Device for aiding in expelling the contents of a collapsible tube

A device used as an aid for squeezing the contents from a tube of toothpaste includes a spring clip engageable with the folded end of the tube. Flat tabs are pivoted to the spring clip, and in a flipped forward position overlie the tube sides to facilitate flattening of the tube as material is squeezed out. In a flipped back position the tabs facilitate opening of the spring clip jaws for reinstallation on a further rolled up end of the tube.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a device intended to facilitate the manual 
squeezing out of the contents of a flexible tube of the type used for 
toothpaste. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
The prior art contains many devices for expressing toothpaste from 
collapsible tubes either by rolling on a core (U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,314), 
squeezing through an orifice (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,222,629; 4,778,082), 
rolling or collapsing the tube in increments and then using a rigid clip 
to maintain the reduced volume tube (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,442,839; 5,549,221; 
3,536,234), or containment of the complete flexible tube in a rigid device 
that is then pushed on in some way to dispense the paste (U.S. Pat. Nos. 
5,145,093; 4,019,656; 4,565,303). 
However, none of the prior art devices heretofore developed have enjoyed 
widespread acceptance in the current commercial market. All of the 
above-referenced prior art devices have shortcomings that have kept them 
from common acceptance including: Complicated design devices with multiple 
parts which in turn presents difficulty in disengaging and re-adjustment 
on the tube; very small devices that are difficult to disengage and 
re-adjust on the tube; devices that do not remain attached to the lapped 
end of the tube since flexible tubes are now commonly produced from 
plastic and will not very easily retain their original shape, thus pulling 
free from the retaining devices. 
It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple low cost 
device which is effective to aid in expelling the contents of a 
collapsible tube and maintains the tube in a neat condition, ready for the 
next dispensing of material. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The above object is achieved by a spring clip engageable with a lapped tube 
end, and a pair of planar tabs each attached to a wire bail for each jaw 
of the spring clip. In a flipped forward position, the tabs each overlie 
one side of the tube, enabling squeezing of the tube by pressure exerted 
on the tabs to expel material. In a flipped back position, the tabs are 
used to operate the spring clip, allowing its jaws to be easily opened to 
allow removal. The empty tube section is folded up and by squeezing the 
flipped back tabs, the spring clip may be reinstalled gripping the lapped 
tube end. The planar tabs may be imprinted with an advertising message. 
The tube is thus maintained in a ready to use condition and has a neat 
appearance at all times as the contents are used up.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to drawings, FIGS. 1-5, the device 1 is adapted to facilitate 
squeezing a collapsible tube 2 having a dispenser outlet top 7. The device 
is useable with any collapsible tube 2 containing any viscous materials, 
but the most common use would be with tubes of toothpaste. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the material (paste) is easily expressed from the tube 
2 by applying a squeezing pressure with the thumb and forefinger on either 
side of flipped forward tabs 3 of the device 1 together, the section of 
the tube 2 between the tabs 3 thereby collapsed as the paste is expelled. 
The paste is constrained to move out the outlet top 7 rather than 
unrolling the tube by the action of a spring clip 4 gripping the rolled or 
folded tube end 2A preventing the paste from re-entering the flattened 
sections of the tube 2. As the paste is expressed from the tube outlet 7, 
and each section of the collapsed tube 2A is depleted, the spring clip 4 
must be repeatedly removed and reinstalled. This is done by flipping the 
tabs 3 back around the rolled edge hinges 8 on either side of the clip 4. 
When the tabs 3 are squeezed together, pressure is applied against the 
underside of the opposing tabs 3, the jaw portions of the clip 4 are 
opened. The tube 2 is removed from the clip 4, and the collapsed portion 
of the tube can then be lapped or folded, and the jaws 5 of the clip 
re-installed onto the lapped end of the tube 2A to retain the clip 4 in 
place. 
The opposing tabs 1 are rotated around the hinges 8, and held in the 
flipped forward position on either side of the tube 2 by a detent action 
created by the clip 4. This procedure is repeated as the paste is 
progressively expressed from the tube 2 until the contents of the tube 
have been depleted. 
