US20110220138A1

US20110220138A1 - Apparatus and system for a fingernail cleaning device

Info

Publication number: US20110220138A1
Application number: US13/044,403
Authority: US
Inventors: Michelle A. Roberts; Adam A. Bradford
Original assignee: N'NAILS TOO LLC
Current assignee: N'NAILS TOO LLC
Priority date: 2010-03-09
Filing date: 2011-03-09
Publication date: 2011-09-15

Abstract

An apparatus and system are disclosed for a fingernail cleaning device. The apparatus includes a base to attach to an opening of a container, and a tube extending from inside the container through the base. The tube defines a first and a second liquid pathway. The apparatus also includes a fingernail brush coupled with the base. The fingernail brush is formed of bristles having a base end coupled to the base and a tip end distal to the base end. The first and second liquid pathways are selected in response to the position of the fingernail brush relative to the tube. The first pathway dispenses liquid at the base end of bristles and the second pathway dispenses liquid at the tip end of the bristles. The system includes the apparatus, and a flip top for enclosing the fingernail brush.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/311,960 entitled “FINGERNAIL CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOR HAND SANITIZER BOTTLE” and filed on Mar. 9, 2010 for Michelle Annette Roberts, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hand sanitizers and more particularly relates to a cap for a hand sanitizer container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hand sanitizer is a popular alternative to hand washing with soap and water. The active ingredient in hand sanitizer can be various forms of alcohols (isopropanol, ethanol, n-propanol, etc.). Alcohol based hand sanitizers are generally more effective than soaps at killing germs. The United States Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) and Prevention recommends alcohol based hand sanitizers as an acceptable alternative to soap and water when a person's hands are not visibly dirty.
The CDC also instructs the public on how to use hand sanitizer properly. The CDC recommends that a person (1) apply hand sanitizer to the palm of one hand, (2) rub hands together, and (3) rub hand sanitizer over all surfaces of hands and fingers until the hands are dry. However, this method ignores the area underneath a person's fingernails.

SUMMARY

From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus and system for a fingernail cleaning device. Beneficially, such an apparatus and system would provide a device having multiple liquid pathways.
The present disclosure has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved. Accordingly, the present disclosure has been developed to overcome many or all of the shortcomings in the art.
The apparatus includes a base configured to attach to an opening of a container, and a tube extending from an interior of the container through the base, the tube having at least a first and a second liquid pathway. The apparatus also includes a fingernail brush coupled with the base, the fingernail brush and the tube having at least a first position and a second position relative to each other. The fingernail brush is formed with bristles having a base end coupled to the base and a tip end distal to the base end. A liquid pathway is selected in response to selection of a position of the fingernail brush relative to the tube. The first liquid pathway dispenses liquid at the base end of bristles and the second liquid pathway dispenses liquid at the tip end of the bristles.
The fingernail brush, in one example, is slideable between at least the first position and the second position. In another embodiment, the fingernail brush extends outward longitudinally from the base and also includes a guide member extending laterally from the base and shaped to guide the fingernail brush as the fingernail brush slides longitudinally. The guide member may engage a slot extending longitudinally from the base. The fingernail brush, in another embodiment, is slideable to any point between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position.
In a further embodiment, the tube extends outward from the base to a distance substantially equivalent to a distance between the base end and the tip end of the fingernail brush when the fingernail brush is in a fully retracted position. The apparatus may include a flip top coupled to the base and configured to enclose the fingernail brush. The flip top, in one embodiment, plugs the first and second liquid pathways to prevent liquid from being dispensed when the flip top engages the tube.
In one example, the tube includes a first opening inside the container for drawing liquid from the container, a second opening positioned near the base end of the fingernail brush, and a third opening positioned near the tip end of the fingernail brush. Liquid is dispensed from one of the second or third openings in response to the position of the fingernail brush with reference to the base.
In an alternative embodiment, the tube is slideable with respect to the fingernail brush. The tube, in another embodiment, extends to a bottom of the container, In another embodiment, the tube may slide between at least the first position and the second position. The tube, in another example, extends outward longitudinally from the base. The apparatus may also include a sliding mechanism coupled to the tube and extending to a position external to the base. The sliding mechanism is operable to slide the tube between at least the first position and the second position. The sliding mechanism may be coupled to the slot and the slot guides the sliding mechanism such that the tube extends between at least the first position and the second position.
In another embodiment, the apparatus is provided having a base configured to attach to an opening of a container, the container maintaining a liquid, and a tube extending from an interior of the container through the base, the tube having at least a first and a second liquid pathway. The apparatus also includes a fingernail brush coupled with the base and slideable between at least a first position and a second position. The fingernail brush, in one embodiment, is formed of bristles having a base end coupled to the base and a tip end distal to the base end. One of the at least first and second liquid pathways is selected in response to the position of the fingernail brush. The first pathway dispenses liquid at the base end of bristles and the second pathway dispenses liquid at the tip end of the bristles.
A system is also provided. The system, in one embodiment, includes a container for maintaining a liquid. The container includes an opening. The system includes a cap coupled to the opening. The cap, in one embodiment, includes an elongated hollow body having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a base disposed within the body. The base, in one example, has a guide member extending laterally from the base and engaging a slot formed in the body to allow the base to slide within the body. The cap may also include a tube extending from an interior of the container through the base. The tube has at least a first and a second liquid pathway. The cap may include a fingernail brush coupled with the base and slideable between at least a first position and a second position.
The fingernail brush, in one embodiment, is formed of bristles having a base end coupled to the base and a tip end distal to the base end. The first and second liquid pathways are selected in response to the position of the fingernail brush. The first pathway, in one embodiment, dispenses liquid at the base end of bristles and the second pathway dispenses liquid at the tip end of the bristles. The cap may also include flip top coupled to the body and configured to enclose the fingernail brush and plug the first and second liquid pathways to prevent liquid from being dispensed when the flip top engages the tube.
Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.
These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view diagram illustrating another embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view diagram illustrating a further embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view diagram illustrating an additional embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap;

