Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D35/00—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor
  • B65D35/24—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor with auxiliary devices
  • B65D35/32—Winding keys
  • B65D35/34—Winding keys connected to, or associated with, tube holders

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to the sector of accessories for oral hygiene and refers particularly to a toothpaste dispensing device.
• the invention also concerns an oral hygiene kit including said dispensing device.
• WO 97/00818 discloses a device for squeezing a flexible tube containing a paste, such as toothpaste, essentially intended for installation in a vertical position and comprising a squeeze roller engaged on longitudinal toothed guides extending along a base serving as a support for the flexible tube, which, in operation, is placed between the base and the squeeze roller.
• a handle is provided coaxial to the roller. The handle is connected to eccentric weights inside the roller that return the handle to its upwards rotated position after each use.
• the handle is associated with an arm ending with a retaining pawl suitable for engaging in a toothed profile extending circumferentially inside the squeeze roller to prevent any free rotation of the roller.
• WO 2004/066784 discloses a toothpaste dispenser again intended for installation in a vertical position, wherein the flexible tube containing the toothpaste is placed between a squeeze roller and an opposing surface.
• the roller can slide longitudinally inside the seat containing the tube, driven by a toothed rod elastically sliding inside said seat, on which a roller retaining pawl engages.
• the rod ends with an outer button, which, when it is pressed, induces a sliding action of the rod and a consequent sliding of the roller which causes the tube squeezing.
• the pressure on the outer button is released, the roller remains in the position it has reached because the retaining pawl slides along the toothed rod, which returns elastically to its starting position without engaging with said rod.
• WO 01/98163 discloses another toothpaste squeezing device with a housing in which the tube is placed and a cursor sliding internally along a motorized worm screw.
• the cursor has a slot in which the tube engages and its sliding motion induced by the rotation of the worm screw compresses and squeezes the tube of paste.
• WO 03/072450 which concerns a squeezing device, again intended for installation in a vertical position, comprising a tube supporting element and an outer cover that is pressed to compress the tube against a wall of the supporting element and thereby squeeze the tube.
• This device has a limited squeezing efficiency because the force exerted on the tube is distributed over its whole surface and as a consequence the force that the user must apply to empty the tube completely is relatively great.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a device for dispensing toothpaste from a flexible tube containing said paste that is simple and efficient in structural terms and that the user can operate effortlessly and with ease.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an oral hygiene kit that includes the toothpaste dispensing device according to the invention, together with all the accessories needed to clean the teeth and the oral cavity.
• a device for dispensing toothpaste from a flexible tube containing said paste which comprises a winding roller with means for removably retaining the rear end of the tube and suitable for winding the tube around itself as a result of a rotation around its own axis, during which the tube is passed between said roller and an opposing element, and pressed against the latter so as to squeeze the toothpaste from its open end.
• a dispensing device of the above-described type in which the winding roller is revolvingly supported by a supporting structure inside a tubular housing fixed to said supporting structure.
• the tubular housing has a longitudinal front opening and an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the roller facing said opening, thus defining an annular chamber therebetween that is wide enough to contain the tube after it has been compressed and wound up.
• the means for removably attaching the tube to the roller are such that, when the roller is turned, the tube is forced to pass between said roller and the opposing element, thus being compressed and wound around said roller, and thereby making a quantity of toothpaste emerge from the opposite end of the tube corresponding to the extent of rotation imparted on the roller.
• an oral hygiene kit comprises the above- mentioned dispensing device and at least one toothbrush inserted in a holder integrally attached to the tubular housing, a container for interdental brushes and the related accessories, a container for dental floss and a container for mouthwash, said containers being removably attached to the dispensing device.
• figure 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing device according to the present invention
• figure 2 is a side elevation view of the dispensing device of figure 1
• figure 3 is a top plan view from above of the dispensing device of figure 1
• figure 4 is a front view of the dispensing device of figure 1
• - figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-section of the dispensing device taken along line V-V of figure 4
• figure 6 is an exploded view of the dispensing device of figure 1
• figure 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the dispensing device according to the present invention
• - figure 8 is a perspective view of the dispensing device of figure 7 in a closed condition
• figure 9 is a front view of the dispensing device of figure 7
• figure 10 is a side view of the dispensing device of figure 7 in a closed
• the dispensing device comprises a supporting frame 1, consisting in the present embodiment of a base 2, a pair of sides 3 rising parallel to one another from the base 2 and a rear wall 4 rising from the base 2 and attached to the two sides 3.
• the supporting frame 1 contains an assembly, generally indicated by the numeral 5, for squeezing a tube containing a substance of pasty consistency, such as toothpaste (not shown in the figures) .
• the squeezing assembly 5 comprises a winding roller 6, with its ends connected to two wheels 7 revolvingly supported by the sides 3 of the supporting frame 1, the axis of the roller 6 being perpendicular to the sides 3.
• the squeezing assembly 5 also comprises an opposing roller 8, positioned underneath the winding roller 6 and revolvingly supported by two shoulders 9 extending upwards from the base 2, parallel to the sides 3.
• the winding roller 6 is arranged in a housing 10 of substantially tubular shape with a wide front window 11, from where two arms 12 extend to support the tube.
• the housing 10 is anchored to the base 2 by means of a wall 13 perpendicular to the base and ending with a foot 14 that can be attached with a screw to the base 2.
