Abstract:
The article holder and protector is an improved, wall-mounted enclosure device for a sanitary brush protector. The device measures four inches long by three and one half inches wide by two inches deep. The improved device includes a housing, which encases a rear housing and is attached to the Velcro and placed securely on the wall. The said improved device has a see-through door that closes to protect the brushes from germs, caused from coughing, sneezing and water splashing. The improved device can be detached for use in travel. The said improved device can be made in different colors to match any bathroom decor.

Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    An article holder and protector apparatus is provided for installation on a vertical support surface, such as a bathroom wall, and includes an open housing which includes a top housing wall and a bottom housing wall which has article-reception slots. A hinge is connected to the open housing. A lid is connected to the hinge, and article supports are connected to the bottom housing wall adjacent to the article-reception slots. Portions of the article supports extend into regions inside the open housing above the article-reception slots. The lid can include a lip.  
           [0002]    A first snap lock member is connected to the lid, and a second snap lock member is connected to the open housing. Compartment walls extend upward from the article supports to the top housing wall. Together, the open housing and the compartment walls define compartment spaces.  
           [0003]    A quantity of hook or loop material is connected to a back side of the open housing, and a quantity of complementary loop or hook material is connected to the vertical support surface. The hook or loop material is connected to the complementary loop or hook material for supporting the open housing on the vertical support surface and for permitting easy removal of the housing from the vertical support surface for cleaning and for reinstallation.  
           [0004]    The article supports have article-engaging pointed regions. Opposite pointed regions of the article supports are spaced apart from one another by an article-holder-interspace. The article supports are made from resilient material.  
           [0005]    With another embodiment of the invention, the article supports are connected to the bottom housing wall by article-support-elevator panels.  
           [0006]    The article holder and protector apparatus of the invention can be used for holding and protecting toothbrushes from contamination due to coughing, sneezing, and splashing water, among other sources of contamination. In addition, the hook or loop material permits the article holder and protector apparatus to be easily removed from the vertical support surface, such as a bathroom wall, for washing and to be reinstalled on the wall easily. The hinge can be connected to the top housing wall.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The invention will be better understood and the above objects as well as objects other than those set forth above will become more apparent after a study of the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawing wherein:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the article holder and protector apparatus of the invention installed on a wall and holding and protecting a plurality of toothbrushes.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a front view of the top portion of the embodiment of the article holder and protector apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the protective lid in an open orientation and with one toothbrush present in the apparatus.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the embodiment of the article holder and protector apparatus of FIG. 2 taken along line  3 - 3  thereof, with the toothbrush removed.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 taken along line  4 - 4  thereof.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]    With reference to the drawings, a new and improved article holder and protector apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention will be described.  
         [0014]    Turning to FIGS.  1 - 4 , there is shown a first embodiment of the article holder and protector apparatus of the invention generally designated by reference numeral  10 . The article holder and protector apparatus  10  is provided for installation on a vertical support surface  15 , such as a bathroom wall, and includes an open housing  12  which includes a top housing wall  14  and a bottom housing wall  16  which has article-reception slots  18 . A hinge  20  is connected to the open housing  12 . A lid  22  is connected to the hinge  20 , and article supports  24  are connected to the bottom housing wall  16  adjacent to the article-reception slots  18 . Portions of the article supports  24  extend into regions inside the open housing  12  above the article-reception slots  18 . The lid  22  can include a lip  48  to inhibit contamination from entering the compartment spaces  34  between the lid  22  and the housing  12 .  
         [0015]    A first snap lock member  36  is connected to the lid  22 , and a second snap lock member  38  is connected to the open housing  12 . Compartment walls  32  extend upward from the article supports  24  to the top housing wall  14 . Together, the open housing  12  and the compartment walls  32  define compartment spaces  34 .  
         [0016]    A quantity of hook or loop material  26  is connected to a back side of the open housing  12 , and a quantity of complementary loop or hook material  28  (as shown in FIG. 5) is connected to the vertical support surface  15 . The hook or loop material  26  is connected to the complementary loop or hook material  28  for supporting the open housing  12  on the vertical support surface  15 . The hook or loop material  26  and the complementary loop or hook material  28  can be made from well know VELCRO(TM) material. Although the quantity of VELCRO(TM) material  26  is shown as a rectangular strip for illustration purposes, it will be appreciated that a larger quantity covering substantially the entire back side of the housing  12  may be used as well.  
