Abstract:
An apparatus for dispensing a substance from a collapsible tube. The apparatus comprises: a housing with a slider positioned therein, first and second flexible members passable through a passage in the slider, a rod for supporting the slider within the housing, and a motor coupled to the rod for causing rotation of the rod. When the rod rotates, the slider moves along the rod and urges the first flexible member toward the second flexible member. This movement causes the substance in the tube to be dispensed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to dispensers, and in particular, to an improved toothpaste dispenser that more effectively dispenses toothpaste from collapsible toothpaste containing tube disposed therein. 
     A wide variety of both manually operable and powered devices for dispensing toothpaste and other substances from a collapsible tube are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,813, to Werner, describes a motorized toothpaste dispenser that utilizes a sliding horizontal cylindrical wedge that presses a toothpaste tube against a fixed vertical planer wedge. The cylindrical wedge is moved by a line and pulley system driven by a motor and spur gearing. In another toothpaste dispenser described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,362 to West, a pinch roller assembly receives the toothpaste tube in a partially collapsed condition, and moves along the toothpaste tube and collapses a further portion thereof so as to pressurize the toothpaste therein and dispense the toothpaste out through the nozzle end. 
     Unfortunately, the prior art toothpaste dispensers are seen to be less than desirable, as they are either too complex or too expensive to manufacturer on a widespread basis. 
     Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved toothpaste dispenser that more efficiently and easily dispenses toothpaste from a collapsible tube disposed therein. The present invention also overcomes the perceived deficiencies in the prior art toothpaste dispensers and further achieves the aforementioned and below mentioned objectives. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally speaking, in accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for dispensing a substance from a collapsible substance containing tube is provided. The tube most preferably will have an outlet opening through which the substance is dispensed. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus will include a housing, a slider positioned within the housing, the slider itself having a passage therethrough, and first and second spaced apart flexible members being disposed in the housing and passable through the passage in the slider. The first and second flexible members exert pressure on the tube. The apparatus also includes a rod for supporting the slider within the housing, wherein the slider is movable in the housing and along the rod upon the rotation of the rod. A motor couplable to the rod with sprockets causes rotation of the rod. In this way, the movement of the slider along the rod urges the flexible members towards each other such that pressure is exerted against the tube thereby collapsing the tube and pressurizing the substance therein so as to cause the dispensing of the substance out the outlet opening in the tube. 
     The present invention also provides for a nozzle having a passage in registration with the outlet opening in the tube and cover provided. Also, the cover may be provided in a “snap-fit” arrangement that provides convenience and facilitates replacing the tube, improved aesthetics when the apparatus is not in use, and improved safety assurances. In the preferred embodiment, the rod is threaded and the slider includes an aperture having complimentary threads for receiving the rotatable rod, such that the rotation of the rod causes the slider to move along the rod. The slider may also include a rib for guiding the slider and along and within the housing. Still further, the passage in the slider is tapered so as to urge the first flexible member towards the second flexible member. 
     Another advantageous feature of the present invention is a slotted opening strip provided along a surface of the housing and wherein the slider includes an indicator thereon, such that the indicator is viewable through the slotted opening so that a user can view the relative amount of substance left in the tube. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus is a toothpaste dispenser and the substance contained within the tube is toothpaste. 
     Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an improved toothpaste dispenser with an improved toothpaste dispensing construction. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved toothpaste dispenser that more effectively dispenses toothpaste therefrom. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved toothpaste dispenser that can be more economically manufactured. 
     Still another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for dispensing a substance from a collapsible substance containing tube, wherein the substance may be any number of viscous substances, such as preparations for the hands, body, hair, baby or dentures, toothpaste, glue, caulking or icing for cake decorations. 
     Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification. 
     The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying figures, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan internal view illustrating the apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an internal cross sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken about lines  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; and 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are side elevational external views of the present invention illustrating additional features thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein an apparatus, generally indicated at  10 , for dispensing a substance from a collapsible substance containing tube, is constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is utilizable for dispensing a wide variety of substances contained within a collapsible tube. For example the substance may be preparations for hands, body, hair, a baby or dentures, or may be caulking, glue, toothpaste or icing/frosting for cake/cookie decorations, or any other viscous substance that is packaged in a collapsible tube. For convenience and illustrative purposes only, reference hereafter will be made to toothpaste as the substance contained in the tube, although it should be understood that the only requirement for dispensing substances other than toothpaste or those mentioned above is the need to construct the collapsible substance containing tube (described below) to be compatible with the construction of apparatus  10 , or constructing an apparatus in accordance with the present invention, sized to be compatible with the tube. 
