US1708423A - Sterilizing toothbrush holder - Google Patents

Description

APll 9,Y 1929. J. l.. MAcsHANE STER'ILIZING TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER Filed Sept. l2, 1927 y JWM@ .A Jmes ea /acsane Patented Apr. 1.929.'

UNITED STATES Janns LEE MACSHANE, or NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

STERILIZIN TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER.

` Application tiled September This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tooth brush holders and more articularly to a type which will nain- I tain t e brush in an absolutely sterile condition when not in use.

The important object of the invention re-v sides in the provision of a tooth brush holder which will prevent contamination of the brush by the provision of a brush chamber in which 'the brushis housed when not in use and in which theair-can be maintained in an absolutely sterile condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the'above character having means associated therewith for forcing sterile air into the brush chamber and contaminated air out of the same.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will he easy to maintain in a sanitary-condition, can be manufactured at the minimum expense and one which will not interfere with the brush being suspended in theordinary ways when not in use.

@ther objects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

ln the drawing forming a part of theap- .plication and wherein like numerals are einployed to designate like parts through the several views: f

Figure 1 is a: longitudinal section of the invention illustrating a tooth brush stored therein.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the device, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one end of the tooth brush holder.

Referriii now more particularly to the drawing w erein for the purposes of illus- Y tration l' have shown one modification of the invention, the numeral 5 designatesfthe improved tooth brush holder in its entirety. rThis holder is preferably constructed from a single iece of resilient tubing such as rubbei, suitably treated to shape the same into individual chambers and a mouth portion as will be hereinafter set forth.' In the present illustration have shown-the tubing las being substantially rectangularin cross section to closely approximate the cross sectional 'shape of the average tooth brush, but it will be obvious that the cross, sectional shape'of the holder may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

12, i927. serial m. ziaias.

One end of this rubber tubing is contractedas at 6 to provide a contracted,` elastic, axially extending neck or mouth, 7 for a brush chamber designated by the numeral 8.

This brush chamber is, of course, of a size to receive the brush head and part of an ordinary tooth brush handle substantially as indicated in dotted lines at 9.

The neck 7 of ,the holder includes a. of telescopic sections 10 which are provided by slitting opposite sides of the neck lon itudinally as at 11 and thenv subjecting t e neck to suchr treatment as will cause the slit edges of one section 10 to be normally over- 70 lapped by the corresponding edges of the other section as shown in Figures 3` and 4. The slit edges of the' two sections 10 are preferably tapered or feathered as shown so that the neck portion of the holder upon its return to shape, after being expanded by the insertion of the brush head, to closel fit around the handle of the tooth brus when the latter is positioned in the holder.

` It will be noted that the yslits 11 in tle 80 neck do not extend throughouty the length thereof, "but leave a portion 12 of the neck which adjoins the end of the brush chamber, intact or not slit so that that this portion 12 ,of the neck will be stretched or expanded upon insertion of the head of the brush into the brush chamber 8. The entire holder being constructed of resilient material such as elastic rubber, it will be obvious that after the head of the lbrush has passed the neck portion, the entire neck portion 7, including the portion 12, will at once contract to its normal size which is preferably of a size to snugly. embrace the handle portion of the average tooth brush. Consequently, upon the insertion of a brush in the holder, and after the head of the brush has been inserted within the brush chamber 8, the neck portion of the holder will contract and closely einbrace the handle of the brush to exclude the 10o entrance of air into the brush chamber through the neck portion.

The end of the brush chamber 8 opposite the contracted neck 7 is contracted as at 13 at spaced points to provide a medicament or sterilizing chamber between said contracted portions. The contraction of the tube at these points is not 'sufficient to close communication, between the brush chamber 8 and the medicament chamber 14 and there'is 110 left a passage-or space l15 between these two chambers. Within the medicament chamber pair on is positioned a pad or wad of absorbent material .16, re erably sterilized absorbent cotton, whic is saturated with a sterilizing .agent or disinfectant. The end of the tubing opposite the neck 7 is suitably formed into -a pressure bulb 17 havingan opening or slit 18 through which air is ermitted to .enter from the atmosphere an which is adapted to be closed by afin er of the operator when compressing the bul portion 17. This bulb communicates with medicament chamber 14 through a passage 19 extending through the outermost contracted portion 13 ot the tube. This elastic bulb '17 serves 'when compressed, to force atmospheric air through the medicament chamber 14 and thence via passage 15 into the brush compartment 8 and through the'bristles of the b rush thereby forcing the a Abrush is disposed therein isobtained only' contaminated air which hasrentered with insertion of the brush back through the neck'7 between the4 walls thereof and the brush handle, thereby leaving nothing but sterile air in the brush compartment'and the tooth brush free from contamination when not in use. The walls of the neck 7 are adapted to snugly embrace the brush handle in asubstantially air tight mannerbut being resilient'will expand under pressure to' permit the escape of air in the brush cham-- ber upon ``ct mpression of the bulb 17.

