Abstract:
A household apparatus for dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste. The apparatus is a toothpaste dispenser which is removably mounted to a wall surface. The tube of toothpaste is mounted within the dispenser and can have a small volume of toothpaste dispensed by pushing inward on a plunger that is connected to the toothpaste dispenser.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/495,246, filed Aug. 15, 2003. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention concerns that of a new and improved household apparatus for dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,205, issued to Kohen, discloses a collapsible tube holder and dispenser for discharging such material as toothpaste. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,659, issued to Eiskant, discloses a dispenser assembly comprised of two halves for holding a tube of toothpaste and a plunger for providing a discreet amount to a user. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,940, issued to Wilkinson, discloses a dispenser for a flowable material such as toothpaste from a hollow cylinder with a plunger assembly. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention concerns that of a new and improved household apparatus for dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste. The apparatus is a toothpaste dispenser which is removably mounted to a wall surface. The tube of toothpaste is mounted within the dispenser and can have a small volume of toothpaste dispensed by pushing inward on a plunger that is connected to the toothpaste dispenser. 
   There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of a toothpaste dispenser that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the toothpaste dispenser that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
   In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the toothpaste dispenser in detail, it is to be understood that the toothpaste dispenser is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The toothpaste dispenser is capable of other embodiments and being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
   As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present toothpaste dispenser. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a toothpaste dispenser which has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a toothpaste dispenser which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a toothpaste dispenser which is of durable and reliable construction. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a toothpaste dispenser which is economically affordable and available for relevant market segment of the purchasing public. 
   Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the attached drawings and appended claims. 
   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 2  shows a top view of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 3  shows a side view of the apparatus. 

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the apparatus  2 ,  FIG. 2  shows a top view of the apparatus  2 , and  FIG. 3  shows a side view of the apparatus  2 . Apparatus  2  is a toothpaste dispenser which would be mounted within a bathroom for the purpose of dispensing a volume of toothpaste  28  from a tube of toothpaste  4 . 
   Base unit  6  has two ends, a top end and a bottom end, and has a square cross-sectional shape. Base unit  6  has a hole  8  running through the length of base unit  6 , with the cross-sectional shape of the hole  8  also being square. Base unit  6  has four external surfaces comprising a rear surface, a front surface, a left surface, and a right surface. 
   The rear surface of base unit  6  has a quartet of screws  10  that are fixedly attached to the rear surface of base unit  6 . Each of the screws  10  can be used to mount onto a mount  12  that is attached to a wall surface. 
   Within hole  8  are located four inner surfaces comprising a rear inner surface, a front inner surface, a left inner surface, and a right inner surface. Within hole  8  is located spacer  14 . Spacer  14  runs the length of hole  8  within base unit  6  and has two surfaces, a front surface and a rear surface, with the rear surface of spacer  14  placed against the rear inner surface within hole  8 . Spacer  14  is not normally attached to the rear inner surface within hole  8 , but when used in conjunction with a tube of toothpaste  4 , is kind of “wedged” against the rear inner surface of hole  8 . 
   Spacer  14  has two ends, a top end and a bottom end. The top end of spacer  14  has a small handle  16  to assist an individual in removing spacer  14  from the base unit  6 . The thickness of the spacer  14  varies from the top end to the bottom end, with the top end of the spacer  14  being wider than at the bottom end. 
   Plunger  18  is attached to the front surface of base unit  6  and is placed within hole  20 , which is a rectangular hole located on the front surface of base unit  6 . Plunger  18  has two components including a handle  22  and a contact portion  24 . Handle  22  is available for access by an individual, while contact portion  24  is attached to handle  22  and is located within base unit  6 . 
   A tube of toothpaste  4 , when used with the present invention, is placed within base unit  6  with the toothpaste tube cap removed and the opening  26  on the tube of toothpaste  4  facing down. Contact portion  24  is pressed up against the tube of toothpaste  4  when handle  22  is pushed inward, causing a small volume of toothpaste  28  within the tube of toothpaste  4  to be expelled onto a toothbrush  30 . 
   Within base unit, a quartet of springs  32  are located. Each spring has two ends, a first end and a second end, with each spring  32  normally being at rest in the retracted position. The first end of each spring  32  is attached to a corner of the contact portion  24 , with the second end of each spring  32  attached to the rear inner surface of the base unit  8 . Each of the springs  32  has enough tensile strength to allow the plunger  18  to remain in an inward position once pushed inward slightly to expel some toothpaste, but at the same time, are not strong enough to automatically pull plunger inward and expel too much toothpaste. The plurality of springs  32 , in essence, keep the plunger  18  at the position it was in at the time it was last touched by an individual. By doing this, the springs  32  keep the plunger  18  at a good “starting point” each time an individual wants to use plunger  18  again to expel additional toothpaste for future brushings.