     In the preferred embodiment, apparatus  10  includes a housing generally indicated at  12 , and a cover  16 . Cover  16  may be securable to housing  12  in a variety of ways. In the preferred embodiment, housing  12  has a “snap-fit” arrangement for releaseably opening cover  16  relative to housing  12 . This is achieved by providing interlocking arms  20  and  21  integrally molded to housing  12 , with each arm  20  and  21  having a respectively extending finger  22 ,  23  that interlocks in a “snap-fit” arrangement with a lip  24  on cover  16  so as to releasably secure cover  16  to housing  12 . This “snap-fit” arrangement is preferable in that it permits cover  16  to break away and/or open in the event that excessive pressure builds within a tube disposed within housing  12 . This arrangement also easily facilitates replacing the tube therein, wherein it is only necessary to pry, in a known manner, arms  20  and  21  in a direction opposite to each other to cause the disengagement between fingers  22  and  23  and lip  24 . Lastly, a cap  25  may be provided when apparatus  10  is not in use. Cap  25  may be “friction-fitted” or “snapped-on” as would be well understood in the art, such as in a manner similar to a deodorant or shaving cream can and cap combination. 
     Disposed within a compartment (not shown) of housing  12  is a motor  26 , preferably secured to housing  12  or in the compartment by rivets, screws or other securing means as would be well appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. The motor, preferably a DC motor, may be manufactured by Mabuchi. Being that apparatus  10  is preferably portable, one or more batteries  28  are used, such as AA or AAA batteries, although it should be well understood that the present invention is easily modifiable so as to utilize rechargeable batteries and/or have an adapter where the present invention can be powered by an A/C power source. Motor  26  causes the advancing and retracting of a slider, as will be described below. A battery cover  29  may be provided to access the batteries in the housing, all in a known matter. 
     A threaded rod  30 , preferably made of metal, is itself supported by a rear rod support  32  and a front rod support  34 . Rear rod support  32  and front rod support  34  may be constructed in a plurality of ways. Specifically, they each may extend down into housing  12  and have an aperture therethrough. The diameter of the apertures may be less than the diameter of rod  30  at the sections through which supports  32  and  34  do not support rod  30 . However the diameter of rod  30  at the section supported by supports  32 ,  34  would be less than the diameter of rod at the other sections thereof. In this way, the rod will not slide through supports  32  and  34 . Alternatively, rod  30  may be horizontally secured in sockets (not shown) mounted along or depending from the sidewalls of the interior of housing  12 . Still further, sleeves may be used to keep rod  30  in place so there is no need to make the rod  30  of differing diameters. This use of sleeves would also be known to be skilled in the art. Either way, however, the important aspect is that rod  30  is permitted to freely rotate by virtue of its engagement with motor  26 . 
     To this end, a sprocket  40  is attached to rod  30 . Motor  26  also includes a sprocket  42  directly coupled to a shaft (not shown) thereof. An intermediate sprocket  44  (mountable to a shaft (not shown) in the housing) interlocks, or meshes with sprocket  42 . Sprocket  44  may also have a rotatably coupled sprocket  44   a  to mesh with sprocket  40  attached to rod  30 . Sprocket  44   a  may or may not be the same diameter as sprocket  42 . In this way, the rotation of sprocket  42  by motor  26  permits rod  30  to rotate. It should be understood that a further plurality of sprockets, or the same number as set forth above with differing diameters, may be provided so as to permit the desired step up/down rotation speed of rod  30 . The number of batteries  28  may also factor into the rotational speed of rod  30 . Batteries  28  are electrically connected to motor  26  in a known manner by wires and/or electrical contact pads. 
     A slider  50  is provided and moveable along rod  30  by virtue of a complementary threaded aperture  52  therethrough which permits slider  50  to move along rod  30  when rod  30  rotates. Slider  50  preferably includes a rib  54  on opposing sides of slider  50 , which may be received in a complimentary groove  56  in the inner sidewalls of housing  12 . This construction both prevents slider  50  from binding as it advances through and within housing  12  and also provides additional support for slider  50  and the weight of a tube disposed therein. 
