Toothpaste tube roll-up retainer

Abstract

A system and method are provided for rolling up a tube of toothpaste and retaining the tube in the rolled-up condition as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube. The roll-up means is achieved by providing a bendable strip of material and integrally molding a pair of parallel spaced bendable wires with the bendable strip of material. This device is then attached to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube. The ends of the integrally molded bendable strip and wires extend past the bottom end of the toothpaste tube on both sides of the toothpaste tube, and these extending ends are foldable over the toothpaste tube end to maintain the toothpaste tube in a progressively rolled up condition as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An improved method for rolling up a tube of toothpaste as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a bendable strip of material;    integrally molding a pair of parallel spaced bendable wires with the bendable strip of material;    attaching the integrally molded bendable strip and wires to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube, wherein the integrally molded bendable strip and wires extend past the bottom end of the toothpaste tube on both sides of the toothpaste tube with the extending ends foldable over the toothpaste tube end to maintain the toothpaste tube in a progressively rolled up condition as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube.    
     
     
         2 . An improved method as claimed in    claim 1    wherein the step of attaching the integrally molded bendable strip and wires to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube comprises the step of permanently attaching the integrally molded bendable strip and wires to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube.  
     
     
         3 . An improved method as claimed in    claim 2    wherein the step of permanently attaching comprises the step of using a staple.  
     
     
         4 . An improved method as claimed in    claim 2    wherein the step of permanently attaching comprises the step of using an adhesive.  
     
     
         5 . An improved method as claimed in    claim 1    wherein the step of attaching the integrally molded bendable strip and wires to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube comprises the step of temporarily attaching the integrally molded bendable strip and wires to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube.  
     
     
         6 . An improved method as claimed in    claim 5    wherein the step of temporarily attaching comprises the step of using a removable adhesive.  
     
     
         7 . An improved method as claimed in    claim 5    wherein the step of temporarily attaching comprises the step of using a clip.  
     
     
         8 . An improved method as claimed in    claim 1    wherein the step of providing a bendable strip of material comprises the step of providing a flexible plastic strip.  
     
     
         9 . An improved method as claimed in    claim 1    wherein the parallel spaced bendable wires comprise metal wires.  
     
     
         10 . An improved method as claimed in    claim 1    wherein the step of integrally molding a pair of parallel spaced bendable wires with the bendable strip of material further comprises the step of positioning the pair of parallel spaced bendable wires at a top and a bottom of a length of the flexible plastic strip.  
     
     
         11 . An improved system for rolling up a tube of toothpaste as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube, the system comprising: 
 a bendable strip of material;    a pair of parallel spaced bendable wires integrally molded with the bendable strip of material;    means for attaching the integrally molded bendable strip and wires to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube, wherein the integrally molded bendable strip and wires extend past the bottom end of the toothpaste tube on both sides of the toothpaste tube with the extending ends foldable over the toothpaste tube end to maintain the toothpaste tube in a progressively rolled up condition as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube.    
     
     
         12 . An improved system as claimed in    claim 11    wherein the integrally molded bendable strip and wires are permanently attached to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube.  
     
     
         13 . An improved system as claimed in    claim 11    wherein the integrally molded bendable strip and wires are temporarily attached to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube.  
     
     
         14 . An improved system as claimed in    claim 11    wherein the bendable strip of material comprises a flexible plastic strip.  
     
     
         15 . An improved system as claimed in    claim 11    wherein the parallel spaced bendable wires comprise metal wires.  
     
     
         16 . An improved system as claimed in    claim 11    wherein the pair of parallel spaced bendable wires are positioned at a top and a bottom of a length of the flexible plastic strip.  
     
     
         17 . A roll-up retainer device comprising: 
 a bendable strip of material; and    a pair of parallel spaced bendable wires integrally molded with the bendable strip of material.    
     
     
         18 . A roll-up retainer device as claimed in    claim 17    wherein the pair of parallel spaced bendable wires are positioned at a top and a bottom of a length of the flexible plastic strip.  
     
     
         19 . A roll-up retainer device as claimed in    claim 17    for use with a tube of toothpaste as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube, wherein the integrally molded bendable strip and wires extend past the bottom end of the toothpaste tube on both sides of the toothpaste tube with the extending ends foldable over the toothpaste tube end to maintain the toothpaste tube in a progressively rolled up condition as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube.