Retrofit hygeinic toothbrush holder

Abstract

A toothbrush holder that slides over an existing wall mount toothbrush holder and holds a diversity of toothbrushes. The toothbrush holder comprises top and bottom horizontal sections that are connected to each other by side walls forming a sleeve, enabling it to slide over an existing wall mounted toothbrush holder. The top and bottom horizontal sections may have at least one gripping member that frictionally holds toothbrushes.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 778,395 filed on Mar. 12, 2013 by the present inventor. This invention relates to generally to toothbrush holders; and, more particularly, to toothbrush holders that may attach in a removeable fashion to wall-mounted toothbrush holders and may hold a diversity of toothbrush holders frictionally by a gripping member.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The following is a tabulation of some prior art that appears relevant:U.S. Patents[0003]Pat. NumberKind CodeIssue DatePatentee7,306,098B12007 Dec. 11Rineer6,786,342B22004 Sep. 07Tayebi6,622,978B12003 Sep. 23Ghiz5,573,019A 1996 Nov. 12Hempel5,259,519A 1993 Nov. 09Lieberman5,163,566A 1992 Nov. 17Hempel4,854,457A 1989 Aug. 08Perler3,915,525A 1975 Oct. 28Taube2,611,477A 1952 Sep. 23KeysD668089S12012 Oct. 02AfghanD498958S12004 Nov. 30HenryD492869S12004 Jul. 13HenryD451731S12001 Dec. 11HendersonD278777S 1985 May 14MartinForeign Patent Documents[0004]ForeignCntryKind...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a retrofit toothbrush holder that can be easily installed on a wall-mount toothbrush holder. It includes a top and bottom member with gripping members attached or formed by a cutaway. The holder has two side walls that connect the top and bottom members and hold them in fixed relationship to each other. The gripping device on each side wall extends beyond the side wall. The technical effect of this invention is that it provides a convenient and easy way to install a toothbrush holder on a wall and hold a toothbrush securely. Additionally, it offers the advantage of being a retrofit solution that can be easily integrated into existing toothbrush holders without the need for major modifications.

Problems solved by technology

Although toothbrush function and utility has progressed and changed over time, it has had the unforeseen effect of toothbrush handle size increasing to a point so they are often too large to fit in the holes of many toothbrush holders, especially in the case wall-mount toothbrush holders.

However, the clamp, grippers and hook suction cup mount designs have several disadvantages as well.

Many modern toothbrushes, especially electric toothbrushes, are too heavy to be supported by the suction cups or adhesives.

Also, over time adhesives and suction cups may degrade and lose their functionality and effectiveness.

These solutions often result in toothbrushes being stored in unsanitary conditions since water and other matter will drip from a toothbrush after use.

In the case of wall-mounted toothbrush holders, the holes are often difficult to clean and result in unsanitary conditions and bacterial growth.

Other disadvantages are that the toothbrush holder typically sits on the countertop, creating a cluttered environment and is also prone to being knocked over.

Moreover, many households still have wall-mounted toothbrush holders with holes that are too small to allow the passage of toothbrushes of modern design.

These wall-mounted toothbrush holders are often made from porcelain or ceramic and are permanently attached to the bathroom walls, and their removal is an expense that many people are not willing to incur.

Examination of the prior art does not reveal a means of restoring function to such pre-existing wall-mounted toothbrush holders.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,306,098 does not offer a means of retrofitting wall-mount toothbrush holders to accommodate toothbrushes that do not fit in the existing holes.

Images