Field of Search:
222/102,105,101,97,98,99,100,95
Claims:
1. In a tube paste squeezer, the combination of a case securable to a vertical wall, said case containing a mechanism for squeezing a paste tube placed within said case, wherein said case is comprised of a rear wall mountable on said vertical wall, two side walls having vertical grooves, vertical rods secured to said side walls by pads extending from the walls, an upwardly pivotable top cover, and a pivotable front door, said mechanism comprising two rollers secured on shafts journalled on the side walls, and gears on each shaft intermeshing, and one shaft having a crank handle secured thereto, whereby the paste tube may be squeezed between the rollers upon turning of the crank, said mechanism further comprising a vertically slidable platform, said platform having tongues extending into said vertical grooves, a central opening for receiving a neck of the paste tube, and a plurality of other openings for slidably receiving said rods, and springs disposed on said rods below said platform to bias said
2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein a closure seal is pivotally mounted on one of said rods between the top of one of said springs and the bottom of the platform.
Description:
This invention relates generally to dispensers. More specifically it related to a dispenser of paste products contained within squeeze tubes.
It is generally well known that when a person is especially in a hurry in the morning, it can be nuisance to proceed through the numerous steps of toiletry such as brushing the teeth and shaving. To brush the teeth, the toothpaste must be first picked up, the end cap removed, the tube squeezed, and the end cap then replaced. The same steps are needed when shaving cream must be dispensed upon a shaving brush. While these separate steps are only small, they do contrinute to the general nuisance of taking up time when a person is in a hurry to leave for work or other appointment.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a squeezer device which eliminates most of the above described steps in squeezing out a paste from a squeeze tube.
Another object is to provide a tube paste squeezer which according needs only a single step of turning a crank handle in order to obtain a paste, and which thus eliminates the necessity of searching for a paste tube in a bathroom medicine cabinet, removing the end cap and then replacing the end cap.
Another object is to provide a tube paste squeezer which is quickly and easily operated.
Another object is to provide a tube paste squeezer which can more effectively dispense all of the content from a tube than would be possible when squeezing the tube between a person's fingers, because in the present invention the tube is squeezed between a pair of rollers which thus squeeze evenly on entire area of the tube so to dispense every particle of the content.
Other objects are to provide a PASTE TUBE SQUEEZER which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.
These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a front view of the mechanism of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the case shown partly in cross section.
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view on line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the support structure.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pivotable closure seal for the toothpaste tube.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the top cover, and FIG. 7 is a bottom view thereof.
FIG. 7 is a rear view thereof.
FIG. 8 is a front view of the case cover.
Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 10 represents a PASTE TUBE SQUEEZER according to the present invention, wherein there is a case 11 having rear wall 12 with bayonet slots 13 for receiving mounting nails 14 for securement to a vertical wall 15 of a roo. The case includes opposite side walls 16 and 17, top wall wall 18 with upwardly pivotable top cover 19, and a forwardly pivotable front door 20 for enclosing a central compartment 21 containing mechanism 22 for squeezing a paste tube 23. The top cover 19 has a knob 24 and is pivotable about hinges 25. The front door 20 has a knob 26 and is pivotable about hinges 27.
The mechanism 22 includes a pair of smooth cylindrical faced rollers 28 secured on shafts 29 journeled inbearings 30 in the opposite side walls 16 and 17, the shafts protruding on one end outward of the case and having intermeshing gears 31 mounted thereupon, and one of the shafts also having a crank handle 32 secured thereto.
The mechanism 22 also includes a vertically movable stage or platform 33 with central opening 34 therethrough for receiving the neck 35 of the inverted tube 23, the stage having tongues 36 on opposite side edges 37 which are slidable within vertical guide grooves 38 on opposite side walls 16 and 17, so that the stage can progressively rise as the tube is upwardly moved while being squeezed between the rollers. A pair of compression coil springs 39 below the stage normally urge the stage in upwardly direction. Each spring 39 is fitted on a rod 40 extending through opening 41 in the stage, the upper and lower ends of the rods being held within pads 42 formed securely with the inner side of the side walls 16 and 17.
A pivotable closure seal 43 adaptable for positioning against the inverted mouth 44 of the tube 23 is supported on one of the rods 40; the rod 40 extending through an opening 45 near one end of the seal 43, as shown in FIG. 1. The seal includes a flat plate 46 at its opposite end for closing the tube mouth.
In operative use, it is now evident, the tube 23 does not need the conventional removal closure can with which it is supplied when purchased. To dispense paste, a person merely pivots the seal plate 46 out of the way of the tube mount, and then gives a small rotational movement on the crank 32 thus causing the tube to move slightly upwardly between the rollers who thus cause a quantity of the paste to be dispensed. Thereafter the seal is pivoted to a closing position again over the mouth.
After the tube is squeezed empty, the front door is opened and the tube is replaced by a fresh tube.
While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it is to be understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.