Dispensing – Collapsible wall-type container – With wall-collapsing means
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-29
2002-06-11
Yuen, Henry C. (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Collapsible wall-type container
With wall-collapsing means
C222S092000, C222S095000, C222S100000, C222S333000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06401977
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toothpaste dispensing devices and more particularly pertains to a new toothpaste extracting device for dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste and for indicating when the tube is empty.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of toothpaste dispensing devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, toothpaste dispensing devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,199,610; 4,403,714; 4,258,864; 5,215,518; 5,975,362; 5,875,929; and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 398,467.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new toothpaste extracting device. The inventive device includes a housing having a front wall, a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second side wall. The back wall is removably attached to the housing and defines a door. The front wall has an opening therein positioned generally adjacent to a juncture of the bottom wall and the first side wall. Each of first and second side walls has an elongated slot therein. The opening is generally bounded by an inner housing having an upper wall having an aperture extending therethrough for receiving an open end of the tube of toothpaste. A spindle is positioned in the housing and extends through each of the slots. The spindle has an engaging portion positioned adjacent to the first side wall adapted for removably receiving a closed end of the toothpaste tube. A pair of gears is positioned on the spindle. A pair of tracks is positioned on an inner surface of the front wall. The tracks are spaced from each other. Each of the gears is positioned to engage one of the tracks. A motor for rotating the spindle is mechanically coupled to the spindle. An actuator for turning the motor on such that the motor rotates the spindle in a first direction toward the bottom wall is operationally coupled to the motor.
In these respects, the toothpaste extracting device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste and for indicating when the tube is empty.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of toothpaste dispensing devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new toothpaste extracting device construction wherein the same can be utilized for dispensing toothpaste from a tube of toothpaste and for indicating when the tube is empty.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new toothpaste extracting device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the toothpaste dispensing devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new toothpaste extracting device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art toothpaste dispensing devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing having a front wall, a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second side wall. The back wall is removably attached to the housing and defines a door. The front wall has an opening therein positioned generally adjacent to a juncture of the bottom wall and the first side wall. Each of first and second side walls has an elongated slot therein. The opening is generally bounded by an inner housing having an upper wall having an aperture extending therethrough for receiving an open end of the tube of toothpaste. A spindle is positioned in the housing and extends through each of the slots. The spindle has an engaging portion positioned adjacent to the first side wall adapted for removably receiving a closed end of the toothpaste tube. A pair of gears is positioned on the spindle. A pair of tracks is positioned on an inner surface of the front wall. The tracks are spaced from each other. Each of the gears is positioned to engage one of the tracks. A motor for rotating the spindle is mechanically coupled to the spindle. An actuator for turning the motor on such that the motor rotates the spindle in a first direction toward the bottom wall is operationally coupled to the motor.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new toothpaste extracting device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the toothpaste dispensing devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new toothpaste extracting device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art toothpaste dispensing devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new toothpaste extracting device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new toothpaste extracting device which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new toothpaste extracting device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such toothpaste extracting device economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new toothpaste extracting device which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally asso
Nicolas Frederick
Yuen Henry C.
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