Patent Publication Number: US-2004040981-A1

Title: Plastic squeeze tube squeezer (PSTS)

Description:
[0001] This application claims priority over the provisional application serial No. 60/407,770 filed on Sep. 3, 2002, copy attached. Specification herein and the attached drawings define the Plastic Squeeze Tube Squeezer (PSTS) as a tool invented to squeeze nearly all the contents (paste like) packaged in plastic squeeze tubes e.g. tooth paste or other industrial paste materials packaged in plastic squeeze tube for dispensing purposes. 
    
    
     
       [0002] For clarity and understanding: Plastic Squeeze Tube referred in the specification and other related document of the Non Provisional application is a plastic tube with one end sealed and the other dispensing end fitted with a screwed plastic cap.  
       [0003] Generally the plastic squeeze tube is used to dispense paste like materials e.g. commonly packaged toothpaste. While the PSTS is a tool to orderly dispense nearly all the content of the squeeze tube.  
       [0004] The PSTS shall be made from high-density plastic or metal or metal wire. The PSTS shall slip with ease on to the squeeze tube with little effort and stay mounted on the tube residing on the sealed end of the tube. The slit in the PSTS in which the sealed end of the plastic squeeze tube slides is shown in drawing # 1  as being 0.0625. In the prototype it was observed that this opening was adequate for the PSTS to slide easily on the sealed end of an 8 oz tube and exerted proper pressure on the tube collapsed side to remove/push the contents towards the nozzle of the tube as the PSTS travels away from the sealed end. However the slit dimension may have to be modified for varying tube thicknesses from different manufacturers.  
       [0005] The PSTS is not limited to the plastic squeeze tube, but can be used on aluminum squeeze tubes used in the industry for dispensing paste type materials.  
     
    
    
     [0006] Attached drawing # 1  delineates the PSTS for an 8 oz &amp; for a 6 oz tubes. Scaled drawing has three views, elevation, plan and side view. The drawing provides the actual size of the squeezer for the two tubes mentioned above.  
     [0007] Attached drawing #  2  delineates an Isometric view showing the PSTS mounted on the squeeze tube. The PSTS can come mounted on the tube from the plant where the tubes are filled or could be packaged separately with the tube in the packaging container.