FIELD

This invention relates to hand-operated brushes, to toothbrushes, and in particular to portable toothbrushes intended to be carried on or with the person during any type of occupation or activity.

BACKGROUND

A recent survey in the USA described "the toothbrush" as being the most significant single invention of all time. It is certainly widely used by many people in the world several times a day. There have been a. number of attempts to invent a self-contained toothbrush - one that carries toothpaste with it - preferably also as a portable device (carried for example in a pocket, jacket, handbag, vehicle, or briefcase) so that a person need not return home in order to clean his or her teeth. Many prior-art devices are known which provide a built-in reservoir of toothpaste and provide delivery channels along the shaft and emerge about the roots of the bristles. These cause the toothpaste to emerge through the roots of the bristles. "Brushes using this type of delivery are hard to clean; the toothpaste often sets solid, and the principle is generally unworkable. Other prior art devices simply comprise a compact, perhaps foldable toothbrush and require a separate small tube of toothpaste to be carried as well.

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED PRIOR ART

The problem to be solved is to design a simple, usable portable toothbrush which holds toothpaste yet will not leak paste, and which is convenient to use almost anywhere and includes means for applying the toothpaste to the ends of the bristles when required. This would keep the working area and indeed the whole brush in a more hygienic state, because it is easier to clean after use.

OBJECT

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved portable toothbrush, or at least to provide the public with a useful choice. STATEMENT OF INVENTION

In a first broad aspect this invention provides a toothbrush of the type having a brush including bristles mounted near one end (the head) of a shaft, a handle at the other end of the shaft, and a hinge or fold between the head and the handle, wherein the handle includes means for the storage and delivery, from time to time, of controlled quantities of toothpaste, and hinged covering means for covering the shaft and head when the toothbrush is in a first, closed position so that the head and bristles are protected from contamination.

Preferably the handle includes a depression having a floor and sides, which depression surrounds the bristles when the brush is folded and closed.

Preferably the depression includes at least one aperture connected by a corresponding conduit to a means for storage of toothpaste.

Optionally the floor of the depression is configured in order to better apply the tooth¬ paste to the bristles.

Preferably the means for storage of toothpaste is provided with expression means capable of causing a controlled amount of toothpaste to emerge from storage into the depression and against the bristles so that a desired amount of toothpaste is made available ready for use.

Preferred toothpaste expression means comprise pressure applied manually against the reservoir.

One preferred means is end-on pressure from a plunger forced along the cavity containing the toothpaste by finger pressure.

Another preferred means is digital pressure applied through a longitudinal slot to the exterior.

A further preferred means is pressure applied by a slider passing through a longitudinal slot to the exterior.

Preferably the means for storage of toothpaste includes an at least partial transparent wall or window through a wall, so that the amount of stored material is visible to a user.

In a second broad aspect the invention provides a filled cartridge within a cavity; a force- actuated valve upon one end of the cartridge in communication with a delivery channel to the depression, and user access to means to apply force to the valve so that some of 60 the contents of the cartridge are sent through the delivery channel into the depression.

A preferred filling for the cartridge comprising a dental hygiene composition (such as a gel) mixed with a food-grade propellant.

Preferably the means for actuating the valve is protected from inadvertent actuation.

In a third broad aspect, the invention offers a free-floating tube of toothpaste within a 65 container for manual application to the bristles.

In a fourth broad aspect, the invention offers a further storage space within the dental care device for holding beads of a dental or oral hygiene composition.

In a fifth broad aspect, the invention is designed to accept inserts containing toothpaste, one of which inserts may be placed into the depression and may be squeezed in order 70 to release a desired amount of toothpaste.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The description of the invention to be provided herein is given purely by way of example and is not to be taken in any way as limiting the scope or extent of the invention.

75 DRAWINGS

Fig 1: is a diagram showing an example toothbrush according to the invention, in a closed configuration.

Fig 2: is a diagram showing an example toothbrush according to the invention, in an open configuration.

80 Fig 3: shows a plunger type mechanism for ejecting toothpaste against the bristles.

Fig 4: shows a squeezable bag which may be squeezed in order to eject toothpaste against the bristles.

Fig 5: shows a side opening slot into the storage space, with a slider to compress the squeezable bag in order to eject toothpaste against the bristles.

85 Fig 6: shows a rotatable screw drive for advancing a plunger in order to eject tooth¬ paste against the bristles.

Fig 7: shows a version of the invention employing a propellant plus a toothpaste in a cartridge for storing and delivering toothpaste.

Fig 8: shows a system using containers or boxes of a toothpaste which can be 90 inserted into a deepened depression, and squeezed in order to express tooth¬ paste.

Fig 9: shows variations in the configuration of delivery slots within the depression against which the bristles are placed.

A toothbrush according to the invention generally includes a folding brash and a 95 handle. It is adapted for portable use. The handle includes a depression which accom¬ modates the bristles when the brash is folded closed. Means to cause a desired amount of toothpaste to emerge from storage into the depression and against the bristles when required conveniently provides a loading of toothpaste ready for use.

EXAMPLE 1

100 This example shows some features, at least in principle. The entire toothbrush 100 is shown folded for storage/carriage in Fig 1 and in a ready-to-use unfolded position in Fig 2. An outer shell 101 includes a hinged lid (shown open as 101A and with a dotted line to indicate direction of opening in Fig 2). (Although the hinge is shown opening in a plane parallel to the base of the bristles it may open in other axes such as the 105 "sideways" axis. The hinge may be a moulded plastic equivalent hinge lacking separate, sliding parts.

