WO1997006712A1

WO1997006712A1 - A toothbrush

Info

Publication number: WO1997006712A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/001950
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dean Russell Lees; Michael Cruddas
Original assignee: Hcare Limited
Priority date: 1995-08-12
Filing date: 1996-08-09
Publication date: 1997-02-27
Also published as: GB9610653D0; AU6707296A; GB2304033A

Abstract

A toothbrush comprising a bristle head (10) and a handle (11) the handle forming a hollow body (12) which may be filled with toothpaste, and a nozzle section (13) communicating with the bristle head (10) via an orifice (18). After removal of a protective cap (28) causing a valve (19) to be opened, rotation of a captive plug (25) causes a piston (27) to be advanced within the hollow body thus to expel toothpaste through orifice (28) onto the bristles. After use, replacement of the cap (28) closes valve (19) until the toothbrush is required for further use. The toothbrush is sufficiently compact to be readily portable and avoids the need for carrying a separate supply of toothpaste.

Description

A TOOTHBRUSH

THIS INVENTION concerns a toothbrush comprising a bristle head and a handle, and more particularly concerns a toothbrush with an internal supply of toothpaste.

A toothbrush made in accordance with this invention is intended for temporary or short term use, and is then to be disposed of, for example, after a few uses. A toothbrush having a self- contained supply of toothpaste sufficient to provide two or three brushes a day for a period of one or two weeks would be especially useful for people travelling on holiday or on business, there being no need to carry a separate supply of toothpaste. Such a device may be supplied as a complementary item, for example by hotels and airlines.

According to the present invention there is provided a toothbrush comprising a bristle head and a handle, the handle including a hollow body adapted to contain toothpaste, and an opening in the hollow body for dispensing toothpaste therefrom.

Preferably, the handle constitutes the hollow body and incorporates an internal piston movable progressively through the body gradually to expel toothpaste through the opening and onto the bristles. Also, for preference the toothbrush includes a closure valve adapted to prevent inadvertent or premature passage of toothpaste through the opening. Still further the toothbrush may include a protective cap which covers the bristle head and which when removed causes the valve to open and then re-closes it when the cap is replaced.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross section through a toothbrush made in accordance with the invention and shown in a closed or inoperative condition;

Fig. 2 illustrates a part of the toothbrush of Fig. 1 when partially opened;

Fig. 3 illustrates the toothbrush in a fully opened and operative condition;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a toothbrush made in accordance with a second embodiment.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-section of one end of a toothbrush made in accordance with a third embodiment, with the parts shown prior to first use;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to view 5 but in a condition of use; and Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 1 of a fourth embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings, a toothbrush made in accordance with the invention comprises a bristle head 10 and a handle 11 the handle being in the form of a hollow tubular body 12 with an open-ended nozzle section 13 at one end. The body 12 is adapted to contain toothpaste. The bristle head 10 also has a hollow tubular part 15 and a solid head portion 16 with groups of bristles 17 attached thereto. A small opening 18 in the hollow part of the bristle head 10 forms an orifice through which toothpaste may be expelled onto the bristles, as will be described. Immediately behind the solid portion 16 of the bristle head within the part 15 is a short cylindrical plug 19 which, as can be seen from Fig. 1, forms a closure member and locates within the open end of the nozzle section 13 of the body 12.

A part 20 of the bristle head is slidably located on the adjacent end region of the hollow body 12 and has annularly spaced longitudinal channels 21 permitting limited linear movement of the part 20 in relation to the handle in order selectively to locate the plug 19 into or remove it from the open end of the nozzle section 13.

At the end of the hollow body 12 remote from the bristle head 10 there is captively located a rotary plug 25 integrally formed with or attached to a screw 26 located axially and centrally within the hollow 12 body and threadedly engaged within a piston 27 which by rotation of the plug 25 is advanced through the hollow body 12 towards the bristle head.

