Toothpaste dispensing device

• US 6,474,509 B1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Prince, Prince, Suzanne
• Original Assignee: John Prince, Prince, Suzanne
• Inventors: Prince, Suzanne, Prince, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Derakshani, Philippe
• Application Number:
  US10/171,938
• Time in Patent Office: 144 Days
• Field of Search: 222/100
• US Class Current: 222/100
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 35/34 connected to, or associated with, tube holders

Abstract

A toothpaste dispensing device for dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste. The toothpaste dispensing device includes a housing comprises a perimeter wall defining an interior space of the housing. The housing comprises an access aperture extending through the perimeter wall whereby the access aperture is designed for permitting access into the interior space of the housing. A delivery assembly extends through the perimeter wall of the housing. The delivery assembly is designed for being coupled to a dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste. The delivery assembly is designed for transferring toothpaste squeezed from the tube of toothpaste through the perimeter wall of the housing. A dispensing assembly extends through the perimeter wall of the housing. The dispensing assembly is designed for being coupled to a crimped end of the tube of toothpaste whereby actuation of the dispensing assembly squeezes toothpaste into the delivery assembly.

Claims

1. A toothpaste dispensing device for dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste, the toothpaste dispensing device comprising:

a housing comprising a perimeter wall, said perimeter wall of said housing defining a n interior space of said housing, said housing comprising an access aperture extending through said perimeter wall such that said access aperture is adapted for permitting insertion of the tube of toothpaste into said interior space of said housing, said housing being adapted for being secured to a support surface;

a delivery assembly extending through said perimeter wall of said housing, said delivery assembly being adapted for being coupled to a dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste when said tube of toothpaste is positioned in said interior space of said housing, said delivery assembly being adapted for transferring toothpaste squeezed from the tube of toothpaste through said perimeter wall of said housing to be used by a user; and

a dispensing assembly extending through said perimeter wall of said housing, said dispensing assembly being adapted for being coupled to a crimped end of the tube of toothpaste such that actuation of said dispensing assembly by the user squeezes toothpaste from the tube of toothpaste into said delivery assembly.

2. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

said housing comprising a door member, said door member being hingably coupled to said perimeter wall adjacent said access aperture of said housing, said door member being for selectively closing said access aperture for restricting access to said interior space of said housing when said door member is positioned over said access aperture of said housing.

3. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

said interior space of said housing comprising an open top end, said open top end of said interior space being adapted for permitting water to be introduced into said interior space for washing the interior space of the housing.

4. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a cap member selectively engaging said housing adjacent said open top end of said interior space of said housing, said cap member being for selectively closing said open top end of said interior space of said housing for restricting access to said interior space through said open top end of said interior space of said housing when said cap member engages said housing.

5. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

said delivery assembly comprising a conduit portion, said conduit portion extending through said perimeter wall of said housing, said conduit portion is adapted for coupling to the dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste such that toothpaste from the tube of toothpaste progresses through a lumen of said conduit portion to exit said housing when said toothpaste is squeezed from the tube of toothpaste.

6. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

said conduit portion of said delivery assembly comprising a proximal end, said conduit portion having a plurality of threads positioned in said lumen of said conduit at said proximal end of said conduit such that said proximal end of said conduit is adapted for threadably engaging the dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste.

7. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

said delivery assembly comprising a cover portion, said cover portion selectively engaging a distal end of said conduit opposite the tube of toothpaste, said cover portion being adapted for preventing dispensation of the toothpaste from said lumen of said conduit when said cover portion is engaged to said distal end of said conduit.

8. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

said cover portion of said delivery assembly comprising a cup member and a tether member, said cup member slidably receiving said distal end of said conduit in said cup member for inhibiting dispensing of toothpaste from said lumen of said conduit, said tether member selectively engaging said conduit and being coupled to said cup member such that said tether member secures said cup member to said conduit for preventing accidental loss of said cup member.

9. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

said delivery assembly comprising a securing plate, said securing plate being slidably inserted into said interior space of said housing, said conduit being coupled to said securing plate, said securing plate being adapted for selectively engaging the dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste such that the dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste extends through said securing plate and is engaged by said conduit, said securing plate being adapted for securing the tube of toothpaste in said interior space of said housing.

10. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

said dispensing assembly comprising a rod portion, said rod portion extending through a pair of diametrically opposed slots in said housing, said rod portion comprising a slit adapted for permitting the crimped end of the tube of toothpaste to extend through said rod portion such that the tube of toothpaste is wound around said rod portion when said rod portion is rotated with respect to said housing.

11. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

said dispensing assembly comprising a plurality of handle members, each of said handle members being coupled to said rod portion such that one of said handle members is positioned opposite the other of said handle members, each of said handle members being adapted for being engaged by a hand of the user such that said handle members are for facilitating rotation of said rod portion by the user.

12. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

said dispensing assembly comprising a plurality of indexing assemblies, each of said indexing assemblies being coupled to said housing such that each of said indexing assemblies is positioned in said interior space of said housing adjacent one of said slots in said housing, each of said indexing assemblies selectively engaging said rod portion for inhibiting inadvertent sliding in said slot of said housing.

13. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

each of said indexing assemblies comprising an indexing member, a side of said indexing member engaging said rod portion such that said index member is for restricting inadvertent movement of said rod portion past said indexing member when said rod portion is positioned between said indexing member of an associated one of said indexing assemblies and said indexing member of an adjacent one of said indexing assemblies.

