GB2392377A

GB2392377A - Toothpaste dispensing toothbrush with a built in pump

Info

Publication number: GB2392377A
Application number: GB0220301A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary Paul Grundy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-31
Filing date: 2002-08-31
Publication date: 2004-03-03
Also published as: GB0220301D0

Abstract

A toothbrush with a handle 1 attached to a brush head 7 by a neck 6. The body forming the handle receives a removable bottle or container 2 which is filled with a tooth cleaning agent. This dentifrice is drawn from the bottle by the action of the suck and pump valve 11 through tube 10 and via supply channel 5 to the head of the brush. The toothpaste then passes through a one way valve 8 and onto the bristles 9. The pump is activated by pressing button 4 on the handle. The level of toothpaste in the body of the brush may be monitored through a window 3. The valves in the brush head may be a simple rubber device or a pressure operated "spring and peg" type valve. The brush head may be detachable, and may be of varying shapes.

Description

l TOOTHBRUSH

This invention relates to a device for the cleaning of teeth. It comprises of a toothbrush unit with a brush head and a container for tooth cleaning agent, wherin the tooth cleaning agent may be passed to the brush head by a supply means.

With the conventional toothbrush and separate tooth cleaning agent (T.C.A. ), locating the separate items can be time consuming. Opening cap of T.C. A. container can be fiddly and awkward, also incoT1 ectly r eplaced caps can lead to contamination of the T. C.A., plus messiness around the opening of T.C.A. container making future use of this item difficult.

An object of this invention provides the user with a time-saving, easy to use, efficient and cleaner way of keeping toothpaste and brush.

Accordingly, this invention provides a toothbrush unit and a separate bottle/container which is filled with a tooth cleaning agent. The container/bottle is inserted into the brush unit and secured by different means. The T.C.A. would be drawn or taken from the bottle/container by a suck and pump spring valve of known design. The T.C.A. would pass along the length of the device and out of a one-way valve onto the bristles of the brush-head. The brush-head would be r emovable at some point along the length of the device.

Preferably, the device would be made of plastic with rubber and nylon, with some meta] pasts, although may contain various other materials.

A prefened embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying da.wings in which: Figure 1. Side view of whole brush.

Figure 2. Shows an option for means of securing the bottle/container in the brush unit.

Figure 3. Variation for securing bottle/container into brush unit.

Figure 4. Shows an option for operating the suck and pump valve.

Figure 5. Shows an option for passing the tooth cleaning agent to the brush-head Figure 6. Shows an option for a rounded brush head.

Figure 7. Shows an option tot a rectangular shaped brush-head.

Figure 8. Shows one-way rubber valve in brush-head. Two views shown Figure 8 and 8.1 Figure 9. Shows a spring and peg type valve in brush- head.

Figure 10. Shows an option for 2 one-way valves in brush-head

As shown in Figure I, the device comprises of a main body 1. with a removable bottle/container 2. Tile bottle would be inserted into the body through the base 16, and would locate onto the valve housing 1 5. The bottle would be secured in place by an end cap 12. Bottle could be viewed through cut-out 3; in main body. The bottle containing tooth cleaning agent 14 of known substance would then be secured in the body ready for use. To obtain the tooth cleaning agent, operation of a suck and pump valve 11 of known design would be used. The suck and pump valve would be worked by depressing button 4. This would draw the tooth cleaning agent al ong tube 10 and into supply channel 5 which is located in the neck 6 and on through to brush-head 7. The tooth cleaning agent would be able to pass through one-way valve 8 in brush-head, and onto bristles 9.

The brush-head would be r emovable at some point along the neck to shoulder 13.

Figure 2 shows screw type bottle/container option. The bottle/container 2 would be inserted into the body I The bottle is

s secured in place by screwing it onto thread 15.1 of the valve I]. Figure 2 only shows relevant parts of the device described.