In manufacture, the device is loaded with toothpaste filling the hollow body 12 and nozzle section 13. A protective cap 28 is located over the bristle head and, by detent means 29 forms a push fit onto the hollow part 15 thereof adjacent the hollow body 12.

In use, by withdrawing the cap 28 the detent means 29 simultaneously pulls the part 20 linearly away from the hollow body thus opening the valve formed by the plug 19 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Then, by rotating the plug 25 and screw 26, the piston 27 is advanced to expel toothpaste through the open end of the nozzle section 13 and the opening 18 onto the bristles 17. Thus, the bristles will be charged with toothpaste sufficient for immediate use, and flow through the opening will stop simultaneously with discontinued rotation of the plug 25.

After use, the cap 28 may be replaced on the bristle head, retracting same and closing the plug valve 19 thus preventing any further expulsion of toothpaste.

Referring now to Fig. 4 in which like parts are denoted by like reference numerals, in an alternative embodiment the rotary plug 25 and screw 26 are replaced by a toothed ratchet pin 30 which may be drawn back and released repeatedly to advance a piston 31 in step- wise manner to expel toothpaste. In this case, the piston 31 includes a flexible insert 32 which engages the teeth on the ratchet pin 30 so to advance the piston.

If required, the internal wall of the tubular body 12 in Fig. 4 may have circumferential serrations or other formations (not shown) to ensure that the piston 31 can travel only in a forwards direction. In the embodiment of Fig. 1 a device such as longitudinal splines or the like may be provided to prevent the piston 27 from rotating with the screw 28.

It is considered that the hollow body 12 may be of a convenient size to be compact yet contain sufficient toothpaste for a period of one or two weeks if the toothbrush is used twice a day. Alternatively, the body may be quite short to contain only sufficient toothpaste for one or two uses.

Conceivably, the device may be rechargeable but is more likely to be a disposable item used only for a short period such as while on holiday or while travelling on business.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6 in a further embodiment the rotary plug 25 is replaced by a modified rotary plug 40 located within the body 12 and having detent means 41 of annular form which bears in sealing engagement against the internal surface of the body 12. Fig. 5 shows the arrangement before use, whereas with reference to Fig. 6 it will be seen that by rotating the plug 40 in the direction to advance the piston 27 there is an initial free rearwards movement of the plug 40 and screw 26 until the rear extremity of detent means 41 bears against an internal shoulder 42 and becomes captive. Continued rotation of plug 40 and screw 26 then causes the piston 27 to advance within the body 12.

The shoulder 42 forms part of a rear end cap 45 maintained on the body 12 by an annular formation 46 which enables the cap 45 to be installed in manufacture and prevents it from removal thereafter.

Undercut slots or grooves 43 one of which may be seen in the upper region of Figs. 5 and 6 and a number of which are spaced annularly around the internal surface of the body 12 adjacent the shoulder 42 permit air to pass inwardly as illustrated by dotted arrow 44 around the plug 40, this leakage of air preventing creation of a vacuum behind the piston and ensuring that the piston may move freely in a forwards direction to expel the toothpaste.

Also in Fig. 6 there are illustrated two of a number of annularly spaced vanes 47 which extend radially within a recessed portion 48 of piston 27. During filling and assembly of the toothbrush, toothpaste is forced into the recess 48 and flows between the vanes 47. This provides resistance to rotation of the piston 27 as it is advanced in use by screw 26.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, in a further embodiment, the rotary plug 25, screw 26 and piston 27 may be replaced by a plunger 50 which may advance as a piston within a much shorter body 51, a rear end 52 of the plunger being exposed whereby the user may depress and advance the plunger linearly within the body to expel toothpaste. Preferably, an abutment shoulder 53 is provided within the body 12 to prevent the plunger from being withdrawn from the body.

If required, the plunger 50 may house a removable bobbin 54 containing dental floss and may optionally include a mirrored end surface 56.