14. The toothpaste dispensing device as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

each of said indexing assemblies comprising a receiving portion and a biasing member, said receiving portion slidably receiving said indexing member of the associated one of said indexing assemblies such that said receiving portion maintains alignment of said indexing member of the associated one of said indexing assemblies with respect to the associated one of said slots of said housing, said biasing member being coupled between said receiving portion and said indexing member of the associated one of said indexing assemblies such that said biasing member biases said indexing member away from a rear wall of said receiving portion towards the associated one of said slots of said housing.

15. A toothpaste dispensing device for dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste, the toothpaste dispensing device comprising:

a housing comprising a perimeter wall, said perimeter wall of said housing defining an interior space of said housing, said housing comprising an access aperture extending through said perimeter wall such that said access aperture is adapted for permitting insertion of the tube of toothpaste into said interior space of said housing, said housing being adapted for being secured to a support surface;

a delivery assembly extending through said perimeter wall of said housing, said delivery assembly being adapted for being coupled to a dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste when said tube of toothpaste is positioned in said interior space of said housing, said delivery assembly being adapted for transferring toothpaste squeezed from the tube of toothpaste through said perimeter wall of said housing to be used by a user;

a dispensing assembly extending through said perimeter wall of said housing, said dispensing assembly being adapted for being coupled to a crimped end of the tube of toothpaste such that actuation of said dispensing assembly by the user squeezes toothpaste from the tube of toothpaste into said delivery assembly;

said housing comprising a door member, said door member being hingably coupled to said perimeter wall adjacent said access aperture of said housing, said door member being for selectively closing said access aperture for restricting access to said interior space of said housing when said door member is positioned over said access aperture of said housing;

said interior space of said housing comprising an open top end, said open top end of said interior space being adapted for permitting water to be introduced into said interior space for washing the interior space of the housing;

a cap member selectively engaging said housing adjacent said open top end of said interior space of said housing, said cap member being for selectively closing said open top end of said interior space of said housing for restricting access to said interior space through said open top end of said interior space of said housing when said cap member engages said housing;

said delivery assembly comprising a conduit portion, said conduit portion extending through said perimeter wall of said housing, said conduit portion is adapted for coupling to the dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste such that toothpaste from the tube of toothpaste progresses through a lumen of said conduit portion to exit said housing when said toothpaste is squeezed from the tube of toothpaste;

said conduit portion of said delivery assembly comprising a proximal end, said conduit portion having a plurality of threads positioned in said lumen of said conduit at said proximal end of said conduit such that said proximal end of said conduit is adapted for threadably engaging the dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste;

said delivery assembly comprising a cover portion, said cover portion selectively engaging a distal end of said conduit opposite the tube of toothpaste, said cover portion being adapted for preventing dispensation of the toothpaste from said lumen of said conduit when said cover portion is engaged to said distal end of said conduit;

said cover portion of said delivery assembly comprising a cup member and a tether member, said cup member slidably receiving said distal end of said conduit in said cup member for inhibiting dispensing of toothpaste from said lumen of said conduit, said tether member selectively engaging said conduit and being coupled to said cup member such that said tether member secures said cup member to said conduit for preventing accidental loss of said cup member;

said delivery assembly comprising a securing plate, said securing plate being slidably inserted into said interior space of said housing, said conduit being coupled to said securing plate, said securing plate being adapted for selectively engaging the dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste such that the dispensing end of the tube of toothpaste extends through said securing plate and is engaged by said conduit, said securing plate being adapted for securing the tube of toothpaste in said interior space of said housing;

said dispensing assembly comprising a rod portion, said rod portion extending through a pair of diametrically opposed slots in said housing, said rod portion comprising a slit adapted for permitting the crimped end of the tube of toothpaste to extend through said rod portion such that the tube of toothpaste is wound around said rod portion when said rod portion is rotated with respect to said housing;

said dispensing assembly comprising a plurality of handle members, each of said handle members being coupled to said rod portion such that one of said handle members is positioned opposite the other of said handle members, each of said handle members being adapted for being engaged by a hand of the user such that said handle members are for facilitating rotation of said rod portion by the user;

said dispensing assembly comprising a plurality of indexing assemblies, each of said indexing assemblies being coupled to said housing such that each of said indexing assemblies is positioned in said interior space of said housing adjacent one of said slots in said housing, each of said indexing assemblies selectively engaging said rod portion for inhibiting inadvertent sliding in said slot of said housing;

each of said indexing assemblies comprising an indexing member, a side of said indexing member engaging said rod portion such that said index member is for restricting inadvertent movement of said rod portion past said indexing member when said rod portion is positioned between said indexing member of an associated one of said indexing assemblies and said indexing member of an adjacent one of said indexing assemblies; and

each of said indexing assemblies comprising a receiving portion and a biasing member, said receiving portion slidably receiving said indexing member of the associated one of said indexing assemblies such that said receiving portion maintains alignment of said indexing member of the associated one of said indexing assemblies with respect to the associated one of said slots of said housing, said biasing member being coupled between said receiving portion and said indexing member of the associated one of said indexing assemblies such that said biasing member biases said indexing member away from a rear wall of said receiving portion towards the associated one of said slots of said housing.