         [0017]    The article holder and protector apparatus  10  of the invention can be used for holding and protecting toothbrushes  13  from contamination due to coughing, sneezing, and splashing water, among other sources of contamination. In addition, the hook or loop material permits the article holder and protector apparatus  10  to be easily removed from the vertical support surface  15 , such as a bathroom wall, for washing and to be reinstalled on the wall easily. The hinge  20  can be connected to the top housing wall  14 .  
         [0018]    The article supports  24  have article-engaging pointed regions  30 . Opposite pointed regions  30  of the article supports  24  are spaced apart from one another by an article-holder-interspace  17 . A portions of an article retained in the article-holder-interspace  17  is grabbed between opposed pointed regions  30  of the article supports  24  which contact the article. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a neck  42  between a brush head  44  and a handle  46  of a toothbrush  13  is grabbed between pointed regions  30  of opposed article supports  24 . The article supports  24  are made from resilient material. Preferably the confronting surfaces of the article supports (i.e. pointed regions  30 ) are rippled substantially as shown to provide a more positive gripping action on the handle or neck of the toothbrush received therebetween. The resilient material chosen for the article supports (e.g. rubber or plastic polymers) should be soft or flexible enough to allow the neck  42  or handle portion of a toothbrush to easily snap into place, yet be tough or firm enough to securely hold the toothbrush in place.  
         [0019]    Turning to FIGS. 5, a second embodiment of the invention is shown. Reference numerals are shown that correspond to like reference numerals that designate like elements shown in the other figures. In addition, the article supports  24  are connected to the bottom housing wall  16  by article-support-elevator panels  40  received in corresponding slots in the article supports. As a result, the article supports  24  are given enhanced firm support relative to the bottom housing wall  16 .  
         [0020]    For either embodiment of the invention, to install the article holder and protector apparatus  10  onto the vertical support surface  15 , the complementary loop or hook material  28  is attached to the vertical support surface  15  with an adhesive material. Then, the hook or loop material  26  on the housing  12  is pressed up against the complementary loop or hook material  28  so that a connection is established between the hook or loop material  26  and the complementary loop or hook material  28 .  
         [0021]    To place toothbrushes  13  into the article holder and protector apparatus  10 , the lid  22  is lifted around the hinge  20 , and the necks  42  toothbrushes  13  are slid into the article-reception slots  18  and between opposing pointed regions  30  of the article supports  24  so that the necks  42  of the toothbrushes  13  are located in the article-holder-interspaces  17  between the pointed regions  30 . Then, the lid  22  is lowered to protect the necks and the brush heads  44  from contamination. The lid  22  is secured shut by the interengagement of the first snap lock member  36  and the second snap lock members  38 .  
         [0022]    The lid  22  and/or the upper edge of the housing  12  can be provided with a thin resilient seal to inhibit contamination from entering the compartment spaces  34  inside the housing  12 .  
         [0023]    For the second embodiment of the invention, if desired, the side walls of the open housing  12 , the article-support-elevator panels  40 , and lid  22  can be long enough to permit the entire articles to be retained inside the article holder and protector apparatus  10  when the lid  22  is closed. With respect to the toothbrushes  13 , with such a lengthened embodiment of the invention, the brush heads  44 , the necks  42 , and the handles  46  of the toothbrushes  13  would be retained inside the article holder and protector apparatus  10  when the lid  22  is closed.  
         [0024]    The components of the article holder and protector apparatus of the invention can be made from inexpensive and durable rubber and/or plastic materials that are dishwasher safe.  
         [0025]    The foregoing detailed description is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art and therefore, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. For example, although a housing is illustrated for receiving as many as four different toothbrushes, the housing may be sized to receive more or less as desired. Further, although the lid  22  is shown hinged to the top edge of the housing for up and down movement, it will be appreciated that the closure door or lid  22  may be hinged to a side door and opened or closed by movement left or right and vice versa, in which case snap lock members  36  and  38  will be on an appropriate side of the housing  12 . Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents falling within the broad scope of the subject matter described above may be resorted to in carrying out the present invention.