Toothbrush dispenser

Abstract

The invention relates to a toothbrush dispenser (1) for individually dispensing toothbrushes (8) from a toothbrush storage means (7) comprising a plurality of toothbrushes (8), in particular identical toothbrushes. The toothbrush storage means (7) is in the form of an exchangeable magazine (7) in which the toothbrushes (8) are deposited and which is at least partially accommodated in a housing (4) of the toothbrush dispenser (1). The toothbrush dispenser (1) comprises an actuating member (B), the actuation of which causes an individual toothbrush (8) to be at least partially pushed out of the magazine (7) and thereby made accessible so that it can be manually grasped and removed from the toothbrush dispenser (1). Owing to the design of the toothbrush dispenser (1) according to the invention, the toothbrush (8) is provided and exposed only immediately before it is removed from the magazine (7), thereby providing maximum safety against contamination of the toothbrush.

Description

[0001] Toothbrush dispenser

[0002] TECHNICAL AREA

[0003] The invention relates to a toothbrush dispenser for the individual dispensing of toothbrushes from a toothbrush depot according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0004] STATE OF THE ART

[0005] In doctors' offices, hospitals and hotels, toothbrushes are often provided to patients or guests for on-site use, which is usually done by staff and is therefore time-consuming and involves the risk of contamination of the toothbrushes with bacteria and viruses by the person distributing them and the environment.

[0006] This problem is addressed by the one in CH 720 143

[0007] A2 of a fenbarten toothbrush dispenser was solved, which holds a single toothbrush readily available for the user to take. However, this toothbrush dispenser has the disadvantage that at least the grip area of ​​the toothbrush is exposed in a dispensing position until it is taken by a user. This leads to a not insignificant risk of contamination.

[0008] PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The task therefore arises to provide technical solutions that do not exhibit the aforementioned disadvantages of the state of the art, or at least partially avoid them.

[0010] This problem is solved by the subject matter of claim 1.

[0011] This concerns a toothbrush dispenser for the individual dispensing of toothbrushes from a toothbrush depot containing several, preferably identical, toothbrushes. The toothbrush depot is designed as an interchangeable magazine in which the toothbrushes are stored and which is at least partially enclosed in a housing of the toothbrush dispenser. The toothbrush dispenser has an actuating mechanism, the actuation of which pushes an individual toothbrush at least partially out of the magazine and thus makes it accessible, so that it can be grasped by hand and removed from the toothbrush dispenser.

[0012] Due to the inventive design of the toothbrush dispenser, the toothbrush is only provided and exposed immediately before being removed from the magazine, thus ensuring maximum safety against contamination.

[0013] It is preferred that the energy for ejecting the toothbrush from the magazine is provided exclusively by the operator's muscle power when activating the mechanism. In this way, no external power source is required, and the toothbrush dispenser can be used anywhere without any problems.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the toothbrush dispenser is designed such that, when the actuating mechanism is activated, an ejection element is inserted into the magazine, which, upon insertion, at least partially pushes the toothbrush out of the magazine. Such a design has proven to be particularly suitable.

[0015] Advantageously, the toothbrush dispenser is designed such that the ejection element automatically retracts from the magazine when the actuating mechanism is released, preferably by the force of a spring that is progressively pre-tensioned during actuation. This eliminates the need for manual resetting of the actuating mechanism to its starting position. In a first preferred embodiment of the toothbrush dispenser according to the invention, the magazine is fixedly mounted within its housing, while the ejection element is displaced relative to the housing containing the magazine when inserted into the magazine. This variant offers the advantage that only the ejection element needs to be slidably mounted, which can be made relatively small and correspondingly lightweight.

[0016] In a second preferred embodiment of the toothbrush dispenser according to the invention, the magazine is slidably mounted in the housing, while the ejection element is fixed in position within the housing. In this variant, when the actuating element is activated, the magazine is displaced relative to the housing containing the fixed ejection element.

[0017] This design offers the advantage of enabling very simple and robust solutions in terms of construction.

[0018] In a first preferred embodiment of this second design, the actuating mechanism is implemented such that a portion of the magazine is accessible from the outside, and the magazine can be moved to this area within the housing by applying force manually, while simultaneously inserting the ejection element into the magazine. This embodiment has the advantage that the remaining areas of the toothbrush dispenser do not need to be touched by the user, and that the magazine, which may be contaminated in its externally accessible area by the actuation, is replaced by a new, uncontaminated magazine after it has been emptied.

