BACKGROUND ART Current toothbrushes are commonly one of two different types. The first type requires the provision of a separate toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste dispensed onto the bristles of the toothbrush. The second type incorporates its own container of toothpaste usually being positioned within the handle of the toothbrush.

For example, it is known to provide the following toothbrushes: a toothbrush provided with a container of toothpaste and a piston which feeds toothpaste under pressure from container into hollow tube and then to a head of toothbrush and through an opening onto the bristles (patent GB 2172796, A 46 B 11/00,1985), a toothbrush provided with a slide valve (patent US 4,615, 635, A 46 B 11/00, 1986).

The disadvantage of the known toothbrushes is that they are not hygienic ones: openings in the head tend to retain toothpaste therein, and also there is a possibility of water ingress to the head of the toothbrush resulting in bacterial growth within the toothbrush.

Also it is known to provide a toothbrush comprising a head with bristles, a neck and a handle pivoted to it and consisting of two members, each of which is fixed by an separate axis and thus forming together a case for the toothbrush (patent RU 2039516, A46 B 9/04,1995) or a toothbrush mounted on a handle in the form of a small glass with a cover additionally provided with a case (patent RU 2055503, A 46 B 9/04,1996). Such toothbrushes do not enable flexibility in design and are inconvenient in use.

Toothpicks and dental flosses are commercially produced for cleaning of interdental spaces. Furthermore, it is known to provide a toothbrush comprising a body member and a handle including two hollow portions separated by an adapter and each provided by one toothpick, but with a different shape of the end portion (patent RU 2039499, A 46 B 9/04, 1995).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It would be desirable to be able to provide means for comprehensive dental care, including a toothbrush, which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages, and in particular, all-purpose toothbrush, which is simple to operate and is hygienic in use, requires reduced consumption of materials and is technologically effective in production.

The most closest to this invention and to the method of toothpaste feed onto the bristles is the known toothbrush (GB 99/02319, A 46 B 11/00, 1999 and WO 99/08564, 1999) comprising a head with the bristles, an outlet in the head feeding to said bristles, a container of toothpaste connected to said head, actuating means for feeding toothpaste from the container to the head and a control valve, including a diaphragm portion positioned within the head. Furthermore, actuating means for feeding toothpaste from a container comprises a manually actuated bellows, the interior of which communicates into reservoir positioned between the container and the head of the toothbrush. This toothbrush suffers from a number of disadvantages, the first of which is that the toothbrush is of a relatively complex construction, i. e. the presence of many complex mechanical portions, the presence of its own cartridge that requires replacement; this toothbrush requires great consumption of materials and is therefore, expensive to manufacture. The absence of a case of the toothbrush results in the problem of full protection of the bristles. A special device for the storage of the toothbrush is required and the toothbrush is not portable enough.

The object of this invention is to simplify the construction of a toothbrush, to reduce consumption of materials, to provide reliability and to make it a hygienic one, while increasing the cleaning effect.

To achieve the object of this invention, in the known toothbrush comprising a head including a plurality of cleaning members thereon, at least one outlet in the head feeding to said members, a container of toothpaste connected to said head and actuating means for feeding toothpaste from the container longitudinally of the toothbrush to the head, according to this invention the toothbrush is additionally provided with a handle-holder made from a moulded plastics in the form of an integral cylindrical tube of various diameters, and with a tapering central portion, the top of the holder is provided with coaxially positioned bush with an outside thread and perforation, the greater part of which is directed inside the holder so that it may retain the throat of tube of toothpaste, and the other part projects above the top and has stop catches and a stopper ring positioned with the possibility of progressive motion along the bush in order to catch the rigid hollow neck of the toothbrush, which feeds through it, a base of the holder is provided at the point of the entry with stop catches for catching the tube of toothpaste and has the outside thread for connecting with toothbrush case, while the actuating means for feeding toothpaste are made of moulded plastics in the form of an integral body of the ball, in the center of which through the hole of various diameters forming the outlet on the ball and a ledge in the body of the ball, in which formed is a circular slot for the passage by a pop-in friction fit of rigid neck with the possibility of reciprocating motion of the ball along the said neck. The neck is provided with a valve coaxially secured on the walls by means of vertical plates, the diameter of this valve is equal to the diameter of the outlet of the ball, furthermore, the neck at the end is provided with inner shoulder, the circular slot is provided with projecting edge which is snap-interacted with the neck and provides extreme upper position of the ball with the outlet open, and the other end of the neck feeding into the tube of toothpaste is provided with the perforation and the outside transversal ribs at the end.

