WO2024102549A1

WO2024102549A1 - Toothpaste dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2024102549A1
Application number: PCT/US2023/076532
Authority: WO
Inventors: Baran TEOMAN; Jakub Alexander KONKOL; Long Pan; Dawn WELLS-MACAPIA; Andrei Potanin
Original assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
Priority date: 2022-11-07
Filing date: 2023-10-11
Publication date: 2024-05-16

Abstract

A toothpaste dispenser configured to mix a flavor agent with an unflavored toothpaste. The toothpaste dispenser includes a toothpaste container having a body defining a first cavity containing a toothpaste and a dispensing passageway extending from the first cavity of the body to a dispensing aperture. The toothpaste may flow through the dispensing passageway when being dispensed from the tube body. An additive container may be positioned around at least a portion of the dispensing passageway. The additive container may have a second cavity containing an additive, which may be a flavor agent. At least one additive passageway may extend from the second cavity of the additive container to the dispensing passageway. The additive may be configured to flow into the dispensing passageway for mixing with the toothpaste as the toothpaste is being dispensed from the body. A size of the at least one additive passageway may be adjustable.

Description

TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/423,110, filed November 7, 2022, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

[0002] People tend to purchase toothpastes not only based on alleged oral health benefits, but also based on flavor. Currently, a user purchases a toothpaste which has a consistent flavor throughout. There is no possibility to customize the flavor, adjust the strength of the flavor, or change the flavor without purchasing a new toothpaste. This can be frustrating for a consumer, particularly one whose flavor needs and desires may change throughout a given day or week. Furthermore, families may need to purchase several different toothpaste tubes in order to satisfy each member of the family. Thus, a need exists for a toothpaste dispenser which allows for greater flavor customization by the end user.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0003] The present invention may be directed to a toothpaste dispenser configured to mix an additive such as a flavor agent with a toothpaste such as an unflavored toothpaste. The toothpaste dispenser includes a toothpaste container having a body defining a first cavity containing a toothpaste and a dispensing passageway extending from the first cavity of the body to a dispensing aperture. The toothpaste may flow through the dispensing passageway when being dispensed from the body. An additive container may be positioned around at least a portion of the dispensing passageway. The additive container may have a second cavity containing an additive. At least one additive passageway may extend from the second cavity of the additive container to the dispensing passageway. The additive may be configured to flow into the dispensing passageway for mixing with the toothpaste as the toothpaste is being dispensed from the body. A size of the at least one additive passageway may be adjustable.

[0004] In one aspect, the invention may be a toothpaste container comprising a body defining a first cavity containing a toothpaste; a dispensing passageway extending from the first cavity of the body to a dispensing aperture, wherein the toothpaste is configured to flow through the dispensing passageway when being dispensed from the body; an additive container positioned around at least a portion of the dispensing passageway, the additive container comprising a second cavity containing an additive; at least one additive passageway extending from the second cavity of the additive container to the dispensing passageway, wherein the additive is configured to flow from the second cavity, through the at least one additive passageway, and into the dispensing passageway for mixing with the toothpaste as the toothpaste is being dispensed from the body; and wherein a size of at least a portion of the at least one additive passageway is adjustable.

[0005] In another aspect, the invention may be a toothpaste dispenser comprising: a toothpaste container comprising: a body defining a cavity containing a toothpaste; and a nozzle extending from an end of the body, the nozzle comprising an outer surface, an inner surface that defines a dispensing passageway that is fluidly coupled to the cavity of the body, and at least one opening extending from the outer surface to the inner surface; an additive container containing an additive, the additive container positioned around the nozzle and comprising an inner surface having at least one opening that is radially aligned with the at least one opening of the nozzle; a filter member positioned adjacent to the nozzle and having an outer surface, an inner surface, and at least one aperture extending from the outer surface to the inner surface; and wherein the filter member is movable relative to the nozzle to move the at least one aperture of the filter member into and out of alignment with the at least one opening of the nozzle and the at least one opening of the additive container to selectively adjust an amount of the additive that can flow from the additive container into the dispensing passageway of the nozzle.

[0006] In another aspect, the invention may be a toothpaste dispenser kit comprising: a toothpaste container comprising a body defining a first cavity containing a toothpaste and a nozzle defining a dispensing passageway; a plurality of additive attachments configured to be detachably coupled to the toothpaste container, each of the additive attachments comprising an additive container having a second cavity containing an additive; wherein when one of the additive attachments is coupled to the toothpaste container, at least one additive passageway exists between the second cavity of the additive container of the one of the additive attachments and the dispensing passageway; and wherein the at least one additive passageway is alterable between: (1) a closed state wherein the additive is prevented from flowing from the second cavity into the dispensing passageway; and (2) one or more open states wherein the additive is permitted to flow from the second cavity into the dispensing passageway. [0007] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toothpaste dispenser in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the toothpaste dispenser of FIG. 1 ;

[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1;

[0012] FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic illustrations showing alignment and misalignment of holes of various components of the toothpaste dispenser of FIG. 1 used to control a size of a flavorant additive passageway;

[0013] FIG. 5 A is a partial view of the toothpaste dispenser of FIG. 1 depicting a flavorant additive passageway in a closed state;

[0014] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 5A;

[0015] FIG. 6A is a partial view of the toothpaste dispenser of FIG. 1 depicting the flavorant additive passageway in an intermediate open state;

[0016] FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI- VI of FIG. 6A;

[0017] FIG. 7A is a partial view of the toothpaste dispenser of FIG. 1 depicting the flavorant additive passageway in a fully open state;

[0018] FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII- VII of FIG. 7A;

[0019] FIGS. 8A-8C are cross-sectional views of a top portion of the toothpaste dispenser of FIG.