FIG. 3 is a side view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a first liquid pathway;

FIG. 4 is a side view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a second liquid pathway;

FIG. 5 is a side view diagram illustrating yet another embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap;

FIG. 6A is a side view diagram illustrating a further embodiment of a first liquid pathway; and

FIG. 6B is a side view diagram illustrating another embodiment of a second liquid pathway.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
FIG. 1A is a perspective view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap 100. The hand sanitizer cap (hereinafter “cap”) 100, in one embodiment, is formed having an elongated tubular body (hereinafter “body”) 102 and a slider assembly 104 extending from the body 102. The cap 100 is configured to attach to a container of hand sanitizer, liquid soap, or another liquid. For example, the cap 100 may snap or screw on to an opening of the container. The cap 100, in one embodiment, is formed of a rigid material such as a polymer, a metal, a ceramic, or the like. In one embodiment, the cap 100 dispenses hand sanitizer or other liquid contents of the container in response to an operator squeezing or otherwise exerting pressure on the container, or by inverting the container.
The body 102, in the depicted embodiment, is formed of an upper portion 106 and a lower portion 108. In one embodiment, the upper portion 106 includes a flip top 110 that allows access to the contents of the container. In one embodiment, the flip top 110 includes a plunger extending from an interior surface, and aligned with and configured to plug a tube (See FIG. 2). An interior surface of the lower portion 108 includes an attachment mechanism for attaching the cap 100 to the container. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, in light of this disclosure, an attachment mechanism of the lower portion 108 may be any type of suitable device including, but not limited to, a threaded screw top, a crown top, a snap on top, a friction fit top, etc.
Although the body 102 is generally depicted herein as a tubular, elongated body, other geometric shapes may be implemented including, but not limited to, elongated polygonal shapes capable of attaching to the container. The slider assembly 104, as will be discussed in greater detail below, slides with reference to the body 102. The slider assembly 104 slides from a first position to a second position. As used herein, sliding upward refers to the slider assembly 104 sliding towards the upper portion 106, and sliding downward refers to sliding towards the lower portion 108.
In general, the slider assembly 104 changes a position at which the cap 100 dispenses the contents of the container. For example, in certain embodiments, the slider assembly 104 may switch or toggle the cap 100 between dispensing a liquid into the bristles of a brush at the base of the brush and dispensing a liquid directly into an operator's hand at a distal end of the brush. In the depicted embodiment, the slider assembly 104 includes a button, switch, nub, lever, or the like that extends outward through an opening 112 in the body 102. An operator slides the slider assembly 104 to actuate movement between a brush and a tube within the body 102, to change a position that the tube dispenses hand sanitizer or another liquid relative to the brush.
Moving the slider assembly 104, in one embodiment, extends a brush from the cap 100 when an operator slides the slider assembly 104 in one direction and retracts the brush within the cap 100 when an operator slides the slider assembly 104 in the other direction. In a further embodiment, sliding the slider assembly 104 moves a tube relative to a brush, so that the tube distributes the contents of the container either at a base of the brush or at a distal end of the brush to bypass the brush, depending on a position of the slider assembly 104. While a single slider assembly 104 is depicted in FIG. 1A, in other embodiments, the cap 100 may include multiple slider assemblies 104. For example, the cap 100 may include a second slider assembly 104 disposed on an opposite side of the body 102 as the depicted first slider assembly 104, or the like.
Dispensing hand sanitizer or another liquid at either a base end of a brush or at a distal end of the brush allows the cap 100 to be used for several different purposes. Dispensing hand sanitizer or another liquid at the base end of a brush distributes the liquid through the brush, so that the brush may be used to scrub the liquid under fingernails or into other hard to clean surfaces. Alternatively, dispensing hand sanitizer or another liquid at a distal end of a brush, bypassing the brush, allows the cap 100 to dispense the liquid directly onto an intended surface, such as into an operator's hand, so that the hand sanitizer or other liquid may be used without a brush, for cleaning traditional surfaces where a brush may not be as useful.
If the cap 100 dispensed hand sanitizer or another cleaning liquid only at a base of a brush, a person would have more difficulty directly applying the cleaning liquid to a hand to follow the proper method of using hand sanitizer. Or, if the cap 100 dispensed hand sanitizer or another cleaning liquid only at a distal end of a brush, the cleaning liquid typically would not saturate the brush to clean beneath fingernails or other hard to reach surfaces. By providing a tube and a brush with at least two selectable positions, one with the tube at a base of the brush and one with the tube at a distal end of the brush, the cap 100 may be used to apply hand sanitizer or another liquid either for general cleaning without the brush or for cleaning hard to reach areas with the brush or both.
