GB2304553A - Reservoir toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

A reservoir toothbrush has a neck and a bristled head 1 that receive paste from duct 3. The handle 10 houses a release valve 5 that is a supply connection for a toothpaste container 6. The paste 11 is forced from within the container 6 by various devices including a manual plunger 7-9, or by the container being pressurised internally. The paste 11 may also be squeezed directly from a pliable handle 10, allowing a hollow paste filled handle to be provided. Brushes nay be refilled using replaceable containers 6 or wholly disposed of.

Description

Title : Combination Toothbrush This invention relates to a toothbrush that has a combined ability to store cleaning agents such as paste within its body, ana supply them to the head area.

13 rushes normally used in the cleaning ot teeth are already k-nown and consist of a single body formed. troni a length ot material commonly a plastic varient. This has a narrowed head area containing bristles used in the cleaning of teeth, having paste applied to the bristles to further the effectiveness of the cleaning and to assist with hygiene.

These pastes are normally supplied from a separate vessel normally a tube providing a precise application to the bristle.

When travelling its is known that toothbrushes may also be required to pack into a small area, some of which are knows to fold with pastes being stored separately. These offer a novel way by which to store the toothbrush when carriage space is limited or even to allow the brush to be carriea in an individuals pocket when required.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved method ol compacting a toothbrush and its paste for travelling purposes or everyday use, as a novel way of supplying paste from the body of the handle to the head in a single unit, in both instances.

According to the present invention there is provided a handle or body that contains the cleaning agent within either a permanent or removable area. This may be supplied directly to the tapered neck and head located toward the adjacent end of the utensil culminating in the release through outlets directly through the bristle to allow a covert supply when cleaning is required.

The body of the utensil may have sections that may be detached to allow prefilled paste containers to be inserted within the handle area. This is shown in Fig 1, 2, and 4.

Various methods for pumping the paste from its position within the handle to the head and therefore the bristle are also provided and are shown in all figures.

An embodiment ot how the invention works will now hollow with reference to the four accompanying diagrams.

Figure 1 : Shows a sectional view of a slide pump method that may be both disposed of or refilled.

Figure 2 Shows a sectional view of a handle pump method that may also be both disposed of or refilled.

Figure 3 : Shows a sectional view of the general supply method of the paste to the head.

Figure 4 : Shows a sectional view of a further pump method that may also be disposed of or refilled.

The combination toothbrush is generally designated 1 and 10 and comprise a handle 10 that is hollowed to form the entire basis for supply. It may be segregated at points to allow the toothbrush body to be dissembled allowing removable containers 6 of paste 11 to be inserted, as shown in Fig 1. Once inserted with aid from shoulder release grips 4 that allow the handle body 10 to attach correctly to the neck 1, the paste container 6, that may be disposed of and replaced, is inserted upon a release valve 5, as shown in fig 1. This release valve 5 may allow for an opening to be made between the newly inserted paste container 6 and the toothpaste supply duct 3.This may be achieved by the presence of a once only pierceable film situated to the surface of the valve 5, that would be pierced by the opening area of the supply duct 3 having a nipple, not shown, allowing the opening to be made. Alternatively a valve 5 may have a mechanical release that is engaged by the opening of tho tootbpaste supply duct 3 on application of the container 6.

To allow the paste 11 to be forced into the area of the supply duct 3 an inertia of pressure may be supplied in a variation of ways. Fig l shows a slide pumping action 8 with the handle area 10. This comprises a slide button 9 with a plunger assembly 8 that is manually slid in a provided groove, not shown. The plunger assembly 8 is able to engage with a plunger '/ within the paste container 6, and upon the slide button 9 being motioned toward the container 6 the plunger 7 being located at the end of the advancing plunger assembly 8 is forced upward within its enclosure of the container 6 thus forcing the paste 11 through the only available outlet, being the opening in the valve seal 5.

At this point the paste 11 is channelled through the toothpaste supply duct 3 through into the tapered neck and head area 1 as shown in all figures.

Once the paste 11 is within the area of the duct 3 that is located to the head 1, exit holes 16 provide a passage for the paste 11 thorough the bristles 2 and onto their surface.

As pressure has been used to force the paste 11 through the duct 3 and is continuing as the paste 11 travels along the duct 3, should any exit area be provide the paste 11 would be pressured through it in a natural course of escape.

Therefore the paste 11 passes through the duct 3 into the exit holes 16, and along adapted bristle supply areas l't, as shown in Fig 3.

