Toothbrush container with twist vent-caps and integrated dental floss dispenser

Abstract

For carry-on and storage, a combination toothbrush container providing features for selectively venting and sealing a dentifrice dispensing toothbrush for drying bristles and for preventing hardening of toothpaste in the spout opening of the brush head. The toothbrush container consists of a hollow vent-tubing with vent holes near the top and the bottom end, as well as a top vent-cap and a bottom vent-cap. Both vent-caps have corresponding vent holes and can be twisted to open or close the vent holes of the vent-tubing for air circulation or for sealing the toothbrush in the enclosed air environment. Optionally the top vent-cap is attached with a dental floss dispenser having a scissors-like two-blade cutter assembly for automatically severing a dental floss by the closing action of the cutter lid. Besides, the vent-caps may have dual walls for enhancing the sealing function.

1 . A toothbrush container for enclosing a dentifrice dispensing toothbrush comprising: 
 a. a vent-tubing having an annular wall with a top opening edge and a bottom end, said annular wall having two opposing vent holes positioned at a first distance from the top opening edge;    b. a top vent-cap mounted on the top opening edge of said vent-tubing, said top vent-cap having a first annular side wall with an opening edge and a closed wall, said first annular side wall having two opposing vent holes being located at the same first distance from the enclosed wall such that said top vent-cap being selectively positioned with its opposing vent holes in matching with the two opposing vent holes of said vent-tubing and selectively positioned in closing the two opposing vent holes of said vent-tubing.    
   
   
       2 . A toothbrush container of  claim 1  wherein the bottom end of said annular wall of vent-tubing having a bottom opening edge and said annular wall having two opposing vent holes being located at a second distance from the bottom opening edge and the bottom opening edge being mounted with a bottom vent-cap, said bottom vent-cap having a first annular side wall with an opening edge and an closed wall, said first annular side wall having two opposing vent holes being located at the same second distance from the closed wall such that said bottom vent-cap being selectively positioned with its opposing vent holes in matching with the two opposing vent holes of said vent-tubing.  
   
   
       3 . A toothbrush container of  claim 1  wherein said top vent-cap having second annular side wall, said second annular side wall being concentric to said first annular side wall with a gap between said two annular walls for inserting the annular wall of said vent-tubing, said second annular wall having two opposing vent holes with their centers aligned with centers of the opposing vent holes of the first annular wall.  
   
   
       4 . A toothbrush container of  claim 1  wherein said top vent-cap being a combination vent-cap having an upper wall extended from said first annular side wall forming a dental floss dispenser housing having a chamber with a hinged housing cover for enclosing a spool of dental floss in said chamber, and said upper wall including a cutter support wall mounted with a first cutter blade, and said housing cover including a hinged cutter lid, said cutter lid being mounted with a second cutter blade aligned at a cutting position with respect to the first cutter blade for severing a dental floss strain placed between the first and the second cutter blades when said cutter lid being closing on said cutter support wall.  
   
   
       5 . A toothbrush container of  claim 4  wherein said combination vent-cap having a second annular side wall, said second annular side wall being concentric to said first annular side wall with a gap between said two annular side walls for inserting the annular wall of said vent-tubing, said second annular side wall having two opposing vent holes with their centers aligned with centers of the opposing vent holes of the first annular side wall.  
   
   
       6 . A toothbrush container of  claim 1  wherein said top vent-cap being a combination vent-cap having an upper wall extended from said first annular side wall forming a dental floss dispenser housing having a chamber with a hinged housing cover for enclosing a spool of dental floss in said chamber, and said extended side wall including a cutter support wall mounted with a cutter blade assembly.  
   
   
       7 . A toothbrush container of  claim 6  wherein the cutter blade assembly including a blade element and a mounting base, said blade element and the mounting base forming a V-shape bent for lodging a strand of dental floss for manual severing of a dental floss strand.  
   
   
       8 . A toothbrush container of  claim 2  wherein said top vent-cap being a combination vent-cap having an upper wall extended from said first annular side wall forming a dental floss dispenser housing having a chamber with a hinged housing cover for enclosing a spool of dental floss in said chamber, and said extended side wall including a cutter support wall mounted with a cutter blade assembly.  
   
   
       9 . A toothbrush container of  claim 8  wherein said cutter blade assembly including a blade element and a mounting base, said blade element and the mounting base forming a V-shape bent for lodging a strand of dental floss for manual severing of a dental floss strand.  
   
   
       10 . A toothbrush container of  claim 8  wherein said combination vent-cap having second annular side wall, said second annular side wall being concentric to said first annular side wall with a gap between said two annular walls for inserting said annular wall of said vent-tubing, said second annular wall having two opposing vent holes with centers of vent holes aligned with centers of the opposing vent holes of the first annular wall.  
   
   
       11 . A toothbrush container of  claim 10  wherein the cutter blade assembly including a blade element and a mounting base, said blade element and the mounting base forming a V-shape bent for lodging a strand of dental floss for manual severing of a dental floss strand.