Patent Publication Number: US-10773859-B2

Title: Tube squeezing device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/718,129 filed on Aug. 13, 2018. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to material dispensers. More particularly, the present invention provides for a tube squeezing device that is utilized to receive a tube of material and enable a user to squeeze the material out of the tube in a highly efficient manner, thereby enabling a user to maximize the amount of material able to be dispensed from said tube. 
     Many people buy lotions, toothpaste, sunscreen, and various other assorted materials in tubes. These tubes are typically one-piece construction with a dispensing end. Where a user squeezes the tube, the material is pushed out through the dispensing end. Initially, this manner of dispensing material does not pose an issue. However, as less and less material remains in the tube, it becomes increasingly harder and harder to squeeze out the material. Users are left trying to wring out the tube, or carefully roll the tube from the bottom in an effort to maximize the amount of material and minimize waste in the form of material left within the tube. This can be clumsy and lead to an unsightly mess as the tube becomes crumpled and disfigured. 
     Devices have been disclosed in the known art that relate to material dispensers. These include devices that have been patented and disclosed in patent application publications. However, the devices in the known art have several drawbacks. Some devices are wall-mounted and require the user to prime the device with material. These wall-mounted devices are not convenient and are not portable, thus they have no use outside the room in which they are installed. Other devices utilize clips or clamps to wring the tube. However, these devices are clumsy and do not address the problem of the unsightly mess that is left behind or that results from rolling or squeezing the tube in such a manner. The present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the known art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing material dispensing devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of material dispensing devices disclosed in the prior art, the present invention provides a tube squeezing device wherein the same can be utilized to receive a tube of material and enables a user to squeeze the material out of the tube in a highly efficient manner, thereby enabling a user to maximize the amount of material able to be dispensed from said tube. The present tube squeezing device comprises a body with a first member, a second member, an elastic material, a collar, and a fastener. An elastic material runs along the length of sides of each the member and connects the first member to the second member. The collar connects the top end of the first member to the top end of the second member. The collar has an aperture sized to receive a neck of a container therethrough. The fastener on the bottom ends of the first and second members selectively secures the bottom ends together. In various embodiments, pins are pivotally attached to the bottom of the members and travel in grooves to selectively keep the device in an open or closed configuration. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of an embodiment of the tube squeezing device. 
         FIG. 2  shows a rear view of an embodiment of the tube squeezing device in an open and a partially closed configuration. 
         FIG. 3  shows an interior perspective view of an embodiment of the tube squeezing device with a focus on the fastener. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the tube squeezing device. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, a preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for the tube squeezing device. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a side view of an embodiment of the tube squeezing device. The tube squeezing device comprises a body  100  having a first member  111 , second member  112 , an elastic material  120 , a collar  130 , and a fastener (as shown on  FIG. 3, 400 ). The tube squeezing device is sized and shaped to accept and receive a tube  190  containing a desired material to be dispensed. The first member  111  and the second member  112  each have a top end  151 ,  152 , and a bottom end  155 ,  156 , an interior surface and an exterior surface  171 ,  172 . In one embodiment, the first member  111  and the second member  112  are comprised of a flexible material. In another embodiment, the first member  111  and the second member  112  are comprised of a rigid material. In a further embodiment, the rigid material is a hard plastic. The flexible material provides the benefit of a pliable surface that absorbs shock where the tube squeezing device is dropped. The rigid material provides the benefit of translating more force that the user exerts on the device to the tube without having the force partially absorbed by a different type of material. 
     In one embodiment, the exterior surface  171 ,  172  of the first member  111  and the second member  112  are comprised of a waterproof material. The waterproof material enables a user to wash and clean the exterior of the tube squeezing device in order to provide an easy to clean surface. In such an embodiment, a user is able to place the device in a washing machine, such as a dishwasher, to clean it. An easy to clean surface is desirable to not only keep a clean aesthetic, but also to reduce the amount of accumulation of materials, such as dirt, germs, and excess material that may overflow from inside the tube  190 , on the exterior surfaces  171 ,  172  of the device. The waterproof material prevents water from penetrating the exterior surfaces  171 ,  172  of the tube squeezing device and contaminating, or watering down, the materials inside the tube  190 . 
