US2989765A - Collapsible pocket-size toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

June 27, 1961 J. G. GINGRICH 2,989,765

COLLAPSIBLE POCKET-SIZE TOOTHBRUSH Filed Feb. 26, 1957 Fig.4

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Jerry G. Gingrich INVENTOR. 24

26 E M40 fi gm zsm 2,989,765. Patented June 27, 1961 ice 2,989,765 COLLAPSIBLE POCKET-SIZE TOOTHBRUSH Jerry G. Gingrich, 244 E. 30 th St. N., Tulsa, Okla.

Filed Feb. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 642,551 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-143) The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a toothbrush construction and has reference in particular to a collapsible or folding toothbrush which is of requisite length and size when it is being used but is fold'able into compact pocket-size form when it is not in use.

An object of the invention is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon similarly constructed and performing prior art toothbrushes and, in so doing, to provide a simple, economical and practical adaptation in which manufacturers will find their manufacturing requirements and economies effectually taken care of and users will find their traveling and carrying needs suitably met.

Briefly, the toothbrush is of sectional construction. That is to say, it is characterized by a relatively short handle section and a correspondingly short companion head section. The head section is provided with a suitable bristle brush. This brush is located at one end of the handle section. The adjacent end portions of the two sections overlap each other and are hingedly joined. Practical and reliable retaining means is provided and is cooperable with the overlapped hingedly joined end portions and serves to retain the sections in either coextensive alignment for use, or, alternatively, serves to retain said sections in folded compact relationship when they are not in use.

The invention features the construction above stated wherein the handle section is characterized by a linearly straight handle member having flat top and bottom surfaces. A limited outer end portion of the top surface is beveled and this bevel cooperates with a complemental bevel on a substantially wedge-shaped terminal at one end of the shank of the brush section. The shank assumes an oblique angle in respect to the top surface of the handle section when the two sections are folded. In the folded arrangement the bristles of the brush reside in contact with a coacting end portion of the surface of the handle section and because of the wedge-shape formation on the shank and since the shank is inclined relative to the plane of the handle section, the bristled brush and head and handle sections provide a pocket-like space of general V-shaped form in side elevation into which a miniature tube of toothpaste may be placed and conveniently packaged in readiness for use.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved pocketsize easy-to-carry toothbrush constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the companion head and handle sections folded.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view wherein the sections are unfolded and straightened out to provide a ready-to-use toothbrush resembling a conventional toothbrush with a rigid one-piece handle.

FIG. 3 is a view on a slightly enlarged scale in section and elevation showing the hinge connection and also the position and manner of holding the tube of toothpaste.

FIG. 4 is an end view, that is a view observing the construction seen in FIG. 3 in a direction from right to left.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing the manner in which the hinged joint functions. 7

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the beveled end port-ion of the handle section.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the cooperating hingedly connectible end portion of the brush section.

Referring now to the drawing and with particular reference to FIG. 3 showing the folded or collapsible brush, the handle section is denoted by the numeral 8 and the brush section by the numeral 10. These sections are of appropriate materials. The handle section is characterized by a linearly straight handle member 12 the top surface 14 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) of which is essentially flat and the bottom wholly flat. The end portion of this surface 14 is tapered outwardly and downwardly as at 16 to a feather-edge terminal 18. This thus thinned and tapered end portion is provided with a hole 20 which extends from the top to the bottom surface where it is slightly counterbored as at 22. This hole serves to accommodate the integral laterally projecting headed stud 24 carried by the inward bevel 26 of the substantially wedgeshaped terminal 28 at the left hand end of the shank 30. This Wedge-shaped portion is also feather-edged as at 32. Obviously, the stud 24 passes through the hole 20 and provides a hinge joint as shown in FIG. 7. The

