ORAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS DISPENSER STAND AND DISPENSING STATION
An oral hygiene products dispenser stand for storing and dispensing oral hygiene products such as toothbrushes, mouthwash, disposable cups, and dental floss. The stand includes a base, a truss connected to and extending upwardly from the base and a shelf connected to the truss. The shelf supports a disposable cup dispenser and a plurality of toothbrush holders. The brush head end of a toothbrush can be placed into a toothbrush holder to be sanitized and dried. The stand serves as an oral hygiene products dispensing station when the base supports a bottle of mouthwash, fluoride rinse or other antiseptic fluid.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an oral hygiene products dispenser stand and, more particularly, to an oral hygiene products dispenser stand for dispensing mouthwash and disposable cups and for sanitizing and storing toothbrushes.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that a daily oral hygiene routine that includes the use of a sanitary toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash should be consistently practiced in order to prevent the onset of tooth decay, gum disease and other undesirable oral and dental conditions. However, many people fail to consistently practice a thorough and proper daily oral hygiene routine despite having such knowledge. It is believed that the inconvenient location of the various products and devices needed to practice a proper oral hygiene routine may be a major contributing factor to this problem.
In a typical household bathroom, toothbrushes may be stored in a holder, such as a drinking glass, which is placed on or near a countertop adjacent to a sink. Toothpaste and dental floss may be stored in a different location, such as in a medicine cabinet or drawer. Mouthwash and/or fluoride rinses may be stored in yet another location, such as in a closet or cabinet. Disposable cups, if they are present at all, may be stored in a dispenser that is mounted to a wall at a location other than where the toothbrushes are stored. Thus, the various essential products and devices that must be utilized in order to practice a thorough and proper daily oral hygiene routine are typically scattered throughout the bathroom and some may simply be “out of sight and out of mind.”
The improper storage and sanitation of oral hygiene products and devices can give rise to health concerns. Toothbrushes, in particular, can harbor disease-causing bacteria and germs if not properly sanitized and stored. While consumers are often advised to begin using a new toothbrush at least every three months, they are generally not informed that proper toothbrush sanitation can reduce the spread of household germs and illnesses. There is a need for a convenient and safe method of sanitizing a toothbrush that will help prevent the spread of household germs.
Some equipment for organizing and dispensing oral hygiene products is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,193 to Dennis discloses a dental storage apparatus that includes a container for mouthwash, a cup dispenser and various compartments for oral hygiene products such as toothpaste, floss, and toothbrushes. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,600 to Riddick et al. discloses an oral hygiene dispenser including a compartment for a mouthwash bottle, a disposable cup dispenser, and gripping elements for holding toothbrushes. While the general concept of organizing oral hygiene products in a single location is known in the art, there exists a need for an improved apparatus for organizing oral hygiene products. Additionally, there exists a need for such an apparatus that also provides for an effective and convenient method of sanitizing toothbrushes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the foregoing, the present invention is directed toward an improved oral hygiene products dispenser stand. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand of the present invention is designed to serve as a convenient central storage and dispensing station for oral hygiene products such as toothbrushes, mouthwash, disposable cups, and dental floss, which are essential for practicing a thorough and proper daily oral and dental hygiene routine. In addition to serving as a convenient central storage location for dental and oral hygiene products, the oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to the invention also sanitizes toothbrushes to prevent or retard the growth of bacteria and the spread of germs.
The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to the invention comprises a base, a truss connected to and extending upwardly from the base, and a shelf connected to and supported by the truss. A disposable cup dispenser is attached to the shelf. Dental floss can be stored and dispensed from the top of the disposable cup dispenser. A bottle of antiseptic fluid such as mouthwash, fluoride rinse or other oral sanitizing solution can be placed on the base through an opening formed in the shelf. At least one and more preferably a plurality of toothbrush holders are supported by the shelf. Each toothbrush holder comprises a hollow receptacle having an open upper end through which the brush head end of a toothbrush can pass, a closed lower end, and a partition disposed between the open upper end and the closed lower end. The partition divides the hollow receptacle into a lower compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the closed lower end to the partition and an upper compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the partition to the open upper end. The partition prevents the brush head end of a toothbrush from entering the lower compartment. In addition, the partition includes a drain system for allowing an antiseptic fluid to flow from the upper compartment to the lower compartment through the partition at a rate of from about 0.05 ounces per minute to about 2 ounces per minute. Thus, the brush head end of the toothbrush can be submerged in antiseptic fluid for a period of time sufficient to properly sanitize the brush head end of the toothbrush, and can be permitted to air dry prior to the next use.