1 illustrating the dispensing of toothpaste and a flavor agent;

[0020] FIGS. 9A and 9B are partial perspective views of an example toothpaste dispenser illustrating how a cap may force the flavorant additive passageway into the closed state;

[0021] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a toothpaste dispenser in accordance with another embodiment;

[0022] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a toothpaste dispenser in accordance with still another embodiment; and [0023] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a kit including a toothpaste tube and a plurality of flavor containers which arc configured for detachably coupling to the toothpaste tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

[0025] The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a toothpaste dispenser 1000 will be described in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The toothpaste dispenser 1000 may comprise a toothpaste container 100, an additive container 200, a filter member 300, and a cap 400. In some embodiments, the filter member 300 may be omitted, and an example of an embodiment which omits the filter member 300 is described below with reference to FIG. 11. The toothpaste dispenser 1000 may be elongated along a longitudinal axis A- A. In the exemplified embodiment, the toothpaste container 100 is a toothpaste tube. However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and the toothpaste container 100 may take on other structural forms, including various plastic containers of varying shapes and including squeezable containers and non- squeezable containers whereby the toothpaste contained therein may be dispensed by a pump.

[0027] The toothpaste container 100 may comprise a body 110 and a nozzle 150. The body 110 may comprise an outer surface 111 and an inner surface 112. The inner surface 112 may define a first cavity 113 of the body 110. A toothpaste 115 may be contained within the first cavity 113 of the body 110. The toothpaste 115 may be unflavored or may have a neutral flavor in some embodiments. The toothpaste 115 may comprise a humectant, water, polymers, abrasives, and thickeners, but in some embodiments may not comprise any particular flavorant ingredient. In other embodiments, the toothpaste 115 may have some flavor ingredient.

[0028] The body 110 of the toothpaste container 100 may be conventional. The body 110 may be formed from a flexible/compressible material such that squeezing and/or compressing the body 110 may result in the toothpaste 115 being expelled from the first cavity 113. The body 110 may be formed from sheets of plastic laminate, which may include a combination of different plastics sandwiched around a thin layer of aluminum that protects the flavor (if any) and fluoride (if any) in the toothpaste 115. In alternative embodiments, the body 110 may be formed from recyclable materials such that there may be no layer of aluminum. In still other embodiments, the body 110 may be formed from paper-based or fibrous materials to enhance recyclability. The particular material used to form the body 110 may not be limiting of the invention in all embodiments. In some embodiments, the body 110 may be a flexible/compressible body defining the first cavity 113 within which the toothpaste 115 is contained. The body 110 may have a bottom end 116 and a top end 117.

[0029] The nozzle 150 may protrude from the top end 117 of the body 110. The top end 117 of the body 110 may define a shoulder which extends radially outward from the nozzle 150. The nozzle 150 may be formed from a rigid plastic material and may include screw threads or other features configured to enable attachment of other components, such as the cap 400, thereto. The nozzle 150 may comprise an outer surface 151 and an inner surface 152. The inner surface 152 of the nozzle 150 may define a dispensing passageway 153 that is fluidly coupled to the first cavity 113 of the body 110. The nozzle 150 may extend from the top end 117 of the body 110 to a distal end 154. The nozzle 150 may have a dispensing aperture 155 located at the distal end 154. When the body 110 is squeezed (and the cap 400 is removed or detached), the toothpaste 115 is forced from the first cavity 113 into the dispensing passageway 154, and then through the dispensing aperture 155 where the toothpaste 115 may be dispensed onto a user’s toothbrush or the like.

[0030] The nozzle 150 may comprise a plurality of openings 156 that extend through the nozzle 150 from the outer surface 151 to the inner surface 152. Each of the openings 156 forms a passageway from an exterior of the nozzle 150 into the dispensing passageway 153, which may be defined by the inner surface 152 of the nozzle 150. In the exemplified embodiment, the plurality of openings 156 are illustrated in a matrix formation having a plurality of aligned rows and columns. In other embodiments, the plurality of openings 156 may be arranged randomly along the nozzle 150 or in any other desired configuration. Moreover, while the exemplified embodiment depicts a plurality of the openings 156, in other embodiments the nozzle 150 may comprise at least one of the openings 156. The openings 156 may have a diameter that is less than 1mm, or less than 0.5mm. The diameter of the openings 156 may be sufficiently small to ensure that the somewhat viscous, paste like consistency of the toothpaste 115 does not pass through the openings 156 during the dispensing of the toothpaste 115 from the first cavity 113 and through the dispensing passageway 153.

[0031] The additive container 200 may comprise a housing 201 having an exterior surface 202, an interior surface 203, a bottom end 204, and a top end 205. The housing 201 of the additive container 200 may have a through-hole 206 that extends from the bottom end 204 to the top end 205. Thus, the housing 201 may have a ring-like shape while being elongated in a direction of the longitudinal axis A-A. The additive container 200 may be configured to be detachably coupled to the toothpaste container 100. This detachable coupling may include some physical engagement between the additive container 200 and the toothpaste container 100, although this is not required in all embodiments. The additive container 200 may be positioned around the nozzle 150 of the toothpaste container 100. When the additive container 200 is coupled to the toothpaste container 100 (or simply positioned around the nozzle 150 of the toothpaste container 100), the nozzle 150 may be at least partially positioned within the through-hole 206 of the housing 201 of the additive container 200.

[0032] In particular, the nozzle 150 may have a first portion 157 that is located within the through- hole 206 and a second portion 158 that protrudes from the top end 205 of the additive container 200. The cap 400 may be coupled to the second portion 158 of the nozzle 150. Furthermore, an adjustment mechanism (which may be formed by a flange of the filter member 300 in some embodiments) may be located along the second (or distal) portion 158 of the nozzle 150 to enable a user to have access to the adjustment mechanism to manipulate the same as described herein.

