MXPA00002705A - Illuminated toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

An illuminated toothbrush (10) is formed by a clear plastic body (12) toothbrush having modified plastic filament (45) bristle tufts (20) in its head portion (16) for admitting light into the bristles from a light source illuminated shaft (30) inserted into a socket (19) in the end of the toothbrush handle (18) opposite the head (16).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD ILLUMINATED TOOTHBRUSH This invention relates to toothbrushes and more particularly to toothbrushes with illuminated bristles. As it is well known, the best prevention of tooth decay and gum diseases is a complete brushing of the teeth after each meal or taking food. Almost all people in advanced societies have at least one toothbrush. However, tooth decay and gum diseases still prevail possibly as a result of not cleaning or brushing the teeth after eating or by improper use of the brush. Since most toothbrushes do not provide light or illumination of the teeth or the inside of the mouth while brushing, the brush user is not able to see food that still remains in the mouth that could remove the toothbrush . In addition, children dislike the task of brushing their teeth.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART The prior art presents a number of toothbrushes having optical fibers that form the bristles that are illuminated with light projected onto one of the ends of the bristles by means of a light source on the handle of the toothbrush . However, this results in a necessary increase in the size of the handle and the head of the brush in order to accommodate the numerous optical fibers. In addition, the optical fibers have a minimum allowable bend radius which results in an enlarged head portion for supporting the bristles of the toothbrush to accommodate the folds of the fibers. The North American patent no. 4,779,173, issued October 18, 1988 to Carr et al. for an Illuminated Brush Apparatus a toothbrush has optical fibers extending longitudinally through the portion of the brush handle and which are directed upwardly on the head of the brush to form the bristles that brush the teeth. The handle is axially connected to the bulb end of a lantern to illuminate the ends of the optical fibers adjacent to the bulb and transmits its light to the other ends of the fiber bristles to form an illuminated brush head. The North American patent no. 5,030,090 granted on July 9, 1991 to Maeda et al. for Optical Toothbrush and Method for its Use and the North American patent no. 5,160,194, issued November 3, 1992 to Feldman for Toothbrush with Externally Illuminated Bristles are examples of patents showing the subsequent state of the art. The Maeda et al. illuminates one end of translucent fibers to illuminate the opposite end of the fibers from a light source to illuminate the interior of a patient's mouth. The Feldman patent presents a lantern handle having a bulb that glows on the outside of the bristles at the head end of the toothbrush. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A light source such as a torch is modified its lens end portion to axially support a clear plastic bar which enters a receptacle in the handle of a clear plastic toothbrush. The bristles on the head of the toothbrush are formed by nylon filaments having hemispherical end surfaces and bent over on themselves and embedded in the head of the toothbrush with the wall surface of the bent ends returning from the fibers of the toothbrush. the bristles and roughened to break through the outer seal, for example with sandpaper, before being inserted into the head of the brush during the conventional manufacture of a toothbrush. The light from the lantern of a light source passes through the axial bar, the toothbrush handle and enters the bristle filaments to illuminate the ends of the bristles of the toothbrushes. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a top view of sectioned and removed parts for clarity; Figure 2 is a partially expanded fragmented view; Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 3 3 of Fig.l; and, Figure 4 is a greatly enlarged view of one of the filaments of the bristles of the modified toothbrush at its ends to allow light to enter the filament. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Equal reference characters designate equal parts in those drawings in the figures in which they appear. In the Figures: Reference numeral 10 indicates an illuminated toothbrush comprising a modified toothbrush body 12 axially connected to a light source, such as a lantern 14. The body of the toothbrush 12 has a conventional construction formed of clear photoconductive plastic with a head portion 16 at one end integrally connected axially with a handle portion 18 having a central receptacle 19 extending inwardly from its opposite end to that of the head 16. The head 16 is provided with a plurality of rows of tassels of brush bristles 20, as will be described in greater detail herein. Flashlight 14 is similarly constructed in a conventional manner and has a battery housing 22 closed at one end 24 and containing a plurality of dry cell batteries 26, but only one is shown. The end of the battery housing 22 opposite its closed end is closed by means of a plug 28 axially holding one end of a light-plastic photoconductive rod means 30 which is received cooperatively by the toothbrush handle receptacle. 19. The surface of the bar wall is provided with a notch 32 cooperatively nesting a pole 34 that extends from the inner wall surface to form the receptacle 19 to hold the toothbrush 12 connected to the lantern 14. The handle The toothbrush has a longitudinal groove, as in 35, from its opposite end to the head 16 to allow the opposite portions to be bent laterally in the area of the receptacle to receive the bar 30. The lantern 14 includes a reflector 36 that holds centrally a bulb 38, placed adjacent to one end of the bar 30, its base is in contact with the positive terminal of the stack 26, and energized the ctricamente by a switch 40 which places a contact terminal 42 an electrical ground 44 to illuminate the bristles tassels 20, as explained herein. The bristle tassels 20 are preferably formed of nylon filaments of uniform diameter and natural color of a selected length having a finish that improves the efficiency of the tassels, complying with the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States. (United States Food and Drug Administration), which currently trades Dupont under the TYNEX brand. The filaments can be obtained from Dupont, P.O. Box 1217, Parkersburg, WV 26102-1217. A plurality of filaments 45 form one of the tassels 20 of the toothbrush and during the manufacture of the toothbrush the filaments 45 are bent over in a substantially U-shape (FIG. 4), so that their respective ends are a a substantially equal distance from its loop portion 46 and describe a substantially hemispherical surface 48 at the respective ends thereof, highly preferred in the act of brushing teeth to minimize damage to the gums. Prior to embedding the bristle tassels 20 in the head portion 16, during the manufacture of the toothbrush 16 the loop portion 46 of the filaments 45 is roughened by the "skin" or surface, by sanding or by jetting. sand, indicated by the points in the loop portions of the filaments 46 (Fig. 4) that allow light to the individual filament or thread 45 in the respective tassel 20. The light emitted by the lantern is transmitted through the bar means 30, the clear plastic handle 18 of the toothbrush and its head 16 and enters the individual filaments 45 of the respective tassels through the loop portions and shines at the end surfaces 48 of the filaments 45. APPLICATION IN THE INDUSTRY It is believed that the use of illuminated bristles of toothbrushes will substantially reduce the innce of tooth decay and gum diseases.

Claims (2)

1. CLAIMS 1. An illuminated toothbrush characterized in that it comprises a toothbrush having a body including a head portion and a handle portion, the handle portion having a longitudinally extending receptacle axially at its end portion contrary to the head portion, a plurality of rows of tassels of toothbrush bristles, each of the tassels comprises a plurality of plastic filaments of uniform diameter and length and having an outer surface provided with areas that allow entry to rays of light substantially half of the ends of these, the plastic filaments folded on themselves and embedded in the head portion, means to produce light including a bulb and a reflector, a plug protecting the bulb, means of light conduction bar axially connected at an end portion with the cap to receive light rays from the bulb and d is located at its other end inside the receptacle of the handle, and means for energizing the bulb, wherein light is transmitted through the bar means and the body of the toothbrush towards the bristle tassels of the brush to illuminate the ends of the teeth. respective plastic filaments.
2. 2. The toothbrush according to clause 1 characterized in that the means for energizing include a housing axially connected to the plug, a battery in the housing, and an electrical circuit that includes a switch that connects the battery to the bulb.