US1899242A - Toothbrush holder - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, 1933. A. M NAB TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER Filed March 2, 1932 INVENTOR. ALt'X/INDER M N/IB.

4TTORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1933;

UNITED STATES ICNAB, '0! BRDGEPOR'I, CONNECTICUT TOOTHBBUSE HOLDER Application fled latch 11, 1882. Serial No. 598,185.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tooth brush holders or supports and has for an object to provide a tooth brush holder or support by means of which a tooth brush may be attached to or supported from any relatively smooth surface.

Another object is to provide a tooth brush holder or support including a suction cup carried by or attached to the tooth brush handle whereby it is conveniently located and always available for use to mount or support-the tooth brush. V

A further object is to provide a tooth brush holder or support including a tubular portion adapted to receive the tooth brush handle and form a grip portion and which adjacent its outer end carries a suction cup adapted to be used for mounting or supporting the tooth brush as from a vertical surface.

An additional object is to provide a tooth brush holder or support having the characteristics stated and which is so constructed as to be removable from the handle of one tooth brush and applicable to the handle of another whereby when a worn brush is to be discarded the improved holder may be removed from the worn brush and applied to a new one.

Other objects" and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein two satisfactory embodiments of the invention are shown. However, it will be understood that the drawing and the following detailed description are for the purpose of making clear satisfactory embodiments of the invention in order-that the principle thereof may be understood and that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing my improved holder as in position on the handle of a tooth brush and supporting the brush in vertical position as for draining;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the device of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing a modified construction of supporting means;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the end portion of the tooth brush handle;

Fig.- 5 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a suction cup employed; 5 Fig. 6 is a detail view on an enlarged scale the view being partially in section and taken through the outer end portion of the brush handle; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale the view being taken substantially along the line 77 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and at first particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, the reference character 10 generally indicates a tooth brush of any or the usual construction and, including a tufted head 11 and an elongated handle or shank 12. My improved support generally indicated by the reference character 13 is preferably formed entirely of rubber and includes a hollow sleeve like portion 14 adapted to receive a large portion of the handle 12 as shown and on its outer surface this sleeve may be knurled or roughened as shown whereby the sleeve forms a grip portion.

At its outer end the sleeve 14 carries a small suction cup 15 preferably formed integral with the sleeve whereby the entire support 13 is formed in one piece. This sleeve 14 is of such size or internal dimension that it tightly grips the handle whereby the handle may not fall out of the sleeve or grip and whereby during use of the brush the handle will not have movement relative to the grip. The support is rendered operative by pressing the hollow side of the cup 15 against a smooth surface as a piece of glass or the tile wall of the bathroom or the like and when the device is then released the suction cup will function to support the brush. Preferably the brush is supported in a vertical position as suggested in the drawing whereby the brush will drain.

In cases where bathrooms are not provided with tooth brush holders and in cases where bathrooms are tiled without built-in tooth --brush racks, and it is difficult for a tenant to mount the same, tooth brushes are frequently left lying on shelves as of medicine cabinets and are frequently disposed in tumblers.

Where the wet brushes are left on shelves, as

the glass shelves of a medicine cabinet or the glass shelves frequently provided adjacent a wash stand, the water draining from the brushes flows over the shelves rendering them unsightly and unsanitary. Moreover, where tumblers are used to hold the tooth brushes several different persons may put their brush in the same tumbler which is an extremely unsanitary practice and where but one person is using a tumbler such person may neglect to frequently change the water and clean the tumbler and take other sanitary precautions. With the present device tooth brushes are independently supported and difierent users of the toilet facilities of the bathroom may keep their brushes spaced apart a desirable distance and the brushes may always be suspended in a position for draining when the have been washed after use. In'using a brus equipped with the supporting means of Figs. 1 and 2 the sleeve portion 14 being roughened or knurled on its outer surface provides a good grip even after becoming wet during use of the brush. Y 7

Referring now to the form of invention shown in Figs. 3 through 7, the brush 10 includes the head 11 and the handle or shank 12.

Toward its outer end the handle 12 is provided with an opening 16 from which extends a relatively narrow slot 17 A portion of the brush at one side of this slot may be removed to provide a counter-sink 18. To this end portion of the brush there is attached a suction cup 19 including a flat shank 20 and a head or button 21.

This cup is mounted on the tooth brush handle 12 by inserting the head 21 of the cup through theopening 16 in the handle and by then aligning the fiat shank 20 with the slot 17 and shifting the cup outwardly so as to dispose this shank 20 in the slot 17 and dispose the head or button 21 of the suction cup in the outer end portion of the counter-sink 18 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. As the head 21 of the suction cup is of considerabl eater diameter than the width of the slot 1 t c said head functions to prevent the cup from being pulled loose from the tooth brush handle.