[0033] The additive container 200 may comprise a second cavity 220. The housing 201 may comprise an outer annular wall 207 and an inner annular wall 208. The outer annular wall 207 may comprise the exterior surface 202 of the housing 201 and an inner surface 209. The inner annular wall 208 may comprise the interior surface 203 of the housing 201 and an outer surface 210. The outer surface 210 of the inner annular wall 208 faces the inner surface 209 of the outer annular wall 207. The housing 201 may also comprise a top wall 211 and a bottom wall 212, each of which extends between the inner and outer annular walls 207, 208. The second cavity 220 may be defined between the inner surface 209 of the outer annular wall 207, the outer surface 210 of the inner annular wall 208, and interior surfaces of the top and bottom walls 211, 212.

[0034] The housing 201 of the additive container 200 may comprise a plurality of openings 230 formed into the inner annular wall 208 and extending from the interior surface 203 of the housing 201 to the outer surface 210 of the inner annular wall 208. Thus, each of the openings 230 may form a passageway from the through-hole 206 to the second cavity 220. The additive container 200 may comprise a removable seal member which may cover the interior surface 203 prior to its desired use to ensure that any fluid contained in the housing 201 does not escape through the openings 230 until desired. Thus, for example, the removable seal member may be removed from the interior surface 203 of the housing 201 just prior to attaching the additive container 200 to the toothpaste container 100. In other embodiments, the housing 201 of the additive container 200 and the filter member 300 may be connected together (and perhaps sold as an integral unit) so that the filter member 300 is used to close the openings 230 of the additive container 200 prior to use. [0035] The additive container 200 may contain an additive 250 within the second cavity 220. In one embodiment, the additive 250 may be a flavor agent. Specifically, the additive 250 may comprise a liquid containing a flavor ingredient in some embodiments. Alternatively, the additive 250 may comprise beads containing a flavor ingredient. The additive 250, when used as a flavor agent, may contain any desired flavor ingredient, including fruit flavors like strawberry, watermelon, banana, and grape, refreshing flavors such as mint, peppermint, spearmint, and menthol, or spicy flavors such as fennel, cinnamon-clove, or the like. The invention is not to be limited to any particular flavor, and in fact different flavor containers containing different flavors may be sold so that a user can select which flavor they want in their toothpaste on a given day. The plurality of holes 230 may be sufficiently small in diameter to ensure that the additive 250 flows slowly therethrough. Thus, the plurality of holes 230 may have a diameter that is less than 1mm, or less than 0.5mm, in various embodiments.

[0036] The additive 250 may not be a flavor agent in all embodiments. In other embodiments the additive 250 may be some other type of agent or composition or liquid that is configured to be added/mixed with the toothpaste. For example, the additive may be a scent agent. Alternatively, the additive may be some type of benefit agent, like a whitening agent or an anti-sensitivity agent or a cleansing agent or the like. The additive 250 may be a pH reducer or a pH increaser to adjust the pH of the toothpaste when it is being dispensed, which may be beneficial if the toothpaste has whitening benefit properties. Various types of additives may be used in accordance with the invention described herein.

[0037] The housing 201 may have features that facilitate the attachment of the additive container 200 to the toothpaste container 100. For example, the housing 201 may have features that engage with features on the top end 117 of the body 110 of the toothpaste container 100 to facilitate the detachable coupling of the additive container 200 to the toothpaste container 100. Alternatively or additionally, the housing 201 may have features that engage with features on the nozzle 150 of the toothpaste container 100 to facilitate the detachable coupling of the additive container 200 to the toothpaste container 100. In other embodiments there may be no physical engagement between the additive container 200 and the toothpaste container 100, other than possibly an abutting relationship between the bottom end 204 of the housing 201 and the top end 117 of the toothpaste tube 110 and/or an abutting relationship between the interior surface 203 of the housing 201 and the outer surface 151 of the nozzle 150 (perhaps a friction fit in some embodiments). The exact manner of detachable coupling between the additive container 200 and the toothpaste container 100 is not to be limiting of the invention disclosed herein.

[0038] The filter member 300 may comprise an upstanding annular wall portion 310 having a bottom end 311 and a top end 312 and an annular flange portion 313 extending radially from the top end 312 of the upstanding annular wall portion 310. The filter member 300 may be positioned so that the upstanding annular wall portion 310 is located between the interior surface 203 of the housing 201 of the additive container 200 and the outer surface 151 of the nozzle 150. Furthermore, a lower surface 314 of the annular flange portion 313 may ret atop of the top end 205 of the housing 201 of the additive container 200.

[0039] The upstanding annular wall portion 310 of the filter member 300 may comprise an inner surface 314 and an outer surface 315. The inner surface 314 of the upstanding annular wall portion 310 of the filter member 300 may be adjacent to or abut against the outer surface 151 of the nozzle 150. The outer surface 315 of the upstanding annular wall portion 310 of the filter member 300 may be adjacent to or abut against the interior surface 203 of the housing 201 of the additive container 200. The upstanding annular wall portion 310 of the filter member 300 may comprise a plurality of apertures 316 that extend from the inner surface 314 to the outer surface 315. The apertures 316 are illustrated being arranged in a matrix formation, but other arrangements of the apertures 316 may be used in other embodiments, including a random arrangement. Furthermore, in some embodiments there may be just one of the apertures 316 or any other desired number of the apertures 316. Moreover, while discrete apertures 316 are depicted, in other embodiments the apertures may be elongated so that each aperture is aligned with several of the holes 156, 230 in the nozzle 150 and/or the additive container 200 rather than each aperture being aligned with one of the holes 156, 230 as described below.

