GB2468109A

GB2468109A - Toothpaste dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2468109A
Application number: GB0902776A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Kennedy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-02-19
Filing date: 2009-02-19
Publication date: 2010-08-25
Also published as: GB0902776D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wall mountable toothpaste dispenser 8 for use with a toothpaste tube 10 of the pump action type. Such toothpaste tubes are known and have moveable button to actuate the pump mechanists and cause toothpaste to be dispensed through a nozzle. The dispenser has a housing 16 for mounting the toothpaste tube inverted, with its nozzle directed downwardly. The dispenser further comprises a mechanism for actuating the toothpaste tube button, this mechanises being operable simply by pressing the head of a toothbrush against an abutment face. The mechanism comprises a shuttle 50 which rides upon a ramp 68 and which provides the abutment face. Pushing the toothbrush head against the abutment face 60 moves the shuttle forward, causing a button-engagement part of it 62 to ride up the ramp and so engage and move the button to cause toothpaste to be dispensed onto the toothbrush head.

Description

DESCRIPTION

TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER

The present invention relates to a wall mountable toothpaste dispenser for use with a pump action toothpaste tube.

The colloquial term "toothpaste tube" will be used herein to refer to any type of hand held toothpaste container having means for delivering toothpaste onto a toothbrush. One example is the well known squeezable tube, having a nozzle for delivering toothpaste onto the brush and typically a threaded cap for closing the nozzle. A more recent development is the type of toothpaste tube having a pump action mechanism actuated by the user to deliver the toothpaste. Examples currently available typically use a rigid tubular body to contain the toothpaste, having at one end a mechanism comprising a button depressable by the user to both open a dispensing nozzle and actuate a pump mechanism to deliver a quantity of toothpaste through the nozzle.

It is known to mount a toothpaste tube in a dispenser attached to a wall. Typically the dispenser has a mechanism for dispensing a quantity of toothpaste from the tube. GB 2358046, for example, describes a dispenser for use with a pump action toothpaste tube in which the toothpaste tube, mounted inverted with its nozzle lowermost, is movable downwards in the dispenser body, by means of a knob at the top of the dispenser, in order to depress the pump action button and so release toothpaste onto the brush. This is clearly a two-handed action: the user must depress the knob with one hand while presenting the toothbrush with the other.

GB 2349131 describes a toothpaste dispenser suitable for one-handed use, in which a pump action toothpaste tube, once more mounted with its nozzle lowermost, is actuable by means of a lever. To dispense toothpaste the user pushes the head of the toothbrush against an actuating element which is part of the lever, causing the lever to depress the toothpaste tube's pump action button and so dispense toothpaste. The actuating element is positioned adjacent and beneath the toothpaste tube's nozzle, so that the toothpaste is delivered directly onto the toothbrush head. It is considered that use of a lever mechanism of the type depicted may create difficulties, particularly in providing a dispenser which is compatible with a range of toothpaste tubes from multiple different manufacturers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a wall mountable toothpaste dispenser for use with a pump action toothpaste tube having an improved dispensing mechanism. It is desirable that the mechanism should be simple and economical to manufacture and should be suited to use with pump action toothpaste dispensers of a range of types from different manufacturers.

In accordance with the present invention, there is a wall mountable toothpaste dispenser for use with a toothpaste tube having a pump action operable by means of a movable button to dispense toothpaste through a nozzle, the dispenser having a housing for mounting the toothpaste tube with its nozzle directed downwardly, a shuttle slidably mounted in the housing and having an abutment face arranged to be pushed using the head of a toothbrush to move the shuttle forwardly, a button engagement part arranged beneath the movable button and a mechanism for translating forward motion of the shuttle into upward motion of the button engagement part, so that pushing on the abutment face using the toothbrush head causes the shuttle to move forwards and the button engagement part to move upwards, depressing the movable button and causing toothpaste to be dispensed onto the toothbrush head.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is an exploded view of a first toothpaste dispenser embodying the present invention; Figures 2a -2d are simplified side views of a dispensing mechanism of the first dispenser at different stages of its operation; Figures 3a and 3b are perspective views of the exterior of the first dispenser; Figure 4 is a section in a longitudinal plane through a second toothpaste dispenser embodying the present invention; Figure 5 is also a longitudinal section through the second dispenser, but the plane in which the section is taken is at right angles to that of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective illustration of parts of the second dispenser, specifically a mechanism for dispensing toothpaste; Figure 7 illustrates a top and related components of the second dispenser, viewed from above and in perspective; and Figure 8 is a partial sectional view of the second dispenser showing in particular a sound emitter.