The bristle supply areas liy, as shown in Fig 3, would possibly form more tubular areas that still provide a flexible area, simultaneously transporting the paste 11 to the surface of the bristles 2. Once the desired amount of paste 11 has passed onto the bristles 2, the flow may be stemmed in a variation of ways, in Fig 1, the slide button 9 may be eased back thus retracting the pressure upon the paste 11 within the container t.

Details shown in Fig 1 may be used as a single unit also, with the container 6 being a permanent part of the toothbrush, with the whole unit being discarded when empty.

however. this type of toothbrush having various collaborating parts may prove a costly method for full disposal. Fig 2 shows a method that may be less costly to produce and may offer a more suitable version for fully disposable or replaceable use.

The main head and neck area l of the toothbrush remain the same in principle. With the handle 12 having an area that contains the paste within its hollow. Its outer surface has several solid planes 15 as shown in Fig 2, these provide stability to its form. To the outer and upper surface is provided z pliable and soft surface 13 that is shown by broken lines in its true vertical form prior to any application of pressure. As the user requires paste 11 to pass through the valve outlet 5 pressure must be applied in an upward stroke to the surface of the pliable area 1:3 using their finger A. This is shown in Fig 2.

The arrow indicates the general direction of the pressure application by the finger A to the surface 13. As the pressure is applied the paste 11 is forced in a squeezing motion upwardly thus forcing out the area of the paste 11 closest to the valve opening 5. This in turn supplies the paste ll through the valve 5 and into the duct 3 and onto the head and bristles 1. as shown in Fig 3.

The angle of the surface 13 once under pressure by the finger A is shown as 14 in Fig 2. Although this version may be more suitable for a toothbrush that is used only until the paste container is empty, it may also be used with replaceable paste handles 12, to allow its repeatable use.

In relation to the supply of the paste from the paste container 6, there are further ways by which pressure may be obtained to force the paste from its interior. one such method would be simply to provide the paste in air pressured containers. These would apply as with other containers 6 featured in Fig 1,2. and 4. Once a seal is made on application of the container to the release valve 5, the release of pressure may be monitored and controlled by a release supply button 19 as shown in Fig 4. This would allow the user to engage pressure release from the container 6 by pressing the release supply button 19, which would allow the escape of pressure through an aligned opening. This does not relate to Fig 4. Once the desired amount of pressured paste 11 has been deposited onto the bristles 2, the release supply button 19 may be pressed again to stem the escape of pressure and seal the release valve 5. This would provide an almost automatic paste supply. And it may have replaceable pressured paste containers 5, with an alternative being the disposal of the whole unit when empty.

Fig 4 shows a further manual pumping method using a spring 18 to assist the plunger assembly 8 in a direct motion of the plunger 7. This version also includes the aforementioned release supply button 19 to stem the flow of paste 11 when desired. This version may benefit from a central application of pressure making single handed application possible.

Claims (14)

1) A combination toothbrush has a head and neck area that houses bristles that are able to supply cleaning agents to their surface means to supply tooth cleaning agents to the head and bristles is provided by a supply duct within1 cleaning agents may be supplied via an inserted container within the handle that may be permanent or replaceable, means to locate and provide supply from the container is provided by a release valve and housing within the handle, various methods to pump the cleaning agents from the container to the supply duct are provided, having a plunger assembly or pressurisation as their basis.

2) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 1 wherein. a tapered head and neck area provide a housing for bristles.

3) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 2 wherein, the bristles are able to receive and supply tooth cleaning agents from within the toothbrush body to their surface.

4) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 3 wherein.

tooth cleaning agents are supplied via an internal supply duct.

5) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 4 wherein, the supply of the cleaning agent to the duct is controlled by a release valve.

6) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 5 wherein, The release valve may have a once only or repeatable operaticn.

7) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 6 wherein, the cleaning agent is supplied via a container within the CLAIMS handle.

8) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 7 wherein, the container is pressed onto the release valve to open its outlet.

9) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 8 wherein the cleaning agent container has a plunger within to enable the agent to be expelled by force.

10) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 9 wherein, the plunger may be manually propelled by an attached slide or button situated externally to the handle.

11) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 10 wherein, the container may be pressurised to provide automatic expulsion of the cleaning agent.

12) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 1 wherein.

the handles surface may be pliable and filled with the tooth cleaning agent.

13) A combination toothbrush as claimed in claim 12 wherein, the pliable surface of the handle may allow the cleaning agent within to be squeezed through to the bristles manually.

14) A combination toothbrush as claimed in all previous claims is a toothbrush that contains and supplies its own tooth cleaning agent or paste, and may be refillable or disposable having replaceable paste containers or filled areas that are emptied with the whole brush being disposed of.