Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to the field of dental care in the home, and, more particularly, to a dental center for dispensing toothpaste and floss as well as allowing storage of toothbrushes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     At present, the majority of individuals use toothpaste and floss for dental prophylaxis. Most toothpastes come in a squeezable tube wherein the user squeezes out the product onto a toothbrush. Over the years, these tubes have maintained the same basic format. As is well known, it is difficult to squeeze the proper amount out once the tube is well used. Further, pockets of toothpaste often remain in the tube which is lost when the tube is discarded. Further, such tubes often develop cracks due to fatigue caused by numerous squeezes which leads to leakage of the toothpaste through said cracks. Further, toothpaste tubes, particularly used tubes, are not aesthetically pleasing and result in an unsightly appearance when left on the bathroom counter. 
     In addition, good dental hygiene requires the use of floss to clean between the teeth. At present, dental floss is provided on a spool in a container having a cutting blade mounted thereon. The dental floss container is usually rather small and easily misplaced. 
     Thus, there is a need for a dental care device which eliminates the shortcomings of the prior art. Attempts have been made in the prior art to resolve these issues. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,362 entitled “Toothpaste Dispenser” which issued on Nov. 2, 1999 to West discloses a toothpaste container providing toothpaste, dental floss and a brush holder. The device can be adhesively mounted to a wall. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,072,297 entitled “Liquid Soap Dispenser” which issued on Jan. 8, 1963 to Lippman et al. show a soap dispenser wherein rotation of turning member  18  results in dispensing at valving means  28 . 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,495 entitled “Device For Dispensing Multi-Components From A Container” which issued on Feb. 23, 1999 to St. Germain discloses a device for dispensing multi-components from a container 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,983 entitled “Versatile Dispensing Dental Hygiene and Shaving Device” which issued on Oct. 31, 1978 to Jolly provides a dental device having a handle with dental floss located therein. The handle may be rotated, turning feed rod  14  and piston assembly D. 
     None of the known prior art disclose the combination set forth herein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide a new toothpaste and floss dispensing device which is aesthetically pleasing. 
     It is an further object of this invention to provide a new toothpaste and floss dispensing device which dispenses the toothpaste without the need for squeezing same. 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention may be more readily described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective front and side view of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded front and side perspective view of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a dispensing portion employed in the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a toothpaste tube employed in the present invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  in FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring more particularly to the drawings by characters of reference, FIGS. 1-5 disclose combinations of features which constitute the components of a dental center  10  of the present invention. In the presently preferred embodiment, dental center  10  comprises a dispenser body  12  and a dispensing portion  14  mounted thereon. 
     As best seen in FIGS. 2, dispenser body  12  is attached via clips  11  to a wall bracket  16  which is affixed to a vertical surface. In one embodiment, an adhesive such as Command Adhesive® which is commercially available from 3M is employed. Alternatively, wall bracket  16  is attached via screws, mounting clips or many other methods well known to those skilled in the art. 
     Extending in a horizontal plane from dispenser body  12  is a base  20  having a tapered cavity  22  centered thereon. Cavity  22  supports dispensing portion  14  on the interior thereof as cavity  22  tapers from a wide top opening  22   a  to a narrower bottom opening  22   b . The shape of tapered cavity  22  corresponds to the shape of a dispenser head  62  at the bottom of dispensing portion  14  which is described in more detail below. Also extending in a horizontal plane from dispenser body  12  is a second base  70  having a second cavity  72  extending therethrough. Cavity  72  provides lateral support for dispensing portion  14  which extends upwardly therethrough. 
     A plurality of toothbrush holding holes  24  are positioned on the periphery of base  20 . Toothbrush holding holes  24  are large enough to receive a handle  26  of a toothbrush  28  but small enough to prevent a brush  30  from passing therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, two toothbrush holding holes  24  are provided though those skilled in the art will recognize that number can be changed as desired. Further, a toothbrush holding bracket  25  having toothbrush holding holes  27  can be mounted to the side of dispenser body  12  if desired. 
