CA1198859A - Disposable toothbrush with cap - Google Patents

Disposable toothbrush with cap

Info

Publication number
CA1198859A
CA1198859A CA000419117A CA419117A CA1198859A CA 1198859 A CA1198859 A CA 1198859A CA 000419117 A CA000419117 A CA 000419117A CA 419117 A CA419117 A CA 419117A CA 1198859 A CA1198859 A CA 1198859A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
head
cap
handle
dentifrice
bristles
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000419117A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Chester L. O'neal
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
DISPOSABLE TOOTHBRUSH Inc
Original Assignee
DISPOSABLE TOOTHBRUSH Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by DISPOSABLE TOOTHBRUSH Inc filed Critical DISPOSABLE TOOTHBRUSH Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1198859A publication Critical patent/CA1198859A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A disposable toothbrush containing dentifrice with enclosure cap. The toothbrush main body has a hollow squeezable handle with dentifrice therein. A passage leads from the handle to an outlet on the brush head with the dentifrice flowing outwardly from the head between the opposite ends of the bristles. A cap removably mounted to the brush head encloses the bristles and has a plug sealingly projectable into the dentifrice outlet.

Description

s5~

D I SPOSABhE TOOTHBE~USH WITH CAP

Background of the Invention This invention is in the Eield of disposable brushes including toothbrushes. In my U.S. Patent 4,176,980, there is disclosed a disposable toothbrush having a squeezable hollow handle ~ith dentifrice therein Eorceable outwardly through outlets located between the br;stles.
An adaptation of my aforementioned brush is disclosed herein in that the squeezable hollow handle is provided in the design. In contrast to my prior design, my new brush ;ncludes only a single dentifrice outlet with a raised 10 ring surrounding the outlet to posîtion the dentifrice away from the mounting plane of the bristles to the brush head but also positioning the dentifrice remotely from the distal ends of the bristles. The positioning of the dentifrice is distinguishable from the tubular outlets in the toothbrush disclosed in the Australian patent specification 254459 issued to Norman John Hobson wherein ~he dentifrice is located only at the outer end portions of the bristles. Another improvement in the brush disclosed herein is the addition of a cap removably 20 mounted to the brush and enclosing the bristles to allow repeated sanitary use of ~he brush in the event dentifrice remains wi~hin the handle. It is known to use a bristle enclosure such as disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,653,778, issued to John Robert Freilling; however, the cap disclosed herein includes a plug extending outwardly to removably seal and engage the dentiErice outlet on the brush head precluding accidental discharge of the dentifrice from the brush.

35~

Summary of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved disposable toothbrush and den-tifrice combination.
Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
Basically, the invention is a disposable toothbrush device comprising: a unitary toothbrush member comprising a squeezable tubular handle with a dispensing end and a filler end and forming a container extending therebetween adapted to hold dentifrice to be dispensed, the tubular handle having a rigid thick portion of the circumference integrally connected to a flexible thin portion of the circumference, both portions exten~ing from the dispensing end to a location immediately adjacen-t the filler end whereby the thin portion of the cir-cumference of the handle can be pressed against the rigid portion to force dentifrice out of the dispensing end; a shank connecting the dispensing end of the handle to a brush head;
a b.ru.sh head connected to the shank with bristles extending outwardly therefrom; and a passage leading from the handle through the shank to the head and opening between the bristles to deliver dentifrice adjacent the base of the bristles remotely from the di.stal ends of the bristles when the handle is squeezed; a cap member removably mounted to the head and en-closing the bristles, the cap including an extending plug mounted thereto removably extending sealingly in-to the opening limiting flow of dentifri.ce from the opening when the cap is mounted on the head, said plug being generally cylindrical and terminating at the distal end by a truncated cone of smaller diameter than the main body of the plug thereby defining a shoulder adjacent -'che distal end and con-tactable against the :j - 3 ,., ~. _ ,~ , 35~

head, -the shoulder and the distal end cooperatively sealing the passage when the cap is moun-ted to the head; the cap including a free edge por-tion with inwardly projecting tabs on the two long edges thereof lockingly engaging coopera-tion securing means on the edge portion of said head, removably securing the cap on the head, -the free edge portion of the cap having a cut away portion receiving the shank and limiting movement thereon; and a closure member adapted to close the said filler end of said tubular handle.

