Viscous product tube protector and dispenser

Abstract

A combination tube container protector and dispenser device includes a base, a cover, an open track in the cover, a ram paddle in the track, ratchet mechanism(s) to permit only forward travel of the ram paddle when in the operative mode, and a latching mechanism for opening and closing the device. Guide tracks for paddle stability and movement may be included.

1 . A combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device, which comprises: 
 (a) an elongated main housing base having a recessed area adapted to receive and nest a viscous product container, said main housing base having a substantially solid bottom and opposing elongated side walls, and having a front end and a back end, said front end having a shoulder and a viscous product neck and cap opening for a viscous product container neck and cap to extend therethrough;    (b) an elongated main housing cover being hingedly connected to said base, and having an inside and an outside and having a footprint shape consistent with said base to permit closure of said cover with said base, and having an elongated open track adapted to receive an arm of a ram paddle, and having at least one set of one way ratchet ramps located on said inside of said cover adjacent said open track to permit movement of said ram paddle form said back end to said front end of said base when said ram paddle is in an operational position and to prevent movement of said ram paddle form said front end to said back end when said ram paddle is in said operational position;    (c) a ram paddle adapted to fit into and slide along said open track, said ram paddle being positioned in said open track and having an arm extending through said open track, and having a slider button located on said outside of said cover and having a viscous product container ram located on said inside of said cover, said ram paddle having an operational position and a reset position such that, when said device has a viscous product container nested therein and said cover is closed, said ram paddle is in its operational position and may only be moved from said base back end to said front end and not vice versa, and when said cover is open, said ram paddle is in its reset position and may be moved in both forward and back directions;    (d) latching means connected to at least one of said base and said cover for opening and for maintaining said cover in a closed position to said base when desired    wherein, a user may set said ram paddle toward said back end, place a viscous product container in said base with said neck in said neck and cap opening and with said cap outside said device, close said cover, open the viscous product container cap, and slide said slider button from said back end toward said front end to dispense viscous product from its container, with out backsliding.    
     
     
         2 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein said main housing base and said main housing cover have a closed position end view shape selected from the group consisting of a square, a rectangle, a circle and an oval, being flat, to be used as a standing upright aid on vanities.  
     
     
         3 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 2  wherein said closed end view shape is a circle.  
     
     
         4 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser of  claim 1  wherein said open track is an elongated linear opening having a length of at least 80% of a maximum length of said base.  
     
     
         5 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein there are two sets of one way ratchets, each of said two sets being opposite one another and separated by said open track.  
     
     
         6 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 4  wherein there are two sets of one way ratchets, each of said two sets being opposite one another and separated by said open track.  
     
     
         7 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein said device is at least partially transparent plastic.  
     
     
         8 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein said main housing base and said main housing cover are hingedly connected to one another with at least one living hinge.  
     
     
         9 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein said device has only two separate parts, the first being a unistructural combination base, cover and hinge, and the second being said ram paddle.  
     
     
         10 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein said device further includes: 
 (e) said viscous product container with said neck and said cap.    
     
     
         11 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein said device further includes at least one guide track having a complimentary male track member and female track member, wherein said cover has one of said male and said female track member and said ram paddle has the other of said male and said female track member.  
     
     
         12 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 11  wherein there are two sets of one way ratchets, each of said two sets being opposite one another and separated by said open track.  
     
     
         13 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 11  wherein there are two sets of male members and two sets of corresponding female members.  
     
     
         14 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 11  wherein said guide track has an inverted U-shaped guide track female member.  
     
     
         15 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 14  wherein there are two sets of male members and two sets of corresponding female members.  
     
     
         16 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 11  wherein said guide track has a continuous loop-shaped guide track female member.  
     
     
         17 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 16  wherein there are two sets of male members and two sets of corresponding female members.  
     
     
         18 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said main housing base and said main housing cover is a protective cage component.  
     
     
         19 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said main housing base and said main housing cover is a fully enclosed solid component.  
     
     
         20 . The combination viscous product container protector and dispenser device of  claim 1  wherein said main housing base and said main housing cover are both fully enclosed solid components.