The said arrangement is so designed that a rigid neck, which connects a tube of toothpaste with the head, at the same time, constitutes the holder of the toothbrush, acting on it during tooth cleaning.

The combination of the neck with a longitudinally positioned valve transforms the neck' into a straight one-way control valve, there being no requirement for any additional mechanical linkages, which control the feed of the toothpaste. The construction provides hermetic sealing both when using the toothbrush (the water ingress to the tube of toothpaste is excluded) and in inoperative position. The securing of the valve on vertical plates does not prohibit the toothpaste feed, and the perforation of the neck allows the easy feeding of paste from the tube of toothpaste. The absence of complex actuating means makes this device easy and convenient in operation. Besides, the presence of outside transversal ribs on upper portion of the neck under the ball provides the additional hermetic sealing, and at the end feeding into the tube of toothpaste, keeps out a toothbrush from pulling when making the toothbrush operative.

The head of the toothbrush comprises irregularly shaped concave side surface with rounded edges, provided with at least one outlet, while a bearing surface is concave in relation to segmental portion of surface of the ball conjugated with it. The toothbrush is provided with the head holder made from a moulded flexible material, for example a polymer material or food compatible rubber or other material, in the form of integral cup-shaped base, reproducing the shape of the head, which is snap-fit, and in the form of a spherical shell interacting with the ball providing hermetic sealing and sliding pivoted joint.

In one embodiment of this invention the spherical shell throughout its entire height has a through slit parallel to the neck providing the swinging of the toothbrush in the plane of the neck-holder.

In an alternative embodiment of this invention the spherical shell is made corrugated and has the central hole for the provision of rotative motion around the neck, while the ball diameter is smaller than the double radius of peripheral corrugation of the shell.

The toothbrush may be round and made from a suitable material, for example, an elastomeric silicone material, while the outer cleaning members are made in the form of small pins with rounded heads, and a central part is provided with natural bristles. Such arrangement of the toothbrush fit on the ball with the possibility of rotative motion provides floating cleaning effect and a massage of gums.

In an alternative arrangement it may be an elongated one with the bristles positioned on the head. Such toothbrush is preferable when the spherical shell providing swinging is used.

The presence of the described bush, which feeds into the throat of the tube of toothpaste and serves as a guide for the feeding neck together with the toothbrush head holder, provides complete sealing during toothpaste extrusion. The ball, which displays the possibility of progressive motion along the neck, fulfilling the function of toothpaste feeding and the termination of feeding with provision to repeat the procedure, besides, the ball constitutes also the toothbrush head holder being the integral part of the head holder.

Stop catchers that are present at the point of entry into the handle-holder, are preferably made springy from the body of the holder by forming with the aid of vertical notches of springy legs with wedges below, directed inside the holder. When the neck of the toothbrush enters into the holder from top through the bush or from below the tube with toothpaste, the wedges open and catch them fixing in necessary position.

In the alternative embodiment of this invention the stop catch is made in the form of a sickle-shaped wedge, the opposite bearing surfaces of which are provided by longitudinal slots interacting with guides made from the body of a cylindrical tube of the base of the holder forming a horizontal irregularly shaped notched window, through which the stop catch along the guides in the window is inserted by its tail end inside the holder with the possibility of reciprocating motion along the wall of the holder, while the head of the stop catch is positioned outside and bears against springy supporting flat member formed in the window, while slots are shifted to the outer surface of the stop catch that is in contact with the wall of the base of the holder, and both side surfaces, which contact with the wall and the tube of toothpaste and the inner wall of the base of the holder are ribbed.

A cylindrical case screwed on the handle-holder has double walls forming reservoir for toothpicks, and a double bottom forming reservoir for reel of dental floss, furthermore, the case at the bottom part is equipped with fixing means in the form of circular projection, that provides mutual geometric engagement with the toothbrush head in order to extend it into operative position.

Alternatively, the central tapering portion of the handle-holder may be step-shaped, while each step has an inside thread for securing of replaceable tubes of toothpaste of various sizes. The said steps also serve as stop catches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by drawings.

Fig. l is a sketch of a toothbrush according to the invention, in operative position-a general view (a longitudinal section) with the control valve in its open position (Fig. la) and closed position (Fig. lb-an enlarged detail of the encircled part) with section A-A (Fig. l c) and with an enlarged detail of the encircled part (Fig. I d).

Fig. 2, 3-are alternative arrangements of heads of the toothbrush according to this invention (cross section and a plan view): round head-2 (a, b), typical elongated head- 3 (a, b).

