WO1998010903A1

WO1998010903A1 - Devices for indicating usage of an article

Info

Publication number: WO1998010903A1
Application number: PCT/IE1997/000063
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edward O'neill; Michael James Holmes
Original assignee: Neill Edward O; Michael James Holmes
Priority date: 1996-09-16
Filing date: 1997-09-16
Publication date: 1998-03-19
Also published as: AU4635897A; IES72108B2

Abstract

A device (1, 10) for indicating usage of an article (3) having an elongate handle is provided. The device comprises a rotatable wheel (5, 15), which is divided into a pre-determined number of segments, each of which bears indicia. The wheel (5, 15) has an engaging means (8) for engaging the handle of the article and a stop means (7, 17) for limiting the degree of rotation of the wheel. The device (1, 10) also include a window (6, 16) through which the indicia on a segment can be viewed. When the handle of the article (3) is inserted in the device, the handle co-operates with the engaging means (8) to cause the wheel (5, 15) to rotate by an amount corresponding to one of the segments, the degree of rotation being limited by the stop means. The device (1, 10) is used to display to a user the number of times the article has been used or the number of uses remaining.

Description

DEVICES FOR INDICATING USAGE OF AN ARTICLE

The present invention concerns improvements in and relating to devices for indicating usage of an article.

A device for indicating the number of uses of a disposable razor is disclosed in U.S. Patent Specification No. 5,062,209. This device comprises tabs integrally formed on the handle of the disposable razor. The tabs are bendable about a pivot line from a first position which indicates non-use and a second position indicating one use. There are indicia associated with each tab so that the number of uses can be seen by the number of tabs bent over into the second position.

The disadvantages of this device are that the user has to remember to bend over a tab after completing a shave and tabs may get bent over unintentionally since they are arranged along the handle and the user may accidently bend one or more while holding the handle.

The present invention seeks to alleviate the above disadvantages .

Accordingly, the present invention provides a device for indicating usage of an article having an elongate handle, the device comprising: a rotatable wheel, the wheel being divided into a pre-determined number of indicia-bearing segments and including engaging means for engaging the handle of the article; stop means for limiting the degree of rotation of the wheel; and a window through which the indicia on a segment can be viewed, in which the handle of the article co-operates with the engaging means to cause the wheel to rotate by an amount corresponding to one of the segments, the degree of rotation being limited by the stop means so that the wheel rotates stepwise on each occasion the article handle is either inserted into or retracted from the device.

In a first aspect, the wheel includes cam surfaces arranged about its circumference and the stop means comprises a stop element biased to engage recesses between the cam surfaces.

In the first aspect, the engaging means for engaging the handle of the article comprises a plurality of rods extending radially along the rear of the wheel. Preferably, the rods are mounted pivotally on the rear of the wheel.

In a second aspect, the wheel comprises a ratchet wheel and the stop means comprises a pawl adapted to prevent motion of the wheel against the insertion of the article handle into the handle engaging means.

In the second aspect, the engaging means comprises at least one gripping element operable to accept the article handle upon insertion of the article into the device.

The or each gripping element rotates the wheel an amount corresponding to one segment when the article handle is retracted from the device.

The article comprises, for example, a disposable razor or a toothbrush.

The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only, two embodiments of the device of the present invention. In the drawings :

Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of the device;

Figure 2 is a front view of the first embodiment of the device showing hidden detail; and

Figure 3 is a front view of a second embodiment of the device .

Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the first embodiment of the device 1 comprises a first compartment 2 and a second compartment 4. The first compartment 2 is for holding an article such as a razor 3 currently in use and the second compartment 4 is for storing at least one unused razor (not shown) . A user replaces the razor 3 currently in use when the razor has become blunt through use. The compartment 2 containing the current razor 3 includes a wheel 5 which is divided into a number of segments of equal size, the number of segments chosen for the wheel corresponding to the number of uses recommended for the article before it is replaced. Each segment is provided with appropriate indicia such as a message or a number.

In the illustrated embodiment, eight segments are provided on the wheel 5 and a window 6 is provided in the front of the device 1 to allow the indicia on an aligned segment to be viewed therethrough.

The wheel 5 includes cam surfaces 5a about its circumference which define recesses 5b therebetween into which a stop element 7 is biased to engage. As illustrated in Figure 2, rods 8 are mounted on the rear surface of the wheel 6 and extend radially from the axis of rotation of the wheel 5. One rod 8 is provided for each segment. When the handle of an article 3 abuts one of the rods 8, it rotates the wheel 5 an amount corresponding to the displacement of one segment by the adjacent segment. To ensure the rod 8a of an adjacent segment does not engage the handle out of sequence, each rod 8 is pivotally mounted on the wheel 5 and is limited to an angle of 45° through which it may move.

As shown in Figure 1 , a first segment on the wheel 5 is positioned so that the indicia, in this case the word "NEW", is visible through the window 6. This indicates that a new razor 3 is to be placed into the first compartment 2 (from the second compartment 4) to replace a used razor (not shown) . When the used razor is removed, a rod 8a mounted on the rear of the adjacent segment falls into the path of the new razor 3. This rod 8a previously rested against the side of the handle of the old razor until it was removed allowing the rod to move downwardly by up to 45°.

