CA2620057A1

CA2620057A1 - Oral care instrument including an oral care agent

Info

Publication number: CA2620057A1
Application number: CA002620057A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Bruce M. Russell; Van Canady; Steven M. Sorrel; Candi Rancel; Heng Cai; Douglas J. Hohlbein; Eduardo J. Jimenez
Original assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company; Bruce M. Russell; Van Canady; Steven M. Sorrel; Candi Rancel; Heng Cai; Douglas J. Hohlbein; Eduardo J. Jimenez
Current assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date: 2005-08-26
Filing date: 2006-08-24
Publication date: 2007-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-24
Also published as: HK1115038A1; ES2441041T3; BRPI0615130A2; MY146561A; CA2854080A1; KR20080041718A; CA2742129A1; AU2010231393B2; RU2013156598A; CA2620057C; EP2529643B1; RU2009133035A; KR100979832B1; MX2008002465A; EP1924169B1; WO2007025012A1; EP1924169A1; RU2376917C1; AU2006283081A1; AU2006283081B2

Abstract

An oral care instrument (1) includes at least one oral care agent. In one embodiment, the oral care agent can be provided on one or more surfaces of the oral care instrument or included within cavities (50) within the head or in one or more surfaces of a head. In other embodiment, the oral care agent can be provided in or on a thin slab subsequently bonded onto a surface, or applied as a stable coating. The oral care instrument can also be provided with a wear indicator (120) . The oral care agents can be released during one use, during multiple uses, or throughout the life of the instrument. Water, oral secretions and/or chemicals within the mouth can activate the oral care agents .

Claims

1. An oral care instrument comprising a head, at least a portion of said head including at least one oral care agent.

2. The oral care instrument of claim 1, wherein said head is formed of a material including cavities, and at least a plurality of said cavities comprising the at least one oral care agent.

3. The oral care instrument of claim 2 wherein a first of said cavities comprises a first oral care agent and a second of said cavities comprises a second oral care agent, said first oral care agent being different from said second oral care agent.

4. The oral care instrument of claim 3, wherein said first oral care agent is released at a first rate and said second oral care agent is released at a second rate that is different from said first rate.

5. The oral care instrument of claim 2, wherein at least one of said cavities comprises at least a first oral care agent and a second oral care agent.

6. The oral care instrument of claim 5, wherein said first oral care agent is arranged relative to said second oral care agent such that said first oral care agent is proximate an outer surface of said head relative to said second oral care agent.

7. The oral care instrument of claim 5, wherein both said first and second oral care agents are substantially simultaneously exposed to an outer surface of said head.

8. The oral care instrument of claim 1, wherein said at least one oral care agent is depleted after a single use of said oral care instrument.

9. The oral care instrument of claim 1, wherein said at least one oral care agent is dispensed during repeated uses of said oral care instrument.

10. The oral care instrument of claim 2, wherein said cavities include additional oral care agents that are dispensed at different rates.

11. The oral care instrument of claim 2, wherein said cavities are located in an outer surface of said head.

12. The oral care instrument of claim 2, wherein said cavities are located in multiple outer surfaces of said head.

13. The oral care instrument of claim 1, further comprising a wear indicator.

14. The oral care instrument of claim 13, wherein said wear indicator comprises a first layer and a second layer that is chemically or mechanically altered to expose said first layer

15. The oral care instrument of claim 14, wherein said first layer indicates when the oral care instrument should be discarded or recharged with additional oral care agents.

16. The oral care instrument of claim 14, wherein at least one of said layers includes an oral care agent.

17. The oral care instrument of claim 14, wherein said first layer is secured to the head.

18. The oral care instrument of claim 1, wherein said at least one oral care agent is provided in a removable member secured to the head.

19. The oral care instrument of claim 1, wherein said at least one oral care agent includes an anti-microbial agent, a tooth cleaner, a tooth whitener, a breath freshener, an abrasive, a plaque dispersant, a vitamin, a de-sensitizing agent, an anti-cavity agent, a flavoring, a decoration, a nutritional or body supplement or combinations thereof.

20. The oral care instrument of claim 1, wherein said oral care instrument comprises a toothbrush including outwardly extending cleaning elements.

21. An oral care instrument comprising:
at least one oral care agent; and a wear indicator.

22. The oral care instrument of claim 21, wherein the wear indicator visually communicates the existence of the at least one oral care agent.

23. The oral care instrument of claim 21, wherein said wear indicator includes a first layer and a second layer, the second layer having a portion that becomes exposed, and wherein one of said layers comprises the at least one oral care agent.

24. The oral care instrument of claim 23, wherein said second layer includes a material having cavities that comprise said at least one oral care agent.

25. The oral care instrument of claim 24, wherein said material also forms at least a portion of a head of said oral care instrument.

26. The oral care instrument of claim 23, wherein said second layer is removably secured to a portion of a head of said oral care instrument.

27. The oral care instrument of claim 26, wherein said second layer is secured within a recessed portion of said head.

28. The oral care instrument of claim 21, wherein said wear indicator comprises a plurality of different materials that, when in contact, indicate that the at least one oral care agent is depleted.

29. The oral care instrument of claim 28, further comprising a first layer that acts as a barrier between the plurality of different materials that wears away to allow the plurality of different materials to contact.

30. The oral care instrument of claim 21, further comprising a rupturable element on at least one surface of the oral care instrument, said rupturable element comprising the least one oral care agent.

31. The oral care instrument of claim 21, further comprising a head having a plurality externally open cavities that comprise the at least one oral care agent.

32. The oral care instrument of claim 31, wherein a first of said cavities comprises a first oral care agent and a second of said cavities comprises a second oral care agent, said first oral care agent being different from said second oral care agent.

33. The oral care instrument of claim 32, wherein said first oral care agent is dispensed at a first rate and said second oral care agent is dispensed at a second rate that is different from said first rate.

34. The oral care instrument of claim 31, wherein at least one of said cavities comprises a first oral care agent arranged relative to a second oral care agent such that said first oral care agent is proximate an outer surface of said head relative to said second oral care agent.

35. The oral care instrument of claim 31, wherein at least one of said cavities comprises a first oral care agent and a second oral care agent such that both said first and second oral care agents are substantially simultaneously exposed to an outer surface of said head.

36. The oral care instrument of claim 21, further comprising a head having a plurality of cavities, and wherein said cavities include additional oral care agents that are dispensed at different rates.