- 3a -~J~

~8~3Q59 Brief Description of the Drawing FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the toothbrush and cap incorporating -the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudina] cross-sectional view of the brush of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a reduced cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cap of FIG.
1.

35~

Description of the Preferred Embodiment For the purposes of promoting an understanding oE the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby in~ended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally 10 occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring now more particularly to FIG. l, there is shown a brush cap combination 9 with the particular combination shown being a toothbrush lO with a cap 11 to removably mount to the brush and enclose bristles 15 cantileveredly mounted to the head 14 of the brush. Head 14 is attached to handle 12 by means of a shank 13 and may be produced in one integral plastic piece. Cap 16 may also be produced from plastic and includes a pair oE
20 diverging side walls 44 and 45 (FIG. 4) to guide bristles 15 into the cap as the cap is mounted onto head 14. A
plurality of inwardly projecting tabs 33 are moun~ed to the free edge portion of the cap side walls with the tabs lockingly projectable into slots 34 (FIG. l) formed on t`he edge portion 35 of head 14 thereby securin~ the cap on the head. The end side wall of the main body 16 of cap 11 includes a radially cut away portion 36 complementarily receiving the circular shank 13 and limiting movement of the cap on the main body of the brush.
Handle 12 is hollow and squeezable forming a container 20 holding the particular material to be dispensed through bristles 15. Passage 19 is in fluid communication with container 20 extending through shank 13 to outlet 18 provided on head 14. Bristles 15 are mounted to head 14 ~8~

and surround outlet 18. A circular ring 40 is mounted to head 14 and has an aperture 41 aligned with outlet 18 to position the dentifrice or other material provided within container 20 at a location apart from the mounting location of bristles 15 to head 14 but yet suEficiently remote from the distal ends of the bristles. Thus, the dentifrice will not build up on the mounting plane oE the bristles to the head but yet will be sufficiently remote Erom the distal ends of the brlstles allowing the 10 dentifrice to flow uniformly through the remaining length of the bristles.
The construction of handle 12 is shown in FIG. 3. The handle includes a semi-circular thick side wall 23 integrally joined to a semi-circular thin side wall 22 with the side walls extending the length of the handle.
Thin side wall 22 is of Elexible material to allow the wall to be squeezed and moved toward thick wall 23 forcing the dentifrice out through passage 19 and aperture 41.
Side wall 23 is sufficiently rigid to prevent the handle 20 from being bowed as the thin wall is squeezed.
A closure 21 is sealingly mounted to the end of handle 12 once the dentifrice is loaded into the handle. Closure 21 has a tubular main body 25 with an inner end 26 opening into the handle allowing the dentifrice to flow into closure 21 maximizing the amount of dentifrice or other material contained within the handle. The opposite end 27 of closure 2l is closed preventing the dentifrice from escaping the brush except through aperture 41. Closuce 21 includes a peripherally extending edge portion 28 forming 30 a circular slot to slidably and sealingly receive ~he end of handle 12. Closure 21 may be joined to handle 12 by a variety oE means including heat sealing. Tubular main body 25 fits wlthin a radial relief provided in side wall 23 (FIG. 2) which conformingly receives tubular body 25.
End 27 of the closure is of a rigid material further strengthening the handle of the brush.

