Toothbrush holder

Abstract

A sanitary toothbrush holder is disclosed that is assembled from a single piece of sheet material to form a stable holder which positions the bristles of the toothbrush away from all parts of the toothbrush holder as well as away from the surface on which the toothbrush holder rests. Further, said toothbrush holder provides a surface onto which water and other liquids may drip from the toothbrush bristles while the toothbrush is drying, to protect said surface underneath the toothbrush holder from contamination.

1 . A toothbrush holder for supporting at least one toothbrush comprising:
 a sheet material comprising at least one opening and a plurality of fold lines, wherein the toothbrush holder, when folded, comprises a base surface and a toothbrush engaging surface, wherein the toothbrush engaging surface comprises a raised surface extending upwardly from the base surface, and wherein the raised surface comprises at least one opening in the raised surface.   
     
     
         2 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fold lines of the sheet material comprises four fold lines. 
     
     
         3 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 2 , wherein the four fold lines are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 3 , wherein of the four fold lines there is a grouping of three fold lines that, when folded, form a tented surface extending upwardly from the base surface. 
     
     
         5 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 4 , wherein the tented surface that is flanked by substantially horizontal surfaces on each side of the tented surface. 
     
     
         6 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 5 , wherein the tented surface is defined by surfaces which are angled upwardly from the substantially horizontal surfaces and inwardly toward each other. 
     
     
         7 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 6 , wherein the surfaces defining the tented surface extend upwardly from the horizontal surfaces and angle inwardly toward each other until they meet at an apex or peak of the raised surface. 
     
     
         8 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 7 , wherein the sheet material is folded along another fold line to form an underlying base or support surface under the horizontal surfaces and tented surface. 
     
     
         9 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 8 , wherein the substantially horizontal surfaces flanking the tented surface may be affixed to the underlying base or support surface with an adhesive to form a secure isosceles triangle defined by the tented surface and a portion of the underlying base or support surface. 
     
     
         10 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 9 , wherein the opening is disposed in the center of one of the fold lines. 
     
     
         11 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet material of the toothbrush holder is selected from cardboard, paper, flexible polymer sheets, rigid polymer sheets, composite material sheets and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 11 , wherein the sheet material of the toothbrush holder comprises paper. 
     
     
         13 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 11 , wherein the sheet material of the toothbrush holder comprises a flexible polymer sheet. 
     
     
         14 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 11 , wherein the sheet material of the toothbrush holder comprises a rigid polymer sheet. 
     
     
         15 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 14 , wherein the rigid polymer sheet has areas of weakness that constitute fold lines to achieve the final folded configuration of the toothbrush holder. 
     
     
         16 . The toothbrush holder of  claim 11 , wherein the sheet material treated with a coating selected from the group consisting of air resistant coatings, moisture resistant coatings, and water resistant coatings. 
     
     
         17 . A kit comprising at least one toothbrush holder and at least one toothbrush, wherein the toothbrush holder comprises a sheet material comprising at least one opening and a plurality of fold lines, wherein the toothbrush holder, when folded, comprises a base surface and a toothbrush engaging surface, wherein the toothbrush engaging surface comprises a raised surface extending upwardly from the base surface, and wherein the raised surface comprises at least one opening in the raised surface. 
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein the kit further comprises at least one oral care product selected from the group consisting of tooth gels, tooth pastes, tooth powders, tooth whitening compositions, mouth washes, mouth rinses, dental floss, dental picks, anti-plaque compositions, anti-gingivitis compositions, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one oral care product comprises a tooth paste. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one oral care product comprises a tooth paste and one of a mouth wash, a mouth rinse, or an anti-plaque composition. 
     
     
         21 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one toothbrush holder, the at least one toothbrush and the at least one oral care product are sealed in a flexible water-resistant packaging material.