     In one embodiment, a raised texture is disposed on the exterior surfaces  171 ,  172  of the first member  111  and the second member  112 . The raised texture enables a user to have a better grip on the exterior surfaces  171 ,  172  of the tube squeezing device. In another embodiment, the first member  111  and the second member  112  are ergonomic and comprise contours to receive a human hand in a squeezing motion. In such a manner, the contours enable a user to maintain a comfortable grip on the exterior surfaces  171 ,  172  of the tube squeezing device, thereby providing a device more conducive to a squeezing motion of the user&#39;s hand. 
     In another embodiment, the first member  111  and the second member  112  further comprise a contour that mimics the contours of the tube  190  received therein. In this manner, the device is configured to encapsulate and closely surround the tube  190 , thereby providing more surface area in contact with the tube  190 . The greater surface area is desirable when the device is utilized to squeeze the tube  190  as the user is able to selectively squeeze the device at the corresponding part of the tube  190  in which the user chooses to exert force and thereby direct the material in the tube  190  through the neck  191  of the tube  190  and through the dispensing end  191  of the tube  190 . In another embodiment, the first member  111  and the second member  112  each have an inward taper such that the bottom ends  155 ,  156  of the first member  111  and the second member  112  are wider than the top ends  151 ,  152  thereof. Such an inward taper allows for a closer mimicking of the tube  190  when the tube  190  includes such a taper in its design. 
     In the shown embodiment, an elastic material  120  connects a first side  161  of the first member  111  to a first side  162  of the second member  112 . In the shown embodiment, a second elastic material  120  connects a second side of the first member  111  to a second side of the second member  112  (as further seen in  FIG. 2, 261, 262 .) In the shown embodiment, the elastic material  120  is disposed along a length  159  of the first and second sides  161 ,  261  of the first member  111  and a length  159  of the first and second sides  162 ,  262  of the second member  112 . The elastic material  120  runs from the top end  151 ,  152  to the bottom end  155 ,  156  of each side. In one embodiment, the elastic material  120  is spandex. Spandex provides a strong material with elastic properties and ability to return to its original shape and orientation. In another embodiment, the elastic material  120  folds upon itself in an accordion fashion. This folding pattern provides a clean aesthetic and enables the material to gather in a small space and efficient manner when the device is in its closed configuration. 
     The interior surfaces of the first member  111  and the second member  112  are planar (as seen in  FIG. 2 ). The elastic material  120  pulls the interior surface of the first member  111  against the interior surface of the second member  112 . Where a tube  190  of material is placed between the planar interior surfaces of the first member  111  and the second member  112 , the elastic material  120  applies pressure to the tube  190 . In various embodiments, the amount of pressure exerted by the elastic material  120  is selectively adjusted to conform to the needs of the user. In one embodiment, the pressure exerted by the elastic material  120  is not enough to squeeze material out of the tube  190  but is enough to prevent the tube  190  from returning to an expanded configuration. In this manner, a user is able to squeeze the tube  190  between the first member  111  and the second member  112  to dispense material from inside the tube  190  and maintain the tube  190  in the squeezed configuration. 
