US2900651A - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 25, 1959 c. o. POWELL TOOTHBRUSH Filed April 23, 1958 Clinton 0. Powell Q I wm 1N VEN TOR.

United States Patent 2,900,651 rooTHBRUsH Clinton 0. Powell, Norfolk, Va. Application April zsf, 19ss,seria1 N6. 730,364

6 claims. (c1. 1s1ss) Thisinvention relates to toothbruhes and more particularlyv to a toothbrushwhich has the supply of dentifrice maintained under pressure so that discrete discharges of the dentifrice may be emitted to the bristles of the brush under the control of the user.

The invention is embodied in a toothbrush with a dentifricefmaintained under pressure ina capsule at one end of the toothbrush handle, the capsule actually constituting a part of the handle. I'he construction is such that by holding the toothbrush inone hand and pressing thebrush gently in the proper direction, the head of the brush moves inwardly of `the handle a slight distance opening a valve and permitting a quantity of the dentifrice to be applied to the region of the bristles of the brush. The capsule is removable and replaceable by another capsule so that the useful life of the brush is as long'4 as an ordinary toothbrush or as long as the quality of construction will permit. In other words, the construction of the toothbrush and the presence of the pressure capsule will in no way aifect the useful life of the toothbrush since generally, the bristles of the brush wear out before any part of the brush.

This toothbrush prevents the loss of dentifrice. ent day tooth brushing is quite wasteful of dentifrice. There are obvious advantages in the handling of the toothbrush since a separate container for dentifrice is unnecessary. This has special advantage over ordinary toothbrushes for those who travel.: Y,

These together with other objects andl advantages which willbecome 'subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction' and operation as moreffully hereinafter described and claimed, 'reference'V being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein vrlike numerals refer to like parts "throughout, and inwhich' Figure l is a perspective view of a toothbrush constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the valve mechanism of the toothbnush of Figure 2 but showing it in a position at which a charge of dentifrice is being passed from the capsule to the head of the brush.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

In the accompanying drawings there is a toothbrush constructed in accordance with the invention. This toothbrush has a head 12 and a handle 14. The head of the toothbrush has bristles 16 which may be of any material suitable for the purpose. 'Ihe head case 18 has a longitudinal passage 20 closed at one end and having a head cap 21 therein. The open end of the passage 20 receives a pair of coaxial tubes 22 and 24 respectively, with the innermost tube 22 preferably being made of metal and the outermost tube 24 preferably being made of plastic. Although plastic is the principal Preshandle.

'.-the toothbrush.

material of construction, there being only three metal parts, this may be varied in accordance with manufacturing techniques. l

Tube 24 has a slot 28 in its lower Wall that is registered With tapered passageways 30 that open at their wider ends in the region of the bristles lof the brush and open.Y

through the bottom surface 32 of head case 18. A plurality of ports 34 are in the inner tube 22 and are in registry with the slot Z8.

Control collar 38 is axially slidable on the outside surface of the outer tube 24 and has an enlargement 39v at one end which is slidable in the cylinder 40. The cylinder is constructed of a part of ferrule 42 with the cylinder in one end thereof, while the other end thereof is reduced in cross-section and fitted in socket 43 at the;

Plunger 60 is disposed in cylinder 54 and is made in; two pieces. Head 62 isat the end of the outer tube 24- and disposed in cylinder 54. A surface of the head 62 is convex and is disposed on a convex seat 66 of a plunger cap 68. The plunger cap is reciprocable in cylinder 54 and is mounted on tube 70 that substantially forms a continuation of outer tube 24. Tube 22 is disposed within the bore of tube 70 and this terminates a distance short of the terminal part of tube 70. Plunger 60 has a guide 74 mounted on the tube 70 and in engagen i ment with the plunger part 68. Spring 76 contacts a wall of plug 80 at the outer end of housing 52 and engages the plunger guide 74. The spring 76 keeps the plunger moved to one end of the housing 52 but the` plunger can be moved toward the other end thereof by pushing the head part of the toothbrush toward the threads to which the capsule 84 is attached.