Figure 3 shows bottle/container 2 in body I. The bottle would be push-f t onto valve housing 15 andsecuredatthebase 16 byalug end groove end cap 12. Lug 17wouldEtintogroove 18 then cap would be twisted to lock in position (only relevant parts of the device are described).

Figure 4 shows a variation for the operation of valve I I by a slide operation switch 4, which is pulled down the body I as opposed to a pushin type button.

Figure 5 shows an extc'al supply channel 5 1 for the tooth cleaning agent to pass through. The supply channel would r un along neck 6 to head 7.

Figure 6 shows an option for a r ound shaped brush-head 7.

Figure 7 shows an option for a rectangular shaped brush-head 7 Figure 8 shows a one-way rubber valve 8, in head 7. The valve could be a peice of rubber with a slit through it, so as to allow the tooth cleaning agent to pass through onto bristles 9 (two views pictured Figures 8 and 8 1) Figure 9 shows a peg type valve 8. I. The valve would allow, when open, the tooth cleaning agent to pass through hole 9 2 onto bristles 9 The peg valve would open hole by being put under pressure fi om tooth cleaning agent when button 4 is operated. Spring 9 1 would return peg 8 1 to close hole 9 2, after the pressure has dropped

Figure I O shows a brush-head 7 with two one-way valves 8, this would enable the tooth cleaning agent to be dispensed at different points onto the bristles 9

Claims

I. A device for cl caning teeth compel sing of toothbrush unit, brushhead, container for tooth cleaning agent, wherein the tooth cleaning agent may be passed to the he ush-head by a supply means.
2. A device for cleaning teeth as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the toothbrush unit compr ises

a plastic body and a container is inserted inside the body.
3. A device as claimed in Claim I or in Claim 2 would have a viewing window in body of device, so as the tooth cleaning agent (TCA) can be monitored in the container as the level of (TCA) alters.
4. A device as claimed in any preceding claims would have a tube fi om the suck and pump one-way valve that would reach into the container that is housed in the body ofthe unit.
5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim would house a one-way suck and pump valve which would draw the (TCA) from the container up into the tube as claimed in Claim 4, the (TCA) would then pass through the neck of the device and out of one-way valve in the brush-head and onto the bristles of the brush
6. A device as claimed in any previous claim would have a suck and pump valve which would be operated by a push button or sliding switch mechanism.
7 A device as claimed in any previous claim could have either an internal or external supply channel which would r an along neck of the device
8 A device as claimed in any previous claim would have a supply channel fiom the suck and pump valve to the brush-head
9. A device as claimed in any previous claim would have a one-way valve in the brush-head which would connect/meet with the end of the supply channel.
10. A device as claimed in any previous claim would have a one-way valve in the brush-head which could be made of rubber, silicone or any other suitable mateia].
1 1. A device as claimed in any previous claim could also have a spring and peg type one-way valve in the brush-head.
12. A device as claimed in any previous claim may contain two one-way valves in the brush-

head so as to supply TCA to the bristles.
13. A device as claimed in any previous claim would have a bottle/container that would be secured by the neck of the bottle being push fit onto the suck and pump valve housing.
14. A deviceas claimed in any previous claim wouldhavethebottle/containerbeingsecured into the device body at the base by an end cap.
15. A device as claimed in any previous claim may have an end cap which secures by means of thread or a lug and groove.
16. A device as claimed in any previous claim could have a bottle/container being secured in the body of the device by having a threaded neck which would be screwed onto the suck and punks valve.
17. A device as claimed in any previous claim may have a brush-head that is rounded or r ectangular in shape although various shaped heads could be used.
I X. A device as claimed in any previous claim may have a r emovable brush-head.
19. A device as claimed in any previous claim could have the brush-head removable at some point along the length of the device.
20. A device as claimed in any previous claim would be able to free stand on it's base when placed on a stationary flat even surface.

2l. A deviceas claimed in any previous claim could tee mace fiom plastic, rubber,nylon and with some metal pasts or any other suitable material in any combination 22. A devicesubstantially as herein describedandillustratedinthe accompanying drawings.