     As best seen in FIGS. 2-5, dispensing portion  14  comprises a vertically oriented toothpaste tube  32  which is, preferably, a cylinder having a non circular, preferably, oval, cross section. The upper end of toothpaste tube  32  is adapted to receive knob  52  which, in turn, is adapted to receive a floss dispenser  34 . In one embodiment, knob  52  receives floss dispenser  34  by quick disconnect fittings  36  and  38  on knob  52  and floss dispenser  34 , respectively. In the presently preferred embodiment, the periphery of knob  52  is larger than that of cavity  72  whereby the edges of knob  52  rest on base  70  thereby providing support for dispensing portion  14 . Removal of dispensing portion  14  from dispenser body  12  is accomplished simply by grasping knob  52  and lifting dispensing portion  14  from bases  20  and  70 . 
     In the presently preferred embodiment, floss dispenser  34  includes a generally hemispherical cap  44  mounted atop a disk shaped bottom  41 . Bottom  41  has a rotatable spool  50  containing floss  42  wound thereon extending upwardly therefrom. Floss dispenser  34  also preferably includes a window  40 , or has cap  44  made of a transparent material thereby allowing the user to easily determine the amount of floss  42  contained therein. In addition, an opening  43  allows the free end of floss  42  to protrude from floss dispenser  34  and to be manually withdrawn therefrom. The exterior of floss dispenser  34  is further equipped with a cutting element  45  which allows the user to cut floss  42  to a desired length. 
     Once floss  42  is exhausted, it can be replaced easily. In the presently preferred embodiment, floss dispenser  34  is sold as a unit whereby changing dispensers  34  is accomplished simply by unscrewing quick disconnect fittings  36 ,  38  and removing the old dispenser  34  and screwing in a new dispenser  34 . Snap fittings are also a viable option. 
     Turning now to toothpaste tube  32 , initially, the interior thereof is filled with toothpaste. At the top of tube  32 , a cap  53  has a hole  51  extending therethrough. Inside tube  32 , a plunger  54  is rotatably engaging a jack screw  56 . Upon rotation of jack screw  56  with respect to plunger  54 , plunger  54  moves downwardly thereby pushing the toothpaste downwardly also. The periphery of plunger  54  engages the non-circular, preferably, oval, cross section of a sidewall  55  of toothpaste tube  32  and, in conjunction therewith, prevents leakage of toothpaste from around the edges of plunger  54  as it moves downwardly therein. Use of the non-circular cross section is indicated to allow plunger  54  to travel downwardly along jack screw  56 . Note that the term non-circular includes, for example, a circular cross section with a vertical stop about the periphery to stop rotation of plunger  54  with jack screw  56 . 
     Rotation of plunger  54  with respect to jack screw  56  is accomplished by turning knob  52  which is provided with a gripping surface  53  for ease of use. The rotation of knob  52  is transmitted to jack screw  56  via female fitting  60  which engages male fitting  61  positioned atop jack screw  56 . Male fitting  61  extends through hole  51  to engage female fitting  60  on knob  52 . The other end of jack screw  56  is rotatably engaged by jack screw rest  67  best seen in FIG.  5 . Plunger  54  is frictionally engaged by sidewall  55  acting thereon and is prevented from rotating with respect to same due to the oval cross section thereof. Thus, when jack screw  56  rotates, plunger  54  travels downwardly therefrom to push the toothpaste out. 
     The toothpaste is pushed from tube  32  into a dispensing head  62  which is generally tapered as previously discussed but includes a downwardly extending nipple  64 . Nipple  64  includes a dispensing hole  65  which opens downwardly laterally therefrom for dispensing toothpaste from tube  32  onto toothbrush  28  as best seen in FIG.  1 . Plunger  54  pushes the toothpaste from tube  32  into dispensing head  62  and into nipple  64  and finally out dispensing hole  65  for the user. 
     Toothpaste tube  32  is preferably made of a transparent material to allow a user to easily determine the amount of toothpaste contained therein. Alternatively, a toothpaste window  70  is preferably provided proximate to the bottom of toothpaste tube  32  to allow a user to easily determine the amount of toothpaste remaining. Replacement of toothpaste tube  32  when the toothpaste is exhausted is preferably accomplished by either simply purchasing toothpaste tube  32  in combination with dispensing head  62 . In this instance the exhausted tube  32  and dispensing head  62  combination detached from cavity  22  by simply lifting from knob  52 . Floss dispenser  34  stays on knob  52 . Then, the new tube  32  and dispensing head  62  is simply dropped into cavity  22  as previously described. In this embodiment, dispensing head  62  and tube  32  are provided as an integrated unit thereby eliminating the need for threadings. 
     Although only certain embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 3