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In some prior art arrangements, the enclosures related to tooth care items have the capacity to hold a toothbrush. In other arrangements the enclosures can hold a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste and other tooth care items, however, they are sometimes large and bulky, and in some enclosures or enclosure orientations, the items are permitted to touch the bristles of the toothbrush. This presents an inconvenience when the enclosure is used during travel, or away from home such as an office where space is at a premium.
This invention is a two piece enclosure that can hold items commonly used in tooth care such as a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, a spool of dental floss, and other tooth care items such as a toothpick. The enclosure is compact and convenient to carry and use. The tooth care items are arranged in a manner that enables the enclosure with the items to utilize a relatively small amount of space. This enclosure may generally be conveniently placed in ones pocket, kept at a desk, packed in traveling luggage, and, included in personal item containers such as a shaving kit bag, purse, belt purse, handbag etc. Specifically, the objectives of the invention are:
To provide an enclosure for tooth care items which overcomes the disadvantages previously stated.
To provide an enclosure specifically designed to hold items often used in personal tooth care such as a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and a spool of dental floss. This invention is not limited to containing only the three items mentioned, as it can contain additional items related to tooth care such as a toothpick.
To provide an enclosure for tooth care items where the items are generally separated from the bristles of the toothbrush.
To provide a means for the tooth care items to be arranged in the enclosure for a compact assembly.
To provide an enclosure for tooth care items that is inexpensive, as the configuration presented can be easily mass produced using common manufacturing methods, including but not limited to injection molding, and stamping.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the first piece of the enclosure.
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the first piece of the enclosure.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the first piece of the enclosure shown with a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and a spool of dental floss.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and a spool of dental floss suitable for use in this enclosure.
FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the first and second pieces of the enclosure assembled with the tooth care items.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the second piece of the enclosure.
FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the second piece of the enclosure.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the second piece of the enclosure, emphasizing features to appear in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the emphasized portion of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a section view of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a plan view of the first and second pieces of the enclosure attached to each other.
A two piece enclosure where the first piece 1 of the enclosure holds a toothbrush 2, a tube of toothpaste 3, and a spool of dental floss 4. The second piece 5 of the enclosure has a similar shape, is slightly larger, and serves as a cover to the first piece 1. The second piece 5 slides over the first piece 1 with a push fit so that some hand effort is required to assemble the enclosure. Some hand effort is required to disassemble the enclosure. Additionally, features may be used to cause the pieces to assemble with a snap characteristic such that the force required to disassemble the pieces is greater than the force required to assemble them.
The toothbrush 2, the tube of toothpaste 3 and the spool of dental floss 4 are prior art. The spool of dental floss 4 shown, is a spool within a housing of the shape depicted, and is sometimes available where tooth care items are sold.
The shape of the enclosure is relatively long and narrow to allow space for a relatively long and narrow toothbrush 2.
One end 6 of the enclosure is relatively wider than the other end 7 to hold a spool of dental floss 4.
The wider end 6 of the first piece 1 of the enclosure has partitions 8a, 8b perpendicular to the plane surface. The partitions 8a, 8b serve as a channel 9 to center the toothbrush 2 in the enclosure 1. These partitions 8a, 8b also separate the spool of dental floss 4 from the tube of toothpaste 3.
The narrow end 7 of the first piece 1 of the enclosure has partitions 10a, 10b perpendicular to the plane surface. The partitions 10a, 10b serve as a channel 11 to center the toothbrush 2 in the enclosure 1.
The second piece 5 of the enclosure has a pair of protrusions 12, 13 each one located near each end of this piece 5, extending approximately one half inch from the plane. These protrusions 12, 13 serve to prevent the second piece of the enclosure 5 from closing entirely on to the first piece 1. This provides additional volume for the items in the enclosure, particularly the tube of toothpaste 3, which may extend beyond the height of the perimeter walls of the first piece 1 of the enclosure as shown in FIG. 5.
The protrusions mentioned 12, 13 where one of the protrusions 13 has an additional protrusion 14 located at the center of the protrusion 13, extending beyond the remaining portion of the protrusion 13. The extension 14 serves to divide the bristles of the toothbrush 2 from the tube of toothpaste 3 and other items used in this enclosure when the pieces 1 and 5 are assembled.
The second piece 5 of the enclosure has an opening 15 placed in the walls of this piece to expose a greater area of the first piece 1 when the pieces are assembled. This exposed surface facilitates the hand removal of the second piece 5 from the first piece 1.
The enclosure has one or more holes 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d in one or both pieces 1, 5 of the enclosure to permit air ventilation.
FIG. 11. Show the enclosure pieces where the pieces are attached to each other 17a, 17b in a way that permits the pieces to be assembled and disassembled.