Capsule 84 contains dentifrice under pressure. It can have a ring 86 at one end as a convenience for hanging.. It is Ypreferred Vthat the capsule andi? housing bev of a uniformrdiameter. or anapproximatelyff;

uniform diameter to form the handle. However, the shape of the handle can be varied. A normally closed check valve 88 is in the capsule end of the plug 80. The check Valve 88 includes a plunger valve element 89 that is maintained closed by light spring 90 that reacts on a wall of the plug 80 and a transverse pin 91 of the plunger valve element. Pin 91 is the part of the normally closed check valve that is moved in order to open valve 88 (compare Figures 2 and 3) in response to movement of the handle part of the toothbrush with respect to the head of the toothbrush. This is achieved by having the inner end of tube 70 contact pin 91 and movethe pin against the yielding opposition of spring 90 thereby separating the head of the valve element from its valve seat 93 on plug 80. Since the dentifrice is under pressure in the capsule 84 it will ow through the valve 88 and enter the bore of the inner tube 22 for subsequent emis sion through ports 30. As soon as the force that retracts the toothbrush in length is relieved, spring 76 which opposes this force, .returns the tubes, plunger and other structure associated with its thereby relieving the force from the valve 88 and permitting its spring 90 to close the valve.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous i:- PQtentedAug. 25, 19,59@

Plug 80 is preferably threaded in the threaded outer end ofthe housing 52 and has a portion with coarse modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled -in the art, itis not desired Ito limit the `invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, al1 suitable modifications and equivalents `may Abe made-without departing from 'the scope of v-the invention -asllaimed v What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A.pressurevoperated'fountain `toothbrush which has a'capsule containingdentifrice under pressure,` ahousing, means separablyseeming said capsule to said housing, saidmeanshavingacheclc valve therein vthat is normally maintained in the closedposition, saidcheck valve having a valve operator extending longitudinally of said housing, a'rst tube, a` second Vdentifriceconducting tube coaxial with said -rst-tube, bothof said Vtubes disposed in said housing and protruding from oneend thereof, -saidY first tube having an end inengagement with said valve operator lto-open said vvalve upon movement of said 'rst tube in one-direction with respect to said housing, a brush head having said second tube'disposed therein, said vsecond tube having passage means through which the dentifrice is adapted to pass, means closing the end of said second tube at said head, said head having bristles, and ports in said head opening into said passage means and openingin the region of said bristles.

2. A pressure operated fountain toothbrush which has a capsule containing'dentifrice under pressure, a housing, means separably securing said capsuleto said housing, said lmeans having a check valve therein that -s normally maintained in the closed -positionfsaid check lvalve having a valve operator extending longitudinally of said housing, a first tube, a second tube coaxial withrsaid rst tube, both `of said tubes disposed in said housing and protruding from one 'end thereof, said iirst tube having an end in engagement with said valve operator to open said valve fupon movement of said rst tube in one direction with respect to said housing, a brush head having said tubes disposed therein, said tubes Yhaving passage means through which the dentifrice is adapted to pass, Vmeans closing the end of said second tube at said head, said head having bristles, ports in said head opening rinto said passage means and opening in the region of said bristles, a plunger in said housing and connected to said lirst tube for movement therewith, and a spring in said housing and -reacting on said plunger to return said .plunger to an initial position after said tubes are moved to the valve opening position.

3. A pressure operated rfountain toothbrush which has a capsule Vcontaining dentifrice under pressure, a housing, means separably securing said capsule to said housing, said means vhaving a check valve therein that is anstoen normally maintained in the closed position, said check 'valve having -a valve operator extending longitudinally said tubes disposed therein, said` tubes having passage means through which the dentrifrice is adapted to pass, means closing the end of said second tube at said head said head having bristles, ports in said head opening into said passage means and opening in the region of said bristles, a plunger .in said housing and connected to said first tube for movement therewith, a spring n said housing and reacting on said plunger to return said plunger to an initial position after said tubes are moved to the valve opening position, means including a` control collar for mounting said tubes in -said housing, sadvcontrol collar having at least one slot, and a key connected with said housing and engaged in said slot to prevent said control collar from rotating with respect to said housing.

4. The pressure operated fountain toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said means separably securing said capsule to said-housing comprises a hollow plug intercommuni eating said capsule and said first tube, said valve disposed in said hollow plug, and resilient means reacting on said plug `and said iirst tube for yieldingly opposing the movement of said first tube in one direction.

5. The pressure operated fountain toothbrush of claim 1 wherein there is a plunger disposed in said housing, means operatively connecting said plunger with said rst tube for movement with said rst tube, and a spring reacting on said plunger for yieldingly opposing the movement of said ,plunger and said first tube in one direction.

6. The pressure operated fountain toothbrush of claim 6 wherein there are means operatively connected with said housing and said `first tube for establishing a stop to limit the extent of longitudinal movement of said rst tube in one direction.

yReferences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,294,205 VanDyke Feb. 11, 19,19 1,523,332 Wright Ian. 13,1925 1,764,130 Vardeman June 17, 1&30 2,298,157 Phillips Oct. 6, 1942 2,320,823 Kingson June 11, 1943 2,806,238 Wisey Sept. 17, 1957

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