Toothbrush Mat and Method for Making

Abstract

A toothbrush mat for storing a toothbrush between brushings and a method for manufacturing same are disclosed. The toothbrush mat includes an elongated mat body and a flap. After assembly, the mat body and flap cooperate to define a pocket having an opening that is dimensioned and arranged to receive the bristle end of a toothbrush.

1 . A toothbrush mat for storage of a toothbrush between uses, the toothbrush mat comprising:
 a mat body; and   a flap, wherein:   (a) the flap depends from the mat body;   (b) in an assembled state, the mat body and the flap cooperate to define a pocket that is dimensioned and arranged to house a bristle end of the toothbrush; and   (c) the pocket has an access way that is dimensioned and arranged to admit the bristle end of the toothbrush to the pocket.   
   
   
       2 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 1  wherein the flap and the mat body are integral portions of a mat form. 
   
   
       3 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 2  wherein the flap comprises a flap top, a flap standoff and at least one flap adhesion tab. 
   
   
       4 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 3  wherein, in the assembled state, the flap is coupled to to the mat body by the flap adhesion tab. 
   
   
       5 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 3  wherein:
 (a) a length of the mat body is defined between a distal mat edge and a first lateral fold line;   (b) the flap standoff is defined between the first lateral fold line and a second lateral fold line; and   (c) when the mat form is assembled into the toothbrush mat, the flap top overlies a portion of the mat body.   
   
   
       6 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 3  wherein:
 (a) the flap standoff is defined between a first longitudinal fold line and a second longitudinal fold line, wherein the first longitudinal fold line coincides with a lateral edge of the mat body; and   (b) when the mat form is assembled into the toothbrush mat, the flap top overlies a portion of the mat body.   
   
   
       7 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 1  and further wherein the pocket comprises a vent. 
   
   
       8 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 8  wherein the vent and the access way are disposed at opposite ends of the pocket. 
   
   
       9 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 1  wherein the toothbrush mat is water resistant. 
   
   
       10 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 10  wherein the mat body and the flap comprise a water-resistant coating 
   
   
       11 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 1  wherein when assembled, the flap top is spaced apart from the mat body by a gap, wherein the gap is in a range of about one-sixteenth of an inch to about four-sixteenths of an inch. 
   
   
       12 . A toothbrush mat for storage of a toothbrush between uses, wherein the toothbrush mat comprises a mat form, wherein:
 (a) the mat form is segregated into a mat body and a flap along a fold line;   (b) in an assembled state, the mat form is folded at the fold line so that the flap overlies a first portion of the mat body;   (c) the flap comprises a flap standoff and a flap top, wherein the flap standoff forms and maintains a gap between the flap top and the first portion of the mat body;   (d) the flap top, the first portion of the mat body, and the standoff define a pocket that is dimensioned and arranged to receive the bristle end of a toothbrush, and wherein:
 (i) the pocket has a first end and a second end that are opposite each other; and 
 (ii) the pocket has an access way at the first end, wherein the access way is dimensioned to admit the bristle end of the toothbrush into the pocket. 
   
   
   
       13 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 12  wherein the pocket has a vent at the second end thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 12  further comprising a coupling element for removably coupling the toothbrush mat to a feature that supports the toothbrush mat in a vertical orientation. 
   
   
       15 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 12  further comprising a stand for orienting the toothbrush mat vertically, wherein the stand depends from an end of the mat body that is distal to the pocket. 
   
   
       16 . A toothbrush mat for storing a toothbrush between uses, wherein the toothbrush mat comprises:
 (a) a water resistant mat body, wherein the mat body has a length of less than about ten inches;   (b) a water resistant pocket for enclosing a bristle end of the toothbrush, wherein:
 (i) the pocket is disposed at a first end of the mat body; 
 (ii) the pocket has an access way for admitting the bristle end of the toothbrush; 
 (iii) the pocket has a vent, wherein the access way and the vent promote airflow through the pocket. 
   
   
   
       17 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 16  wherein the pocket has a length that is in a range of about one and one-half inches to about two and one-half inches. 
   
   
       18 . The toothbrush mat of  claim 16  wherein the pocket has a width that is in a range of about one inch to about one and one-half inches. 
   
   
       19 . A toothbrush kit comprising:
 a toothbrush; and   a toothbrush mat for storing the toothbrush between uses, wherein the toothbrush mat comprises:   (a) a water resistant mat body, wherein the mat body has a length of less than about ten inches;   (b) a water resistant pocket for enclosing a bristle end of the toothbrush, wherein:
 (i) the pocket is disposed at a first end of the mat body; 
 (ii) the pocket has an access way for admitting the bristle end of the toothbrush; 
 (iii) the pocket has a vent, wherein the access way and the vent promote airflow through the pocket. 
   
   
   
       20 . A planar toothbrush mat form that can be folded into a three-dimensional toothbrush mat, wherein the mat form comprises:
 a mat body portion, which is a relatively longer portion of the mat form and has a length that is in a range of about six inches to about ten inches;   a flap portion; which is a relatively shorter portion of the mat form and has a length that is in a range of about one and one-half inches to about two and one-half inches, and wherein the flap portion comprises a standoff region, a flap top region, and an adhesion tab, and wherein:   (a) each region is separated from each other region by fold lines;   (b) each fold line demarcates a location at which the mat form is to be folded;   (c) when folded, the flat top region overlies a part of the mat body portion;   (d) when folded, the standoff region defines a size of a gap between the flap top region and part of the mat body portion that the flat top region overlies; and   (e) when folded, the adhesion tab abuts the mat body portion for bonding thereto.   
   
   
       21 . A method of manufacturing a toothbrush mat for storage of a toothbrush between uses, the method comprising:
 (a) providing an elongated mat form;   (b) coating the mat form with a water-resistant material;   (c) folding the mat form, along a fold line, into a mat body and a flap, wherein the flap overlies a first portion of the mat body; and   (d) forming a pocket by coupling at least one edge of the flap to the mat body to create a gap between the flap and first portion of the mat body.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising forming an access way in the pocket. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising forming a vent in the pocket.