[0040] In one embodiment, the filter member 300 may be rotatable relative to the nozzle 150 and relative to the additive container 200. The additive container 200 may be fixed in position and non-rotatable relative to the nozzle 150. Furthermore, the additive container 200 may be positioned so that each of the holes 230 of the additive container 200 is radially aligned with one of the holes 156 of the nozzle 150. The filter member 300 may be rotatable relative to the nozzle 150 and to the additive container 200 to modify an alignment between the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 and the holes 156 of the nozzle 150 and the holes 230 of the additive container 200. That is, depending on the angular/rotational position of the filter member 300 relative to the nozzle 150 and to the additive container 200. the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 may be partially, wholly, or not at all aligned with the holes 156 of the nozzle 150 and the holes 230 of the additive container 200. This provides an adjustment feature to control an amount of the additive 250 which will be capable of flowing into the dispensing passageway 153 for mixing with the toothpaste 113 as the toothpaste 113 is being dispensed through the dispensing passageway 153.

[0041] Referring briefly to FIGS. 4A and 4B, this adjustment and control concept will be further explained. FIGS. 4A and 4B provide a schematic and exemplary illustration of the upstanding annular wall portion 310 of the filter member 300, the additive container 200, and the nozzle 150. As noted above, the holes 156 of the nozzle 150 arc radially aligned with the holes 230 of the additive container 200. Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the nozzle 150 and the additive container 200 are fixed in position and thus the holes 156, 230 remain in alignment at all times. The filter member 300 is rotatable relative to the nozzle 150 and the additive container 200 (the filter member 300 may be rotatable about a rotational axis which is coincident with the longitudinal axis A-A of the toothpaste dispenser 1000). In FIG. 4A, no portion of the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 is aligned with the holes 156, 230 of the nozzle 150 and additive container 200. Thus, with the filter member 300 in the angular position shown in FIG. 4A, the additive 250 is unable to flow from the second cavity 220 to the dispensing passageway 153 because it is blocked by the upstanding annular- wall portion 310 of the filter member 300. In FIG. 4B, the filter member 300 has been rotated relative to the nozzle 150 and the additive container 200 so that the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 are partially radially aligned with the holes 156, 230 of the nozzle and additive container 200. Thus, with the filter member 300 in the angular position shown in FIG. 4B, the additive 250 is able to flow from the second cavity 220 to the dispensing passageway 153 because it is able to pass through the opening created by the partial alignment of the apertures 316 with the holes 156, 230. It should be readily appreciated that the amount of overlap between the apertures 316 and the holes 156, 230 will dictate the size of the passageway through which the additive 250 can flow to the dispensing passageway 153. There could be more or less overlap than that which is depicted in FIG. 4B. This provides a user with a great deal of control as to the amount of additive 250 permitted to flow from the second cavity 220 to the dispensing passageway 153 for mixing with the toothpaste 115 during a dispensing operation. When there is some partial alignment between the apertures 316 and the holes 156, 230, a flavorant additive passageway 270 is formed through which the flavor agent can flow from the second cavity 220 to the dispensing passageway 153.

[0042] As described herein, in some embodiments the filter member 300 may be omitted. In such embodiments, the additive container 200 may be rotatable relative to the nozzle 150. Thus, FIGS. 4A and 4B could alternatively be showing just the additive container 200 and its openings 230 and the nozzle 150 and its openings 156. In this alternative embodiment, rotating the additive container 200 relative to the nozzle 150 dictates the amount of radial alignment achieved between the openings 156 of the nozzle 150 and the openings 230 of the additive container 200. [0043] Referring again to FIGS. 1-3, in the exemplified embodiment the top end 205 of the additive container 200 may comprise teeth and the lower surface 314 of the annular flange portion 313 of the filter member 300 may also comprise teeth. As noted above, the lower surface 314 of the annular flange portion 313 of the filter member 300 may rest atop of the top end 205 of the housing 201 of the additive container 200. As such, the teeth of the annular flange portion 313 may engage with the teeth of the housing 201. This may provide a user with a tactile indicator feature which may be useful to help the user determine how much to rotate the filter member 300 to achieve a particular alignment between the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 and the holes 156, 230 of the nozzle 150 and additive container 200. The teeth may facilitate performing a locking of the filter member 300 in a particular angular position relative to the nozzle 150 and/or additive container 200.

[0044] The cap 400 may be coupled to one or more of the annular flange portion 313 of the filter member 300, the nozzle 150 of the toothpaste container 100, and the additive container 200. The cap 400 may close the dispensing aperture 155 in the distal end 154 of the nozzle 150 to prevent the toothpaste from being dispensed. Thus, prior to use, a user will open the cap 400, which may comprise detaching the cap 400 or pivoting the cap 400 open if the cap 400 is attached to another feature with a hinge. Then, the user can rotate the filter member 300 to the desired angular position and then squeeze the body 110 of the toothpaste container 100 to facilitate dispensing of the toothpaste 115 therefrom, which may mix with some of the additive 250 which may be dispensed from the second cavity 220 of the additive container 200 into the dispensing passageway 153, as described in greater detail below.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 5A and 4B, the toothpaste dispenser 1000 will be further described. As shown in FIG. 5B, each of the openings 230 of the additive container 200 is radially (and angularly) aligned with one of the openings 156 of the nozzle 150. The alignment of the openings 230 and the openings 156 forms the previously mentioned flavorant additive passageways 270. The toothpaste dispenser 1000 therefore comprises a plurality of the flavorant additive passageways 270 extending from the second cavity 220 of the additive container 200 to the dispensing passageway 153. Each of the flavorant additive passageways 270 comprises one of the openings 230 of the additive container 200 and one of the openings 156 of the nozzle 150 which are in radial/angular alignment with one another. Although shown and described as having a plurality of flavorant additive passageway 270, there could be just one flavorant additive passageway in other embodiments. The flavorant additive passageways 270 extend in a direction that is nonparallel relative to the longitudinal axis A-A. More specifically, the flavorant additive passageways 270 may extend in a direction that is perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis A-A (and also relative to the dispensing passageway 153 and the direction of movement of the toothpaste 115 as it is flows through the dispensing passageway 153 for dispensing.