The top of a mouthwash bottle resting on the base preferably extends through the opening formed in the shelf. The mouthwash bottle preferably includes a child-safe dispensing pump closure that facilitates the convenient dispensing of a predetermined amount of mouthwash into a disposable cup, which may be obtained from the cup dispenser. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to the invention can either rest on a countertop or be attached to a wall. When coupled with a bottle of antiseptic fluid, the oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to the invention provides a convenient and compact oral hygiene products dispensing station.
The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the present invention may be employed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The base 20 is preferably planar and has a top surface 70 and a bottom surface 80. It will be appreciated that the base 20 may be shaped in any manner that is suitable for supporting a bottle. Preferably, the top surface 70 of the base 20 is shaped to support the bottle in an upright orientation. To this end, the top surface 70 of the base 20 may be provided with a rim and/or a depression (not shown) that cradles the bottle and supports it in an upright position.
The bottom surface 80 of the base 20 may include one or more feet 90, as shown in
The function of the truss 30 is to suspend the shelf 40 above the base 20. Thus, the configuration of the truss 30 is not per se critical. In the embodiment of the invention shown in
The truss 30 is preferably provided with an opening 100 that is of sufficient size to allow for the passage of a bottle that is placed on the base 20. In the embodiment illustrated in
The base 20 and the shelf 40 may be substantially parallel to each other as shown in
The shelf 40 is also provided with an opening 110 that is large enough to allow for the passage of a bottle of antiseptic fluid such as mouthwash or fluoride rinse through the shelf 40 to the base 20. The shape of the opening 110 is not critical. The opening 110 in the shelf 40 shown in
The bottom of the bottle rests upon a top surface 70 of the base 20 and the top of the bottle preferably extends through the opening 110 formed in the shelf 40. The middle of the bottle is preferably disposed in the opening 100 formed in the truss 30.
In the embodiment of the invention shown in
The passages 120 may be formed in any desired location on the shelf 40. Preferably, the passages 120 are formed along a peripheral edge of the shelf 40 opposite the connection point to the truss 30 so that the toothbrush holders 130 do not contact the truss 30. However, because of the preferred “Z-shaped” configuration of the stand 10 and the angle of the truss 30, in alternate embodiments, passages could also be formed within the truss 30 to allow the lower portion of the toothbrush holders 130 to pass therethrough.
With reference to
To sanitize a toothbrush 150, a user simply inserts the brush head end 140 of the toothbrush 150 into the toothbrush holder 130 through the open upper end 180 until the brush head end 140 contacts the partition 200. The bristles 240 of the toothbrush 150 are thus immersed in an antiseptic fluid such as mouthwash, which may be introduced into the upper compartment 220 before or after the brush head end 140 of the toothbrush 150 is inserted into the toothbrush holder 130. The antiseptic fluid contacts and thereby sanitizes the brush head end 140 of the toothbrush 150, killing any bacteria and/or germ material that may be trapped or concealed within the bristles 240. The antiseptic fluid flows from the upper compartment 220 to the lower compartment 210 through the drain 230 over a preferred time period preferably ranging from about 30 seconds to 1 hour. After the antiseptic fluid has drained from the upper compartment 220, the bristles 240 of the toothbrush 150 are able to air dry.
Preferably, the lower compartment 210 is releasably attached to the upper compartment 220 using a suitable attachment means. For example, the lower compartment 210 may be provided with threads that engage with threads formed on the upper compartment 220, allowing the two parts to be separated by a twisting motion. Alternatively, the lower compartment 210 may comprise a resilient collar that makes a friction-fit onto the upper compartment 220. Thus, when the lower compartment 210 fills with antiseptic fluid drained from the upper compartment 220, the lower compartment 210 may be separated and removed from the upper compartment 220 to be emptied and then reattached.
In the embodiment of the invention shown in
In a second embodiment of the invention shown in
The disposable cup dispenser 50 is attached to the shelf 40, preferably in a notch 260 formed in the shelf 40. In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in
It will be appreciated that the disposable cup dispenser 50 can be attached to any part of the shelf 40. In the embodiments of the invention shown in
One or more disposable cups 270 may be inserted into the disposable cup dispenser 50. Disposable cups 270 are loaded into the disposable cup dispenser 50 by pushing a stack of cups 270 upwardly into a mouth 280 of the disposable cup dispenser 50. After the stack of cups 270 have been loaded into the disposable cup dispenser 50 through the mouth 280 of the dispenser 50, a single disposable cup 270 may be selectively removed through the mouth 280 of the dispenser 50 simply by gripping and pulling the cup 270 downwardly from the dispenser 50.
