Personal care storage container

Abstract

This invention is a personal care storage container with a storage base with outer and inner walls and a floor connected generally perpendicularly to the walls. This creates an opening opposite from the storage base floor and with an edge along the perimeter of the walls opposite from the base floor and a lid with outer and inner surfaces generally perpendicular to the lid surfaces and with an edge along the perimeter of the surfaces opposite from the cup top. The storage base and lid interconnect to create a water tight closed container. This interconnection can be accomplished by a pair of coordinating ledges on the respective edges of the storage base and the lid to a create a water-tight friction fit connection. The lid can be configured such that when it is inverted it can be placed on a horizontal surface and it will remain in a stable inverted position for use as a gargle/wash cup. The lid can be configured such that it is of a decorative configuration. The device can have a plurality of vertical pockets within the storage base that are of various sizes and depths. An organizer can coordinate with the inner walls of the storage base and contain a plurality of apertures of various shapes and sizes to separate the various items stored in the container. A plurality of parallel mounting slots are contained in the outer surface of one side of the base cup. A receiving bracket that can be attached to a vertical surface accepts the mounting slot in the base cup. A UV sanitizing light can be mounted in the lid or the storage base. Alternately, a UV sanitizing light can be mounted in an intermediate lid that is inserted between the storage base and the lid.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a personal care storage container. Individuals need an organized means to store their personal care items both at home and when they travel. This invention can be utilized for different types of personal care items. In particular, it can be used for storage of dental items, shaving items, hair and nail items and cosmetic items.

The need for the storage of dental apparatus has increased as the number of items for dental hygiene has increased. At one time all that was necessary for dental hygiene was a toothbrush and a tube of tooth paste. With the importance of dental hygiene increasing, the number and variety of items necessary for proper dental hygiene has grown. Now, besides the toothbrush and tooth paste, dental care includes various picks, stimulus devices, floss, floss holders, whitening strips, mouthwash and more. At home this has caused a storage and clutter problem. An invention is needed to store them so they remain clean and organized. A similar problem exists for those who travel. Travelers need a means to transport their dental hygiene items in their luggage.

Another use for this invention is the storage of shaving apparatus. The storage of razor, shaving cream, spare blades, after shave, and styptic create clutter and need organization both at home and for the individual that travels. This invention is especially important for the individual who travels because it keeps all the items together when the individual is at home and makes packing for travel easy because the items are all together. This way nothing is forgotten when packing.

Similarly, the same problem occurs for nail care items. Nail care requires the use of clipper, scissors, tools to shape the cuticle, nail polish, nail polish remover, etc.

Finally, this invention can be used for the storage of cosmetic items such as lipstick, eyeliner, eyebrow pencil, cover-up stick, and other related items.

The invention disclosed in this patent provides for a cleanable, aesthetically pleasing, durable, and affordable container that can accommodate various shaped items for a variety of purposes.

Many of the personal care items stored in this invention need to be sanitized. In this invention a UV light can be used to sanitize the items stored in the storage container. The UV light can be placed in the lid or the storage base. Alternatively, a separate lid containing the UV light can be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention discloses a personal care storage container with a storage base with outer and inner walls and a floor connected generally perpendicularly to the walls. This creates an opening opposite from the storage base floor with an edge along the perimeter of the walls opposite from the base floor.

The invention has a lid with outer and inner surfaces and a cup top generally perpendicular to the lid surfaces with an edge along the perimeter of the surfaces opposite from the lid top. The storage base and lid interconnect to create a water tight closed container. This interconnection can be accomplished by a pair of coordinating ledges on the respective edges of the storage base and the lid to a create a water-tight friction fit connection.

The lid can be configured such that when it is inverted it can be placed on a horizontal surface, and it will remain in a stable inverted position for use as a gargle/wash cup. The lid can be configured such that it is of a decorative configuration.

The device can have a plurality of vertical pockets within the storage base that are of various sizes and depths.

An organizer can coordinate with the inner walls of the storage base and contain a plurality of apertures of various shapes and sizes to separate the various items stored in the container. These apertures can fit a manual toothbrush handle, a motorized toothbrush, dental toothpick handle, tube of toothpaste, dental floss container, tooth whitening container, mouth wash container, gum massager, dental mirror, breath strip and mints container.

The storage base can have a means to removably connect it to a receiving bracket that can be mounted on a wall.

The outer surface of the storage base can flair outwardly to give the device a larger base and more stability.

The device can also be used for the storage of shaving instruments and supplies, hair care and nail care instruments and supplies, cosmetic instruments and supplies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the device with lid installed on the storage base.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the device along the line A-A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the organizer.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the organizer.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the lid.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the mounting bracket.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the mounting bracket.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the storage base containing the UV light.

FIG. 9 is the bottom view of the storage base containing the UV light.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the lid with the UV light.

FIG. 11 is the top view of the lid containing the UV light.

FIG. 12 is the front view of the intermediate sanitizing lid with the UV light.

FIG. 13 is the top view of the intermediate sanitizing lid with the UV light.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 depicts the invention with the lid 2 secured to the storage base 1. All the items are stored under the lid 2 keeping the items clean and resulting in a clutter free environment. In the preferred embodiment the storage base can have a flared base as shown by 3 to give the storage unit more stability. FIG. 1 also shows the receiving bracket 11 connected to the storage base 1. The receiving bracket can be permanently affixed to a wall or some other vertical surface. The lid 2 can have a decorative form 15. In FIG. 1 this form simulates the shape of the top of a molar but the exact shape of the lid 2 is not limited to this particular shape but can be any decorative shape that coordinates with the particular use of the personal care storage device.