[0046] In FIGS. 5 A and 5B, the filter member 300 is angularly/rotationally positioned so as to completely block the flavorant additive passageways 270. This is because the filter member 300 is oriented/positioned so that none of the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 are angularly aligned, partially or fully, with the flavorant additive passageways 270 (i.e., with the holes 156, 230 of the nozzle 150 and the additive container 200). Instead, the upstanding annular wall portion 310 of the filter member 300 is aligned with the flavorant additive passageways 270 (i.e., with the openings 156, 230 of the nozzle 150 and flavorant container 200, respectively). Thus, as seen in FIG. 4B the flavorant additive passageways 270 are completely blocked by the filter member 300 such that the additive 250 is prevented from flowing from the second cavity 220 of the additive container 200 to the dispensing passageway 253. As discussed above with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B and also described below, rotating the filter member 300 relative to the nozzle 150 and additive container 200 allows the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 to come into radial alignment with the holes 156, 230.

[0047] In the exemplified embodiment, the annular- flange portion 313 of the filter member 300 comprises a first indicium 360 and the exterior surface 202 of the housing 201 of the additive container 200 comprises a second indicium 260. In this example, the second indicium 260 is an image which could be interpreted as depicting a gradual opening (with the left side indicating “closed” and the right side indicating “fully open” and the middle section indicating some amount of “intermediate open.” The alignment of the first and second indicium 260, 360 may be indicative of an alignment of the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 with the holes 230, 156 of the additive container 200 and the nozzle 150, respectively. Thus, when the first indicium 360 is aligned with the left-most portion of the second indicium 260, this may be indicative of the flavorant additive passageway 270 being completely closed due to no alignment between the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 and the holes 156, 230 of the nozzle 150 and additive container 200. When the first indicium 360 is aligned with the right-most portion of the second indicium 260, this may be indicative of the flavorant additive 270 being completely or fully opened due to the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 being fully radially aligned with the holes 156, 230 of the nozzle 150 and additive container 200. When the first indicium 360 is located between the left and right-most portions of the second indicium 260, there is some degree of partial alignment of the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 with the holes 156, 230 of the nozzle 150 and additive container 200. The further to the right the first indicium 360 is located, the more open the flavorant additive passageway 270 may be. The engagement of the teeth of the filter member 300 and the additive container 200 mentioned above may allow for slow and steady adjustments in the degree of opening of the flavorant additive passageway 270.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the filter member 300 has been rotated slightly from the closed state of FIGS. 5 A and 5B. As seen in FIG. 6 A, the first indicium 260 is located in the middle of the second indicium 360, which indicates a partial or intermediate open state of the flavorant additive passageway 270. That is, the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 are partially radially aligned with the holes 156, 230 of the nozzle 150 and additive container 200 (similar to what is shown in FIG. 4B. This is illustrated in FIG. 6B, where the flavorant additive passageways 270 are partially opened (i.e., in an intermediate open state). The exact amount or degree to which the flavorant additive passageways 270 are opened may be dictated by the specific angular/rotational position of the filter member 300. If the filter member 300 is rotated further in the clockwise direction, the flavorant additive passageways 270 will be open a greater amount than shown in FIG. 6B, whereas if the filter member 300 is rotated further in the counterclockwise direction, the flavorant additive passageways 270 will be open a lesser amount than shown in FIG. 6B. With the filter member 300 in this position, the additive 250 is able to flow through the flavorant additive passageways 270 into the dispensing passageway 153 where it can mix with the toothpaste 115 in the dispensing passageway 153 to flavor the toothpaste 115 prior to being dispensed through the dispensing aperture 155.

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the filter member 300 has been rotated even more so that it is in the fully open state. With the filter member 300 in the position shown in FIG. 7A, the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 are fully radially aligned with the openings 156 of the nozzle 150 and the openings 230 of the additive container 200. As such, the flavorant additive passageways 270 are as open/large as they can possibly be. Stated another way, with the filter member 300 in this position, the flavorant additive passageway 270 is at a maximum size so that a maximum amount of the additive 250 is permitted to flow therethrough and into the dispensing passageway 153.

[0050] Thus, it should be appreciated that a user can control the amount of additive 250 that is permitted to flow into the dispensing passageway 153 to mix with the toothpaste 115 therein by rotating the filter member 300. The rotation of the filter member 300 relative to the nozzle 150 may modify a cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the flavorant additive passageways 270 or may otherwise modify a size of at least a portion of the flavorant additive passageways 270. This enables a user to customize the flavor of the toothpaste 115 by giving it a strong flavor by having the flavorant additive passageways 270 open a greater amount or a weak flavor by having the flavorant additive passageways 270 open a lesser amount. The rotational/angular position of the filter member 300 may control the size of a portion of the flavorant additive passageways 270, which in turn controls the amount of the additive 250 that is permitted to flow therethrough.

[0051] While in the exemplified embodiment the filter member 300 is rotated relative to the nozzle 150 to adjust the size of the flavor additive passageways 270, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments. In other embodiments the filter member 300 may be movable but need not be rotatable. The movement may be translation, axial movement, radial movement, or the like. In some embodiments, a filter member or other blocking member may be slid or otherwise moved to adjust the size of the opening s/flavorant additive passageways 270.