~9~

The toothbrush has a longitudinal axis 29 extending centrally through closure 21 and centrally through passage 19. Further, axis 29 is located a fixed radial distance (FIG. 3) from thick side wall 23 and a fixed radial distance from thin side wall 22 when the thin side wall is not compressed or moved towards the thick side wall. Side wall 23 extends one-half way around axis 29 to provide a grasping portion while brushing without depressing or moving wall 22 towards wall 23. Passage 19 is flared outwardly via surface 24 into container 20 to guide the dentifrice ~rom the container and into the passage to outlet 41.
Cap 11 has a plug 17 (FIG. 4) integrally mounted thereto with an outer tapered distal end 32 provided on the plug to removably extend into aperture 41 of the toothbrush head. A stop surface 31 is provided adjacent distal end 32 to contact against the outwardly facing surface 42 of ring 40. Plug 17 has a cylindrical main body 30 in~egrally attached to the tapered distal end 32 with stop surface 31 being located between end 32 and main body 30. Surface 31 along with distal end 32 cooperatively seal inlet 41 when cap 11 is mounted to head 14 limiting flow of the dentifrice from the outlet~
Many variations of the present invention are contemplated and included herein. While although the drawings depict a toothbrush and dentifrice combination, it is to be understood that similar materials may be provided within a brush as disclosed for polishing or scrubbing a variety oE items. While the toothbrush is disclosed as including ring 40 surrounding outlet 18, it is to be understood that a toothbrush may be produced without the ring merely allowing the dentifrice to exit outlet 18 immediately adjacent the moun~ing plane of bristles 15.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the 3~5~

same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that onl~
the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A disposable toothbrush device comprising:
A . A unitary toothbrush member comprising: a squeezable tubular handle with a dispensing end and a filler end and forming a container extending therebetween adapted to hold dentifrice to be dispensed, the tubular handle having a rigid thick portion of the circumference integrally connected to a flexible thin portion of the circumference, both portions ex-tending from the dispensing end to a location immediately ad-jacent the filler end whereby the thin portion of the circum-ference of the handle can be pressed against the rigid portion to force dentifrice out of the dispensing end; a shank connecting the dispensing end of the handle to a brush head; a brush head connected to the shank with bristles extending outwardly there-from; and a passage leading from the handle through the shank to the head and opening between the bristles to deliver dentifrice adjacent the base of the bristles remotely from the distal ends of the bristles when the handle is squeezed;
B. A cap member removably mounted to the head and enclosing the bristles, the cap including an extending plug mounted thereto removably extending sealingly into the opening limiting flow of dentifrice from the opening when the cap is mounted on the head, said plug being generally cylindrical and terminating at the distal end by a truncated cone of smaller diameter than the main body of the plug thereby defining a shoulder adjacent the distal end and contactable against the head, the shoulder and the distal end cooperatively sealing the passage when the cap is mounted to the head; the cap including a free edge portion with inwardly projecting tabs on the two long edges thereof lockingly engaging cooperation securing means on the edge portion of said head, removably securing the cap on the head, the free edge portion of the cap having a cut away portion receiving the shank and limiting movement thereon; and C. A closure member adapted to close the said filler end of said tubular handle.
CA000419117A 1982-04-21 1983-01-07 Disposable toothbrush with cap Expired CA1198859A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US37045482A 1982-04-21 1982-04-21
US370,454 1982-04-21

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1198859A true CA1198859A (en) 1986-01-07

Family

ID=23459738

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000419117A Expired CA1198859A (en) 1982-04-21 1983-01-07 Disposable toothbrush with cap

Country Status (3)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS58183109A (en)
AU (1) AU551051B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1198859A (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0529619Y2 (en) * 1986-05-14 1993-07-29
NZ629267A (en) 2012-03-01 2016-11-25 Quadra Logic Tech Inc Therapeutic regimens and methods for improving visual function in visual disorders associated with an endogenous retinoid deficiency

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS483669U (en) * 1971-05-26 1973-01-17
JPS5238788B2 (en) * 1974-03-20 1977-09-30

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS6340525B2 (en) 1988-08-11
AU551051B2 (en) 1986-04-17
JPS58183109A (en) 1983-10-26
AU1030883A (en) 1983-10-27

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Legal Events

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