Alternatively, as shown in
With reference to the embodiment of the invention shown in
The pump 320 encourages the use of disposable cups 270, which are far more sanitary for dispensing antiseptic fluids such as mouthwash than using the cap of the bottle 310 as a cup, than sharing a cup among several users, or than dispensing mouthwash into one's mouth directly from the bottle itself. Preferably, the pump 320 is a child-safe pump that can be locked or otherwise secured so that small children cannot access to the contents of the bottle 310.
In the embodiment illustrated in
The oral hygiene products dispensing stand 10 according to the invention is primarily intended for placement on a countertop adjacent to a sink in a bathroom. The stand 10 is aesthetically pleasing, and it serves as an oral hygiene products dispensing station. All of the products necessary for good oral hygiene are collected in a single location, and the products are readily available for use.
It will be appreciated, however, that the stand 10 can be mounted to a wall, if desired. To facilitate optional wall mounting, the stand 10 may be provided with knockouts 340 (see
The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to the invention can be formed as a unitary, integral component using thermoplastic materials by conventional injection molding means. More preferably, however, the stand comprises several components that are assembled to form the stand. The components can be joined together by a snap-fit arrangement using projecting fingers that engage with mating slots formed on adjoining components. Alternatively, the individual components can be joined together by providing mating beads and channels on the components.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. An oral hygiene products dispenser stand comprising:
- a base for supporting a bottle containing an antiseptic fluid;
- a truss connected to and extending upwardly from the base;
- a shelf connected to and extending from the truss, wherein the shelf supports: a disposable cup dispenser; and a plurality of toothbrush holders, wherein each toothbrush holder comprises a hollow receptacle having an open upper end through which a brush head end of a toothbrush can pass, a closed lower end, and a partition disposed between the open upper end and the closed lower end, wherein the partition divides the hollow receptacle into a lower compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the closed lower end to the partition and an upper compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the partition to the open upper end, wherein the partition prevents the brush head end of a toothbrush from entering the lower compartment, and wherein the partition includes at least one drain for allowing an antiseptic fluid to flow from the upper compartment to the lower compartment through the partition at a rate of from about 0.05 ounces per minute to about 2 ounces per minute.
2. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to claim 1 wherein the shelf is provided with an opening sufficiently large enough for a bottle of antiseptic fluid to pass therethrough to the base.
3. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to claim 2 wherein the shelf is substantially parallel to the base.
4. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to claim 1 wherein the lower compartment of the hollow receptacle is detachably connected to the upper compartment.
5. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to claim 4 wherein the upper compartment is provided with indicia indicating a maximum capacity of antiseptic fluid that can be contained in the lower compartment.
6. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to claim 1 further comprising a dental floss holder disposed on the disposable cup dispenser.
7. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to claim 1 wherein the base has a top surface for contacting and supporting the bottle of antiseptic fluid and a bottom surface that is provided with a plurality of anti-skid feet.
8. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to claim 1 wherein the base, truss, shelf and disposable cup dispenser are formed of plastic.
9. The oral hygiene products dispenser stand according to claim 1 wherein the hollow receptacles are formed of transparent plastic.
10. An oral hygiene products dispenser stand comprising:
- a base having a top surface for contacting and supporting a bottle of antiseptic fluid and a bottom surface that is provided with a plurality of anti-skid feet;
- a truss connected to and extending upwardly from the base;
- a shelf connected to and extending from the truss substantially parallel to the base, wherein the shelf is provided with an opening sufficiently large enough for a bottle of antiseptic fluid to pass therethrough to the base, and wherein the shelf supports: a plastic disposable cup dispenser having a dental floss holder disposed thereon; and a plurality of transparent toothbrush holders, wherein each toothbrush holder comprises a hollow receptacle having an open upper end through which a brush head end of a toothbrush can pass, a closed lower end, and a partition disposed between the open upper end and the closed lower end, wherein the partition divides the hollow receptacle into a lower compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the closed lower end to the partition and an upper compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the partition to the open upper end, wherein the lower compartment of the hollow receptacle is detachably connected to the upper compartment, wherein the partition prevents the brush head end of a toothbrush from entering the lower compartment, and wherein the partition includes at least one drain for allowing an antiseptic fluid to flow from the upper compartment to the lower compartment through the partition at a rate of from about 0.05 ounces per minute to about 2 ounces per minute, and the upper compartment is provided with indicia indicating a maximum capacity of antiseptic fluid that can be contained in the lower compartment.