FIG. 1B is a perspective view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap 101. The hand sanitizer cap 101 is substantially similar to the hand sanitizer cap 100 described above, but in the embodiment of FIG. 1B, the slider assembly 104 includes a collar disposed around the body 102. An operator of the cap 101, in certain embodiments, slides, rotates, or otherwise manipulates the slider assembly 104 to actuate movement between a brush and a tube within the body 102. As described above with regard to the slider assembly 104 of FIG. 1A, in one embodiment, actuating movement within the body 102 using the slider assembly 104 may extend a brush from the cap 100 when an operator slides the slider assembly 104 in one direction, retract the brush when an operator slides the slider assembly 104 in the other direction, move a tube relative to a brush so that the tube distributes the contents of the container either at a base of the brush or at a distal end of the brush, or the like.
The slider assembly 104, in the depicted embodiment, is in mechanical communication with a brush, a tube, or the like disposed within the body 102. The slider assembly 104 is coupled to the brush or the tube through an opening 112 in the body 102. For example, a guide member may extend through the opening 112, connecting a base of a brush to the slider assembly 104, connecting a tube to the slider assembly 104, or the like.
While a single opening 112 is depicted in FIG. 1B, in other embodiments, the body 102 may include multiple openings 112 and multiple guide members extending through the multiple openings to couple a brush or a tube to the slider assembly 104. For example, the slider assembly 104 may be designed to be twisted and the twisting motion may cause the brush to extend through an opening 112 in the body 102. One of skill in the art will recognize other ways to create a slider assembly 104, in the form of a button, collar, etc. to cause the brush to extend through an opening 112 in the body 102.
In one embodiment, the slider assembly 104 maintains a position of the brush by way of resistance such that applying pressure to the brush while scrubbing allows the brush to maintain a position. In another embodiment, the slider assembly 104 and/or the body 102 include a locking mechanism to maintain a brush position. For example, the slider assembly 104 and body 102 may have grooves, dents, etc. that allow a brush to maintain a position while in use. One of skill in the art will recognize other ways to maintain a brush in position during use and to allow the slider assembly 104 to move in response to pressure being applied to the slider assembly 104.
FIG. 2A is a perspective view diagram illustrating another embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap 100. The cap 100 of FIG. 2A, in one embodiment, is substantially similar to the cap 100 described above with reference to FIG. 1A, but with the flip top 110 open and a brush 202 extended. FIG. 2B is a perspective view diagram illustrating another embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap 101. The cap 101 of FIG. 2B, in one embodiment, is substantially similar to the cap 101 described above with reference to FIG. 1B, however, the upper portion 106 is depicted with dashed lines that represent that the upper portion 106 is hidden to allow a view of the interior of the cap 101.
The cap 100 of FIG. 2A and the cap 101 of FIG. 2B each include a base 200 coupled with the slider assembly 104 so that an operator may slide the base 200 upward and downward by moving the slider assembly 104 upward and downward. The base 200, in one embodiment, is shaped similarly to a cross-section of the body 102 of the cap 100, 101 so that the base 200 easily slides between the first position and the second position. In other embodiments, the base 200 may have another shape that fits within the body 102 of the cap 100, 101 and allows the base 200 to slide upward and downward within the body 102.
In the depicted embodiments, the brush 202 extends upward from a brush end coupled to the base 200 to an opposite tip end that is distal to the base end. The brush 202 may be formed of multiple groups of bristles, as depicted, formed of a single continuous grouping of bristles, formed of a uniform array of bristles, formed of a sponge material, and/or formed in another brush formation. The brush 202. in one embodiment, includes a fingernail brush where the stiffness of the bristles is selected to effectively remove foreign particles from underneath a fingernail. Alternatively, bristles may be selected having a different stiffness, based on intended use of the brush 202, or the like.
The cap 100, 101 also includes a tube 204 that is in fluid communication with an interior of the container. In the depicted embodiment, the tube 204 extends from an interior area of the container through the base 200. The tube 204, in one embodiment, extends from the cap 100, 101 to an upper area of the container and provides a pathway from the interior of the container to the cap 100, 101. The tube 204, alternatively, may extend substantially to a bottom of the container. In one embodiment, the cap 100, 101 substantially seals the container so that the tube 204 provides the only path into or out of the container when the cap 100, 101 is attached to the container.
The tube 204 provides at least a first and a second liquid pathway for the contents of the container. As used herein, the term “liquid pathway” refers to the path traced by a liquid as it travels from the container, through the tube 204 and to the brush 202. A first liquid pathway traces a path from the container to the base end of the brush 202, and a second liquid pathway traces a path from the container to the distal tip end of the brush 202. The first and second liquid pathways will be described in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
In the depicted embodiments of FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the slider assembly 104 is coupled to the base 200 and actuates the brush 202, moving the brush 202 upward and downward relative to the tube 204. The tube 204, in certain embodiments, has a fixed position relative to the body 102 of the cap 100, 101. Sliding the slider assembly 104 upward, in one embodiment, extends the brush 202 so that the tube 204 is disposed at a base end of the brush 202, as depicted in FIG. 2A. Sliding the slider assembly 104 downward, in one embodiment, retracts the brush 202 so that the tube 204 is disposed at a distal end of the brush 202, as depicted in FIG. 2B.
