IES72108B2

IES72108B2 - Improvements in and relating to devices for indicating usage of an article

Info

Publication number: IES72108B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Edward O'neill; Michael J Holmes
Original assignee: Neill Edward O; Michael J Holmes
Priority date: 1996-09-16
Filing date: 1996-09-16
Publication date: 1997-03-12
Also published as: AU4635897A; WO1998010903A1

Abstract

A device (1, 10) for indicating usage of an article (3) having an elongate handle is provided. The device comprises a rotatable wheel (5, 15), which is divided into a pre-determined number of segments, each of which bears indicia. The wheel (5, 15) has an engaging means (8) for engaging the handle of the article and a stop means (7, 17) for limiting the degree of rotation of the wheel. The device (1, 10) also include a window (6, 16) through which the indicia on a segment can be viewed. When the handle of the article (3) is inserted in the device, the handle co-operates with the engaging means (8) to cause the wheel (5, 15) to rotate by an amount corresponding to one of the segments, the degree of rotation being limited by the stop means. The device (1, 10) is used to display to a user the number of times the article has been used or the number of uses remaining.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AMD RELATING TO DEVICES FOR INDICATING USAGE OF AN ARTICLE The present invention concerns improvements in and 5 relating to devices for indicating usage of an article, in particular an article such as a disposable razor.

A device for indicating the number of uses of a disposable razor is disclosed in U.S. Patent Specification No. ,062,209. This device comprises tabs integrally formed on the handle of the disposable razor. The tabs are bendable about a pivot line from a first position which indicates non-use and a second position indicating one use. There are indicia associated with each tab so that the number of uses can be seen by the number of tabs bent over into the used position.

The disadvantages of this device are that the user has to remember to bend over a tab after completing a shave and tabs may get bent over unintentionally since they are arranged along the handle and the user may accidently bend one or more while holding the handle.

The present invention seeks to alleviate the above disadvantages.

The present invention accordingly provides a device for indicating usage of an article having an elongate handle, the device comprising a rotatable wheel, the wheel being divided into a pre-determined number of segments, each segment bearing an indicia, the wheel having engaging means for engaging the handle of the article and stop means for limiting the degree of rotation of the wheel, the device also including a window through which the indicia on a segment can be viewed, whereby when the 5721 08 < handle of the article is inserted in the device, the handle engages with the engaging means and further insertion of the handle causes the wheel to rotate hy a pre-determined amount, the degree of rotation being limited by the stop means, such that the indicia on an adjacent segment is positioned behind the window so that the indicia is visible when the user views the device.

Advantageously, the engaging means for engaging the handle of the article comprises a plurality of rods mounted pivotably at the rear of the wheel.

Preferably, the stop means for limiting the degree of rotation of the wheel comprises a plurality of fins arranged on the wheel and a latch member releasably engageable with the fin(s) such that the latch member releasably engages in a mouth defined by the fin whereby when the wheel is rotated under action of the handle of the article, the latch member is forced out of engagement with a first fin and is available to engage with a second fin when it presents itself to the latch member.

Conveniently, the article comprises a disposable razor or a toothbrush.

The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only, one embodiment of the device of the present invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of the device; and Figure 2 is a rear view of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the device is indicated generally by reference numeral 1 and comprises a first compartment 2 and a second compartment 4. The first compartment 2 holds the current razor 3 and the second compartment 4 stores unused razors (not shown). The compartment 2 containing the current razor includes a window 5 through which the number on the segment behind the window at any one time can be viewed. The device 1 includes a wheel 6 which is divided into eight segments of equal size. Each segment has a number provided thereon.

There is a rod 8 pivotably mounted at the rear of each of the segments. Each rod can turn through an angle of 45°.

Each time the wheel moves, it travels through an arc equal to one eighth of incrementally the circumference of the wheel.

As shown in Figure 1 , a first segment with the word ’’NEW” written on it is positioned such that the word NEW is visible through the window 5. When the razor is positioned in the first compartment 2, the razor 3 abuts a first rod 8. When the razor 3 is lifted out, the first rod 8, which is pivotally mounted on the rear of the first segment falls downwardly through an angle of 45°. The next time the razor 3 is replaced in the compartment 2, the razor 3 will contact the first rod 8 and press down on the first rod 8 sufficiently to force the wheel to turn. The wheel will turn by an amount equal to one eight of it's circumference. The travel of the wheel is limited by means of a latch 9 which is releasably engageable in the mouth defined by a fin 7. When the wheel is again forced to turn under action of the razor handle bearing down on the rod 8, the latch 9 slides out of a first fin 7 and travels along the side of the wheel 6 until it engages with the second fin 7'. Once the latch 9 is engaged in the mouth, of the second fin 7', the wheel is forced to stop and the number on the second segment is now visible through the window 5.

Each time the current razor is replaced back in the first compartment 2, the handle of the razor 3 abuts against a rod 8 and pushes the rod downwardly thereby causing the wheel 6 to move by a pre-determined amount. Every time the wheel moves, the number on the subsequent segment will be visible through the window thereby indicating the number of times the razor has been replaced back in its compartment after use.

The device is four inches in height by six inches wide and two inches deep. uses of the device 1. To store razors in a unit made of a plastics material which may include an adhesive strip at the back of the device for convenient locating in the bathroom. 2. To display to the user the exact number of times the current razor has been used. 3. To notify the user that the current razor has been used as many times as the manufacturers' recommend and that the current razor should now be replaced.

It should be understood that the above described device can also be used to indicate the number of uses of a toothbrush or any other item having a handle which can engage the respective rods 8 at the rear of the corrugated wheel S and cause the wheel 6 to turn.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not 5 limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A device for indicating usage of an article having an elongate handle, the device comprising a rotatable wheel, the wheel being divided into a pre-determined number of segments, each segment bearing an indicia, the wheel having engaging means for engaging the handle of the article and stop means for limiting the degree of rotation of the wheel, the device also including a window through which the indicia on a segment can be viewed, whereby when the handle of the article is inserted in the device, the handle engages with the engaging means and further insertion of the handle causes the wheel to rotate by a pre-determined amount, the degree of rotation being limited by the stop means, such that the indicia on an adjacent segment is positioned behind the window so that the indicia is visible when the user views the device.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the engaging means for engaging the handle of the article comprise a plurality of rods mounted pivotably at the rear of the wheel.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the stop means for limiting the degree of rotation of the wheel comprises a plurality of fins arranged on the wheel and a latch member releasably engageable with the fin(s) such that the latch member releasably engages in a mouth defined by the fin whereby when the wheel is rotated under action of the handle of the article, the latch member is forced out of engagement with a first fin and is available to engage with a second fin when it presents itself to the latch member.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the article comprises a disposable razor or a toothbrush.

5. 5. A device for indicating usage of an article substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.