacent portion of the stem or handle.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, in which the receptacle is of minimal diameter so as not to waste treatment or anti-bacterial fluid.

10. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, in which the or each receptacle has a lifting handle extending from its upper rim or edge.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, in which a plurality of receptacles with handles are provided and such handles are differently coloured or otherwise differentially indicated as indicator means as claimed in claim 7.

12. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, in which a plurality of receptacles are provided and removably locatable in a plurality of apertures or recesses circularly or otherwise disposed around part of the support, and in which in another upper part of the support a plurality of recesses or other toothbrush handle receiving means are provided around the upper part and corresponding to the apertures or recesses below.

13. A device as claimed in claim 11 or 12, in which the apertured or recessed support part and the upper support part are mounted on a support rod or column which extends from a base.

14. A toothbrush holding device comprises a plurality of receptacles or vessels each for receiving the head of a toothbrush and for receiving a liquid in which the bristles of the toothbrush may be submerged, a support bracket formed by extrusion or from a sheet of angled sheet preferably of plastics material and angled to form a horizontal or generally horizontal or slightly inclined from horizontal support portion having a plurality of receptacle-receiving apertures, and to form an upwardly extending portion with a fold or extension above the receptadle-receiving apertures having recesses, one for each aperture, for retainably receiving the handle of an inverted toothbrush when the head rests in a receptacle located in a receptacle receiving aperture.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14, in which at least the receptacles are of clear or transparent plastics material.

16. A device as claimed in claims 14 or 15, in which the receptacles have a lifting handle or extension extending upwardly from the upper edge or rim.

17. A toothbrush holding device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.