Abstract:
A system for retractably securing a hygeine product to a garment of a user, the system having an applicator forming an interior space therein containing a hygeine product substance, the applicator having a base portion on a first end and a dispensing portion on a second end wherein said interior space cannot be removed from the base portion, and a retractor assembly for removably mounting the applicator to a garment of the user in a manner that permits selective movement of the applicator away from the body of the user; wherein the retractor assembly is connected directly to the base portion of the applicator such that when the applicator is freely hanging below the retractor assembly, said base portion is positioned closer to the retractor assembly than the dispensing portion and the dispensing portion is positioned below the base portion.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/042,941 filed on Aug. 28, 2014. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to retractable article holders and more particularly pertains to a retractable applicator system for retractably securing a hygeine product to a garment of a user. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Anti bacterial hygiene products are a staple of most homes and businesses in the modern world. In order to be used for optimal efficacy, the product needs to be readily available for use and an appropriate amount dispensed for the user. The combination of a retractor assembly coupled to an antibacterial hygiene product which can, in an embodiment, dispense a predetermined amount of product, is novel as compared to the prior art. 
         [0006]    One significant advantage of the present invention is that is allows the user to position the hygiene product in close proximity and/or in a convenient location so that the product can be easily found when needed while inhibiting the inadvertent loss of the product dispenser. 
         [0007]    Another significant advantage of the present invention is that in one embodiment, it allows the user to dispense a pre-determined amount of product, thereby eliminating waste of the hygiene product. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention is directed to a system for retractably securing a hygiene product to a garment of a user, the system comprising an applicator forming an interior space therein containing a hygiene product substance, the applicator comprising a base portion on a first end and a dispensing portion on a second end, wherein said interior space cannot be removed from said base portion; and a retractor assembly for removably mounting say applicator to a garment of the user in a manner that permits selective movement of said applicator away from the body of the user, wherein said retractor assembly is connected directly to the base portion of the applicator such that when said applicator is freely hanging below said retractor assembly, said base portion is positioned closer to said retractor assembly than said dispensing portion and said dispensing portion is below said base portion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The invention will be better understood and objects of the invention will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the new retractable hygeine product dispenser system according to the present invention showing the lanyard extended from the housing. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]    With reference now to  FIG. 1 , a new retractable applicator system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
         [0012]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the retractable applicator system  10  generally comprises an applicator  12  for containing and applying an antibacterial substance to the user and a retractor assembly  14  for removably mounting the applicator  12  to a garment of the user. 
         [0013]    The applicator  12  may include a base portion  16  for containing the anti-bacterial substance. The base portion  16  may comprise a base wall  18  and a perimeter wall  20 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , the portions of the perimeter wall  20  converge together to form the base wall  18 . In an alternate embodiment, the base portion  16  forms a container for the a substance, and the perimeter wall  18  also converges to form the base wall  18 . In a 3rd embodiment, the perimeter wall  20  extends substantially orthogonally from the base wall  18 . The base wall  18  and the perimeter wall  20  define an interior space  22  for receiving the lip care substance. The interior space  22  may also removably receive a portion of an anti-bacterial substance container that is inserted into the base portion when full and removed from the base portion when empty. Further, the base portion may forms the anti-bacterial substance container itself, and the base portion  16  has a dispensing opening  24  that permits dispensing of the anti-bacterial substance from the interior of the base member. In the alternate embodiments, the base portion  16  may be removed from the retractor assembly  14  when all of the anti-bacterial substance has been removed from the container, and another anti-bacterial substance container is mounted on the retracting assembly. In the alternate embodiments of, the base portion  16  also forms the container for the lip care substance. 
         [0014]    The applicator  12  may further include a cap portion  26  that is removably coupled to the perimeter wall  20  of the base portion  16  opposite of the base wall  18 . In  FIG. 1 , and other embodiments, the cap portion  26  removably covers the dispensing opening  24  of the base portion  16  to prevent inadvertent dispensing of the anti-bacterial substance from the interior when the cap portion  26  is coupled to the perimeter wall  20  of the base portion  16 . 
         [0015]    The retractor assembly  14  of the invention permits selective movement of the applicator  12  away from the garment on the body of the user. 
         [0016]    The retractor assembly  14  may include a housing  30  defining a receiving space  32  with an aperture  34  extending through the housing  30 . The aperture  34  is in communication with the receiving space  32  of the housing  30  and the exterior of the housing. Illustratively, the housing  30  may be substantially disk shaped to inhibit the housing  30  from snagging on the garment of the user, although other shapes may also be employed. The housing  30  may comprise a back wall  36 , a front wall  38  and a peripheral wall  40  extending between the front wall  38  and the back wall  36 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the peripheral wall  40  may be annular in shape. The aperture  34  may be located in, and extend through, the peripheral wall  40 . 
