Sanitizer for bathroom articles

• US 4,740,706 A
• Filed: 03/26/1986
• Issued: 04/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murdock Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Murdock Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Murdock, James O. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Church, Craig E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berman, Jack I.
• Application Number:
  US06/844,155
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 250/455.1, 250/454.1, 250/453.1, 422/24, 422/300, 422/291, 312/209
• US Class Current: 250/455.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation

Abstract

A sanitizer for bathroom articles such as toothbrushes includes a closeable housing having a rotatable rack therein for receiving the bathroom article, a sanitizing element such as a germicidal lamp within the housing to sanitize the bathroom article, and a drainage diaphragm located beneath the bathroom article to receive precipitated drainage fluid therefrom (under the force of gravity) and direct the same towards the peripheral portions of the housing due to the concave shape of the drainage diaphragm. Drainage holes located in the peripheral area of the housing pass drainage fluid from the housing directed thereto. Adjunct electrical devices, such as a radio, clock or a calculator may be contained within the housing.

Claims

1. A sanitizer for bathroom articles, comprising:

a closeable housing wherein said housing comprises a cylindrical body, a flat bottom, and a door;

storing means for storing at least one bathroom article in said housing;

sanitizing means for sanitizing the stored bathroom article; and

drainage means for venting by the force of gravity drainage fluid from the interior of said housing through a peripheral base portion of said housing.

2. A sanitizer as in claim 1, wherein

said sanitizing means comprises a germicidal lamp housed within said housing;

and

said cylindrical body has transparent portions to emit light from said housing produced by said lamp.

3. A sanitizer as in claim 2, wherein said germicidal lamp comprises an ultraviolet light fixture.

4. A sanitizer as in claim 1 wherein said storing means comprises a revolving circular plate mounted within said housing, said plate having peripheral clips for receiving and holding the bathroom articles to be stored, wherein said clips are at least two in number.

5. A sanitizer as in claim 4, wherein said clips are at least 6 in number.

6. A sanitizer as in claim 1, wherein

said drainage means comprises a cupped diaphragm located beneath said storing means within said housing, said diaphragm being concave downward with respect to gravity and having its outer rim everywhere in contact with said housing so as to seal off a bottom portion thereof from drainage fluid, and

said housing has included therein drainage holes in its peripheral base portion for passing from said housing drainage fluid directed thereto by said diaphragm.

7. A sanitizer as in claim 6, wherein said bottom portion of said housing has a plurality of cavities therein for housing adjunct self-contained electrical appliances such as a radio and clock with their associated control knobs exposed through to the exterior of said housing, and said bottom portion retains a retractable power cord adapted to supply necessary electric power to electrical appliances contained within said housing, including said sanitizing means.

8. A sanitizer as in claim 7, wherein said housing has raised feed on the bottom thereof and a speaker housed therein, said speaker being associated with said adjunct electrical appliances.

9. A sanitizer as in claim 1, wherein said storing means and said sanitizing means are mounted on a common upright post within said housing, with said sanitizing means being above said storing means with respect to gravity.

10. A sanitizer as in claim 4, wherein said circular plate has drainage passages therein to permit drainage fluid from stored bathroom articles to pass therethrough under the force of gravity.

11. A sanitizer as in claim 2, further comprising adjustable mounting means for selectively mounting said housing on a desired surface.

12. A sanitizer as in claim 3, wherein said housing has a bottom portion thereof which has a rechargeably battery for powering said sanitizing means, and said bottom portion is adapted to mate with a recharging base stand so as to recharge said rechargeable battery.

13. A device for housing and sanitizing bathroom articles, comprising:

a cylindrical body with a closeable door;

a storage rack mounted within said body for receiving bathroom articles;

a germicidal lamp mounted within said body for sanitizing received bathroom articles;

an upright support post for said rack and said lamp to be mounted thereon within said body, with said lamp being mounted above said rack; and

a curved drainage diaphragm in a bottom portion of said body for directing under the force of gravity drainage fluid from received bathroom articles to the periphery of said body,

drainage holes being formed in the periphery of said body for passing drainage fluids from said body directed thereto by said drainage diaphragm.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein at least a portion of said body is made of such a material to pass at least a portion of light generated by said germicidal lamp.

15. A device as in claim 13, wherein said body further comprises a transparent domed top to emit light therefrom produced by said germicidal lamp, thereby constituting a night light.

16. A device as in claim 13, wherein said body has contained in a base portion thereof beneath said diaphragm a radio and an electric clock, which are sealed off from drainage fluid by said diaphragm.

17. A device according to claim 13 wherein said body has contained therein a radio and an electric clock.

18. A device as in claim 13, further comprising means for selectively mounting said body on a desired surface.

19. A device as in claim 14, further comprising means for selectively mounting said body on a desired surface.

20. A toothbrush sanitizer, comprising:

a closeable housing;

storing means for storing at least one toothbrush in said housing;

sanitizing means for sanitizing said toothbrush; and

drainage means for venting by the force of gravity drainage fluid from the interior of said housing through a peripheral base portion of said housing.

21. A sanitizer as in claim 20, wherein said toothbrush includes registration means for securing said toothbrush in said storing means in a predefined relationship therewith to prevent bristles of said toothbrush from contacting foreign surfaces.

22. A toothbrush sanitizer, comprising:

a cylindrical body with a closeable door;

a storage rack mounted within said body for receiving a toothbrush;

a germicidal lamp mounted within said body for sanitizing received toothbrushes;

an upright support post for said rack and said lamp to be mounted thereon within said body, with said lamp being mounted above said rack; and

a curved drainage diaphragm in a bottom portion of said body for directing under the force of gravity drainage fluid from received toothbrushes to the periphery of said body,

drainage holes being formed in the periphery of said body for passing drainage fluids from said body directed thereto by said drainage diaphragm.

23. A toothbrush sanitizer, comprising:

a cylindrical body with a closeable door, at least a portion of said body being made of such a material to pass at least a portion of light generated by a germicidal lamp;

a storage rack mounted within said body for receiving at least one toothbrush;

a germicidal lamp mounted within said body for sanitizing received toothbrushes;

an upright support post for said rack and said lamp to be mounted thereon within said body, with said lamp being mounted above said rack; and

a curved drainage diaphragm in a bottom portion of said body for directing under the force of gravity drainage fluid from received toothbrushes to the periphery of said body,

drainage holes being formed in the periphery of said body for passing drainage fluids from said body directed thereto by said drainage diaphragm.