Tube refill apparatus

An apparatus including a through-extending tubular member, including truncated conical end portions internally threaded to accommodate a plurality of tubes at either end thereof to permit a refill of a first tube by a second tube through the conduit. A modification of the instant invention includes a through-extending tube, including a rigid plug mounted thereto. The rigid plug in the preferred embodiment includes a rigid rod mounted thereto to permit directing of the plug through the tube to enable plunging of remaining toothpaste and the like from the tube to a tube to be refilled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of invention relates to tube filling apparatus, and more 
particularly pertains to a new and improved tube refill apparatus wherein 
the same permits filling of a first flexible tube by a second flexible 
tube. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Various filling apparatus is known in the prior art to permit filling of a 
first container by a second container. Typically such secondary containers 
are utilized in a smaller configuration for ease of use in camping, 
traveling, and the like. Examples of the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 
2,737,329 to Bolsey setting forth a filling apparatus for pens, wherein a 
valving arrangement is secured to a reservoir to permit filling of the pen 
from the reservoir. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,855,131 to Gewecke, et al., sets forth a bottle filling 
arrangement wherein a nipple member is associated with a bottle to permit 
filling of the bottle by a supply source. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,495 to Vignot sets forth a dispenser pump to project 
products in liquid or paste form from a reservoir. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,696,337 to Dinhofer sets forth a means of filling a lady's 
compact, wherein the compact includes a valve member cooperative with a 
flexible fill member to permit filling of the compact from a reservoir. 
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new 
and improved tube refill apparatus wherein the same permits mechanical 
association of separate flexible paste tubes to permit filling of one tube 
from the other and in this respect, the present invention substantially 
fulfills this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of fill 
apparatus now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a 
tube refill apparatus wherein the same utilizes a coupling conduit to 
mechanically and fluidly associate spaced and independent flexible paste 
tubes to permit selective filling of one from the other. As such, the 
general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved tube 
refill apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior art fill 
apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention provides an apparatus including a 
through-extending tubular member, including truncated conical end portions 
internally threaded to accommodate a plurality of tubes at either end 
thereof to permit a refill of a first tube by a second tube through the 
conduit. A modification of the instant invention includes a 
through-extending tube, including a rigid plug mounted thereto. The rigid 
plug in the preferred embodiment includes a rigid rod mounted thereto to 
permit directing of the plug through the tube to enable plunging of 
remaining toothpaste and the like from the tube to a tube to be refilled. 
My invention resides not in any one of the these features per se, but 
rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and 
claimed and it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular 
combination of all of its structures for the functions specified. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order 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 invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
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 invention. 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. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved tube refill apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior 
art tube refill apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
tube refill apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and 
marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved tube refill apparatus which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved tube refill apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of 
manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly 
is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby 
making such tube refill apparatus economically available to the buying 
public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved tube refill apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and 
methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while 
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated 
therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved tube refill apparatus wherein the same utilizes a rigid conduit 
to mechanically associate independent paste tubes to enable filling of one 
from the other in a selective manner. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 8 
thereof, a new and improved tube refill apparatus embodying the principles 
and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the 
reference numerals 10, 10a, and 10b will be described. 
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art tube refill apparatus 1, wherein a flexible 
tube 2 directs its contents selectively to a lady's compact 3 through a 
valve member 4 associated with with a plug 5 secured to the compact 3. 
More specifically, the tube refill apparatus 10 of the instant invention 
essentially comprises a first head 11 defined by a first axis 16 coaxially 
aligned and mounted to a second head 12 defined by a second axis 17. The 
first and second heads 11 and 12 are defined as truncated conical members, 
with a through-extending passageway therethrough. Each of the respective 
heads 11 and 12 includes a respective first and second annular entrance 14 
and 15, wherein the first annular entrance is defined by a second plane 
and the second annular entrance is defined by a third plane, wherein a 
first plane 13 is defined by the intersection and in alignment of the 
first head 11 with the second head 12. The first, second, and third planes 
are arranged parallel to one another. The first head 11 includes a first 
internally threaded portion 18 wherein a second internally threaded 
portion 19 is formed within the second head 12. In this manner, a first 
flexible tube 20 (see FIG. 5) is mounted to the first head 11, wherein the 
first flexible tube 20 includes a first externally threaded nozzle 22 
threadedly receivable within the first threaded portion 18. A second 
flexible tube 21, including a second externally threaded nozzle 23, is 
received within the second threaded portion 19 to permit fluid 
communication between the two tubes whereby tube 20 for example may be 
utilized to fill tube 21. It is understood that the threaded portions 18 
and 19 may be of varying diameter and pitch to accommodate variously 
configured and sized spaced independent tubes 20 and 21. 
FIG. 6 illustrates a modified tube fill apparatus 10a wherein a tubular 
cylindrical body 24 includes a first tubular end 25 and a second tubular 
end 26, each including and defined by respective annular entrances 
arranged in planes parallel to one another in a manner as described above. 
The tubular cylindrical body 24 includes respective first and second 
internally threaded interior surfaces 27 and 28, with a smooth internal 
surface 35 coextensive with the internal surface of the cylindrical body 
24 between the first and second internal threads 27 and 28. A rigid plug 
30 of a generally truncated conical configuration and defined by a plug 
diameter substantially greater than a predetermined diameter defined by 
the internal diameter of the cylindrical body 24 is mounted to a first 
flexible tether line 29. In this manner, (see FIG. 7) the plug 30 may be 
mounted within the second tubular end 26, while the first tubular end 25 
remains in securement about the associated first flexible tube 20 on the 
first externally threaded nozzle 22 to prevent remaining paste and the 
like contained within the cylindrical body 24 from dehydrating and permits 
continuous use of the first tube 20 as a reservoir for replenishment of 
various secondary flexible paste tubes, in a manner as discussed above. 
FIG. 8 illustrates a further modified tube refill apparatus 10b wherein in 
addition to the rigid plug 30 mounted to the first flexible tether line 
29, a further rigid plug 33 is defined by a rigid plug diameter 
substantially equal to the predetermined diameter defined by the internal 
diameter of the tubular cylindrical body 24. A plunger rod 32 is 
orthogonally and coaxially aligned and extends outwardly from the further 
rigid plug 33 and terminates at its free end with a ring 31. A second 
tether line 34 secures the cylindrical body 24 to the ring 31 by use of a 
loop 34a that is slidably mounted about the ring 31 to permit 
repositionment of the loop 34a relative to the ring 31 during a plunging 
procedure. The plunging procedure includes a manner of evacuating 
remaining paste contained and residing within the cylindrical body 24 
subsequent to its use, wherein the further rigid plug 33 is directed 
through the cylindrical body 24 to remove residual paste remaining within 
the cylindrical body and assist in the maintenance and cleaning of the 
cylindrical body during periods of use. 
It is understood that the length of the rigid rod 32 is substantially 
greater than that of an axial length defined by the cylindrical body 24 to 
permit a complete directing of the second rigid plug 33 through the 
complete interior surface of the cylindrical body 24. Subsequently, the 
first rigid plug 30 may be mounted to an available entrance of the 
cylindrical body 24 when the cylindrical body is mounted to an associated 
toothpaste tube in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 7. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant 
invention shall be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.