[0019] In a second preferred embodiment of this second design, a sliding assembly is arranged within the housing. This assembly is slidable within the housing and contains the magazine. In this embodiment, the actuating mechanism is designed such that a portion of the sliding assembly is accessible from the outside. The sliding assembly, with the magazine contained within it, can be moved to this portion of the housing by manual force, thereby pushing the ejection element into the magazine. This embodiment has the advantage that the magazine can be structurally relatively weak because it is received and held within the sliding assembly, which is used to move it.

[0020] In both variants, it is preferred that the magazine (variant 1) or the sliding mechanism (variant 2) has a dispensing opening for the toothbrush in the externally accessible area, from which at least part of the toothbrush emerges when the magazine or the sliding mechanism (with the magazine contained therein) is moved within the housing and is thus made accessible. Such designs can be implemented very simply and with mechanical robustness.

[0021] The dispensing opening may be equipped with a flap which swings open when the toothbrush is pushed out, thereby releasing the dispensing opening.

[0022] In both variants, it is also preferred that the magazine (variant 1) or the sliding mechanism (variant 2) has a viewing window in the externally accessible area, through which the fill level of the magazine with toothbrushes can be seen. Alternatively, the magazine or the sliding mechanism can also be transparent. This has the advantage that it is visually apparent when the magazine is almost empty or empty and needs to be replaced.

[0023] Generally, it is advantageous if, when the operating mechanism is activated, the handle of the toothbrush is extended from the magazine and thus made accessible, while the toothbrush head remains in the magazine until the user removes the toothbrush from the dispenser. This way, the toothbrush head remains protected from contamination if the toothbrush is not immediately removed from the dispenser.

[0024] In another preferred embodiment, the toothbrush dispenser is designed such that, after a toothbrush is removed, the next toothbrush in the magazine automatically assumes the position of the previously removed toothbrush before the actuating mechanism was activated, preferably by gravity. This allows for structurally very simple solutions.

[0025] To achieve a particularly high level of hygiene, the toothbrushes stored in the magazine and dispensed from the toothbrush dispenser are each packaged in protective packaging, which must be removed before use.

[0026] The magazine of the toothbrush dispenser, which is advantageously designed as a refillable magazine and, for example, returned to the manufacturer for refilling as a deposit magazine, is preferably designed as a flat magazine in which the toothbrushes are arranged side by side or one above the other in a single plane. Alternatively, it is also preferred if the magazine is designed as a magazine drum. Such magazines have proven to be particularly suitable.

[0027] In a first preferred embodiment, the housing of the toothbrush dispenser is formed from two housing halves, which are folded apart or separated from each other for inserting or replacing the magazine. This embodiment is particularly preferred in embodiments where the magazine is directly integrated into the housing.

[0028] In a second preferred embodiment, the housing is designed such that the magazine is inserted into the housing or the sliding assembly, advantageously from above, and removed for replacement in the reverse direction, preferably after opening a cover, bottom, or side flap. This embodiment is particularly preferred in embodiments where the magazine is inserted into a sliding assembly within the housing.

[0029] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Further embodiments, advantages, and applications of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and from the following description with reference to the figures. These figures show:

[0031] Fig. 1 a perspective view of a toothbrush dispenser according to the invention;

[0032] Fig. 2 shows a side view of the toothbrush dispenser from Fig. 1;

[0033] Fig. 3 shows a front view of the toothbrush dispenser from Fig. 1;

[0034] Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of one housing half of the toothbrush dispenser from Fig. 1;

[0035] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sliding arrangement of the toothbrush dispenser from Fig. 1;

[0036] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the toothbrush magazine of the toothbrush dispenser from Fig. 1;

[0037] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a toothbrush dispenser according to the invention from Fig. 1 with a toothbrush ready for removal; and Figures 8a to 8d are vertical sections through the toothbrush dispenser from Fig. 1 in various operating states.

[0038] WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THE INVENTION

[0039] Fig. 1 shows a toothbrush dispenser 1 according to the invention in a perspective top view from an oblique angle above, and Figures 2 and 3 show a side view and a front view of the toothbrush dispenser 1.