     The collar  130  is disposed orthogonally to, and connecting, the top end  151  of the first member  111  and the top end  152  of the second member  112 . In the shown embodiment, the collar  130  is connected to the top end  151  of the first member  111  and the top end of the second member  112  by an elastic material. In another embodiment, the collar  130  is connected to the top end  151  of the first member  111  and the top end of the second member  112  by a flexible material. The collar remains connected to the first member  111  and the second member  112  when the tube squeezing device is fully compressed, when the tube squeezing device is fully expanded, and all configurations in between. The collar  130  further comprises an aperture  131 . The aperture  131  is sized to receive a neck  191  of a tube  190  therethrough. In this manner, a tube  190  of material is inserted between the first member  111  and the second member  112  such that the neck  191  of the tube  190  passes through the collar  130  and the neck  191  extends through the aperture  131 . Where the tube  190  incorporates a removable cap, the cap is able to be removed from the tube  190  prior to insertion of the tube  190  into the tube squeezing device and reattached to the neck  191  of the tube  190  once the neck  191  has passed through the aperture  131 . In this manner, the tube  190  of material is further secured to the tube squeezing device. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2  there is shown a rear view of an embodiment of the tube squeezing device in an open and a partially closed configuration. The tube squeezing device has an open configuration, where the elastic material  120  is expanded and the first member  111  and second member  112  are separated. At least one pin  201  is pivotally disposed on the interior surface of the first member  111  at the bottom end  155 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , two pins  201  are disposed, one on the first side  161  of the first member  111  and the second on a second side  261  of the first member  111 . The pins  201  pivot from a horizontal position, in parallel to the planar surface of the members, to a vertical position, perpendicular to the planar surface of the members. Where the pins  201  are in a vertical position, the pins  201  hold the members apart. At least one channel  220  is disposed along a width of the interior surface  210  of the first member  111  and along a width of the interior surface  210  of the second member  112  at the bottom ends thereof. The at least one channel  220  is sized to receive a length of the at least one pin  201 . In one embodiment, the channel  220  disposed on the first member  111  aligns with the channel  220  disposed on the second member  112 . In such an embodiment, the channels  220  together encapsulate the at least one pin  201 . In some embodiments with multiple pins  201 , a single channel  220  houses a single pin  201 . In the shown embodiments, two channels  220  are parallel to each other, where one channel is disposed closer to the bottom end and the other channel is disposed closer to the top end. In such an embodiment, two pins  201  are able to pivot and reside in separate channels  220  such that the pins  201  do not interfere with each other (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown an interior perspective view of an embodiment of the tube squeezing device with a focus on the fastener. The tube squeezing device includes the fastener  400  disposed on opposing bottom ends  155 ,  156  of the first member  111  and the second member  112 . In the shown embodiment, the fastener  400  is complementary hook and loop fasteners disposed in a manner such that the opposing materials of the hook and loop fastener line up and mesh with each other when the tube squeezing device is in a closed configuration. In such an embodiment, the fastener  400  is disposed along the interior surface at the bottom ends  155 ,  156  of the first member  111  and the second member  112 . It should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the fastener  400  can comprise a zipper, a button with a receiving slot, a complementary snap, or similar mechanisms for fastening the first member  111  to the second member  112 . 
     In the shown embodiment, the fastener  400  is disposed adjacent to the channels  220 . Further, in the shown embodiment, the fastener  400  is disposed between the tail end  410  of the tube  190  and the channels  220 . In such an embodiment, the fastener  400  closes and secures the bottom ends  155 ,  156  of the first member  111  and the second member  112  together, thereby keeping the tube  190  between the planar inner surfaces of the first member  111  and the second member  112  when pressure is applied. When the fastener  400  is engaged, the tail end  410  of the tube  190  is prevented from sliding out from between the first member  111  and the second member  112 . 
     In use, the bottom ends of a first member and a second member are separated. In the embodiments with pins and channels, the pins are rotated to a vertical position to hold the first member and the second member apart. A cap of a tube is removed, and a neck of the tube is passed through a collar and an aperture of the tube squeezing device. The cap is replaced to secure the tube between the first member and the second member. A fastener is engaged that keeps the tube between interior planar surfaces of the first member and the second member. In embodiments with pins and channels, the pins are rotated to a horizontal position and reside within the channels. A user removes the cap of the tube when ready to dispense a material inside the tube. The user squeezes the tube squeezing device which compresses the interior surfaces of the first member and the second member against the tube, thereby forcing material out of the tube through the neck of the tube. An elastic material connecting the first member to the second member keeps pressure against the tube such that the tube does not revert back to its original configuration. In this manner, a user is able to utilize a tube squeezing device to progressively squeeze material out of the tube and minimize waste. 
     It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. 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.