Patent ID: 9358084
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: A45D,A47L,A61C,A61L

Claim Text:
1. A cleaning container for holding a retainer or a retainer tray which floats in a liquid under the surface of the liquid, the cleaning container consisting essentially of: a base adapted to hold the liquid and at least having a bottom; a lid adapted to close against the base and at least having a top and at least four vent holes; a hinge connecting the lid and the base for hinged opening and closing of the lid; a plunger attached to the underside of the lid and including a protrusion stem located approximately in the center of the underside of the lid and a disc, wherein the disc is slotted to facilitate downward and upward movement of the disc through the liquid and wherein the disc is flat; the protrusion stem immovably affixed perpendicularly to the lid at one end and immovably affixed perpendicularly to the disc at the other end; the disc adapted to directly hold the retainer or the retainer tray below the surface of the liquid by physically contacting the retainer or the retainer tray from above, wherein the retainer or the retainer tray is not supported by any part of the container from underneath when the retainer or the retainer tray and the liquid are present in the base; wherein the lid includes a protrusion and wherein the base includes an inset operable to receive the protrusion when the lid is closed against the base; wherein the base further includes an o-ring, wherein the o-ring provides a seal between the base and the lid when the lid is closed against the base; wherein the lid includes a recess in the central region on the top surface of the lid; wherein the cleaning container includes at least one lid tab disposed on the lid and at least one base tab disposed on the base; wherein when the lid is closed against the base, the disc is positioned approximately one-third of the distance from the top of the lid to the bottom of the base to submerge the retainer or the retainer tray under the surface of the liquid and allow the hinge to close when the lid is closed against the base, wherein the disc does not contact the container during the closure of the lid; wherein the disc does not include spacers for holding the retainer or the retainer tray in place under the liquid; wherein the at least four vent holes allow gases produced from the interaction of the liquid and the retainer or the retainer tray to vent without building up pressure inside the container; wherein the protrusion, the inset, and the o-ring are operable to ensure the lid remains closed against the base during cleaning of the retainer or the retainer tray and the protrusion is inserted in the inset and to ensure that the gases produced from the interaction of the liquid and the retainer or the retainer tray vent through the at least four vent holes instead of through another part of the container; wherein the disc does not include an integrated brush; wherein the cleaning container does not include a motor; and wherein the cleaning container, including the base, the lid, the hinge, and the plunger, is formed of a unitary plastic material.