Patent Application
20190350410
This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. ยง 119(e) of United States Provisional Application Serial No. 62/673,107 filed May 17, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
This disclosure relates to an improved toothbrush holder, and more particularly, a toothbrush holder that is easily assembled and which is also inexpensive and disposable.
Hotels and inns which are open to the public attempt to provide the traveler with accommodations that are similar to those enjoyed by the traveler at home. The very nature of some of these accommodations renders them quite personal to many people. The cleanliness of the room and its furnishings are important as is their comfort and general physical condition which contributes to the overall attractiveness of the room. This overall attractiveness is directly translatable into satisfaction and enjoyment by the traveler who is staying there.
One problem faced by many travelers is finding a suitable place to temporarily store their toothbrushes immediately after use. To some, this is no problem at all, they simply lay it on the vanity counter top. However, to others, the thought of allowing the bristle end of their toothbrush to come into physical contact with a counter top that may have just been cleaned with unknown chemicals or even toxic substances perhaps, is simply not acceptable. For this reason the typical wall mounted toothbrush holder having through holes which allow the bristles of the brush to engage the holder is not acceptable either. There is probably nothing more personal to these people than their toothbrush because a toothbrush is used in one's mouth and a perception that the toothbrush is maintained in scrupulously sanitary conditions is paramount. Solutions to this problem may include placing the toothbrush into a glass tumbler with the bristle end facing upwardly or returning it to its travel container. The tumbler solution works as long as the tumbler is made of glass and has a substantial weight. However, water and toothpaste left in the bristles tend to drip down the handle of the toothbrush. In addition, many hotels and motels, in an effort to reduce operating costs, have replaced glass tumblers with throwaway light plastic ones. These are too lightweight to function as a toothbrush holder because the toothbrush, which weighs about as much as the plastic tumbler, has a tendency to lean outwardly beyond the edge of the tumbler rendering it off balance and unstable. Such an arrangement is easily knocked over by accident. The solution of returning the toothbrush to its travel container is not a perfect one either. Most such travel containers have limited provisions for air circulation so that when a toothbrush is returned to its container wet, it has little opportunity to properly dry. This, of course, is conducive to the development of mold, mildew, or bacteria in the travel container.
What is needed is a stable toothbrush holder for hotels and the like that is perceived as being sanitary, that holds the bristle end away from all surfaces for proper drying, and provides a surface onto which water from the toothbrush bristles may drip as they dry.
According to one illustrative embodiment, disclosed is a present toothbrush holder for supporting at least one toothbrush. The toothbrush holder may be formed from a single piece of sheet material containing at least one opening and a plurality of fold lines. According to certain embodiments, the toothbrush holder includes a base surface and a toothbrush engaging surface. The toothbrush engaging surface comprises a raised surface extending upwardly from the base surface and horizontal surfaces located adjacent each side of said raised surface. The raised surface includes at least one aperture, cavity, groove, hole, indentation, or notch located at the apex or peak of the raised surface along a fold line.
Further disclosed is a kit comprising the toothbrush holder and at least one toothbrush.
Further disclosed is a kit comprising the toothbrush holder, at least one toothbrush and at least one oral care product.
Further disclosed is an oral care kit comprising the disclosed toothbrush holder, at least one toothbrush and at least one oral care product together in a sealed package.
Further disclosed is a kit comprising the toothbrush holder in a sealed package.
According to one illustrative embodiment, the toothbrush holder is configured to support at least one toothbrush. The toothbrush holder may be formed from a single piece of sheet material comprising at least one opening and at least one fold line.
According to certain embodiments, the sheet material includes a plurality of fold lines. According to certain embodiments, the sheet material comprises four fold lines. According to certain embodiments, the four fold lines are substantially parallel to each other. An opening is disposed in the center of one of the fold lines. According to certain embodiments, there is a grouping of three fold lines that, when folded, form a raised or tented surface. The sheet material is folded along these three fold lines to define a raised surface that is flanked by substantially horizontal surfaces on each side of the raised surface. The raised surface is defined by surfaces which are angled upwardly from the substantially horizontal surfaces and inwardly toward each other. According to certain embodiments, the surfaces defining the raised surface extend upwardly from the horizontal surfaces and angle inwardly toward each other until they meet at an apex or peak of the raised surface. The sheet material is folded along another fold line to form an underlying base or support surface under the horizontal surfaces and raised surface. According to certain embodiments, substantially horizontal surfaces flanking the raised surfaces may be affixed to an underlying surface with an adhesive in order to form a secure isosceles triangle defined by the raised surfaces and a portion of the underlying surface.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the toothbrush holder disclosed herein, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings depict various illustrative embodiments of the toothbrush holder disclosed herein, but are not intended to limit the specification or claims in any manner whatsoever.
According to one illustrative embodiment, the present toothbrush holder is formed from a single piece of sheet material containing opening 5 in the center of fold line 7, and is folded along its fold lines 6, 7, 8 and 9 to define surfaces 1 and 4, which are aligned and parallel with each other, surfaces 2 and 3, which are angled in a raised direction relative to surfaces 1 and 4, and surface 10, which is folded in the opposite direction as raised surfaces 2 and 3, and is positioned parallel to surfaces 1 and 4, and may be affixed to surfaces 1 and 4 with an adhesive in order to form a secure isosceles triangle comprising surfaces 2, 3 and a portion of surface 10.
According to further embodiments, the present toothbrush holder may include a plurality of distinct and unconnected openings along fold 7 for supporting a plurality of toothbrushes simultaneously.
According to further embodiments, all embodiments described previously may be formed from sheet material which has rounded corners to minimize the likelihood of minor injury to persons handling and using said toothbrush holder.
Without limitation, and only by way of illustration, the sheet material of the toothbrush holder may be selected from cardboard, paper, flexible polymer sheets, rigid polymer sheets, composite material sheets, and the like. According to certain embodiments, the sheet material of the toothbrush holder comprises paper. According to certain embodiments, the sheet material of the toothbrush holder comprises a flexible polymer sheet. According to certain embodiments, the sheet material of the toothbrush holder comprises paper. According to certain embodiments, the sheet material of the toothbrush holder comprises a flexible polymer sheet. According to certain embodiments, the sheet material of the toothbrush holder comprises a rigid polymer sheet. The rigid polymer sheets have areas of weakness that constitute fold lines to achieve the final configuration of the toothbrush holder.
The cardboard, paper, flexible polymer sheets, rigid polymer sheets, and/or composite material sheets may be treated with an air, moisture, and/or water resistant coating. The coating could be continuous or discontinuous.
Also provided is a kit that comprises the disclosed toothbrush holder and at least one toothbrush. According to certain embodiments, the kit comprises the toothbrush holder, at least one toothbrush and at least one oral care product. Without limitation, the oral care product may be selected from tooth gels, tooth pastes, tooth powders, tooth whitening compositions, mouth washes, mouth rinses, dental floss, dental picks, anti-plaque compositions, anti-gingivitis compositions, and the like. The toothbrush holder, at least one toothbrush, and optionally at least one oral care product may be sealed in flexible water-resistant packaging material.
It will be understood that the illustrative embodiments described herein are merely exemplary, and that one skilled in the art may make variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as described and claimed herein. Further, all embodiments disclosed are not necessarily in the alternative, as various embodiments of the invention may be combined to provide the desired result.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62673107 | May 2018 | US |