[0052] FIGS. 8A-8C illustrate the operation of the toothpaste dispenser 1000 to dispense the toothpaste 115 mixed with the additive 250. First, the cap 400 is removed, and thus it is not depicted in FIGS. 8A-8C. Next, the user rotates the filter member 300 relative to the nozzle 150 and the additive container 200 to achieve the desired degree of “open” of the flavorant additive passageways 270 by aligning the apertures 316 of the filter member 300 the desired amount relative to the openings 156, 230 of the nozzle 150 and the additive container 200. In FIGS. 8A- 8C, the flavorant additive passageway is in the fully open state such that the apertures 316 are fully radially and angularly aligned with the openings 156, 230. The filter member 300 could be further rotated relative to the nozzle 150 and the additive container 200 to adjust the degree/percentage of the flavorant additive passageways 270 that are open to allow for the flow of the additive 250 therethrough.

[0053] Next, a user squeezes the body 110 of the toothpaste container 100 so that the toothpaste 115 flows from the first cavity 113 of the body 110 into and through the dispensing passageway 153 towards the dispensing aperture 155. As shown in FIG. 8B, as the toothpaste 115 flows through the dispensing passageway 153, the additive 250 flows through the flavorant additive passageways 270. The volume/amount of the additive 250 that will flow through the flavorant additive passageways 270 during this dispensing operation is dictated by the amount/percentage of the flavorant additive passageways 270 that is open. In FIGS. 8A-8C, the flavorant additive passageways 270 are fully open, so a maximum volume of the additive 250 may flow into the dispensing passageway 153.

[0054] Next, as shown in FIG. 8C, as the user continues to squeeze the body 110 and force the toothpaste 115 through the dispensing aperture 155, the additive 250 mixes with the toothpaste 115 within the dispensing passageway 153 to form a toothpaste mixture 120. The toothpaste mixture 120 being dispensed through the dispensing aperture 155 is therefore a mixture of the plain toothpaste 115 in the first cavity 115 and the additive 250 in the second cavity 220. The amount of flavor in the toothpaste mixture 120 is dependent upon the percentage or amount of the flavorant additive passageway 270 that is open (i.e., dependent upon the size of the flavorant additive passageway 270, which can be adjusted by the rotation of the filter member 300 as described herein). If the user wants less flavor, they can rotate the filter member 300 an appropriate amount to reduce the size of at least a portion of the flavorant additive passageway 270 as described herein.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, a structure which ensures that the flavorant additive passageways 270 are in the closed state when the cap 400 is attached will be described. In accordance with an embodiment, the filter member 300 may comprise a first pair of alignment openings 380 and the additive container 200 may comprise a second pair of alignment openings 280. Furthermore, the cap 400 may comprise a pair of protuberances 401 protruding from its lower surface. The first and second pairs of alignment openings 380, 280 must be angularly/rotationally aligned with one another in order for the cap 400 to be attached.

[0056] In FIG. 9A, the filter member 300 is rotated so that the flavorant additive passageways 270 are in the open state. This is illustrated based on the alignment of the first and second indicium 360, 260. When the filter member 300 is rotated into this position (or any position other than the position whereby the flavorant additive passageways 270 are closed), the first and second pair of alignment openings 380, 280 are not aligned with one another. Thus, any attempt to attach the cap 400 to the remainder of the toothpaste dispenser 1000 with the filter member 300 rotated so that the flavorant additive passageways 270 arc opened (cither fully or partially) will be fruitless.

[0057] In FIG. 9B, the filter member 300 is rotated so that the flavorant additive passageways 270 are in the closed state. Again, this is illustrated based on the alignment of the first and second indicium 360, 260. When the filter member 300 is rotated into this position, the first and second pair of alignment openings 380, 280 are aligned with one another. In this position, the cap 400 is capable of being attached by inserting the pair of protuberances 401 into the aligned pairs of alignment openings 380, 280.

[0058] In an alternative embodiment, the cap 400 may be capable of being attached to the filter member 300 or the additive container 200 or the toothpaste container 100 regardless of the angular position of the filter member 300. But in such embodiment, the attachment of the cap 400 to the filter member 300 or the additive container 200 or the toothpaste container 100 may bias the filter member 300 into the closed position so that when the cap 400 is attached the flavorant additive passageways 270 are closed.

[0059] FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative embodiment whereby the interior surface 203 of the additive container 200 is entirely open. In this embodiment, the filter member 300 may be integral with the additive container 200 so that the filter member 300 closes the interior surface 203 of the additive container 200. The filter member 300 and the additive container 200 may rotate in tandem or the filter member 300 may still be configured to rotate relative to the additive container 200.

[0060] FIG. 11 illustrates still another alternative embodiment of the toothpaste dispenser 1000. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the filter member 300 is omitted and the additive container 200 is configured to be rotatable relative to the nozzle 150 of the toothpaste container 100. When the holes 230 of the additive container 200 are aligned with the holes 156 of the nozzle 150, the flavorant additive passageways 270 are open. However, rotation of the additive container 200 may bring the holes 230 out of radial/angular alignment with the holes 156, which can close the flavorant additive passageways 270 either partially or entirely. Thus, the full concepts disclosed above may be achieved while omitting the filter member 300 and instead forming the additive container 200 to be rotatable relative to the nozzle 150.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 12, a toothpaste dispenser kit 500 is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The toothpaste dispenser kit 500 includes one of the toothpaste dispensers 1000 as described above as well as a plurality of additional flavor containers (or flavor attachments) 600a-c. The toothpaste dispenser 1000 includes the toothpaste container 100, a additive container 200, a filter member 300, and a cap 400. However, the toothpaste dispenser 1000 may not include the additive container 200, and instead may be sold without the additive container 200 and one of the flavor containers 600a-c may be attached thereto to form the final product. Furthermore, the filter member 300 may not be sold as part of the toothpaste dispenser 1000, but may instead be sold as a unit with each of the flavor containers 600a-c. The filter member 300 may also be omitted in some embodiments as described herein.