In another embodiment, the slider assembly 104 may be coupled to the tube 204 and the brush 202 may have a fixed position relative to the body 102 of the cap 100, 101. In such an embodiment, the slider assembly 104 actuates the tube 204, moving the tube 204 upward and downward relative to the brush 202. For example, in one embodiment, sliding the slider assembly 104 upward may extend the tube 204 so that an opening of the tube 204 is at a distal end of the brush 202, for bypassing the brush 202 and dispensing the contents of the container directly into an operator's hand, or the like. Sliding the slider assembly 104 downward, in the example embodiment, may retract the tube 204 so that an opening of the tube 204 is at a base end of the brush 202, for dispensing the contents of the container into the brush 202.
In one embodiment, a guide member 206, or coupling member, is disposed between the base 200 and the slider assembly 104. The guide member 206 extends laterally outward from the base 200 to the slider assembly 104. The upper portion 106 may include a slot 208 or other opening through which the guide member 206 passes. The slot 208 acts as a guide to prevent rotational movement of the base 200 as the base 200 slides between the first and second positions related to the first and second liquid pathways. In an alternative embodiment, the base 200 is fixed in relation to the body 102 and the tube 204 slides between the first and second positions. In a further embodiment, the cap 100, 101 is formed having multiple guide members 206 disposed radially around the base 200 at equal intervals. For example, if the cap 100, 101 is formed having 4 guide members 206 and corresponding slots 208, each guide member 206 may be positioned at an angle of 90 degrees from an adjacent guide member 206, or the like.
In a further embodiment, the guide member 206 and the slot 208 releasably lock the slider assembly 104 in an extended position and/or in a retracted position. For example, the slot 208 may include a horizontal extension at an end of the slot. The horizontal extension may receive the guide member 206 to releasably lock the slider assembly 104 by preventing the guide member 206 from sliding through the slot 208 until the guide member 206 is rotated out of the horizontal extension and back to the slot 208. Temporarily or releasably locking the slider assembly 104, in certain embodiments, may support the brush 202 during use, so that pressure exerted on the brush 202 does not slide the brush 202 or change the position of the brush 202 during use.
In one embodiment, where the slider assembly 104 actuates the tube 204 instead of the brush 202, the tube 204 may extend upward from the guide member 206 and pass through an opening in the base 200, so that the guide member 206 remains substantially below the base 200. In another embodiment, where the slider assembly 104 actuates the tube 204, the guide member 206 may be coupled to the tube 204 toward a top end of the tube 204, above the base 200. In a further embodiment, the base 200 may include a notch, slot, or other opening through which the guide member 206 passes while actuating the tube 204.
FIG. 3 is a side view diagram illustrating one embodiment 300 of a first liquid pathway 312. The depicted embodiment 300 illustrates a cap 302 coupled with a container 304 for maintaining a liquid such as hand sanitizer or other cleansing liquid. The cap 302, like the cap 100 of FIG. 1A, includes a lower portion 306 and a slider assembly 308. For clarity, an upper portion is not depicted in the embodiment 300 of FIG. 3. A tube 310 extends from inside the container 304 through the cap 302 to a first position 311 at a base end 314 of the brush. In the depicted embodiment 300, a threaded fastener 316 couples the cap 302 to the container 304. In other embodiments, as described above with regard to the cap 100 of FIG. 1A, another attachment mechanism may fasten the container 304 and the cap 302, such as a crown top, a snap on top, a friction fit top, etc.
The tube 310 provides a liquid pathway 312 from the container 304 to the cap 302. Particularly, FIG. 3 illustrates a liquid pathway 312, represented by arrows, from the container 304 to the base end 314 of the brush. As such, the base end 314 of the brush, in certain embodiments, is saturated with the liquid of the container 304 when a force is applied to the container 304 that causes liquid to follow the liquid pathway 312. In other embodiments, inverting the container 304 may cause liquid to be dispensed through the liquid pathway 312. In the depicted embodiment 300, the tube 310 is positioned “off-center,” or in other words, closer to one side of the cap 302 than another side. Alternatively, the tube 310 may be positioned in the middle of the cap 302, and as such, equally distribute liquid to the base end 314 of the brush, or may have another orientation with regard to the cap 302.
The tube 310, in the depicted embodiment 300, extends from the cap 302 downward into an upper area of the container 304, to facilitate distribution of the contents of the container 304 from the container 304 with the container 304 in an upside down or flipped position, i.e. with the cap 302 facing downward. In another embodiment, the tube 310 may extend substantially to the bottom of the container 304, to facilitate distribution of the contents of the container 304 from the container 304 with the container 304 in an upright position, i.e. with the cap 302 facing upward, as depicted.
FIG. 3 illustrates one example of a “fully extended” position. In a fully extended position, the slider assembly 308 and the brush are positioned in a most upward position as compared to a “fully retracted” position. In the fully extended position, the tube 310 extends to about the base end 314 of the brush and dispenses liquid to the base end 314 of the brush.
FIG. 4 is a side view diagram illustrating an embodiment 400 of a second liquid pathway 406. In the depicted embodiment, the slider assembly 308 and the brush are in a “fully retracted” position 402, and as such, the tube 310 extends to about the tip end 404 of the brush. Consequently, a second liquid pathway 406 is created that dispenses liquid directly to a desired surface. For example, if a person does not want to use the brush, the slider assembly 308 may be positioned in the fully retracted position 402 and the tube 310 will dispense liquid directly to a person's hands.