     A tube holder, generally indicated of  59 , preferably of a unitary one-piece construction, includes two members, a first flexible member  60  and a second flexible member  62 . Tube holder  59  is also disposed within housing  12 . Member  60  is spaced apart from member  62  and disposed through a tapered passage  63  in slider  50 . In the preferred embodiment, flexible members  60  and  62  are rectangular in shape so as to most effectively pressurize the tube as discussed below, however, other dimensional shapes are also within the scope of the present invention. Each end of each respective member  60 ,  62  may be received in a corresponding slot  64 ,  65  formed on the inner sidewalls of housing  12 . The other end of holder  59 , where members  60 ,  62  are integrally joined, may be left to “float” as this back end is well supported by slider  50 . The inner protrusions, such as depending rear rod support  32 , prevents slider  50  from disengaging from holder  59 . Flexible members  60  and  62  are sufficiently spaced apart so as to receive a tube  70  therebetween. As stated above, for convenience, tube  70  will be described as a collapsible toothpaste tube. 
     At the front end of tube  70  is a threaded tip  72  through which the toothpaste within tube  70  is dispensed and on which a removable cap (not shown) can be secured. A nozzle  74  which may be of different lengths is provided with a passage  76  that is in registration with the opening in threaded tip  72  of tube  70 . Nozzle  74  preferably has a complimentary threaded inner surface to threadably receive tip  72 . An “O-ring” or other suitable seal member may be incorporated within nozzle  74  to further prevent the toothpaste from backing up within nozzle  74  and “oozing” out between the top surface of tube  70  and the edge of nozzle  74 . When nozzle  74  is secured to tip  72  of tube  70 , tube  70  is adequately supported within housing  12  at the front by nozzle  74  and cover  16 , while the body of tube  70  is supported by flexible members  60 ,  62  and slider  50 . 
     Motor  26  is preferably operated by a forward button  78  or a reverse button  79  which are electrically connected to motor  26  by wires or electrical contacts (not shown) as would be well understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Alternatively, a toggle or momentary flip switch may be provided on the outer surface of housing  12  for a forward movement of slider  50 , an intermediate off position and a reverse movement of slider  50 . Still further, a slide switch may be provided instead. 
     The operation of the present invention should now be well appreciated. Specifically, a forward operation of the motor  26  will cause sprocket  42  to rotate thus causing sprocket  44  to rotate thus ultimately causing the rotation of sprocket  40 , fastened to rod  30 , thereby causing rod  30  to rotate. In turn, slider  50  will slidably move along the length of rod  30  towards nozzle  74 . As it does so, the flexible members  60 ,  62  will be compressed by their slidability through tapered passage  63  of slider  50 , thereby causing pressure against tube  70  thus causing the collapsing of tube  70  and pressurizing the toothpaste therein so as to cause the dispensing of the toothpaste through tip  72  and out nozzle  74 . 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     Additionally, housing  12  may also contain a slotted opening  80  along a surface thereof and preferably above slider  50 . In this way, slider  50  may be provided with an indicator, such as a fluorescent or otherwise bright “dot”  82  which may be viewed through the slotted opening  80  in the top surface of housing  12 . This will permit a user to view the relative amount of toothpaste left in tube  70 . This will facilitate recognition as to when replacement of the tube is necessary. 
     Moreover, tube holder  59  is preferably about 0.040″ thick. This provides the necessary flexibility and strength to support, nest, and compress tube  70  as appropriate. Also the molding of tube holder  59  is easily achieved. The plastic compositions of housing  12 , and slider  50  can be made from polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylate and/or polyvinyl and the like. Alternatively, the sprockets and rod can be made of metal for greater durability. The motor and circuit wires or contacts are substantially made of metal and/or plastic as would be commercially available and understood. 
     Lastly, as stated above, the present invention, while being described with respect to toothpaste, should be understood that it can be applied to the dispensing of a wide variety of substances, such as hand, body, hair, baby or denture products, or caulking, glue or icing/frosting products that are packaged in a collapsible tube. Also, the outer surface of housing  12  may have soft molded portions  90  to provide for easy gripping. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention described herein and all statements of the scope of the invention that as a matter of language might fall therebetween.