[0062] In this embodiment, each of the flavor additional flavor containers or flavor attachments 600a-c may contain a different flavor agent. Thus, the flavor container 600a may contain a fruit flavor, the flavor container 600b may contain a spicy flavor, and the flavor container 600c may contain a mint-like flavor. The user can purchase the kit 500 and then decide which flavor to use for flavoring the toothpaste. Different users may use different ones of the flavor containers 600a- c or the same user may use the different flavor containers 600a-c on different days or different times of day depending on desire and/or need. This provides the user with the ability to further customize the flavor of the toothpaste, both by flavor type and by flavor amount using the adjustment techniques described above.

[0063] As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. In the event of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

[0064] While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A toothpaste dispenser comprising: a toothpaste container comprising a body defining a first cavity containing a toothpaste; a dispensing passageway extending from the first cavity of the body to a dispensing aperture, wherein the toothpaste is configured to flow through the dispensing passageway when being dispensed from the body; an additive container positioned around at least a portion of the dispensing passageway, the additive container comprising a second cavity containing an additive; at least one additive passageway extending from the second cavity of the additive container to the dispensing passageway, wherein the additive is configured to flow from the second cavity, through the at least one additive passageway, and into the dispensing passageway for mixing with the toothpaste as the toothpaste is being dispensed from the body; and wherein a size of at least a portion of the at least one additive passageway is adjustable.

2. The toothpaste dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the size of the at least a portion of the at least one additive passageway is adjustable between: (1) a closed state wherein the additive agent is prevented from flowing to the dispensing passageway; (2) a fully open state wherein the size of the portion of the at least one additive passageway is a maximum size; and (3) at least one intermediate open state wherein the portion of the at least one additive passageway is at least partially open and the size is less than the maximum size.

3. The toothpaste dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising: the toothpaste container further comprising a nozzle protruding from an end of the body, the nozzle comprising an outer surface, an inner surface that defines the dispensing passageway, and at least one opening extending from the outer surface to the inner surface; and the additive container positioned around the nozzle and comprising an inner surface having at least one opening, wherein the additive container is rotatable relative to the nozzle to adjust an angular position of the at least one opening of the additive container relative to the at least one opening of the nozzle to adjust the size of the portion of the at least one additive passageway.

4. The toothpaste dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising: the toothpaste container further comprising a nozzle protruding from an end of the body, the nozzle comprising an outer surface, an inner surface that defines the dispensing passageway, and at least one opening extending from the outer surface to the inner surface; the additive container positioned around the nozzle and comprising an inner surface having at least one opening that is radially aligned with the at least one opening of the nozzle; and wherein the at least one additive passageway comprises the at least one opening of the nozzle and the at least one opening of the additive container.

5. The toothpaste dispenser according to claim 4 further comprising an adjustable filter member located between the outer surface of the nozzle and the inner surface of the additive container, the adjustable filter member comprising an outer surface, an inner surface, and at least one aperture extending from the outer surface to the inner surface.

6. The toothpaste dispenser according to claim 5 wherein the adjustable filter member is rotatable relative to the nozzle to move the at least one aperture of the adjustable filter member into and out of alignment with the at least one opening of the nozzle and the at least one opening of the additive container to adjust the size of the portion of the at least one additive passageway and thereby control an amount of the additive agent that is permitted to flow from the additive container to the dispensing passageway via the at least one additive passageway as the toothpaste is being dispensed from the body.

7. The toothpaste dispenser according to claim 6 wherein the at least one opening of the nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzle openings, wherein the at least one opening of the additive container comprises a plurality of additive container openings, and wherein the at least one additive passageway comprises a plurality of the additive passageways, each of the plurality of additive passageways comprising one of the nozzle openings and one of the additive container openings that are radially aligned, and wherein the adjustable filter member comprises a plurality of filter apertures such that each of the plurality of filter apertures is brought into and out of radial alignment with one of the plurality of additive passageways as the adjustable filter member is rotated relative to the nozzle.

8. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 7 further comprising a cap detachably coupled to the toothpaste container to close the dispensing aperture of the dispensing passageway, wherein when the cap is coupled to the toothpaste container, the at least one additive passageway is forced into a closed state to prevent the additive agent from flowing from the second cavity of the additive container into the dispensing passageway.

9. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the size of the portion of the at least one additive passageway has a maximum diameter of 1mm or less.

10. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the additive container comprises a bottom end that is adjacent to the body, a top end opposite the bottom end, and a through-hole that extends from the bottom end to the top end, wherein the toothpaste container comprises a nozzle extending from the body, at least a portion of the nozzle being located within the through-hole of the additive container.

11. The toothpaste dispenser according to claim 10 wherein the nozzle comprises a first portion that is located within the through-hole of the additive container and a distal portion that protrudes from the top end of the additive container, and wherein the toothpaste dispenser further comprises an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the size of the portion of the at least one additive passageway, a portion of the adjustment mechanism being located along the distal portion of the nozzle to enable a user to manipulate the adjustment mechanism.

12. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 11 further comprising an adjustable filter member configured to adjust the size of the portion of the at least one additive passageway to control an amount of the additive agent that is permitted to flow through the at least one additive passageway and into the dispensing passageway.

13. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the toothpaste contained in the body is unflavored, and wherein the toothpaste is configured to mix with the additive agent in the dispensing passageway prior to being dispensed from the dispensing aperture of the toothpaste dispenser.

14. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the additive container is detachably coupled to the toothpaste container to permit an end user to swap out the additive container for a second additive container containing a second additive that is different than the additive.

15. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the body of the toothpaste container extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the dispensing passageway extends from the body in a direction of the longitudinal axis, and wherein the at least one additive passageway extends in a direction that is non-parallel relative to the longitudinal axis.

16. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 15 further comprising an adjustable filter member configured to adjust the size of the portion of the at least one additive passageway to control an amount of the additive that is permitted to flow through the at least one additive passageway and into the dispensing passageway, wherein rotation of the adjustable filter member relative to the dispensing passageway alters a percentage of the portion of the at least one additive passageway that is blocked by the adjustable filter member.

17. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 16 further comprising an adjustable filter member configured to adjust the size of the portion of the at least one additive passageway to control an amount of the additive that is permitted to flow through the at least one additive passageway and into the dispensing passageway, wherein rotation of the adjustable filter member relative to the dispensing passageway modifies a cross-sectional area the portion of the at least one additive passageway.

18. A toothpaste dispenser comprising: a toothpaste container comprising: a body defining a cavity containing a toothpaste; and a nozzle extending from an end of the body, the nozzle comprising an outer surface, an inner surface that defines a dispensing passageway that is fluidly coupled to the cavity of the body, and at least one opening extending from the outer surface to the inner surface; an additive container containing an additive, the additive container positioned around the nozzle and comprising an inner surface having at least one opening that is radially aligned with the at least one opening of the nozzle; a filter member positioned adjacent to the nozzle and having an outer surface, an inner surface, and at least one aperture extending from the outer surface to the inner surface; and wherein the filter member is movable relative to the nozzle to move the at least one aperture of the filter member into and out of alignment with the at least one opening of the nozzle and the at least one opening of the additive container to selectively adjust an amount of the additive that can flow from the additive container into the dispensing passageway of the nozzle.

19. The toothpaste dispenser according to claim 18 wherein the at least one opening of the nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzle openings, wherein the at least one opening of the additive container comprises a plurality of additive container openings, and further comprising a plurality of additive passageways, each of the plurality of additive passageways comprising one of the plurality of nozzle openings and one of the plurality of additive container openings that are in radial alignment, and wherein the at least one aperture of the filter member comprises a plurality of filter apertures, wherein each of the plurality of filter apertures is associated with one of the additive passageways so that the movement of the filter member modifies an amount of the filter aperture that is aligned with the associated one of the additive passageways.

20. The toothpaste dispenser according to claim 18 further comprising an additive passageway that comprises the at least one opening of the additive container and the at least one opening of the nozzle, and wherein movement of the filter member modifies a percentage of the additive passageway that is blocked by the filter member.

21. The toothpaste dispenser according to any one of claims 18 to 20 wherein the at least one opening of the nozzle has a first diameter and the at least one opening of the additive container has a second diameter, each of the first and second diameters being 1mm or less.

22. A toothpaste dispenser kit comprising: a toothpaste container comprising a body defining a first cavity containing a toothpaste and a nozzle defining a dispensing passageway; a plurality of additive attachments configured to be detachably coupled to the toothpaste container, each of the additive attachments comprising an additive container having a second cavity containing an additive; wherein when one of the additive attachments is coupled to the toothpaste container, at least one additive passageway exists between the second cavity of the additive container of the one of the additive attachments and the dispensing passageway; and wherein the at least one additive passageway is alterable between: (1) a closed state wherein the additive is prevented from flowing from the second cavity into the dispensing passageway; and (2) one or more open states wherein the additive is permitted to flow from the second cavity into the dispensing passageway.

23. The toothpaste dispenser kit according to claim 22 wherein the toothpaste in the first cavity is unflavored, and wherein the additives of each of the plurality of additive attachments comprises a different flavor.

24. The toothpaste dispenser kit according to claim 22 or claim 23 further comprising an adjustable filter member that is configured to alter the additive passageway between the closed state and the one or more open states, and wherein the one or more open states comprises a fully open state and at least one intermediate open state.

25. The toothpaste dispenser kit according to any one of claims 22 to 24 wherein the nozzle extends from the body to a distal end, a dispensing aperture being located at the distal end of the nozzle, the nozzle comprising an inner surface that defines the dispensing passageway, and wherein each of the plurality of additive attachments are configured to at least partially surround the nozzle when coupled to the toothpaste container.

26. The toothpaste dispenser kit according to claim 25 wherein the nozzle comprises a first set of holes and the additive attachments comprise a second set of holes, wherein when the one of the additive attachments is coupled to the toothpaste container, each of the holes of the second set of holes of the one of the additive attachments is aligned with one of the holes of the first set of holes of the nozzle, and wherein the at least one additive passageway comprises a plurality of additive passageways, each of the plurality of additive passageways comprising one of the holes of the first set of holes and one of the holes of the second set of holes that are in radial alignment.

27. The toothpaste dispenser kit according to claim 26 further comprising an adjustable filter member configured to control an amount of the additive that is permitted to flow through the at least one additive passageway and into the dispensing passageway, wherein the adjustable filter member blocks varying percentages of the plurality of additive passageways dependent upon an angular position of the adjustable filter member relative to the nozzle.

28. The toothpaste dispenser kit according to claim 25 wherein the nozzle comprises a first set of holes and the additive attachments comprise a second set of holes, wherein when the one of the additive attachments is coupled to the toothpaste container, the one of the additive attachments is rotatable relative to the nozzle to modify a percentage of each of the second set of holes of the one of the additive attachments that is aligned with one or more of the first set of holes of the nozzle.