         [0017]    The retractor assembly  14  further comprises a spool  42  mounted on the housing  30  with the spool  42  being positioned in the receiving space  32  of the housing  30 . The spool  42  is positioned between the front wall  38  and the back wall  36  of the housing  30 . 
         [0018]    The retractor assembly  14  may further comprise a lanyard member  44  coupled to the spool  42 . A portion of the lanyard member  44  is extendable from the receiving space  32  through the aperture  34  of the housing  30  when the lanyard member  44  is pulled by the user. The spool  42  retracts a portion of the lanyard member  44  into the receiving space  32  when the lanyard member  44  is released by the user, thus maintaining a degree of retracting tension on the lanyard at all times. The lanyard may comprise a substantially flexible material to facilitate winding of the lanyard member  44  onto the spool  42  and to permit the user to direct the applicator  12  to the desired location (such as adjacent the lips) for the application of the lip care substance. 
         [0019]    The retractor assembly  14  may further comprise a securing member  46  coupled to the lanyard member  44  opposite the housing  30 . The securing member  46  is removably coupled to the base portion  14  of the applicator  12  to secure the applicator  12  to the retractor assembly  28 . The securing member  46  may comprise a strap portion  48  extending through the bore  26  of the base portion  14  of the applicator  12  to secure the applicator  12  to the lanyard member  44 . The strap portion  48  may comprise a strip of flexible material permitting the planar portion  48  to bend through the bore  26  of the applicator  12 . The strap portion  48  has a proximal end  50  and a distal end  52 . The proximal end  50  is coupled to the lanyard member  44 . The distal end  52  is extended through the bore  26  of the applicator  12  and secured to a medial section  54  of the strap portion  48  to secure the applicator  12  to the lanyard member  44 . The securing member  46  may comprise a first fastener portion  56  and a second fastener portion  58 . The first fastener portion  56  is coupled to the distal end  52  of the strap portion  48 . The second fastener portion  58  is coupled to the medial section  54  of the strap portion  48 . The first fastener portion  56  is complimentary to the second fastener portion  58  to allow the distal end  52  of the strap portion  48  to be secured to the medial section  54  of the strap portion  48 . 
         [0020]    In an alternate embodiment, the securing member  46  may comprise a chain  60  being secured to the lanyard member  44 . The chain  60  extends between the base wall  16  of the applicator  12  and the lanyard member  44  to secure the applicator  12  to the lanyard member  44 . The chain  60  may be coupled to the base wall  16  with a screw or adhesive (or other suitable fastening means) to ensure that the chain  60  is secured to the applicator  12 . 
         [0021]    The retractor assembly  40  may further comprise a clip member  62  coupled to the back wall  36  of the housing  30  of the reel member. The clip member  62  may be self-biasing for compressing or pinching a portion of a garment of the user between the clip member  62  and the back wall  36  of the housing  30  to secure the retractor assembly  28  to the user. The clip member  62  may comprise a first end portion  64  coupled to the back wall  36  proximate the peripheral wall  40  of the housing  30  and extending back over the back wall  36 . The clip member  62  may comprise a second end portion  66  that extends from the first end portion  64  opposite the peripheral wall  40 . The second end portion  66  may extend in an arcuate manner towards the back wall  36  from the first end portion  64  and then extend in an arcuate manner away from the back wall  36  opposite the first end portion  64  to permit the garment to be removably inserted between the second end portion  66  and the back wall  36  to permit the second end portion  66  of the clip member  62  to compress the garment against the back wall  36 . 
         [0022]    In use, the user inserts a portion of a garment that the user is wearing between the second end portion  66  of the clip member  62  and the back wall  36  of the housing  30  to secure the retractor assembly  28  to the garment. The user is then able to grip the applicator  12  and draw the lanyard out of the housing  30  to position the applicator  12  in a desired location. The cap portion  24  can then be removed to allow the lip care substance to be dispensed from the dispensing opening  22  to the lips. When the user has finished dispensing the lip care substance the cap portion  24  is returned to the base portion  14  of the applicator  12 . The user can then release the applicator  12  and the spool  42  will retract a portion the lanyard back into the housing  30  and thereby draw the applicator  12  back to the housing  30  which allows the user to have the lip care product in a convenient location. 
         [0023]    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 in light of the foregoing disclosure, 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.