When the new razor 3 is placed in the compartment 2, the handle of the razor 3 abuts the rod 8a and downward pressure by the user on the razor 3 forces the wheel to rotate. The rotation of the wheel 5 is limited by the stop element 7 which rides up over one cam surface 5a and engages the adjacent recess 5b. When the wheel 5 is again forced to turn under action of the razor handle bearing down on a subsequent rod 8b, the stop element 7 slides out of the recess 5b and travels over the cam surfaces 5a until it engages another recess 5b. As the stop element is biased to the recesses 5b, the wheel is forced to stop in a position where the indicia of the corresponding segment is visible through the window 6.

Each time the current razor is replaced in the first compartment 2, the handle of the razor 3 abuts a rod 8 and pushes the rod downwardly causing the wheel 5 to move by a pre-determined amount corresponding to the number of segments on the wheel 5. Every time the wheel moves, the indicia on the subsequent segment becomes visible through the window 6 thereby indicating the number of times the razor has been replaced in its compartment after use.

Referring now to Figure 3, a second embodiment of device 10, similar to the first embodiment 1, again comprises first 12 and second 14 compartments for holding a current article 3 and unused articles (not shown), respectively. The first compartment 12 is provided with a wheel 15 divided into segments of equal size, as before.

The wheel 15 comprises a ratchet wheel having a number of teeth 15a, the number corresponding to the number of segments on the wheel 15, and a pawl 17 biased to engage the teeth 15a. In this arrangement, the wheel 15 is adapted to rotate in the opposite direction to the wheel 5 of the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the article handle engaging means comprises a series of gripping elements (not shown) mounted on the rear of the wheel . As the handle is pushed into the compartment 2, the pawl 17 prevents the wheel from rotating and the handle is caught by one of the gripping elements. When the handle is retracted, the wheel 15 rotates and the pawl 17 travels over the curved back of the adjacent ratchet tooth 15b. The angle of the handle with respect to the gripping element forces the element to release the handle and the paw 17 catches the adjacent tooth 15b.

The above arrangement is optionally modified so that only one gripping element disposed adjacent the wheel is provided, the element including a wheel actuator mechanism to ensure the wheel is rotated when the article handle is retracted.

In this embodiment, the indicia of the first segment on the wheel 15, as seen through the window 16, indicates that the existing article, in this case a razor 3, needs to be replaced. A razor which has just been used for the first time is inserted into the gripping element. When the razor is next retracted the wheel 15 rotates to indicate that seven uses of the recommended eight uses remain.

It will be seen that the two embodiments described above can be used on any article having an elongate handle. The invention can be used for example for toothbrushes which some dental professionals recommend should be replaced aft thirty uses. The wheel 5,15 and the window 6,16 are easily adapted for use with thirty segments.

The invention can be adapted for use for monitoring the use of a toothbrush to ensure children are brushing their teeth regularly. For example, a fourteen segment wheel (not shown) may indicate AM and PM brushing for each day in a week.

Where the device is used for a toothbrush a second compartment for storing new toothbrushes may be omitted.

In the embodiments described above for use with razors, the device has the following dimensions:

Height 10 cm (4 inches)

Width 15 cm (6 inches)

Depth 5 cm ( 2 inches)

Uses of the device

1. To display to a user the exact number of times the current article has been used or the number of uses remaining .

2. To store articles in a unit made of a plastics material which may include an adhesive strip at the back of the device for conveniently locating in a bathroom.

3. To notify a user that the current article has been used as many times as the manufacturers' recommend and that the current article should now be replaced.

4. To monitor the use of an article by others to assist in or enforce a regime.

It should be understood that the above embodiments can be used to indicate the number of uses of any item having a handle which can engage the respective engagement means 8 at the rear of the wheel 5,15 and cause the wheel to turn.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A device for indicating usage of an article having an elongate handle, the device comprising: a rotatable wheel, the wheel being divided into a pre-determined number of indicia-bearing segments and including engaging means for engaging the handle of the article; stop means for limiting the degree of rotation of the wheel; and a window through which the indicia on a segment can be viewed, in which the handle of the article co-operates with the engaging means to cause the wheel to rotate by an amount corresponding to one of the segments, the degree of rotation being limited by the stop means so that the wheel rotates stepwise on each occasion the article handle is either inserted into or retracted from the device.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the wheel includes cam surfaces arranged about its circumference and the stop means comprises a stop element biased to engage recesses between the cam surfaces.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the engaging means for engaging the handle of the article comprises a plurality of rods extending radially along the rear of the wheel.

4. A device according to claim 3, in which the rods are mounted pivotally on the rear of the wheel.

5. A device according to claim 1, in which the wheel comprises a ratchet wheel and the stop means comprises a pawl adapted to prevent motion of the wheel against the insertion of the article handle into the handle engaging means.

6. A device according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 5 in which the engaging means comprises at least one gripping element operable to accept the article handle upon insertion of the article into the device.

7. A device according to claim 6, in which the or each gripping element rotates the wheel an amount corresponding to one segment when the article handle is retracted from the device.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article comprises a disposable razor or a toothbrush.

9. A device for indicating usage of an article substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.