FIG. 2 depicts the water-tight interconnection between the storage base 1 and the lid 1 at 15. This water-tight connection keeps water from leaking out of the storage container when it is used to travel and from water getting into the container when it is stored on the sink top to keep the contents clean. 9 shows the pocket which is created in the storage base. There can be a plurality of pockets depending on the specific use of the storage container and they can be of various depths as shown by 10 which in the depicted example has less depth. The organizer 4 interconnects with the inner surface of the base cup 1 at the opening edge. Depending upon the specific application of the personal care storage device the organizer may be optionally omitted.

The organizer 4 is shown in FIG. 3. It contains a plurality of apertures 5, 6, and 7. These apertures are of various sizes and shapes such that various supplies or instruments can fit into them. Some of the items that can fit in these apertures 5, 6, and 7 are toothbrush, dental pick, dental stimulus, toothpaste tube, dental floss, razor, shaving cream, nail cutters, nail polish, polish remover, mascara, eyeliner, eye-brow pencil, manual and motorized flossers, etc. FIG. 4 shows the side view of the organizer 4.

FIG. 5 illustrates the lid 1. The lid can have any shape but the preferred embodiment is such that the lid can be inverted and used as a gargle/wash cup. The lid can serve as a dust cover to keep dust, insects and rodents from the personal care items. The top surface of the lid should be such that the lid can be placed on a horizontal surface and remain erect. The mounting slots 8 are illustrated in FIG. 5. These slots are used to interact with the mounting bracket shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The plurality of mounting slots are parallel with one another and are all contained on one side of the storage base 1. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the receiving bracket 11 that can be mounted to a vertical surface. The device can be inserted in the receiving bracket 11 and removed when necessary for travel or cleaning. The receiving bracket 4 has a plurality of rails 13 with guides 14 that interact with the mounting slots 8 shown in FIG. 5. The receiving bracket contains a plurality of holes 12 to permanently mount it to a vertical surface.

FIG. 8 shows the storage base 1 with the UV light assembly. 15 is the UV bulb inserted in the socket 16 attached to the base 1 by the mounting bracket 17. The bulb 15 is powered by the power cord 18 which is inserted in a conventional power socket. FIG. 9 shows the same storage base 1 with the UV light from the bottom.

FIG. 9 depicts an alternate means of mounting the UV sanitizing light. In this embodiment the UV light is mounted in the side of the lid 2. The UV light is powered by the cord 18. FIG. 10 is the bottom view of this means of mounting the UV sanitizing light. The light 15 is mounted in the socket 16 which is attached the mounting bracket 17.

FIG. 12 depicts yet another alternate means of mounting the UV sanitizing light. In this embodiment an intermediate sanitizing lid 19 contains the VU light assembly. The lip 20 interacts with the corresponding lip on lid 2 of FIG. 2. The personal care storage devise can be used without or with the sanitizing feature. This is particularly important with this devise is used by a traveler. Also, it allows for the use of the lid 1 in FIG. 1 as a gargle/wash cup. FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the intermediate sanitizing lid 19 with the UV light 15 inserted in the socket 16 attached to the mounting bracket 17.

Claims

1. I claim a personal care storage container comprising:

a storage base with outer and inner walls and a floor connected generally perpendicularly to the walls, creating an opening opposite from the storage base floor and with an edge along the perimeter of the walls opposite from the base floor;

a lid with outer and inner surfaces and a lid top generally perpendicular to the lid surfaces and with an edge along the perimeter of the surfaces opposite from the lid top;

a means of interconnecting the storage base and the lid to create a water tight closed container.

2. The device as claimed in 1 above where the lid contains a UV light for sanitizing the contents.

3. The device as claimed in 1 above where the storage base contains a UV light for sanitizing the contents.

4. The device as claimed in 1 above where an intermediate sanitizing lid with two ends contains a UV light for sanitizing the contents, interconnects with the base container at one end and the lid at the other end.

5. The device as claimed in 1 above wherein the means of interconnecting the storage base and the cup lid are a pair of coordinating ledges on the respective edges of the storage base and the lid to a create a water-tight friction fit connection.

6. The device as claimed in 1 above wherein the lid is configured such that when it is inverted it can be placed on a horizontal surface and remain in a stable inverted position.

7. The device as claimed in 1 above wherein the lid is configured such that it can be inverted and used as a gargle/wash cup.

8. The device as claimed in 1 above wherein the lid is configured such that it is of a decorative configuration.

9. The device as claimed in 1 above wherein a plurality of vertical pockets are created within the storage base and the depth, size, and shape of each pocket may vary.

10. The device as claimed in 1 above wherein an organizer coordinates with the inner walls of the storage base and contains a plurality of apertures of various shapes and sizes.

11. The device as claimed in 1 above wherein the storage base contains a means to removably connect to a receiving bracket that can be mounted on a wall.

12. The device as claimed in 1 wherein organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits a manual toothbrush handle.

13. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits a motorized toothbrush.

14. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits a dental toothpick handle.

15. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits a tube of toothpaste.

16. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits a dental floss container.

17. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits a tooth whitening container.

18. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits a mouthwash container.

19. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits gum massager.

20. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits a dental mirror.

21. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the organizer has a plurality of apertures but at least one of the apertures fits a breath strip or mints container.

22. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the outer surface of the storage base flairs outwardly to give the device a larger base and more stability.

23. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the device is used for the storage of shaving instruments and supplies.

24. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the device is used for the storage of hair care and nail care instruments and supplies.

25. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the device is used for the storage of cosmetic instruments and supplies.

26. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the device is used for the storage of manual flossers.

27. The device as claimed in 1 wherein the device is used for the storage of motorized flossers.