Although the depicted embodiment illustrates a tube 310 that only extends into a neck area 408 of the container 304, the tube 310 may extend to a bottom area of the container, as described below with regard to FIG. 5. The selection of a length of the tube 310 affects the operation of the container 304 and the cap 302. A shorter tube 310, in certain embodiments, is better suited for using the container 304 in an upside-down orientation, as if to pour the liquid of the container 304. A longer tube 310, however, that extends to an area near the bottom of the container 304, in certain embodiments, is better suited for using the container 304 in an upright orientation.
FIG. 5 is a side view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a hand sanitizer cap 500. The depicted embodiment illustrates a longitudinal axis 502 and a lateral axis 504. As described above with reference to FIGS. 1-4, the cap 500 may be formed having a plurality of bristles that form a brush 506. The brush 506, in the depicted embodiment, extends upward longitudinally from the base, or in other words, the brush 506 extends along the longitudinal axis 502. As mentioned previously, in certain embodiments, one or more guide members 206 (See FIGS. 2A and 2B) extend outward from the base along the lateral axis 504. A tube 514 extends from the container 510 to the cap 500 along the longitudinal axis 502. The tube 514, in the depicted embodiment, extends substantially to a bottom 526 of the container 510, so that an operator can dispense liquid from the container 510 in an upright position. In other embodiments, as described above, the tube 514 may extend to an upper area of the container 510 instead of to the bottom 526 of the container 510.
A slider assembly 508, in the depicted embodiment, is positionable along the longitudinal axis 502 between a first position and second position. In one embodiment, the slider assembly 508 and either the brush 506 or the tube 514 slide “up” and “down” in directions as illustrated by arrow 512. In an alternative embodiment, the slider assembly 508 may engage the body (illustrated here as the lower portion 528) by way of a helical ramp, helical slots, helical threading, or the like. As such, the slider assembly 508 may be rotated between the first and second positions.
The first and second positions are also referred to as a “fully extended” position and a “fully retracted” position. As used herein, the term “fully extended” refers to a position furthest away from the container 510. Similarly, the term “fully retracted” refers to Na position closest to the container 510.
FIGS. 1-4 describe various embodiments of hand sanitizer caps 100, 101 where the slider assembly 104, 308 and either the brush 202 or the tube 204, 310 are positionable between fully extended and retracted positions. In these embodiments, the tube 204, 310 may comprise a first opening located inside a container for drawing a liquid from the container and a second opening for dispensing the liquid. Liquid pathways, as described above, are selected according to the position of the slider assembly 104, 308.
In an alternative embodiment, the tube 514 may be formed having first 516, second 518, and third 520 openings. The first opening 516 is located within the container 510 and draws the liquid from the container 510. The second opening 518, in one example, is positioned near a base end 522 of the brush 506. The third opening 520 may be positioned near a tip end 524 of the brush 506. Liquid may follow liquid pathways, as described above, from the first opening 516 to either the base end 522 of the brush 506 through the second opening 518, or the tip end 524 of the brush 506 through the third opening 520.
FIG. 6A is a side view diagram illustrating a further embodiment 600 of a first liquid pathway 312. The depicted embodiment 600 is substantially similar to the embodiment 300 of FIG. 3, but in the depicted embodiment 600, the slider assembly 308 actuates the tube 310 to form the first liquid pathway 312, instead of actuating the brush 202. In the depicted embodiment 600, the guide member 206 couples the slider assembly 308 to the tube 310 so that the slider assembly 308 actuates the tube 310, moving the tube 310 upward and downward relative to the brush 202.
The slider assembly 308, in the depicted embodiment 600, is positioned so that an outlet of the tube 310 opens at the base end 314 of the brush 202 to provide hand sanitizer or another liquid to the brush 202. The slider assembly 308, as depicted, is also positioned so that the guide member 206 is against the base 200, directly above the base 200. In other embodiments, the guide member 206 may be disposed below the base 200, may pass through an opening in the base 200, or the like. In the depicted embodiment 600, the slider assembly 308 is in a fully retracted position, nearest the container 304, and the brush 202 is fully extended.
FIG. 6B is a side view diagram illustrating another embodiment 601 of a second liquid pathway 406. The depicted embodiment 601 is substantially similar to the embodiment 400 of FIG. 4, but with the slider assembly 308 actuating the tube 310 to form the second liquid pathway 406 instead of actuating the brush 202. In the embodiment 601 of FIG. 6B, the slider assembly 308 is in a fully extended position, furthest from the container 304, and the brush 202 is fully retracted within the slider assembly 308. The slider assembly 308, in the depicted embodiment 601, is positioned so that an outlet of the tube 310 opens at the distal tip end 404 of the brush 202. Dispensing hand sanitizer or another liquid through the tube 310, in the embodiment 601 of FIG. 6B bypasses the brush 202 to provide the liquid directly to a desired surface, such as the hand of an operator or the like.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a base configured to attach to an opening of a container, the container maintaining a liquid;