Fig. 4 is corrugated shell.

Fig. 5 is the cylindrical tube provided with springy stop catches.

Fig. 6 (a, b, c) -stop catches in the form of the sickle-shaped wedge (Fig. 6a), the cylindrical base of the holder with windows for stop catches (Fig. 6b) and Fig. 6c is a sketch illustrating the process of catching of the tube of toothpaste by the sickle-shaped wedges (bottom view).

Fig. 7 is assembled toothbrush completed according to the invention.

Fig. 8 is similar to the Fig. 7, with step-shaped holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The toothbrush (Fig. l) comprises a head 1 including cleaning members 2 and an outlet 3 positioned on its surface. The head has concave side surface which is hermetically snap- secured in a cup-shaped base 4 of a holder of the head indicated generally at 5 and provided with a spherical shell 6, by which the toothbrush is positioned on the ball 7 with effort forcing apart the edges of shell.

Actuating means for feeding toothpaste for toothbrush made in the form of the integral body of the ball 7, in which there is an axial opening with variable diameters forming an outlet 8, a ledge 9, in which a circular slot 10 with a projecting edge 11 is formed. A toothbrush neck 12 fed into a slot by a pop-in friction fit is provided at the end by an internal shoulder 13 interacting with the projecting edge 11, fixes the upper position of the ball when dispensing a quantity of paste onto the toothbrush head. The neck is rigid (for example, made from a high-impact polystyrene, food compatible plastic or steel) with transversal ribs 14 at the ends. One end of the neck, which is fed into the slot of the ball, is provided with a valve 16 coaxially secured on walls by means of vertical plates 15, the diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the outlet 8 on the ball. The other end of the neck, which is fed into the tube of toothpaste, is provided with a perforation 17.

The spherical shell 6 (Fig. 2a) has throughout its entire height the through slit 18 parallel to the neck providing the swinging of the toothbrush in the plane of the neck-holder. In an alternative embodiment of this invention (Fig. 4) the spherical shell is made corrugated and has the central opening 19 for the provision of rotative motion around the neck.

In one embodiment of the invention the toothbrush may be round (Fig. 2) and made from a suitable material, for example, an elastomeric silicone material, while the outer cleaning members are made in the form of small pins 20 with rounded heads, positioned in multiple rows along the perimeter of the toothbrush and smaller in height than bristles 21 positioned in the center and made from plastics material of polyamide or polyethylene type or made as natural bristles. In this arrangement of the toothbrush the corrugated shell (Fig. 4) is preferred that provides floating cleaning effect and simultaneous massage of gums.

In an alternative arrangement the toothbrush may be an elongated one (Fig. 3) with natural bristles and the spherical shell that provides swinging.

Furthermore, the toothbrush is provided with the handle-holder, indicated generally at 22, and made in the form of integral tube including cylindrical base 23, cylindrical top 24 of smaller diameter, and a central tapering portion 25. The top of the holder is provided with a coaxially positioned bush 26 with perforation 17 and outside thread 27, alternating with grooves 28, while the greater portion of the bush is positioned within the holder in order to hold the throat 29 of the tube 30 of toothpaste and the presence of the tapering portion allows using tubes of toothpaste of various sizes. The other part of the bush projects over the top and is provided at the point of the entry with stop catches 31 and stopper ring 32 positioned with the possibility of moving along the bush in order to catch the hollow neck of the toothbrush, which is fed through the bush into the tube of the toothpaste and connects it with the head of the toothbrush via the actuating means for feeding toothpaste.

The holder at its base is provided with the stop catches 31 in order to catch the tube of the toothpaste and on the outside there is the thread 33 for screwing a case on.

The stop catches preferably are made springy from the body of the holder (Fig. 5) by means of vertical notches 34 forming the legs 35 provided at the base with wedges 36 directed inside the holder.

In an alternative embodiment of the this invention the stop catches are made in the form of a sickle-shaped wedge 37 (Fig. 6a) with longitudinal slots 38 on bearing surfaces, and a cylindrical base of the holder has horizontal irregularly shaped windows 39, in which longitudinal guides 40 are formed, along which the wedge by its tail end 41 feeds into the hollow holder portion, and a head 42 of the wedge remains outside and bears against springy flat member formed in the window at the point of location of the head.

Displacement of slots 38 towards the stop catch outside surface contacting with the wall of the holder allows feeding into hollow holder portion of greater portion of the wedge, the inner wall of the base of the holder and side surfaces of the wedge contacting with the wall and with the tube of toothpaste are provided with ribs that gives secure fastening of the tube of toothpaste, and the head on the outside is provided with the ribbed area 44 to make convenient the feeding of the wedge into the hollow holder portion by a slight pressing and turning the wedges towards the tail end (as illustrated in Fig. 6c).