[0040] As can be seen, the toothbrush dispenser 1 has a flat housing 4, which is formed from two housing halves 2, 3 of different depths and has a hinged lid 5 on its upper side. The housing halves 2, 3 are provided with reinforcing ribs 9 (for clarity, only one of the reinforcing ribs is marked with the reference numeral 9 in each case).

[0041] A perspective view of the deeper housing half 2 on its inside is shown in Fig. 4.

[0042] A sliding box 6 (slide arrangement according to the claim) is arranged in the housing 4 and is open at the top. It is designed to receive an interchangeable magazine 7 containing toothbrushes, which is slidably mounted in the housing 4 in the direction of actuation S against the force of a telescopic spring element 10. For this purpose, a region B of the sliding box 6 is accessible from the outside (actuating element according to the claim) and can be moved in the direction of actuation S in the housing 4 by applying force to this region manually, thereby pushing an ejector pin 11 into the magazine 7 (see Figures 8a to 8d).

[0043] Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the slide box 6 and Fig. 6 a perspective view of the toothbrush magazine 7 with the toothbrushes 8 arranged therein (for clarity, only one toothbrush is provided with the reference number 8). The toothbrush magazine 7, which is designed as a refillable flat magazine with toothbrushes 8 arranged one above the other, has walls made of transparent plastic material, so that the toothbrushes 8 inside are visible from the outside.

[0044] To replace an empty magazine 7, the cover 5 is opened, the empty magazine 7 is pulled upwards out of the sliding box 6, and a new magazine 7 is inserted into the sliding box 6 from above. Then the cover 5 is closed again.

[0045] The interaction of the individual components of the toothbrush dispenser 1 and its functionality can be seen in conjunction with figures 8a to 8d, which show vertical sections through the toothbrush dispenser 1 in different operating states.

[0046] Fig. 8a shows the toothbrush dispenser 1 in the state shown in Fig. 1, equipped with a full toothbrush magazine 7. As can be seen, the slide box 6 with the magazine 7 arranged therein is in its home position, in which it abuts the left-hand limits of the housing half 2. It is held in this position by the force of a telescopic spring element 10, which engages a projection 14 on the underside of the slide box 6 with its left end and is supported at its right end in the housing half 2 (see also Fig. 4). The slide box 6 is slidably guided in the housing by guide rails 15.

[0047] To provide a toothbrush from the magazine 7, a pressure force is manually applied in the actuation direction S to the externally accessible area B of the slide box 6, causing it, together with the magazine 7 arranged therein, to be moved to the right against the spring force of the telescopic spring element 10 in the housing (Fig. 8b) until the slide box

[0048] 6 with the magazine 7 arranged therein reaches its maximum inserted position (Fig. 8c), in which it abuts the right-hand boundaries of the housing half 2.

[0049] As can be seen, an ejector pin 11 (claimed ejector element) attached to the right side wall of the housing half 2 is inserted into the magazine 7, thereby moving the toothbrush 8, which is located at the bottom of the magazine 7, to the left in the magazine.

[0050] 7 is moved until its handle G protrudes from a dispensing opening 12 in the externally accessible area B of the slide box 6. The handle G of the toothbrush 8 then pivots open a flap 16 in the dispensing opening 12, which closes again by gravity after the toothbrush 8 has been removed. The pressure on the externally accessible area B of the slide box 6 is then released, whereupon the slide box 6 with the magazine 7 arranged therein is moved back into its home position by the spring force of the telescopic spring element 10 (Fig. 8d). As can be seen in conjunction with Fig. 7, which is a perspective view of the toothbrush dispenser in the area shown in Fig.As shown in Figure 8a, the handle G of the toothbrush 8 protrudes from the dispensing opening 12 of the slide box 6 to such an extent that it can be grasped by hand and the toothbrush 8 can be removed from the toothbrush dispenser 1 by pulling on it in a direction opposite to the direction of actuation S.

[0051] After the removal of toothbrush 8, the remaining toothbrushes 8 slide downwards in the magazine 7 by gravity, so that the toothbrush dispenser 1 is again in the state shown in Figures 1 and 8a, but with one less toothbrush 8 in the magazine 7 than before.

