Patent Publication Number: US-2005115985-A1

Title: Tube retaining device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The Tube Retaining Device herein presented relates to devices that compress and retain the previously emptied folded or rolled portion of a closed end collapsible tube such as a toothpaste tube. This function is advantageous when pressure is applied to extrude material from the filled portion of the tube in order to prevent the back filling of the emptied portion of the tube and retain the latter in a neat and tidy condition.  
      This Tube Retaining Device relates to other apparati that might be used to secure such a tube following the partial expulsion of its contents. However,its purpose is not to, in and of itself, expel the contents or to fold or roll the tube but to retain the empty end of said tube once the tube has been manually folded or rolled by the user.  
      The inventor, through development of his own original concept, arrived at the herein presented and described Tube Retaining Device. Various and many devices have been patented related to this purpose.  
      Examples among these are JACOBS “Toothpaste tube fold-holder,” (U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,385) and SPARR, Sr. “Split clip for folded collapsible tube,” (U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,823). These two patents, and references cited by them (23 in all) have been accessed by this inventor and all are devised to, clamp, lock, seal, and otherwise deal with the problem of the partially emptied portion of the closed end collapsible tube or toothpaste type tube, effect the folding or rolling of the tube, and/or pertain to the expulsion of its contents. However, none are as simple, inexpensive and beautifully functional in RETAINING the tube as the herein described device. Also, all are rigid (non-elastic) metallic or plastic devices of varying complexities. There is to this inventors knowledge no such device that uses a fiber-elastic band/loop, rubber elastic band/loop or elastomeric band/loop to accomplish this purpose.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A unique and simple solution to a long existing problem is herein presented that, in the inventors opinion, will facilitate solving the problem of how to compress and retain the used portion of a closed end collapsible tube such as a toothpaste tube after squeezed to expel contents. By simply stretching around the previously rolled or folded tube it solves the problem previously attempted by a myriad of plastic or metallic devices at considerably less cost and effort. The herein described Tube Retaining Device easily prevents back filling with materials from the unused portion of said tube and concurrently maintains it a neat and tidy state.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
      The specification contains one page of drawings,  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 1  Illustrates a previously partially emptied and folded tube with the flat elastic band/loop embodiment of the Tube Retaining Device stretched about the folded portion of the tube and depicts a presentation of a flat elastic band.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The Tube R taining Device is comprised of a stretchable/elastic-retractable; fabric-elastic, rubber elastic, or elastomeric material. This material is conjoined at the ends and forms a circular, oval, or flat ( FIG. 1, 1 ) loop. These elastic band\loop Tube Retaining Devices are manufactured in different lengths, widths, thicknesses, and coefficients of elasticity. This component differential provides accommodation to various sizes of closed end collapsible or toothpaste type tubes ( FIG. 1, 2 ). One of said elastic band/loop modalities is selected to conform to an individual tube size. It then, when stretched around the partially emptied and previously folded or rolled portion of a collapsible closed end tube such as a toothpaste tube, encircles and partially or entirely surrounds and holds compressed that end of the tube, ( FIG. 1, 3 ). The surface of said elastic material is resistant to slippage on or about the tube. This loop is of such expandable resistance to, when stretched over the folded or rolled portion of the tube, hold it firmly and prevent the tubes return to a more elongated state via back pressure. It is not so elastic-retractable as to pinch or laterally collapse said tube. When so compressed and encircled about the emptied part of tube, when the tube is squeezed, the band retains the tube and prevents the empty portion of the tube from back filling with the unused contents of said tube and concurrently presents the tube in a neat and tidy state. The band is of a single or multiple color combination and could entertain decoration, logo&#39;s, pictures, or text imprinted thereon.