US2997210A

US2997210A - Combination toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser

Info

Publication number: US2997210A
Application number: US854049A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mackirdy Kathleen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-11-19
Filing date: 1959-11-19
Publication date: 1961-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1978-08-22

Description

Aug. 22, 1961 K. MaGKlRDY 2,997,210

COMBINATION TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER AND TOOTHPASTE' DISPENSER Filed Nov. 19, 1959 INVENTOR United States I atnt 2,997,210 COMBINATION TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER AND TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER Kathleen MacKirdy, Canadian Research & Development Foundation, 1434 Queen St. W., Toronto, Ontario,

Canada Filed Nov. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 854,049 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-93) This invention relates to improvements in toothbrush accessories and more particularly to a combination toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser.

It is normal practice to utilize a wall bracket in which a toothbrush is suspended during the period that such toothbrush is not in use. Such suspension means, leaves the toothbrush, and particularly the bristle portion of the toothbrush, subject to be being contaminated by dust, dirt etc., present in the surrounding air, making it necessary to clean the toothbrush before use.

Other toothbrush holders have been constructed, adapted to protect the bristle portion of the toothbrush against contamination of the surrounding air, such toothbrush holders normally consisting of a tubular container with an opening somewhat smaller than the bristled head of the toothbrush, through which the toothbrush is thrust, when it is required to be protected during the period that such toothbrush is not in use, and from which it is pulled out when required to be used. This thrusting in and pulling out operation tends to bend and deform the bristles of the toothbrush and will, upon the toothbrush being withdrawn in a still moist state, spray moisture on the hand of the person withdrawing the toothbrush from the holder.

It is normally thereafter necessary to find a toothpaste tube, unscrew the cap thereof, and after expelling the toothpaste, rescrew the cap on the toothpaste tube and put this away, these operations having the disadvantage of being time consuming, and carrying with them the possibility of mislaying the toothpaste tube or requiring extra space in which such tube can be placed.

It is an object of this invention to provide a combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser that may be attached to a wall or in a cupboard by conventional means, such as adhesive, screws, etc.

It is another object to provide a combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser that will permit quick insertion and suspension of the toothbrush, yet will not deform the bristles thereof.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser adapted to contain disinfectant means for disinfection of the toothbrush bristles and head portion.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser supplied with adequate ventilating means adapted to permit moisture from the bristles to dry, yet at the same time, adapted to protect the bristles against contamination by dusty air, etc.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a combination toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser that incorporates alignment means adapted to align two or more similar toothbrush holders adjacent to each other, ensuring that their body portions are parallel to each other and top edges level with each other.

It is another object of this invention to provide a combined toothbrush holder and toothbrush dispenser in which a conventional toothpaste tube may be inserted and held by its threaded neck portion.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser that incorporates automatic closure means for the toothpaste Patented Aug. 22, 1961 ice adapted to prevent toothpaste drying at the toothpaste exit and clogging up the orifice thereof.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser, that is readily detachable from the portion thereof, that is attached to the wall etc., whereby the detachable part may be transported during travel etc., providing the same facilities as are inherent when it is attached to the bracket portion.

These and other objects of features of this invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the following drawings: I

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of one configuration of a combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser embodied in this invention.

FIG. 2 is a part sectional side elevation of the combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a reversed plan view of the combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser is shown comprising a bracket portion 1 attached to a fastening plate 2, bracket portion 1 being of a hollow, dome shaped configuration having, located within the dome, slotted attachrnent means 3 of conventional bayonet closure configuration. A body portion 4 of tubular configuration is adapted to have its top end inserted into dome shaped cavity 5 of bracket portion 1, and locked therein by means of bayonet lock lugs 6.

Backing plate 2 is adapted to be attached to a wall or the like by adhesive means, or by screws inserted through screw holes 7 into a wall. The lower portion of body portion 4 shown at 8 is folded inwards and upwards internally of body portion 4, the cavity between outer wall of body portion 4 and inner lip 9 of lower portion 8 creating a channel 10 in which absorbent cotton 11 or the like may be located, adapted to be saturated with disinfectant material. I

A portion of the circumference of lip 9 is cut out to a radial depth reaching to inner surface of outer wall of body portion 4, creating cut out portion 12 adapted to permit a toothbrush to be inserted through hole 13 containing cut out portion 12, the bristles 14 being permitted to enter the cut out portion 12 of lip 9 thereby preventing disfigurement of bristles 14 upon insertion and extraction thereof from body portion 4.

An extension arm 15, located at the lower end of body portion 4, contains at its outer extremity 16 an internal thread 17, adapted to fit the conventional thread located on neck of conventional toothpaste tube 18. Thread 17 being adapted to receive a portion of external thread 19 of toothpaste tube 18, and to create a seal between the toothpaste tube and extension arm portion 16 upon external thread 19 being screwed partway into internal thread 17.

A toothpaste orifice 20, located on lower surface of extension 15 is connected to the internal opening of toothpaste tube 18, and is supplied with a spring actuated clo- .sure cap 21, located externally of orifice 20, hinged in a groove 22, located at one side of orifice 20, and held in place in closed position by spring 23, adapted to maintain orifice 20 closed with closure cap 21, at times in which no internal pressure within tube '18 tends to press toothpaste out of tube 18, yet permits closure cap 21 to open sufiiciently upon pressure being applied to paste in pastetube 18 by external pressure means thereon, to permit paste to protrude from orifice 20 onto for instance a toothbrush.

Ventilation holes 24 are provided in lower portion of channel 10 adapted to admit air to disinfection material located in channel 10, permitting disinfectant fumes to surround the bristle portion 14 of brush 25, thereby sani+ tizing such bristles. Ventilation holes 26 are located in upper portion 4 adapted to permit ventilation of internal cavity of body portion 4 in order to permit drying action of wet toothbrush etc.

The embodiments oi the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. A combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser comprising a bracket, having one flat plate portion adapted to be attached to a wall, said bracket having a cavity adapted to receive a substantially cylindrical, hollow body portion, female bayonet fastening means located within said cavity adapted to interlock with male bayonet fastening means, located on said body portion, an arm extending substantially radially of said body portion, female screw thread means located within upper surface of said arm adapted to removably receive male thread of a conventional toothpaste tube, orifice means located in lower surface of said arm, said orifice means being connected internally of said arm to internal cavity of said female thread means, aperture means located at lower end of said body portion adapted to receive bristled end of a toothbrush into hollow portion of said body portion, and holding means adapted to suspend said bristled end within said body portion.

2. A combined toothbrush holder and toothpaste dispenser as claimed in claim 1, in which said aperture means is of sufficiently elongated configuration to permit insertion of said bristled end Without disfiguration of the bristles of said bristled end, the narrow dimension of said elongated aperture being adapted to suspend said bristled end within said body upon said bristled end being turned substantially 90 after said insertion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,775,989 Jensen Jan. 1, 1957