Abstract:
A tooth-care equipment holder unit accommodates a plurality of electric toothbrushes as well as a dental floss holder, a toothpaste tube and dental floss sticks.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the general art of toiletries, and to the particular field of toothpaste and toothbrush holders. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Dental hygiene products are well known in the prior art. Many products exist for use in dental hygiene and include, for example, toothbrushes, toothpicks, toothpaste, mouthwash, rinsing cups and dental floss. These products are typically stored in a convenient location proximal to a bathroom sink so that an individual can easily clean their teeth and otherwise maintain healthy dental hygiene. 
         [0003]    For example, at present, the majority of individuals use toothpaste and floss for dental prophylaxis. Most toothpastes come in a squeezable tube wherein the user squeezes out the product onto a toothbrush. Over the years, these tubes have maintained the same basic format. As is well known, it is difficult to squeeze the proper amount out once the tube is well used. Further, pockets of toothpaste often remain in the tube which is lost when the tube is discarded. Further, such tubes often develop cracks due to fatigue caused by numerous squeezes which leads to leakage of the toothpaste through said cracks. Further, toothpaste tubes, particularly used tubes, are not aesthetically pleasing and result in an unsightly appearance when left on the bathroom counter. 
         [0004]    Still further, good dental hygiene requires the use of floss to clean between the teeth. At present, dental floss is provided on a spool in a container having a cutting blade mounted thereon. The dental floss container is usually rather small and easily misplaced. Daily and consistent use of dental floss is known to remove bacterial plaque in proximity to the gums and between the teeth. Dental health care workers, including dentists and oral hygienists, recommend a daily regime of flossing. To induce the habit, it is known to place the floss in a convenient location for easy access and to remind a person in the location to use the dental floss. Generally, by tradition and convenience, such location is a bathroom. But most dental floss containers sold in pharmacies and the like are packaged so as not to encourage a person to place the floss container in the location at a place where the person will be reminded to use the floss. In fact, most floss containers are hidden away in a medicine cabinet or the like. Still further, some dental floss is marketed in sticks so an individual an reach difficult places in his or her mouth. However, these sticks can become easily lost and can be unsightly if merely left lying on a sink. 
         [0005]    Those individuals concerned with the aesthetic setting of their bathroom may wish to conceal or organize their dental hygiene products instead of placing them upon the counter-top of their bathroom sink area. Of course, some people simply store their dental hygiene products within a cabinet mounted above the bathroom sink. However, in doing so, many people forget to clean their teeth in that the dental hygiene products are not prominently displayed. The positioning and dispensing of various components relative to a dental hygiene program is frequently rendered difficult by the various components required to maintain such a program. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The above-discussed disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by a tooth-care equipment holder unit that accommodates a plurality of electric toothbrushes as well as a dental floss holder, a toothpaste tube and dental floss sticks. Using the tooth-care equipment holder embodying the present invention will permit a user to keep all such equipment in one convenient and easily accessed location. 
         [0007]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0008]    The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tooth-care equipment holder unit embodying the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view thereof. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view thereof. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a tooth-care equipment holder unit embodying the present invention showing tooth-care equipment stored therein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a tooth-care equipment holder unit  10 . Unit  10  comprises a housing  12  which has a first end  14  which is a top end when the housing is in use such as shown in  FIG. 4 , a second end  16  which is a bottom end when the housing is in use and a height dimension  18  that extends between the top end and the bottom end of the housing. 
         [0014]    Housing  12  further includes a first side  20 , a second side  22  and a width dimension  24  that extends between first side  20  and second side  22 . A first surface  30  is a front surface of the housing when the housing is in use and a second surface  32  is a rear surface of the housing when the housing is in use. A thickness dimension  34  extends between front surface  30  and rear surface  32 . 
         [0015]    Housing  12  further includes a slanting surface  40  that connects the top wall to first surface  30  and extends at an oblique angle θ to height dimension  18 . An internal volume  44  is defined in the housing, and a shelf  48  is located in the internal volume and is mounted on the slanting surface in a cantilever fashion to extend toward the rear surface  32 . Two toothbrush-accommodating openings  50  and  52  are defined through the first surface. A wall, such as wall  54 , surrounds each opening and extends from first end  14  toward the shelf. The openings are spaced apart from each other in the direction of width dimension  24 . Shelf  48  is located between the toothbrush-accommodating openings and bottom end  16  so that toothbrushes T accommodated in the toothbrush-accommodating openings will rest on the shelf. 
         [0016]    Two slots  60  and  62  are defined through slanting surface  40  adjacent to shelf  48  so the shelf extends between bottom end  16  and the slots so that items, such as floss sticks F, accommodated in the slots will rest on the shelf. A dental floss container holder  70  is defined through slanting surface  40  adjacent to the shelf so the shelf extends between the bottom end and the dental floss container holder so that a dental floss container D accommodated in the dental floss container holder will rest on the shelf. 
         [0017]    A concave toothpaste tube accommodating surface  80  is defined in slanting surface  40  adjacent to front surface  30  to accommodate a toothpaste tube TT. If desired, electrical power can be delivered to the toothbrushes accommodated in the unit  10  by connecting suitable circuitry and elements to the unit adjacent to the openings  50  and  52 . 
         [0018]    While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.