The dispenser 8 illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 is a wall-mountable unit for use with a toothpaste tube 10 of pump action type, as currently supplied by a number of companies. It can be seen in the drawings that the toothpaste tube 10 has a pump action button 12.

Depression of this causes toothpaste to be dispensed from a nozzle 14. The toothpaste tube 10 is mounted in the dispenser inverted -that is, its nozzle 14 is lowermost, directed downwardly.

The dispenser 8 has a housing 16 which receives and mounts the toothpaste tube 10.

In the present example the housing 16 has three major parts, all of moulded plastics.

Different forms of construction and different configurations of parts could be adopted. A rear housing part 18 comprises a rear panel 20, integral bottom panel 22, tube locating feature 24 and tunnel 26, all formed by a single plastics moulding. A front housing part 28 forms front and side 32 housing panels, and clip fits to the rear housing part by means of lugs 34, being located also by upstanding locating features 36 on the bottom panel 22.

A top housing part 38 fits to upper edges of the front, side and rear housing panels 20, 30, 32, forming a largely enclosed and generally cuboidal housing within which the toothpaste tube 10 is mounted. A lid 40 is integrally formed with the top housing part 38 in this example, being coupled to it though a live hinge (a thin and flexible hinge line formed in the moulding) and provides for insertion and removal of the toothpaste tube 10.

A down-turned lip 42 running along the edge of the lid 40 remote from its hinge is a clip fit on a recessed edge part 44 of the top housing part and serves to keep the lid closed.

Troughs 46 on either side of the lid 40 can be used to store toothbrushes, which are not seen in the drawings but simply stand upright in the troughs. The front housing panel 30 has an opening 48 communicating with the tunnel 26.

The dispenser 8 further comprises a mechanism having a slide shuttle 50 and a shuttle backing plate 52, both introduced from beneath the bottom panel 22 during assembly, the shuffle backing plate 52 clip fitting to the bottom panel 22.

Guide walls 54, upstanding from the shuttle backing plate 52, extend through an opening (not seen) in the bottom panel 22, and so into the tunnel 26. The slide shuttle 50 is formed from a resilient plastics material and comprises a tongue 56 terminating in an upstanding wall 58 providing a brush abutment face 60 and being hingedly coupled to a button engagement part in the form of a lobe 62. A hinge 64 forming the coupling between the tongue 56 and the actuating lobe 62 is in this example an integral living hinge and tends, due to the resilience of its material, to straighten itself so that the lobe 62 is oriented as seen in Figure 2a.

The operation of the mechanism will now be described with reference to Figures 2a to 2d, in which the head of a toothbrush is seen at 66. The user inserts the toothbrush head 66 through the opening 48 in the housing front (see Figure 1) and between the guide walls 54 (which are omitted from Figure 2 but seen in Figure 1) to bear upon the brush abutment face 60 of the slide shuttle 50, as in Figure 2a. By pushing the brush forward, the user causes the slide shuttle 50 to move forward (to the right in Figure 2) and the actuating lobe 62 to ride up a curved ramp surface 68 of the shuttle backing plate 52. The lobe is thereby forced upwards to bear upon and actuate the pump action button 12 of the toothpaste tube 10. Note that when positioned between the guide walls 54 and against the brush abutment face 60, the toothbrush head 66 is immediately below the tube's nozzle 14. Hence as the brush is advanced, a line of toothpaste is dispensed along its head in the desired maimer (Figure 2c). When the brush is withdrawn the resilience of the slide shuttle 50 causes it to straighten itself and so return to its ciriginal position, ready for the next use (Figure 2d).

An optional development incorporated in the present embodiment is a cover panel 70 attached to the front panel 30 and incorporating a sensor or switch to detect the insertion of a toothbrush, and a sound emitter and related electronics and battery. When the user inserts the brush a suitable sound is played, e.g. in the form of an encouraging message to a child to brush their teeth. Visual stimuli such as a snap on "character panel" may also be attached to the dispenser, both to encourage children to use it and to provide promotional opportunities.

The character may for example be taken from a film or book for promotional purposes.

The housing 16 is provided with means for attachment to a wall, which in the illustrated embodiment take the form of a suction cup 72 (Figure 3) able to adhere for example to the smooth surface provided by a tiled splashback above a bathroom sink. Other mountings, e.g. using screws, could be substituted.