• housing 10 can be fixed to base 2 by any other functionally equivalent means, for example of the snap fit type.
• the term “front” is intended as the side of the squeezing assembly 5 occupied by the tube, while “rear” is the opposite side.
• the winding roller 6 has a pocket 15 formed along a generatrix on its surface and shaped so as to contain the generally flattened, rear end of the tube that remains attached, albeit removably, to the roller 6 due to the moderate force required to insert said rear end in the pocket 15.
• the tube rests on the arms 12, as shown n figure 2.
• the two wheels 7 are integrally connected to the winding roller 6 by means of their axial sleeves 16, which engage in at the ends of the roller. As shown in figures 5 and 6, the two sleeves 16 have a substantially C-shaped cross-section that replicates the inside profile of the roller 6 in line with the pocket 15. The engagement of the pocket 15 in the sleeves 16 also prevents any angular displacement between the roller 6 and the wheels 7.
• respective toothed wheels 17 positioned on the inner side of the wheels 7 are provided. Toothed wheels 17 engage with corresponding toothed wheels 18 situated at the ends of the opposing roller 8 and coaxial therewith. Respective pins 19 extend from the opposite, outer side of the wheels 7 and snap engage revolvingly inside seats 20 formed on the inner surface of the sides 3 of the supporting frame 1. Thus, when the wheels 7 are rotated, the winding roller 6 and the opposing roller 8 are turned in opposite directions.
• the seats 20 are formed at the end of a respective channel 21, the depth of which is tapered from the upper edge of the sides 3 towards the seats 20.
• the free ends of the pins 19 can slide in their respective channels 21 to snap engage in the seats 20.
• the relative flexibility of the sides 3 is exploited to engage and disengage the pins 19 in and from the seats 20 (should the squeezing assembly 5 need to be removed from the supporting frame 1) .
• the outer diameter of the winding roller 6 is considerably lower than the inner diameter of the tubular housing 10, to define an annular chamber 22 therebetween, as shown in figure 5, that is wide enough to contain several turns of the squeezed tube wrapped around the roller 6.
• the tube engaged with its rear end in the pocket 15 in the roller 6 is entrained between the roller 6 and the cylinder 8, rotating in opposite directions, and forced to pass therebetween.
• the tube is compressed and a dose of toothpaste proportional to the angular displacement imparted to the wheels 7 is squeezed from the open end of the tube, while a corresponding length of the tube is wound around the roller 6.
• the wheels 7 have a toothed or knurled profile, for example as shown in the figures, that can be grasped with the palm of the hand or also using the fingers inserted between adjacent teeth.
• the dispensing device can advantageously include means for containing instruments for use in dental hygiene.
• means for containing instruments for use in dental hygiene for supporting a toothbrush, or two toothbrushes (as in the case illustrated) , two brush-covering sheaths 23 attached to a rod 24 supported by fins 25 extending above the tubular housing 10 are provided.
• the brushed end of the toothbrush is inserted in the sheaths 23, which thus avoids it being exposed to the environment when not in use, while the handle of the toothbrush extends forward above the tube so that it is easy to reach.
• the rod 24 has longitudinal grooves in which a ribbing 26 extending from the tubular housing 10 along the wings 25 engages.
• the ribbing 26 can be inserted in different grooves, thereby varying the inclination of the sheaths 23 and consequently also of the toothbrush handles to adapt to the user's different needs.
• Elastic means e.g. elastic flaps (not shown), can be provided at the inlet side of the sheaths 23 to press laterally against the toothbrushes and thus prevent them from being accidentally removed.
• the pocket 15 can advantageously have a shaped inlet opening (not shown) to facilitate the insertion of tubes of toothpaste with rear ends of a complementary shape.
• the above-described dispensing device can be supported either on the base 2 or the rear wall 4 , depending on the space available.
• the supporting element in which the squeezing assembly 5 is installed consists of the movable part 30a of a container, generally indicated at 30 and intended for attaching to a wall with its fixed part 30b.
• the movable part 30a is hinged to one side of the fixed part 30b so that, when the container 30 is opened, the movable part moves to a substantially horizontal position.
• the arms 12 of the squeezing assembly are also substantially horizontal, whereas they are substantially vertical when the container is closed.
• the squeezing assembly 5 comprises the same components and functions in the same way as the one previously described.
• the movable part 30a of the container 30 comprises a rear wall 31, the free edge of which is hinged to the fixed part 30b, said rear wall 31 being formed with ribbing 32 on its outer surface for abutting on the wall to which the container is attached, whereby ensuring the proper positioning of the movable part 30a in the substantially horizontal position.
• a snap fit closure 33 (or other, equivalent means) enables the movable part 30a to be removably connected to the fixed part 30b of the container 30.
• the fixed part 30b advantageously contains useful accessories for dental and oral hygiene, such as dental floss, interdental brushes and related accessories, blister packs containing spare parts, etc, attached to its front wall 34, as shown in figure 9, while the holders for one or more interdental brushes are provided (but not shown) inside the fixed part 30a.
• a bottle for mouthwash 36 is also provided in the base 35 of the movable part 30a and is arranged between the base 35 and the arms 12 of the squeezing assembly 5.
• an oral hygiene kit comprises the toothpaste dispensing assembly, toothbrushes, dental floss, interdental brushes with the related accessories and a mouthwash, all inside a compact and optionally portable, ready and easy to use set .
• the device according to the invention may also be motorized, by applying a preferably battery-powered motor of limited dimensions to the axis of the squeezing roller 6.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Brushes (AREA)
• Cosmetics (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39620327

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (1)

Citations (15)

• 2007
  • 2007-03-16 IT IT000065A patent/ITFI20070065A1/it unknown
• 2008
  • 2008-03-13 AT AT08719668T patent/ATE508672T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2008-03-13 WO PCT/IB2008/050913 patent/WO2008114173A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-03-13 EP EP08719668A patent/EP2134223B1/en not_active Not-in-force

Patent Citations (15)

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