The toothbrush is sufficiently compact to be readily portable and carried in a pocket or easily packed in a briefcase or the like and without the need for carrying a separate supply of toothpaste.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the details described and illustrated herein. For example, the cap and valve arrangement may take many different forms whilst ensuring that the device is easily made ready for use and is preferably re-closable after use thus preventing accidental and untimely expulsion of toothpaste.

The entire device is capable of being manufactured in plastics and if required the tubular body may be include a translucent window to indicate the amount of toothpaste remaining within the body. The nozzle section may be of reduced length or omitted altogether in order to minimise overall length and to avoid wastage of toothpaste remaining in the nozzle section when the piston has reached the end of its permitted travel within the tubular body.

Claims

1. A toothbrush comprising a bristle head and a handle, the handle including a hollow body adapted to contain toothpaste, and an opening in the hollow body for dispensing toothpaste therefrom.

2. A toothbrush according to Claim 1, wherein the opening in the hollow body communicates with the bristle head, means being provided to cause the toothpaste to be expelled from the hollow body through said opening onto the bristles.

3. A toothbrush according to Claim 2, wherein the handle constitutes the hollow body and incorporates an internal piston movable progressively through the body gradually to expel toothpaste through the opening and onto the bristles.

4. A toothbrush according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, including a closure member forming a valve adapted to prevent inadvertent premature passage of toothpaste through the opening.

5. A toothbrush according to Claim 4, including a removable protective cap adapted to cover the bristle head and which when removed is adapted to cause the valve to open, said valve being re¬ closed when the cap is replaced.

6. A toothbrush according to Claim 5, wherein the bristle head is movable relative to the handle thus to open and close the valve, the relative movement being caused by removal or replacement of the protective cap.

7. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim, wherein the hollow body extends into an open-ended nozzle section adjacent the bristle head, the nozzle section being disposed within a tubular part of the bristle head there being an orifice in said tubular part through which toothpaste may be expelled onto the bristles.

8. A toothbrush according to Claim 1 , wherein the bristle head includes a solid head portion, groups of bristles attached thereto and a plug extending therefrom and adapted to close the opening in the hollow body.

9. A toothbrush according to Claim 1 , wherein the bristle head is slidably located on an adjacent end region of the hollow body.

10. A toothbrush according to Claim 2, wherein the toothpaste expelling means includes a piston located within the hollow body and means to advance the piston progressively towards the bristle head.

11. A toothbrush according to Claim 10, wherein the advancement means comprises a rotary member captively engaged upon the hollow body and threadedly engaged with a piston whereby rotation of the rotary member causes the piston to be advanced through the hollow body towards the bristle head.

12. A toothbrush according to Claim 2, wherein the toothpaste expelling means includes a piston located within the hollow body and means non-rotatably engaged thereon to advance the piston step-wise in a linear direction through the body towards the bristle head.

13. A toothbrush according to Claim 10 or Claim 12, including internal wall formations in the hollow body adapted to cause the piston to travel in a single direction without rotation.

14. A toothbrush according to Claim 10 or Claim 12, including an air gap between the hollow body and a part of the toothpaste expelling means to permit the ingress of air into the hollow body behind the piston as the latter advances.

15. A toothbrush according to Claim 14, including sealing means preventing the ingress of air prior to first use of the toothbrush.

16. A toothbrush according to Claim 10 or Claim 11, wherein the piston includes one or more vanes arranged to be in contact with toothpaste within the hollow body thus to provide resistance to rotation of the piston as it is advanced.

17. A toothbrush according to Claim 2, wherein the toothpaste expelling means includes a piston located within the hollow body and a plunger adapted for linear movement together with the piston thus to expel toothpaste.

18. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim, including, attached to the handle, a supply of dental floss.

19. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim, wherein the handle includes a mirrored surface.

20. A toothbrush according to any preceding claim, wherein the hollow body includes a translucent window to indicate the amount of toothpaste present within the body.

21. A toothbrush substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, Fig. 4, Figs. 5 and 6, or Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.