The cylindrical case of the toothbrush is indicated generally at 45 (Fig. 7,8) and is made from moulded plastics material with an inside thread 46 at the open end and with double walls forming a reservoir 47 for toothpicks 48 and with double bottom forming a reservoir 49 with a holder 50 for a reel of dental floss 51. Furthermore, at the bottom portion of the case there is an inner circular projection 52, which is geometrically engaged with the head 1 of the toothbrush and stabilizes it in operative position.

Referring to Fig. l, the illustrated toothbrush comprises the holder 22, the tapering portion of which has a stepped configuration provided with a thread 53 for securing replaceable tubes of toothpaste of various sizes.

The toothbrush shall be used as follows (Fig. l) : In order to set the toothbrush in operative position the case 45 is screwed off the handle- holder 22. When it is done, the circular projection being geometrically engaged with the head 1 of the toothbrush draws the toothbrush along with the neck 12 up to its fixed position in the bush 22 by snapping the ribs 14.

The holder 5 of the head of the toothbrush is pressed upwards with the help of fingers and the ball 7 takes the upper position and in so doing the tube is snapped by its shoulder 13 on the edge of the slot 11. A stopper ring 32 is displaced upwardly catching the neck 12 by stop catches 31 and stabilizing its operative position. The outlet of the ball 8 opens, dispensing a quantity of toothpaste by slight pressing on the tube of the toothpaste. Then the holder 5 is pressed downwardly, the valve 16 hermetically closes the outlet of the ball cutting off the feed of the toothpaste onto the head of the toothbrush. Thereafter, the toothbrush is placed behind the cheek, the neck is pressed while the toothbrush is held by means of the handle-holder 22 imparting it the sliding motion relative to the neck and to the teeth respectively providing a floating cleaning effect over the entire mouth cavity without removing the toothbrush from the mouth. In addition to that, a simultaneous massage of gums takes places due to soft pins 20, which are positioned along the perimeter of the round toothbrush and reach gums. The toothbrush offers prolonged and coordinated cleaning of masticatory surfaces and interdental spaces.

Upon completion of mouth cavity cleaning the toothbrush is rinsed as a usual one, the catchers 31 are released by the downward displacement of stopper ring 32. On screwing the casing 45 on the toothbrush its circular projections 52 again interact with the head 1 of the toothbrush and the neck 12 is fed in the hollow portion of the tube 30 of toothpaste by slight pressing on the said neck. When necessary or if circumstances do not allow using the toothbrush itself, a user may use dental floss or toothpicks optionally.

The proposed portable hygienic toothbrush for comprehensive dental care of individual use is simple to operate (a disabled person may easily use it). It is easily changed from an operative position into an inoperative one taking up the minimal possible length (a feeding neck is retreated inside the tube of toothpaste). The toothbrush does not require a special device for storage, and a special container for toothpaste. The water ingress to the tube of toothpaste is excluded. The toothbrush may be easily rinsed and is safely stored in a case.

The proposed hygienic kit is multi-functional: the cylindrical case serves as a stand (the kit is positioned on the shelf with the tube of toothpaste upwards (Fig. 7, 8), fulfils the function of a reservoir for toothpicks, dental floss, for the toothbrush itself and tube of toothpaste. It may be used as reservoir for liquid. This is a multi-purpose kit: 6 in 1.

Moreover, the presence of the holder with the tapering central portion allows using standard tubes of toothpaste of various sizes.

A singularity of the proposed toothbrush lies in the fact that it is pivoted to the actuating means for feeding toothpaste-to the ball, which also fulfils a multiple function: repeated feeding paste to the head and the termination of feeding, the function of the holder of the head of the toothbrush with the provision of floating cleaning and massage effect due to the displacement and compensating action of pivot joint of toothbrush on the neck.

The toothbrush is simple to manufacture and to assembly, it includes a minimum of component parts, that are very simple and easy to assemble manually into a portable kit.

The consumption of materials is extremely low and may consist of one to two types of materials. The toothbrush is detachable, that allows replacing it as necessary, using at the same time various tubes of toothpaste.

The proposed hygienic kit due to its portability, simplicity and convenience in use may be widely used in the everyday life, especially, on journeys, by such users as tourists, sportsmen, travellers, servicemen, disabled persons, meeting the requirements of people in the new all-purpose means with high consumers'properties.