a tube extending from an interior of the container through the base, the tube having at least a first and a second liquid pathway; and

a fingernail brush coupled with the base, the fingernail brush and the tube having at least a first position and a second position relative to each other, the fingernail brush comprising bristles having a base end coupled to the base and a tip end distal to the base end, wherein one of the at least first and second liquid pathways is selected in response to selection of a position of the fingernail brush relative to the tube, the first pathway dispensing liquid at the base end of bristles and the second pathway dispensing liquid at the tip end of the bristles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fingernail brush is slideable between at least the first position and the second position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fingernail brush extends outward longitudinally from the base.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fingernail brush further comprises a guide member extending laterally from the base and shaped to guide the fingernail brush as the fingernail brush extends longitudinally.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a slot extending longitudinally from the base and configured to receive the guide member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fingernail brush is slideable to any point between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tube extends outward from the base to a distance substantially equivalent to a distance between the base end and the tip end of the fingernail brush when the fingernail brush is in a fully retracted position.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a flip top coupled to the base and configured to enclose the fingernail brush, the flip top configured to plug the first and second liquid pathways to prevent liquid from being dispensed when the flip top engages the tube.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tube further comprises a first opening inside the container for drawing liquid from the container, a second opening positioned near the base end of the fingernail brush, and a third opening positioned near the tip end of the fingernail brush, and wherein liquid is dispensed from one of the second or third openings in response to the position of the fingernail brush with reference to the base.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tube is slideable with the fingernail brush.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tube extends to a bottom of the container.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tube is slideable between at least the first position and the second position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the tube extends outward longitudinally from the base.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a sliding mechanism coupled to the tube and extending to a position external to the base, the sliding mechanism operable to slide the tube between at least the first position and the second position.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising an elongated slot in the base, wherein the sliding mechanism is coupled to the slot and the slot guides the sliding mechanism such that the tube extends between at least the first position and the second position.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a fingernail brush coupled with the base and slideable between at least a first position and a second position, the fingernail brush comprising bristles having a base end coupled to the base and a tip end distal to the base end, wherein one of the at least first and second liquid pathways is selected in response to the position of the fingernail brush, the first pathway dispensing liquid at the base end of bristles and the second pathway dispensing liquid at the tip end of the bristles.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the tube further comprises a first opening at a first end of the tube, the first opening located inside the container for drawing liquid from the container and a second opening located at a second end of the tube and positioned adjacent the fingernail brush such that liquid is dispensed to one of the base end of the fingernail brush or tip end of the fingernail brush in response to the position of the fingernail brush with reference to the base.