The spring clip 4 incorporated into the device of the present invention is 
itself well-known and is widely used as a paper binder clip. The spring 
clip 4 can be as wide as the collapsible tube 2 with which it is to be 
used. In practice, however, the clip width needs only to have jaws wide 
enough, and/or with a sufficiently roughened jaw biting surface to remain 
fixed to the tube 2, and lapped tube portion 2A without moving or 
releasing when the opposing leaves 1 are forced together. The preferred 
clip width (to apply sufficient jaw force) is approximately 50% of the 
total tube width. The spring clip jaw opening should be sized for proper 
function of the device in question depending on the length of the 
collapsible tube 2. If the jaw opening is too small, the tube 2 will 
become too thick to be clipped as the end of the tube 2 is repeatedly 
folded. Likewise, if the clamp jaws 5 opening is too wide, they will not 
properly clamp the tube end when the jaws are attached on a full tube 2. 
The jaw opening, and height of the back of the metal tension clip, must be 
approximately equal to the thickness of the lapped 2A portion of the tube 
2 when attached to the lapped tube 3 in the most forward tube position. 
For most commercially sold toothpaste collapsible tubes, the preferred 
clip "back height" has proven to be approximately 5/8 ths of an inch. 
The spring clip design is important and must provide the necessary jaw 
force, along with the height and width dimensions of the clip 4. The clip 
4 includes a pair of U-shaped wire bails 9 which have legs inserted in a 
rolled edge of the clip body 15 to be pivotally attached. The length of 
the wire bails 9 of the spring clip 4 should be sufficient to allow proper 
functioning of the device in that the wire bails must hold the tabs 3 in 
an open position when the jaws are being opened, and the wire bails 9 must 
keep both tabs 3 secure against either side of the tube 2 when the clamp 4 
is fixed to the end of the tube 2A for ease of applying squeezing pressure 
to the tube 2. In addition, the wire bails 9 each act as support for one 
of the molded plastic tabs 3, and must be of a proper length to support 
approximately 3/4 of the length of the plastic tabs 3. The wire diameter 
must be the proper size to provide tab 3 support. The preferred diameter 
of the wire bails 9 has been found to be approximately 0.050 inches. 
The tabs 3 can be molded of many types of plastic, however to maximize the 
flatness of the surface and optimize the quality of the print the 
preferred material is low shrinkage ABS or High Impact Styrene plastic. 
Print "message" characters 10 and/or graphics may contribute to the 
successful commercialization of the device, and can be printed on one or 
both sides of the tube clip device 1 as shown. 
The width of the tabs 3 should be equal to or slightly smaller than the 
diameter of the flexible tube 2 before any of the paste is expressed from 
the tube top outlet. Likewise, the device 1 width should cover 
approximately 75% of the width of the lapped portion of the tube 2 when 
the clip 4 is attached to the center of the bottom lapped tube 2A. The 
length of the tabs 3 must be long enough to provide several average 
quantity uses of paste before having to remove the device from the tube, 
and at the same time empty approximately 1/4 to 3/8 inch of the flattened 
tube before requiring resetting of device 1. In this manner of use, the 
tube 2 can be lapped one section at a time before reinstalling the clip 4 
to the lapped tube end 2A. 
The tabs 3 when designed for use in conjunction with a standard size 
commercial tube of toothpaste, should preferably be approximately 13/8 
inches wide and 13/8 inches long from the top of the circumference on one 
end to the top of the ears on the other end. 
The tabs 3 are constructed of two parts 3A, 3B. The main part 3A has a 
recess 11 sized to receive a wire bail 9 with a catch projection 12 
hooking the upper looped end 13. A cover 3B part is bonded either 
adhesively or ultrasonically over the recess 11 capturing a wire bail 9. 
Loctite 401 adhesive has been successfully used with high impact Styrene. 
The spring clip body is captured between a pair of projections 14 on the 
tab main part 3A. 
FIG. 6 shows the detenting mechanism of the spring leg of the wire bail 9 
in as the bail is flipped in either direction, capturing the bail 9 in 
either position. This of course is well-known per se in spring binder 
clips used. 
The present device has been shown to be a very practical, inexpensive and 
an easily used aid in the dispensing of paste from a flexible tube. The 
device fits totally within the confines of the tube shape during the 
entire period of when the tube is being emptied, helps to insure the most 
efficient use of the paste by continually lapping and clamping the lapped 
tube in place, and can be molded in color and/or printed on further 
enhancing the appearance of the device in use. 
While having shown and described an embodiment of this invention in some 
detail, it will be understood that this description and illustrations are 
offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited 
in scope only by the appended claims.