The preferred toothbrush has conventional bristles 103, a shaft 102, and a hinge 110 which can rotate through 180 degrees and preferably includes a detent so that it is semi- locked at either extreme. (Such detents, being part of the art, can be inserted by those 110 skilled in the art of making dies for injection moulding of plastics materials). The hinge is anchored to a body which includes, inside a relatively rigid outer shell, a cavity 109 for holding toothpaste, an exit 108 for the toothpaste to be used, an optional non-return flap 107, and a feeder line or lines 106 which lead toothpaste into the depression 105 where it will be picked up by the bristles. The optional non-return flap will help in preserving 115 the stored mass of toothpaste, in preventing entry of dirt, and may participate in any ratchet-like process of delivery. This diagram does not show means for expression of the toothpaste, though some are shown in Figs 3-9.

In Fig 3 the mass of toothpaste, filling the space or cavity 109, is shown as an array of small blocks. A finger-operated plunger 301 with a finger grip at 303 on the end of a 120 shaft 302, is made to fit fairly closely within the bore of the space or cavity 109 and can slide along cavity 109 in order to expel toothpaste. In this design, the user would open the toothbrush, poke a finger into the open end of the cavity, push until enough tooth¬ paste was visible, then close the' brush again to transfer the paste on to the bristles 103. Then the user can clean the teeth. This version might suit a disposable concept better, 125 because no methods for the user to re-fill the space 109 are shown. This method loses some storage space to the volume taken up by the plunger. Various ratchet and screw- advance mechanisms for advancing the plunger are also usable; one version (see Fig 6.) includes a central coarse screw 602 running the length of the cavity, a plunger 601, having a threaded bore like a nut threaded over the screw, and plunger advance means 130 (knob 603 in this example) for making the screw rotate in order to cause it to advance and apply pressure to the toothpaste mass. The plunger itself would be prevented from rotation - most likely by shaping it like a "D" in cross section so that the container shape fits well with the entire brush moulding. Again, a one-way valve 107 is an optional addition.

135 The brush head may be removed for replacement or simply for a change, optionally by detachment at the hinge 110. In Fig 4, we assume that the replaceable bag 401 which contains toothpaste has been opened and attached to the base of the cavity at a thread 402, or an interference fit or some other means of making a reversible yet secure connection. Expression of toothpaste is now a matter of applying pressure to the bag, 140 which can be made of any suitable material. Qualities would include imperviousness, food safety, low resilience (stretchability) flexibility, and tear resistance. It would be possible to press on the bag through an open slot on one side of the toothbrush as shown in Fig 5, where 503 is part of a bag within the slot 502 and 501 is a pushed with ridges for better grip, which (see the cross-section below) includes an internal extension 145 504 around the end of the bag so that toothpaste can be expressed when required.

Fig 8 shows yet another way of providing toothpaste refills. In this example small blocks (804, 802, 803) which may be stored loosely within the handle can be inserted (as 801) in the (in this case deepened) depression 105 of the portable toothbrush, and squeezed to liberate toothpaste. Each block may hold enough for one use, or may hold more.

150 Fig 9 shows some variations in the configuration of the depression. 901 shows a cross- section through a simple version in which the depression has a flat floor with apertures 902. 903 and 907 show variants in which a raised aperture delivers toothpaste more within the bristles. 905 shows a re-entrant version and it may be that pushing the bristles into the depression will help to pick up the toothpaste that lies within.. Various patterns 155 of apertures are shown at 909, 910 and 911. All of these designs lend themselves to manufacture using primarily injection moulding techniques so that the invention can be commercialised without problems.

EXAMPLE 2

Handling a viscous material (toothpaste) has always been an obstacle in portable tooth- 160 brush design. Hence we propose a pressurised disposable cartridge approach. A preferred filling for the cartridge would be a dental hygiene composition (such as a gel or mousse- type toothpaste with or without an abrasive component) mixed with a food-grade propellant such as is used for whipped cream. A suitable dental care device would include a cavity within the handle that would fit this cartridge neatly, so that a protective 165 cap can be applied over the entire cavity. The cartridge is fitted with a force-actuated valve upon the end of the cartridge placed in communication with a delivery channel to the depression, and may be made with a tapered shape for strength and so that people cannot insert a refill in the wrong direction. In order to obtain delivery of the dental hygiene composition, the user applies force through a suitably protected (against 170 inadvertent triggering) mechanism to the valve so that some of the contents of the cartridge are sent through the delivery channel into the depression, for picking up on to the brush.

VARIATIONS

Preferably the variety of toothpaste used here is relatively fluid so that it can flow more 175 easily after the application of pressure through a delivery conduit and into the depression. More flowable toothpastes include the "gels" with methyl cellulose or similar viscosity modifiers and either a reduced amount of abrasive material (normally 50% dicalcium phosphate) or a changed type - such as hydrated silica.

The description given here illustrates some novel aspects of a toothbrush according to 180 this invention. Of course, it may be combined with other inventions in the area - of which there are many - such as bristle end shape, head shape, head size, head angle, and so on - yet still maintain its novelty.

COMMERCIAL BENEFITS or ADVANTAGES

This invention combines the functions of a toothbrush with the advantages of being a 185 self-contained and portable version of a toothbrush.

The cover 101 A helps protect the head, shaft, and bristles of the toothbrush from contamination when the invention is not in actual use.

The invention avoids the problem of prior-art devices which would deliver toothpaste to the bristles from within the shaft to the base of the bristles.

190 In case the user wishes to load a separate toothbrush with toothpaste stored (109) within the handle of this invention, it is easy to do that.

It does not require a learning step on the part of the user.

It allows a user to be able to clean his/her teeth anywhere.

The propellant version provides a "technically interesting" option for children who may 195 need such an enticement to clean their teeth sufficiently often.

Finally, it will be understood that the scope of this invention as described and/or illus¬ trated herein is not limited to the specified embodiments. Those of skill will appreciate that various modifications, additions, known equivalents, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the following 200 claims.