18. A system comprising:

a container for maintaining a liquid, the container having an opening;

a cap coupled to the opening, the cap comprising:

an elongated hollow body having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a base disposed within the body, the base having a guide member extending laterally from the base and engaging a slot formed in the body to allow the base to slide within the body;

a tube extending from an interior of the container through the base, the tube having at least a first and a second liquid pathway;

a fingernail brush coupled with the base and slideable between at least a first position and a second position, the fingernail brush comprising bristles having a base end coupled to the fingernail brush and a tip end distal to the base end, wherein one of the at least first and second liquid pathways is selected in response to the position of the fingernail brush, the first pathway dispensing liquid at the base end of bristles and the second pathway dispensing liquid at the tip end of the bristles; and

flip top coupled to the body and configured to enclose the fingernail brush and plug the first and second liquid pathways to prevent liquid from being dispensed when the flip top engages the tube.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the tube further comprises a first opening inside the container for drawing liquid from the container, a second opening positioned near the base end of the fingernail brush, and a third opening positioned near the tip end of the fingernail brush, and wherein liquid is dispensed from one of the second or third openings in response to the position of the fingernail brush with reference to the base.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the tube extends outward from the base to a distance substantially equivalent to a distance between the base and the tip end of the fingernail brush when the fingernail brush is in a fully retracted position.