[0052] In order to detect early on when there are only a few toothbrushes 8 left in the magazine 7 or to determine that the magazine 7 is empty, the slide box 6 has a viewing window 13 in its externally accessible area B, through which the fill level of the magazine 7 with toothbrushes 8 can be seen.

[0053] While preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the present application, it should be clearly pointed out that the invention is not limited to these and can also be carried out in other ways within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Toothbrush dispenser (1) for the individual dispensing of toothbrushes (8) from a toothbrush depot comprising several, in particular identical, toothbrushes (8), wherein the toothbrush depot is designed as an interchangeable magazine (7) in which the toothbrushes (8) are deposited and which is at least partially enclosed in a housing (4) of the toothbrush dispenser (1), and wherein the toothbrush dispenser (1) has an actuating element (B) which, when actuated, pushes a single toothbrush (8) at least partially out of the magazine (7) and thereby makes it accessible so that it can be grasped by hand and removed from the toothbrush dispenser (1).

2. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to claim 1, wherein the toothbrush dispenser (1) is designed such that the energy for ejecting the toothbrush (8) from the magazine (7) is provided exclusively by the muscle power of an operator when actuating the actuating element (B).

3. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the toothbrush dispenser (1) is designed such that when the actuating element is actuated, an ejection element (11) is inserted into the magazine (7), which, when inserted, pushes the toothbrush (8) at least partially out of the magazine (7).

4. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to claim 3, wherein the toothbrush dispenser (1) is designed such that is that the extension element (11) automatically extends from the magazine (7) when the actuation of the actuating element (B) is terminated, in particular by the force of a spring (10) which was increasingly pre-tensioned by the actuation of the actuating element (B).

5. Toothbrush dispenser according to one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the magazine is fixedly mounted in the housing and the ejection element is displaced relative to the housing when inserted into the magazine.

6. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the magazine (7) is slidably received in the housing (4) and the ejection element (11) is fixedly arranged in the housing (4), and wherein the magazine (7) is displaced relative to the housing (4) and the ejection element (11) when the actuating element (B) is actuated.

7. Toothbrush dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the actuating element is realized in such a way that an area of ​​the magazine is accessible from the outside and the magazine can be moved to this area in the housing by applying force by hand, with the ejection element being inserted into the magazine.

8. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to claim 6, wherein a slider arrangement (6) is arranged in the housing (4), which is slidable in the housing (4) and in which the magazine (7) is received, and wherein the actuating element (B) is realized such that an area (B) of the slider arrangement (6) is accessible from the outside and the slider arrangement (6) with the magazine (7) located therein can be moved by hand onto this area (B) in the housing (4), with the extension element (11) being pushed into the magazine (7).

9. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to one of claims 7 to 8, wherein the magazine (7) or the slider arrangement (6) has a dispensing opening (12) for the toothbrush (8) in the externally accessible area (B), from which at least a part of the toothbrush (G) emerges when the magazine (7) or the slider arrangement (6) is moved in the housing (4) and is thereby made accessible.

10. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the magazine (7) or the slide arrangement (6) has a viewing window (13) in the externally accessible area, through which the degree of filling of the magazine (7) with toothbrushes (8) can be recognized.

11. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein when the actuating element (B) is actuated the handle end (G) of the toothbrush (8) is pushed out of the magazine (7) and thereby made accessible, and wherein the head of the toothbrush remains in the magazine (7) until the toothbrush (8) is removed from the toothbrush dispenser (1) by the user.

12. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the toothbrush dispenser (1) is designed such that after the removal of a toothbrush (8) the following toothbrush (8) in the magazine (7) automatically assumes the position of the previously removed toothbrush (8) before the actuation of the actuating element (B), in particular by gravity conveyance.

13. Toothbrush dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the toothbrushes deposited in the magazine are each packaged in a protective packaging.

14. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the magazine (7) is designed as a flat magazine (7) in which the toothbrushes (8) are arranged side by side or one above the other in a plane.

15. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the magazine (7) is designed as a refillable magazine (7).

16. Toothbrush dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is formed of two housing halves which are unfolded or separated from each other for the purpose of inserting or replacing the magazine.

17. Toothbrush dispenser (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the housing (4) is designed such that the magazine (7) is inserted into the housing (4) or into the slide arrangement (6) from above and is removed for replacement, in particular from above, especially after opening a lid, bottom or side flap (5).

Images