Device for dispensing contents of squeezable tubes

Abstract

The invention pertains to a support for retaining a squeezable tube in an upright position as the contents of the tube are gradually dispensed. The support housing has a center cutout for slidably receiving a rotatable key member. The key member has an elongated slot, which engages a sealed end of the tube and winds the tube up from the sealed end as the contents of the tube are being gradually dispensed. A base frame engages the bottom of the housing; the base frame has a non-skid surface to prevent sliding of the support when positioned on a horizontal surface.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A device for dispensing contents of a squeezable tube having a sealed end and a dispensing end, the device comprising:
 a housing having an upright hollow body with a center cutout extending along the length of the body;   a base member frictionally engageable with a lower portion of the body, said base member having a non-skid bottom surface; and   a key member slidably engageable with the center cutout, said key member having a slotted spindle configured to engage the sealed end of the tube while maintaining the tube in an upright orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , said key member comprising a twist member unitary connected to one end of the spindle, said twist member configured to receive user-applied rotational force and to transmit the rotational force to the spindle. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the spindle is provided with an elongated spindle slot having an inner portion and an outer portion, and wherein the inner portion has a rounded configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the spindle has a cylindrical configuration, and the outer portion of the spindle slot has narrowed configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , said center cutout is formed along a longitudinal axis of the housing dividing an upper portion of the housing into two mirror-image parts. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the center cutout has a lower rounded portion, a narrowed middle portion, and a gradually widening upper portion. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein a geometric center of the lower portion is located adjacent a centerline of the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the spindle is configured to be positioned in the lower portion of the center cutout. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the upper portion of the center cutout is defined by a pair of spaced apart opposing walls, each of which opposing walls is rounded on top. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said opposing walls of the upper portion are mirror images of each other. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the body is defined by upright walls, each wall having a bottom part, and wherein a peripheral bottom cutout is formed in the bottom part. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the base member comprises a hollow open frame having upwardly extending frame walls, said frame walls carrying outwardly extending spaced-apart projections. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the outwardly extending projections are configured to frictionally fit within the peripheral bottom cutout. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein a peripheral continuous lip is provided along a bottom of the base member, said lip extending transversely to a vertical axis of the upwardly extending frame walls. 
     
     
         15 . A device for dispensing contents of a squeezable tube having a sealed end and a dispensing end, the device comprising:
 a housing having an upright hollow body with a center cutout extending along the length of the body;   a base member frictionally engageable with a lower portion of the body, said base member having a non-skid bottom surface; and   a key member slidably engageable with the center cutout, said key member having a slotted cylindrically-shaped spindle configured to engage the sealed end of the tube while maintaining the tube in an upright orientation, the spindle is provided with an elongated spindle slot having an inner portion and an outer portion, and wherein the inner portion has a rounded configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , said key member comprising a twist member unitary connected to one end of the spindle, said twist member configured to receive user-applied rotational force and to transmit the rotational force to the spindle. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said center cutout is formed along a longitudinal axis of the housing dividing an upper portion of the housing into two mirror-image parts, said center cutout having a lower rounded portion, a narrowed middle portion, and a gradually widening upper portion. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the spindle is configured to be positioned in the lower portion of the center cutout. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein a geometric center of the lower portion is located adjacent a centerline of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the upper portion of the center cutout is defined by a pair of spaced apart opposing walls, each of which opposing walls is rounded on top. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the body is defined by upright walls, each wall having a bottom part, and wherein a peripheral bottom cutout is formed in the bottom part. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the base member comprises a hollow open frame having upwardly extending frame walls, said frame walls carrying outwardly extending spaced-apart projections, and wherein the outwardly extending projections are configured to frictionally fit within the peripheral bottom cutout. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein a peripheral continuous lip is provided along a bottom of the base member, said lip extending transversely to a vertical axis of the upwardly extending frame walls.