stud 24 has a small radial lug 34 which constitutes a detent adapted to releasably snap into either one of the radial recesses or keeper seats 36 and 38 at what may be called the upper end of the pivot hole 20. Since the sections 8 and 10 are made of commercial plastics of an appropriate grade, the joint is reliably tight yet is sufficiently actuatable that the two sections 8 and 10 may be disposed in opposed folded relationship or may be swung into usable axial alignment as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively. The retainer means 34, 36 and 38 functions to retain the sections in their predetermined relative open and closed positions. Thus when the sections 8 and 10 are in alignment as seen in FIG. 2 a substantially conventional type toothbrush is had. When, however, the sections are folded or collapsed as seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 the sections are then in compact relationship. It will be noticed in this connection that the end portion 40 of the brush section shank is (often called the back of a brush) provided with a suitable bristle brush 42. When the bristles are in the folded position (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) they rest upon the surface 14. The brush 42, the inclined shank 30 and the hinged wedge shaped terminal 28 thus cooperate with the handle section in defining a sort of a V-shaped space or pocket and this in turn provides a holder and carrier for the insertable and removable miniature tube of toothpaste 44.

As is evident, the herein disclosed toothbrush is an innovation which fulfills the purposes for which it is intended. The construction of the parts is clear and the manner in which they are assembled is likewise clear. In these circumstances a more extensive description of the details or mode of use is thought to be unnecessary.

Changes of shape, size, materials and rearrangement of components may be resorted to in actual practice without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A folding sectional toothbrush comprising a relatively short handle section comprising a straight handle section generally rectangular in cross-section and having flat top and bottom surfaces parallel to each other, a limited portion of the top surface at the outer end of said handle section being bevelled and having a hinge pin hole extending through said top and bottom surfaces midway between the respective ends of the bevel, the end portion of the hole opening through said bottom surface being provided with diametrically opposite recesses providing selectively usable keeper seats, a head section commensurate in length with the length of the handle section and comprising a shank overlying the top surface of the handle section, the major portion of said shank being disposed at an angle oblique to the lengthwise axis of the handle section and being spaced from said handle section, said shank being provided at one end with a head made up of bristles, said bristles being interposed between the shank and the corresponding end of said handle section, the portion of the shank carrying said bristles being approximately parallel to the top surface of said handle section, the other end of the shank having top and bottom surfaces converging toward said other end and of lengths corresponding to the length of said bevel, the lower surface of said convergent surfaces having an inclination of which corresponds to the inclination of the bevel and contacting the bevel throughout its major areal portion and being thus superimposed thereon, said handle and head sections being thus disposed in superposed relationship and providing a folded pocket-size brush, said other end having a lateral stud formed integrally therewith and said stud extending through and being rotatable in said hole, the end of the stud adjacent the bottom surface of said handle section having a lateral lug providing a detent, said detent being seated in a cooperating one of the keeper seats whereby to thus hold the two sections in compact folded relationship.

2. A folding toothbrush comprising a head section embodying a head having a straight fiat-faced back provided on one side with bristles at right angles to the lengthwise axis of the back, having a shank aligned with and extending from one end of the back, said shank being disposed at an obliqe angle in respect to the back and having the end remote from said head provided with a wedge-shaped member constituting an extension of the shank, the vertex of said wedgeshaped member terminating in a plane generally coplanar with the free tip portions of the bristles in said head, at least one surface of said wedge-shaped member providing a bevel which is planar except for a median portion thereof, said median portion having a laterally projecting hinging and assembling stud which is integral with said bevel, and a handle section aligned lengthwise with said shank and having a bevel corresponding in slope with the slope of the first named bevel and provided with a hole, said stud being mounted for rotation in said hole, and coacting means between the stud and marginal surface portions of said handle section releasably maintaining the sections in handle forming relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 666,360 Shearer Ian. 22, 1901 827,480 Traut July 31, 1906 949,587 Ludington Feb. 15, 1910 2,454,995 Curran Nov. 30, 1948 2,503,924 Stacey Apr. 11, 1950 2,542,038 Lewis Feb. 20, 1951 2,576,551 Walters Nov. 27, 1951 2,742,936 Cooley Apr. 24, 1956

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