Since this head is disposed in the countersink 18 it lies flush with the outer surface of the brush handle as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 6, and 7 and does notdetract from the appearance of the brush. After the suction cup is mounted on the handle or attachedto the handle as above described the cup is used to support the brush as shown in'F'ig. 3 and to accomplish this it is but necessary to press the cup against a supporting wall or the like as above explained and the cup will then support the brush in a vertical position for draining.

The sanitary advantages as pointed out in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 apply also to the device as shown in Fig. 3 and it will be noted that the suction cup is disposed in the same direction as the brush bristles whereby when the cup is in use the bristles will be substantially concealed since they will be projecting in the direction of the wall or other supporting surface to which the brush is attached. It will also be noted that the suction cup in both forms of the invention is located in such a manner that when using the brush the end of the brush handle will not dig into the hand of the user but will be cushioned by the suction cup. 7

In connection with the illustrated embodiments of the invention it will be particularly noted that the suction cup is located at the outer end of the tooth brush handle,therefore, when the brush is to be use'd'the brush handle will function as a lever in loosening the suction cup. That is, the head of the brush may be grasped and swung outwardly breaking the seal between the lower or inner edge of the suction cup and the supporting surface whereupon the brushis loosened and ready for use. After the brush has been used and it is desired to again support it by means of the suction cup the cup will have become wet during use of the brush as from the hands of the user and it will be but necessary to press the cup against the desired supporting surface and then release it to place it in operation as above described. As the cup is attached to the tooth brush the cup is always in position ready for use and there is no danger of the support or holder being misplaced or lost. v

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In combination, a tooth brush including an elongated handle, a suction cup, means securing said cup on the handle whereby the "up is disposed to face laterally of the handle adjacent the end thereof, said means preventing rotation of the handle about its longitudinal axis relative to the cup, and 'said cup adapted to be brought into engagement with a substantially vertical surface whereby to have the cup support the brush in a substantially vertical position.

2. In combination, a tooth brush including an elongated handle, a suction cup, means securing said cup on the tooth brush handle whereby the cup is disposed to face laterally of the handle in the direction in which the bristles extend from the brush, said means preventing rotation of the handle about its longitudinal axis relative to the cup, and said with a substantially smooth surface to support the brush in position with its bristles facing said surface.

3; In combination, a tooth brush including an elongated handle, a suction cup, means removably securing said cup on the tooth brush handle whereby the cup is disposed to face cup adapted to be brought. into engagement laterally of the handle in the direction in which the bristles extend from the brush, said suction cup arranged adjacent the outer end of the handle, said means preventing rotation of the handle about its longitudinal axis relative to the cup, and said cup adapted to be brought into engagement with a substan-' tially smooth surface to support the brush in position with its bristles facing said surface.

4. A tooth brush support comprising an elongated flexible elastic sleeve adapted to receive the end portion of a tooth brush handle and grip the same, said sleeve of such length as to receive a substantial portion of the length of the handle to form a hand grip and a suction cup carried by the outer end portion of said sleeve and adapted to be brought into engagement with a surface to support the brush from said surface.

5. A tooth brush support comprising an elongated flexible elastic sleeve adapted to receive the'end portion of a tooth brush handle and grip the same, said sleeve of such length as to receive a substantial portion of the length of the handle to form ahand grip, a suction cup carried by said sleeve and adapted to be brought into engagement witha surface to supportthe brush from said surface, and said sleeve roughenedon its outer surface whereby to provide a hand grip.

6. A tooth brush support comprising an elongated flexible elastic sleeve adapted to receive the end portion of a tooth brush handle and grip the same, said sleeve of such length as to receive a substantial portion of the length of the handle to form a handvgrip, a suction cup integral with said sleeve, said cup facing laterally of the sleeve, and said surface.

cup adapted to be broughtinto en agement with a surface to support the brush rom said 7. In combination, a tooth brush including a handle having a hole therethrough adjacent one of its ends, a suction cup, said suction cup having a stem snugly received in said hole and mounting the suction cup on the handle and securing the suction cup and handle to gether against relative turning movement about the longitudinal axis of the handle, and said suction cup. adapted to be' pressed against a relatively smooth surface to support the tooth brush from said surface. a 1

8. In combination, a tooth brush includingan elongated handle, said handle having a said stem and disposed in said counter-sink whereby to prevent the stem being pulled out of the slot. 1

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, this 26th day of February, A. D. 1932.

I ALEXANDER McNAB.

transversely extending opening therethrough said handle having a relatively narrow 3 extending radially from said'openi'n a suction cup, said suction cup having a at sided shank and a head on the outer end of said shank, and said suction cup mounted on said handle with its flat sided shank po'rtiondisposed in the slot in the handle and with its head disposed at the outer side of said slot.

9. In combination, a tooth brush including an elongated handle, said brush having a

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