Title of Invention: Toothbrush holding device
Abstract: A toothbrush holding device for holding and covering toothbrushes. The toothbrush holding device includes a housing. The housing has a bottom wall. The bottom wall has a peripheral edge. A peripheral wall is integrally coupled to and extends upwardly from the peripheral edge. The peripheral wall has a top edge. A cover member covers the housing. The cover member has a plate having a peripheral edge. The plate has a plurality of bores therein. The peripheral edge has a lip thereon adapted for removably coupling to the top edge of the peripheral wall.
Detailed Description: Part PAC: DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Part PAR: With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 8 thereof, a new toothbrush holding device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
Part PAR_2: As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8, the toothbrush holding device 10 generally comprises a housing 12. The housing 12 has a bottom wall 14. The bottom wall 14 has a peripheral edge. A peripheral wall 16 is integrally coupled to and extends upwardly away from the peripheral edge. The peripheral wall 16 has a top edge 18 that defines an opening in the housing 12. The peripheral wall 18 has an inner surface 20 and an exterior surface 22. The housing 12 has a generally circular cross-section taken transverse to a line perpendicular to and extending through the bottom wall 14. The peripheral wall 16 is tapered such that the top edge 18 has a diameter length less than a diameter length of the bottom wall 14. FIG. 4 shows a bottom wall 14 which is removably coupled from the housing 12.
Part PAR_3: A cover member covers 26 the housing 12. The cover member 26 has a plate 28 having a peripheral edge. The plate 28 has a plurality of bores 30 therein. The peripheral edge has a lip 32 thereon, which extends away from the plate 28. The lip 32 has an exterior surface having a shoulder 34 thereon. The shoulder has a size adapted to be butted against the internal surface 20 of the peripheral wall of the housing. The plate 28 is generally planar and has a size generally equal to the opening in the housing 12.
Part PAR_4: A base member 35 has a top side 36 and a bottom side 38. The top 36 and bottom 38 sides are generally planar. The top side 36 has a slot 40 therein which has a generally annular shape. The slot 40 has a size adapted for receiving the bottom wall 14 of the housing 12. The base member 35 has a generally frusto-conical shape. The top side 36 has a smaller size than the bottom side 38. The base member 34 comprises a metal. The base member has a coating 42 thereon, which preferably comprises a plastic.
Part PAR_5: A sole 44 resists movement of the base member 35 on a surface. The sole 44 is fixedly coupled to the bottom side 38 of the base member 35. The sole 44 is generally disc-shaped, and ideally comprises an elastomeric material. FIG. 7 shows suction-cups 46, which may be used in the place of a sole.
Part PAR_6: A lid member 48 covers the cover member 26 of the housing 12. The lid member 48 has a top wall 50, which has a side wall 52 integrally coupled thereto. The side wall 52 has a generally circular cross-section taken transverse to a line intersecting and perpendicular to the top wall 50. The side wall 52 has a free edge 54 having a size adapted to fit over the cover member 26. The top wall 50 of the lid member 48 has a generally convex shape. The top wall 50 has a plurality of apertures 56 therein. FIG. 8 shows a lid member 48 which is hingedly coupled to the housing.
Part PAR_7: In use, toothbrushes 70 are placed in the bores 30 in the cover member 26. The lid member 48 covers the toothbrushes 70 but allows air to reach the toothbrushes so that they can dry while being kept out of sight. The base member 35 keeps the housing 12 steady and the sole 44 prevents the housing from sliding off the surface on which it is placed. The cover member 26, or the bottom wall 14 in FIG. 4, may be removed to release any water that may be trapped in the housing 12.
Part PAR_8: As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.
Part PAR_9: With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Part PAR_10: Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.


{'bibliographic_information': "{'Patent Number': '061863246', 'Series Code': '9', 'Application Number': '5124425', 'Application Type': '1', 'Art unit': '378', 'Application Filing Date': '20000225', 'Title of Invention': 'Toothbrush holding device', 'Issue Date': '20010213', 'Number of Claims': '8', 'Exemplary Claim Number(s)': '1', 'Primary Examiner': 'Bui; Luan K.', 'Number of Drawing Sheets': '5', 'Number of figures': '8'}", 'source_file': './grant/2001/pftaps20010213_wk07.txt', 'source_data': 'USPTO-Grant'}