Ventilation of the brush chamber 8 when through themedicament chamber and bulb .17 via the openin 18, as a consequence of which any atmosp eric airY ten into the brush .chamber 8 must rst pass through the sterilizing chamber 14 before obtaining entrance to the brush chamber.

Itis, of course, obvious that the absorbent material 16 and 'sterilizing .agent may -be introduced into 'the sterilizing chamber 14 neck .7 would ,through the opening in either end of the holder, but if desired, the sterilizing chamber and pressure bulb 17 may be constructed separate from the brush chamber and detachably connected theretoby any .suitable means. Furthermore, it is obvious that'the 'pressure bulb 17 may be detachably connected to the sterilizing chamber 14 in any suitable manner.

It-is also within the scope of my invention to construct the brushchamber 8 ofA suicient length tobe adapted to enclose`the entire tooth brush, including its handle, in an airtightI manner be constructed to close'upon itself in an airtight manner, instead of around'the handle of the brush as disclosedv in the. specific embodiment` herein. illustrated.-4

Variousother changes in the shape, construction and arrangement of the various artsmylie resorted to without departing om the scope of appended-claims. 'Having thus described the construction andoperation of the holderglhat claim is:

to seep- .stantially air tight manner, a 'agent chamber 'communicating withf :in which-casev the contractile brush chamber,- 4and a pressurebulb com- 1. A sterilizing tooth brush holder; com

ile` air into said chambe'r and exhausting 2. A sterilizing tooth brush holder .comprising a closed brush chamber having a contractile mouth adapted to permit the insertion of the brush into said chamber, said chamber adapted to hold a tooth brush therein'in an air tight manner, and meansl associated with said chamber for forcing sterile air into the chamber and .vitiated air out through said contractile mouth.

3. A sterilizing tooth brush holder comprising the combination of a closed b rush chamber having a contracted expansible neck normally of a' size to snugly receive the handle of a tooth brush in I'an air-'tight man- .ner and expansible to admit the head of said brush through said contracted neck into said chamber, and means associated with ,said chamber forforcing sterile air into saidchamber and vitiated air out between the handle of the tooth brush and said con-v tracted expansible neck.

4. A sterilizing'- tooth brush holder comprising a closed brus'h chamber having a con-y tractile mouth ada' ted to close about the handle of a .brush serted therein ina substantially air ti h tmanner, and means as ,sociated with sa1d chamber for forcing ster-1 ile air into said chamber and vitiated air out through said contractile mouth.

5. A sterilizing tooth brush'holder coms .prising a closed brush chamber having a re.

silient mouth adapted to close about the handle of a brush inserted therein in a substantially air tight manner, a sterilizin chamber communicating with said brus chamber, andA means associated with said sterilizing chamber' for forcingv sterile air into said brush chamber and through resilient mouth.

6. A sterilizing tooth brush holder comprising a closed brush chamber having a vitiated air out contractile mouth adapted to close about'the handle of abrush inserted therein in a subsai municatingwith saidfsterilizing agent chamber or'forcing sterile air into said brush having an e ansible mouth, the other end of` said hol er providing a vdisinfectant chamber communicatingv with ,the brush vchamber and vitiated air outgthroughsaid' z chamber and a pressure bulb communicating with said disinfectant chamber. 8. A tooth brush holder comprising a onepiece resilient tubular holder one end of which provides a brush chamber, said holder. having a contracted resilient tubular mouth normally of a size to snugly receive the handle of a tooth brush in an air tight manner and expansible to admit the head of said brush into said chamber, and said neck being provided with opposed longitudinal slits in a portion of its length and formed into a pair of telescopic sections adapted to facilitate the insertion of the brush head into said chamber. v

In testimony whereof have hereunto setv my hand.

JAMES LEE MACSHNE,

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