11. An oral hygiene products dispensing station comprising:
- a base;
- a bottle of antiseptic fluid supported by the base, wherein the bottle includes a pump dispenser having a spout;
- a truss connected to and extending upwardly from the base;
- a shelf connected to and extending from the truss, wherein the shelf supports: a disposable cup dispenser; and a plurality of toothbrush holders, wherein each toothbrush holder comprises a hollow receptacle having an open upper end through which a brush head end of a toothbrush can pass, a closed lower end, and a partition disposed between the open upper end and the closed lower end, wherein the partition divides the hollow receptacle into a lower compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the closed lower end to the partition and an upper compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the partition to the open upper end, wherein the partition prevents the brush head end of a toothbrush from entering the lower compartment, and wherein the partition includes at least one drain for allowing an antiseptic fluid to flow from the upper compartment to the lower compartment through the partition at a rate of from about 0.05 ounces per minute to about 2 ounces per minute.
12. The oral hygiene products dispensing station according to claim 11 wherein the shelf is provided with an opening sufficiently large enough for a bottle of antiseptic fluid to pass therethrough to the base.
13. The oral hygiene products dispenser station according to claim 12 wherein the shelf is substantially parallel to the base, and wherein at least one of the toothbrush holders is supported by the shelf beneath the spout.
14. The oral hygiene products dispenser station according to claim 11 wherein the lower compartment of the hollow receptacle is detachably connected to the upper compartment.
15. The oral hygiene products dispenser station according to claim 14 wherein the upper compartment is provided with indicia indicating a maximum capacity of antiseptic fluid that can be contained in the lower compartment.
16. The oral hygiene products dispenser station according to claim 11 further comprising a dental floss holder disposed on the disposable cup dispenser.
17. The oral hygiene products dispenser station according to claim 11 wherein the base has a top surface for contacting and supporting the bottle of antiseptic fluid and a bottom surface that is provided with a plurality of anti-skid feet.
18. The oral hygiene products dispenser station according to claim 11 wherein the base, truss, shelf and disposable cup dispenser are formed of plastic.
19. The oral hygiene products dispenser station according to claim 11 wherein the hollow receptacles are formed of transparent plastic.
20. An oral hygiene products dispenser station comprising:
- a base having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface is provided with a plurality of anti-skid feet;
- a bottle of antiseptic fluid contacting and supported by the base, wherein the bottle includes a pump dispenser having a spout;
- a truss connected to and extending upwardly from the base;
- a shelf connected to and extending from the truss substantially parallel to the base, wherein the shelf is provided with an opening sufficiently large enough for a bottle of antiseptic fluid to pass therethrough to the base, and wherein the shelf supports: a plastic disposable cup dispenser having a dental floss holder disposed thereon; and a plurality of transparent toothbrush holders, wherein at least one of the plurality of toothbrush holders is supported by the shelf beneath the spout, and wherein each toothbrush holder comprises a hollow receptacle having an open upper end through which a brush head end of a toothbrush can pass, a closed lower end, and a partition disposed between the open upper end and the closed lower end, wherein the partition divides the hollow receptacle into a lower compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the closed lower end to the partition and an upper compartment defined as that portion of the receptacle from the partition to the open upper end, wherein the lower compartment of the hollow receptacle is detachably connected to the upper compartment, wherein the partition prevents the brush head end of a toothbrush from entering the lower compartment, and wherein the partition includes at least one drain for allowing an antiseptic fluid to flow from the upper compartment to the lower compartment through the partition at a rate of from about 0.05 ounces per minute to about 2 ounces per minute, and the upper compartment is provided with indicia indicating a maximum capacity of antiseptic fluid that can be contained in the lower compartment.
Type: Application
Filed: May 6, 2005
Publication Date: Jan 19, 2006
Inventors: Paul Mehes (Novelty, OH), Daniel Bloom (Dana Point, CA)
Application Number: 10/908,314
International Classification: A45D 44/18 (20060101);