Figures 4 to 7 illustrate a second toothpaste dispenser 108 embodying the present invention. Toothpaste tube 110 is once more mounted inverted -i.e. with its nozzle 114 lowermost -in a housing 116, and as in the first embodiment a mechanism is provided which is actuated by insertion of the toothbrush to cause paste to be dispensed directly onto the toothbrush head. However in the present embodiment this mechanism uses a lever arrangement in place of the ramp arrangement of the first embodiment. The details are most clearly seen in Figures 4 and 6. Lever 200 is mounted through a pair of integrally formed bosses 202, enabling it to pivot about a generally horizontal axis. It has a rear button engagement part 204 for engaging the pump action button 112 of the toothpaste tube 110, and a depending part 206 which abuts a sliding shuttle 150 (see in particular Figure 4). The sliding shuttle 150 comprises a tongue 208 through which it is mounted, the tongue being sandwiched between upper and lower slide plates 210, 212 so that the sliding shuttle 150 is able to move forwards and backwards (or left and right, as viewed in Figure 6). The sliding shuttle 150 further comprises an upstand 214 providing a brush abutment face 160. Pushing a toothbrush head against this face causes the upstand 214 to push the lever 200, causing it to turn so that the lever's rear part 204 pushes the pump action button 112, causing toothpaste to be directly dispensed onto the brush head.

A switch 216 is mounted behind the lever's rear part 204, so that when the lever approaches the end of its travel it actuates the switch 216. Connected to and controlled by the switch 216 is some form of feedback device. In the present example this is a sound producer 218 (Figure 8) driven by batteries in a compartment 220. The sound producer 218 may for example provide a spoken message of encouragement to brush one's teeth.

The construction of the housing 116 and related parts can best be seen in Figure 4. A tubular cavity for receiving and mounting the toothpaste tube 110 is defined by upper and lower inserts 222 and 224. The tube is insertable downwardly into the cavity through an opening in the housing's top 140 (Figure 7) and is retained by tumbuckles 226 pivotally coupled to the top 140. The lower insert 224 has a roughly cuboidal base part 227 into which projects a mounting part 228, the bosses 202 of the lever being retained between adjacent walls 230, 232 of the lower insert 224 and the mounting part 228 respectively (see Figure 5).

A stand part 234 provides the upper slide plate 210, the lever slide plate 212 being formed by the mounting part 228. A base plate 234 closes the lower part of the housing 116 and seals the battery compartment 220.

The illustrated embodiment has a pair of toothbrush holders 240 but these may be omitted.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser for use with a toothpaste tube having a pump action operable by means of a movable button to dispense toothpaste though a nozzle, the dispenser having a housing for mounting the toothpaste tube with its nozzle directed downwardly, a shuttle slidably mounted in the housing and having an abutment face arranged to be pushed using the head of a toothbrush to move the shuttle forwardly, a button engagement part arranged beneath the movable button and a mechanism for translating forward motion of the shuttle into upward motion of the button engagement part, so that pushing on the abutment face using the toothbrush head causes the shuttle to move forwards and the button engagement part to move upwards, depressing the movable button and causing toothpaste to be dispensed onto the toothbrush head.
2. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which the button engagement part is operably coupled to the shuttle and rides upon a ramp which ascends along the forward direction, and, so that moving the shuttle forwards causes the button engagement part to ride up the ramp and depress the button.
3. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser as claimed in claim 2 in which the shuttle and button engagement part are formed by a single component which is resiliently deformed as it moves forwards and in resuming its original shape causes itself to move back to its initial position.
4. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser as claimed in claim 3 in which the ramp is shaped to provide a flat region leading to an upwardly curved region, so that the shuttle is deformed as the button-engagement part rides up the upwardly curved region.
5. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim in which the shuffle is mounted between guide walls.
6. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim in which the shuffle has a planar tongue, an upstanding wall forming the abutment face, and a lobe forming the button-engagement part, being coupled to the tongue through a flexible region forming a resilient hinge.
7. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which the mechanism comprises a lever arranged to be turned by the shuffle.
8. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim in which the housing defines a tunnel having an opening for insertion of the toothbrush head, the shuffle and ramp being in the tunnel.
9. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim in which the housing has an openable lid in an upper face through which the toothpaste tube isinsertable.
10. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a sensor for detecting insertion of a toothbrush head, and electronics for providing the user with an audible and/or visible stimulus in response.
11. A wall mountable toothpaste dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.