US 12,569,093 B2Granted

Controlled dentifrice dispensing device

OwnerPaul H. Fellers, IIIinventor

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Abstract

A controlled dentifrice dispensing device may include a reservoir configured to hold a volume of dentifrice. A pump may be configured to withdraw dentifrice from the reservoir when the pump is engaged by an actuator. The pump may be engaged by the actuator when the actuator is pressed towards the reservoir. The distance that the actuator is able to be pressed towards the reservoir may be controlled by one or more metering channels that may extend longitudinally towards the reservoir that may interact, directly or indirectly, with the actuator. When the actuator interacts with a relatively longer metering channel, the actuator may engage the pump to a greater degree than when the actuator interacts with a relatively shorter metering channel, thereby allowing the pump to withdraw a greater amount of dentifrice from the reservoir and to dispense the greater amount of dentifrice from the actuator, preferably onto a user's toothbrush.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A controlled dentifrice dispensing device, the device comprising:

a reservoir having a reservoir cavity that is configured to hold a volume of dentifrice, the reservoir having a proximal end and a distal end;
a pump collar having a first metering channel and a second metering channel, wherein the first metering channel comprises a first channel length, wherein the second metering channel comprises a second channel length, and wherein the second channel length is less than the first channel length;
an actuator having a dispensing aperture, a metering stem, and a stem stop that is coupled to the metering stem, the actuator movably coupled to the reservoir, wherein the stem stop is positioned within a collar aperture of the pump collar, wherein the actuator is positionable in a first position and a second position, wherein when the actuator is positioned in the first position and moved towards the distal end, the stem stop is configured to enter the first metering channel and travel the first channel length, and wherein when the actuator is positioned in the second position and moved towards the distal end, the stem stop is configured to enter the second metering channel and travel the second channel length;
and
a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir and with the dispensing aperture, wherein the pump is operated by moving the actuator towards the distal end, wherein the pump is operable to withdraw a first amount of dentifrice from the reservoir and to dispense the first amount of dentifrice from the dispensing aperture as the stem stop travels the first channel length, wherein the pump is operable to withdraw a second amount of dentifrice from the reservoir and to dispense the second amount of dentifrice from the dispensing aperture as the stem stop travels the second channel length, and wherein the first amount of dentifrice is greater than the second amount of dentifrice.

2 more elements

A controlled dentifrice dispensing device, the device comprising:

a reservoir having a reservoir cavity that is configured to hold a volume of dentifrice, the reservoir having a proximal end and a distal end;
a pump collar having a collar aperture, a first metering channel, and a second metering channel, wherein the first metering channel and the second metering channel are disposed within the collar aperture, wherein the first metering channel comprises a first channel length, wherein the second metering channel comprises a second channel length, and wherein the second channel length is less than the first channel length;
an actuator having a dispensing aperture, a metering stem, and a stem stop that is coupled to the metering stem, the actuator movably coupled to the reservoir, wherein the metering stem extends into the collar aperture and the stem stop is positioned within the collar aperture, wherein the actuator is positionable in a first position and a second position, wherein when the actuator is positioned in the first position and moved towards the distal end, the stem stop is configured to enter the first metering channel and travel the first channel length, and wherein when the actuator is positioned in the second position and moved towards the distal end, the stem stop is configured to enter the second metering channel and travel the second channel length;
and
a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir and with the dispensing aperture, wherein the pump is operated by moving the actuator towards the distal end, wherein the pump is operable to withdraw a first amount of dentifrice from the reservoir and to dispense the first amount of dentifrice from the dispensing aperture as the stem stop travels the first channel length, wherein the pump is operable to withdraw a second amount of dentifrice from the reservoir and to dispense the second amount of dentifrice from the dispensing aperture as the stem stop travels the second channel length, and wherein the first amount of dentifrice is greater than the second amount of dentifrice.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/401,967Filed 2 Jan 2024 · us provisional application
Priority: 23 Aug 2023
Published: US 2025/0064270 A127 Feb 2025
Granted: 10 Mar 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A47K 5/00
Holders or dispensers for soap, toothpaste or the like
A45D 34/00
Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances
A47K 5/1201
For liquid or pasty soap: hand-carried
A47K 5/122
For liquid or pasty soap: using squeeze bottles or the like